As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 23, 2022

Registration No. 333-

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-1

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Nevada

 

2111

 

83-4231457

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(Primary Standard Industrial

Classification Code Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

 

9925 Airway Road,

San Diego, CA, 92154

(619) 779-0715

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant's principal executive offices)

 

Sandro Piancone

Chief Executive Officer

9925 Airway Road,

San Diego, CA, 92154

(619) 779-0715

(Names, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Copies to:

Lance Brunson, Esq.

Callie Tempest Jones, Esq.

Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC

Walker Center

175 S. Main Street, Suite 1410

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

(801) 303-5737  

Louis A. Bevilacqua, Esq.

Bevilacqua PLLC

1050 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 869-0888

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box. ☐

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer," "smaller reporting company," and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

 

 

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 comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act. ☐

 

 

 

   

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 23, 2022

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

$[  ]

Shares of Common Stock

 

This is an initial public offering of our common stock. We are offering [  ] shares of our common stock. We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be between $[ ] and $[ ] per share of common stock.

 

Currently, there is no public market for our common stock. We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market, under the symbol "HPCO." We cannot guarantee that our common stock will be approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market and if our application is not approved, this offering cannot be completed.

  

After completion of this offering, public investors in the offering will own approximately [  ]% of our outstanding shares of common stock, other investors will own approximately [  ]% of our outstanding shares of common stock, and approximately [  ]% of our outstanding common stock will be owned by Green Globe International, Inc., a Delaware corporation.  Accordingly, we are a “controlled company” under Nasdaq corporate governance rules and are eligible for certain exemptions from these rules, though we do not intend to rely on any such exemptions.  See “Risk Factors – We will be a ‘controlled company’ within the meaning of the listing rules of Nasdaq and, as a result, can rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies” on page 25 for more information.

   

We are an "emerging growth company" under applicable federal securities laws, and as such, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for this prospectus and future filings.

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. See the section of this prospectus entitled "Risk Factors" beginning on page 15 for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our common stock.

 

Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

PER SHARE

 

 

TOTAL (4)

 

Initial public offering price(1)

 

$ $

 

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions(2)

 

$ $

 

 

Proceeds, before expenses, to us(3)

 

$ $

 

 

 

(1)

Initial public offering price per share is assumed as $[ ] per share, which is the midpoint of the range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

(2)

We have agreed to pay the underwriter a discount equal to (i) 7% of the gross proceeds of the offering. We have agreed to sell to the Representative, on the applicable closing date of this offering, warrants in an amount equal to 7% of the aggregate number of shares of common stock sold by us in this offering (the "Representative's Warrants") (not including over-allotment shares). For a description of other terms of the Representative's Warrants and a description of the other compensation to be received by the Underwriter, see "Underwriting" beginning on page 79.

 

(3)

Excludes fees and expenses payable to the Underwriter. The total amount of Underwriter's expenses related to this offering is set forth in the section entitled "Underwriting."

 

(4)

Assumes that the Underwriter does not exercise any portion of their over-allotment option.

 

We expect our total cash expenses for this offering (including cash expenses payable to our Underwriter for its out-of-pocket expenses) to be approximately $[  ], exclusive of the above discounts. In addition, we will pay additional items of value in connection with this offering that are viewed by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, as underwriting compensation. These payments will further reduce proceeds available to us before expenses. See "Underwriting" beginning on page 79.

 

This offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. The underwriter, Boustead Securities, LLC (the "Underwriter"), is obligated to take and pay for all of the shares of common stock if any such shares of common stock are taken. We have granted the Underwriter an option for a period of 45 days after the closing of this offering to purchase up to 15% of the total number of our shares of common stock to be offered by us pursuant to this offering (excluding shares of common stock subject to this option), solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. If the underwriters exercise their option in full, the total underwriting discounts and commissions payable will be $[  ] based on an assumed offering price of $[  ] per ordinary share, and the total gross proceeds to us, before underwriting discounts and commissions expenses, will be $[  ]. If we complete this offering, net proceeds will be delivered to us on the applicable closing date.

 

The Underwriter expects to deliver the shares of common stock against payment as set forth under "Underwriting", on or about [ ], 2022.

 

BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC

 

Prospectus dated March 23, 2022.

    

 
2

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

 

Prospectus Summary

 

4

 

Risk Factors

 

11

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

 

27

 

Use of Proceeds

 

28

 

Dividend Policy

 

29

 

Capitalization

 

30

 

Dilution

 

31

 

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

 

32

 

Corporate History and Structure

 

32

 

Business

 

37

 

Management

 

44

 

Executive Compensation

 

48

 

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

 

50

 

Principal Shareholders

 

51

 

Description of Securities

 

52

 

Shares Eligible for Future Sale

 

55

 

Material U.S. Federal Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Holders of Our Common Stock

 

56

 

Underwriting

 

59

 

Legal Matters

 

62

 

Experts

 

62

 

Where You Can Find More Information

 

63

 

Financial Statements

F-1

 

 

Please read this prospectus carefully. It describes our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, among other things. We are responsible for the information contained in this prospectus and in any free-writing prospectus we have authorized. Neither we nor the underwriters have authorized anyone to provide you with different information, and neither we nor the underwriters take responsibility for any other information others may give you. Neither we nor the underwriters are making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. The information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on the front of this prospectus, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of securities. You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than its date.

 

TRADEMARKS, TRADE NAMES AND SERVICE MARKS

 

We use various trademarks, trade names and service marks in our business, including "Disrupting Tobacco," "HempBox," "Hempbar," "The Real Stuff," "Solito," and "Cali Vibes D8." For convenience, we may not include the SM, ® or symbols, but such omission is not meant to indicate that we would not protect our intellectual property rights to the fullest extent allowed by law. Any other trademarks, trade names or service marks referred to in this prospectus are the property of their respective owners.

 

INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA

 

This prospectus includes industry data and forecasts that we obtained from industry publications and surveys including but not limited to certain publications of Hemp Industry Daily - Sector Snapshot - Smokable Hemp, as well as public filings and internal company sources. Industry publications, surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of the included information. Statements as to our ranking, market position and market estimates are based on third-party forecasts, management's estimates and assumptions about our markets and our internal research. We have not independently verified such third-party information, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon in those sources, and we cannot assure you of the accuracy or completeness of such information contained in this prospectus. Such data involve risks and uncertainties and is subject to change based on various factors, including those discussed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

 PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary is not complete and does not contain all of the information that you should consider before deciding whether to invest in our securities. You should carefully read the entire prospectus, including the risks associated with an investment in our company discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of this prospectus, before making an investment decision. Some of the statements in this prospectus are forward-looking statements. See the section titled "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements."

 

In this prospectus, "we," "us," "our," "our company" and similar references refer to Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation formerly known as The Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

OUR COMPANY

 

Overview

 

We are focused on Disrupting Tobacco™ by manufacturing and selling nicotine-free and tobacco-free alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We utilize a proprietary, patented spraying technology for terpene infusion and patent-pending flavored filter infusion technology to manufacture hemp and herb-based smokable alternatives.

 

We have conducted research and development in the smokables space and are engaged in the manufacturing and sale of smokable hemp and herb products, including The Real Stuff™ Hemp Smokables. Our operational segments include private label manufacturing and sales, intellectual property licensing, and the development and sales of inhouse brands using patented counter displays. Our inhouse brands are currently sold in over 200 retail locations located in the San Diego, California, area, our private label customers include well-known and established companies in the cannabis and tobacco-alternatives industries, and we currently own approximately 600 kiosk vending machines which we plan to refurbish and use to distribute our products in a wider fashion under our HempBox Vending brand.

  

Our hemp cigarette production facility, located in San Diego, California, has the capacity to produce up to 30 million cigarettes monthly. From our facility, we can ship small-to-large quantities of product—from single displays of product to targeted retail locations to truckloads of product to private label customers—with in-house processing, packing, and shipping capabilities.

 

We believe that our manufacturing technologies will be a critical component of our success. We plan to continue to invest in research and development, and we currently have one approved patent and one patent pending with respect to our critical manufacturing processes. Our approved patent is an exclusivity patent to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add cannabidiol, which we refer to as CBD, or cannabigerol, which we refer to as CBG, and our pending patent relates to our flavored filter infusion technology. We also have several ready-to-file patent applications with respect to hemp manufacturing, hemp processing, design patents for hemp machines and merchandisers, and customized manufacturing equipment.

 

We believe that we are positioned to rapidly grow our customer and product footprint through increasing marketing efforts, reaching agreements with master distributors who will sell to a broad network of retail establishments, and aggressively targeting additional distributors throughout the United States. We plan to drive and increase customer traffic with internet marketing to or with the clients that carry our products.

 

Our Products

 

We have launched the production and sale of our own in-house brand of hemp-based cigarettes, The Real Stuff Smokables, in three presentations: the twenty pack, the ten pack, and the Solito™ single pack, all of which are sold in our patented counter displays in convenience stores through master distributors.

 

We have also entered into several joint ventures to launch multiple new smokables brands: Cali Vibes D8, a joint venture focused on Delta 8 smokable products; Hemp Hop Smokables, a joint venture with rapper Rick Ross and Rap Snack's CEO James Lindsay; a joint venture with StickIt Ltd., an Israeli corporation, to manufacture cannabinoid sticks for insertion into other cigarettes; and a joint venture to launch Cheech & Chong-branded hemp smokables.

  

We have launched a brand of flavored hemp rolling papers, and we also private label manufacture hemp rolling papers for third parties. We are currently manufacturing hemp rolling papers for HBI International, one of the leading smoking paper producers in the world, and we recently received our largest purchase order to date for approximately $9.2 million from HBI International's Skunk and Juicy brand to manufacture hemp rolling papers for it.

 

 
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Our products include the following:

 

 

Competitive Strengths

 

We believe our manufacturing technologies, manufacturing facility manufacturing capacity, and management with extensive industry experience are strengths that set us apart from our competitors.  Our manufacturing facility can quickly scale up production volumes, our management team has extensive experience in the cigarette and food and beverage industries, and because of our manufacturing technologies, which allow us to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add CBD or CBG, and add flavoring via our filter infusion technology, we believe our smokables products offer consistent and unique flavor and odor profiles to consumers, which we believe sets our products apart from competing products, which may lack flavor and odor consistency or smell like marijuana when smoked.

 

Growth Strategy

 

We seek to become the leader in sales and distribution of alternative smokable products. We aim to offer our products and affiliate products in over 100,000 convenience and liquor stores in the United States, and we also intend to build international sales and distribution channels for our products and affiliate products. Our goal is to build a portfolio of non-tobacco smokables brands, become the United States market leader in the space, and subsequently build exclusive master distribution relationships in other countries. We plan to do this in four ways:

 

 

 

 

We intend to focus on growing our fast-moving consumer goods brands, such as our "The Real Stuff" smokables and "Hempbar," our line of "liquor flavored" infused hemp smokables for sale in liquor stores and bars.

 

We plan to build a portfolio of patents and technologies, which should allow us to protect and grow our competitive position in the industry.

 

We intend to expand our manufacturing capabilities.

 

We plan to increase sales by focusing on master distributor relationships, e-commerce sales, and distribution of our brands, and joint venture brands.

 

 

 

Our Corporate History and Structure

 

We were incorporated in the State of Nevada on April 1, 2019, as "The Hempacco Co., Inc.," and on April 23, 2021, changed our name to "Hempacco Co., Inc." On or about May 21, 2021, we were acquired by Green Globe International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and became a wholly owned subsidiary of it. Subsequently, we issued additional shares of common stock, and as of immediately prior to this offering, we are a majority-owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc., with Green Globe International, Inc. owning approximately 93.4% of our capital stock.

  

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

 

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease ("COVID-19") was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The pandemic, which has continued to spread, and the related adverse public health developments, including orders to shelter-in-place, travel restrictions, and mandated business closures, have adversely affected workforces, organizations, customers, economies, and financial markets globally, leading to an economic downturn and increased market volatility. It has also disrupted the normal operations of many businesses, including ours.

 

Our operations have been impacted by a range of external factors related to the pandemic that are not within our control. For example, many cities, counties, states, and even countries have imposed or may impose a wide range of restrictions on the physical movement of our employees, partners and customers to limit the spread of the pandemic, including physical distancing, travel bans and restrictions, closure of non-essential business, quarantines, work-from-home directives, shelter-in-place orders, and limitations on public gatherings. These measures have caused, and are continuing to cause, business slowdowns or shutdowns in affected areas, both regionally and worldwide. In 2020, we temporarily scaled down sales efforts at trade shows and with customers and potential customers in in-person meetings, and we were forced to source ingredients for some of the components of our products from alternative suppliers. These changes disrupted our business, and similar changes in the future may disrupt the way we operate our business. In addition, our management team has, and will likely continue, to spend significant time, attention and resources monitoring the pandemic and seeking to minimize the risk of the virus and manage its effects on our business.

  

 
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Table of Contents

 

The duration and extent of the impact from the pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the severity and transmission rate of the virus, the extent and effectiveness of containment actions and the disruption caused by such actions, the effectiveness of vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19, and the impact of these and other factors on our employees, customers, partners and vendors. If we are not able to respond to and manage the impact of such events effectively, our business will be harmed.

 

To the extent the pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in the "Risk Factors" section.

 

Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company and a Smaller Reporting Company

 

Upon the completion of this offering, we will qualify as an "emerging growth company" under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the "JOBS Act"). As a result, we will be permitted to, and intend to, rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements. For so long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to:

 

 

 

have an auditor report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act");

 

comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis);

 

submit certain executive compensation matters to shareholder advisory votes, such as "say-on-pay" and "say-on-frequency;" and

 

disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer's compensation to median employee compensation.

 

 

 

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. Our financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

 

We will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our total annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (ii) the date that we become a "large accelerated filer" as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act,") which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.

 

To the extent that we continue to qualify as a "smaller reporting company," as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the "Exchange Act"), after we cease to qualify as an emerging growth company, certain of the exemptions available to us as an emerging growth company may continue to be available to us as a smaller reporting company, including: (i) not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes Oxley Act; (ii) scaled executive compensation disclosures; and (iii) the requirement to provide only two years of audited financial statements, instead of three years.

 

Corporate Information

 

We are currently incorporated and in good standing in the State of Nevada. Our principal executive offices are located at 9925 Airway Road, San Diego, California, 92154, and our telephone number is (619) 779-07152. We maintain a website at https://hempaccoinc.com/. Information available on our website is not incorporated by reference in and is not deemed a part of this prospectus, and you should not consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus or in deciding whether to purchase our common stock.

 

Nasdaq Listing

 

We intend to list our common stock on Nasdaq. There is no assurance that our listing application will be approved by Nasdaq. The approval of our listing on Nasdaq is a condition of closing. If our application to Nasdaq is not approved or we otherwise determine that we will not be able to secure the listing of the common stock on Nasdaq, we will not complete the offering. 

  

 
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THE OFFERING

 

 

 

Shares being offered:

 

[ ] shares of common stock (or [ ] shares if the underwriter exercises the over-allotment option in full).

 

 

 

Offering price:

 

We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be between $[ ] and $[ ] per share.

 

 

 

Shares outstanding immediately before the offering

 

19,695,532 shares of common stock

 

 

 

Shares outstanding after the offering:

 

[ ] shares of common stock (or [ ] shares if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full).

 

 

 

Over-allotment option:

 

We have granted to the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase from us up to an additional 15% of the shares sold in the offering ([ ] additional shares) at the initial public offering price, less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

 

 

Representative's warrants:

 

We have agreed to issue to the representative of the underwriter (the "Representative") warrants to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal in the aggregate to 7% of the total number of shares issued in this offering. The Representative's warrants will be exercisable at a per share exercise price equal to 150% of the public offering price per share of common stock sold in this offering. The Representative’s warrants will be exercised at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, commencing from the closing of the offering and expiring five (5) years from the effectiveness of the offering. The registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part also registers the issuance of the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative's warrants. See the "Underwriting" section for more information.

 

 

 

Use of proceeds:

 

We expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $[ ] from this offering (or approximately $[ ] if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full), assuming an initial public offering price of $[ ] per share (which is the midpoint of the estimated range of the initial public offering price shown on the cover page of this prospectus) and no exercise of the underwriters' over-allotment option, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. We plan to use the net proceeds of this offering for sales, marketing and advertising initiatives; acquisitions of companies and technologies aligned and synergistic with our manufacturing technologies and growth objectives; expansion and upgrades to our existing manufacturing facility; research and development; hiring sales and other employees; expenses associated with becoming a public company; and general corporate and working capital purposes. See "Use of Proceeds" section for more information on the use of proceeds.

 

 

 

Risk factors:

 

Investing in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. As an investor, you should be able to bear a complete loss of your investment. You should carefully consider the information set forth in the "Risk Factors" section beginning on page 15 before deciding to invest in our common stock.

 

 

 

Lock-up

 

We, all of our directors and officers and all of our shareholders have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock for a period of twelve months after the closing of this offering. See "Underwriting" for more information.

 

 

 

Proposed trading market and symbol

 

We have applied to list our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "HPCO." We believe that upon the completion of this offering, we will meet the standards for listing on Nasdaq. The closing of this offering is contingent upon the successful listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

 

 

The number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately following this offering is based on 19,695,532 shares outstanding as of [  ], 2022.

 

 
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SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION

 

The following tables summarize certain financial data regarding our business and should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and related notes contained elsewhere in this prospectus and the information under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

 

Our summary financial data as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, are derived from our audited financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. All financial statements included in this prospectus are prepared and presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"). The summary financial information is only a summary and should be read in conjunction with the historical financial statements and related notes contained elsewhere herein. The financial statements contained elsewhere fully represent our financial condition and operations; however, they are not indicative of our future performance.

 

Although our audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, were prepared under the assumption that we would continue our operations as a going concern, the report of our independent registered public accounting firm that accompanies our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, contains a going concern qualification in which such firm expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, based on our financial statements and results at that time, including our net loss of $1,856,425 during the year ended December 31, 2021, our accumulated deficit of $3,459,214 as of December 31, 2021, and our working capital deficit of $2,050,626 as of December 31, 2021.

 

 

 

 

 

Years Ended

December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statements of Operations Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revenue

 

$ 1,187,273

 

 

$ 345,989

 

Cost of Goods Sold

 

 

850,901

 

 

 

899,699

 

Gross Profit (Loss) from Operations

 

 

336,372

 

 

 

(553,710 )

Operating Expenses

 

 

1,995,705

 

 

 

751,279

 

Operating Loss

 

 

(1,659,333 )

 

 

(1,304,989 )

Other Income / (Expense)

 

 

(211,342 )

 

 

(160,455 )

Net Loss

 

 

(1,870,675 )

 

 

(1,465,444 )

Net Loss Attributable to Non-Controlling Interests

 

 

14,250

 

 

 

-

 

Net Loss Attributable to Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

(1,856,425 )

 

 

(1,465,444 )

Dividend Issued to Preferred Stockholders

 

 

(757,479 )

 

 

-

 

Net Loss Attributable to Common Stockholders

 

 

(2,613,904 )

 

 

(1,465,444 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As of

December 31

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Balance Sheet Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents 

 

$ 933,469

 

 

$ 500

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

2,117,638

 

 

 

101,462

 

Total Assets

 

 

7,570,523

 

 

 

5,657,894

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

4,168,264

 

 

 

2,931,761

 

Total Liabilities

 

 

4,702,863

 

 

 

3,435,326

 

Accumulated Deficit

 

 

(3,459,214 )

 

 

(1,602,789 )

Total Stockholder's Equity

 

 

2,881,910

 

 

 

2,222,568

 

Non-Controlling Interests

 

 

(14,250 )

 

 

-

 

Total Equity for Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

2,867,660

 

 

 

2,222,568

 

Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Equity 

 

$ 7,570,523

 

 

$ 5,657,894

 

 

 
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SUMMARY OF RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks summarized below. These risks are discussed more fully in the "Risk Factors" section immediately following this Prospectus Summary. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: 

 

 

 

 

·

Since inception, we have experienced operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities and anticipate that we will continue to incur operating losses in the near future.

 

 

 

 

·

If we are not able to successfully execute on our future operating plans, our financial condition and results of operation may be materially adversely affected, and we may not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

 

 

 

·

We may be unable to effectively manage future growth. We will need additional financing in the future, which may not be available when needed or may be costly and dilutive.

 

 

 

 

·

If we are unable to continue as a going concern, our securities will have little or no value.

 

 

 

 

·

We have a limited operating history, and we may not be able to successfully operate our business or execute our business plan.

 

 

 

 

·

We may incur significant debt to finance our operations.

 

 

 

 

·

We compete in an industry that is brand-conscious, so brand name recognition and acceptance of our products are critical to our success.

 

 

 

 

·

Our brand and image are keys to our business and any inability to maintain a positive brand image could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

 

 

 

·

Competition from traditional and large, well-financed tobacco or nicotine cigarette manufacturers or distributors may adversely affect our distribution relationships and may hinder development of our existing markets, as well as prevent us from expanding our markets.

 

 

 

 

·

We compete in an industry characterized by rapid changes in consumer preferences and public perception, so our ability to continue developing new products to satisfy our consumers' changing preferences will determine our long-term success.

 

 

 

 

·

We may be unable to respond effectively to technological changes in our industry, which could reduce the demand for our products.

 

 

 

 

·

We may experience a reduced demand for some of our products due to health concerns and legislative initiatives against smokables products.

 

 

 

 

·

Legislative or regulatory changes that affect our products, including new taxes, could reduce demand for products or increase our costs.

 

 

 

 

·

Our ability to develop, commercialize and distribute hemp smokables products and comply with laws and regulations governing cannabis, hemp or related products will affect our operational results.

 

 

 

 

·

International expansion efforts would likely significantly increase our operational expenses.

 

 

 

 

·

Our reliance on distributors, retailers and brokers could affect our ability to efficiently and profitably distribute and market our products, maintain our existing markets and expand our business into other geographic markets.

 

 

 

 

·

We incur significant time and expense in attracting and maintaining key distributors, and loss of distributors or retails accounts would harm our business.

 

 

 

 

·

We rely on suppliers, manufacturers and contractors, and events adversely affecting them would adversely affect us.

 

 

 

 

·

We have a single customer that accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues, and our business would be harmed were we to lose this customer.

 

 

 

 

·

Wholesale price volatility may adversely affect operations.

 

 
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·

The Company may sustain losses that cannot be recovered through insurance or other preventative measures.

 

 

 

 

·

The Company may be subject to product liability claims and other claims of our customers and partners.

 

 

 

 

·

If we encounter product recalls or other product quality issues, our business may suffer.

 

 

 

 

·

It is difficult to predict the timing and amount of our sales, and as a result our sales forecasts are uncertain.

 

 

 

 

·

If we do not adequately manage our inventory levels, our operating results could be adversely affected.

 

 

 

 

·

Increases in costs or shortages of raw materials could harm our business and financial results.

 

 

 

 

·

Increases in costs of energy and increased regulations may have an adverse impact on our gross margin.

 

 

 

 

·

Disruption within our supply chain, contract manufacturing or distribution channels could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

 

 

 

·

If we are unable to attract and retain key personnel, our efficiency and operations would be adversely affected; in addition, staff turnover causes uncertainties and could harm our business.

 

 

 

 

·

If we lose the services of our Chief Executive Officer, our future operations could be impaired until such time as a qualified replacement can be found.

 

 

 

 

·

If we fail to protect our trademarks and trade secrets, we may be unable to successfully market our products and compete effectively.

 

 

 

 

·

Disruptions to our information technology systems due to cyber-attacks or our failure to upgrade and adjust our information technology systems, may materially impair our operations, hinder our growth and materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

 

 

 

·

Our business is subject to many regulations and noncompliance is costly.

 

 

 

 

·

Significant additional labeling or warning requirements may inhibit sales of affected products.

 

 

 

 

·

Our industry may become subject to expanded regulation and increased enforcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

 

 

 

 

·

Our business and operations would be adversely impacted in the event of a failure or interruption of our information technology infrastructure or as a result of a cybersecurity attack.

 

 

 

 

·

Our results of operations may fluctuate from quarter to quarter for many reasons, including seasonality.

 

 

 

 

·

Global economic, political, social and other conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, may continue to adversely impact our business and results of operations.

 

 

 

 

·

We may not be able to satisfy listing requirements of Nasdaq or obtain or maintain a listing of our common stock on Nasdaq.

 

 

 

 

·

Prior to this offering, we were majority-owned by Green Globe International, Inc. ("GGII"), and a small group of Company officers and directors hold a majority of the control of GGII.

 

 
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RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before purchasing our securities. We have listed below (not necessarily in order of importance or probability of occurrence) what we believe to be the most significant risk factors applicable to us, but they do not constitute all of the risks that may be applicable to us. Any of the following factors could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations or prospects, and could result in a partial or complete loss of your investment. Some statements in this prospectus, including statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. Please refer to the section titled "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements".

 

We may not be successful in preventing the material adverse effects that any of the following risks and uncertainties may cause. These potential risks and uncertainties may not be a complete list of the risks and uncertainties facing us. There may be additional risks and uncertainties that we are presently unaware of, or presently consider immaterial, that may become material in the future and have a material adverse effect on us. You could lose all or a significant portion of your investment due to any of these risks and uncertainties.

 

Risks Related to our Financial Condition and Capital Requirements

 

Since inception, we have experienced operating losses and negative cash flows from operating activities and anticipate that we will continue to incur operating losses in the near future.

 

We have experienced operating losses to date and negative cash flows from operating activities. We expect to continue to incur significant expenses related to our expanding operations and to generate operating losses in the near future. The size of our losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future expenditures and our ability to generate revenues. We incurred a net loss of $1,870,675 for the year ended December 31, 2021, and a net loss attributable to our common stockholders of $2,613,904 for the year ended December 31, 2021, and our accumulated deficit increased to $3,459,214 as of December 31, 2021.

 

We may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications, delays, and other unknown factors that may adversely affect our financial condition. Our prior losses and expected future losses have had, and will continue to have, an adverse effect on our financial condition. If our products do not achieve sufficient market acceptance and our revenues do not increase significantly, we may never become profitable. Even if we achieve profitability in the future, we may not be able to sustain profitability in subsequent periods. Our failure to become and remain profitable would decrease the value of our company and could impair our ability to raise capital, expand our business, diversify our product offerings or continue our operations. A decline in the value of our company could cause you to lose all or part of your investment.

 

If we are not able to successfully execute on our future operating plans, our financial condition and results of operation may be materially adversely affected, and we may not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

It is critical that we meet our sales goals and increase sales going forward as our operating plan already reflects prior significant cost containment measures and may make it difficult to achieve top-line growth if further significant reductions become necessary. If we do not meet our sales goals, our available cash and working capital will decrease and our financial condition will be negatively impacted.

 

We may be unable to effectively manage future growth.

 

We may be subject to growth-related risks, including capacity constraints and pressure on our internal systems and controls. Our ability to manage growth effectively will require us to continue to implement and improve our operational and financial systems and to expand, train and manage our employee base. Rapid growth of our business may significantly strain our management, operations and technical resources. If we are successful in obtaining large orders for its products, we will be required to deliver large volumes of products to our customers on a timely basis and at a reasonable cost. We may not obtain large-scale orders for our products and if we do, we may not be able to satisfy large-scale production requirements on a timely and cost-effective basis. Our inability to deal with this growth may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

We will need additional financing in the future, which may not be available when needed or may be costly and dilutive.

 

We will require additional financing to support our working capital needs in the future. The amount of additional capital we may require, the timing of our capital needs and the availability of financing to fund those needs will depend on a number of factors, including our strategic initiatives and operating plans, the performance of our business and the market conditions for debt or equity financing. Additionally, the amount of capital required will depend on our ability to meet our sales goals and otherwise successfully execute our operating plan. We believe it is imperative that we meet these sales objectives in order to lessen our reliance on external financing in the future. We intend to continually monitor and adjust our operating plan as necessary to respond to developments in our business, our markets and the broader economy. Although we believe various debt and equity financing alternatives will be available to us to support our working capital needs, financing arrangements on acceptable terms may not be available to us when needed. Additionally, these alternatives may require significant cash payments for interest and other costs or could be highly dilutive to our existing shareholders. Any such financing alternatives may not provide us with sufficient funds to meet our long-term capital requirements. If necessary, we may explore strategic transactions that we consider to be in the best interest of the company and our shareholders, which may include, without limitation, public or private offerings of debt or equity securities, a rights offering, and other strategic alternatives; however, these options may not ultimately be available or feasible when needed.

 

 
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If we are unable to continue as a going concern, our securities will have little or no value.

 

Although our financial statements have been prepared under the assumption that we would continue our operations as a going concern, there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, based on our financial statements and results of operations at that time. Specifically, as noted above, we have experienced losses from operations and negative cash flows from operating activities due primarily to relatively high general and administrative expenses associated with launching our business, as well as an inventory obsolescence allowance expense. An inventory obsolescence allowance was created as a precautionary measure with regard to a large quantity of hemp biomass that is currently being used in production of our products, which we expect will be consumed within 6 to 12 months. All or a portion the allowance is expected to be credited back as other income as the biomass is used, but there is no guarantee that the biomass will be used, and that the allowance will be credited back as other income.

 

Although our audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, were prepared under the assumption that we would continue our operations as a going concern, the report of our independent registered public accounting firm that accompanies our financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, contains a going concern qualification in which such firm expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern, based on our financial statements and results at that time, including our net loss of $1,870,675 during the year ended December 31, 2021, our accumulated deficit of $3,459,214 as of December 31, 2021, and our working capital deficit of $2,050,626 as of December 31, 2021.

  

We expect to continue to incur significant expenses and operating losses for the foreseeable future. These prior losses and expected future losses have had, and will continue to have, an adverse effect on our financial condition. In addition, as noted above, continued operations and our ability to continue as a going concern may be dependent on our ability to obtain additional financing in the near future and thereafter, and there are no assurances that such financing will be available to us at all or will be available in sufficient amounts or on reasonable terms. Our financial statements do not include any adjustments that may result from the outcome of this uncertainty. If we are unable to generate additional funds in the future through sales of our products, financings or from other sources or transactions, we will exhaust our resources and will be unable to continue operations. If we cannot continue as a going concern, our shareholders would likely lose most or all of their investment in us.

 

We have a limited operating history, and we may not be able to successfully operate our business or execute our business plan.

 

The Company was formed on April 1, 2019, and it is still in its development stage. We are therefore subject to many of the risks common to early-stage enterprises, including under-capitalization, cash shortages, limitations with respect to personnel, financial, and other resources and lack of revenues. Given our limited operating history, it is hard to evaluate our proposed business and prospects. Our proposed business operations will be subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties associated with early- stage enterprises. There is no assurance that we will be successful in achieving a return on shareholders' investment, and the likelihood of success must be considered in light of the early stage of our hemp smokables operations.

 

We may incur significant debt to finance our operations.

 

There is no assurance that we will not incur debt in the future, that we will have sufficient funds to repay our indebtedness, or that we will not default on our debt, jeopardizing our business viability. Furthermore, we may not be able to borrow or raise additional capital in the future to meet the Company's needs or to otherwise provide the capital necessary to conduct our business.

 

Risk Factors Relating to Our Business and Industry

 

We compete in an industry that is brand-conscious, so brand name recognition and acceptance of our products are critical to our success.

 

Our business is substantially dependent upon awareness and market acceptance of our products and brands by our target market: trendy, young consumers looking for a distinctive product tonality and/or the perceived benefits of hemp, CBD and CBG in their smokables as compared to nicotine or tobacco-based smokables. In addition, our business depends on acceptance by our independent distributors and retailers of our brands that have the potential to provide incremental sales growth. If we are not successful in the growth of our brand and product offerings, we may not achieve and maintain satisfactory levels of acceptance by independent distributors and retail consumers. In addition, we may not be able to effectively execute our marketing strategies in light of the various closures and cancellations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Any failure of our brands to maintain or increase acceptance or market penetration would likely have a material adverse effect on our revenues and financial results.

 

 
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Our brand and image are keys to our business and any inability to maintain a positive brand image could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

Our success depends on our ability to maintain brand image for our existing products and effectively build up brand image for new products and brand extensions. We cannot predict whether our advertising, marketing and promotional programs will have the desired impact on our products' branding and on consumer preferences. In addition, negative public relations and product quality issues, including negative perceptions regarding the hemp industry, whether real or imagined, could tarnish our reputation and image of the affected brands and could cause consumers to choose other products. Our brand image can also be adversely affected by unfavorable reports, studies and articles, litigation, or regulatory or other governmental action, whether involving our products or those of our competitors.

 

Competition from traditional and large, well-financed tobacco or nicotine cigarette manufacturers or distributors may adversely affect our distribution relationships and may hinder development of our existing markets, as well as prevent us from expanding our markets.

 

The smokables industry is highly competitive. We compete with other smokables companies, including with "Big Tobacco" manufacturers and distributors, not only for consumer acceptance but also for shelf space in retail outlets and for marketing focus by our distributors, many of whom also distribute other smokables brands. Our products compete with both tobacco-based and hemp-based smokables, many of which are marketed by companies with substantially greater financial resources than ours. Some of these competitors are placing severe pressure on independent distributors not to carry competitive hemp brands such as ours. We also compete with regional hemp smokables producers and "private label" smokables suppliers.

 

Our direct competitors in the smokables industry include large domestic and international traditional tobacco companies and distributors as well as regional or niche smokables companies. These national and international competitors have advantages such as lower production costs, larger marketing budgets, greater financial and other resources and more developed and extensive distribution networks than ours. We may not be able to grow our volumes or maintain our selling prices, whether in existing markets or as we enter new markets.

 

Increased competitor consolidations, market-place competition, particularly among branded hemp smokables products, and competitive product and pricing pressures could impact our earnings, market share and volume growth. If, due to such pressure or other competitive threats, we are unable to sufficiently maintain or develop our distribution channels, we may be unable to achieve our current revenue and financial targets. As a means of maintaining and expanding our distribution network, we intend to introduce additional brands. We may not be successful in doing this, or it may take us longer than anticipated to achieve market acceptance of these new products and brands, if at all. Other companies may be more successful in this regard over the long term. Competition, particularly from companies with greater financial and marketing resources than ours, could have a material adverse effect on our existing markets, as well as on our ability to expand the market for our products.

 

We compete in an industry characterized by rapid changes in consumer preferences and public perception, so our ability to continue developing new products to satisfy our consumers' changing preferences will determine our long-term success.

 

Failure to introduce new brands, products or product extensions into the marketplace as current ones mature and to meet our consumers' changing preferences could prevent us from gaining market share and achieving long-term profitability. Product lifecycles can vary, and consumers' preferences and loyalties change over time. We may not succeed at innovating new products to introduce to our consumers. Customer preferences also are affected by factors other than taste, such as health and nutrition considerations and obesity concerns, shifting consumer needs, changes in consumer lifestyles, increased consumer information and competitive product and pricing pressures. Sales of our products may be adversely affected by the negative publicity associated with these issues. In addition, there may be a decreased demand for our products as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. If we do not adequately anticipate or adjust to respond to these and other changes in customer preferences, we may not be able to maintain and grow our brand image and our sales may be adversely affected.

 

We may be unable to respond effectively to technological changes in our industry, which could reduce the demand for our products.

 

Our future business success will depend upon our ability to maintain and enhance our product portfolio with respect to advances in technological improvements for certain products and market products that meet customer needs and market conditions in a cost-effective and timely manner. Maintaining and enhancing our product portfolio may require significant investments in licensing fees and royalties. We may not be successful in gaining access to new products that successfully compete or are able to anticipate customer needs and preferences, and our customers may not accept one or more of our products. If we fail to keep pace with evolving technological innovations or fail to modify our products and services in response to customers' needs or preferences, then our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

 

 
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We may experience a reduced demand for some of our products due to health concerns and legislative initiatives against smokables products.

 

Consumers are concerned about health and wellness; public health officials and government officials are increasingly vocal about smoking, vaping, and their adverse consequences. There has been a trend among many public health advocates to pursue generalized reduction in consumption of smokables products, as well as increased public scrutiny, new taxes on smokables products, and additional governmental regulations concerning the marketing and labeling/packing of smokable products. Additional or revised regulatory requirements, whether labeling, tax or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. Further, increasing public concern with respect to smokables could reduce demand for our hemp smokables products.

 

Legislative or regulatory changes that affect our products, including new taxes, could reduce demand for products or increase our costs.

 

Taxes imposed on the sale of certain of our products by federal, state, and local governments in the United States, or other countries in which we operate could cause consumers to shift away from purchasing our hemp smokables products. These taxes could materially affect our business and financial results.

 

Our ability to develop, commercialize and distribute hemp smokables products and comply with laws and regulations governing cannabis, hemp or related products will affect our operational results.

 

As of December 31, 2020, more than 40 states had enacted legislation to establish hemp production programs pursuant to the 2018 farm bill (the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, the "2018 Farm Bill"), which legalized the regulated production of hemp.

 

The 2018 Farm Bill was signed into law on December 20, 2018. The 2018 Farm Bill removed hemp from the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (the "CSA") and established a federal regulatory framework for hemp production in the United States. Among other provisions, the 2018 Farm Bill: (a) explicitly amends the CSA to exclude all parts of the cannabis plant (including its cannabinoids, derivatives, and extracts) containing a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3% on a dry weight basis from the CSA's definition of "marihuana"; (b) permits the commercial production and sale of hemp; (c) precludes states, territories, and Indian tribes from prohibiting the interstate transport of lawfully-produced hemp through their borders; and (d) establishes the USDA as the primary federal agency regulating the cultivation of hemp in the United States, while allowing states, territories, and Indian tribes to obtain (or retain) primary regulatory authority over hemp activities within their borders after receiving approval of their proposed hemp production plan from the USDA. Any such plan submitted by a state, territory, or Indian tribe to the USDA must meet or exceed minimum federal standards and receive USDA approval. Any state, territory, or Indian tribe that does not submit a plan to the USDA, or whose plan is not approved by the USDA, will be regulated by the USDA; provided that, states retain the ability to prohibit hemp production within their borders.

 

Marijuana continues to be classified as a Schedule I substance under the CSA. As a result, any cannabinoids (including CBD) derived from marijuana, as opposed to hemp, or any products derived from hemp containing in excess of 0.3% THC on a dry-weight basis, remain Schedule I substances under U.S. federal law. Cannabinoids derived from hemp are indistinguishable from those derived from marijuana, and confusion surrounding the nature of our smokables products containing hemp or CBD, inconsistent interpretations of the definition of "hemp", inaccurate or incomplete testing, farming practices and law enforcement vigilance or lack of education could result in our products being intercepted by federal and state law enforcement as marijuana and could interrupt and/or have a material adverse impact on the Company's business. The Company could be required to undertake processes that could delay shipments, impede sales or result in seizures, proper or improper, that would be costly to rectify or remove and which could have a material adverse effect on the business, prospects, results of operations or financial condition of the Company. If the Company makes mistakes in processing or labeling, and THC in excess of 0.3% on a dry-weight basis is found in our products, the Company could be subject to enforcement and prosecution under local, state, and federal laws which would have a negative impact on the Company's business and operations.

  

Under the 2018 Farm Bill, states have authority to adopt their own regulatory regimes, and as such, regulations will likely continue to vary on a state-by-state basis. States take varying approaches to regulating the production and sale of hemp and hemp-derived products under state food and drug laws. The variance in state law and that state laws governing hemp production are rapidly changing may increase the chance of unfavorable law enforcement interpretation of the legality of Company's operations as they relate to the cultivation of hemp. Further, such variance in state laws that may frequently change increases the Company's compliance costs and risk of error.

 

While some states explicitly authorize and regulate the production and sale of hemp products or otherwise provide legal protection for authorized individuals to engage in commercial hemp activities, other states maintain outdated drug laws that do not distinguish between marijuana, hemp and/or hemp-derived CBD, resulting in hemp being classified as a controlled substance under state law. In these states, sale of CBD, notwithstanding origin, is either restricted to state medical or adult-use marijuana program licensees or remains otherwise unlawful under state criminal laws. Variance in hemp regulation across jurisdictions is likely to persist. This patchwork of state laws may, for the foreseeable future, materially impact the Company's business and financial condition, limit the accessibility of certain state markets, cause confusion amongst regulators, and increase legal and compliance costs.

 

 
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There are no express protections in the United States under applicable federal or state law for possessing or processing hemp biomass derived from lawful hemp not exceeding 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis and intended for use in finished product, but that may temporarily exceed 0.3% THC during the interim processing stages. While it is a common occurrence for hemp biomass to have variance in THC content during interim processing stages after cultivation but prior to use in finished products, there is risk that state or federal regulators or law enforcement could take the position that such hemp biomass is a Schedule I controlled substance in violation of the CSA and similar state laws. Further, there is a risk that state regulators and/or law enforcement may interpret provisions of state law prohibiting unlawful marijuana activity to apply to in-process hemp at any facility where we manufacture our hemp smokables products so that such activity is considered unlawful under state law.

 

In the event that the Company's operations are deemed to violate any laws or if we are deemed to be assisting others to violate a state or federal law, the Company could be subject to enforcement actions and penalties, and any resulting liability could cause the Company to modify or cease its operations.

 

Continued development of the industrial hemp and cannabis industries will be dependent upon new legislative authorization of industrial hemp and cannabis at the state level, and further amendment or supplementation of legislation at the federal level. Any number of events or occurrences could slow or halt progress all together in this space. While progress within the industrial hemp and cannabis industries is currently encouraging, growth is not assured. While there appears to be ample public support for favorable legislative action, numerous factors may impact or negatively affect the legislative process(es) within the various states where we have business interests. Any one of these factors could slow or halt use of industrial hemp and cannabis, which could negatively impact our business and financial results.

 

In addition, the general manufacture, labeling and distribution of our hemp smokables products is regulated by various federal, state, and local agencies. These governmental authorities may commence regulatory or legal proceedings, which could restrict the permissible scope of our product claims or the ability to sell products in the future.

 

The shifting compliance environment and the need to build and maintain robust systems to comply with different compliance in multiple jurisdictions increases the possibility that we may violate one or more of the requirements. If our operations are found to be in violation of any of such laws or any other governmental regulations that apply to our business, we may be subject to penalties, including, without limitation, civil and criminal penalties, damages, fines, the curtailment or restructuring of our operations, any of which could adversely affect the ability to operate our business and its financial results.

 

International expansion efforts would likely significantly increase our operational expenses.

 

We may in the future expand into other geographic areas, which could increase our operational, regulatory, compliance, reputational and foreign exchange rate risks. The failure of our operating infrastructure to support such expansion could result in operational failures and regulatory fines or sanctions. Future international expansion could require us to incur a number of up-front expenses, including those associated with obtaining regulatory approvals, as well as additional ongoing expenses, including those associated with infrastructure, staff and regulatory compliance. We may not be able to successfully identify suitable acquisition and expansion opportunities or integrate such operations successfully with our existing operations.

 

Our reliance on distributors, retailers and brokers could affect our ability to efficiently and profitably distribute and market our products, maintain our existing markets and expand our business into other geographic markets.

 

Our ability to maintain and expand our existing markets for our products, and to establish markets in new geographic distribution areas, is dependent on our ability to establish and maintain successful relationships with reliable distributors, retailers and brokers strategically positioned to serve those areas. Most of our distributors, retailers and brokers sell and distribute competing products, including tobacco-based or nicotine-based smokables products, and our products may represent a small portion of their businesses. The success of our distribution network will depend on the performance of the distributors, retailers, and brokers in our network. There is a risk they may not adequately perform their functions within the network by, without limitation, failing to distribute to sufficient retailers or positioning our products in localities that may not be receptive to our product. Our ability to incentivize and motivate distributors to manage and sell our products is affected by competition from other hemp smokables companies who have greater resources than we do. To the extent that our distributors, retailers and brokers are distracted from selling our products or do not employ sufficient efforts in managing and selling our products, including re-stocking the retail shelves with our products, our sales and results of operations could be adversely affected. Furthermore, such third parties' financial position or market share may deteriorate, which could adversely affect our distribution, marketing and sales activities.

 

Our ability to maintain and expand our distribution network and attract additional distributors, retailers and brokers will depend on a number of factors, some of which are outside our control. Some of these factors include:

 

 

·

the level of demand for our brands and products in a particular distribution area;

 

·

our ability to price our products at levels competitive with those of competing products; and

 

·

our ability to deliver products in the quantity and at the time ordered by distributors, retailers and brokers.

 

 
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We may not be able to successfully manage all or any of these factors in any of our current or prospective geographic areas of distribution. Our inability to achieve success with regards to any of these factors in a geographic distribution area will have a material adverse effect on our relationships in that particular geographic area, thus limiting our ability to maintain or expand our market, which will likely adversely affect our revenues and financial results.

 

We incur significant time and expense in attracting and maintaining key distributors, and loss of distributors or retails accounts would harm our business.

 

Our marketing and sales strategy depends in large part on the availability and performance of our independent distributors. We currently do not have, nor do we anticipate in the future that we will be able to establish, long-term contractual commitments from some of our distributors. We may not be able to maintain our current distribution relationships or establish and maintain successful relationships with distributors in new geographic distribution areas. Moreover, there is the additional possibility that we may have to incur additional expenditures to attract and maintain key distributors in one or more of our geographic distribution areas in order to profitably exploit our geographic markets.

 

We currently have approximately ten distributors who service numerous retail accounts. If we were to lose any of our distributors, or if they were to lose national, regional or larger retail accounts, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. While we continually seek to expand and upgrade our distributor network, we may not be able to maintain our distributor or retailer base. The loss of any of our distributors, or their significant retail accounts, could have adverse effects on our revenues, liquidity and financial results, could negatively impact our ability to retain our relationships with our other distributors and our ability to expand our market, and would place increased dependence on our other independent distributors and national accounts.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic has and could continue to negatively affect various aspects of our business, make it more difficult for us to meet our obligations to our customers, and result in reduced demand for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

 

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and it has since spread throughout other parts of the world, including the United States. Any outbreak of contagious diseases or other adverse public health developments could have a material adverse effect on our business operations. These impacts to our operations have included, and could again in the future include, disruptions or restrictions on the ability of our employees and customers to travel or our ability to pursue collaborations and other business transactions, travel to customers and/or promote our products at conferences or other live events, oversee the activities of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers. We may also be impacted by the temporary closure of the facilities of suppliers, manufacturers or customers.

 

In an effort to halt the outbreak of COVID-19, a number of countries, including the United States, placed significant restrictions on travel and many businesses announced extended closures. These travel restrictions and business closures have and may in the future adversely impact our operations locally and worldwide, including our ability to manufacture, market, sell or distribute our products. Such restrictions and closure have caused or may cause temporary closures of the facilities of our suppliers, manufacturers or customers. A disruption in the operations of our employees, suppliers, customers, manufacturers or access to customers would likely impact our sales and operating results. We are continuing to monitor and assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our commercial operations; however, we cannot at this time accurately predict what effects these conditions will ultimately have on our operations due to uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak and speed of vaccinations, and the length of the travel restrictions and business closures imposed by the governments of impacted countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could affect demand for our products and likely impact our operating results.

 

We rely on suppliers, manufacturers and contractors, and events adversely affecting them would adversely affect us.

 

The Company intends to maintain a full supply chain for the provision of its hemp-based smokables products. Due to the novel and variable regulatory landscape for hemp and CBD production in the United States, the Company's third-party hemp and hemp smokables suppliers, manufacturers and contractors may elect, at any time, to decline or withdraw services necessary for the Company's operations. Loss of these suppliers, manufacturers and contractors, including for non-hemp-based ingredients in the Company's hemp smokables products, may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

In addition, any significant interruption, negative change in the availability or economics of the supply chain or increase in the prices for the ingredients in the Company's products provided by any such third-party suppliers, manufacturers and contractors could materially impact the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any inability to secure required supplies or to do so on appropriate terms could have a materially adverse impact on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

We have a single customer that accounts for a substantial portion of our revenues, and our business would be harmed were we to lose this customer.

   

Sales to one of our customers, HBI International, made up approximately 41% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021, and the balance receivable from HBI International at December 31, 2021, represents approximately 37% of our total accounts receivable balances as of that date. We do not have a binding purchase agreement with this customer, and were we to lose this customer, our revenues would significantly decline, and our business would be harmed.  

 

 
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Wholesale price volatility may adversely affect operations.

 

The hemp smokables industry is margin-based with gross profits typically dependent on the excess of sales prices over costs. Consequently, profitability is sensitive to fluctuations in wholesale and retail prices caused by changes in supply (which itself depends on other factors such as weather, fuel, equipment and labor costs, shipping costs, economic situation and demand), taxes, government programs and policies for the hemp smokables and hemp industries (including price controls and wholesale price restrictions that may be imposed by government agencies responsible for the regulation of hemp and/or smokables products), and other market conditions, all of which are factors beyond the control of the Company. The Company's operating income will be sensitive to changes in the price of hemp and other product ingredients, and the overall condition of the hemp and smokables industries, as the Company's profitability is directly related to the price of hemp and our other smokables ingredients. There is currently not an established market price for hemp, and the price of hemp is affected by numerous factors beyond the Company's control. Ingredient price volatility may have a material adverse effect on the Company's business, financial condition, and results of operations.

 

The Company may sustain losses that cannot be recovered through insurance or other preventative measures.

 

There is no assurance that the Company will not incur uninsured liabilities and losses as a result of the conduct of its business. While the Company currently has some liability insurance coverage, it does not have broad coverage at high levels. The Company plans to continue to review its liability coverage in the light of its expanding operations in order to insure against potential major insurable liabilities. Should uninsured losses occur, shareholders could lose their invested capital.

 

The Company may be subject to product liability claims and other claims of our customers and partners.

 

The sale of hemp smokables products to consumers involves a certain level of risk of product liability claims and the associated adverse publicity. Because use of the Company's hemp smokables products could cause injury to consumers if packaging or ingredients are defective, we are subject to a risk of claims for such injuries and damages. We could also be named as co-parties in product liability suits that are brought against manufacturing partners that produce our hemp smokables products, packaging for those products, or the ingredients in those products.

 

In addition, our customers and partners may bring suits against us alleging damages for the failure of our products to meet stated specifications or other requirements. Any such suits, even if not successful, could be costly, disrupt the attention of our management and damage our negotiations with distributors and/or customers. Any attempt by us to limit our product liability in our contracts may not be enforceable or may be subject to exceptions. While we do have product liability insurance, our amounts of coverage may be inadequate to cover all potential liability claims. Insurance coverage, particularly as it relates to products relating to the hemp industry, is expensive, and additional coverage may be difficult to obtain. Also, additional insurance coverage may not be available in the future on acceptable terms and may not be sufficient to cover potential claims. We cannot be sure that our contract manufacturers or manufacturing partners who produce our hemp smokables products, packaging and ingredients will have adequate insurance coverage themselves to cover against potential claims. If we experience a large insured loss, it may exceed any insurance coverage limits we have at that time, or our insurance carrier may decline to cover us or may raise our insurance rates to unacceptable levels, any of which could impair our financial position and potentially cause us to go out of business.

 

If we encounter product recalls or other product quality issues, our business may suffer.

 

Product quality issues, real or imagined, or allegations of product contamination, even when false or unfounded, could tarnish our image and could cause consumers to choose other products. In addition, because of changing government regulations or implementation thereof, or allegations of product contamination, we may be required from time to time to recall products entirely or from specific markets. Product recalls could affect our profitability and could negatively affect brand image.

 

It is difficult to predict the timing and amount of our sales, and as a result our sales forecasts are uncertain.

   

Many of our white label clients (clients who we manufacture product for, and which product is labeled with the clients' own branding and then sold by the clients) are required to place minimum orders with us, but we cannot accurately predict what our sales will be. As to our own brand of smokables, The Real Stuff, the number of stores where our product is available continues to increase each month, providing a major indicator of future product demand. However, such an indicator is not dispositive, and our sales forecasts are uncertain.

 

Our independent distributors and national accounts are not generally required to place minimum monthly orders for our products. In order to reduce their inventory costs, independent distributors typically order products from us on a "just in time" basis in quantities and at such times based on the demand for the products in a particular distribution area. Accordingly, we cannot accurately predict the timing or quantity of purchases by any of our independent distributors or whether any of our distributors will continue to purchase products from us in the same frequencies and volumes as they may have done in the past. Additionally, our larger distributors and regional partners may make orders that are larger than we have historically been required to fill. Shortages in inventory levels, supply of raw materials or other key supplies could also negatively affect us.

 

 
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If we do not adequately manage our inventory levels, our operating results could be adversely affected.

 

We need to maintain adequate inventory levels to be able to deliver products to distributors on a timely basis. Our inventory supply depends on our ability to correctly estimate demand for our products. Our ability to estimate demand for our products is imprecise, particularly for new products, seasonal promotions and new markets. If we materially underestimate demand for our products or are unable to maintain sufficient inventory of raw materials, we might not be able to satisfy demand on a short-term basis. If we overestimate distributor or retailer demand for our products, we may end up with too much inventory, resulting in higher storage costs, increased trade spend and the risk of inventory spoilage. If we fail to manage our inventory to meet demand, we could damage our relationships with our distributors and retailers and could delay or lose sales opportunities, which would unfavorably impact our future sales and adversely affect our operating results. In addition, if the inventory of our products held by our distributors and retailers is too high, they will not place orders for additional products, which would also unfavorably impact our sales and adversely affect our operating results.

 

Increases in costs or shortages of raw materials could harm our business and financial results.

 

In addition to the primary ingredient, the hemp blend, other principal ingredients we use include (but are not limited to) paper wrappers, filters, glue, terpines, labels and cardboard cartons. These manufacturing and ingredient costs are subject to fluctuation. Substantial increases in the prices of ingredients, raw materials and packaging materials, used to produce our products, to the extent that they cannot be recouped through increases in the prices of finished hemp smokables products, would increase our operating costs and could reduce our profitability. If the supply of these raw materials is impaired or if prices increase significantly, it could affect the affordability of our products and reduce sales.

 

If we or any contract manufacturers we may use are unable to secure sufficient ingredients or raw materials including hemp, the various paper products and filters, and other key supplies, we might not be able to satisfy demand for our hemp smokables products on a short-term basis. Moreover, in the past there have been industry-wide shortages of hemp, papers and other ingredients in our products, and these shortages could occur again from time to time in the future, which could interfere with and delay production of our products and could have a material adverse effect on our business and financial results.

 

In addition, suppliers could fail to provide ingredients or raw materials on a timely basis, or fail to meet our performance expectations, for a number of reasons, including, for example, disruption to the global supply chain as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which could cause a serious disruption to our business, increase our costs, decrease our operating efficiencies and have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Increases in costs of energy and increased regulations may have an adverse impact on our gross margin.

 

Over the past few years, volatility in the global oil markets has resulted in high fuel prices, which many shipping companies have passed on to their customers by way of higher base pricing and increased fuel surcharges. If fuel prices increase, we expect to experience higher shipping rates and fuel surcharges, as well as energy surcharges on our raw materials. It is hard to predict what will happen in the fuel markets in 2022 and beyond. Due to the price sensitivity of our products, we may not be able to pass such increases on to our customers.

 

Disruption within our supply chain, contract manufacturing or distribution channels could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

Our ability, through our suppliers, business partners, contract manufacturers, independent distributors and retailers, to make, move and sell products is critical to our success. Damage or disruption to our suppliers or to manufacturing or distribution capabilities due to weather, natural disaster, fire or explosion, terrorism, pandemics such as COVID-19, influenza, and other viruses, labor strikes or other reasons, could impair the manufacture, distribution and sale of our products. Many of these events are outside of our control. Failure to take adequate steps to protect against or mitigate the likelihood or potential impact of such events, or to effectively manage such events if they occur, could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

If we are unable to attract and retain key personnel, our efficiency and operations would be adversely affected; in addition, staff turnover causes uncertainties and could harm our business.

 

Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees in such areas as finance, sales, marketing and product development and distribution. We compete to hire new employees, and, in some cases, must train them and develop their skills and competencies. We may not be able to provide our employees with competitive salaries, and our operating results could be adversely affected by increased costs due to increased competition for employees, higher employee turnover or increased employee benefit costs.

 

 
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Recently, we have experienced significant changes in our sales personnel, and more could occur in the future. Changes to operations, policies and procedures, which can often occur with the appointment of new personnel, can create uncertainty, may negatively impact our ability to execute quickly and effectively, and may ultimately be unsuccessful. In addition, transition periods are often difficult as the new Company personnel gain detailed knowledge of our operations, and friction can result from changes in strategy and management style. Employee turnover inherently causes some loss of institutional knowledge, which can negatively affect strategy and execution. Until we integrate new personnel, and unless they are able to succeed in their positions, we may be unable to successfully manage and grow our business, and our financial condition and profitability may suffer.

 

Further, to the extent we experience additional personnel turnover, our operations, financial condition and employee morale could be negatively impacted. If we are unable to attract and retain qualified management and sales personnel, our business could suffer. Moreover, our operations could be negatively affected if employees are quarantined as the result of exposure to a contagious illness such as COVID-19.

 

If we lose the services of our Chief Executive Officer, our future operations could be impaired until such time as a qualified replacement can be found.

 

Our business plan relies significantly on the continued services of Sandro Piancone, our Chief Executive Officer. If we were to lose the services of Mr. Piancone, our ability to obtain new business and new strategic partners, as well as our ability to manage our operations, could be materially impaired.

 

We are required to indemnify our directors and officers.

 

Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that we will indemnify our officers and directors to the maximum extent permitted by Nevada law, provided that the officer or director did not act in bad faith or breach his or her duty to us or our stockholders, or that it is more likely than not that it will ultimately be determined that the officer or director has met the standards of conduct which make it permissible for under Nevada law for the Company to indemnify the officer or director. If we were called upon to indemnify an officer or director, then the portion of its assets expended for such purpose would reduce the amount otherwise available for the Company's business.

 

If we fail to protect our trademarks and trade secrets, we may be unable to successfully market our products and compete effectively.

 

We rely on a combination of trademark and trade secrecy laws, confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property rights. Failure to protect our intellectual property could harm our brand and our reputation, and adversely affect our ability to compete effectively. Further, enforcing or defending our intellectual property rights, including our trademarks and trade secrets, could result in the expenditure of significant financial and managerial resources. We regard our intellectual property, particularly our trademarks and trade secrets, as crucial to our business and our success. However, the steps taken by us to protect these proprietary rights may not be adequate and may not prevent third parties from infringing or misappropriating our trademarks, trade secrets or similar proprietary rights. In addition, other parties may seek to assert infringement claims against us, and we may have to pursue litigation against other parties to assert our rights. Any such claim or litigation could be costly. In addition, any event that would jeopardize our proprietary rights or any claims of infringement by third parties could have a material adverse effect on our ability to market or sell our brands, profitably exploit our products or recoup our associated research and development costs.

 

Disruptions to our information technology systems due to cyber-attacks or our failure to upgrade and adjust our information technology systems, may materially impair our operations, hinder our growth and materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

We believe that an appropriate information technology, or IT, infrastructure is important in order to support our daily operations and the growth of our business. If we experience difficulties in implementing new or upgraded information systems or experience significant system failures, or if we are unable to successfully modify our management information systems or respond to changes in our business needs, we may not be able to effectively manage our business, and we may fail to meet our reporting obligations. Additionally, if our current arrangements and plans are not operated as planned, we may not be able to effectively recover our information system in the event of a crisis, which may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

 

In the current environment, there are numerous and evolving risks to cybersecurity and privacy, including criminal hackers, hacktivists, state-sponsored intrusions, industrial espionage, employee malfeasance and human or technological error. High-profile security breaches at other companies and in government agencies have increased in recent years, and security industry experts and government officials have warned about the risks of hackers and cyber-attacks targeting businesses such as ours. Computer hackers and others routinely attempt to breach the security of technology products, services and systems, and to fraudulently induce employees, customers, or others to disclose information or unwittingly provide access to systems or data. We can provide no assurance that our current IT system or any updates or upgrades thereto and the current or future IT systems of our potential distributors use or may use in the future, are fully protected against third-party intrusions, viruses, hacker attacks, information or data theft or other similar threats. Legislative or regulatory action in these areas is also evolving, and we may be unable to adapt our IT systems or to manage the IT systems of third parties to accommodate these changes. We have experienced and expect to continue to experience actual or attempted cyber-attacks of our IT networks. Although none of these actual or attempted cyber-attacks has had a material adverse impact on our operations or financial condition, we cannot guarantee that any such incidents will not have such an impact in the future.

 

 
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Our business is subject to many regulations and noncompliance is costly.

 

The production, marketing and sale of our hemp smokables products, including contents, labels, and containers, are subject to the rules and regulations of various federal, provincial, state and local health agencies. If a regulatory authority finds that a current or future product or production batch or "run" is not in compliance with any of these regulations, we may be fined, or production may be stopped, which would adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. Similarly, any adverse publicity associated with any noncompliance may damage our reputation and our ability to successfully market our products. Furthermore, the rules and regulations are subject to change from time to time and while we closely monitor developments in this area, we cannot anticipate whether changes in these rules and regulations will impact our business adversely. Additional or revised regulatory requirements, whether labeling, environmental, tax or otherwise, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

Significant additional labeling or warning requirements may inhibit sales of affected products.

 

Various jurisdictions may seek to adopt significant additional product labeling or warning requirements relating to the chemical content or perceived adverse health consequences of our hemp smokables products. These types of requirements, if they become applicable to one or more of our products under current or future environmental or health laws or regulations, may inhibit sales of such products. In California, a law requires that a specific warning appear on any product that contains a component listed by the state as having been found to cause cancer or birth defects. This law recognizes no generally applicable quantitative thresholds below which a warning is not required. If a component found in one of our products is added to the list, or if the increasing sensitivity of detection methodology that may become available under this law and related regulations as they currently exist, or as they may be amended, results in the detection of an infinitesimal quantity of a listed substance in one of our hemp smokables products produced for sale in California, the resulting warning requirements or adverse publicity could affect our sales.

 

Our industry may become subject to expanded regulation and increased enforcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

 

The FDA under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act regulates the formulation, manufacturing, packaging, labeling, and distribution of food, dietary supplements, drugs, cosmetic, medical devices, biologics, and tobacco products. Our products are subject to law and regulation by the FDA. Moreover, the regulatory status of our products are currently in a state of flux as the FDA attempts to determine the appropriate manner in which to regulate these products. Thus, the regulatory approach is still evolving, and we may be required to seek the FDA's approval to market our products. It is also possible that the FDA may simply issue a regulation setting forth the conditions in which such products may be marketed, or it may simply prohibit these products. However, because the FDA's regulatory process is subject to change, we cannot predict the likely outcome. In addition, the FTC under the Federal Trade Commission Act ("FTC Act") requires that product advertising be truthful, substantiated and not misleading. We believe that our advertising meets these requirements. However, the FTC may bring a challenge at any time to evaluate our compliance with the FTC Act. In addition, most states where our products are legal provide their own regulatory guidelines and regulations in connection with cigarette or other smokable product sales. Any failure by us to remain current on state regulatory changes could negatively affect our ability to operate our business.

 

Litigation or legal proceedings could expose us to significant liabilities and damage our reputation.

 

We may become party to litigation claims and legal proceedings. Litigation involves significant risks, uncertainties and costs, including distraction of management attention away from our business operations. We evaluate litigation claims and legal proceedings to assess the likelihood of unfavorable outcomes and to estimate, if possible, the amount of potential losses. Based on these assessments and estimates, we establish reserves and disclose the relevant litigation claims or legal proceedings, as appropriate. These assessments and estimates are based on the information available to management at the time and involve a significant amount of management judgment. Actual outcomes or losses may differ materially from those envisioned by our current assessments and estimates. Our policies and procedures require strict compliance by our employees and agents with all U.S. and local laws and regulations applicable to our business operations, including those prohibiting improper payments to government officials. Nonetheless, our policies and procedures may not ensure full compliance by our employees and agents with all applicable legal requirements. Improper conduct by our employees or agents could damage our reputation or lead to litigation or legal proceedings that could result in civil or criminal penalties, including substantial monetary fines, as well as disgorgement of profits.

 

Climate change may negatively affect our business.

 

There is growing concern that a gradual increase in global average temperatures may cause an adverse change in weather patterns around the globe resulting in an increase in the frequency and severity of natural disasters. Changing weather patterns could have a negative impact on agricultural productivity, which may limit availability or increase the cost of certain key ingredients such as hemp, natural flavors and other ingredients used in our products. Also, increased frequency or duration of extreme weather conditions may disrupt the productivity of our facilities, the operation of our supply chain or impact demand for our products. In addition, the increasing concern over climate change may result in more regional, federal and global legal and regulatory requirements and could result in increased production, transportation and raw material costs. As a result, the effects of climate change could have a long-term adverse impact on our business and results of operations.

 

 
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Our business and operations would be adversely impacted in the event of a failure or interruption of our information technology infrastructure or as a result of a cybersecurity attack.

 

The proper functioning of our own information technology (IT) infrastructure is critical to the efficient operation and management of our business. We may not have the necessary financial resources to update and maintain our IT infrastructure, and any failure or interruption of our IT system could adversely impact our operations. In addition, our IT is vulnerable to cyberattacks, computer viruses, worms and other malicious software programs, physical and electronic break-ins, sabotage and similar disruptions from unauthorized tampering with our computer systems. We believe that we have adopted appropriate measures to mitigate potential risks to our technology infrastructure and our operations from these IT-related and other potential disruptions. However, given the unpredictability of the timing, nature and scope of any such IT failures or disruptions, we could potentially be subject to downtimes, transactional errors, processing inefficiencies, operational delays, other detrimental impacts on our operations or ability to provide products to our customers, the compromising of confidential or personal information, destruction or corruption of data, security breaches, other manipulation or improper use of our systems and networks, financial losses from remedial actions, loss of business or potential liability, and/or damage to our reputation, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our cash flows, competitive position, financial condition or results of operations.

 

Our results of operations may fluctuate from quarter to quarter for many reasons, including seasonality.

 

Our sales may be seasonal, and we experience fluctuations in quarterly results as a result of many factors. We expect to generate a greater percentage of our revenues during the warm weather months of April through September. Timing of customer purchases will vary each year, and sales can be expected to shift from one quarter to another. As a result, management believes that period-to-period comparisons of results of operations are not necessarily meaningful and should not be relied upon as any indication of future performance or results expected for the fiscal year.

 

In addition, our operating results may fluctuate due to a number of other factors including, but not limited to:

 

 

Our ability to maintain, develop and expand distribution channels for current and new products, develop favorable arrangements with third party distributors of our products and minimize or reduce issues associated with engaging new distributors and retailers, including, but not limited to, transition costs and expenses and down time resulting from the initial deployment of our products in each new distributor's network;

 

Unilateral decisions by distributors, grocery store chains, specialty chain stores, club stores, mass merchandisers and other customers to discontinue carrying all or any of our products that they are carrying at any time;

 

Our ability to manage our resources to sufficiently support general operating activities, promotion allowances and slotting fees, promotion and selling activities, and capital expansion, and our ability to sustain profitability;

 

Our ability to meet the competitive response by much larger, well-funded and established companies currently operating in the hemp smokables industry, as we introduce new competitive products, and our hemp smokables products; and

 

Competitive products and pricing pressures and our ability to gain or maintain share of sales in the marketplace as a result of actions by competitors.

 

Due to these and other factors, our results of operations have fluctuated from period to period and may continue to do so in the future, which could cause our operating results in a particular quarter to fail to meet market expectations.

 

Changes in our effective tax rate may impact our results of operations.

 

We are subject to taxes in the U.S. and other jurisdictions. Tax rates in these jurisdictions may be subject to significant change due to economic and/or political conditions. A number of other factors may also impact our future effective tax rate including:

 

 

the jurisdictions in which profits are determined to be earned and taxed;

 

the resolution of issues arising from tax audits with various tax authorities;

 

changes in valuation of our deferred tax assets and liabilities;

 

increases in expenses not deductible for tax purposes, including write-offs of acquired intangibles and impairment of goodwill in connection with acquisitions;

 

changes in availability of tax credits, tax holidays, and tax deductions;

 

changes in share-based compensation; and

 

changes in tax laws or the interpretation of such tax laws and changes in generally accepted accounting principles.

 

 
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Although we believe our income tax liabilities are reasonably estimated and accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and principles, an adverse resolution by one or more taxing authorities could have a material impact on the results of our operations. Further, we may be unable to utilize our net operating losses in the event a change in control is determined to have occurred.

 

Global economic, political, social and other conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, may continue to adversely impact our business and results of operations.

 

The hemp smokables industry can be affected by macro-economic factors, including changes in national, regional, and local economic conditions, unemployment levels and consumer spending patterns, which together may impact the willingness of consumers to purchase our products as they adjust their discretionary spending. Adverse economic conditions may adversely affect the ability of our distributors to obtain the credit necessary to fund their working capital needs, which could negatively impact their ability or desire to continue to purchase products from us in the same frequencies and volumes as they have done in the past. If we experience similar adverse economic conditions in the future, sales of our products could be adversely affected, collectability of accounts receivable may be compromised, and we may face obsolescence issues with our inventory, any of which could have a material adverse impact on our operating results and financial condition.

 

Additionally, while the extent of the continued impact on our business and financial condition is unknown at this time, we may continue to be negatively affected by COVID-19 and actions taken to address and limit the spread of COVID-19, such as travel restrictions, event cancellations, and limitations affecting the supply of labor and the movement of raw materials and finished products. If available manufacturing capacity is reduced as a result of COVID-19, it could negatively affect the timely supply, pricing and availability of finished products. Moreover, we will also be negatively impacted by current and future closures of restaurants, independent accounts, convenience chains, and retail store chains resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. The current closures of restaurants and independent accounts will negatively affect our revenues and cash flows. Although the current status of retail and convenience chains remains unknown at this time, the future closure of these types of establishments will also adversely impact our business and financial condition.

 

Overall, the Company does not yet know the full extent of potential delays or impacts on its business, financing activities, or the global economy as a whole. However, these effects could have a material impact on the Company's liquidity, capital resources, operations and business and those of third parties on which we rely.

 

We are currently operating in a period of economic uncertainty and capital markets disruption, which has been significantly impacted by geopolitical instability due to the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Our business may be materially adversely affected by any negative impact on the global economy and capital markets resulting from the conflict in Ukraine or any other geopolitical tensions.

 

U.S. and global markets are experiencing volatility and disruption following the escalation of geopolitical tensions and the start of the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops was reported. Although the length and impact of the ongoing military conflict is highly unpredictable, the conflict in Ukraine could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions. We are continuing to monitor the situation in Ukraine and globally and assessing its potential impact on our business.

 

Additionally, Russia's prior annexation of Crimea, recent recognition of two separatist republics in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine and subsequent military interventions in Ukraine have led to sanctions and other penalties being levied by the United States, European Union and other countries against Russia, Belarus, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and the so-called Luhansk People's Republic, including agreement to remove certain Russian financial institutions from the Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (“SWIFT”) payment system, expansive ban on imports and exports of products to and from Russia and ban on exportation of U.S denominated banknotes to Russia or persons located there. Additional potential sanctions and penalties have also been proposed and/or threatened. Russian military actions and the resulting sanctions could adversely affect the global economy and financial markets and lead to instability and lack of liquidity in capital markets, potentially making it more difficult for us to obtain additional funds and sell the shares we are offering. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions and resulting market disruptions are impossible to predict, but could be substantial. Any such disruptions may also magnify the impact of other risks described in this prospectus.

 

Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could significantly affect our financial results.

 

The United States generally accepted accounting principles and related pronouncements, implementation guidelines and interpretations with regard to a wide variety of matters that are relevant to our business, such as, but not limited to, stock-based compensation, inventory, revenue recognition, trade spend and promotions, and income taxes are highly complex and involve many subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by our management. Changes to these rules or their interpretation or changes in underlying assumptions, estimates or judgments by our management could adversely affect our reported financial results.

 

Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock

 

There has been no public market for our common stock prior to this offering, and an active market in which investors can resell their shares of our common stock may not develop.

 

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our common stock. We have applied to list of our common stock on Nasdaq under the symbol "HPCO." The closing of this offering is contingent upon the successful listing of our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. There is no guarantee that Nasdaq, or any other exchange or quotation system, will permit our common stock to be listed and traded. If we fail to obtain a listing on Nasdaq, we may seek quotation on the OTCQX Best Market or OTCQB Venture Market of the OTC Link ATS (alternative trading system) operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc. These markets are inter-dealer, over-the-counter markets that provide significantly less liquidity than Nasdaq.

  

Even if our common stock is approved for listing on Nasdaq, a liquid public market for our common stock may not develop. The initial public offering price for our common stock has been determined by negotiation between us and the underwriters based upon several factors, including prevailing market conditions, our historical performance, estimates of our business potential and earnings prospects, and the market valuations of similar companies. The price at which the common stock is traded after this offering may decline below the initial public offering price, meaning that you may experience a decrease in the value of your common stock regardless of our operating performance or prospects.

 

We may not be able to satisfy listing requirements of Nasdaq or obtain or maintain a listing of our common stock on Nasdaq.

 

If our common stock is listed on Nasdaq, we must meet certain financial and liquidity criteria to maintain such listing. If we violate Nasdaq's listing requirements, or if we fail to meet any of Nasdaq's listing standards, our common stock may be delisted. In addition, our board of directors may determine that the cost of maintaining our listing on a national securities exchange outweighs the benefits of such listing. A delisting of our common stock from Nasdaq may materially impair our shareholders' ability to buy and sell our common stock and could have an adverse effect on the market price of, and the efficiency of the trading market for, our common stock. The delisting of our common stock could significantly impair our ability to raise capital and the value of your investment.

 

 
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Listing our Common Shares on a securities exchange will likely increase our regulatory burden.

 

We have applied for the listing of our Common Shares under the symbol "HPCO" on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Our application has not yet been approved by Nasdaq, and there is no guarantee that our application will be approved in connection with this offering. Although to date we have not been subject to the continuous and timely disclosure requirements of exchange rules, regulations and policies of Nasdaq, we are working with our legal, accounting and financial advisors to identify those areas in which changes should be made to our financial management control systems to manage our obligations as a public company listed on Nasdaq. These areas include corporate governance, corporate controls, disclosure controls and procedures and financial reporting and accounting systems. We have made, and will continue to make, changes in these and other areas, including our internal controls over financial reporting. However, we cannot assure holders of our shares that these and other measures that we might take will be sufficient to allow us to satisfy our obligations as a public company listed on Nasdaq on a timely basis and that we will be able to achieve and maintain compliance with applicable listing requirements. In addition, compliance with reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies listed on Nasdaq will create additional costs for us and will require the time and attention of management. We cannot predict the amount of the additional costs that we might incur, the timing of such costs or the effects that management's attention to these matters will have on our business.

   

The market price of our common stock may fluctuate, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

 

After this offering, the market price for our common stock is likely to be volatile, in part because our shares have not been traded publicly. In addition, the market price of our common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to several factors, most of which we cannot control, including:

 

actual or anticipated variations in our periodic operating results;

 

increases in market interest rates that lead investors of our common stock to demand a higher investment return;

changes in earnings estimates;

 

changes in market valuations of similar companies;

 

actions or announcements by our competitors;

 

adverse market reaction to any increased indebtedness we may incur in the future;

 

additions or departures of key personnel;

 

actions by shareholders;

 

speculation in the media, online forums, or investment community; and

 

our intentions and ability to list our common stock on Nasdaq and our subsequent ability to maintain such listing.

 

The public offering price of our common stock has been determined by negotiations between us and the underwriters based upon many factors and may not be indicative of prices that will prevail following the closing of this offering. Volatility in the market price of our common stock may prevent investors from being able to sell their common stock at or above the initial public offering price. As a result, you may suffer a loss on your investment.

 

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution as a result of this offering.

  

As of December 31, 2021, our net tangible book value was approximately $2,413,546, or approximately $0.12 per share. Since the effective price per share of our common stock being offered in this offering is substantially higher than the net tangible book value per share of our common stock, you will suffer substantial dilution with respect to the net tangible book value of the common stock you purchase in this offering. Based on the assumed public offering price of $[ ] per share of common stock being sold in this offering, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and our net tangible book value per share as of December 31, 2021, if you purchase shares of common stock in this offering, you will suffer immediate and substantial dilution of $[ ] per share (or $[ ] per share if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full) with respect to the net tangible book value of the common stock. See the section titled "Dilution" for a more detailed discussion of the dilution you will incur if you purchase securities in this offering.

  

We have considerable discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering, and we may use these proceeds in ways with which you may not agree.

 

We intend to use the proceeds from this offering for sales, marketing and advertising initiatives, acquisitions of companies and technologies aligned and synergistic with our manufacturing technologies and growth objectives, expansion and upgrades to our existing manufacturing facility, research and development, hiring sales and other employees, expenses associated with becoming a public company, and general corporate and working capital purposes. However, we have considerable discretion in the application of the proceeds. Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of our net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. You will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the proceeds are being used appropriately. You must rely on the judgment of our management regarding the application of the net proceeds of this offering. The net proceeds may be used for corporate or other purposes with which you do not agree or that do not improve our profitability or increase our share price. The net proceeds from this offering may also be placed in investments that do not produce income or that lose value. Please see the "Use of Proceeds" section below for more information.

 

 
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We do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the near future, so our shareholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell their shares.

 

We intend to retain any future earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business. We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. There is no assurance that future dividends will ever be paid, and if dividends are paid, there is no assurance with respect to the amount of any such dividend. Unless we pay dividends, our shareholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell their shares, and they may be unable to sell their shares on favorable terms or at all.

 

Prior to this offering, we were majority-owned by Green Globe International, Inc. ("GGII"), and a small group of Company officers and directors hold a majority of the control of GGII.

 

As of immediately prior to the commencement of this offering, the Company was a majority-owned subsidiary of GGII with GGII owning approximately 93.4% of our outstanding shares of common stock. The Company's key officers and directors beneficially owned approximately 30% of GGII's outstanding common stock and 80% of GGII's outstanding preferred stock. By virtue of such stock ownership, those principal GGII shareholders are able to control the election of the members of GGII's Board of Directors. In turn, GGII, by virtue of its majority ownership of the Company, is able to control the election of the members of our Board of Directors. As a result, those principal GGII shareholders can generally exercise control over the affairs of the Company, including the election and removal of members of our board of directors, amending our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, and adopting measures that could delay or prevent a change of control.

 

Such concentration of ownership and control could have the effect of delaying, deterring or preventing a change in control of the Company that might otherwise be beneficial to stockholders. There can be no assurance that conflicts of interest will not arise with respect to our key officers and directors, or that such conflicts will be resolved in a manner favorable to the Company.

 

Our executive officers and the majority of our directors are also officers and directors of our majority owner, GGII, and conflicts of interest may arise as a result.

 

Because our executive officers and a majority of our directors are also officers and directors of GGII, conflicts of interest between us and GGII may arise, including with respect to how our management evaluates acquisition and other business development opportunities, hiring opportunities, and financing opportunities. There can be no assurance that conflicts of interest will be resolved in a manner favorable to the Company.

   

We will be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the listing rules of Nasdaq and, as a result, can rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.

 

Because GGII owns a majority of our common stock and will own a majority of our common stock after this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined under the listing rules of Nasdaq. Under Nasdaq listing rules, controlled companies are companies of which more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors is held by an individual, a group, or another company. For as long as we remain a controlled company, we are permitted to elect to rely on certain exemptions from Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules, including the following:

 

an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors;

 

an exemption from the rule that our compensation committee be composed entirely of independent directors;

an exemption from the rule that our director nominees must be selected or recommended solely by independent directors or a nominating committee composed solely of independent directors;

 

Although we do not intend to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions to Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules, we could elect to rely on these exemptions in the future. If we elected to rely on the “controlled company” exemptions, a majority of the members of our board of directors might not be independent directors, our nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees might not consist entirely of independent directors upon closing of the offering, and you would not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to Nasdaq’s corporate governance rules.

 

We have broad discretion in how we use the proceeds of this offering and may not use these proceeds effectively, which could affect our results of operations.

 

We will have considerable discretion in the application of the net proceeds of this Offering. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. As a result, investors will be relying upon management's judgment with only limited information about our specific intentions for the use of the net proceeds of this Offering. We may use the net proceeds for purposes that do not yield a significant return or any return at all for our shareholders. In addition, pending their use, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.

 

There has been no independent valuation of our stock, which means that our common stock may be worth less than the offering price in the offering.

 

The per share purchase price in the offering has been determined by us without independent valuation of our shares of common stock. We established the offering price based on management's estimate of the valuation of the Company's shares of common stock. This valuation is highly speculative and arbitrary. There is no relation to the market value, book value, or any other established criteria. We did not obtain an independent appraisal opinion on the valuation of our shares. Our shares of common stock may have a value significantly less than the offering price, and the shares may never obtain a value equal to or greater than the offering price.

 

If securities industry analysts do not publish research reports on us, or publish unfavorable reports on us, then the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected.

 

Any trading market for our common stock may be influenced in part by any research reports that securities industry analysts publish about us. We do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities industry analysts. If no securities industry analysts commence coverage of us, the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected. In the event we are covered by analysts, and one or more of such analysts downgrade our securities, or otherwise reports on us unfavorably, or discontinues coverage of us, the market price and market trading volume of our common stock could be negatively affected.

 

 
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Future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, or the expiration of lock-up agreements that restrict the issuance of new common stock or the trading of outstanding common stock, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline and would result in the dilution of your holdings.

 

Future issuances of our common stock or securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, our common stock, or the expiration of lock-up agreements that restrict the issuance of new common stock or the trading of outstanding common stock, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. We cannot predict the effect, if any, of future issuances of our securities, or the future expirations of lock-up agreements, on the price of our common stock. In all events, future issuances of our common stock would result in the dilution of your holdings. In addition, the perception that new issuances of our securities could occur, or the perception that locked-up parties will sell their securities when the lock-ups expire, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. In connection with this offering, we will enter into a lock-up agreement that prevents us, subject to certain exceptions, from offering additional shares of capital stock for up to six months after the closing of this offering, as further described in the section titled "Underwriting." In addition to any adverse effects that may arise upon the expiration of these lock-up agreements, the lock-up provisions in these agreements may be waived, at any time and without notice. If the restrictions under the lock-up agreements are waived, our common stock may become available for resale, subject to applicable law, including without notice, which could reduce the market price for our common stock.

 

Future issuances of debt securities, which would rank senior to our common stock upon our bankruptcy or liquidation, and future issuances of preferred stock, which could rank senior to our common stock for the purposes of dividends and liquidating distributions, may adversely affect the level of return you may be able to achieve from an investment in our common stock.

 

In the future, we may attempt to increase our capital resources by offering debt securities. Upon bankruptcy or liquidation, holders of our debt securities, and lenders with respect to other borrowings we may make, would receive distributions of our available assets prior to any distributions being made to holders of our common stock. Moreover, if we issue preferred stock, the holders of such preferred stock could be entitled to preferences over holders of common stock in respect of the payment of dividends and the payment of liquidating distributions. Because our decision to issue debt or preferred stock in any future offering, or borrow money from lenders, will depend in part on market conditions and other factors beyond our control, we cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing or nature of any such future offerings or borrowings. Holders of our common stock must bear the risk that any future offerings we conduct or borrowings we make may adversely affect the level of return, if any, they may be able to achieve from an investment in our common stock.

 

We are authorized to issue "blank check" preferred stock without stockholder approval, which could adversely impact the rights of holders of our common stock.

 

Our articles of incorporation authorize us to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of "blank check" preferred stock, meaning our board of directors can designate the rights and preferences of classes or series of such preferred stock without shareholder approval. Any preferred stock that we issue in the future may rank ahead of our common stock in terms of dividend priority or liquidation premiums and may have greater voting rights than our common stock. In addition, such preferred stock may contain provisions allowing those shares to be converted into shares of common stock, which could dilute the value of common stock to current stockholders and could adversely affect the market price, if any, of our common stock. In addition, the preferred stock could be utilized, under certain circumstances, as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change in control of our company. Although we have no present intention to issue any shares of authorized preferred stock, there can be no assurance that we will not do so in the future.

 

If our shares of common stock become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00, other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system. If we do not retain a listing on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange and if the price of our common stock is less than $5.00, our common stock could be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the penny stock rules require that before effecting any transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser's written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our common stock, and therefore shareholders may have difficulty selling their shares.

 

 
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We will be subject to ongoing public reporting requirements that are less rigorous than Exchange Act rules for companies that are not emerging growth companies and our shareholders could receive less information than they might expect to receive from more mature public companies.

 

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be required to publicly report on an ongoing basis as an "emerging growth company" (as defined in the JOBS Act) under the reporting rules set forth under the Exchange Act. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other Exchange Act reporting companies that are not emerging growth companies, including but not limited to:

 

·

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

 

·

being permitted to comply with reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements; and

 

·

being exempt from the requirement to hold a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

 

In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. Our financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

 

We expect to take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We would remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, although if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30th before that time, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31st.

 

Because we will be subject to ongoing public reporting requirements that are less rigorous than Exchange Act rules for companies that are not emerging growth companies, our shareholders could receive less information than they might expect to receive from more mature public companies. We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive if we elect to rely on these exemptions, or if taking advantage of these exemptions would result in less active trading or more volatility in the price of our common stock.

 

 
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CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

  

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements that are based on our management's beliefs, expectations, and assumptions and on information currently available to us. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are contained principally in, but not limited to, the sections entitled "Prospectus Summary," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Business." These statements relate to future events or to our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about:

 

 

·

our goal and strategies;

 

·

our future business development, financial condition and results of operations;

 

·

expected changes in our revenue, costs or expenditures;

 

·

growth of and competition trends in our industry;

 

·

our expectations regarding demand for, and market acceptance of, our products;

 

·

our expectations regarding our relationships with investors, institutional funding partners and other parties with whom we collaborate;

 

·

our expectation regarding the use of proceeds from this offering;

 

·

fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in the markets in which we operate; and

 

·

relevant government policies and regulations relating to our industry.

 

In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as "may," "could," "will," "should," "would," "expect," "plan," "intend," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "project" or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could materially affect results. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, those listed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in this prospectus. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties occur, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual events or results may vary significantly from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee of future performance.

 

The forward-looking statements made in this prospectus relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this prospectus. Although we will become a public company after this offering and have ongoing disclosure obligations under United States federal securities laws, except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update or otherwise revise the forward-looking statements in this prospectus, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

 
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USE OF PROCEEDS

 

After deducting the estimated underwriters' discounts and commissions and offering expenses payable by us, we expect to receive net proceeds of approximately $[ ] from this offering (or approximately $[ ] if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full), based on an assumed public offering price of $[ ] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

We plan to use the net proceeds of this offering as follows:

 

 

·

25% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for sales, marketing and advertising initiatives;

 

 

 

 

·

25% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for acquisitions of companies and technologies aligned and synergistic with our manufacturing technologies and growth objectives;

 

 

 

 

·

15% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for expansion and upgrades to our existing manufacturing facility;

 

 

 

 

·

10% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for research and development;

 

 

 

 

·

10% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for hiring of a national sales team and general employee staffing;

 

 

 

 

·

5% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for legal, accounting, and other professional fees associated with becoming a public company;

 

 

 

 

·

5% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for general and administrative expenses associated with increased operations; and

 

 

 

 

·

5% of the net proceeds (approximately $[ ] million) for general working capital.

 

With regard to our plan to use approximately 25% of the net proceeds of this offering for potential acquisitions, we have only recently been introduced to two potential acquisition targets, and we do not have any current plans, arrangements or agreements in connection with any potential acquisition targets.

 

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed initial public offering price of $[  ] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, would increase or decrease the net proceeds that we receive from this offering by approximately $[  ], assuming that the number of shares offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions payable by us.

 

The foregoing represents our current intentions to use and allocate the net proceeds of this offering based upon our present plans and business conditions. Our management, however, will have broad discretion in the way that we use the net proceeds of this offering. See "Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock—We have considerable discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering and we may use these proceeds in ways with which you may not agree."

 

 
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DIVIDEND POLICY

 

We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings for use in the operation of our business and do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the near future. We may also enter into credit agreements or other borrowing arrangements in the future that will restrict our ability to declare or pay cash dividends on our common stock. Any future determination to declare dividends will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, operating results, capital requirements, contractual restrictions, general business conditions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. See also "Risk Factors—Risks Related to This Offering and Ownership of Our Common Stock—We do not intend to pay any cash dividends on our shares of common stock in the near future, so our shareholders will not be able to receive a return on their shares unless they sell their shares."

 

 
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CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of December 31, 2021:

  

 

·

on an actual basis;

 

·

on a pro forma basis to reflect the sale of [ ] shares by us in this offering at an assumed price to the public of $[ ] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, resulting in net proceeds to us of $[ ] after deducting (i) underwriter commissions of $[ ] and (ii) our estimated other offering expenses of $[ ]; and

 

·

on a pro forma basis to reflect the sale of [ ] shares by us in this offering, assuming the underwriters elect to exercise the over-allotment option in full, at an assumed price to the public of $[ ] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, resulting in net proceeds to us of $[ ] after deducting (i) underwriter commissions of $[ ] and (ii) our estimated other offering expenses of $[ ].

 

The pro forma information below is illustrative only and our capitalization following the completion of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the initial public offering price of our common stock and other terms of this offering determined at pricing. You should read this table together with our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus and the information under "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations."

  

 

 

As of December 31, 2021:

 

 

 

Actual

 

 

Post-Offering Pro Forma without

Over-

Allotment Option

 

Post-Offering Pro Forma with

Over-

Allotment Option

 

Cash and cash equivalents

 

$ 933,469

 

 

$

 

$

 

Total long-term liabilities

 

$ 534,599

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

 

$ 4,702,863

 

 

$

 

$

 

Shareholders’ equity (deficit):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, $0.001 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized and no shares issued and outstanding on an actual and pro forma basis (prior to this offering)

 

$ 0

 

 

$

 

$

 

Common stock, $0.001 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized and 19,695,532 shares issued and outstanding on an actual and pro forma basis (prior to this offering) 

 

$ 19,696

 

 

$

 

$

 

Additional Paid in Capital

 

$ 6,321,428

 

 

$

 

$

 

Accumulated Deficit

 

$ (3,459,214 )

 

$

 

$

 

Total shareholders’ equity (deficit)

 

$ 2,881,910

 

 

$

 

$

 

Non-controlling interests

 

$ (14,250 )

 

$

 

$

 

Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity

 

$ 7,570,523

 

 

$

 

$

 

 

Each $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed offering price per share of $[ ], which is the midpoint of the price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, assuming no change in the number of shares to be sold, would increase or decrease the net proceeds that we receive in this offering and each of total shareholders' equity and total capitalization by approximately $[ ] (or $[ ] if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full), after deducting (i) estimated underwriter commissions and (ii) offering expenses, in each case, payable by us.

 

 
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DILUTION

 

Dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in our securities, is the amount by which the offering price paid by the purchasers of the shares of our common stock sold in this offering exceeds the pro forma net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately after this offering. Net tangible book value per share is determined at any date by subtracting our total liabilities from the total book value of our tangible assets and dividing the difference by the number of shares of common stock deemed to be outstanding at that date.

 

The net tangible book value of our common stock as of December 31, 2021, was approximately $2,413,546, or approximately $0.12 per share.

 

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value dilution per share to new investors represents the difference between the amount per share paid by purchasers of our common stock in this offering and the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after completion of this offering. Investors participating in this offering will incur immediate, substantial dilution. After giving effect to our sale of [ ] shares of our common stock in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $[ ] per share, which is the midpoint of the estimated offering price range set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of December 31, 2021, would have been approximately $[ ], or approximately $[ ] per share. This amount represents an immediate increase in pro forma net tangible book value of $[ ] per share to existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in pro forma net tangible book value of $[ ] per share to purchasers of our common stock in this offering, as illustrated in the following table.

 

Assumed initial public offering price per share

 

$

[  ]

 

Net tangible book value per share at December 31, 2021

 

$

0.12

 

Pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering

 

$

[  ]

 

Increase in net tangible book value per share to the existing shareholders

 

$

[  ]

 

Dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors in this offering

 

$

[  ]

 

 

If the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full, the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our common stock, as adjusted to give effect to this offering, would be $[ ] per share, and the dilution in pro forma net tangible book value per share to new investors purchasing shares of common stock in this offering would be $[ ] per share.

 

The following table sets forth, assuming the sale of [ ] shares of our common stock in this offering, as of December 31, 2021, the total number of shares of common stock previously issued and sold by us to existing investors, the total consideration paid for the foregoing and the average price per share, before deducting estimated underwriter commissions and offering expenses (assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock and assuming no exercise of the Representative's warrants), in each case payable by us. As the table shows, new investors purchasing shares of our common stock in this offering may in certain circumstances pay an average price per share substantially higher than the average price per share paid by our existing shareholders.

 

 

 

Shares Purchased

 

 

Total Consideration

 

 

Average Price

 

 

 

Number

 

 

Percent

 

 

Amount

 

 

Percent

 

 

Per Share

 

Existing shareholders(1)

 

 

[  ]

 

 

 

[  ]

 

 

$

[  ]

 

 

[  ]

 

 

$

[  ]

 

New investors

 

 

[  ]

 

 

 

[  ]

 

 

$

[  ]

 

 

 

[  ]

 

 

$

[  ]

 

Total

 

 

[  ]

 

 

 

100.00

%

 

$

[  ]

 

 

 

100.00

%

 

$

[  ]

 

 

 

(1)

During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company issued common shares as follows: (i) on May 21, 2021, the Company issued 9,917,532 shares for conversion of debt and for payment of past services rendered; and (ii) in December of 2021, the Company sold 1,300,000 shares of common stock at $1.00 per share to 24 investors. During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company issued common shares as follows: (i) on February 17, 2020, the Company issued 25,000 shares for conversion of debt of $25,000; (ii) on May 17, 2020, the Company issued 25,000 shares to induce a note extension; and (iii) on November 21, 2020, the Company issued 28,000 shares for conversion of debt of $28,000. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company issued common shares as follows: (i) on April 1, 2019, the Company issued 8,000,000 of founder shares, and (ii) on November 6, 2019, the Company issued 400,000 of founder shares. On or about May 21, 2021, all the Company's outstanding shares (18,395,532 shares of common stock) were acquired by Green Globe International, Inc.

 

A $1.00 increase or decrease in the assumed public offering price of $[ ] per share assuming the number of shares of our common stock offered by us remains the same and after deducting estimated underwriter commissions and offering expenses payable by us would increase or decrease our pro forma net tangible book value (deficit), as adjusted to give effect to this offering, to $[ ] per share ($[ ], if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full). A $1.00 increase in the assumed public offering price of $[ ] per share would increase the dilution to new investors by $[ ] per share ($[ ], if the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option in full).

 

To the extent that any outstanding options or warrants are exercised, new options, restricted stock units or other securities are issued under our stock-based compensation plans, or new shares of preferred stock are issued, or we issue additional shares of common stock or warrants in the future, there will be further dilution to investors participating in this offering.

 

 
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MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

 

The following discussion and analysis summarizes the significant factors affecting our operating results, financial condition, liquidity and cash flows of our company as of and for the periods presented below. The following discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with our financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The discussion contains forward-looking statements that are based on the beliefs of management, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Actual results could differ materially from those discussed in or implied by forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including those discussed below and elsewhere in this prospectus, particularly in the sections titled "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements".

 

Overview

 

We are focused on Disrupting Tobacco™ by manufacturing and selling nicotine-free and tobacco-free alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We utilize a proprietary, patented spraying technology for terpene infusion and patent-pending flavored filter infusion technology to manufacture hemp- and herb-based smokable alternatives.

 

We have conducted research and development in the smokables space and are engaged in the manufacturing and sale of smokable hemp and herb products, including The Real Stuff™ Hemp Smokables. Our operational segments include private label manufacturing and sales, intellectual property licensing, and the development and sales of inhouse brands using patented counter displays. Our inhouse brands are currently sold in over 200 retail locations located in the San Diego, California, area, our private label customers include well-known and established companies in the cannabis and tobacco-alternatives industries, and we currently own approximately 600 kiosk vending machines which we plan to refurbish and use to distribute our products in a wider fashion under our HempBox Vending brand.

  

Our hemp cigarette production facility, located in San Diego, California, has the capacity to produce up to 30 million cigarettes monthly. From our facility, we can small-to-large quantities of product—from single displays of product to targeted retail locations to truckloads of product to private label customers—with in-house processing, packing, and shipping capabilities.

 

We believe that our manufacturing technologies will be a critical component of our success. We plan to continue to invest in research and development, and we currently have one approved patent and one patent pending with respect our critical manufacturing processes. Our approved patent is an exclusivity patent to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add cannabidiol, which we refer to as CBD, or cannabigerol, which we refer to as CBG, and our pending patent relates to our flavored filter infusion technology. We also have several ready-to-file patent applications with respect to hemp manufacturing, hemp processing, design patents for hemp machines and merchandisers, and customized manufacturing equipment.

 

We believe that we are positioned to rapidly grow our customer and product footprint through increasing marketing efforts, reaching agreements with master distributors who will sell to a broad network of retail establishments, and aggressively targeting additional distributors throughout the United States. We plan to drive and increase customer traffic with internet marketing to or with the clients that carry our products.

 

Our Corporate History and Structure

 

We were incorporated in the State of Nevada on April 1, 2019, as "The Hempacco Co., Inc.," and on April 23, 2021, changed our name to "Hempacco Co., Inc." On or about May 21, 2021, we were acquired by Green Globe International, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and became a wholly owned subsidiary of it. Subsequently, we issued additional shares of common stock, and as of immediately prior to this offering, we are a majority-owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc., with Green Globe International, Inc. owning approximately 93.4% of our capital stock. Green Globe International, Inc. operates exclusively in the fast-moving consumer goods space, focusing on products such as nutraceuticals and CBD edible gummies, but it does not compete with us, and it does not have operations in the smokables space separate from us. 

 

Our Products

 

We have launched the production and sale of our own in-house brand of hemp-based cigarettes, The Real Stuff Smokables, in three presentations: the twenty pack, the ten pack, and the Solito™ single pack, all of which are sold in our patented counter displays in convenience stores through master distributors.

 

We have also entered into several joint ventures to launch multiple new smokables brands: Cali Vibes D8, a joint venture focused on Delta 8 smokable products; Hemp Hop Smokables, a joint venture with rapper Rick Ross and Rap Snack's CEO James Lindsay; a joint venture with StickIt Ltd., an Israeli corporation, to manufacture cannabinoid sticks for insertion into other cigarettes; and a joint venture to launch Cheech & Chong-branded hemp smokables. 

 

We have launched a brand of flavored hemp rolling papers, and we also private label manufacture hemp rolling papers for third parties. We are currently manufacturing hemp rolling papers for HBI International, one of the leading smoking paper producers in the world.

 

 
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Recent Developments

 

We recently received our largest purchase order to date for approximately $9.2 million from HBI International's Skunk and Juicy brand to manufacture hemp rolling papers for it. This purchase order is non-binding (we are not obligated to produce any product for HBI International under it), and we are currently negotiating a supply and manufacturing agreement with HBI International, the terms of which have not yet been finalized. Our sales to HBI International constituted approximately 41% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2021, the balance receivable from HBI International at December 31, 2021, represents approximately 37% of our total accounts receivable balances as of that date, and were we to lose HBI International as a customer, our revenues would significantly decline, and our business would be harmed.  

  

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

 

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease ("COVID-19") was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. The pandemic, which has continued to spread, and the related adverse public health developments, including orders to shelter-in-place, travel restrictions, and mandated business closures, have adversely affected workforces, organizations, customers, economies, and financial markets globally, leading to an economic downturn and increased market volatility. It has also disrupted the normal operations of many businesses, including ours.

 

Our operations have been impacted by a range of external factors related to the pandemic that are not within our control. For example, many cities, counties, states, and even countries have imposed or may impose a wide range of restrictions on the physical movement of our employees, partners and customers to limit the spread of the pandemic, including physical distancing, travel bans and restrictions, closure of non-essential business, quarantines, work-from-home directives, shelter-in-place orders, and limitations on public gatherings. These measures have caused, and are continuing to cause, business slowdowns or shutdowns in affected areas, both regionally and worldwide. In 2020, we temporarily scaled down sales efforts at trade shows and with customers and potential customers in in-person meetings, and we were forced to source ingredients for some of the components of our products from alternative suppliers. These changes disrupted our business, and similar changes in the future may disrupt the way we operate our business. In addition, our management team has, and will likely continue, to spend significant time, attention and resources monitoring the pandemic and seeking to minimize the risk of the virus and manage its effects on our business.

 

The duration and extent of the impact from the pandemic depends on future developments that cannot be accurately predicted at this time, such as the severity and transmission rate of the virus, the extent and effectiveness of containment actions and the disruption caused by such actions, the effectiveness of vaccines and other treatments for COVID-19, and the impact of these and other factors on our employees, customers, partners and vendors. If we are not able to respond to and manage the impact of such events effectively, our business will be harmed.

 

To the extent the pandemic adversely affects our business and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in the "Risk Factors" section.

 

Principal Factors Affecting Our Financial Performance

 

Our operating results are primarily affected by the following factors:

 

our ability to acquire new customers or retain existing customers;

 

our ability to offer competitive product pricing;

 

our ability to broaden product offerings;

 

industry demand and competition;

 

our ability to leverage technology and use and develop efficient manufacturing processes;

 

our ability to attract and retain talented employees and sales personnel and distributors; and

 

market conditions and our market position.

 

Emerging Growth Company

 

We qualify as an "emerging growth company" under the JOBS Act. As a result, we are permitted to, and intend to, rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements. For so long as we are an emerging growth company, we will not be required to:

 

have an auditor report on our internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act;

comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor's report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (i.e., an auditor discussion and analysis);

submit certain executive compensation matters to shareholder advisory votes, such as "say-on-pay" and "say-on-frequency;" and

disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the chief executive officer's compensation to median employee compensation.

 

 
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In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an emerging growth company can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We have elected to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period. Our financial statements may therefore not be comparable to those of companies that comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

 

We will remain an emerging growth company for up to five years, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first fiscal year in which our total annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (ii) the date that we become a "large accelerated filer" as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter or (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.

 

Results of Operations

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2021, Compared to the Year Ended December 31, 2020

 

Revenue

 

During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company generated $1,187,273 in revenue compared to $345,989 in revenue in 2020. $805,969 of such revenue during 2021 was from sales of our own product brands to third parties, $139,114 was from sales to related parties (entities controlled by Sandro Piancone, as well as the Cali Vibes D8 joint venture), and $242,190 was from product sales to white label clients. $135,867 of such revenue during 2020 was from sales of our own product brands to third parties, $64,290 was from sales to related parties (entities controlled by Sandro Piancone, the Company’s CEO, as well as the Cali Vibes D8 joint venture), and $145,832 was from product sales to white label clients. The increase in revenues during 2021, as compared to 2020, was as a result of us launching sales of our products in 2020 and increasing sales efforts during 2021.

  

Operating Costs and Expenses

 

The Company had total cost of goods sold of $850,901 for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $899,699 in cost of goods sold in 2020, which included an inventory obsolescence allowance expense of $623,375 in 2020 incurred in the year ended December 31, 2020, as a result of the creation of a potential loss allowance provision on a quantity of hemp biomass that was acquired shortly after the Company was formed. The inventory obsolescence allowance was created as a precautionary measure with regard to a large quantity of hemp biomass that is currently being used in production of our products, which we expect will be consumed within 6 to 12 months. All or a portion of the allowance is expected to be credited back as other income as the biomass is used, but there is no guarantee that it will be. The other increase in costs of sales in 2021 as compared to 2020 was due to expanding sales efforts in 2021 after launching product sales in 2020.

 

The Company incurred general and administrative expenses totaling $981,676 for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to $303,682 in 2020. The increase was due to us expanding operations in 2021 as compared to 2020, and incurring increased expenses associated with raising capital in 2021, including new accounting, legal and broker expenses incurred in 2021. The Company also incurred related party general and administrative expenses of $469,259 during 2021 and $420,000 during 2020, consisting of senior management consulting fees and rent payable on our premises leased in San Diego, California. The landlord, Primus Logistics, is 90%-owned by Sandro Piancone, the Company's CEO.

 

The Company's sales and marketing expenses increased to $542,680 during the year ended December 31, 2020, compared to sales and marketing expenses of $27,597 during 2020, as a result of us expanding operations during 2021 and increasing sales efforts in 2021 as compared to 2020. While the Company incurred no research and development expenses in 2020, during 2021, the Company incurred research and development expenses of $2,090 associated with laboratory testing of the Company's products.

 

Net Loss

 

The Company had a net loss of $1,870,675 for the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to a net loss of $1,465,444 for the 2020 fiscal year. This increase was due to increasing sales and expanding operations in 2021 as compared to 2020, and the corresponding increase in general and administrative expenses described above, and an increase in interest expense to $209,676 during the year ended December 31, 2021, compared to interest expense of $160,423 during 2020, resulting from the sale of additional interest-bearing promissory notes to private investors for the purposes of raising seed capital in 2021. Additionally, during May of 2021, the Company paid dividends to its then-holder of preferred stock in common shares rather than cash, which shares were valued at $757,479. As a result, the Company’s net loss attributable to the Company’s common stockholders during 2021 was $2,613,904, after a reduction of net loss of $14,250 for the Company’s non-controlling interests in its joint ventures subsidiaries. The Company had no comparable dividend and had no non-controlling interests net loss reduction during 2020.  

 

 
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Assets & Liabilities

 

The following table sets forth key components of our balance sheet as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

 

 

As of December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets

 

$ 2,117,638

 

 

$ 101,462

 

Property and Equipment

 

 

4,998,771

 

 

 

5,005,309

 

Total Assets

 

 

7,570,523

 

 

 

5,657,894

 

Current Liabilities

 

 

4,168,264

 

 

 

2,931,761

 

Total Liabilities

 

 

4,702,863

 

 

 

3,435,326

 

Stockholder's Equity

 

 

2,867,660

 

 

 

2,222,568

 

Total Liabilities and Equity

 

$ 7,570,523

 

 

$ 5,657,894

 

 

As of December 31, 2021, current assets increased to $2,117,638 from $101,462 as of December 31, 2020. This increase was primarily due to increase in accounts receivable, deposits and prepayments as of December 31, 2021, as compared to December 31, 2020, and the Company’s sales of 1,300,000 shares of common stock to 24 investors during December of 2021 at $1.00/share, for gross proceeds of $1,300,000. As of December 31, 2021, current liabilities increased to $4,168,264 from $2,931,761 as of December 31, 2020, primarily due to increases in accounts payable and accrued expenses, long-term promissory note payables, prepaid invoices and deferred revenue, partially offset by a decrease in related party accounts payable.

  

At December 31, 2020, the Company had cash funds of $933,469.

 

Liquidity and Capital Resources

 

The table below, for the periods indicated, provides selected cash flow information:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

2021

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

 

$ (730,961 )

 

 

(69,686 )

Net cash used in investing activities

 

 

(79,963 )

 

 

(51,431 )

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

 

1,743,893

 

 

 

121,500

 

Net change in cash

 

$ 932,969

 

 

 

383

 

 

Cash Flows from Operating Activities

 

We had cash used in operating activities of $730,961 in the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to cash used in operating activities of $69,686 during the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase in cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021, is primarily attributable to increases in 2021 in deferred revenues, warrant expenses and the value of shares issued in connection with related party convertible notes and other non-cash equity issuances and stock-based compensation partially offset by decreases in receivables, prepayments, accounts payable and the inventory obsolescence allowance expense (which allowance was incurred in 2020 but not 2021).

  

Cash Flows from Investing Activities

 

We had cash used in investing activities of $79,963 for the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to $51,431 in cash used in investing activities in 2021. This cash was used to make improvements to our manufacturing facility and purchase equipment.

 

Cash Flows from Financing Activities

 

We had cash provided by financing activities of $1,743,893 in the year ended December 31, 2021, as compared to cash provided by financing activities of $121,500 in 2020, due to increased borrowing and sales of equity during 2021 as compared to 2020.

 

 
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We anticipate that our cash needs for the next twelve months for working capital and capital expenditures will be approximately $2,000,000. As of December 31, 2021, we had approximately $933,469 in cash, and we believe that our current cash and cash flow from operations will only be sufficient to meet anticipated cash needs for the next six months for working capital and capital expenditures. We will likely also require additional cash resources due to possible changed business conditions or other future developments. We plan to seek to sell additional equity securities to generate additional cash to continue operations. We may also sell debt securities to generate additional cash. The sale of equity securities, or of debt securities that are convertible into our equity, could result in additional dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of additional indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations and liquidity.

    

Our ability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including the following: investors' perception of, and demand for, securities of cigarette and hemp companies; conditions of the U.S. and other capital markets in which we may seek to raise funds; future results of operations, financial condition and cash flow. Therefore, our management cannot assure that financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, or if at all. Any failure by us to raise additional funds on terms favorable to us could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.

 

Going Concern

 

In the event we are not successful in reaching our sustained revenue targets, we anticipate that depending on market conditions and our plan of operations, we will likely incur continued operating losses. We base this expectation, in part, on the fact that we may not be able to generate enough gross profit to cover our operating expenses. Consequently, there remains the possibility that we may not continue to operate as a going concern in the long term. As described in our description of risks affecting our business, we are subject to many factors which could detrimentally affect us. Many of these risk factors are outside management's control, including demand for our products, our ability to hire and retain talented and skilled employees and service providers, as well as other factors.

 

We do not know of any trends, demands, commitments, events or uncertainties that will result in, or that are reasonable likely to result in, our liquidity increasing or decreasing in any material way.

 

We do not know of any significant changes in expected sources and uses of cash.

 

We do not have any commitments or arrangements from any person to provide us with any equity capital.

 

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

 

We currently have no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future material effect on our financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures or capital resources.

 

Critical Accounting Policies

 

Our financial statements are based on the application of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP"). GAAP requires the use of estimates; assumptions, judgments and subjective interpretations of accounting principles that have an impact on the assets, liabilities, revenue, and expense amounts reported. These estimates can also affect supplemental information contained in our external disclosures including information regarding contingencies, risk and financial condition. We believe our use of estimates and underlying accounting assumptions adhere to GAAP and are consistently and conservatively applied. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. We continue to monitor significant estimates made during the preparation of our financial statements.

 

Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 2 to our financial statements. While these significant accounting policies impact our financial condition and results of operations, we view certain of these policies as critical. Policies determined to be critical are those policies that have the most significant impact on our financial statements and require management to use a greater degree of judgment and estimates. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Our management believes that given current facts and circumstances, it is unlikely that applying any other reasonable judgments or estimate methodologies would cause an effect on our results of operations, financial position or liquidity for the periods presented in this report.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by FASB that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. If not discussed, management believes that the impact of recently issued standards, which are not yet effective, will not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements upon adoption.

 

 
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BUSINESS

 

Overview

 

We are focused on Disrupting Tobacco™ by manufacturing and selling nicotine-free and tobacco-free alternatives to traditional cigarettes. We utilize a proprietary, patented spraying technology for terpene infusion and patent-pending flavored filter infusion technology to manufacture hemp- and herb-based smokable alternatives.

 

We have conducted research and development in the smokables space and are engaged in the manufacturing and sale of smokable hemp and herb products, including The Real Stuff™ Hemp Smokables. Our operational segments include private label manufacturing and sales, intellectual property licensing, and the development and sales of inhouse brands using patented counter displays. Our inhouse brands are currently sold in over 200 retail locations located in the San Diego, California, area, our private label customers include well-known and established companies in the cannabis and tobacco-alternatives industries, and we currently own approximately 600 kiosk vending machines which we plan to refurbish and use to distribute our smokables products in a wider fashion under our HempBox Vending brand.

    

Our hemp cigarette production facility, located in San Diego, California, has the capacity to produce up to 30 million cigarettes monthly. From our facility, we can small-to-large quantities of product—from single displays of product to targeted retail locations to truckloads of product to private label customers—with in-house processing, packing, and shipping capabilities.

 

We believe that our manufacturing technologies will be a critical component of our success. We plan to continue to invest in research and development, and we currently have one approved patent and one patent pending with respect our critical manufacturing processes. Our approved patent is an exclusivity patent to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add cannabidiol, which we refer to as CBD, or cannabigerol, which we refer to as CBG, and our pending patent relates to our flavored filter infusion technology. We also have several ready-to-file patent applications with respect to hemp manufacturing, hemp processing, design patents for hemp machines and merchandisers, and customized manufacturing equipment.

 

We believe that we are positioned to rapidly grow our customer and product footprint through increasing marketing efforts, reaching agreements with master distributors who will sell to a broad network of retail establishments, and aggressively targeting additional distributors throughout the United States. We plan to drive and increase customer traffic with internet marketing to or with the clients that carry our products.

 

Our Products

 

We have launched the production and sale of our own in-house brand of hemp-based cigarettes, The Real Stuff™ Smokables, in three presentations: the twenty pack, the ten pack, and the Solito™ single pack, all of which are sold in our patented counter displays in convenience stores through master distributors.

  

We have launched a brand of flavored hemp rolling papers, and we also private label manufacture hemp rolling papers for third parties. We are currently manufacturing hemp rolling papers for HBI International, one of the leading smoking paper producers in the world.

  

We have launched a brand of flavored hemp rolling papers, and we also private label manufacture hemp rolling papers for third parties. We are currently manufacturing hemp rolling papers for HBI International, one of the leading smoking paper producers in the world, and we recently received our largest purchase order to date for approximately $9.2 million from HBI International's Skunk and Juicy brand to manufacture hemp rolling papers for it. This purchase order establishes initial product pricing but is non-binding with respect to us since we are not obligated to produce any product for HBI International under it. We are currently negotiating a supply and manufacturing agreement with HBI International, the terms of which have not yet been finalized.

  

We have also entered into several joint ventures, described below, to launch multiple new smokables brands: Cali Vibes D8, a joint venture focused on Delta 8 smokable products; Hemp Hop Smokables, a joint venture with rapper Rick Ross and Rap Snack's CEO James Lindsay; a joint venture with StickIt Ltd., an Israeli corporation, to manufacture cannabinoid sticks for insertion into other cigarettes; and a joint venture to launch Cheech & Chong-branded hemp smokables.

 

We have a 50% interest in the Hemp Hop Smokables joint venture entity, Hemp Hop Smokables, LLC, a Florida manager-managed limited liability company, which is managed by five managing directors: three managing directors appointed by us, and two managing directors appointed by Hemp Hop Global, LLC, a Florida limited liability company controlled by James Lindsay.  Currently, the three managing directors appointed by us are Sandro Piancone, Jorge Olson, and Louis Pelliccia, and the two managing directors appointed by Hemp Hop Global are James Lindsay and Taylor McCain. The written consent of 75% of the managing directors is required for the joint venture entity to take any of the following actions, among others: amending the operating agreement governing the joint venture entity, issuing additional membership interests of the joint venture entity, entering into related party transactions, acquiring or disposing of any joint venture entity assets other than in the ordinary course of business, settling any lawsuit or assuming any liability in excess $10,000, changing the number of managing directors of the joint venture entity, changing the business of the joint venture entity, or dissolving the joint venture entity.

  

We also have a 25% interest in the Cali Vibes D8 joint venture entity, Cali Vibes D8 LLC, a Delaware member-managed limited liability company, which is operated by Louis Pelliccia, the Chairman and CEO of the entity. The joint venture entity shall operate until all members unanimously vote to dissolve the Company, no further members of the entity exist, it becomes unlawful for the entity to operate, a judicial decree is entered to dissolve the entity, or any other event occurs which results in dissolution of the entity under federal or Delaware law.     

 

In January 2022, we entered into a joint venture agreement with StickIt Ltd. (“StickIt”), an Israeli corporation that manufactures cannabinoid sticks which we had previously negotiated a short-form joint venture letter agreement with in 2021, to develop and sell hemp smokables products in the United States and Mexico utilizing each of the parties’ respective expertise. Pursuant to the 2022 joint venture agreement, which supersedes the prior letter agreement, we are required to fund $750,000 to the joint venture entity, Stick-It USA, Inc., a newly formed Delaware corporation, and we will then receive preferred shares entitling us to 75% of distributable profits of the joint venture entity until we have been repaid $750,000, after which our preferred shares will convert into 750,000 shares of common stock. StickIt will receive 750,000 shares of common stock. We are required to manufacture joint venture product and provide accounting, inventory management, staff training, and trade show and marketing services for the joint venture entity, and StickIt is required to license its trade name and “CBD stick” intellectual property to the joint venture entity, provide distribution and retailer negotiation and management services to the joint venture entity, and supply the joint venture entity with basic (non-CBD) sticks at an initial price of $0.22/stick. The joint venture entity is required to enter into a manufacturing and supply agreement with StickIt pursuant to which the joint venture entity shall pay StickIt $250,000, and StickIt shall provide the joint venture entity the equipment necessary to manufacture CBD stick products and materials to permit the joint venture entity to manufacture an initial 30,000 stick products. If StickIt’s ownership of the joint venture entity ever falls below 50%, the joint venture entity is required to a name change amendment with the State of Delaware to remove “stick” from its name unless StickIt otherwise consents to the joint venture entity retaining “stick” in its name. In the event that there is dispute between us and StickIt which cannot be resolved within 28 days of the date the issue was required to be resolved by the joint venture entity’s board of directors or shareholders, StickIt shall have the right to purchase our interest in the joint venture entity for a purchase price equal to the average of the joint venture entity’s valuation as determined by two appraisers, with one appraiser appointed by us and the other appraiser appointed by StickIt.

 

In January 2022, we also entered into a joint venture agreement with Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company, a Nevada corporation (“CCCC”), to form a joint venture entity in Nevada, which entity will market and sell Cheech  & Chong-branded hemp smokable products. Pursuant to the agreement, the joint venture entity will be owned 50% by each of us and CCCC, we are required to fund $10,000 to the joint venture entity, we are required to manufacture joint venture product and provide accounting, inventory management, staff training, and trade show and marketing services for the joint venture entity, and CCCC is required to provide online marketing and promotion, design and branding, brand management and development, trademark receipt, and sales and distribution services. CCCC is also required to ensure that Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong attend and make appearances at joint venture entity events. At the Tobacco Plus Expo held in Las Vegas in January 2022, we debuted the Cheech & Chong-branded joint venture hemp smokables and hemp blunt wraps products, as well as a Cheech & Chong-branded kiosk vending machine, with Tommy Chong.

   

Our products include the following:

 

  

 
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Industry

 

Smokable hemp products, which include CBD flower, hemp-CBD pre-rolls, cigars and other inhalables, are part of a growing sector in the hemp-CBD market. According to Hemp Industry Daily - Sector Snapshot - Smokable Hemp, Hemp industry observers say smokable hemp is one of the fastest growing and most lucrative segments in the nascent hemp and CBD industry, with expectations that the market will experience fivefold growth in the next five years.

 

By 2025, Nielsen expects the smokable hemp market to reach $300 million-$400 million in size, representing roughly 5% of the potential $6 billion-$7 billion hemp-derived CBD consumer products category. (see https://hempindustrydaily.com/exclusive-smokable-hemp-market-worth-up-to-80-million-for-2020-with-five-fold-growth-predicted/).

 

Demand for hemp-derived CBD products continues to grow, even though market projections have fluctuated based on economic factors, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lack of conclusive legislation from federal authorities with respect to consumable CBD products.

 

Competitive Strengths

 

We believe our manufacturing technologies, manufacturing facility manufacturing capacity, and management with extensive industry experience are strengths that set us apart from our competitors.  Our manufacturing facility can quickly scale up production volumes, our management team has extensive experience in the cigarette and food and beverage industries, and because of our manufacturing technologies, which allow us to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add CBD or CBG, and add flavoring via our filter infusion technology, we believe our smokables products offer consistent and unique flavor and odor profiles to consumers, which we believe sets our products apart from competing products, which may lack flavor and odor consistency or smell like marijuana when smoked.

 

Growth Strategy

 

Our goal is to become the market leader in disrupting the trillion-dollar tobacco industry with nicotine- and tobacco-free products and technologies in connection with hemp, herb, and spice smokables and smoking papers. We believe that our products and technology have the potential to disrupt the Big Tobacco industry.

 

We seek to become the leader in sales and distribution of alternative smokable products. We aim to offer our products and affiliate products in over 100,000 convenience and liquor stores in the United States (see https://www.convenience.org/Research/FactSheets/IndustryStoreCount), and we also intend to build international sales and distribution channels for our products and affiliate products. Our goal is to build a portfolio of non-tobacco smokables brands, become the United States market leader in the space, and subsequently build exclusive master distribution relationships in other countries.

 

We plan to do this in four ways:

 

 

1.

We intend to focus on growing our fast-moving consumer goods brands, such as our The Real Stuff™ smokables and Hempbar, our line of liquor-flavored infused hemp smokables for sale in liquor stores and bars.

 

In the smokables space, we plan to make strategic acquisitions of brands to add to our portfolio of brands and products. We currently have interests in joint ventures that have launched two new brands. We exclusively manufacture the products for these joint ventures, and we plan to act as a master distributor for the different joint venture brands that we manufacture products for.

  

 

2.

We plan to build a portfolio of patents and technologies, which should allow us to protect and grow our competitive position in the industry.

 

We may also license some of our technologies to other cannabis companies in the United States and hemp and cannabis companies in other countries outside the United States. We plan to file several applications for additional patents during the next year as available funds permit, and we plan to evaluate opportunities to license and/or acquire new patents and technologies that are synergistic with our current and planned product offerings and manufacturing plans.

 

 

3.

We intend to expand our manufacturing capabilities.

 

We believe that our inhouse manufacturing is a key capability that will separate us from other hemp-based or tobacco-alternative smokable brands. We are not beholden to a third-party manufacturer. We also can produce our products anytime it is necessary, including at night and on weekends. Because of our technologies, we believe that we can expand private label manufacturing for other companies and manufacture their products. We plan to charge them for use of our patented technology, along with manufacturing costs. We plan to continue to assess new potential technologies for acquisition or development, and we intend to continue to design our own new manufacturing technologies to update our production capabilities and employ leading edge manufacturing technologies. In the future, we will look to acquire machines, factories, and technologies to expand our manufacturing and packaging capabilities.

 

 
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4.

We plan to increase sales by focusing on master distributor relationships, e-commerce sales, and distribution of our brands, and joint venture brands.

 

Our sales team and brokers plan to market our entire portfolio of brands and affiliated brands to distributors, sell our products aggressively on e-commerce platforms, and sell our products in kiosks.

 

We believe that we are positioned to rapidly grow our customer and product footprint through increasing our marketing efforts, reaching agreements with master distributors, and aggressively targeting additional distributors throughout the United States. We plan to drive and increase e-commerce customer traffic and sales through aggressive internet marketing campaigns. It is our goal that master distributors and other distributors will sell and deliver to bars, liquor stores, convenience stores, smoke shops and CBD stores.

 

Technology & Intellectual Property

 

We currently have one approved patent and one patent pending with respect our critical manufacturing processes. Our approved patent is an exclusivity patent to spray hemp with terpenes for flavoring or to add cannabidiol, which we refer to as CBD, or cannabigerol, which we refer to as CBG, and our pending patent relates to our flavored filter infusion technology. We also have several ready-to-file patent applications with respect to hemp manufacturing, hemp processing, design patents for hemp machines and merchandisers, and customized manufacturing equipment.

 

With regard to our patent, trademarked and referred to as "FlorSure," it has been licensed from Open Book Extracts for three years, and the patent expires in October of 2034 (U.S. patent no. 9532593B2, title: “Herbal Smoking Blend"). Pursuant to the license agreement, our parent company, Green Globe International, Inc., was obligated to issue $120,000 of its common stock to the licensor as an initial royalty payment, it has done so, and we are obligated to make cash royalty payments to the licensor in an amount equal to the greater of either (i)$0.01/cigarette sold which was produced using FlorSure, or(ii)a minimum royalty amount equal to(a) $0 for the first year of the license (April 1, 2021–March 31, 2022), (b) $90,000 for the second year of the license (April 1, 2022–March 31, 2023), and (c) $120,000 for the third year of the license(April 1, 2023–March 31, 2024). Such cash royalty payments are due on a quarterly basis, and the licensor can terminate the license if the royalty payments are not made within a 30-day cure period after providing us notice of intent to terminate for non-payment. For other material breaches of the license by us, the licensor can terminate the license after the provision of 90 days’ notice to us, provided we have not cured the breach during such 90-day cure period. We have the right to terminate the license after the provision of 90 days’ notice to the licensor if the licensed intellectual property rights are rendered invalid or unenforceable and the licensor has not remediated and made valid the licensed rights within the 90-day cure period. The license expires on March 31, 2024, and may be renewed or extended by mutual agreement of the parties.   

         

FlorSure applies terpenes and cannabinoids onto smokable hemp to enable a consistent customer experience for hemp cigarettes, pre-rolls, and hemp flowers. FlorSure addresses one of the issues in the hemp cigarette market—consistency. Producers of tobacco cigarettes have developed specific tobacco blends to ensure consistency in flavor and effect across millions of batches. FlorSure applies terpenes and cannabinoids to hemp, enabling the consistency in flavor profiles and physiological effects consumers seek. With FlorSure, we believe our brands now have the ability to create finished products with consistent, repeatable, and reliable terpenoid profiles, delivering products that consumers can trust and which we believe sets our products apart from competing products.

 

With respect to our pending patent, the application for which was filed in 2021, we developed and filed a patent for a new, cutting-edge technology to infuse terpenes and aroma into the cigarette filter. We believe this technology will also provide greater consistency in flavor profiles for our products.

 

The above-described technologies include systems and methods for infusing cigarettes with sensory additives. Sensory additives described herein enhance the organoleptic properties, such as taste and odor, of the cigarette, and include, for example, flavoring and aromatic additives. A cigarette typically includes a piece of rolling paper, a smoking substance (e.g., an herbal or plant composition), and a filter. The rolling paper encloses the smoking substance forming a cylindrical rod, which is coupled to a filter to form a cigarette.

 

The filter is at an end of the cigarette that is placed in a smoker's mouth. Systems and methods described herein include infusing cigarette filters with sensory additives to enhance their organoleptic properties.

 

We have applied for trademarks for "Disrupting Tobacco," "HempBox," "Hempbar," "The Real Stuff," "Solito," and "Cali Vibes D8."

 

Supplier and Fulfillment Relationships

 

We obtain our hemp directly from farmers in California and Oregon. In 2022, we plan to increase our number of hemp suppliers to support expanding sales of our hemp-based products. We source other components and ingredients for our products from suppliers throughout the United States and abroad, and we are not dependent on any single supplier.

 

Marketing

 

We market our products through various sales channels, primarily trade shows and through print and digital advertisements, focusing on several customer types. These customers include consumers, wholesalers, distributors, and those seeking private label products. We repeatedly test new marketing venues, platforms and approaches utilizing proven methods to measure results assuring our efforts are cost effective.

 

Trade Shows

 

We exhibit at a variety of trade shows each year with differing attendee focuses. These include hemp, cannabis, CBD and wellness, convenience and grocery stores, consumer product distribution, and private label.

 

 
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Digital and Printed Advertisements

 

We utilize sophisticated digital tools to place ads primarily through Google and Facebook (now Meta) that target likely customers and those showing interest in our products. In addition, we have recently begun to place traditional print ads in journals and magazines focused on convenience stores, distributors, and private label products.

 

In addition to new prospect acquisition programs, our marketing team produces a weekly newsletter that is distributed to our contacts with the goal of keeping the Company top-of-mind, and this newsletter has historically resulted in conversion of contacts into current customers.

 

Customers and Markets

 

We primarily sell our products in the United States, but we have completed a few test orders to customers in Spain, Switzerland, Poland, and Italy. On our e-commerce sites, we have thousands of customers. As for our white/private label business, we have approximately 12 customers who use us to manufacture white/private label products for them. As to our Real Stuff™ brand, we plan to sign up master distributors and smaller distributors to carry brand products and increase sales of brand products. We currently sell our products to over 200 liquor and smoke shops in the San Diego, California area.

 

Competition

 

The smokables industry consists of a few domestic and international tobacco and cigarette companies, most of which have existing relationships in the markets into which we plan to sell, as well as financial, technical, marketing, sales, manufacturing, scaling capacity, distribution and other resources, and name recognition substantially greater than ours. Several domestic cigarette competitors are continuing to research hemp cigarettes.

 

Cigarette and filtered cigar companies compete primarily on the basis of product quality, brand recognition, brand loyalty, taste, innovation, packaging, service, marketing, advertising, retail shelf space, and price. Hemp cigarette sales can be significantly influenced by weak economic conditions, erosion of consumer confidence, competitors' introduction of low-price products or innovative products, higher taxes, higher absolute prices and larger gaps between price categories, and product regulation that diminishes the ability to differentiate hemp products.

 

Domestic hemp cigarette competitors included Taat International, Wild Hemp, Pure Hemp, Colorado's Finest, and Redwood Reserve. International hemp cigarette competitors include Heimat and Hemp House.

 

Facilities

 

We are headquartered in San Diego, California, at the location of our hemp cigarette and rolling paper manufacturing facility, which location is leased from a related party (an entity controlled by our CEO and Director, Sandro Piancone). Our management team, client service team, marketing, operations, and sales team are all primarily based in this location.

 

Our manufacturing facility at this location has the capacity to produce up to 30 million cigarettes monthly. Our facility is approximately 5,000 square feet in size, and we have the right to lease up to approximately 48,000 additional square feet of co-located manufacturing and warehouse space from the related party as inventory and production needs expand. From our facility, we can ship small-to-large quantities of product—from single displays of product to targeted retail locations to truckloads of product to private label customers—with in-house processing, packing, and shipping capabilities.

 

Seasonality and Cyclicality

 

Although historically our product sales have not been seasonal or cyclical to any significant degree, we expect that our sales in the future will be greater in the summer months, when more consumers are outdoors, than in the winter months.

 

Employees

 

As of December 31, 2021, we had 12 full-time and part-time employees, and we consider our employee relations to be good. Our human capital resource objectives are designed to attract, and retain, highly motivated and well qualified employees. We have worked diligently to provide a flexible and safe work environment—especially during the unforeseen COVID-19 global pandemic. The health and safety of our employees and clientele is of the upmost importance to us. We have taken significant steps to protect our workforce during COVID-19 including but not limited to, working remotely, increased cleaning and sanitization of facilities, and social distancing protocols consistent with guidelines issued by federal, state, and local governments.

  

 
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Legal Proceedings

 

From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings which arise in the ordinary course of business. However, litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties, and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. We are not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims against us.

 

Regulation

 

Trade Regulations

 

Our suppliers generally source or manufacture finished goods in parts of the world that may be affected by the imposition of duties, tariffs or other import regulations by the United States. We believe that our redundant network of suppliers provide sufficient capacity to mitigate any dependency risks on a single supplier.

 

We buy necessary components or ingredients for our products from suppliers or factories both domestically and internationally as needed. We do not depend on any single supplier. However, if we are unable to continue to obtain our finished products from international locations or if our suppliers are unable to source raw materials, it could significantly disrupt our business. Further, we are affected by economic, political and other conditions in the United States and internationally, including those resulting in the imposition or increase of import duties, tariffs and other import regulations and widespread health emergencies, which could have a material adverse effect on our business.

 

Laws and Regulations Relating to Our Products

 

The production, distribution and sale in the United States of many of our products are subject to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Lanham Act, state consumer protection laws, competition laws, federal, state and local workplace health and safety laws, various federal, state and local environmental protection laws, various other federal, state and local statutes applicable to the production, transportation, sale, safety, advertising, labeling and ingredients of such products, and rules and regulations adopted pursuant to these laws. Outside the United States, the distribution and sale of our many products and related operations are also subject to numerous similar and other statutes and regulations.

 

On December 20, 2018, the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, which is also known as the "2018 Farm Bill," was enacted and, among other things, further legalized hemp under U.S. federal law, but with compliance still being required with all applicable state hemp laws. The 2018 Farm Bill includes certain benefits for the hemp industry in the United States, including: (i) the extension of the protections for hemp research and researchers and the conditions in which hemp research can be done, (ii) the protection of hemp farmers and hemp production under federal crop insurance programs, (iii) the permitting of the cultivation, interstate transportation and sale of hemp and hemp products in the U.S. in compliance with all other applicable federal and state laws, and (iv) the removal of hemp and hemp derived products from Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act ("CSA").

 

As of January 1, 2021, federal law and the laws of 47 states in the United States and the District of Columbia have legalized hemp, 36 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have enacted laws and/or regulations that recognize, in one form or another, legitimate medical uses for cannabis/marijuana and consumer use of cannabis/marijuana in connection with medical treatment, and 15 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands have legalized cannabis/marijuana for adult recreational use. Other states are considering similar legislation. Conversely, under the federal CSA, the policies and regulations of the federal government and its agencies are that cannabis/marijuana has no medical benefit, and a range of activities are prohibited, including cultivation, possession, personal use and interstate distribution of cannabis/marijuana.

 

Our activities in the United States only involve legal hemp in compliance with the CSA. The hemp and the marijuana plants are both part of the same cannabis genus, except that hemp does not have more than 0.3% dry weight content of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol ("THC"). While 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp and cannabinoids extracted from hemp in the United States, such extracts remain subject to state laws and regulation by other U.S. federal agencies such as the FDA, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration ("DEA"), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA"). The same plant, with a higher THC content is marijuana, which is legal under certain state laws, but which is currently not legal under U.S. federal law. The similarities between these plants can cause confusion.

 

 
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A California law known as Proposition 65 requires a specific warning to appear on any product containing a component listed by the state as having been found to cause cancer or birth defects. The state maintains lists of these substances and periodically adds other substances to these lists. Proposition 65 exposes all food and beverage producers to the possibility of having to provide warnings on their products in California because it does not provide for any generally applicable quantitative threshold below which the presence of a listed substance is exempt from the warning requirement. Consequently, the detection of even a trace amount of a listed substance can subject an affected product to the requirement of a warning label. However, Proposition 65 does not require a warning if the manufacturer of a product can demonstrate that the use of that product exposes consumers to a daily quantity of a listed substance that is:

 

below a "safe harbor" threshold that may be established;

 

naturally occurring;

 

the result of necessary cooking; or

 

subject to another applicable exemption.

 

In January 2019, New York State's governor announced the "Consumer Right to Know Act," a proposed law that would impose similar and potentially more stringent labeling requirements than California Proposition 65. The law has not yet been adopted, and to our knowledge California Proposition 65 remains the most onerous state-level chemical exposure labeling statutory scheme. However, due in part to the large size of California's market, promotional products sold or distributed anywhere in the United States may be subject to California Proposition 65.

 

We are unable to predict whether a component found in a product that we assisted a client in producing might be added to the California list in the future. Furthermore, we are also unable to predict when or whether the increasing sensitivity of detection methodology may become applicable under this law and related regulations as they currently exist, or as they may be amended.

 

We are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to, laws and regulations relating to labor and employment, U.S. customs and consumer product safety, including the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, or the "CPSIA." The CPSIA created more stringent safety requirements related to lead and phthalates content in children's products. The CPSIA regulates the future manufacture of these items and existing inventories and may cause us to incur losses if we offer for sale or sell any non-compliant items. Failure to comply with the various regulations applicable to us may result in damage to our reputation, civil and criminal liability, fines and penalties and increased cost of regulatory compliance. These current and any future laws and regulations could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Legal requirements apply in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas requiring deposits or certain taxes or fees be charged for the sale, marketing and use of certain non-refillable beverage containers. The precise requirements imposed by these measures vary. Other types of beverage container-related deposit, recycling, tax and/or product stewardship statutes and regulations also apply in various jurisdictions in the United States and overseas. We anticipate additional, similar legal requirements may be proposed or enacted in the future at local, state and federal levels, both in the United States and elsewhere.

 

New legislation or regulation, the application of laws from jurisdictions whose laws do not currently apply to our business, or the application of existing laws and regulations to the Internet and e-commerce generally could result in significant additional taxes on our business. Further, we could be subject to fines or other payments for any past failures to comply with these requirements. The continued growth and demand for e-commerce is likely to result in more laws and regulations that impose additional compliance burdens on e-commerce companies.

 

Laws and Regulations Relating to Data Privacy

 

In the ordinary course of our business, we might collect and store in our internal and external data centers, cloud services and networks sensitive data, including our proprietary business information and that of our customers, suppliers and business collaborators, as well as personal information of our customers and employees. The secure processing, maintenance and transmission of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. The number and sophistication of attempted attacks and intrusions that companies have experienced from third parties has increased over the past few years. Despite our security measures, it is impossible for us to eliminate this risk.

 

A number of U.S. states have enacted data privacy and security laws and regulations that govern the collection, use, disclosure, transfer, storage, disposal, and protection of personal information, such as social security numbers, financial information and other sensitive personal information. For example, all 50 states and several U.S. territories now have data breach laws that require timely notification to affected individuals, and at times regulators, credit reporting agencies and other bodies, if a company has experienced the unauthorized access or acquisition of certain personal information. Other state laws, particularly the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended ("CCPA"), among other things, contain disclosure obligations for businesses that collect personal information about residents in their state and affords those individuals new rights relating to their personal information that may affect our ability to collect and/or use personal information. The Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act ("CDPA") also establishes rights for Virginia consumers to control how companies use individuals' personal data. The CDPA dictates how companies must protect personal data in their possession and respond to consumers exercising their rights, as prescribed by the law, regarding such personal data. The CDPA will go into effect on January 1, 2023. Meanwhile, several other states and the federal government have considered or are considering privacy laws like the CCPA. We will continue to monitor and assess the impact of these laws, which may impose substantial penalties for violations, impose significant costs for investigations and compliance, allow private class-action litigation and carry significant potential liability for our business.

 

 
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Outside of the U.S., data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (the "GDPR"), also might apply to some of our operations or business collaborators. Legal requirements in these countries relating to the collection, storage, processing and transfer of personal data/information continue to evolve. The GDPR imposes, among other things, data protection requirements that include strict obligations and restrictions on the ability to collect, analyze and transfer EU personal data/information, a requirement for prompt notice of data breaches to data subjects and supervisory authorities in certain circumstances, and possible substantial fines for any violations (including possible fines for certain violations of up to the greater of 20 million Euros or 4% of total company revenue). Other governmental authorities around the world have enacted or are considering similar types of legislative and regulatory proposals concerning data protection.

 

The interpretation and enforcement of the laws and regulations described above are uncertain and subject to change, and may require substantial costs to monitor and implement and maintain adequate compliance programs. Failure to comply with U.S. and international data protection laws and regulations could result in government enforcement actions (which could include substantial civil and/or criminal penalties), private litigation and/or adverse publicity and could negatively affect our operating results and business.

 

Environmental Regulations

 

We use certain plastic, glass, fabric, metal and other products in our business which may be harmful if released into the environment. In view of the nature of our business, compliance with federal, state, and local laws regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or otherwise relating to the protection of the environment, has had no material effect upon our operations or earnings, and we do not expect it to have a material impact in the foreseeable future.

 

Tax Laws and Regulations

 

Changes in tax laws or regulations in the jurisdictions in which we do business, including the United States, or changes in how the tax laws are interpreted, could further impact our effective tax rate, further restrict our ability to repatriate undistributed offshore earnings, or impose new restrictions, costs or prohibitions on our current practices and reduce our net income and adversely affect our cash flows.

 

We are also subject to tax audits in the United States and other jurisdictions and our tax positions may be challenged by tax authorities. Although we believe that our current tax provisions are reasonable and appropriate, there can be no assurance that these items will be settled for the amounts accrued, that additional tax exposures will not be identified in the future or that additional tax reserves will not be necessary for any such exposures. Any increase in the amount of taxation incurred as a result of challenges to our tax filing positions could result in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

 

Other Regulations

 

We are subject to international, federal, national, regional, state, local and other laws and regulations affecting our business, including those promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the Consumer Product Safety Act, the Flammable Fabrics Act, the Textile Fiber Product Identification Act, the rules and regulations of the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (FCPA), various securities laws and regulations including but not limited to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Securities Exchange Act of 1933, and the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC Rules, various labor, workplace and related laws, and environmental laws and regulations. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations may expose us to potential liability and have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

 
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MANAGEMENT

 

Directors and Executive Officers

 

Set forth below is information regarding our directors and executive officers as of the date of this prospectus.

 

Name

Age

 

Position

Sandro Piancone

 

53

 

Chief Executive Officer, President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Director

Neville Pearson

 

77

 

Chief Financial Officer

Jorge Olson

 

50

 

Chief Marketing Officer, Executive Vice President & Director

Dr. Stuart Titus

 

65

 

Chairman of the Board

Jerry Halamuda

 

71

 

Independent Director

[                  ] (1)

[ ]

 

Independent Director

 

(1)

Appointed to our board of directors effective automatically subject to, and immediately prior to, the closing of this offering.

 

Sandro Piancone co-founded our Company and has served as our President and Chief Executive Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, and Director since inception. Mr. Piancone has served as the Chief Executive Officer of Primus Logistics, a cold storage company since January 2018. He has also served as the Chief Executive Officer of UST Mexico, Inc, a Mexican tobacco company since November 2013. From January 2011 to December 2017, Mr. Piancone served as the Managing Director of Nerys Logistics, Inc, a foodservice and food distributor company in Mexico. From January 2012 to December 2019, he worked as the Chief Executive Officer of Mexico Sales Made Easy-Self Promotion Platform, a marketing company. Mr. Piancone has also been the President, Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors of Green Globe International, Inc., our majority owner, since March 22, 2021. Mr. Piancone has a track record of building distribution companies with manufacturing, sales, and distribution success. We believe that Mr. Piancone's extensive experience in the cigarette manufacturing, food and beverage industries makes him a valuable member of our Board of Directors.

  

Jorge Olson co-founded our Company and has served as Chief Marketing Officer since inception. Mr. Olson has helped to develop and/or market over 1,000 consumer goods products in the USA and Mexico. He has marketed consumer goods by creating innovative, off-the-shelf display programs that are strategically placed in convenience stores. Mr. Olson has worked with Sandro Piancone for over fifteen years and is the author of Wholesale MBA and Build Your Beverage Empire. Since 2003, Mr. Olson has been the President of Cube17, Inc., his marketing consulting company. Mr. Olson has also been the Chief Marketing Officer of Green Globe International, Inc., our majority owner, since March 22, 2021. We believe that Mr. Olson's vast consumer goods and beverage experience makes him a valuable member of our Board of Directors.

  

Neville Pearson, who served as our Interim Chief Financial Officer from March 1, 2021-August 31, 2021, was appointed our Chief Financial Officer as of September 1, 2021, and brings extensive and direct experience with financial reporting, management accounting, preparation of SEC filings, and corporate governance and company secretarial functions. As Chief Accountant of the UK Construction Division for John Mowlem & Co. PLC, Mr. Pearson was responsible for over 400 active building and civil engineering projects which include the NatWest Bank Tower in the City financial district, and the Docklands Airport in East London. Mr. Pearson has also been the Chief Financial Officer of Green Globe International, Inc., our majority owner, since March 1, 2021. He has been the Chief Financial Officer of ASC Biosciences, Inc. since September 2013, and he was the Interim CFO of American Hemp Ventures, Inc. from December 2018 to May 2020.

  

Dr. Stuart Titus is an expert in hemp and cannabinoids with experience in investing and managing publicly traded companies. He left his position as CEO of Medical Marijuana, Inc., and joined our board in July 2021. Dr. Titus built his financial expertise on Wall Street, where he worked as a bond trader for 11 years, managing a trading and underwriting department as a V.P. for Credit Suisse First Boston Corp. From March 2015 through June of 2021, Dr. Titus was the CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of Medical Marijuana, Inc., and from June 2021 to the present, Dr. Titus has been a consultant with Seaside Sales & Marketing, a sales and marketing consulting company focused on the nutritional supplement industry. Dr. Titus has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Green Globe International, Inc., our majority owner, since March 22, 2021. We believe that Dr. Titus's extensive experience in the cannabis industry makes him a valuable member of our Board of Directors.

  

Jerry Halamuda has started over 20 businesses in the last 50 years; one grew to approximately $300 million in sales. He is a business operator with agricultural, M&A and investment experience. He founded Color Spot Nurseries Inc. in 1983 and served as its Chief Executive Officer and President through 2016 when he retired for health reasons. He still serves as the Chairman of Color Spot Nurseries Inc. He has been a Director of EZ Shipper Racks, Inc., since September 2018, and he joined our board in July 2021. Mr. Halamuda has also been a member of the Board of Directors of Green Globe International, Inc., our majority owner, since March 22, 2021. We believe that Mr. Halamuda's hands-on management experience in connection with agricultural product sales companies makes him a valuable member of our Board of Directors.

  

 
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Family Relationships

 

There are no family relationships among any of our officers or directors.

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

To the best of our knowledge, except as described below, none of our directors or executive officers has, during the past ten years:

 

 

·

been convicted in a criminal proceeding or been subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offences);

 

·

had any bankruptcy petition filed by or against the business or property of the person, or of any partnership, corporation or business association of which he was a general partner or executive officer, either at the time of the bankruptcy filing or within two years prior to that time;

 

·

been subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or federal or state authority, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting, his involvement in any type of business, securities, futures, commodities, investment, banking, savings and loan, or insurance activities, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;

 

·

been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated;

 

·

been the subject of, or a party to, any federal or state judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated (not including any settlement of a civil proceeding among private litigants), relating to an alleged violation of any federal or state securities or commodities law or regulation, any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order, or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or

 

·

been the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26))), any registered entity (as defined in Section 1(a)(29) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1(a)(29))), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.

 

Corporate Governance

 

Governance Structure

 

We chose to appoint a separate Chairman of the Board who is not our Chief Executive Officer. Our board of directors has made this decision based on their belief that an independent Chairman of the Board can act as a balance to the Chief Executive Officer, who also serves as a non-independent director.

 

The Board's Role in Risk Oversight

 

The board of directors oversees that the assets of our company are properly safeguarded, that the appropriate financial and other controls are maintained, and that our business is conducted wisely and in compliance with applicable laws and regulations and proper governance. Included in these responsibilities is the board's oversight of the various risks facing our company. In this regard, our board seeks to understand and oversee critical business risks. Our board does not view risk in isolation. Risks are considered in virtually every business decision and as part of our business strategy. Our board recognizes that it is neither possible nor prudent to eliminate all risk. Indeed, purposeful and appropriate risk-taking is essential for our company to be competitive on a global basis and to achieve its objectives.

 

While the board oversees risk management, company management is charged with managing risk. Management communicates routinely with the board and individual directors on the significant risks identified and how they are being managed. Directors are free to, and indeed often do, communicate directly with senior management.

 

Our board administers its risk oversight function as a whole by making risk oversight a matter of collective consideration. Much of this work has been delegated to committees, which will meet regularly and report back to the full board. The audit committee oversees risks related to our financial statements, the financial reporting process, accounting and legal matters, the compensation committee evaluates the risks and rewards associated with our compensation philosophy and programs, and the nominating and corporate governance committee evaluates risk associated with management decisions and strategic direction.

 

 
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Independent Directors

 

Nasdaq's rules generally require that a majority of an issuer's board of directors must consist of independent directors. Our board of directors currently consists of four (4) directors, Mr. Piancone, Mr. Olson, Dr. Titus, and Mr. Halamuda, with Dr. Titus and Mr. Halamuda considered independent within the meaning of Nasdaq's rules. We have entered into independent director agreements with [ ], pursuant to which [he/she] has been appointed to serve as an independent director of the Company effective immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. As a result of these board changes, our board of directors will consist of five (5) directors, three (3) of which will be independent within the meaning of Nasdaq's rules.

 

Committees of the Board of Directors

 

Our board has established an audit committee, a compensation committee, and a nominating and corporate governance committee, each with its own charter approved by the board. The committee charters have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Upon completion of this offering, we intend to make each committee's charter available on our website at https://hempaccoinc.com/.

 

In addition, our board of directors may, from time to time, designate one or more additional committees, which shall have the duties and powers granted to it by our board of directors.

 

Audit Committee

 

[ ], Dr. Titus, and Mr. Halamuda, each of whom satisfies the "independence" requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and Nasdaq's rules, will serve on our audit committee upon their appointment to the board, with [ ] serving as the chairman. Our board has determined that [ ] qualifies as an "audit committee financial expert." The audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the financial statements of our company.

 

The audit committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) retaining and overseeing our independent accountants; (ii) assisting the board in its oversight of the integrity of our financial statements, the qualifications, independence and performance of our independent auditors and our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; (iii) reviewing and approving the plan and scope of the internal and external audit; (iv) pre-approving any audit and non-audit services provided by our independent auditors; (v) approving the fees to be paid to our independent auditors; (vi) reviewing with our chief executive officer and principal financial officer and independent auditors the adequacy and effectiveness of our internal controls; (vii) reviewing hedging transactions; and (viii) reviewing and assessing annually the audit committee's performance and the adequacy of its charter.

 

Compensation Committee

 

[ ], Dr. Titus, and Mr. Halamuda, each of whom satisfies the "independence" requirements of Rule 10C-1 under the Exchange Act and Nasdaq's rules, will serve on our compensation committee upon their appointment to the board, with [ ] serving as the chairman. The members of the compensation committee are also "outside directors" as defined in Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, and "non-employee directors" within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The compensation committee assists the board in reviewing and approving the compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers.

 

The compensation committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) reviewing and approving the remuneration of our executive officers; (ii) making recommendations to the board regarding the compensation of our independent directors; (iii) making recommendations to the board regarding equity-based and incentive compensation plans, policies and programs; and (iv) reviewing and assessing annually the compensation committee's performance and the adequacy of its charter.

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

 

[ ], Dr. Titus, and Mr. Halamuda, each of whom satisfies the "independence" requirements of Nasdaq's rules, will serve on our nominating and corporate governance committee upon their appointment to the board, with [ ] serving as the chairman.. The nominating and corporate governance committee assists the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board and its committees.

 

 
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The nominating and corporate governance committee will be responsible for, among other things: (i) identifying and evaluating individuals qualified to become members of the board by reviewing nominees for election to the board submitted by shareholders and recommending to the board director nominees for each annual meeting of shareholders and for election to fill any vacancies on the board; (ii) advising the board with respect to board organization, desired qualifications of board members, the membership, function, operation, structure and composition of committees (including any committee authority to delegate to subcommittees), and self-evaluation and policies; (iii) advising on matters relating to corporate governance and monitoring developments in the law and practice of corporate governance; (iv) overseeing compliance with the our code of ethics; and (v) approving any related party transactions.

 

The nominating and corporate governance committee's methods for identifying candidates for election to our board of directors (other than those proposed by our shareholders, as discussed below) will include the solicitation of ideas for possible candidates from a number of sources - members of our board of directors, our executives, individuals personally known to the members of our board of directors, and other research. The nominating and corporate governance committee may also, from time-to-time, retain one or more third-party search firms to identify suitable candidates.

 

In making director recommendations, the nominating and corporate governance committee may consider some or all of the following factors: (i) the candidate's judgment, skill, experience with other organizations of comparable purpose, complexity and size, and subject to similar legal restrictions and oversight; (ii) the interplay of the candidate's experience with the experience of other board members; (iii) the extent to which the candidate would be a desirable addition to the board and any committee thereof; (iv) whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence; and (v) the candidate's ability to contribute to the effective management of our company, taking into account the needs of our company and such factors as the individual's experience, perspective, skills and knowledge of the industry in which we operate.

 

A shareholder may nominate one or more persons for election as a director at an annual meeting of shareholders if the shareholder complies with the notice and information provisions contained in our bylaws. Such notice must be in writing to our Company not later than the close of business on the ninetieth (90th) day nor earlier than the close of business on the one-hundred-twentieth (120th) day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting; provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced more than thirty (30) days prior to or delayed by more than thirty (30) days after the anniversary of the preceding year's annual meeting, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made or as otherwise required by the Exchange Act. In addition, shareholders furnishing such notice must be a holder of record on both (i) the date of delivering such notice and (ii) the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to vote at such meeting.

 

Code of Ethics

 

We have adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer. Such code of ethics addresses, among other things, honesty and ethical conduct, conflicts of interest, compliance with laws, regulations and policies, including disclosure requirements under the federal securities laws, and reporting of violations of the code.

 

A copy of the code of ethics has been filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. We are required to disclose any amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our code of ethics applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer, controller, or persons performing similar functions. We intend to use our website as a method of disseminating this disclosure as well as by SEC filings, as permitted or required by applicable SEC rules. Any such disclosure will be posted to our website within four (4) business days following the date of any such amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of our code of ethics.

 

 
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

The following discussion and analysis of compensation arrangements should be read together with the compensation tables and related disclosures that follow. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that are based on our current plans and expectations regarding future compensation programs. Actual compensation programs that we adopt may differ materially from the programs summarized in this discussion. The following discussion may also contain statements regarding corporate performance targets and goals. These targets and goals are disclosed in the limited context of our compensation programs and should not be understood to be statements of management's expectations or estimates of results or other guidance. We specifically caution investors not to apply these statements to other contexts.

 

Summary Compensation Table – Years Ended December 31, 2021, and 2020

 

The following table sets forth information concerning all cash and non-cash compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to the named persons for services rendered in all capacities during the noted periods. No other executive officers received total annual salary and bonus compensation in excess of $100,000.

 

Summary Compensation Table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stock

 

 

Option

 

 

All Other

 

 

 

 

 

Fiscal

 

Salary

 

 

Bonus

 

 

Awards

 

 

Awards

 

 

Compensation

 

 

Total

 

Name and Principal Position

 

Year

 

(1)

 

(2)

 

(3)

 

(4)

 

(5)

 

($)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sandro Piancone

 

2021

 

$ 300,000 (6)

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ 300,000

 

Chief Executive Officer, President, Treasurer & Secretary

 

2020

 

$ 300,000 (6)

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ 300,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neville Pearson

 

2021

 

$ 50,000

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ 50,000

 

Chief Financial Officer (7)

 

2020

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jorge Olson

 

2021

 

$ 120,000 (9)

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ 120,000

 

Chief Marketing Officer & Executive Vice President

 

2020

 

$ 120,000 (8)

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ 120,000

 

__________

(1)

The dollar value of salary (cash and non-cash) earned.

(2)

The dollar value of bonus (cash and non-cash) earned.

(3)

The value of the shares of common stock issued as compensation for services computed in accordance with ASC 718 on the date of grant.

(4)

The value of all stock options computed in accordance with ASC 718 on the date of grant.

(5)

All other compensation received that could not be properly reported in any other column of the table.

(6)

Mr. Piancone's entity, Strategic Global Partners, Inc., accrued $120,000 in consulting fees during each of the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and it was issued 170,000 shares of Company common stock in satisfaction of the $170,000 accrued balance on or about May 21, 2021. The remaining balance of $70,000 was paid in cash. Mr. Piancone's entity, UST Mexico, Inc., accrued $180,000 in consulting fees during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and its accrued balance that had not been paid in cash was $24,600 as of December 31, 2021, and $26,600 as of December 31, 2020.

(7)

Mr. Pearson served as our Interim Chief Financial Officer from March 1, 2021-August 31, 2021, when he was appointed our Chief Financial Officer.

(8)

Mr. Olson's entity, Cube17, Inc., accrued $15,000 in consulting fees during year ended December 31, 2019, and $120,000 during each of the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and it was issued 185,000 shares of Company common stock in satisfaction of the $185,000 accrued balance on or about May 21, 2021. The remaining balance of $70,000 was paid in cash.  

 

Employment Agreements

 

We have not entered into employment or similar agreements with any of our executive officers or directors except as follows:

 

We entered into a consulting agreement with Cube17, Inc., an entity controlled by our founder and officer, Jorge Olson, on or about November 6, 2019, pursuant to which the entity would provide management, sales and marketing services to us in consideration of the issuance of 400,000 shares of our common stock, cash fees in the amount of $10,000/month, and sales commissions as follows: (i) 5% for direct sales, (ii) 2.5% for sales through an intermediate broker, (iii) 5% for other retail sales (without an intermediate broker), (iv) 5% for sales as a result of online or website leads generated by Cube17, Inc., (v) 10% for direct retail online sales of Company brands (such as The Real Stuff™), and (vi) 5% for machine sales and other business opportunities. The agreement had an initial term of one (1) year and has automatically renewed for successive terms, although either party can terminate the agreement for any reason by providing the other party 30 days' notice.

 

We entered into a consulting agreement with Strategic Global Partners, Inc., an entity controlled by our founder and CEO, Sandro Piancone, on or about January 3, 2020, pursuant to which the entity would provide management, sales, marketing and logistics services to us in consideration of cash fees of $10,000/month for an initial term of sixty (60) months. The agreement also requires us to reimburse the entity for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the entity in performing its duties under the agreement. The agreement is terminable by either party only upon the provision of twelve (12) months' notice to the other party.

 

We entered into a consulting agreement with UST Mexico, Inc., an entity controlled by our founder and CEO, Sandro Piancone, on or about January 3, 2020, pursuant to which the entity would provide manufacturing, production, supplier management, and equipment maintenance services to us in consideration of cash fees of $15,000/month for an initial term of sixty (60) months. The agreement also requires us to reimburse the entity for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the entity in performing its duties under the agreement. The agreement is terminable by either party only upon the provision of twelve (12) months' notice to the other party.

 

We entered into an Interim Consulting Agreement with Neville Pearson, our Interim Chief Financial Officer, on March 1, 2021, for him to act as our Interim Chief Financial Officer for a period from March 1, 2021, through August 31, 2021, and pursuant which Mr. Pearson would be paid $5,000 per month. Beginning on September 1, 2021, Mr. Pearson entered into an agreement with our majority shareholder, Green Globe International, Inc., pursuant to which he would act as the Chief Financial Officer of it, would be compensated by it instead of us, but would continue to act as our Chief Financial Officer.

  

 
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On January 20, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Piancone, which supersedes and replaces our prior consulting agreement with Mr. Piancone’s entity, Strategic Global Partners, Inc. Pursuant to the employment agreement, which has an initial term of three years, Mr. Piancone agreed to act as our Chief Executive Officer, devote his full time (approximately 40 hours per week) and attention to the performance of Company duties, and we agreed to pay Mr. Piancone an annual base salary of $120,000, as well as an annual bonus up to 110% of Mr. Piancone’s base salary, based on Mr. Piancone’s and the Company’s performance, each as determined by our Board of Directors (the “Board”). Mr. Piancone is also eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards (with an initial incentive award target value of 130% of Mr. Piancone’s base salary) and participate in other Company employee benefit plans, if any, and is entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. Mr. Piancone is to be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with his employment, and during the period of Mr. Piancone’s employment with the Company and for two years thereafter, Mr. Piancone is prohibited from competing with the Company in the manufacturing of hemp smokable products. Mr. Piancone assigned to the Company any intellectual property rights related to our operations that he may have had prior to the effective date of the employment agreement. Mr. Piancone’s employment can be terminated by the Company at any time or by Mr. Piancone upon the provision of 30 days’ notice to the Company. If the Company terminates Mr. Piancone’s employment for a reason other than “Cause” (as defined below), Mr. Piancone will be entitled to a severance payment in an amount equal to 12 months of Mr. Piancone’s base salary in effect as of the termination. If Mr. Piancone’s employment is terminated (i) by the Company without Cause following a “Change in Control” (as defined below), or (ii) following a Change in Control, because Mr. Piancone has resigned due to a material reduction in his authority, duties or responsibilities, a material reduction in his base salary or benefits, a mandatory relocation more than 50 miles from Mr. Piancone’s then-current place of employment, or the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of the employment agreement upon the Change in Control, then Mr. Piancone will be entitled to a severance payment in an amount equal Mr. Piancone’s base salary in effect as of the termination (or the highest base salary during the three years prior to the termination) plus the average annual bonus for the prior three years (or if the termination occurs before the annual bonus is paid for the employee’s first year of employment, 110% of the base salary). “Cause” is generally defined as (i) conviction or plea of no contest to the commission of a felony or any misdemeanor that is causing substantial harm to the Company or is a crime of moral turpitude, (ii) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs that materially and adversely affects the employee’s performance of his duties, (iii) malfeasance in the conduct of the employee’s duties, including misuse or diversion of Company funds, embezzlement, or misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted by or on behalf of the Company, (iv) violation of any provision of the employment agreement, (v) failure to perform the duties required by the employee’s employment with the Company after the employee shall have been informed, in writing, of the material failure, and given 30 days to remedy the failure, or (vi) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company.  “Change in Control” is generally defined as an acquisition of 40% or more of the voting securities of the Company, the approval by the Company’s stockholders of a complete liquidation or dissolution, or the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, unless following the transaction (i) the beneficial owners of the Company’s voting securities before the transaction continue to beneficially own more than 60% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction, (ii) no beneficial owner owns more than 40% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction unless that ownership existed prior to the transaction, and (iii) at least a majority of the Board members after the transaction were members of the Board before the transaction.

 

On January 20, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Pearson. Pursuant to the employment agreement, which has an initial term of three years, Mr. Pearson agreed to act as our Chief Financial Officer, devote his full time (approximately 40 hours per week) and attention to the performance of Company duties, and we agreed to pay Mr. Pearson an annual base salary of $60,000, as well as an annual bonus up to 110% of Mr. Pearson’s base salary, based on Mr. Pearson’s and the Company’s performance, each as determined by the Board. Mr. Pearson is also eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards (with an initial incentive award target value of 130% of Mr. Pearson’s base salary) and participate in other Company employee benefit plans, if any, and is entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. Mr. Pearson is to be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with his employment, and during the period of Mr. Pearson’s employment with the Company and for two years thereafter, Mr. Pearson is prohibited from competing with the Company in the manufacturing of hemp smokable products. Mr. Pearson assigned to the Company any intellectual property rights related to our operations that he may have had prior to the effective date of the employment agreement. Mr. Pearson’s employment can be terminated by the Company at any time or by Mr. Pearson upon the provision of 30 days’ notice to the Company. If the Company terminates Mr. Pearson’s employment for a reason other than “Cause” (as defined below), Mr. Pearson will be entitled to a severance payment in an amount equal to 12 months of Mr. Pearson’s base salary in effect as of the termination. If Mr. Pearson’s employment is terminated (i) by the Company without Cause following a “Change in Control” (as defined below), or (ii) following a Change in Control, because Mr. Pearson has resigned due to a material reduction in his authority, duties or responsibilities, a material reduction in his base salary or benefits, a mandatory relocation more than 50 miles from Mr. Pearson’s then-current place of employment, or the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of the employment agreement upon the Change in Control, then Mr. Pearson will be entitled to a severance payment in an amount equal Mr. Pearson’s base salary in effect as of the termination (or the highest base salary during the three years prior to the termination) plus the average annual bonus for the prior three years (or if the termination occurs before the annual bonus is paid for the employee’s first year of employment, 110% of the base salary). “Cause” is generally defined as (i) conviction or plea of no contest to the commission of a felony or any misdemeanor that is causing substantial harm to the Company or is a crime of moral turpitude, (ii) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs that materially and adversely affects the employee’s performance of his duties, (iii) malfeasance in the conduct of the employee’s duties, including misuse or diversion of Company funds, embezzlement, or misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted by or on behalf of the Company, (iv) violation of any provision of the employment agreement, (v) failure to perform the duties required by the employee’s employment with the Company after the employee shall have been informed, in writing, of the material failure, and given 30 days to remedy the failure, or (vi) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company.  “Change in Control” is generally defined as an acquisition of 40% or more of the voting securities of the Company, the approval by the Company’s stockholders of a complete liquidation or dissolution, or the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, unless following the transaction (i) the beneficial owners of the Company’s voting securities before the transaction continue to beneficially own more than 60% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction, (ii) no beneficial owner owns more than 40% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction unless that ownership existed prior to the transaction, and (iii) at least a majority of the Board members after the transaction were members of the Board before the transaction.

 

On February 3, 2022, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Olson, which supersedes and replaces our prior consulting agreement with Mr. Olson’s entity, Cube17, Inc. Pursuant to the employment agreement, which has an initial term of three years, Mr. Olson agreed to act as our Chief Marketing Officer, devote his full time (approximately 40 hours per week) and attention to the performance of Company duties, and we agreed to pay Mr. Olson an annual base salary of $120,000, as well as an annual bonus up to 500% of Mr. Olson’s base salary, based on Mr. Olson’s and the Company’s performance, each as determined by the Board. Mr. Olson is also eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards (with an initial incentive award target value of 1,000% of Mr. Olson’s base salary) and participate in other Company employee benefit plans, if any, and is entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. Mr. Olson is to be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with his employment, and to receive $350 per diem for Company-related travel outside San Diego, California, and during the period of Mr. Olson’s employment with the Company and for two years thereafter, Mr. Olson is prohibited from competing with the Company in the manufacturing of hemp smokable products. Mr. Olson assigned to the Company any intellectual property rights he developed for the Company that he may have had prior to the effective date of the employment agreement (but specifically not including rights to Mr. Olson’s literary works; marketing funnels; LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, or other social media contacts and accounts; audios, podcasts, videos and courses not connected to the Company; and websites not connected to the Company). Mr. Olson’s employment can be terminated by the Company or by Mr. Olson upon the provision of 30 days’ notice to the other party. If (i) the Company terminates Mr. Olson’s employment for a reason other than “Cause” (as defined below), or (ii) Mr. Olson’s employment is terminated following a “Change in Control” (as defined below) because Mr. Olson has resigned due to a material reduction in his authority, duties or responsibilities, a material reduction in his base salary or benefits, a mandatory relocation more than 50 miles from Mr. Olson’s then-current place of employment, or the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of the employment agreement upon the Change in Control, then Mr. Olson will be entitled to a severance payment in an amount equal two times the sum of (i) Mr. Olson’s base salary in effect as of the termination (or the highest base salary during the three years prior to the termination), and (ii) the average annual bonus for the prior three years (or if the termination occurs before the annual bonus is paid for the employee’s first year of employment, 110% of the base salary). “Cause” is generally defined as (i) conviction or plea of no contest to the commission of a felony or any misdemeanor that is causing substantial harm to the Company or is a crime of moral turpitude, (ii) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs that materially and adversely affects the employee’s performance of his duties, (iii) malfeasance in the conduct of the employee’s duties, including misuse or diversion of Company funds, embezzlement, or misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted by or on behalf of the Company, (iv) violation of any provision of the employment agreement, (v) failure to perform the duties required by the employee’s employment with the Company after the employee shall have been informed, in writing, of the material failure, and given 30 days to remedy the failure, or (vi) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company.  “Change in Control” is generally defined as an acquisition of 40% or more of the voting securities of the Company, the approval by the Company’s stockholders of a complete liquidation or dissolution, or the consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, unless following the transaction (i) the beneficial owners of the Company’s voting securities before the transaction continue to beneficially own more than 60% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction, (ii) no beneficial owner owns more than 40% of the voting securities of the Company after the transaction unless that ownership existed prior to the transaction, and (iii) at least a majority of the Board members after the transaction were members of the Board before the transaction.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

No executive officer named above had any unexercised options, stock that has not vested or equity incentive plan awards outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

Director Compensation

 

No member of our board of directors received any compensation for his or her services as a director during the fiscal years ending December 31, 2021 and 2020, nor do they currently receive any compensation for such services.

 

Equity Incentive Plans

 

Long-Term Incentive Plans. The Company does not provide its officers or employees with pension, stock appreciation rights, long-term incentive or other plans, nor does it provide non-qualified deferred compensation to its officers or employees, and therefore, the Summary Compensation Table above does not include columns for nonequity incentive plan compensation and nonqualified deferred compensation earnings since there were none.

 

Employee Pension, Profit Sharing or other Retirement Plans. The Company does not have a defined benefit, pension plan, profit sharing or other retirement plan, although it may adopt one or more of such plans in the future.

 

 
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CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

Transactions with Related Persons

 

The following includes a summary of transactions during the fiscal years ending December 31, 2021 and 2020, or any currently proposed transaction, in which we were or are to be a participant and the amount involved exceeded or exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or one percent of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last three completed fiscal years, and in which any related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest (other than compensation described under "Executive Compensation" above). We believe the terms obtained or consideration that we paid or received, as applicable, in connection with the transactions described below were comparable to terms available or the amounts that would be paid or received, as applicable, in arm's-length transactions.

 

On October 22, 2019, we entered into a Kiosk Acquisition Agreement with Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund LP ("MFOF"), a related party entity owned approximately 31% by our founder and CEO, Sandro Piancone, and approximately 25% by our founder and officer, Jorge Olson, to purchase 600 vending kiosks for total consideration of $3,638,357, payable by the issuance of 8,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Shares to MFOF. Due to the related party status of MFOF, and since the entities were under common control, we used the carryover basis of accounting, and the 600 kiosks were recorded at net book value of $3,638,357 upon acquisition.

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we owed $29,000 and $53,877, respectively, to UST Mexico, Inc. (“UST”), an entity controlled by our founder and CEO, Mr. Piancone, which manufactures tobacco cigarettes in Mexico, for consulting fees payable to UST for manufacturing, production, supplier management, and equipment maintenance services. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we were owed $132,147 and $0, respectively, by UST for products we sold to UST and for equipment parts provided to UST. The value of goods and services we provided to UST was $152,147 and $62,174 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and the value of goods and services provided by UST to us was $251,000 and $205,127 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

As of December 31, 2020, we owed $120,000 to Strategic Global Partners, Inc. ("SGP"), Mr. Piancone's entity, for consulting fees payable to the entity for Mr. Piancone's management, sales and other services to us during 2020. We accrued another $50,000 in consulting fees to SGP through May of 2021, and on or about May 21, 2021, we issued 170,000 shares of common stock to SGP in satisfaction of the total accrued fees of $170,000. As of December 31, 2021, we owed $70,000 to SGP for services rendered by SGP to us.

 

As of December 31, 2019, we owed $15,000 to Cube17, Inc. ("Cube"), Mr. Olson's entity, for consulting fees payable to the entity for Mr. Olson's sales, marketing and other services to us during 2019. We accrued another $120,000 in consulting fees to Cube in 2020, and another $50,000 through May of 2021, and on or about May 21, 2021, we issued 185,000 shares of common stock to Cube in satisfaction of the total accrued fees of $185,000. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we owed $63,404 and $135,000, respectively to Cube for services rendered by Cube to us.

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we owed Primus Logistics, our landlord and an entity which is owned 90% by Mr. Piancone, $0 and $116,940, respectively, for rent, inventory and product storage. As of December 31, 2021, Primus Logistics had been paid $14,764 in advance for rent.

 

Lake Como is also owned and controlled by Mr. Piancone. This entity is used by us primarily as a sales company for our products, and it sometimes sells products it purchases from us. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we had receivables of $150 and $5,586, respectively, from Lake Como for sales of our products made by Lake Como.

 

Promoters and Certain Control Persons

 

Each of our executive officers may be deemed a "promoter" as defined by Rule 405 of the Securities Act. For information regarding compensation, including items of value, that have been provided or that may be provided to these individuals, please refer to "Executive Compensation" above.

 

 
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PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

 

The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of the date of this prospectus for (i) each of our named executive officers and directors; (ii) all of our named executive officers and directors as a group; and (iii) each other shareholder known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock. The following table assumes that the underwriters have not exercised the over-allotment option.

 

Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with SEC rules and generally includes voting or investment power with respect to securities. For purposes of this table, a person or group of persons is deemed to have "beneficial ownership" of any shares of common stock that such person or any member of such group has the right to acquire within sixty (60) days of the date of this prospectus. For purposes of computing the percentage of outstanding shares of our common stock held by each person or group of persons named above, any shares that such person or persons has the right to acquire within sixty (60) days of the date of this prospectus are deemed to be outstanding for such person, but not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. The inclusion herein of any shares listed as beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership by any person.

 

The percentages below are calculated based on 19,695,532 shares of our common stock, and 0 shares of our preferred stock, issued and outstanding as of March [ ], 2022. We do not have any outstanding options, warrants exercisable for, or other securities convertible into shares of our common stock within the next 60 days which are deemed beneficially owned by the holder thereof. Unless otherwise indicated, the address of each beneficial owner listed in the table below is c/o our company, Hempacco Co., Inc., 9925 Airway Road, San Diego, CA, 92154.

     

Name of Beneficial Owner

 

Title of Class

 

Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership

 

 

Percent of Class Before This Offering

 

 

Percent of Class After This Offering

 

Sandro Piancone (1)

 

Common Stock

 

 

18,395,532 (1)

 

 

93.4 %

 

[  ]

%

Dr. Stuart Titus (2)

 

Common Stock

 

 

18,395,532 (2)

 

 

93.4 %

 

[  ]

%

Jerry Halamuda

 

Common Stock

 

 

18,395,532 (2)

 

 

93.4 %

 

[  ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Officers and Directors as a Group

 

Common Stock

 

 

18,395,532 (3)

 

 

93.4 %

 

[  ]

%

 

 

(1)

Mr. Piancone does not directly own any shares of our common stock. However, he is director of our majority shareholder, Green Globe International, Inc., and he owns approximately 31% of Mexico Franchise Opportunities Fund LP, which is the holder of approximately 25% of the common stock and a majority of the Series C preferred stock of Green Globe International, Inc. Accordingly, Mr. Piancone may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of shares held in the name of Green Globe International, Inc. As of March [ ], 2022, 18,395,532 shares of our common stock were owned by Green Globe International, Inc.

 

(2)

Dr. Titus and Mr. Halamuda do not directly own any shares of our common stock; however, they are each directors of our majority shareholder, Green Globe International, Inc., and therefore they share voting and dispositive power with respect to shares held in the name of Green Globe International, Inc., and may be deemed to be beneficial owners of shares held in the name of Green Globe International, Inc. As of March [ ], 2022, 18,395,532 shares of our common stock were owned by Green Globe International, Inc.

 

(3)

Mr. Piancone, Dr. Titus, and Mr. Halamuda do not directly own any shares of our common stock. However, they are each directors of our majority shareholder, Green Globe International, Inc., and may be deemed to be beneficial owners of shares held in the name of Green Globe International, Inc. As of March [ ], 2022, 18,395,532 shares of our common stock were owned by Green Globe International, Inc.

 

We do not currently have any arrangements which if consummated may result in a change of control of our company.

 

 
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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

General

 

Our authorized capital stock currently consists of 250,000,000 shares, consisting of 200,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 50,000,000 shares of "blank check" preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.

 

The following description summarizes important terms of the classes of our capital stock following the filing of our articles of incorporation. This summary does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by the provisions of our articles of incorporation and our bylaws which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, there were 19,695,532 shares of common stock and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.

 

Common Stock

 

Voting Rights. The holders of common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders. Under our articles of incorporation and bylaws, any corporate action to be taken by vote of shareholders other than for election of directors shall be authorized by the affirmative vote of the majority of votes cast. Directors are elected by a plurality of votes. Shareholders do not have cumulative voting rights.

 

Dividend Rights. Subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then-outstanding preferred stock, holders of common stock are entitled to receive ratably those dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors out of legally available funds.

 

Liquidation Rights. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of common stock will be entitled to share ratably in the net assets legally available for distribution to shareholders after the payment of all of our debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then-outstanding shares of preferred stock.

 

Other Rights. Holders of common stock have no preemptive, conversion or subscription rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of common stock are subject to, and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of preferred stock.

 

Preferred Stock

 

Our articles of incorporation authorize our board to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series, to determine the designations and the powers, preferences and rights and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, including the dividend rights, conversion or exchange rights, voting rights (including the number of votes per share), redemption rights and terms, liquidation preferences, sinking fund provisions and the number of shares constituting the series. Our board of directors could, without shareholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of common stock and which could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, a majority of our outstanding voting stock.

 

Warrants

 

Upon the closing of this offering, there will be up to [ ] shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative's warrants. See "Underwriting" below for a description of the Representative's warrants.

 

Options

 

Although we may issue options to purchase our capital stock in the future, there are no outstanding options to purchase our capital stock, nor do we anticipate issuing options to purchase our common stock immediately after consummation of this offering.

 

Anti-Takeover Provisions

 

Provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes, our articles of incorporation and our bylaws could have the effect of delaying or preventing a third-party from acquiring us, even if the acquisition would benefit our stockholders. Such provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes, our articles of incorporation and our bylaws are intended to enhance the likelihood of continuity and stability in the composition of our board of directors and in the policies formulated by the board of directors and to discourage certain types of transactions that may involve an actual or threatened change of control of our company. These provisions are designed to reduce our vulnerability to an unsolicited proposal for a takeover that does not contemplate the acquisition of all of our outstanding shares, or an unsolicited proposal for the restructuring or sale of all or part of our company.

 

 
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Nevada Anti-Takeover Statutes

 

Pursuant to our articles of incorporation, we have elected not to be governed by the terms and provisions of Nevada's control share acquisition laws (Nevada Revised Statutes 78.378–78.3793), which prohibit an acquirer, under certain circumstances, from voting shares of a corporation's stock after crossing specific threshold ownership percentages, unless the acquirer obtains the approval of the issuing corporation's stockholders. The first such threshold is the acquisition of at least one-fifth but less than one-third of the outstanding voting power.

 

Pursuant to our articles of incorporation, we have also elected not to be governed by the terms and provisions of Nevada's combination with interested stockholder statutes (Nevada Revised Statutes §§ 78.411–78.444), which prohibit an "interested stockholder" from entering into a "combination" with the corporation, unless certain conditions are met. An "interested stockholder" is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, beneficially owns (or within the prior two years, did beneficially own) 10 percent or more of the corporation's voting stock, or otherwise has the ability to influence or control such corporation's management or policies.

 

Bylaws

 

In addition, various provisions of our bylaws may also have an anti-takeover effect. These provisions may delay, defer or prevent a tender offer or takeover attempt of the company that a stockholder might consider in his or her best interest, including attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by our stockholders. Our bylaws may be adopted, amended or repealed by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of our outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote for the election of directors, and except as provided by Nevada law, our board of directors shall have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws by a vote of not less than a majority of our directors. Any bylaw provision adopted by the board of directors may be amended or repealed by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of capital stock entitled to vote for the election of directors. Our bylaws also contain limitations as to who may call special meetings as well as require advance notice of stockholder matters to be brought at a meeting. Additionally, our bylaws also provide that no director may be removed by less than a two-thirds vote of the issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote on the removal. Our bylaws also permit the board of directors to establish the number of directors and fill any vacancies and newly created directorships. These provisions will prevent a shareholder from increasing the size of our board of directors and gaining control of our board of directors by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees.

 

Our bylaws establish an advance notice procedure for shareholder proposals to be brought before an annual meeting of our shareholders, including proposed nominations of persons for election to the board of directors. Shareholders at an annual meeting will only be able to consider proposals or nominations specified in the notice of meeting or brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the board of directors or by a shareholder who was a shareholder of record on the record date for the meeting, who is entitled to vote at the meeting and who has given us timely written notice, in proper form, of the shareholder's intention to bring that business before the meeting. Although our bylaws do not give the board of directors the power to approve or disapprove shareholder nominations of candidates or proposals regarding other business to be conducted at a special or annual meeting, our bylaws may have the effect of precluding the conduct of certain business at a meeting if the proper procedures are not followed or may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect its own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company.

 

Authorized but Unissued Shares

 

Our authorized but unissued shares of common stock are available for our board of directors to issue without stockholder approval. We may use these additional shares for a variety of corporate purposes, including raising additional capital, corporate acquisitions and employee stock plans. The existence of our authorized but unissued shares of common stock could render it more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of the company by means of a proxy context, tender offer, merger or other transaction since our board of directors can issue large amounts of capital stock as part of a defense to a take-over challenge. In addition, we have authorized in our articles of incorporation 50,000,000 shares of preferred stock, none of which are currently designated or outstanding. However, the board acting alone and without approval of our stockholders can designate and issue one or more series of preferred stock containing super-voting provisions, enhanced economic rights, rights to elect directors, or other dilutive features, that could be utilized as part of a defense to a take-over challenge.

 

Supermajority Voting Provisions

 

Nevada Law provides generally that the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares entitled to vote on any matter is required to amend a corporation's articles of incorporation or bylaws, unless a corporation's articles of incorporation or bylaws, as the case may be, require a greater percentage. Although our articles of incorporation and bylaws do not currently provide for such a supermajority vote on any matters, our board of directors can amend our bylaws and we can, with the approval of our stockholders, amend our articles of incorporation to provide for such a super-majority voting provision.

 

 
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Cumulative Voting

 

Furthermore, neither the holders of our common stock nor the holders of our preferred stock have cumulative voting rights in the election of our directors. The combination of the present ownership by a few shareholders of a significant portion of our issued and outstanding common stock and lack of cumulative voting makes it more difficult for other shareholders to replace our board of directors or for a third party to obtain control of our company by replacing its board of directors.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

We have appointed Transfer Online, Inc., 512 SE Salmon Street, Portland, Oregon, 97214, telephone (503) 227-2950, as the transfer agent for our common stock.

 

 
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

 

Before this offering, there has not been a public market for shares of our common stock. Future sales of substantial amounts of shares of our common stock, including shares issued upon the conversion of convertible notes, the exercise of outstanding options and warrants, in the public market after this offering, or the possibility of these sales occurring, could cause the prevailing market price for our common stock to fall or impair our ability to raise equity capital in the future.

 

Immediately following the closing of this offering, we will have [ ] shares of common stock issued and outstanding. In the event the underwriters exercise the over-allotment option to purchase additional shares of common stock, we will have [ ] shares of common stock issued and outstanding. The common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable without restriction or further registration or qualification under the Securities Act.

 

Previously issued shares of common stock that were not offered and sold in this offering, as well as shares issuable upon the exercise of warrants and subject to employee stock options, are or will be upon issuance, "restricted securities," as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. These restricted securities are eligible for public sale only if such public resale is registered under the Securities Act or if the resale qualifies for an exemption from registration under Rule 144 or Rule 701 under the Securities Act, which are summarized below.

 

Rule 144

 

In general, a person who has beneficially owned restricted shares of our common stock for at least twelve months, or at least six months in the event we have been a reporting company under the Exchange Act for at least ninety (90) days before the sale, would be entitled to sell such securities, provided that such person is not deemed to be an affiliate of ours at the time of sale or to have been an affiliate of ours at any time during the ninety (90) days preceding the sale. A person who is an affiliate of ours at such time would be subject to additional restrictions, by which such person would be entitled to sell within any three-month period only a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of the following:

 

 

·

1% of the number of shares of our common stock then outstanding; or

 

·

1% of the average weekly trading volume of our common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing by such person of a notice on Form 144 with respect to the sale;

 

provided that, in each case, we are subject to the periodic reporting requirements of the Exchange Act for at least 90 days before the sale. Rule 144 trades must also comply with the manner of sale, notice and other provisions of Rule 144, to the extent applicable.

 

Rule 701

 

In general, Rule 701 allows a shareholder who purchased shares of our capital stock pursuant to a written compensatory plan or contract and who is not deemed to have been an affiliate of ours during the immediately preceding 90 days to sell those shares in reliance upon Rule 144, but without being required to comply with the public information, holding period, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144. All holders of Rule 701 shares, however, are required to wait until ninety (90) days after the date of this prospectus before selling shares pursuant to Rule 701.

 

Lock-Up Agreements

 

We, all of our directors and officers and all of our shareholders have agreed with the underwriters, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any of our common stock or securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock for a period of twelve months after the closing of this offering. See the "Underwriting" section below for more information.

 

 
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MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS FOR NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF OUR SECURITIES

 

The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our common stock that is being issued pursuant to this offering. This summary is limited to Non-U.S. Holders (as defined below) that hold our common stock as a capital asset (generally, property held for investment) for U.S. federal income tax purposes. This summary does not discuss all of the aspects of U.S. federal income and estate taxation that may be relevant to a Non-U.S. Holder in light of the Non-U.S. Holder's particular investment or other circumstances. Accordingly, all prospective Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of our common stock.

 

This summary is based on provisions of the Code, applicable U.S. Treasury regulations and administrative and judicial interpretations, all as in effect or in existence on the date of this prospectus. Subsequent developments in U.S. federal income or estate tax law, including changes in law or differing interpretations, which may be applied retroactively, could alter the U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of owning and disposing of our common stock as described in this summary. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, will not take a contrary position with respect to one or more of the tax consequences described herein and we have not obtained, nor do we intend to obtain, a ruling from the IRS with respect to the U.S. federal income or estate tax consequences of the ownership or disposition of our common stock.

 

As used in this summary, the term "Non-U.S. Holder" means a beneficial owner of our common stock that is not, for U.S. federal income tax purposes:

 

 

·

an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;

 

·

a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation) created or organized in or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia;

 

·

an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership;

 

·

an estate whose income is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or

 

·

a trust, if (1) a U.S. court is able to exercise primary supervision over the trust's administration and one or more "United States persons" (within the meaning of the Code) has the authority to control all of the trust's substantial decisions, or (2) the trust has a valid election in effect under applicable U.S. Treasury regulations to be treated as a United States person.

 

If an entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds our common stock, the tax treatment of a partner in such a partnership generally will depend upon the status of the partner, the activities of the partnership and certain determinations made at the partner level. Partnerships, and partners in partnerships, that hold our common stock should consult their own tax advisors as to the particular U.S. federal income and estate tax consequences of owning and disposing of our common stock that are applicable to them.

 

This summary does not consider any specific facts or circumstances that may apply to a Non-U.S. Holder and does not address any special tax rules that may apply to particular Non-U.S. Holders, such as:

 

 

·

a Non-U.S. Holder that is a financial institution, insurance company, tax-exempt organization, pension plan, broker, dealer or trader in securities, dealer in currencies, U.S. expatriate, controlled foreign corporation or passive foreign investment company;

 

·

a Non-U.S. Holder holding our common stock as part of a conversion, constructive sale, wash sale or other integrated transaction or a hedge, straddle or synthetic security;

 

·

a Non-U.S. Holder that holds or receives our common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation; or

 

·

a Non-U.S. Holder that at any time owns, directly, indirectly or constructively, 5% or more of our outstanding common stock.

 

In addition, this summary does not address any U.S. state or local, or non-U.S. or other tax consequences, or any U.S. federal income or estate tax consequences for beneficial owners of a Non-U.S. Holder, including shareholders of a controlled foreign corporation or passive foreign investment company that holds our common stock.

 

Each Non-U.S. Holder should consult its own tax advisor regarding the U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and other tax consequences of owning and disposing of our common stock.

 

 
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Distributions on Our Common Stock

 

We do not currently expect to pay any cash dividends on our common stock. If we make distributions of cash or property (other than certain pro rata distributions of our common stock) with respect to our common stock, any such distributions generally will constitute dividends for U.S. federal income tax purposes to the extent paid from our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax rules. If a distribution exceeds our current and accumulated earnings and profits, the excess will be treated as a nontaxable return of capital to the extent of the Non-U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in our common stock and will reduce (but not below zero) such Non-U.S. Holder's adjusted tax basis in our common stock. Any remaining excess will be treated as gain from a disposition of our common stock subject to the tax treatment described below in "— Dispositions of Our Common Stock."

 

Distributions on our common stock that are treated as dividends and that are effectively connected with a Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States will be taxed on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates and in the manner applicable to United States persons. An exception may apply if the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for, and properly claims, the benefit of an applicable income tax treaty and the dividends are not attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States. In such case, the Non-U.S. Holder may be eligible for a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty between the United States and its jurisdiction of tax residence. Dividends that are effectively connected with a Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States will not be subject to the U.S. withholding tax if the Non-U.S. Holder provides to the applicable withholding agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8ECI (or other applicable form) in accordance with the applicable certification and disclosure requirements. A Non-U.S. Holder treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes may also be subject to a "branch profits tax" at a 30% rate (unless the Non-U.S. Holder is eligible for a lower rate under an applicable income tax treaty) on the Non-U.S. Holder's earnings and profits (attributable to dividends on our common stock or otherwise) that are effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States. The amount of taxable earnings and profits is generally reduced by amounts reinvested in the operations of the U.S. trade or business and increased by any decline in its equity.

 

The certifications described above must be provided to the applicable withholding agent prior to the payment of dividends and must be updated periodically. A Non-U.S. Holder may obtain a refund or credit of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for a refund with the IRS. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their eligibility for benefits under any relevant income tax treaty and the manner of claiming such benefits.

 

The foregoing discussion is subject to the discussions below under "Backup Withholding and Information Reporting" and "FATCA Withholding."

  

Dispositions of Our Common Stock

 

A Non-U.S. Holder generally will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax (including U.S. withholding tax) on gain recognized on any sale or other disposition of our common stock unless:

 

 

·

the gain is effectively connected with the Non-U.S. Holder's conduct of a trade or business in the United States (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, is attributable to a permanent establishment or fixed base maintained by the Non-U.S. Holder in the United States); in such case, the gain would be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net income basis at the regular graduated rates and in the manner applicable to United States persons (unless an applicable income tax treaty provides otherwise) and, if the Non-U.S. Holder is treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the "branch profits tax" described above may also apply;

 

·

the Non-U.S. Holder is an individual who is present in the United States for 183 days or more in the taxable year of the disposition and meets certain other requirements; in such case, except as otherwise provided by an applicable income tax treaty, the gain, which may be offset by certain U.S. source capital losses, generally will be subject to a flat 30% U.S. federal income tax, even if the Non-U.S. Holder is not treated as a resident of the United States under the Code; or

 

·

we are or have been a "United States real property holding corporation" for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time during the shorter of (i) the five-year period ending on the date of disposition and (ii) the period that the Non-U.S. Holder held our common stock.

 

 
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Generally, a corporation is a "United States real property holding corporation" if the fair market value of its "United States real property interests" equals or exceeds 50% of the sum of the fair market value of its worldwide real property interests plus its other assets used or held for use in a trade or business. We believe that we are not currently, and we do not anticipate becoming in the future, a United States real property holding corporation. However, because the determination of whether we are a United States real property holding corporation is made from time to time and depends on the relative fair market values of our assets, there can be no assurance in this regard. If we were a United States real property holding corporation, the tax relating to disposition of stock in a United States real property holding corporation generally will not apply to a Non-U.S. Holder whose holdings, direct, indirect and constructive, constituted 5% or less of our common stock at all times during the applicable period, provided that our common stock are "regularly traded on an established securities market" (as provided in applicable U.S. Treasury regulations) at any time during the calendar year in which the disposition occurs. However, no assurance can be provided that our common stock will be regularly traded on an established securities market for purposes of the rules described above. Non-U.S. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding any possible adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to them if we are, or were to become, a United States real property holding corporation.

 

The foregoing discussion is subject to the discussions below under "Backup Withholding and Information Reporting" and "FATCA Withholding."

 

Federal Estate Tax

 

Any shares of our common stock that are owned (or treated as owned) by an individual who is not a U.S. citizen or resident of the United States (as specially defined for U.S. federal estate tax purposes) at the time of death will be included in that individual's gross estate for U.S. federal estate tax purposes, unless an applicable estate tax or other treaty provides otherwise and, therefore, may be subject to U.S. federal estate tax.

 

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

 

Backup withholding (currently at a rate of 24%) may apply to dividends paid by U.S. corporations in some circumstances, but will not apply to payments of dividends on our common stock to a Non-U.S. Holder if the Non-U.S. Holder provides to the applicable withholding agent a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) certifying under penalties of perjury that the Non-U.S. Holder is not a United States person or is otherwise entitled to an exemption. However, the applicable withholding agent generally will be required to report to the IRS (and to such Non-U.S. Holder) payments of dividends on our common stock and the amount of U.S. federal income tax, if any, withheld from those payments. In accordance with applicable treaties or agreements, the IRS may provide copies of such information returns to the tax authorities in the country in which the Non-U.S. Holder resides.

 

The gross proceeds from sales or other dispositions of our common stock may be subject, in certain circumstances discussed below, to U.S. backup withholding and information reporting. If a Non-U.S. Holder sells or otherwise disposes of any of our common stock outside the United States through a non-U.S. office of a non-U.S. broker and the disposition proceeds are paid to the Non-U.S. Holder outside the United States, the U.S. backup withholding and information reporting requirements generally will not apply to that payment. However, U.S. information reporting, but not U.S. backup withholding, will apply to a payment of disposition proceeds, even if that payment is made outside the United States, if a Non-U.S. Holder sells our common stock through a non-U.S. office of a broker that is a United States person or has certain enumerated connections with the United States, unless the broker has documentary evidence in its files that the Non-U.S. Holder is not a United States person and certain other conditions are met or the Non-U.S. Holder otherwise qualifies for an exemption.

 

If a Non-U.S. Holder receives payments of the proceeds of a disposition of our common stock to or through a U.S. office of a broker, the payment will be subject to both U.S. backup withholding and information reporting unless the Non-U.S. Holder provides to the broker a properly executed IRS Form W-8BEN or W-8BEN-E (or other applicable form) certifying under penalties of perjury that the Non-U.S. Holder is not a United States person, or the Non-U.S. Holder otherwise qualifies for an exemption.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules may be credited against the Non-U.S. Holder's U.S. federal income tax liability (which may result in the Non-U.S. Holder being entitled to a refund), provided that the required information is timely furnished to the IRS.

 

FATCA Withholding

 

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act and related Treasury guidance (commonly referred to as FATCA) impose U.S. federal withholding tax at a rate of 30% on payments to certain foreign entities of (i) U.S.-source dividends (including dividends paid on our common stock) and (ii) the gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of property that produces U.S.-source dividends (including sales or other dispositions of our common stock). This withholding tax applies to a foreign entity, whether acting as a beneficial owner or an intermediary, unless such foreign entity complies with (i) certain information reporting requirements regarding its U.S. account holders and its U.S. owners and (ii) certain withholding obligations regarding certain payments to its account holders and certain other persons. Accordingly, the entity through which a Non-U.S. Holder holds its common stock will affect the determination of whether such withholding is required. While withholding under FATCA would have also applied to payments of gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of our common stock on or after January 1, 2019, U.S. Treasury regulations proposed in December 2018 eliminate such withholding on payments of gross proceeds entirely. Taxpayers generally may rely on these proposed U.S. Treasury regulations until final U.S. Treasury regulations are issued. Non-U.S. Holders are encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding FATCA.

 

 
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UNDERWRITING

 

In connection with this offering, we expect to enter an underwriting agreement with Boustead Securities, LLC (which we refer to as the Representative), as representative of the underwriters named in this prospectus, with respect to the common stock in this offering. Under the terms and subject to the conditions contained in the underwriting agreement, the Representative will agree to purchase from us on a firm commitment basis the respective number of shares of commons stock at the public price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, and each of the underwriters has severally agreed to purchase, and we have agreed to sell to the underwriters, at the public offering price per shares less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, the number of shares of common stock listed next to its name in the following table.

 

Underwriters

 

Number

of Shares

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

The shares of common stock sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. Any shares of common stock sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount from the initial public offering price not to exceed $[ ] per share. If all of the shares are not sold at the initial offering price, the Representative may change the offering price and the other selling terms. The Representative has advised us that the underwriters do not intend to make sales to discretionary accounts. The underwriting agreement will provide that the obligations of the underwriters to pay for and accept delivery of the shares of common stock are subject to the passing upon certain legal matters by counsel and certain conditions such as confirmation of the accuracy of representations and warranties by us about our financial condition and operations and other matters. The obligation of the underwriters to purchase the shares of common stock is conditioned upon our receiving approval to list the shares of common stock on NASDAQ.

 

If the underwriters sell more shares of common stock than the total number set forth in the table above, we have granted to the Representative an option, exercisable one or more times in whole or in part, not later than 45 days after the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to [ ] additional shares of common stock at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, constituting 15% of the total number of shares of common stock to be offered in this offering (excluding shares subject to this option). The Representative may exercise this option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments in connection with this offering. This offering is being conducted on a firm commitment basis. Any shares of common stock issued or sold under the option will be issued and sold on the same terms and conditions as the other shares of common stock that are the subject of this offering.

   

Discounts and Commissions; Expenses

 

The underwriting discounts and commissions are a cash fee equal to: (i) seven percent (7%) of gross proceeds from the sale of securities in this offering. We have been advised by the representative that the underwriters propose to offer the common stock to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover of this prospectus and to dealers at a price that represents a concession not in excess of $[ ] per share under the public offering price. After the offering, the representative may change the public offering price and other selling terms.

 

The following table summarizes the public offering price and the underwriting discounts and commissions payable to the underwriters by us in connection with this offering (assuming both the exercise and non-exercise of the over-allotment option that we have granted to the Representative):

 

 

 

Per Share

Total Without Over-AllotmentOption

 

 

Total With Full Over-AllotmentOption

 

Public offering price

 

$

 

 

$

15,000,000

 

 

$

17,250,000

 

Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)

 

$

 ●

 

 

$

1,050,000

 

 

$

$ 1,207,500

 

Non-accountable expense allowance (1%)

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

 

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

$

 

 

 

(1)

Does not include (i) the warrant to purchase a number of shares of common stock equal to 7% of the number of shares sold in the offering, or (ii) amounts representing reimbursement of certain out-of-pocket expenses, each as described below.

 

 
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Representative's Warrants

 

We have agreed to issue to the Representative (or its permitted assignees) warrants to purchase up to a total of [ ] shares of common stock equal to 7% of the total number of shares of common stock sold in this offering at an exercise price equal to 150% of the public offering price of the common stock sold in this offering. The Representative's warrants will be exercisable at any time, and from time to time, in whole or in part, commencing from the closing of the offering and expiring five (5) years from the effectiveness of the offering, will have a cashless exercise provision and will terminate on the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The Representative's warrants are not exercisable or convertible for more than five years from the commencement of sales of the public offering. The Representative's warrants also provide for customary anti-dilution provisions and immediate "piggyback" registration rights with respect to the registration of the shares underlying the warrants for a period of seven years from commencement of sales of this offering. We have registered the Representative's warrants and the shares underlying the Representative's warrants in this offering.

    

The Representative's warrants and the underlying shares are deemed to be compensation by FINRA, and therefore will be subject to a 180-day lock-up period pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), neither the Representative's warrants nor any of our common stock issued upon exercise of the Representative's warrants may be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities by any person, for a period of 180 days immediately following commencement of sale of this offering subject to certain exceptions permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2).

 

We have agreed to pay the Representative a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1% of the gross proceeds received at the closing of this offering.

 

We have agreed to reimburse the Representative for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by the Representative in connection with this offering, regardless of whether the offering is consummated, up to $205,000. The Representative out-of-pocket expenses include but are not limited to: (i) road show and travel expenses, (ii) reasonable fees of Representative's legal counsel, (iii) the cost of background check on our officers, directors and major shareholders and due diligence expenses. Any out-of-pocket expenses above $5,000 are to be pre-approved by the Company. As of the date of this prospectus, we have paid the Representative refundable advances of $● which shall be applied against its actual out-of-pocket accountable expenses. Such advance payments will be returned to us to the extent any portion of the advance is not actually incurred, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).

   

In connection with the offering, the underwriters may purchase and sell shares in the open market. Purchases and sales in the open market may include short sales, purchases to cover short positions, which may include purchases pursuant to the over-allotment option, and stabilizing purchases.

 

 

Short sales involve secondary market sales by an underwriter of a greater number of shares than they are required to purchase in the offering.

 

 

 

 

"Covered" short sales are sales of shares in an amount up to the number of shares represented by the over-allotment option.

 

 

 

 

"Naked" short sales are sales of shares in an amount in excess of the number of shares represented by the over-allotment option.

 

 

 

 

Covering transactions involve purchases of shares either pursuant to the over-allotment option or in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover short positions.

 

 

 

 

To close a naked short position, an underwriter must purchase shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed. A naked short position is more likely to be created if an underwriter is concerned that there may be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market after pricing that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.

 

 

 

 

To close a covered short position, an underwriter must purchase shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed or must exercise the over-allotment option. In determining the source of shares to close the covered short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared to the price at which they may purchase shares through the over-allotment option.

 

 

 

 

Stabilizing transactions involve bids to purchase shares so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum.

 

Purchases to cover short positions and stabilizing purchases, as well as other purchases by an underwriter for its own account, may have the effect of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the common stock. They may also cause the price of the common stock to be higher than the price that would otherwise exist in the open market in the absence of these transactions. The underwriters may conduct these transactions in the over-the-counter market or otherwise. If the underwriters commence any of these transactions, they may discontinue them at any time.

 

 
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Determination of Offering Price

 

In determining the initial public offering price, we and the Representative have considered a number of factors, including:

 

 

the information set forth in this prospectus and otherwise available to the Representative;

 

our prospects and the history and prospects for the industry in which we compete;

 

an assessment of our management;

 

our prospects for future revenue and earnings;

 

the general condition of the securities markets at the time of this offering;

 

the recent market prices of, and demand for, publicly traded securities of generally comparable companies; and

 

other factors deemed relevant by the Representative and us.

 

The estimated initial public offering price set forth on the cover page of this preliminary prospectus is subject to change as a result of market conditions and other factors. Neither we nor the Representative can assure investors that an active trading market will develop for our common stock, or that the shares will trade in the public market at or above the initial public offering price.

 

Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the Representative and the other underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. If we are unable to provide this indemnification, we will contribute to payments that the Representative and the other underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.

 

Right of First Refusal

 

The Representative has the right of first refusal for two (2) years following the consummation of this offering or the termination or expiration of the engagement with the Representative to act as financial advisor or to act as joint financial advisor on at least equal economic terms on any public or private financing (debt or equity), merger, business combination, recapitalization or sale of some or all of our equity or our assets, whether in conjunction with another broker-dealer or on the Company's own volition (collectively, "Future Services"). In the event that we engage the Representative to provide such Future Services, the Representative will be compensated consistent with the engagement agreement with the Representative, unless we mutually agree otherwise. To the extent we are approached by a third party to lead any public or private financing (debt or equity), merger, business combination, recapitalization or sale of some or all of our equity or assets, the Representative will be notified of the transaction and be granted the right to participate in such transaction under any syndicate formed by such third party.

 

No Sales of Similar Securities

 

We have agreed not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, encumber, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of any shares of our common stock or other securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock at a price per share that is less than the price per shares of common stock in this offering, , or modify the terms of any existing securities, whether in conjunction with another broker-dealer or on the Company's own volition for a period of twelve months following date on which our common stock are trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market, without the prior written consent of the Representative.

 

Lock-Up Agreements

 

Our executive officers, directors and holder(s) of our outstanding common stock have agreed not to offer, sell, agree to sell, directly or indirectly, or otherwise dispose of any shares of our common stock for a period of twelve months following the closing of this offering, subject to certain exceptions (the "Lock-Up Period").

  

Notwithstanding the above, the underwriters of this offering may engage in stabilization activities as described above. The Representative may in its sole discretion and at any time without notice release some or all of the shares subject to lock-up agreements prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. When determining whether or not to release shares from the lock-up agreements, the Representative will consider, among other factors, the security holder's reasons for requesting the release, the number of shares for which the release is being requested and market conditions at the time.

 

Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Common Stock

 

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by the Representative. In addition, shares of common stock may be sold by the Representative to securities dealers who resell our common stock to online brokerage account holders. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on the Representative's website and any information contained in any other website maintained by the Representative is not part of the prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved and/or endorsed by us or the Representative in its capacity as Representative and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

 
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Selling Restrictions

 

No action has been taken in any jurisdiction (except in the United States) that would permit a public offering of our common stock, or the possession, circulation or distribution of this prospectus or any other material relating to us or our common stock, where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, our common stock may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, and neither this prospectus nor any other offering material or advertisements in connection with our common stock may be distributed or published, in or from any country or jurisdiction except in compliance with any applicable rules and regulations of any such country or jurisdiction.

 

Offer Restrictions Outside the United States

 

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the underwriters that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful. In particular, our common stock have not been qualified for distribution by prospectus in Canada and may not be offered or sold in Canada during the course of their distribution hereunder except pursuant to a Canadian prospectus or prospectus exemption.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC, has acted as our counsel in connection with the preparation of this prospectus. The validity of the securities offered, shares of common stock, and warrants covered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC. The underwriters have been represented in connection with this offering by Bevilacqua PLLC.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements of our company included in this registration statement and have been audited by dbbmckennon, an independent registered public accounting firm, as indicated in its report with respect thereto, and have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given on the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We have filed a registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, on Form S-1 with the SEC relating to this offering. This prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement and the exhibits included with the registration statement. For further information pertaining to us and the securities to be sold in this offering, you should refer to the registration statement and its exhibits, portions of which have been omitted as permitted by SEC rules and regulations. References in this prospectus to any of our contracts, agreements or other documents are not necessarily complete, and you should refer to the exhibits attached to the registration statement for copies of the actual contracts, agreements or documents. You may read and copy the registration statement, the related exhibits and other material we file with the SEC at the SEC's public reference room in Washington, D.C. at 100 F Street, Room 1580, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can also request copies of those documents, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by writing to the SEC. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the operation of the public reference rooms. The SEC also maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file with the SEC. The website address is http://www.sec.gov.

 

Upon the effectiveness of the registration statement, we will be subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, in accordance with the Exchange Act, will file reports, proxy and information statements and other information with the SEC. Such annual, quarterly and special reports, proxy and information statements and other information can be inspected and copied at the locations set forth above. We also anticipate making these documents publicly available, free of charge, on our website at https://hempaccoinc.com/ as soon as reasonably practicable after filing such documents with the SEC. Information on, or accessible through, our website is not part of this prospectus.

 

 
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HEMPACCO CO., INC.

(FORMERLY THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.)

 

INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

   

 

Page

 

Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

F-2

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

F-3

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

F-4

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

F-5

 

 

 

 

 

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

F-6

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

 

F-7

 

 
F-1

Table of Contents

 

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

To the Board of Directors and

Stockholders of Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

Opinion on the Financial Statements

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Hempacco Co., Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows, for the years then ended and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

 

Going Concern

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 2 to the financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and has used cash in operating activities, which raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Basis for Opinion

These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

 

We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audit, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

 

/s/ dbbmckennon

San Diego, California

March 23, 2022

 

 
F-2

Table of Contents

  

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

(Formerly The Hempacco Co., Inc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

December 31, 2021

 

 

December 31, 2020

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash

 

$ 933,469

 

 

$ 500

 

Accounts Receivable - Related Parties

 

 

137,297

 

 

 

5,587

 

Accounts Receivable

 

 

144,246

 

 

 

10,390

 

Less: Receivables Impairment Allowance

 

 

-

 

 

 

(10,290 )
Inventory at Cost Less Obsolescence Allowance

 

 

198,936

 

 

 

92,699

 

Deposits & Prepayments

 

 

703,690

 

 

 

2,576

 

Total Current Assets

 

 

2,117,638

 

 

 

101,462

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and Equipment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leasehold Improvements

 

 

12,431

 

 

 

12,431

 

Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment

 

 

5,147,693

 

 

 

5,067,730

 

Accumulated Depreciation

 

 

(161,353 )

 

 

(74,852 )
Total Property and Equipment

 

 

4,998,771

 

 

 

5,005,309

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Lease - Right of Use Asset

 

 

642,752

 

 

 

642,752

 

Right of Use Assets - Accumulated Amortization

 

 

(188,638 )

 

 

(91,629 )
Total Other Assets

 

 

454,114

 

 

 

551,123

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Assets

 

$ 7,570,523

 

 

$ 5,657,894

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts Payable & Accrued Expenses

 

$ 97,800

 

 

$ 70,828

 

Accounts Payable - Related Parties

 

 

162,405

 

 

 

425,817

 

Accrued Interest on Long Term Notes

 

 

9,416

 

 

 

-

 

Long Term Promissory Notes Payable

 

 

175,000

 

 

 

-

 

Customer Pre-paid Invoices & Deferred Revenue

 

 

2,128,393

 

 

 

756,971

 

Loans Payable - Related Parties

 

 

9,600

 

 

 

26,600

 

Equipment Loan

 

 

1,482,681

 

 

 

1,469,535

 

Other Short Term Loans

 

 

-

 

 

 

85,000

 

Operating Lease - Right of Use Liability - Short Term Portion

 

 

102,969

 

 

 

97,010

 

Total Current Liabilities

 

 

4,168,264

 

 

 

2,931,761

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long Term Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Long Term Loans

 

 

168,328

 

 

 

-

 

Long Term Promissory Notes Payable

 

 

-

 

 

 

11,500

 

Long Term Promissory Notes Payable - Related Parties

 

 

-

 

 

 

25,000

 

Accrued Interest on Long Term Notes

 

 

-

 

 

 

3,590

 

Right of Use Liability - Straight-Line Rent Rule - Deferred Rent

 

 

15,126

 

 

 

9,362

 

Right of Use Liability - Long Term Portion

 

 

351,145

 

 

 

454,113

 

Total Long Term Liabilities

 

 

534,599

 

 

 

503,565

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Liabilities

 

 

4,702,863

 

 

 

3,435,326

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholders' Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock, $.001 and $.01 par value as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively; 50,000,000 shares and 20,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively. 10,000,000 shares designated as Series A Preferred Stock as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series A Preferred stock, $.001 and $.01 par value as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively; 50,000,000 and 20,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively. 0 shares and 8,000,000 issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively.

 

 

-

 

 

 

3,638,357

 

Common stock, $.001 and $.01 par value as of December 31,2021 and 2020 respectively; 200,000,000 and 20,000,000 shares authorized as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively. 19,695,532 and 8,478,000 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively.

 

 

19,696

 

 

 

84,780

 

Additional Paid in Capital

 

 

6,321,428

 

 

 

102,220

 

Accumulated Deficit

 

 

(3,459,493 )

 

 

(1,602,789 )

Total Stockholders' Equity

 

 

 2,881,632

 

 

 

 2,222,568

 

Non-Controlling Interests

 

 

(13,972 )

 

 

-

 

Total Equity for Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

2,867,660

 

 

 

2,222,568

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

 

$ 7,570,523

 

 

$ 5,657,894

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 
F-3

Table of Contents

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

(Formerly The Hempacco Co., Inc.)

  

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

 

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2021

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020

 

Revenue

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sale of Materials

 

$ 805,969

 

 

$ 135,867

 

Sale of Materials - Related Parties

 

 

139,114

 

 

 

64,290

 

White Label Production & Consulting

 

 

242,190

 

 

 

145,832

 

Total Revenue

 

 

1,187,273

 

 

 

345,989

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cost of Goods Sold (including inventory obsolescence of $623,375 in 2020)

 

 

850,901

 

 

 

899,699

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gross Profit / (Loss) from Operations

 

 

336,372

 

 

 

(553,710 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

General & Administrative

 

 

981,676

 

 

 

303,682

 

General & Administrative - Related Parties

 

 

469,259

 

 

 

420,000

 

Sales & Marketing

 

 

542,680

 

 

 

27,597

 

Research & Development

 

 

2,090

 

 

 

-

 

Total Expenses

 

 

1,995,705

 

 

 

751,279

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating Loss

 

 

(1,659,333 )

 

 

(1,304,989 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Income / (Expenses)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

 

(209,676 )

 

 

(160,423 )

Other Expenses

 

 

(1,666 )

 

 

(32 )

Total Other Expenses

 

 

(211,342 )

 

 

(160,455 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Loss

 

 

(1,870,675 )

 

 

(1,465,444 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Loss attributable to non-controlling interests

 

 

14,250

 

 

 

-

 

Net Loss attributable to Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

(1,856,425 )

 

 

(1,465,444 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividend issued to preferred stockholders

 

 

(757,479 )

 

 

-

 

Net Loss attributable to common stockholders

 

$ (2,613,904 )

 

$ (1,465,444 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PER SHARE DATA:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per common share - basic

 

$ (0.18 )

 

$ (0.17 )

Weighted average & contingently issuable shares outstanding & dilutive

 

 

14,641,224

 

 

 

8,440,466

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 
F-4

Table of Contents

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

(Formerly The Hempacco Co., Inc.)

  

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

 

 

 

Series A Preferred

 

 

Stock $

 

 

Common

 

 

Stock $

 

 

Additional Paid in

 

 

Accumulated

 

 

 

Non-Controlling

 

 

Stockholders'

 

 

 

Shares

 

 

Amnt @ Par

 

 

Shares

 

 

Amnt @ Par

 

 

Capital

 

 

Deficit

 

 

Interests

 

 

Equity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

$ -

 

 

 

-

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

Balances - December 31, 2019

 

 

8,000,000

 

 

 

3,638,357

 

 

 

8,400,000

 

 

 

84,000

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(137,345 )

 

 

-

 

 

 

3,585,012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock issued with convertible notes

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

500

 

 

 

49,500

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

50,000

 

Beneficial conversion feature

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

25,000

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

25,000

 

Conversion of notes payable and accrued interest

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

28,000

 

 

 

280

 

 

 

27,720

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

28,000

 

Net loss

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1,465,444 )

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1,465,444 )

Balances - December 31, 2020

 

 

8,000,000

 

 

$ 3,638,357

 

 

 

8,478,000

 

 

$ 84,780

 

 

$ 102,220

 

 

$ (1,602,789 )

 

$ -

 

 

$ 2,222,568

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Convertible Notes Converted to Common Stock

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

535,053

 

 

 

5,350

 

 

 

529,703

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

535,053

 

Shares issued for Consulting Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

1,000

 

 

 

99,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100,000

 

Dividend on Preferred Stock

 

 

-

 

 

 

757,479

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(757,479 )

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Related Party Accounts Payable Converted to Common Stock

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

525,000

 

 

 

5,250

 

 

 

519,750

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

525,000

 

Preferred Stock Converted to Common Stock

 

 

(8,000,000 )

 

 

(4,395,836 )

 

 

8,757,479

 

 

 

87,575

 

 

 

4,308,261

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Discount on Promissory Note Due to Issuance of Warrants

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

149,831

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

149,831

 

Reduction of Par Value of Common Stock

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(165,559 )

 

 

165,559

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Pre-IPO Common Share Issuance - Expense

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(272,435 )

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(272,435 )

Pre-IPO Common Share Issuance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

1,300

 

 

 

1,298,700

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

1,300,000

 

Issue of 100m Parent Company Warrants to Broker

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

178,318

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

178,318

 

Net Loss attributable to Non-controlling interests

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(14,250 )

 

 

(14,250 )

Net Loss for the Year ended December 31, 2021

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1,856,425 )

 

 

-

 

 

 

(1,856,425 )

Balances - December 31, 2021

 

 

0

 

 

$ 0

 

 

 

19,695,532

 

 

$ 19,696

 

 

$ 6,321,428

 

 

$ (3,459,214 )

 

 

(14,250 )

 

$ 2,867,660

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements

 

F-5

Table of Contents

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

(Formerly The Hempacco Co., Inc.)

 

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2021

 

 

For the Year Ended December 31, 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Loss

 

$ (1,870,675 )

 

$ (1,465,444 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

86,501

 

 

 

69,519

 

Amortization of discount and shares issued with related party convertible notes

 

 

180,296

 

 

 

-

 

Warrants issued in connection with commission agreement

 

 

178,317

 

 

 

154,162

 

Stock Based Compensation

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

-

 

Changes in Operating Assets and Liabilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

Receivables

 

 

(155,878 )

 

 

(5,687 )
Related party receivables

 

 

(137,297 )

 

 

 

 

Prepaids

 

 

(701,114 )

 

 

30

 

Inventory

 

 

(106,237 )

 

 

546,969

 

Accounts payable

 

 

26,972

 

 

 

471,645

 

Related party accounts payable

 

 

261,588

 

 

 

9,900

 

Accrued liabilities

 

 

35,144

 

 

 

15,624

 

Deferred revenues

 

 

1,371,422

 

 

 

133,596

 

Net Cash Used in Operating Activities:

 

 

(730,961 )

 

 

(69,686 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purchase of property and equipment

 

 

(79,963 )

 

 

(51,431 )
Net Cash Used in Investing Activities:

 

 

(79,963 )

 

 

(51,431 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from other short term loans

 

 

83,328

 

 

 

85,000

 

Advances from (repayments to) related parties

 

 

(17,000 )

 

 

(25,000 )
Proceeds from convertible notes payable

 

 

650,000

 

 

 

11,500

 

Proceeds from the sale of common stock

 

 

1,300,000

 

 

 

-

 

Offering costs paid in connection with sale of common stock

 

 

(272,435 )

 

 

50,000

 

Net Cash Provided by Financing Activities

 

 

1,743,893

 

 

 

121,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHANGE IN CASH & CASH EQUIVALENTS:

 

 

932,969

 

 

 

383

 

CASH BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF PERIOD:

 

 

500

 

 

 

117

 

CASH BALANCE AT END OF PERIOD:

 

$ 933,469

 

 

$ 500

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash Paid for Interest

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

Cash Paid for Taxes

 

$ -

 

 

$ 38

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conversion of convertible notes payable and accrued interest to common stock

 

$ 535,054

 

 

$ -

 

Warrants issued with Convertible note

 

$ 149,831

 

 

$ -

 

Conversion of preferred stock into common stock

 

$ 4,395,836

 

 

$ -

 

Dividend on preferred stock recorded against additional paid-in capital

 

$ 757,479

 

 

$ -

 

Related party accounts payable converted into common stock

 

$ 525,000

 

 

$ -

 

Reduction of notes payable through products and services provided

 

$ 17,319

 

 

$ -

 

Beneficial conversion feature on related party convertible notes payable

 

$ -

 

 

$ 25,000

 

Initial recording of right of use asset and liability

 

$ -

 

 

$ 642,745

 

 

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements

 

 
F-6

Table of Contents

 

HEMPACCO CO., INC.

(Formerly The Hempacco Co., Inc.)

Notes to the Consolidate Financial Statements

December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

NOTE 1 - ORGANIZATION, BUSINESS AND LIQUIDITY

 

Organization and Operations

 

Hempacco Co., Inc., (the “Company” or “Hempacco” was incorporated in Nevada on April 1, 2019, as The Hempacco Co., Inc.    

 

On April 23, 2021, the Company filed a second amendment to its Articles of Incorporation changing the name of the Company from The Hempacco Co., Inc. to Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

The Company was acquired by Green Globe International, Inc. ("GGII") on May21, 2021, in a reverse acquisition, with the owners of the Company prior to the acquisition being issued a majority of the stock of GGII in the acquisition, and the Company becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of GGII. Subsequently, the Company issued additional shares of its common stock, and GGII owned approximately 93.4% of the Company's outstanding common stock as of December 31, 2021.

 

These financial statements are those of Hempacco Co., Inc and its subsidiaries only.

 

During 2021, the Company entered into the following Joint Ventures:

 

 

a)

On or about March 10, 2021, the Company entered into a joint venture partnership agreement with VZ Ventures and BX2SD Hospitality, LLC for the sale and marketing of a proprietary brand of smokables containing the D8 infused variety of hemp. Cali Vibes D8, LLC was formed as the entity’s business vehicle which will be 50% owned by the Company. The Company will manage the business operations and accounting, as well as manufacturing the product.

 

 

 

 

b)

On or about June 22, 2021, the Company’s Parent Company, entered into a joint venture agreement with Hemp Hop Global, LLC, a Florida based company in the hip hop talent management business and the sale and distribution of branded snack food products. Hemp Hop Global is managed by Rick Ross, an American Rapper and record executive and his business partner James Lindsay. Hempacco will produce a range of smokable products under the Hemp Hop brand, and Hemp Hop Smokables, LLC was formed as the business entity, of which the Company owns 50%.

 

 

 

 

 

On December 14, 2021, GGII assigned all of the membership and other equity and ownership interests in Hemp Hop Smokables LLC to Hempacco., Co., Inc.

 

Hempacco manufactures and distributes hemp smokables both under its own  name and white label products for clients. Hempacco also owns high-tech CBD vending kiosks that it plans to place in retail venues throughout the US, in conjunction with a number of joint venture partners.

 

Going Concern Matters

 

The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”), which contemplates the Company’s continuation as a going concern. The Company incurred a net loss of $1,856,425 (exclusive of a $757,479 dividend distribution to preference shareholders – see Note 13) during the year ended December 31, 2021 and has an accumulated deficit of $3,473,464 as of December 31, 2021. In addition, the Company has a working capital deficit of $1,947,658 as of December 31, 2021 exclusive of a $102,969 “Right of Use Asset” liability which is offset by a Right of Use Asset in the Other Assets section of the Balance Sheet.

 

Management intends to raise additional operating funds through equity and/or debt offerings. However, there can be no assurance management will be successful in its endeavors. 

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

There are no assurances that the Company will be able to either (1) achieve a level of revenues adequate to generate sufficient cash flow from operations; or (2) obtain additional financing through either private placement, public offerings and/or bank financing necessary to support its working capital requirements. To the extent that funds generated from operations and any private placements, public offerings and/or bank financing are insufficient, the Company will have to raise additional working capital. No assurance can be given that additional financing will be available, or if available, will be on terms acceptable to the Company. If adequate working capital is not available to the Company, it may be required to curtail or cease its operations.

 

Due to uncertainties related to these matters, there exists a substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. The accompanying financial statements do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability or classification of asset-carrying amounts or the amounts and classification of liabilities that may result should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. If we are not able to successfully execute on our future operating plans, our financial condition and results of operation may be materially adversely affected, and we may not be able to continue as a going concern.

 

COVID-19

 

A novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019, and subsequently declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. As a result of the outbreak, many companies have experienced disruptions in their operations and in markets served. The Company considered the impact of COVID-19 on the assumptions and estimates used and determined that there were no material adverse impacts on the Company’s results of operations and financial position at December 31, 2021.

 

NOTE 2 - SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles of the United States (“GAAP”) and are presented in US dollars.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all of its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

 

Joint Venture entities where the company owns at least 50% and controls the accounting and administration of the entities will be accounted for under ASC 810-10 which will allow full consolidation of the assets and liabilities into the Company’s balance sheet, with non-controlling interests being calculated and disclosed in the balance sheet and operating statement of the Company. These consolidated financial statements include the operating results and the assets of two joint venture entities for the period ended December 31, 2021. The non-controlling interests of these ventures have been disclosed on the consolidated balance sheet and income statement.

 

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Some of these judgments can be subjective and complex, and, consequently, actual results may differ from these estimates.

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk, consist principally of cash. Our cash balances are maintained in accounts held by major banks and financial institutions located in the United States. The Company occasionally maintains amounts on deposit with a financial institution that are in excess of the federally insured limit of $250,000. The risk is managed by maintaining all deposits in high quality financial institutions.

 

 
F-8

Table of Contents

 

Revenue Concentration

 

Sales to one of our customers made up approximately 41% of our revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, and the balance receivable from this customer at December 31, 2021 represents approximately 37% of the total accounts receivable balances of $281,543 as of that date. We do not have a binding purchase agreement with this customer, and were we to lose this customer, our revenues would significantly decline, and our business might be harmed.

 

Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and highly liquid investments with remaining maturities of less than ninety days at the date of purchase. We have not experienced any losses related to these balances, and we believe credit risk to be minimal. The Company does not have any cash equivalents.

 

Accounts Receivable

 

Accounts receivables are recorded in accordance with ASC 310, “Receivables.” Accounts receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2021, the Company reported no allowance for doubtful accounts, however a credit of $4,230 for previous doubtful accounts written off was booked during the year ended December 31, 2021. Based on the foregoing, and management’s estimate and based on all accounts being current, the Company has deemed it unnecessary to reserve for doubtful accounts at this time.  The Company had a reserve of  $0 and $10,290 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Inventory

 

Inventory is stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value on a first-in first-out basis. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business less any applicable selling expenses. Cost includes all expenses directly attributable to the manufacturing process as well as suitable portions of related production overheads, based on normal operating capacity. The Company periodically reviews the value of items in inventory and provides write-downs or write-offs of inventory based on its assessment of market conditions, including forecasted demand compared to quantities on hand, as well as other factors such as potential excess or aged inventories based on product shelf life, and other factors that affect inventory obsolescence.

 

Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Common Share

 

Pursuant to ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share,” basic net income and net loss per share are computed by dividing the net income and net loss by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted net income and net loss per share is the same as basic net income and net loss per share when their inclusion would have an anti-dilutive effect due to our continuing net losses.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the following outstanding dilutive securities were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share as the result of the computation was anti-dilutive. 

 

 

 

December 31

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

(Shares)

 

 

(Shares)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Series A Preferred Stock

 

 

-

 

 

 

8,000,000

 

Promissory Note convertible to shares

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

36,500

 

Outstanding Warrants

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

TOTAL

 

 

50,000

 

 

 

8,036,500

 

 

 
F-9

Table of Contents

 

Leases

 

We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities - current, and operating lease liabilities - noncurrent on the balance sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment, other current liabilities, and other long-term liabilities in our balance sheets.

 

ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As our single lease does not provide an implicit rate, we have used our incremental borrowing rate (“IBR”) based on the estimated rate of interest for collateralized borrowing over a similar term of the lease payments at commencement date.

 

The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

 

Long-Lived Assets

 

Long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the undiscounted future cash flows to the recorded value of the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value. The Company incurred no impairment of long-lived assets as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. The depreciation and amortization methods are designed to amortize the cost of the assets over their estimated useful lives, in years, of the respective assets as follows:

 

Kiosks

5 years

Leasehold improvements

 

6 years or shorter of lease life

Production Equipment

20 years

 

Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Improvements of a major nature are capitalized. At the time of retirement or other disposition of property and equipment, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gains or losses are reflected in income.

 

The kiosks that the Company acquired have not been placed into service as of December 31, 2021, thus depreciation has yet to commence. However, Kiosks used for demonstration and marketing purposes have been depreciated since January 1, 2021.

 

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

FASB ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures (“ASC 820”) establishes a framework for all fair value measurements and expands disclosures related to fair value measurement and developments. ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date.

 

ASC 820 requires that assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:

 

 

·

Level 1Quoted market prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets or observable inputs.

 

·

Level 2Significant other observable inputs that can be corroborated by observable market data; and

 

·

Level 3Significant unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by observable market data.

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

The carrying amounts of cash, accounts receivable, accounts receivable – related parties, inventory, deposits and prepayments, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, accounts payable – related parties, customer pre-paid invoices & deposits, other short-term liabilities – equipment loan, operating lease – right of use liability – short term portion approximate fair value because of the short-term nature of these items.

 

Share-Based Compensation

 

The Company accounts for share-based compensation in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation,” which requires all such compensation to employees and non-employees, including the grant of employee stock options, to be calculated based on its fair value at the measurement date (generally the grant date), and recognized in the statement of operations over the requisite service period or as vesting occurs.

 

The Company recorded $100,000 and $0 in share-based compensation expense for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method in accordance with ASC 740, “Accounting for Income Taxes”. The asset and liability method provides that deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and for operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the currently enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is believed more likely than not to be realized.

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company did not have any amounts recorded pertaining to uncertain tax positions.

 

Advertising and Marketing Costs

 

Costs associated with advertising and marketing promotions are expensed as incurred.  Advertising and marketing expense was $542,680 and $27,597 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The Company generally earns its revenue by supplying goods or providing services under contracts with its customers in two primary revenue streams: manufacturing and commercial product supply and white label development services. The Company measures the revenue from customers based on the consideration specified in its contracts, or the value of the amount invoiced should the initial order be a basic purchase order or emailed order.

 

The Company recognizes revenue from customers when control of the goods or services are transferred to the customer, generally when products are shipped, at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods.

 

Per Company policy, any product that doesn’t meet the customer’s expectations can be returned within the first 30 days of delivery in exchange for another product or for a full refund. Any product sold through a distributor or retailer must be returned to the original purchase location for any return or exchange.  For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company has not recorded any reserves on revenue.

 

The majority of the Company’s revenue is derived from sales of branded products to consumers via our direct-to-consumer (DTC) ecommerce website, distributors, and retail and wholesale “white label” business-to-business (B2B) customers.

 

For larger orders, the Company requires the customer to make a deposit equal to 50% of the invoice or order total which is recorded as customer prepaid invoices and deferred revenue on the balance sheet. When the product is shipped the customer deposit is recorded into revenue.  The Company recorded $1,505,018 and $133,596 in customer pre-paid invoices and deposits for goods ordered but not delivered, as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

 
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In 2019, the Company entered into an arrangement with a customer whereby the Company was provided with product from the customer for the Company’s and the customer’s use. Under the arrangement, 50% of the product provided by the customer was to compensate the Company for their services for processing and packaging the customers remaining 50% share. The transaction was recorded at the fair market value of the inventory received, which was similar to the cost of the services to which were to be provided with an increase of $623,375 to inventory and customer deposits. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the customer deposit liability of $623,375 remained. The Company will defer revenue on customer deposits and record as revenue once product is delivered.

 

Non-Controlling Interests

 

The Company accounts for the non-controlling interests in its subsidiaries and joint ventures in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

 

The Company has chosen to record the Minority interests (NCI’s) in the equity section of the balance sheet, and on the income statement, the profit or loss attributable to the minority interest will be reported as a separate non-operating line item.

 

The Company measures its NCI’s using the percentage of ownership interest held by the respective NCI’s during the accounting period. For the year ended December 31, 2021 the Company reported a minority interest in its accumulated losses of $14,250. No net assets were held by the NCI’s as of December 31, 2021.

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which simplifies the accounting for income taxes. This guidance will be effective for entities for the fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020 on a prospective basis, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2021 and do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our financial statements.

 

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, ASC Subtopic 470-20 “Debt—Debt with “Conversion and Other Options” and ASC subtopic 815-40 “Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity”. The standard reduced the number of accounting models for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock. Convertible instruments that continue to be subject to separation models are (1) those with embedded conversion features that are not clearly and closely related to the host contract, that meet the definition of a derivative, and that do not qualify for a scope exception from derivative accounting; and, (2) convertible debt instruments issued with substantial premiums for which the premiums are recorded as paid-in capital. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years.

 

The Company has reviewed all other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting pronouncements and does not believe the future adoption of any such pronouncements may be expected to cause a material impact on our financial statements.

 

NOTE 3 – ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, accounts receivable consisted of the following:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable

 

$ 144,246

 

 

$ 10,390

 

Accounts receivable – related parties*

 

 

137,297

 

 

 

5,587

 

Allowance for doubtful accounts

 

 

-

 

 

 

(10,290 )

Total accounts receivable

 

$ 281,543

 

 

$ 5,687

 

 

* Due from UST Mexico, Inc. for Hemp products (70%) and manufacturing services (30%)

 

See Note 11 for additional information on related party transactions related to receivables.

 

 
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NOTE 4 – INVENTORY

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, inventory, which consists primarily of the Company’s raw materials, finished products and packaging is stated at the following amounts:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finished goods

 

$ 41,088

 

 

$ 11,111

 

Raw materials (Net of obsolescence allowance)

 

 

157,848

 

 

 

81,588

 

Total inventory at cost less obsolescence allowance

 

$ 198,936

 

 

$ 92,699

 

 

The Company identified a potential for obsolescence in particular raw materials and provided an allowance for this risk in full in the year ended December 31, 2020 which was recorded within cost of goods sold in the amount of $623,375. This obsolescence allowance is continually re-evaluated and adjusted as necessary.

 

NOTE 5 - PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

 

See Note 10 for further information concerning the acquisition of kiosks. 

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, property and equipment consisted of the following:

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Production equipment

 

$ 1,461,586

 

 

$ 1,390,373

 

Leasehold improvements

 

 

12,431

 

 

 

12,431

 

Kiosks plus Improvements

 

 

3,686,107

 

 

 

3,677,357

 

Less accumulated depreciation

 

 

(161,353 )

 

 

(74,852 )

Total property and equipment

 

$ 4,998,771

 

 

$ 5,005,309

 

 

Depreciation expense totaled $86,501and $69,519 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

NOTE 6 – OPERATING LEASE – RIGHT OF USE ASSET

 

The Company entered into a 60-month lease to lease approximately 5,000 square feet of office space on January 1, 2020 for a period of 6 years with a related party, an entity controlled by the Company’s CEO.   Approximately 3,000 sf is used as a manufacturing facility with the balance used as corporate offices and storage. There was no security deposit paid, and the lease carries no optional extension periods. The term of the lease is for six years. At inception of the lease, the Company recorded a right of use asset and liability. The Company used an effective borrowing rate of 6.232% within the calculation.

 

Base monthly rent commenced at $10,000 per month, with subsequent defined annual increases. All operating expenses are born by the lessee.  Amounts payable to the related party for rent as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $0 and $116,940 respectively. On December 31, 2021 an amount of $14,764 of prepaid rent was included in the deposits and prepayments account.

 

 
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Operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Generally, the implicit rate of interest in arrangements is not readily determinable and the Company utilizes its incremental borrowing rate in determining the present value of lease payments. The Company’s incremental borrowing rate is a hypothetical rate based on its understanding of what its credit rating would be. The operating lease ROU asset includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our variable lease payments primarily consist of maintenance and other operating expenses from our real estate leases. Variable lease payments are excluded from the ROU assets and lease liabilities and are recognized in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for minimum lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

 

The following are the expected lease payments as of December 31, 2021. The lease is considered an “operating lease” and consequently lease payments are calculated on a straight-line basis, including the total amount of interest related.

 

Year Ending December 31

 

Operating Leases

 

2022

 

$ 129,362

 

2023

 

 

129,362

 

2024

 

 

129,362

 

2025

 

 

129,362

 

Total lease payments

 

 

517,448

 

Less: Imputed interest/present value discount

 

 

(63,334 )

Total

 

$ 454,114

 

 

Lease expense, on the straight-line basis was $129,362 during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

NOTE 7 – OTHER SHORT-TERM LIABILITIES – EQUIPMENT LOAN

 

On December 11, 2019, the Company entered into a short-term loan for equipment to use in its production.  The terms of the loan were, $1,500,000 over 18 months with zero interest, which necessitated the calculation of an imputed discount of $109,627, which was being amortized over 18 months.  During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company amortized the remaining discount of $30,465 to interest expense. The balance on the note was $1,482,681 as of December 31, 2021, having been reduced by the application of $17,319 of accounts receivable due from, and with the agreement of, the lender.

 

The loan is secured by the equipment, and the lender recently agreed to repayments of $50,000 per month, interest free, which would take approximately thirty months to retire the loan, assuming no additional paydowns were made by supplying smokable products. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the principle balance of the loan was $1,482,681 and $1,500,000, respectively.

As of December 31, 2020, a balance of $30,465 of unamortized loan discount was deducted from the loan balance.

 

Please refer to Note 14 for additional information.

 

NOTE 8 – CONVERTIBLE NOTES

 

During the year ended December 31, 2021, Hempacco issued twelve convertible promissory notes totaling $650,000 and warrants to purchase up to 750,000 shares of Hempacco common stock at $1.00 per share were issued to two related party members of the Board of Directors. Subsequently, as a result of the merger and share exchange agreement of May 21, 2021 between Hempacco and Green Globe International, Inc. these warrants were cancelled and replaced on November 9, 2021 with equivalent warrants to purchase Green Globe common shares. See Note 9 below for additional details.

 

Individual note holders converted $511,500 in principle and $23,552 in accrued interest into 535,052 shares of Hempacco common stock. On May 21, 2021, these shares were exchanged for 2,236,213,775 of GGII’s common shares.

 

On February 17, 2020, the Company entered into a financing arrangement with a related party (Jerry Halamuda, a Board of Directors member, to provide working capital. The Company received proceeds of $50,000. An additional 25,000 shares were offered as an inducement which created a beneficial conversion feature of $25,000, which was charged to interest expense over the term of the loan. The terms of this loan were three months with zero interest rate, maturing on May 17, 2020. On May 17, 2020 Hempacco issued 25,000 shares as an inducement to extend the loan for three months until August 17, 2020. The Company incurred an interest expense of $25,000 in connection with this inducement.

 

 
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On June 30, 2020, Hempacco repaid $25,000 of the principal on the note. As of December 31, 2020, the balance on the note was $25,000. The Note was convertible into common shares on a $1 for $1 basis. The Note was converted on May 21, 2021 in the total amount of $25,000 inclusive of accrued interest for 25,000 Hempacco shares.

 

On February 16, 2021, the Company entered into a financing arrangement with a related party (Dr. Stuart Titus, a Board of Directors member, to provide working capital. Hempacco received proceeds of $50,000. The terms of this loan were one year and annual interest rate was 8%, maturing on February 15, 2022.  The Note was convertible into common shares on a $1 for $1 basis. The Note was converted on May 21, 2021 in the total amount of $51,030 inclusive of accrued interest of $1,030 for 51,030 Hempacco shares.

 

On July 23, 2020, the Company entered into a financing arrangement to provide working capital. Hempacco received proceeds of $11,500. The terms of this loan were one year and annual interest rate was 12%, maturing on July 23, 2021. As of December 31, 2020, the balance on the note was $11,500. In addition, $590 of interest had been accrued as of December 31, 2020. The Note was convertible into common shares on a $1 for $1 basis. The Note was converted on May 21, 2021 in the total amount of $12,623 inclusive of accrued interest of $1,123 into 12,623 Hempacco shares.

 

During May and June 2021, the Company entered into financing arrangements to provide working capital. Hempacco received proceeds of $175,000 from three private investors. The promissory notes carried interest at the rate of between 8% and 12% and mature between May 4, 2022 and October 23, 2022. The Notes automatically convert at 75% of the 30-day average bid price of the obligor common stock (or the public company common stock as the case may be), with the exception of the $50,000 Taverna 12% Note which converts at $1.00 per share or the current market price of Hempacco stock. The Notes cannot be converted prior to maturity. The Taverna Note matured on November 4, 2021 and has been extended to May 4, 2022 by mutual agreement.

 

NOTE 9 – WARRANTS

 

The 750,000 Hempacco warrants issued to Jerry Halamuda and Dr. Stuart Titus in February 2021 were effectively cancelled on May 21, 2021, as a result of the merger and share exchange between Hempacco and Green Globe International, Inc. but not re-issued by Green Globe International, Inc. until November 11, 2021. The total number of replacement warrants issued was 27,173,925 at a strike price of $.027600 which is the equivalent of 750,000 warrants exercisable at $1.00 each.

 

A Black-Scholes valuation discount of $149,831 was initially recorded. The discount was amortized over the warrant term with the balance remaining at the conversion date being expensed to interest. No further expense was incurred as a result of the modifications of the warrants to GGII warrants. The valuation discount represents the fair market value as derived by using the Black-Scholes formula, which produced an initial valuation of the Hempacco warrants of $0.4986 per share. The Black-Scholes formula applied to the GGII warrants on June 9, 2021 produced a valuation of $.0138 per share.

 

The Black-Scholes model uses the following variables to calculate the value of an option or warrant:

  

Description   

 

Input Range

 

a) Price of the Issuer’s Security

 

 $1.00 - $2.00

 

 

 

 

 

b) Exercise (strike) price of Security

 

 $0.75 - $1.50

 

 

 

 

 

c) Time to Maturity in years

 

 3 to 5 years

 

 

 

 

 

d) Annual Risk-Free Rate

 

 2-year T-Bill

 

 

 

 

 

e) Annualized Volatility (Beta)

 

 25% - 75%

 

   

On August 11, 2021, the Company signed an agreement with Boustead Securities, LLC (the “Representative”), which was amended on or about March 18, 2022, effective as of August 11, 2021, with respect to a number of proposed financing transactions, including the initial public offering (“IPO”) of the Company’s common stock for which a listing on NASDAQ has been applied for, the private placement of Company securities prior to the IPO (“pre-IPO Financings”), and other financings separate from the IPO or the pre-IPO Financings (each such other financing an “Other Financing”). See Note 13 below for further details.

 

 
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In addition to the other compensation delineated in the agreement, the Company agreed to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the closing date of an IPO or Other Financing as applicable, five-year warrants to purchase shares of Company common stock equal to 7% of the gross offering amount, at an initial exercise price of 150% of the offering price per share in the IPO, or 100% of the offering price in an Other Financing.

 

On November 23, 2021, the Company entered into a Broker Representation Agreement with a third party sales agent, whereby the sales broker would receive a commission of 10% on any net product sales brought to the Company by their efforts or introductions. In particular, as a bonus for introducing a major client, the broker was to be granted 100,000,000 warrants to purchase common stock of Green Globe International, Inc., exercisable at $0.01 each for a period of three years.

 

The Black-Scholes valuation of the 100,000,000 warrants as of the contract date is $0.0018 per share for a total valuation of $178,317 which has been recorded as a one-time charge to the income statement due to there being no future performance obligations with respect to the Company arising from this warrant award.

 

See Note 14 for additional issuances of warrants.

 

NOTE 10 – LOAN PAYABLE

 

On June 15, 2020, the Company entered into a loan agreement with a third party whereby the Company received  $85,000. The terms of the loan was for one year, with 0% interest. On January 15, 2021, the lender advanced a further $83,328 on the same terms. In December 2021 a letter agreement and loan extension was signed by the lender in which it was confirmed that the new maturity date of the loan would be August 15, 2023. The lender also confirmed that $41,000 of the original loan principal had not yet been extended. As of December 31, 2021 the balance outstanding was $168,328. The same customer advanced a deposit of $40,000 for the purchase of 10 kiosks which were delivered in February 2022.

 

NOTE 11 - RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

 

As of December 31, 2021, the Company had entered into the following transactions with Related Parties:

 

On October 22, 2019, the Company entered in to a Kiosk Acquisition Agreement with Mexico Franchise Opportunities Fund LP (“MFOF”) to purchase 600 Vending Kiosks for total consideration of $3,638,357 payable by the issuance of 8,000,000 Series A Preferred Shares. Due to the related party status of MFOF, whereby the entities were under common control, the Company used the carryover basis of accounting. Thus the 600 Kiosks were recorded at net book value of $3,638,357 upon acquisition.

 

With the exception of kiosks that are used for marketing and demonstration purposes, no depreciation expense is charged until the kiosks are placed in service. As of December 31, 2021 no kiosks, other than placed for marketing purposes, had yet been placed in service.

 

In May 2021, Cube17, Inc., a related party sales and marketing consulting company, converted all outstanding consulting fees earned since the inception of Hempacco in the amount of $185,000 for 185,000 shares of Hempacco common stock, for $1 per share. On May 21, 2021, these shares were exchanged for 707,113,562 common shares of Green Globe International, Inc. Consulting expenses of $120,000 and $120,000 were recorded for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. Consulting fee balances payable were $63,404 and $135,000 as of December 31, 2021, and 2020.

 

In addition, Cube17, Inc., as a founder of Hempacco, converted its 400,000 founders shares into 1,528,997,476 common shares of Green Globe International, Inc.

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

In May of 2021, Primus Logistics was issued 170,000 common shares of Hempacco as compensation for $170,000 of accrued and unpaid rent owed at that time by Hempacco from inception. On May 21, 2021, these shares were exchanged for 649,780,985 common shares of the Company. Hempacco CEO, Sandro Piancone, is the 90% owner of Primus Logistics which is considered a related party. Rent Expenses are reported in Note 6 above.

 

As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company owed Primus Logistics $0 and $116,940 respectively, for routine business transactions. As of December 31, 2021 Primus Logistics had been paid $14,764 in advance for rent. Sandro Piancone is the 90% owner of Primus Logistics.

 

In May of 2021, Strategic Global Partners, Inc. was issued 170,000 Hempacco common shares as compensation for $170,000 worth of consulting services incurred since Hempacco’s inception by the CEO, Sandro Piancone, President and Owner of Strategic Global. On May 21, 2021, these shares were exchanged for 649,780,985 common shares of Green Globe International, Inc. Strategic Global Partners is a related party. Consulting expenses of $120,000 and $120,000 were recorded for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. Unpaid consulting fee balances of $70,000 and $120,000 were outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the Company owed $29,000 and $53,877 and was owed $132,147 and $0, respectively, by UST Mexico, Inc. ("UST"). Hempacco sells hemp products to UST and also provides manufacturing consulting services. The value of goods and services provided to UST Mexico, Inc was $152,147 and $62,174 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively, and the value of goods and services provided by UST Mexico, Inc. was $251,000 and $205,127 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively. UST Mexico, Inc.is a manufacturer of tobacco cigarettes in Mexico and provides consulting services and parts for Hempacco equipment.

  

UST currently owns 30,577,928,723 shares of common stock of Green Globe International, Inc., representing 56.4% of the issued and outstanding common stock of the parent company of Hempacco. UST is a related party by virtue of Sandro Piancone’s 29.38% interest in UST.

 

Lake Como is owned/controlled by Sandro Piancone. This entity is used primarily as a sales company, and sometimes sells products purchased from the Company. The Company had receivables of $150 and $5,586 due from Lake Como as of  December 31, 2021 and 2020 respectively.

 

NOTE 12 - INCOME TAXES

 

The Company provides for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Under the asset and liability method of ASC 740, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded based on the differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and the tax rates in effect when these differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is provided for certain deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that the Company will not realize tax assets through future operations.

 

The following is a reconciliation of income tax expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Current:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

State

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Foreign

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Deferred:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Federal

 

 

(292,851 )

 

 

(264,815 )

State

 

 

(81,363 )

 

 

(73,573 )

 

 

 

(374,214 )

 

 

(338,388 )

Valuation allowance

 

 

374,214

 

 

 

338,388

 

Total provision for income taxes

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

 
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The Company’s net deferred tax assets at December 31, 2021 and 2020 consisted of the following:

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Depreciation & Amortization

 

$ -

 

 

 

-

 

Reserves and Accruals

 

 

171,338

 

 

 

169,791

 

Research & Development Credits

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Net Operating Loss Carryforwards

 

 

555,578

 

 

 

182,911

 

Gross Deferred Tax Assets

 

 

726,916

 

 

 

352,702

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valuation Allowance

 

 

(726,916 )

 

 

(352,702 )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Deferred Tax Assets

 

$ -

 

 

$ -

 

 

The Company has provided for a full valuation allowance against the deferred tax assets, on the expected future tax benefits from the net operating loss carryforwards, as the management believes it is more likely than not that these assets will not be realized in the future.

 

The difference between the effective tax rate and the stated tax rate is primarily due to a full valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets and permanent differences due to non-cash related charges.

 

As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s net operating losses (NOL’s) on a gross basis were $2,070,397, which can be carried forward indefinitely to offset future taxable income. The losses carried forward are limited to 80% of future taxable income.

 

In California, the FTB allows NOL’s to be carried back to the prior two years, and/or carried forward in accordance with IRS rules

 

For taxable years 2020. 2021 and 2022, California has suspended the NOL carryover deduction. Corporations may continue to compute and carryover an NOL during the suspension period.

 

The Company’s tax returns are subject to examination by United States Internal Revenue Service authorities as well as the California Franchise Tax Board, beginning with the period ended December 31, 2019. There are no current tax examinations.

 

NOTE 13 - STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

Preferred Stock

 

Series A Preferred Shares

 

On May 20, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors declared and authorized a 6% common share dividend to Series A Preferred Shareholders. Mexico Franchise Opportunities Fund (“MFOF”) received dividends of $757,479 which, together with MFOF’s 8,000,000 preferred shares were converted into 8,757,479 shares of Hempacco common shares. On May 21, 2021, MFOF exchanged these Hempacco common shares for 33,473,197,809 shares of GGII common shares.

 

On September 28, 2021, the Company amended its Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of authorized shares of preferred stock to 50,000,000, and changed its preferred stock par value to $0.001 per share.

 

The holder of the Company’s Series A Preferred Stock was entitled to a dividend of 6% payable in common shares, if and when declared by the Company's Board of Directors. The Series A preferred shares shall not have the right to vote on matters presented to the holders of junior stock.

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

As of December 31, 2021, the Company had no shares of Series A Preferred Stock, nor any other shares of preferred stock, issued and outstanding.

 

Common Stock

 

On May 21, 2021, Hempacco issued 100,000 shares of common stock to a consultant for services rendered. The share were paid in exchange for software development and IT services related to the Company’s automated CBD kiosks. The Hempacco common stock was valued at $100,000 (based upon the price for which convertible notes were being converted at) and was exchanged for 382,224,109 shares of GGII’s common shares.

 

On August 11, 2021, the Company signed an agreement with Boustead Securities, LLC (the “Representative”), which was amended on or about March 18, 2022, effective as of August 11, 2021, with respect to a number of proposed financing transactions, including the initial public offering (“IPO”) of the Company’s common stock for which a listing on NASDAQ has been applied for, the private placement of Company securities prior to the IPO (“pre-IPO Financings”), and other financings separate from the IPO or the pre-IPO Financings (each such other financing an “Other Financing”). A commission of 7% of gross offering proceeds is payable to the Representative, as well as a non-accountable expense allowance of 1% of offering proceeds. In addition, the Company will reimburse Boustead for due diligence, legal and road show expenses up to $205,000.

  

On September 28, 2021, the Company amended its Articles of Incorporation to increase its authorized common shares to 200,000,000, and changed its par value to $0.001 per share. Each common share entitles the holder to one vote, in person or proxy, on any matter on which action of the stockholders of the Company is sought.

 

On or about December 6, 2021, the Company sold 805,541 shares of Company common stock at $1.00/share to 19 investors, 17 of which were third parties. Neville Pearson, Company CFO, and Dr. Stuart Titus, Company director, purchased 50,000 of the shares for $50,000, and 100,000 of the shares for $100,000, respectively. The Company received gross proceeds of $805,541, and net proceeds of $724,255 after payment of commissions and expenses to the Company’s registered broker and the payment of expenses associated with the private offering and the Public Offering.

 

On or about December 14, 2021, the Company sold 494,459 shares of Company common stock at $1.00/share to 5 investors, 4 of which were third parties. The family trust of Jerry Halamuda, Company director, purchased 50,000 of the shares for $50,000. The Company received gross proceeds of $494,459, and net proceeds of $333,309.98 after payment of commissions and expenses to the Company’s registered broker and the payment of expenses associated with the private offering and the Public Offering.

 

See Notes 8, 9 and 11 for additional discussion of issuances of common stock.

 

NOTE 14 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through March 12, 2022, the date of issuance of these financial statements.

 

The following events and transactions occurred subsequent to December 31, 2021:

On or about January 1, 2022, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company, a Nevada corporation (“CCCC”), to form a joint venture entity in Nevada, which entity will market and sell Cheech  & Chong-branded hemp smokable products. Pursuant to the agreement, the joint venture entity will be owned 50% by each of us and CCCC, we are required to fund $10,000 to the joint venture entity, we are required to manufacture joint venture product and provide accounting, inventory management, staff training, and trade show and marketing services for the joint venture entity, and CCCC is required to provide online marketing and promotion, design and branding, brand management and development, trademark receipt, and sales and distribution services. CCCC is also required to ensure that Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong attend and make appearances at joint venture entity events. As an incentive to enter into this joint venture CCCC was awarded 100,000,000 Green Globe International warrants with a Black-Scholes valuation of $.0003 per share for a total valuation of $34,318 on the issue date.

 

 
F-19

Table of Contents

 

On or about January 19, 2022, the Company entered into a joint venture agreement with Stick-It Labs Ltd. (“Stick-It”), an Israeli corporation that manufactures cannabinoid sticks, to develop and sell hemp smokables products in the United States and Mexico utilizing each of the parties’ respective expertise. Pursuant to the agreement, the Company is required to fund $750,000 to the joint venture entity, Stick-It USA, Inc., (“StickIt US”) a newly formed Delaware corporation, and the Company will then receive preferred shares entitling us to 75% of distributable profits of the joint venture entity until the Company has been repaid $750,000, after which the preferred shares will convert into 750,000 shares of common stock. StickIt will also receive 750,000 shares of common stock. The agreement grants the right to Stick-It to purchase 100,000,000 five-year warrants of Green Globe International, Inc. common stock at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. The warrants are issuable in three tranches, the first 25,000,000 on signing the JV agreement, the second 25,000,000 when StickIt US achieves annual sales revenue in excess of $5,000,000, and the third tranche will be issued upon StickIt US achieving annual sales revenue in excess of $10,000,000. On or about January 20, 2022, the Company entered into employment agreements with Sandro Piancone, the  Company’s CEO, Neville Pearson, the Company’s CFO, and Jorge Olson, the Company’s CMO. These agreements supersede and replace the Company’s consulting agreements with Mr. Piancone’s entity, Strategic Global Partners, Inc., and Mr. Olson’s entity, Cube17, Inc. Mr. Pearson’s employment agreement with Green Globe International, Inc. remains in place.  

 

On or about February 9, 2022, the Company, through its Investment Banker offered a second pre-IPO round of 500,000 Hempacco common shares to accredited investors at a price of $2.00 per share. The offer will remain open until the maximum subscription is reached or March 31, 2022, whichever occurs first. However, the offering can be extended at the discretion of Boustead and Hempacco. 

 

On January 6, 2022 the first payment of $50,000 was made to Titan Agency Management against the outstanding balance of the equipment loan Refer to Note 8 for further information.

 

 
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Table of Contents

 

 

]

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

_____________________________________

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

_____________________________________

 

Underwriter

   

BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC

 

_____________, 2022

 

Until [ ], 2022, 25 days after the date of this prospectus, all dealers that buy, sell or trade our securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers' obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

 
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PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

 

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

 

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses, other than underwriting discounts and commissions, payable by us in connection with the sale of common stock being registered. All amounts, other than the SEC registration fee, Nasdaq listing fee and FINRA filing fee, are estimates. We will pay all these expenses.

 

 

 

Amount

 

SEC registration fee

 

$

1,790.15 

 

Nasdaq listing fee

 

 

*

 

FINRA filing fee

 

 

[ ]

 

Accounting fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Legal fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Transfer agent fees and expenses

 

 

*

 

Printing and related fees

 

 

*

 

Miscellaneous

 

 

*

 

Total

 

$

 *

 

 

*

To be filed by amendment.

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

We are a Nevada corporation. The Nevada Revised Statutes and certain provisions of our bylaws under certain circumstances provide for indemnification of our officers, directors and controlling persons against liabilities which they may incur in such capacities. A summary of the circumstances in which such indemnification is provided for is contained herein, but this description is qualified in its entirety by reference to our bylaws and to the statutory provisions.

 

In general, any officer, director, employee or agent may be indemnified against expenses, fines, settlements or judgments arising in connection with a legal proceeding to which such person is a party, if that person's actions were in good faith, were believed to be in our best interest, and were not unlawful. Unless such person is successful upon the merits in such an action, indemnification may be awarded only after a determination by independent decision of our board of directors, by legal counsel, or by a vote of our stockholders, that the applicable standard of conduct was met by the person to be indemnified.

 

The circumstances under which indemnification is granted in connection with an action brought on our behalf is generally the same as those set forth above; however, with respect to such actions, indemnification is granted only with respect to expenses actually incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of the action. In such actions, the person to be indemnified must have acted in good faith and in a manner believed to have been in our best interest, and have not been adjudged liable for negligence or misconduct.

 

Indemnification may also be granted pursuant to the terms of agreements which may be entered in the future or pursuant to a vote of stockholders or directors. The Nevada Revised Statutes also grant us the power to purchase and maintain insurance which protects our officers and directors against any liabilities incurred in connection with their service in such a position, and such a policy may be obtained by us.

 

To the maximum extent permitted by law, our articles of incorporation eliminate or limit the liability of our directors to us or our shareholders for monetary damages for breach of a director's fiduciary duty as a director.

 

We intend to enter into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. Each indemnification agreement will provide, among other things, for indemnification to the fullest extent permitted by law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws against any and all expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of any claim. The indemnification agreements will provide for the advancement or payment of all expenses to the indemnitee and for reimbursement to us if it is found that such indemnitee is not entitled to such indemnification under applicable law and our articles of incorporation and bylaws.

 

We are in the process of obtaining standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (a) to our directors and officers against loss rising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (b) to us with respect to payments which we may make to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

 

 
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The underwriting agreement, filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this registration statement, will provide for indemnification, under certain circumstances, by the underwriters of us and our officers and directors for certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act or otherwise.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us under the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

During the past three years, we issued the following securities, which were not registered under the Securities Act.

 

On or about April 1, 2019, the Company issued 8,000,000 shares of common stock to an entity controlled by its founder and CEO, Sandro Piancone, in consideration of founding services valued at $80,000.

 

On October 22, 2019, the Company entered into a Kiosk Acquisition Agreement with Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund LP ("MFOF"), a related party entity owned approximately 31% by the Company's founder and CEO, Sandro Piancone, and approximately 25% by the Company's founder, Jorge Olson, to purchase 600 vending kiosks for total consideration of $3,638,357, payable by the issuance of 8,000,000 shares of Series A Preferred Shares of the Company to MFOF on or about the same date.

 

On or about November 6, 2019, the Company issued 400,000 shares of common stock to an entity controlled by its founder, Jorge Olson, in consideration of founding services valued at $4,000.

 

On or about February 17, 2020, the Company issued 25,000 shares of common stock to a lender (Jerry Halamuda, now considered a related party as he was appointed as a member of the Company's Board of Directors in July 2021) as additional consideration for the lender's loan of $50,000 to the Company. On or about May 17, 2020, the Company issued an additional 25,000 shares of common stock to the lender in consideration of the lender's loan maturity date extension to August 17, 2020, from May 17, 2020.

 

On or about November 21, 2020, the Company issued 28,000 shares of common stock to two third-party lenders for conversion of debt with 25,000 of such shares issued upon conversion of principal of $25,000, and 3,000 of such shares issued upon conversion of accrued interest of $3,000.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 357,006 shares of common stock to eight third-party lenders shares for conversion of debt owed to the lenders, with 336,500 of such shares issued upon conversion of principal of $336,500, and 20,506 of such shares issued upon conversion of accrued interest of $20,506.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 127,016 shares of common stock to Mr. Halamuda (now considered a related party as he was appointed as a member of the Company's Board of Directors in July 2021) for conversion of debt owed to Mr. Halamuda, with 125,000 of such shares issued upon conversion of principal of $125,000, and 2,016 of such shares issued upon conversion of accrued interest of $2,016.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 51,030 shares of common stock to a lender (Dr. Stuart Titus, now considered a related party as he was appointed as the Company's Chairman of the Board of Directors in July 2021) for conversion of debt owed to Dr. Titus, with 50,000 of such shares issued upon conversion of principal of $50,000, and 1,030 of such shares issued upon conversion of accrued interest of $1,030.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 8,757,479 shares of common stock to its preferred shareholder, Mexico Franchise Opportunities Fund LP, a related party entity owned approximately 31% by the Company's founder and CEO, Mr. Piancone, and approximately 25% by the Company's founder, Mr. Olson.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 170,000 shares of common stock to an entity controlled by the Company's founder and CEO, Mr. Piancone, in satisfaction of $170,000 of accrued fees for management services owed to the entity by the Company.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 185,000 shares of common stock to an entity controlled by the Company's founder, Mr. Olson, in satisfaction of $185,000 of accrued fees for management services owed to the entity by the Company.

 

On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 170,000 shares of common stock to an entity controlled by the Company's founder and CEO, Mr. Piancone, for rent of the Company's manufacturing and office facility from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021, valued at $171,500.

 

 
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On or about May 21, 2021, the Company issued 100,000 shares of common stock to a third party for information technology, software development, and kiosk technical services to the Company valued at $100,000.

 

On or about December 6, 2021, the Company sold 805,541 shares of Company common stock at $1.00/share to 19 investors, 17 of which were third parties. Neville Pearson, Company CFO, and Dr. Stuart Titus, Company director, purchased 50,000 of the shares for $50,000, and 100,000 of the shares for $100,000, respectively. The Company received gross proceeds of $805,541, and net proceeds of $724,255 after payment of commissions and expenses to the Company’s registered broker and the payment of expenses associated with the private offering and the initial public offering hereunder. 

 

On or about December 14, 2021, the Company sold 494,459 shares of Company common stock at $1.00/share to 5 investors, 4 of which were third parties. The family trust of Jerry Halamuda, Company director, purchased 50,000 of the shares for $50,000. The Company received gross proceeds of $494,459, and net proceeds of $333,309.98 after payment of commissions and expenses to the Company’s registered broker and the payment of expenses associated with the private offering and the initial public offering hereunder. 

 

The foregoing shares were issued in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as there was no general solicitation, and the transactions did not involve a public offering.

 

No underwriter was engaged in connection with the foregoing sales of securities. The Company has reason to believe that all of the foregoing purchasers were familiar with or had access to information concerning the operations and financial conditions of the Company, and all of those individuals purchasing securities represented that they were accredited investors, acquiring the shares for investment and without a view to the distribution thereof. At the time of issuance, all of the foregoing securities were deemed to be restricted securities for purposes of the Securities Act, and the certificates representing such securities bore legends to that effect.

   

Item 16. Exhibits

 

(a) Exhibits.

   

Exhibit No.

 

Description

1.1

 

Form of Underwriting Agreement

3.1

 

Articles of Incorporation

3.2

 

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation dated April 23, 2021

3.3

 

Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation dated September 28, 2021

3.4

 

Bylaws of Hempacco Co., Inc.

4.1

 

Form of Representative's Warrant (included in Exhibit 1.1)

5.1#

 

Opinion of Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC as to the legality of the shares

10.1

 

Agreement for Share Exchange between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Green Globe International, Inc., dated May 21, 2021

10.2

 

Patent License Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc., and Old Belt Extracts, LLC d/b/a Open Book Extracts, dated April 1, 2021

10.3

 

Limited Liability Company Agreement of Cali Vibes D8 LLC, dated April 20, 2021

10.4

 

Joinder Agreement between Cali Vibes D8 LLC, Hempacco Co., Inc., and BX2SD Hospitality, LLC, dated June 3, 2021

10.5

 

Assignment Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Green Globe International, Inc., dated December 14, 2021

10.6

 

Joinder Agreement of Hemp Hop Smokables LLC, by Hempacco Co., Inc., dated December 14, 2021

10.7

 

Joint Venture Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company, dated January 1, 2022

10.8

 

Joint Venture Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and StickIt Ltd., dated January 19, 2022

10.9

 

Purchase Finance Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc., and Titan General Agency Ltd., dated December 3, 2019

10.10

 

Loan Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Courier Labs, LLC, dated June 15, 2020

10.11

 

Security Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Courier Labs, LLC, dated June 15, 2020

10.12

 

Side Letter Agreement & Loan Extension between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Courier Labs, LLC

10.13

 

12% 6 Month Note issued to Mario Taverna, dated May 4, 2021

10.14

 

Note Extension Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Mario Taverna, dated November 5, 2021

10.15

 

Convertible Promissory Note issued to Miguel Cambero Villasenor, dated May 6, 2021

10.16

 

Convertible Promissory Note issued to Miguel Cambero Villasenor, dated June 7, 2021

10.17

 

Convertible Promissory Note issued to Ernest Sparks and Julee A. Sparks, Joint Tenants, dated May 10, 2021

10.18

 

12% One Year Note issued to Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh, dated November 12, 2019 (no longer outstanding)

10.19

 

Secured Promissory Note issued to Jerry Halamuda, dated February 17, 2020 (no longer outstanding)

10.20

 

Promissory Note issued to Jerry Halamuda, dated February 16, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.21

 

Promissory Note Agreement Amendment 1 between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Jerry Halamuda, dated May 17, 2020

10.22

 

12% One Year Note issued to Mario Taverna, dated March 5, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.23

 

12% One Year Note issued to Mario Taverna, dated March 10, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.24

 

12% One Year Note issued to Valentino Mordini, dated March 9, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.25

 

12% One Year Note issued to Romeo Fiori, dated March 10, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.26

 

12% One Year Note issued to J Lin Inc., dated March 15, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.27

 

12% One Year Note issued to Sylvester Barnes, dated April 1, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.28

 

12% One Year Note issued to Roger Ladd, dated April 13, 2021 (no longer outstanding)

10.29

 

Standard Industrial/Commercial Multi-Tenant Lease Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Primus Logistics, Inc., dated January 1, 2020

10.30*

 

Sales and Marketing Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc., and Cube17, Inc., dated November 6, 2019

10.31*

 

Consulting & Marketing Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc., and Strategic Global Partners, Inc., dated January 3, 2020

10.32*

 

Consulting & Marketing Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc., and UST Mexico, Inc., dated January 3, 2020

10.33*

 

Interim Consulting Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Neville Pearson, dated March 1, 2021

10.34*

Employment Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Sandro Piancone, dated January 20, 2022

10.35*

Employment Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Neville Pearson, dated January 20, 2022

10.36*

Employment Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and Jorge Olson, dated February 3, 2022

10.37*

 

Form of Independent Director Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and each independent director

10.38*

 

Form of Indemnification Agreement between Hempacco Co., Inc. and each independent director

14.1

 

Code of Ethics and Business Conduct

23.1

 

Consent of dbbmckennon LLC

23.2#

 

Consent of Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC (included in Exhibit 5.1)

24.1

 

Power of Attorney (included on the signature page of this registration statement)

99.1

 

Audit Committee Charter

99.2

 

Compensation Committee Charter

99.3

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee Charter

99.4#

 

Consent of [ ], Director Nominee

107

 

Filing Fee Table

 

#

To be filed by amendment.

*

Executive compensation plan or arrangement.

 

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

 

All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements or in the notes thereto.

 

(b) Financial Statement Schedules.

 

All financial statement schedules are omitted because the information called for is not required or is shown either in the financial statements or in the notes thereto.

 

Item 17. Undertakings

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.

 

 
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Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

 

 

(1)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.

 

(2)

For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

 
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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on March 23, 2022.

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

 

By:  

/s/ Sandro Piancone 

 

 

Sandro Piancone

Chief Executive Officer

 

  

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Sandro Piancone as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and his name, place stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and to file a new registration statement under Rule 461, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the foregoing, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or their substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

SIGNATURE

 

TITLE

 

DATE

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone 

 

Chief Executive Officer, President and Director (principal executive officer)

 

March 23, 2022

Sandro Piancone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Neville Pearson

 

Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)

 

March 23, 2022

Neville Pearson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Dr. Stuart Titus

 

Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

March 23, 2022

Dr. Stuart Titus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jerry Halamuda

 

Member of the Board of Directors

 

March 23, 2022

Jerry Halamuda

 

 

 

 

 

 
69

 

EXHIBIT 1.1

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[DATE]

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

6 Venture, Suite 265

Irvine, CA 92618

 

As Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

The undersigned, Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with Boustead Securities, LLC (hereinafter referred to as “you” (including its correlatives) or the “Representative”) and with the other underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto for which the Representative is acting as representative (the Representative and such other underwriters being collectively called the “Underwriters” or, individually, an “Underwriter”) as follows:

 

 1. Purchase and Sale of Shares

 

1.1 Firm Shares.

 

1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Firm Shares.

 

(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell in the aggregate [*] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and each Underwriter agrees to purchase, severally and not jointly, at the Closing, an aggregate of [*] shares (“Firm Shares”) of the Common Stock.

 

(ii) The Firm Shares are to be offered together to the public at the offering price per one Firm Share as set forth on Schedule 2-A hereto (the “Purchase Price”). The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at the purchase price for one Firm Share of $[*] (or 93% of the Purchase Price).

 

1.1.2. Firm Shares Payment and Delivery.

 

(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Shares shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the Effective Date if the Registration Statement is declared effective after 4:01 p.m., Eastern time) or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company, at the offices of Bevilacqua PLLC (“Representative’s Counsel”), or at such other place (or remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Representative and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Shares is called the “Closing Date.”

 

(ii) Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery of the certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Firm Shares (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Shares. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.

 

 
1

 

 

1.2. Over-allotment Option.

 

1.2.1. Option Shares. For the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Shares, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to [*] additional shares of the Common Stock (the “Option Shares”, and along with the Firm Shares, the “Shares”), representing fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Shares sold in the offering, from the Company. The purchase price to be paid per Option Share shall be equal to the price per Option Share set forth in Schedule 2-A. The Shares shall be issued directly by the Company and shall have the rights and privileges described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus referred to below. The offering and sale of the Shares is herein referred to as the “Offering.”

 

1.2.2. Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representative as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Shares within forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any of the Option Shares prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of written notice to the Company from the Representative, setting forth the number of the Option Shares to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Shares (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative, at the offices of Representative’s Counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Shares does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option with respect to all or any portion of the Option Shares subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of the Option Shares specified in such notice and (ii) each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total number of the Option Shares then being purchased as set forth in Schedule 1 opposite the name of such Underwriter.

 

1.2.3. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company upon delivery to you of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) representing the Option Shares (or through the facilities of DTC or via DWAC transfer) for the account of the Underwriters. The Option Shares shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Shares except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Shares.

 

1.3 Representative’s Warrants.

 

1.3.1. Purchase Warrants. The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representative (and/or its designees) on the Closing Date an option (“Representative’s Warrants”) as applicable, five-year warrants for the purchase of a number of the Firm Shares equal to 7% of the number of the Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, issued in the Offering, pursuant to a warrant in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, at an initial exercise price of $[*] (or 150% of the public offering price per Firm Share). The Representative’s Warrants and the Shares issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter referred to together as the “Representative’s Securities.” The Representative understands and agrees that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Representative’s Warrants and the underlying Shares during the one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that it will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Representative’s Warrants, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date other than as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2).

 

 
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1.3.2. Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrants shall be made on the Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request.

 

2. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as of the Applicable Time (as defined below), as of the Closing Date and as of the Option Closing Date, if any, as follows:

 

2.1. Filing of Registration Statement.

 

2.1.1. Pursuant to the Securities Act. The Company has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement, and an amendment or amendments thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 377-05693), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Shares and the Representative’s Securities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in all material respects in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Securities Act Regulations”) and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the Preliminary Prospectus included in the registration statement, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of the Effective Date pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations (the “Rule 430A Information”)), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” If the Company files any registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, then after such filing, the term “Registration Statement” shall include such registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b). The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof.

 

Each prospectus used prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and each prospectus that omitted the Rule 430A Information that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, is herein called a “Preliminary Prospectus.” The Preliminary Prospectus, subject to completion, dated [*], that was included in the Registration Statement immediately prior to the Applicable Time is hereinafter called the “Pricing Prospectus.” The final prospectus in the form first furnished to the Underwriters for use in the Offering is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

 

Applicable Time” means 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement.

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 433”), including without limitation any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) relating to the Shares that is (i) required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i), whether or not required to be filed with the Commission, or (iii) exempt from filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Shares or of the Offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g).

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors (other than a “bona fide electronic road show,” as defined in Rule 433 (the “Bona Fide Electronic Road Show”)), as evidenced by its being specified in Schedule 2-B hereto.

 

Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not an Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Pricing Disclosure Package” means any Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus issued at or prior to the Applicable Time, the Pricing Prospectus and the information included on Schedule 2-A hereto, all considered together.

 

 
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2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number [*]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Common Stock. The registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act has become effective on or prior to the date hereof. The Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.

 

2.2. Share Exchange ListingThe Shares and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market (the “Exchange”), and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting of the Shares or the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any written notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.

 

2.3. No Stop Orders, etcNeither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any written order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

2.4. Disclosures in Registration Statement.

 

2.4.1. Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.

 

(i) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus, including the prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment or supplement thereto, and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the Commission, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. Each Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(ii) Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at its effective time, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

(iii) The Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date (if any), did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Limited Use Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Prospectus as of the Applicable Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; providedhowever, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company in writing with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists solely of the disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” subsections “- Discounts and Commissions; Expenses,” and “Representative’s Warrants,” of the Prospectus (the “Underwriters’ Information”).

 

 
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(iv) Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto (including any prospectus wrapper), as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), at the Closing Date or at any Option Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; providedhowever, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Underwriters’ Information.

 

2.4.2. Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, or (ii) is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder, except for any default or event which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below). To the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations, except for any violation which would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change (as defined below).

 

2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. During the past three (3) years from the date of this Agreement, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and any Preliminary Prospectus.

 

2.4.4. Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed

 

2.5. Changes after Dates in Registration Statement.

 

2.5.1. No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, or assets of the Company or its Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company or its Subsidiaries, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.

 

2.5.2. Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

 
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2.6. Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, [*] (“Auditor”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The Auditor has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

2.7. Financial Statements, etc. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and any supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement (each, a “Subsidiary” and, collectively, the “Subsidiaries”), has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its Common Stock or preferred stock (c) there has not been any change in the capital of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or, other than in the course of business, any grants under any stock compensation plan, and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company’s long-term or short-term debt. The Company represents that it has no direct or indirect subsidiaries other than those listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

2.8. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued Common Stock or any security convertible or exercisable into Common Stock, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.

 

 
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2.9. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.

 

2.9.1. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Common Stock, preferred stock, and any other securities outstanding or to be outstanding upon consummation of the Offering conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.

 

2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Shares and Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Shares and Representative’s Warrants are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Shares and Representative’s Warrants has been duly and validly taken; the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when issued in accordance with such Representative’s Warrants, as the case may be, such Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Shares and the Representative’s Warrants conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.10. Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Securities Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.

 

2.11. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement and the Representative’s Warrants have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

2.12. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws of the Company; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof.

 

2.13. No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or by-laws, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity, except in the cases of clause (ii) for such violations which would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change.

 

 
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2.14. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.

 

2.14.1. Conduct of Business. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except for the absence of which would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency, the Exchange or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and the delivery of the Representative’s Warrants and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable Securities Act Regulations, state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

2.15. D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, all information contained in the questionnaires (the “Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s directors and officers immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal shareholders as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as in the Lock-Up Agreement (as defined in Section 2.24 below), provided to the Underwriters, is true and correct in all material respects and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires to become materially inaccurate and incorrect.

 

2.16. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.17. Good StandingThe Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Nevada as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. 

 

2.18. Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, (including, without limitation, as to directors and officers insurance coverage), with, to the Company’s knowledge, reputable insurers, in the amount of directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to $ [*] and the Company has included each Underwriter as an additional insured party to the directors and officers insurance coverage and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.19. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.

 

2.19.1. Finder’s Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Shares hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its shareholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

 
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2.19.2. Payments within Six (6) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the six (6) months immediately prior to the original filing of the Registration Statement, other than the payment to the Underwriters as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering.

 

2.19.3. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

2.19.4. FINRA Affiliation. To the Company’s knowledge, and except as may otherwise be disclosed in FINRA questionnaires provided to the Representative’s Counsel, there is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company's securities or (iii) beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company in its FINRA questionnaire to Representative’s Counsel specifically for use by Representative’s Counsel in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.

 

2.20. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Change or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

2.21. Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company and its Subsidiaries or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company and its Subsidiaries or any other person acting on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

2.22. Money Laundering LawsThe operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

 
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2.23. Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Representative’s Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.

 

2.24. Lock-Up Agreements. Schedule 3 hereto contains a complete and accurate list of the Company’s officers, directors and each owner of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock (or securities convertible or exercisable into Common Stock) (collectively, the “Lock-Up Parties”). The Company has caused each of the Lock-Up Parties to deliver to the Representative an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

2.25. Subsidiaries. All Subsidiaries of the Company are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the place of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a Material Adverse Change. The Company’s ownership and control of each Subsidiary is as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.26. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required by the Securities Act Regulations.

 

2.27. Board of DirectorsThe Board of Directors of the Company is comprised of the persons set forth under the heading of the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

2.28. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.

 

2.28.1. Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company’s Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.

 

2.28.2. Compliance. The Company is, or at the Applicable Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and has taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company’s future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

2.29. Accounting Controls. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting, and, if applicable, with respect to such remedial actions disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company represents that it has taken all remedial actions set forth in such disclosure. The Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company’s management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’ ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud known to the Company’s management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

 
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2.30. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

2.31. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent.

 

2.32. Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries owns or possesses or has valid rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets and similar rights (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary for the conduct of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the knowledge of the Company, no action or use by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of its business as currently carried on and as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will involve or give rise to any infringement of, or license or similar fees for, any Intellectual Property Rights of others. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice alleging any such infringement, fee or conflict with asserted Intellectual Property Rights of others. Except as would not reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change (A) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any of the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company; (B) there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the rights of the Company in or to any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (C) the Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property Rights licensed to the Company have not been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any such Intellectual Property Rights, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; (D) there is no pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Rights or other proprietary rights of others, the Company has not received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim that would, individually or in the aggregate, together with any other claims in this Section 2.32, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; and (E) to the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company is in or has ever been in violation in any material respect of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company, or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company and could reasonably be expected to result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change. To the Company’s knowledge, all material technical information developed by and belonging to the Company which has not been patented has been kept confidential. The Company is not a party to or bound by any options, licenses or agreements with respect to the Intellectual Property Rights of any other person or entity that are required to be set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and are not described therein. The Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus contain in all material respects the same description of the matters set forth in the preceding sentence. None of the technology employed by the Company has been obtained or is being used by the Company in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its officers, directors or employees, or otherwise in violation of the rights of any persons.

 

 
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2.33. Taxes. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof, except in any case in which the failure so to file would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company or such respective Subsidiary, except for any such taxes that are currently being contested in good faith or as would not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Underwriters, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company or its Subsidiaries, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company or its Subsidiaries. The term “taxes” means all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

2.34. ERISA Compliance. The Company is not subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the regulations and published interpretations thereunder.

 

2.35. Compliance with Laws. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus and as could not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change, each of the Company and each Subsidiary, the Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to the services provided by the Company (“Applicable Laws”), except as could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any warning letter, untitled letter or other correspondence or notice from any other governmental authority alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such material Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any governmental authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such governmental authority or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding that if brought would result in a Material Adverse Change; (E) has not received written notice that any Governmental Authority has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Authority is considering such action; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company’s knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.

 

2.36. Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Securities Act Regulations) of the Shares and at the date hereof, the Company was not and is not an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405, without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an ineligible issuer.

 

 
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2.37. Real Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real or personal property which are material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests, claims and defects that do not, singly or in the aggregate, materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company or its Subsidiaries; and all of the leases and subleases material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, considered as one enterprise, and under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries holds properties described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are in full force and effect, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any written notice of any material claim of any sort that has been asserted by anyone adverse to the rights of the Company or any Subsidiary under any of the leases or subleases mentioned above, or affecting or questioning the rights of the Company or such Subsidiary to the continued possession of the leased or subleased premises under any such lease or sublease, which would result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

2.38. Contracts Affecting Capital. There are no transactions, arrangements or other relationships between and/or among the Company, any of its affiliates (as such term is defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations) and any unconsolidated entity, including, but not limited to, any structured finance, special purpose or limited purpose entity that could reasonably be expected to materially affect the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ liquidity or the availability of or requirements for their capital resources required to be described or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which have not been described or incorporated by reference as required.

 

2.39. Loans to Directors or Officers. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees or indebtedness by the Company or its Subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company, its Subsidiaries or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

2.40. Industry Data; Forward-looking statements. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company’s good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

2.41. Intentionally omitted.

 

2.42. Intentionally omitted.

 

2.43. Electronic Road Show. The Company has made available a Bona Fide Electronic Road Show in compliance with Rule 433(d)(8)(ii) of the Securities Act Regulations such that no filing of any “road show” (as defined in Rule 433(h) of the Securities Act Regulations) is required in connection with the Offering.

 

2.44. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

 

 
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2.45. Dividends and Distributions. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, no Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited or restricted, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company.

 

2.46. Lending Relationships. Except as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package, Registration Statement and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of the Underwriters and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of the Underwriters.

 

3. Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:

 

3.1. Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company shall deliver to the Representative, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative shall reasonably object in writing. 

 

3.2. Federal Securities Laws.

 

3.2.1. Compliance. The Company, subject to Section 3.2.2, shall comply with the requirements of Rule 430A of the Securities Act Regulations, and will notify the Representative promptly, and confirm the notice in writing, (i) when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus shall have been filed; (ii) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act concerning the Registration Statement and (v) if the Company becomes the subject of a proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act in connection with the Offering of the Shares and Representative’s Warrants. The Company shall effect all filings required under Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and shall take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the form of prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424(b) was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such prospectus. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order, prevention or suspension and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

3.2.2. Continued Compliance. The Company shall comply with the Securities Act, the Securities Act Regulations, the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Shares as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172 of the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 172”), would be) required by the Securities Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Shares, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to (i) amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (ii) amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser or (iii) amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, in order to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, the Company will promptly (A) give the Representative notice of such event; (B) prepare any amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such requirements and, a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing or use, furnish the Representative with copies of any such amendment or supplement and (C) file with the Commission any such amendment or supplement; provided that the Company shall not file or use any such amendment or supplement to which the Representative or Representative’s Counsel shall reasonably object. The Company will furnish to the Underwriters such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request. The Company has given the Representative notice of any filings made pursuant to the Exchange Act or the Exchange Act Regulations within 48 hours prior to the Applicable Time. The Company shall give the Representative notice of its intention to make any such filing from the Applicable Time until the later of the Closing Date and the exercise in full or expiration of the Over-allotment Option specified in Section 1.2 hereof and will furnish the Representative with copies of the related document(s) a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representative or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

 
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3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. Until three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act.

 

3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Shares that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus,” or a portion thereof, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433; provided that the Representative shall be deemed to have consented to each Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus set forth in Schedule 2-B. The Company represents that it has treated or agrees that it will treat each such free writing prospectus consented to, or deemed consented to, by the Underwriters as an “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433, and that it has complied and will comply with the applicable requirements of Rule 433 with respect thereto, including timely filing with the Commission where required, legending and record keeping. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company will promptly notify the Underwriters and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission.

 

3.2.5. Testing-the-Waters Communications. If at any time following the distribution of any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company shall promptly notify the Representative and shall promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such untrue statement or omission.

 

3.3. Delivery to the Underwriters of Registration Statements. The Company has delivered or made available or shall deliver or make available to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and upon request will also deliver to the Underwriters, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

3.4. Delivery to the Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company has delivered or made available or will deliver or make available to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus as such Underwriter reasonably requested, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) as such Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

 
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3.5. Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Registration Statement covering the issuance of the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants to remain effective with a current prospectus for at least nine (9) months after the Applicable Time, and shall notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the cessation of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the shares underlying the Representative’s Warrants for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in this Section 3.5 that, in the judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in (a) the Registration Statement in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (b) in the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.

 

3.6. Review of Financial Statements. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent registered public accounting firm to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the three fiscal quarters immediately preceding the announcement of any quarterly financial information.

 

3.7. ListingThe Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the listing of the Shares and the shares of Common Stock underlying the Representative’s Warrant on the Exchange for at least three (3) years from the date of this Agreement.

 

3.8. Intentionally omitted.

 

3.9. Reports to the Representative.

 

3.9.1. Periodic Reports, etc. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall furnish or make available to the Representative copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities and also furnish or make available to the Representative: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission under the Exchange Act and the Exchange Act Regulations; (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs which was released by the Company; (iii) a copy of each Form 8-K prepared and filed by the Company; (iv) a copy of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representative may from time to time reasonably request; provided the Representative shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel in connection with the Representative’s receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representative pursuant to this Section 3.9.1.

 

3.9.2. Transfer Agent; Transfer Sheets. For a period of three (3) years after the date of this Agreement, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and registrar acceptable to the Representative (the “Transfer Agent”) and shall furnish to the Representative at the Company’s sole cost and expense such transfer sheets of the Company’s securities as the Representative may reasonably request, including the daily and monthly consolidated transfer sheets of the Transfer Agent and DTC. [*] is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the Common Stock.

 

3.9.3. Trading Reports. For a period of six (6) months after the date hereof, during such time as the Shares are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by the Exchange relating to price trading of the Shares, as the Representative shall reasonably request.

 

 
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3.10. Payment of Expenses

 

3.10.1. General Expenses Related to the Offering. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Shares to be sold in the Offering (including the Over-allotment Option) with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (d) the costs associated with receiving commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones; (e) fees and expenses of the Representative’s Counsel; and (f) the Underwriters’ “road show” expenses for the Offering, with all of the Underwriters’ actual out-of-pocket expenses under sub-sections 3.10.1(d)-(f) not to exceed $205,000. Any out-of-pocket expenses above $5,000 are to be pre-approved by the Company. The Representative may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, if any, the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Underwriters; providedhowever, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7.3 hereof.

 

3.10.2. Non-accountable Expenses. The Company further agrees that, in addition to the expenses payable pursuant to Section 3.10.1, on the Closing Date it shall pay to the Representative, by deduction from the net proceeds of the Offering contemplated herein, a non-accountable expense allowance equal to one percent (1.0%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Firm Shares.

 

3.11. Application of Net ProceedsThe Company shall apply the net proceeds from the Offering received by it in a manner consistent with the application thereof described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

3.12. Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company shall make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth (15th) full calendar month following the date of this Agreement, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent registered public accounting firm unless required by the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) covering a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months beginning after the date of this Agreement.

 

3.13. StabilizationNeither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders has taken or shall take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under Regulation M of the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Shares.

 

3.14. Internal Controls. Except to the extent disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, the Company shall maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

3.15. Accountants. As of the date of this Agreement, the Company has retained an independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative, and the Company shall continue to retain a nationally recognized independent registered public accounting firm for a period of at least three (3) years after the date of this Agreement. The Representative acknowledges that the Auditor is acceptable to the Representative.

 

 
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3.16. FINRA. For a period of ninety (90) days from the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, the Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is or becomes aware that (i) any officer or director of the Company, (ii) any beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company's securities or (iii) any beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180 days immediately preceding the filing of the original Registration Statement is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

3.17. No Fiduciary Duties. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters’ responsibility to the Company is solely contractual in nature and that none of the Underwriters or their affiliates or any selling agent shall be deemed to be acting in a fiduciary capacity, or otherwise owes any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its affiliates in connection with the Offering and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

3.18. Company Lock-Up. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, it will not, for a period of twelve months (12) months after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant or modify the terms of any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company or modify the terms of any existing securities, in each case, whether in conjunction with another broker-dealer or on the Company’s own volition; (ii) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company (other than pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8 for employee benefit plans); or (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of capital stock of the Company, whether any such transaction described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above is to be settled by delivery of shares of capital stock of the Company or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The restrictions contained in this section shall not apply to (i) the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants and shares underlying the Representative’s Warrants to be sold hereunder; and (ii) the issuance by the Company of Common Stock upon the exercise of an outstanding option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof or disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Disclosure Package.

 

3.19. Release of D&O Lock-up Period. If the Representative, in its sole discretion, agrees to release or waive the restrictions set forth in the Lock-Up Agreements described in Section 2.24 hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provides the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three (3) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two (2) Business Days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

3.20. Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, if necessary, to qualify the Shares for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representative may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required to complete the distribution of the Shares; providedhowever, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject.

 

3.21. Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when a prospectus relating to the Shares is (or, but for the exception afforded by Rule 172, would be) required to be delivered under the Securities Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act within the time periods required by the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations. Additionally, the Company shall report the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Shares as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.

 

 
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4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares, as provided herein, shall be subject to (i) the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any; (ii) the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof; (iii) the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder; and (iv) the following conditions:

 

4.1. Regulatory Matters.

 

4.1.1. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 430A Information. The Registration Statement has become effective not later than 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by you, and, at each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. The Prospectus containing the Rule 430A Information shall have been filed with the Commission in the manner and within the time frame required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)) or a post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed with, and declared effective by, the Commission in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A.

 

4.1.2. FINRA Clearance. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Representative shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.

 

4.1.3. Exchange Share Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Firm Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance. On the first Option Closing Date (if any), the Option Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Exchange, subject only to official notice of issuance.

 

4.2. Company Counsel Matters.

 

4.2.1. Closing Date Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurances statement of Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC, counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in customary form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Representative’s Counsel addressed to the Representative and stating that such opinions may be relied upon by Representative’s Counsel.

 

4.2.2 Closing Date Opinion of [*] Counsel for the Company. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurances statement of [*], [*] counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date, in customary form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Representative’s Counsel addressed to the Representative and stating that such opinions may be relied upon by Representative’s Counsel.

 

4.2.3. Option Closing Date Opinion of Counsel for the Company. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurances statement of Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC, counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in customary form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in their opinions delivered on the Closing Date.

 

4.2.4. Option Closing Date Opinion of [*] Counsel for the Company. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurances statement of [*], [*] counsel for the Company, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in customary form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsel in their opinions delivered on the Closing Date

 

4.2.5. Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsel may rely: (i) as to matters involving the application of laws other than the laws of the United States and jurisdictions in which they are admitted, to the extent such counsel deems proper and to the extent specified in such opinion, if at all, upon an opinion or opinions (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative) of other counsel reasonably acceptable to the Representative, familiar with the applicable laws; and (ii) as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to Representative’s Counsel if requested.

 

 
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4.3. Comfort Letters.

 

4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed you shall have received a cold comfort letter containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ comfort letters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to you and to the Auditor, dated as of the date of this Agreement.

 

4.3.2. Bring-down Comfort Letter. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received from the Auditor a letter, dated as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable, to the effect that the Auditor reaffirms the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to Section 4.3.1, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as applicable.

 

4.4. Officers’ Certificates.

 

4.4.1. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Representative a certificate, dated the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date (if such date is other than the Closing Date), of its Chief Executive Officer, its President and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date) did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Pricing Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the effective date of the Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to the best of their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct in all material respects (except for those representations and warranties qualified as to materiality, which shall be true and correct in all respects and except for those representations and warranties which refer to facts existing at a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such date) and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date (or any Option Closing Date if such date is other than the Closing Date), and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package, a Material Adverse Change.

 

4.4.2. Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying: (i) that each of the Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors (and any pricing committee thereof) relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission; and (iv) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

 
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4.5. No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and each Option Closing Date, if any: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Change, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. 

 

4.6. Delivery of Agreements.

 

4.6.1. Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the persons listed in Schedule 3 hereto.

 

4.7. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Representative’s Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative’s Counsel to deliver an opinion to the Underwriters, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares and the Representative’s Warrants as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative’s Counsel.

 

5. Indemnification.

 

5.1. Indemnification of the Underwriters.

 

5.1.1. General. Subject to the conditions set forth below, the Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and each of its and their respective directors, officers, members, employees, representatives, partners, shareholders, affiliates, counsel, and agents and each person, if any, who controls any such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act (collectively the “Underwriter Indemnified Parties,” and each an “Underwriter Indemnified Party”), from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) to which they or any of them may become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other statute or at common law or otherwise or under the laws of foreign countries (a “Claim”), arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in (A) the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or in any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (B) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (C) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 5, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Shares and Representative’s Warrants under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; unless, with respect to each subsection (A) through (C), such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. With respect to any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus, the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 5.1.1 shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter Indemnified Party to the extent that any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense of such Underwriter Indemnified Party results from the fact that a copy of the Prospectus was not given or sent to the person asserting any such loss, liability, claim or damage at or prior to the written confirmation of sale of the Shares to such person as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and if the untrue statement or omission has been corrected in the Prospectus, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus was a result of non-compliance by the Company with its obligations under Section 3.3 hereof. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all reasonable fees and expenses (including but not limited to any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever, whether arising out of any action between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and the Company or between any of the Underwriter Indemnified Parties and any third party, or otherwise) (collectively, the “Expenses”), and further agrees wherever and whenever possible to advance payment of Expenses as they are incurred by an Underwriter Indemnified Party in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any Claim.

 

 
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5.1.2. Procedure. If any action is brought against an Underwriter Indemnified Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to Section 5.1.1, such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such action and the Company shall assume the defense of such action, including the employment and fees of counsel (subject to the approval of such Underwriter Indemnified Party (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld)) and payment of actual expenses if an Underwriter Indemnified Party requests that the Company do so. Such Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company and shall be advanced by the Company; providedhowever, that the Company shall not be obligated to bear the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one firm of attorneys selected by the Underwriter Indemnified Party (in addition to local counsel). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, and provided that the Company has timely honored its obligations under Section 5, the Underwriter Indemnified Party shall not enter into any settlement without the prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) of the terms of any settlement by the Company. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Underwriter Indemnified Party is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Underwriter Indemnified Party, acceptable to such Underwriter Indemnified Party, from all liabilities, expenses and claims arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Underwriter Indemnified Party.

 

5.2. Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the foregoing indemnity from the Company to the several Underwriters, as incurred, but only with respect to such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (or actions in respect thereof) which arise out of or are based upon untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or in any application, in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto or any application, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter, such Underwriter shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the several Underwriters by the provisions of Section 5.1.2. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Representative of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Shares or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication.

 

 
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5.3. ContributionIf the indemnification provided for in this Section 5 shall for any reason be unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under Section 5.1 or 5.2 in respect of any liabilities and Expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such liabilities and Expenses, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and each of the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the Offering, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, with respect to such Offering shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds actually received by the Company from the Offering of the Shares purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions actually received by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company, on the one hand, or the Underwriters, on the other, and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement, omission, act or failure to act; provided that the parties hereto agree that the written information furnished to the Company through the Representative by or on behalf of any Underwriter for use in any Preliminary Prospectus, any Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any amendment or supplement thereto, consists solely of the Underwriters’ Information. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

5.4. Limitation. The Company also agrees that no Underwriter Indemnified Party shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Underwriter Indemnified Party pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted from such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s fraud, bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services or such Underwriter Indemnified Party’s breach of this Agreement or any obligations of confidentiality owed to the Company.

 

5.5. Survival & Third-Party Beneficiaries. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Underwriter Indemnified Party’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Underwriter Indemnified Party’s is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 5, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 5 as if he/she/it was a party to this Agreement. 

 

6. Right of First Refusal. During the period ending two years after the Closing Date, if and only if the closing of the purchase of the Firm Shares hereunder actually occurs, the Company grants the Representative the right of first refusal to act as financial advisor, or as lead managing underwriter, book runner, placement agent, or to act as joint advisor, underwriter, or placement agent, on at least equal economic terms on any public or private financing (debt or equity), merger, business combination, recapitalization or sale of some or all of the equity or assets of the Company (collectively, “Future Services”). In the event the Company notifies Representative of its intention to pursue an activity that would enable Representative to exercise its right of first refusal to provide Future Services, Representative shall notify the Company of its election to provide such Future Services, including notification of the compensation and other terms to which Representative shall be entitled, within thirty (30) days of written notice by the Company. In the event the Company engages Representative to provide such Future Services, Representative will be compensated consistent with the compensation in this Agreement, unless mutually agreed otherwise by the Company and Representative.

 

 
23

 

 

7. Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof.

 

7.1. Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective when both the Company and the Representative have executed the same and delivered counterparts of such signatures to the other party.

 

7.2. TerminationThe Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Share Exchange or the Nasdaq Share Market LLC shall have been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction; or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in major hostilities; or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or federal authority; or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities markets; or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in your opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Firm Shares or Option Shares; or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder; or (viii) if the Representative shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a Material Adverse Change, or such adverse material change in general market conditions as in the Representative’s judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Shares or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Shares.

 

7.3. ExpensesNotwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Underwriters their actual and accountable out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein then due and payable up to the amounts set forth in Section 3.10.1 and upon demand the Company shall pay such amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; providedhowever, that such expense cap in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any advance received by the Representative will be reimbursed to the Company to the extent not actually incurred in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(4)(A).

 

7.4. Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be in any way affected by, such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.

 

7.5. Representations, Warranties, Agreements to Survive. All representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company submitted pursuant hereto, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or its Affiliates or selling agents, any person controlling any Underwriter, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company or (ii) delivery of and payment for the Shares.

 

8. Miscellaneous.

 

8.1. NoticesAll communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed (registered or certified mail, return receipt requested), personally delivered or sent by facsimile transmission and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or faxed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.

 

If to the Representative:

 

Boustead Securities, LLC 

6 Venture, Suite 265 

Irvine, CA 92618 

Attn: Keith Moore

Fax No: [*]

 

 
24

 

 

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

Bevilacqua PLLC

1050 Connecticut Ave, NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036

Attention: Louis A. Bevilacqua

Fax No: [*]

 

If to the Company:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, California 92154 

Attention: Sandro Piancone

Fax No: (619) 779-0715

 

With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

 

BRUNSON CHANDLER & JONES, PLLC

175 S. Main Street, Suite 1410

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Attention: Lance Brunson, Esq.

Attention: Callie Tempest Jones, Esq.

Fax No: [*]

 

8.2. Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.

 

8.3. Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

8.4. Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, it is understood and agreed by the parties hereto that all other terms and conditions of the that certain engagement letter between the Company and the Representative, dated August 11, 2021, as such engagement letter may be amended from time to time, shall remain in full force and effect. 

 

8.5. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representative, the Underwriters, the Company and the controlling persons, directors and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives, heirs and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from any of the Underwriters.

 

 
25

 

 

8.6. Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the New York Supreme Court, County of New York, or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company agrees that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its Shareholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

8.7. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.

 

8.8. Waiver, etc. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way effect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
26

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Underwriters and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

 

 

 

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Confirmed as of the date first written above mentioned, on behalf of itself and as Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 hereto:

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: Keith Moore

 

 

 

 

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 
27

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

 

Underwriter

 

Total

Number

of

Firm

Shares

to be

Purchased

 

 

Number of

Additional

Option Shares

to be

Purchased if the

Over-

Allotment

Option is

Fully Exercised

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOTAL

 

 

[*]

 

 

 

[*]

 

 

SCHEDULE 2-A

 

Pricing Information

 

Number of Firm Shares: [*]

 

Number of Option Shares: [*]

 

Public Offering Price per Firm Share: [*]

 

Public Offering Price per Option Share: [*]

 

Underwriting Discount per Firm Share: [*]

 

Underwriting Discount per Option Share: [*]

 

Non-Accountable Expense Allowance per Firm Share: [*]

 

Non-Accountable Expense Allowance per Option Share: [*]

 

SCHEDULE 2-B

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses

 

SCHEDULE 2-C

 

Written Testing-the-Waters Communications

 

SCHEDULE 3

 

List of Lock-Up Parties

 

 
28

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Representative’s Warrant

 

 

 

 

 

29

 

 

 

THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER OR ASSIGN THIS PURCHASE WARRANT EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS PURCHASE WARRANT AGREES THAT IT WILL NOT SELL, TRANSFER, ASSIGN, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATE THIS PURCHASE WARRANT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY DAYS FOLLOWING [●], 20[●] (THE “EFFECTIVE DATE”) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING FOR WHICH THIS PURCHASE WARRANT WAS ISSUED TO THE UNDERWRITER AS CONSIDERATION (THE “OFFERING”), OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF BOUSTEAD SECURITIES, LLC.

 

THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [●], 2022. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [●], 202_.

 

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

For the Purchase of [●] Shares of Common Stock

 

of

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

1. Purchase Warrant. THIS CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of funds duly paid by or on behalf of Boustead Securities, LLC (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Purchase Warrant, to Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time beginning [●], 202_ (the “Commencement Date”), and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, [●], 202_1 (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, up to [●] shares of common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), subject to adjustment as provided in Section 6 hereof. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this Purchase Warrant may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate this Purchase Warrant. This Purchase Warrant is initially exercisable at $[●] per Share2; provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 6 hereof, the rights granted by this Purchase Warrant, including the exercise price per Share and the number of Shares to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context.

 

2. Exercise.

 

2.1 Exercise Form. In order to exercise this Purchase Warrant, the exercise form attached hereto must be duly executed and completed and delivered to the Company, together with this Purchase Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price for the Shares being purchased payable in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company or by certified check or official bank check. If the subscription rights represented hereby shall not be exercised at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the Expiration Date, this Purchase Warrant shall become and be void without further force or effect, and all rights represented hereby shall cease and expire. Each exercise hereof shall be irrevocable.

 

1 [To be five years from the effective date of the Form S-1 for the offering.]

2 [To be 150% of the public offering price per Share]

 

 
30

 

 

2.2 Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Purchase Warrant by payment of cash or check payable to the order of the Company pursuant to Section 2.1 above, Holder may elect to receive the number of Shares equal to the value of this Purchase Warrant (or the portion thereof being exercised), by surrender of this Purchase Warrant to the Company, together with the exercise form attached hereto, in which event the Company will issue to Holder Shares in accordance with the following formula:

 

x

=

Y(A-B)

A

Where,

x

=

The number of Shares to be issued to Holder;

Y

=

The number of Shares for which the Purchase Warrant is being

exercised;

A

=

The fair market value of one Share; and

B

=

The Exercise Price.

  

For purposes of this Section 2.2, the fair market value means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the common stock is then listed or quoted on a Eligible Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on such Eligible Market on which the common stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not an Eligible Market, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the OTCQB or OTCQX on which the common stock is then quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, as applicable, (c) if the common stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the common stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the “OTC Markets Group”, the value shall be deemed to be the highest intra-day or closing price on any trading day on the Pink Sheets on which the common stock is then quoted as reported by OTC Markets Group (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)) during the five trading days preceding the exercise, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of common stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

2.3 Legend. Each certificate for the securities purchased under this Purchase Warrant shall bear a legend as follows unless such securities have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”):

 

“The securities represented by this certificate have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), or applicable state law. Neither the securities nor any interest therein may be offered for sale, sold or otherwise transferred except pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Act, or pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state law which, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, is available.”

 

 
31

 

 

2.4 Resale of Shares. Holder and the Company acknowledge that as of the date hereof the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC has published Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 in the Securities Act Rules section thereof, stating that the holder of securities issued in connection with a public offering may not rely upon Rule 144 promulgated under the Act to establish an exemption from registration requirements under Section 4(a)(1) under the Act, but may nonetheless apply Rule 144 constructively for the resale of such shares in the following manner: (a) provided that six months has elapsed since the last sale under the registration statement, an underwriter or finder may resell the securities in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144(c), (e), and (f), except for the notice requirement; (b) a purchaser of the shares from an underwriter receives restricted securities unless the sale is made with an appropriate, current prospectus, or unless the sale is made pursuant to the conditions contained in (a) above; (c) a purchaser of the shares from an underwriter who receives restricted securities may include the underwriter’s holding period, provided that the underwriter or finder is not an affiliate of the issuer; and (d) if an underwriter transfers the shares to its employees, the employees may tack the firm’s holding period for purposes of Rule 144(d), but they must aggregate sales of the distributed shares with those of other employees, as well as those of the underwriter or finder, for a six-month period from the date of the transfer to the employees. Holder and the Company also acknowledge that the Staff of the Division of Corporation Finance of the SEC has advised in various no-action letters that the holding period associated with securities issued without registration to a service provider commences upon the completion of the services, which the Company agrees and acknowledges shall be the final closing of the Offering, and that Rule 144(d)(3)(ii) provides that securities acquired from the issuer solely in exchange for other securities of the same issuer shall be deemed to have been acquired at the same time as the securities surrendered for conversion (which the Company agrees is the date of the initial issuance of this Purchase Warrant). In the event that following a reasonably-timed written request by Holder to transfer the Shares in accordance with Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 counsel for the Company in good faith concludes that Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04 no longer may be relied upon as a result of changes in applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance, or as a result of judicial interpretations not known by the Company or its counsel on the date hereof, then the Company shall promptly, and in any event within five (5) business days following the request, provide written notice to Holder of such determination. As a condition to giving such notice, the parties shall negotiate in good faith a single demand registration right pursuant to an agreement in customary form reasonably acceptable to the parties; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 2 shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date. In the absence of such conclusion by counsel for the Company, the Company shall, upon such a request of Holder given no earlier than six months after the final closing of the Offering, instruct its transfer agent to permit the transfer of such shares in accordance with Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04, provided that Holder has provided such documentation as shall be reasonably be requested by the Company to establish compliance with the conditions of Compliance & Disclosure Interpretation 528.04. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(B)-(D), the Holder shall not be entitled to more than one demand registration right hereunder and the duration of the registration rights hereunder shall not exceed five years from the Effective Date.

 

3. Transfer.

 

3.1 General Restrictions. The registered Holder of this Purchase Warrant agrees by his, her or its acceptance hereof, that such Holder will not for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days following the Effective Date: (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate this Purchase Warrant to anyone other than: (i) Boustead Securities LLC (“Boustead”) or an underwriter, placement agent, or a selected dealer participating in the Offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of Boustead or of any such underwriter, placement agent or selected dealer, in each case in accordance with FINRA Conduct Rule 5110(e)(1), or (b) cause this Purchase Warrant or the securities issuable hereunder to be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of this Purchase Warrant or the securities hereunder, except as provided for in FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2). After 180 days after the Effective Date, transfers to others may be made subject to compliance with or exemptions from applicable securities laws. In order to make any permitted assignment, the Holder must deliver to the Company the assignment form attached hereto duly executed and completed, together with the Purchase Warrant and payment of all transfer taxes, if any, payable in connection therewith. The Company shall within five (5) Business Days transfer this Purchase Warrant on the books of the Company and shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant or Purchase Warrants of like tenor to the appropriate assignee(s) expressly evidencing the right to purchase the aggregate number of Shares purchasable hereunder or such portion of such number as shall be contemplated by any such assignment.

 

3.2 Restrictions Imposed by the Act. The securities evidenced by this Purchase Warrant shall not be transferred unless and until: (i) if required by applicable law, the Company has received the opinion of counsel for the Company that the securities may be transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Act and applicable state securities laws, or (ii) a registration statement or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement relating to the offer and sale of such securities has been filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the ”Commission”) and compliance with applicable state securities law has been established.

 

 
32

 

 

4. Piggyback Registration Rights.

 

4.1 Grant of Right. Whenever the Company proposes to register any shares of its common stock under the Act (other than (i) a registration effected solely to implement an employee benefit plan or a transaction to which Rule 145 of the Act is applicable, or (ii) a registration statement on Form S-4, S-8 or any successor form thereto or another form not available for registering the Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant for sale to the public, whether for its own account or for the account of one or more stockholders of the Company (a “Piggyback Registration”), the Company shall give prompt written notice (in any event no later than ten (10) Business Days prior to the filing of such registration statement) to the Holder of the Company’s intention to effect such a registration and, subject to the remaining provisions of this Section 4.1, shall include in such registration such number of Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant (the “Registrable Securities”) that the Holders have (within ten (10) Business Days of the respective Holder’s receipt of such notice) requested in writing (including such number) to be included within such registration. If a Piggyback Registration is an underwritten offering and the managing underwriter advises the Company that it has determined in good faith that marketing factors require a limit on the number of shares of common stock to be included in such registration, including all Shares issuable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant (if the Holder has elected to include such shares in such Piggyback Registration) and all other shares of common stock proposed to be included in such underwritten offering, , the Company shall include in such registration (i) first, the number of shares of common stock that the Company proposes to sell and (ii) second, the number of shares of common stock, if any, requested to be included therein by selling stockholders (including the Holder) allocated pro rata among all such persons on the basis of the number of shares of common stock then owned by each such person. If any Piggyback Registration is initiated as a primary underwritten offering on behalf of the Company, the Company shall select the investment banking firm or firms to act as the managing underwriter or underwriters in connection with such offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the obligations of the Company pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date and (ii) the date that Rule 144 would allow the Holder to sell its Registrable Securities during any ninety (90) day period.

 

4.2 Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify the Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to any registration statement hereunder and each person, if any, who controls such Holders within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 (a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from such registration statement but only to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions pursuant to which the Company has agreed to indemnify Boustead contained in the Underwriting Agreement between Boustead and the Company, dated as of [●], 202_. The Holder(s) of the Registrable Securities to be sold pursuant to such registration statement, and their successors and assigns, shall severally, and not jointly, indemnify the Company, against all loss, claim, damage, expense or liability (including all reasonable attorneys’ fees and other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any claim whatsoever) to which they may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, arising from information furnished by or on behalf of such Holders, or their successors or assigns, in writing, for specific inclusion in such registration statement to the same extent and with the same effect as the provisions contained in the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which Boustead has agreed to indemnify the Company.

 

4.3 Exercise of Purchase Warrants. Nothing contained in this Purchase Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Purchase Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.

 

4.4 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below, copies of all correspondence between the Commission and the Company, its counsel or auditors and all memoranda relating to discussions with the Commission or its staff with respect to the registration statement and permit each Holder and underwriter to do such investigation, upon reasonable advance notice, with respect to information contained in or omitted from the registration statement as it deems reasonably necessary to comply with applicable securities laws or rules of FINRA. Such investigation shall include access to books, records and properties and opportunities to discuss the business of the Company with its officers and independent auditors, all to such reasonable extent and at such reasonable times, during normal business hours, as any such Holder shall reasonably request.

 

4.5 Underwriting Agreement. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to a Piggyback Registration. Such Holders shall not be required to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters except as they may relate to such Holders, their Shares and the amount and nature of their ownership thereof and their intended methods of distribution.

 

 
33

 

 

4.6 Documents to be Delivered by Holder(s). Each of the Holder(s) participating in any of the foregoing offerings shall furnish to the Company a completed and executed questionnaire provided by the Company requesting information customarily sought of selling security holders.

 

4.7 Damages. Should the Company fail to comply with such provisions, the Holder(s) shall, in addition to any other legal or other relief available to the Holder(s), be entitled to obtain specific performance or other equitable (including injunctive) relief against the threatened breach of such provisions or the continuation of any such breach, without the necessity of proving actual damages and without the necessity of posting bond or other security.

 

5. New Purchase Warrants to be Issued.

 

5.1 Partial Exercise or Transfer. Subject to the restrictions in Section 3 hereof, this Purchase Warrant may be exercised or assigned in whole or in part. In the event of the exercise or assignment hereof in part only, upon surrender of this Purchase Warrant for cancellation, together with the duly executed exercise or assignment form and funds sufficient to pay any Exercise Price and/or transfer tax if exercised pursuant to Section 2.1 hereto, the Company shall cause to be delivered to the Holder without charge a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor to this Purchase Warrant in the name of the Holder evidencing the right of the Holder to purchase the number of Shares purchasable hereunder as to which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised or assigned.

 

5.2 Lost Certificate. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Purchase Warrant and of reasonably satisfactory indemnification or the posting of a bond, determined in the sole discretion of the Company, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Purchase Warrant of like tenor and date. Any such new Purchase Warrant executed and delivered as a result of such loss, theft, mutilation or destruction shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation on the part of the Company.

 

6. Adjustments.

 

6.1 Adjustments to Exercise Price and Number of Securities. The Exercise Price and the number of Shares underlying the Purchase Warrant shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as hereinafter set forth:

 

6.1.1 Share Dividends; Split Ups. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is increased by a stock dividend payable in Shares or by a split up of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective day thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be increased in proportion to such increase in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately decreased.

 

6.1.2 Aggregation of Shares. If, after the date hereof, and subject to the provisions of Section 6.3 below, the number of outstanding Shares is decreased by a consolidation, combination or reclassification of Shares or other similar event, then, on the effective date thereof, the number of Shares purchasable hereunder shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in outstanding Shares, and the Exercise Price shall be proportionately increased.

 

6.1.3 Replacement of Securities upon Reorganization, etc. In case of any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares other than a change covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2 hereof or that solely affects the par value of such Shares, or in the case of any share reconstruction or amalgamation or consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger in which the Company is the continuing corporation and that does not result in any reclassification or reorganization of the outstanding Shares), or in the case of any sale or conveyance to another corporation or entity of the property of the Company as an entirety or substantially as an entirety in connection with which the Company is dissolved, the Holder of this Purchase Warrant shall have the right thereafter (until the expiration of the right of exercise of this Purchase Warrant) to receive upon the exercise hereof, for the same aggregate Exercise Price payable hereunder immediately prior to such event, the kind and amount of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) receivable upon such reclassification, reorganization, share reconstruction or amalgamation, or consolidation, or upon a dissolution following any such sale or transfer, by a Holder of the number of Shares of the Company obtainable upon exercise of this Purchase Warrant immediately prior to such event; and if any reclassification also results in a change in Shares covered by Section 6.1.1 or 6.1.2, then such adjustment shall be made pursuant to Sections 6.1.1, 6.1.2 and this Section 6.1.3. The provisions of this Section 6.1.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, reorganizations, share reconstructions or amalgamations, or consolidations, sales or other transfers.

 

 
34

 

 

6.1.4 Changes in Form of Purchase Warrant. This form of Purchase Warrant need not be changed because of any change pursuant to this Section 6.1, and Purchase Warrants issued after such change may state the same Exercise Price and the same number of Shares as are stated in the Purchase Warrants initially issued pursuant to this Agreement. The acceptance by any Holder of the issuance of new Purchase Warrants reflecting a required or permissive change shall not be deemed to waive any rights to an adjustment occurring after the Commencement Date or the computation thereof.

 

6.2 Substitute Purchase Warrant. In case of any consolidation of the Company with, or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger of the Company with or into, another corporation (other than a consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger which does not result in any reclassification or change of the outstanding Shares), the corporation formed by such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation shall execute and deliver to the Holder a supplemental Purchase Warrant providing that the holder of each Purchase Warrant then outstanding or to be outstanding shall have the right thereafter (until the stated expiration of such Purchase Warrant) to receive, upon exercise of such Purchase Warrant, the kind and amount of shares of stock and other securities and property receivable upon such consolidation or share reconstruction or amalgamation, by a holder of the number of Shares of the Company for which such Purchase Warrant might have been exercised immediately prior to such consolidation, share reconstruction or amalgamation or merger, sale or transfer. Such supplemental Purchase Warrant shall provide for adjustments which shall be identical to the adjustments provided for in this Section 6. The above provision of this Section shall similarly apply to successive consolidations or share reconstructions or amalgamations or mergers.

 

6.3 Elimination of Fractional Interests. The Company shall not be required to issue certificates representing fractions of Shares upon the exercise of the Purchase Warrant, nor shall it be required to issue scrip or pay cash in lieu of any fractional interests, it being the intent of the parties that all fractional interests shall be eliminated by rounding any fraction up or down, as the case may be, to the nearest whole number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights.

 

7. Reservation. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized Shares, solely for the purpose of issuance upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants, such number of Shares or other securities, properties or rights as shall be issuable upon the exercise thereof. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon exercise of the Purchase Warrants and payment of the Exercise Price therefor, in accordance with the terms hereby, all Shares and other securities issuable upon such exercise shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to preemptive rights of any shareholder.

 

8. Certain Notice Requirements.

 

8.1 Holder’s Right to Receive Notice. Nothing herein shall be construed as conferring upon the Holders the right to vote or consent or to receive notice as a shareholder for the election of directors or any other matter, or as having any rights whatsoever as a shareholder of the Company. If, however, at any time prior to the expiration of the Purchase Warrants and their exercise, any of the events described in Section 8.2 shall occur, then, in one or more of said events, the Company shall deliver to each Holder a copy of each notice relating to such events given to the other shareholders of the Company at the same time and in the same manner that such notice is given to the shareholders.

 

8.2 Events Requiring Notice. The Company shall be required to give the notice described in this Section 8 upon one or more of the following events: (i) if the Company shall take a record of the holders of its Shares for the purpose of entitling them to receive a dividend or distribution payable otherwise than in cash, or a cash dividend or distribution payable otherwise than out of retained earnings, as indicated by the accounting treatment of such dividend or distribution on the books of the Company, or (ii) the Company shall offer to all the holders of its Shares any additional shares of capital stock of the Company or securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, or any option, right or warrant to subscribe therefor.

 

 
35

 

 

8.3 Notice of Change in Exercise Price. The Company shall, promptly after an event requiring a change in the Exercise Price pursuant to Section 6 hereof, send notice to the Holders of such event and change (“Price Notice”). The Price Notice shall describe the event causing the change and the method of calculating same.

 

8.4 Transmittal of Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this Purchase Warrant shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly made when hand delivered, or mailed by express mail or private courier service: (i) if to the registered Holder of the Purchase Warrant, to the address of such Holder as shown on the books of the Company, or (ii) if to the Company, to following address or to such other address as the Company may designate by notice to the Holders:

 

If to the Holder:

 

Boustead Securities, LLC

6 Venture, Suite 395

Irvine, CA 92618

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

Bevilacqua PLLC

1050 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 500

Washington, DC 20036

Attn: Louis Bevilacqua, Esq.

Fax No.: (202) 869-0889

 

If to the Company:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, California 92154

Attention: Sandro Piancone

Fax No: (619) 779-0715

 

with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:

BRUNSON CHANDLER & JONES, PLLC

175 S. Main Street, Suite 1410

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Attention: Lance Brunson, Esq.

Attention: Callie Tempest Jones, Esq.

 

9. Miscellaneous.

 

9.1 Amendments. The Company and Boustead may from time to time supplement or amend this Purchase Warrant without the approval of any of the Holders in order to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision contained herein that may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein, or to make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder that the Company and Boustead may deem necessary or desirable and that the Company and Boustead deem shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent of and be signed by (i) the Company and (ii) the Holder(s) of Purchase Warrants then-exercisable for at least a majority of the Shares then-exercisable pursuant to all then-outstanding Purchase Warrants.

 

9.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Purchase Warrant.

 

 
36

 

 

9.3. Entire Agreement. This Purchase Warrant (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Purchase Warrant) constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

9.4 Binding Effect. This Purchase Warrant shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon, the Holder and the Company and their permitted assignees, respective successors, legal representative and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Purchase Warrant or any provisions herein contained.

 

9.5 Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Trial by Jury. This Purchase Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles thereof. The Company hereby agrees that any action, proceeding or claim against it arising out of, or relating in any way to this Purchase Warrant shall be brought and enforced in the courts located in New York, New York, or in the United States District Court located in New York, New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company hereby waives any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Any process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 8 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim. The Company and the Holder agree that the prevailing party(ies) in any such action shall be entitled to recover from the other party(ies) all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to such action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and the Holder hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

9.6 Waiver, etc. The failure of the Company or the Holder to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Purchase Warrant or any provision hereof or the right of the Company or any Holder to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Purchase Warrant. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Purchase Warrant shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.

 

9.7 Exchange Agreement. As a condition of the Holder’s receipt and acceptance of this Purchase Warrant, Holder agrees that, at any time prior to the complete exercise of this Purchase Warrant by Holder, if the Company and Boustead enter into an agreement (“Exchange Agreement”) pursuant to which they agree that all outstanding Purchase Warrants will be exchanged for securities or cash or a combination of both, then Holder shall agree to such exchange and become a party to the Exchange Agreement.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
37

 

  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Purchase Warrant to be signed by its duly authorized officer as of the [●] day of [●], 202_.

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.
     
By:

Name:

 
Title:  

 

 
38

 

 

[Form to be used to exercise Purchase Warrant]

 

Date: __________, 20___

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to exercise the Purchase Warrant for ______ shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Shares”), of Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and hereby makes payment of $____ (at the rate of $____ per Share) in payment of the Exercise Price pursuant thereto. Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been exercised.

 

or

 

The undersigned hereby elects irrevocably to convert its right to purchase ___ Shares of the Company under the Purchase Warrant for ______ Shares, as determined in accordance with the following formula:

 

x

=

Y(A-B)

A

Where,

x

=

The number of Shares to be issued to Holder;

Y

=

The number of Shares for which the Purchase Warrant is being exercised;

A

=

The fair market value of one Share which is equal to $_____; and

B

=

The Exercise Price which is equal to $______ per share

The undersigned agrees and acknowledges that the calculation set forth above is subject to confirmation by the Company and any disagreement with respect to the calculation shall be resolved by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

Please issue the Shares as to which this Purchase Warrant is exercised in accordance with the instructions given below and, if applicable, a new Purchase Warrant representing the number of Shares for which this Purchase Warrant has not been converted.

 

Signature _____________________________________________

 

Signature Guaranteed ____________________________________

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REGISTRATION OF SECURITIES

 

Name:

 

 

 

(Print in Block Letters)

 

 

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Purchase Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.

 

 
39

 

 

[Form to be used to assign Purchase Warrant]

ASSIGNMENT

 

(To be executed by the registered Holder to effect a transfer of the within Purchase Warrant):

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, __________________ does hereby sell, assign and transfer unto the right to purchase shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), evidenced by the Purchase Warrant and does hereby authorize the Company to transfer such right on the books of the Company.

 

Dated: __________, 20__

 

Signature ____________________________________________

 

Signature Guaranteed ___________________________________

 

NOTICE: The signature to this form must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Purchase Warrant without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever, and must be guaranteed by a bank, other than a savings bank, or by a trust company or by a firm having membership on a registered national securities exchange.

 

 
40

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

EXHIBIT C

 

Form of Press Release

 

 
41

 

EXHIBIT 3.1

 

State Seal

 

Barbara K. Cegavske

Secretary of State

204 North Carson Street, Suite 4

Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201

(775) 684-5708

Website: www.nvsos.gov

 

Articles of Incorporation

(PURSUANT TO NRS CHAPTER 78)

 

USE BLACK INK ONLY- DO NOT HIGHLIGHT

ABOVE SPACE IS FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

 

1. Name of

Corporation:

THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

  

2. Registered

Agent for Service

of Process: (check

only one box)

 

 

 

 

 

Commercial Registered Agent: JAMES K BURAU

 

Name

 

Noncommercial Registered Agent

 

OR 

 

 Office or Position with Entity

(name and address  below)  

 

 

 

(name and address below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Noncommercial Registered Agent   

 

OR

 

Name of Title of Office or Other Position with Entity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevada

 

 

Street Address

 

City

 

Zip Code

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nevada

 

 

Mailing Address (if different from street address)

 

City

 

Zip Code

 

3. Authorized

Stock: (number of

shares corporation is

authorized to issue)

Number of shares with par value:     

  __________

Par value per share:

$ _______

Number of shares without par value:

      75,000      

 

4. Names and Addresses of the

Board of Directors/Trustees:

(each Director/Trustee

must be a natural person

at least 18 years of age;

attach additional page if more

than two directors/trustees)

1) SANDRO PIANCONE

       Name

 

916 SOUTHWOOD BLVD STE 1A                   INCLINE VILLAGE               NV                 89451

Street Address                                                                      City                               State            Zip Code

 

 

2)  _______________________________________________________________________

       Name

_________________________________   ___________________   _______   ____________

Street Address                                                              City                      State          Zip Code

 

5. Purpose: (optional;

required only if Benefit

Corporation status

selected)

The purpose of the corporation shall be:

 

ANY LEGAL PURPOSE

6. Benefit Corporation:

(see instructions)

☐ Yes

 

7. Name, Address

and Signature of

Incorporator: (attach

additional page if more

than one incorporator)

I declare, to the best of my knowledge under penalty of perjury, that the Information contained herein Is correct and acknowledge

that pursuant to NRS 239.330, it is a category C felony to knowingly offer any false or forged instrument for filing in the Office of

the Secretary of State.

 

 

JAMES K BURAU                                                                X   JAMES K BURAU

Name                                                                                      Incorporator Signature

916 SOUTHWOOD BLVD STE 1A      INCLINE VILLAGE          NV             89451

Street Address                                                         City                         State          Zip Code

 

8. Certificate of

Acceptance of

Appointment of

Registered Agent:

I hereby accept appointment as Registered Agent for the above named Entity.

 

 

X JAMES K BURAU                                                                                                                        4/1/2019 

Authorized Signature of Registered Agent or On Behalf or Registered Agent Entity                   Date

  

This form must be accompanied by appropriate fees

Nevada Secretary of State NRS 78 Articles

Revised:  1-5-15

 

EXHIBIT 3.2

 

ARBARA K. CEGAVSKE

Secretary of State

202 North Carson Street

Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201

(775) 684-5708

Website: www.nvsos.gov

                www.nvsilverflume.gov

 

Filed in the Office of

Secretary of State

State Of Nevada

 

 

 

Business Number

E0149492019-0

 

 

Filing Number

20211408998

 

 

Filed On

4/23/2021 2:13:00 PM

 

 

Number of Pages

6

 

 

Profit Corporation:

Certificate of Amendment (PURSUANT TO NRS 78.380 & 78.385/78.390)

Certificate to Accompany Restated Articles or Amended

and Restated Articles (PURSUANT TO NRS 78.403)

Officer’s Statement (PURSUANT TO NRS 80.030)

 

 

 

TYPE OR PRINT USE DARK INK ONLY DO NOT HIGHLIGHT

 

1. Entity Information:

Name of entity as on file with the Nevada Secretary of State

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

Entity or Nevada Business Identification Number (NVID):    E0149492019-0

2. Restated or Amended and Restated Articles: (Select one)

 

(If amending and restating only, complete section 1,2 3, 5 and 6)

X Certificate to Accompany Restated Articles or Amended and Restated Articles

Restated Articles - No amendments; articles are restated only and are signed by an officer of the corporation who has been authorized to execute the certificate by resolution of the board of directors adopted on:

The certificate correctly sets forth the text of the articles or certificate as amended to the date of the certificate.

x Amended and Restated Articles

* Restated or Amended and Restated Articles must be included with this filing type.

3. Type of Amendment Filing Being Completed:

(Select only one box)

 

(If amending, complete section 1, 3, 5 and 6.)

Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Pursuant to NRS 78.380 - Before Issuance of Stock)

The undersigned declare that they constitute at least two-thirds of the following:

(Check only one box)            incorporators                  board of directors

The undersigned affirmatively declare that to the date of this certificate, no stock of the corporation has been issued

 

X Certificate of Amendment to Articles of Incorporation (Pursuant to NRS 78.385 and 78.390 - After Issuance of Stock)

 

The vote by which the stockholders holding shares in the corporation entitling them to exercise at least a majority of the voting power, or such greater proportion of the voting power as may be required in the case of a vote by classes or series, or as may be required by the provisions of the articles of Incorporation* have voted in favor of the amendment is: 100%

 

 Officer's Statement (foreign qualified entities only) -

Name in home state, if using a modified name in Nevada:

 

Jurisdiction of formation:

Changes to takes the following effect:

The entity name has been amended. Dissolution

The purpose of the entity has been amended. Merger

The authorized shares have been amended. Conversion

Other: (specify changes)

 

* Officer's Statement must be submitted with either a certified copy of or a certificate evidencing the filing

of any document, amendatory or otherwise, relating to the original articles in the place of the corporations creation.

 

 

This form must be accompanied by appropriate fees. 

 

 Page 1 of 2

Revised: 1/1/2019

 

 

 

BARBARA K. CEGAVSKE

Secretary of State

202 North Carson Street

Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201

(775) 684-5708

Website: www.nvsos.gov

                www.nvsilverflume.gov

 

 

Profit Corporation:

Certificate of Amendment (PURSUANT TO NRS 78.380 & 78.385/78.390)

Certificate to Accompany Restated Articles or Amended

and Restated Articles (PURSUANT TO NRS 78.403)

Officer’s Statement (PURSUANT TO NRS 80.030)

 

4. Effective Date and

Time: (Optional)

Date: 04/30/2021     Time:

(must not be later than 90 days after the certificate is filed)

 

 

5.  Information Being Changed: (Domestic corporations only)

Changes to takes the following effect:

X. The entity name has been amended.

The registered agent has been changed. (attach Certificate of Acceptance from new registered agent)

The purpose of the entity has been amended.

X The authorized shares have been amended.

The directors, managers or general partners have been amended.

IRS tax language has been added. Articles have been added.

Articles have been deleted.

Other.

The articles have been amended as follows: (provide article numbers, if available)

Amended Article 1 and Article 4 (remove words “and have no par value”)

(attach additional page(s) if necessary)

6.  Signature:

(Required)

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

X

 /s/ Neville Pearson

 Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Signature of Officer or Authorized Signer

 Title

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Signature of Officer or Authorized Signer

 Title

 

 

 

*If any proposed amendment would alter or change any preference or any relative or other right given to any class or series of outstanding shares, then the amendment must be approved by the vote, in addition to the affirmative vote otherwise required, of the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of each class or series affected by the amendment regardless to limitations or restrictions on the voting power thereof.

 

 

Please Include any required or optional Information in space below:

 

 

(attach additional page(s) if necessary)

 

 

This form must be accompanied by appropriate fees.                                                                         

 

   Page 2 of 2

Revised: 1/1/2019

 

 

SECOND AMENDED AND

RESTATED ARTICLES OF

INCORPORATION OF

THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

THE HEMPACCO CO. INC. a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the Nevada Revised Statutes, does hereby certify as follows:

 

FIRST:

 

That the Corporation was originally incorporated on April 1, 2019.

 

SECOND:

 

That the Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation arc hereby amended and restated to read in their entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE ONE

 

The name of the corporation is Hcmpacco Co., Inc. (the “corporation”).

 

ARTICI.E TWO

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the state of Nevada is located at 916 Southwood Boulevard, Suite 1A. Incline Village, NV 89451. and the name of its registered agent in Nevada is James K. Burau.

 

ARTICLE THREE

 

The nature of the business or purposes to be conducted or promoted by the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

ARTICLE FOUR

 

FIRST: The Corporation is authorized to issue Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

SECOND: The total number of common shares that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is twenty million (20,000,000) par value $0.01 shares and such shall be designated Common Stock.

 

THIRD: The total number of preferred shares that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is twenty million (20,000,000) par value $0.01 shares and such shall be designated Preferred Stock.

 

 
3

 

 

ARTICLE FIVE

 

The Corporation shall have perpetual existence.

 

ARTICLE SIX

 

Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless a stockholder demands election by written ballot at the meeting and before voting begins or unless the Bylaws of the Corporation shall so provide.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

 

The number of Directors which constitute the whole Board of Directors of the Corporation shall be up to five (5), and the manner of their election shall be designated in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE EIGHT

 

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors Is expressly authorized to make ,alter, amend or repeal the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE NINE

 

FIRST: To the fullest extent permitted by the Nevada Revised Statutes as the same exists or as may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided, however, that this provision shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve material misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under the Nevada Revised Statutes, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

 

SECOND: The Corporation may indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such party, such party’s testator or intestate is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or any predecessor of the Corporation or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director, officer, employee or agent at the request of the Corporation or any predecessor to the Corporation.

 

THIRD: Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article Nine, nor the adoption of any provision of this Corporation’s Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article Nine, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article Nine, in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this Article Nine, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.

 

 
4

 

  

ARTICLE TEN

 

Meetings of the stockholders may be held within or without the state of Nevada, as the Bylaws may provide. The books of the Corporation may be kept (subject to any provision contained in the statutes) outside of the State of Nevada at such place or places as may be designated from time to time by the Board of Directors or in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN

 

Vacancies created by newly created directorships, created in accordance with the Bylaws of the Corporation. may be filled by the vote of a majority, although less than quorum, of the directors then in office, or by a sole remaining director.

 

ARTICLE TWELVE

 

Advance notice of new business and stockholder nominations for the election of directors shall be given in the manner and to the extent provided in the Bylaws of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE THIRTEEN

 

The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter, change or repeal any provision contained in this Second Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by statute, and all rights conferred upon stockholders herein are granted subject to this reservation.

 

ARTICLE FOURTEEN

 

FIRST: Whenever a compromise or arrangement is proposed between the Corporation and its creditors or any class of them and/or between the Corporation and its stockholders or any class of them, any court of equitable jurisdiction within the state of Nevada may, on the application in a summary way of the Corporation or of any creditor or stockholder thereof. or on the application of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes or on the application of trustees in dissolution or of any receiver or receivers appointed for the Corporation under the provisions of the Nevada Revised Statutes, order a meeting of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation as the case may be, to be summoned in such manner as the said court directs. If a majority in number representing three-fourths in value of the creditors or class of creditors, and/or of the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may be, agree to any compromise or arrangement and to any reorganization of the Corporation as a consequence of such compromise or arrangement, the said compromise or arrangement and the said reorganization shall, if sanctioned by the court to which the said application has been made, be binding on all the creditors or class of creditors, and/or on all the stockholders or class of stockholders of the Corporation, as the case may and also on the Corporation.

 

 
5

 

 

SECOND: The foregoing first amendment and restatement of the Articles of lncorporation has been duly adopted by resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

THIRD: The foregoing second amendment and restatement of the Articles of lncorporation has been duly adopted by resolutions adopted by the holders of a majority of the outstanding Common Stock in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

FOURTH: The foregoing second amendment and restatement of the Articles of lncorporation has been duly adopted in accordance with Chapter 78 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE HEMPACCO CO., INC. has caused this certificate to be executed by Sandro Piancone, its President, as of April 5, 2021.

 

THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.
a Nevada corporation 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 
  Sandro Piancone, President  

 

 
6

 

EXHIBIT 3.3

 

BARBARA K. CEGAVSKE

Secretary of State

202 North Carson Street

  Filed in the Office of

  Business Number

  E0149492019-0

 

  Filing Number

  20211782731

Carson City, Nevada 89701-4201

(775) 684-5708

  Secretary of State

  State Of Nevada

  Filed On

  09/28/2021 15:59:13 PM

Website:   www.nvsos.gov

www.nvsilverflume.gov

 

  Number of Pages

  6

 

Certificate to Accompany

Restated Articles or

Amended and Restated Articles

(PURSUANT TO NRS)

 

 

USE BLACK INK ONLY - DO NOT HIGHLIGHT

ABOVE SPACE IS FOR OFFICE USE ONLY

 

This Form is to Accompany Restated Articles or Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation

(Pursuant to NRS 78.403, 82.371, 86.221, 87A, 88.355 or 88A.250)

(This form is also to be used to accompany Restated Articles or Amended and Restated Articles for Limited-Liability

Companies, Certificates of Limited Partnership, Limited-Liability Limited Partnerships and Business Trusts)

 

 

1. Name of Nevada entity as last recorded in this office:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

2. The articles are: (mark only one box)         ☒    Restated                   ☐    Amended and Restated

 

Please entitle your attached articles "Restated" or "Amended and Restated," accordingly.

 

3. Indicate what changes have been made by checking the appropriate box:*

 

No amendments; articles are restated only and are signed by an officer of the corporation who has been authorized to execute the certificate by resolution of the board of directors adopted on:

 

The certificate correctly sets forth the text of the articles or certificate as amended to the date of the certificate.

 

 

The entity name has been amended.

 

 

The registered agent has been changed. (attach Certificate of Acceptance from new registered agent)

 

 

The purpose of the entity has been amended.

 

 

The authorized shares have been amended.

 

 

The directors, managers or general partners have been amended.

 

 

IRS tax language has been added.

 

 

Articles have been added.

 

 

Articles have been deleted.

 

 

Other. The articles or certificate have been amended as follows: (provide article numbers, if available)

 

 

 

The Articles have been amended and restated in their entirety in the form attached.

 

4. Effective date and time of filing: (optional)         Date:    09/28/2021                                   Time:

(must not be later than 90 days after the certificate is filed)

 

*This form is to accompany Restated Articles or Amended and Restated Articles which contain newly altered or amended articles. The Restated Articles must contain all of the requirements as set forth in the statutes for amending or altering the articles for certificates.

 

IMPORTANT: Failure to include any of the above information and submit with the proper fees may cause this filing to be rejected.

 

 
- 1 -

 

 

 

  Filed in the Office of

  Business Number

  E0149492019-0

 

  Filing Number

  20211782731

 

  Secretary of State

  State Of Nevada

  Filed On

  09/28/2021 15:59:13 PM

 

 

  Number of Pages

  6

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

 

OF

 

HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

Mr. Sandro Piancone hereby certifies that:

 

1. He is the President of Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation.

 

2. The Articles of Incorporation of this Corporation are amended and restated in their entirety to read as follows and supersede and take the place of the existing Articles of Incorporation and all prior amendments thereto and restatements thereof:

 

ARTICLE 1.

Company Name

 

1.1 The name of this corporation is Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

ARTICLE 2.

Duration

 

2.1 The corporation shall continue in existence perpetually unless sooner dissolved according to law.

 

ARTICLE 3.

Purpose

 

3.1 Purpose. The purpose for which the corporation is organized is to engage in any lawful activity within or outside of the State of Nevada.

 

3.2 Corporate Offices. The corporation may also maintain offices at such other places within or outside of the State of Nevada as it may from time to time determine. Corporate business of every kind and nature may be conducted, and meetings of directors and shareholders may be held outside the State of Nevada with the same effect as if held in the State of Nevada.

 

ARTICLE 4.

Board of Directors

 

4.1. The board of directors of the Corporation shall consist of such number of persons, not less than one, as shall be determined in accordance with the bylaws from time to time.

 

 
- 2 -

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

Capital Stock

 

5.1 Authorized Capital Stock. The aggregate number of shares which this Corporation shall have authority to issue is two hundred fifty million (250,000,000) shares, consisting of (a) two hundred million (200,000,000) shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) and (b) fifty million (50,000,000) shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”), issuable in one or more series as hereinafter provided. A description of the classes of shares and a statement of the number of shares in each class and the relative rights, voting power, and preferences granted to and restrictions imposed upon the shares of each class are as follows:

 

5.2 Common Stock. Each share of Common Stock shall have, for all purposes one (1) vote per share. Subject to the preferences applicable to Preferred Stock outstanding at any time, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions in cash, property or shares of stock of the Corporation as may be declared thereon by the Board of Directors from time to time out of assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefore. The holders of Common Stock issued and outstanding have and possess the right to receive notice of shareholders’ meetings and to vote upon the election of directors or upon any other matter as to which approval of the outstanding shares of Common Stock or approval of the common shareholders is required or requested.

 

5.3 Preferred Stock. The Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board of Directors is authorized, by resolution adopted and filed in accordance with law, to provide for the issue of such series of shares of Preferred Stock. Each series of shares of Preferred Stock:

 

(a) may have such voting powers, full or limited, or may be without voting powers;

 

(b) may be subject to redemption at such time or times and at such prices as determine by the Board of Directors;

 

(c) may be entitled to receive dividends (which may be cumulative or non-cumulative) at such rate or rates, on such conditions and at such times, and payable in preference to, or in such relation to, the dividends payable on any other class or classes or series of stock;

 

(d) may have such rights upon the dissolution of, or upon any distribution of the assets of, the Corporation;

 

(e) may be made convertible into, or exchangeable for, shares of any other class or classes or of any other series of the same or any other class or classes of stock of the Corporation or such other corporation or other entity at such price or prices or at such rates of exchange and with such adjustments;

 

(f) may be entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund to be applied to the purchase or redemption of shares of such series in such amount or amounts;

 

(g) may be entitled to the benefit of conditions and restrictions upon the creation of indebtedness of the Corporation or any subsidiary, upon the issue of any additional shares (including additional shares of such series or of any other series) and upon the payment of dividends or the making of other distributions on, and the purchase, redemption or other acquisition by the Corporation or any subsidiary of, any outstanding shares of the Corporation; and

 

(h) may have such other relative, participating, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, in each case as shall be stated in said resolution or resolutions providing for the issue of such shares of Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock of any series that have been redeemed or repurchased by the Corporation (whether through the operation of a sinking fund or otherwise) or that, if convertible or exchangeable, have been converted or exchanged in accordance with their terms shall be retired and have the status of authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock of the same series and may be reissued as a part of the series of which they were originally a part or may, upon the filing of an appropriate certificate with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada be reissued as part of a new series of shares of Preferred Stock to be created by resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors or as part of any other series of shares of Preferred Stock, all subject to the conditions or restrictions on issuance set forth in the resolution or resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors providing for the issue of any series of shares of Preferred Stock.

 

 
- 3 -

 

 

ARTICLE 6.

No Further Assessments

 

6.1 The capital stock, after the amount of the subscription price determined by the board of directors has been paid in money, property, or services, as the Directors shall determine, shall be subject to no further assessment to pay the debts of the corporation, and no stock issued as fully paid up shall ever be assessable or assessed, and these Articles of Incorporation shall not and cannot be amended, regardless of the vote therefore, so as to amend, modify or rescind this Article 6.

 

ARTICLE 7.

No Preemptive Rights

 

7.1 Except as otherwise set forth herein, none of the shares of the Corporation shall carry with them any preemptive right to acquire additional or other shares of the corporation and no holder of any stock of the Corporation shall be entitled, as of right, to purchase or subscribe for any part of any unissued shares of stock of the Corporation or for any additional shares of stock, of any class or series, which may at any time be issued, whether now or hereafter authorized, or for any rights, options, or warrants to purchase or receive shares of stock or for any bonds, certificates of indebtedness, debentures, or other securities.

 

ARTICLE 8.

No Cumulative Voting

 

8.1 There shall be no cumulative voting of shares.

 

ARTICLE 9.

Election Not to be Governed By Provisions of NRS 78.411 to 78.444.

 

 

9.1 The Corporation, pursuant to NRS 78.434, hereby elects not to be governed by the provisions of NRS 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive.

 

ARTICLE 10.

Indemnification of Officers and Directors

 

10.1 Indemnification of Officers and Directors. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors, officers, employee, fiduciaries and agents to the fullest extent permitted under the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

10.2 Indemnification Rights. Every person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any action, suit or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that he or a person for whom he is the legal representative is or was a director or officer of the corporation or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director or officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, shall be indemnified and held harmless to the fullest extent legally permissible under the law of the State of Nevada from time to time against all expenses, liability and loss (including attorney's fees, judgments, fines and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by him in connection therewith. Such right of indemnification shall be a contract right that may be enforced in any manner desired by such person. Such right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other right which such directors, officers or representatives may have or hereafter acquire and, without limiting the generality of such statement, they shall be entitled to their respective rights of indemnification under any By-Law, agreement, vote of stockholders, provision of law or otherwise, as well as their rights under this Article.

 

 
- 4 -

 

 

10.3 Changes to Indemnification Rights; Insurance. Without limiting the application of the foregoing, the Board of Directors may adopt By-Laws from time to time with respect to indemnification to provide at all times the fullest indemnification permitted by the law of the State of Nevada and may cause the corporation to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director or officer of the corporation as a director of officer of another corporation, or as its representative in a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred in any such capacity or arising out of such status, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify such person.

 

10.4 Exemption for Private Property. The private property of the Stockholders, Directors and Officers shall not be subject to the payment of corporate debts to any extent whatsoever.

 

10.5 No Personal Liability. No director, officer or shareholder shall have any personal liability to the corporation or its stockholders for damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except that this provision does not eliminate nor limit in any way the liability of a director or officer for:

 

(a) Acts or omissions which involve intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law; or

 

(b) The payment of dividends in violation of Nevada Revised Statutes (N.R.S.) 78.300.

 

ARTICLE 11.

Amendment of Bylaws

 

11.1 The Board of Directors of the corporation shall have the power to make, alter, amend or repeal the bylaws of the corporation, except to the extent that the bylaws otherwise provide.

 

ARTICLE 12.

Acquisition of Controlling Interest

 

12.1 The corporation elects not to be governed by the terms and provisions of Sections 78.378 through 78.3793, inclusive, of the Nevada Revised Statutes, as the same may be amended, superseded, or replaced by any successor section, statute, or provision. No amendment to these Articles of Incorporation, directly or indirectly, by merger or consolidation or otherwise, having the effect of amending or repealing any provision of this Article 12 shall apply to or have any effect on any transaction involving acquisition of control by any person occurring prior to such amendment or repeal.

 

3. The foregoing Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation have been duly approved by the Board of Directors in accordance with Section 78.207 of the Nevada Revised Statutes.

 

4. The foregoing Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation have been duly approved by the required written consent of Shareholders in accordance with Section 78.390 of the Nevada Revised Statues. The number of shares voting in favor of the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation were 18,395,532 shares, representing 100% of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Corporation. The percentage of vote required was more than 50%.

 

 
- 5 -

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hands this 28 day of September, 2021, hereby declaring and certifying that the facts stated hereinabove are true.

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

By: Sandro Piancone  
  Its: President  

 

 
- 6 -

 

EXHIBIT 3.4

 

Bylaws of

THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

a Nevada Corporation

 

Article One

Office

 

The Corporation's principal office in the State of Nevada will be located in the County Washoe, Nevada. The Registered Office of the Corporation required by the NRS Chapter 78 of Nevada to be maintained in the State of Nevada may be, but need not be, identical with the principal office in the State of Nevada. The Board of Directors may change the address of either office from time to time.

 

Article Two

Shareholders

 

Section 2.01 Annual Meeting

 

The annual meeting of the Corporation's Shareholders will be held at the time and place designated from time to time by the Board of Directors. The purpose of the annual meeting is to elect Directors to succeed those whose terms expire as of the date of the annual meeting, and to transact any other corporate business arising before the meeting. Any Shareholder may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to order an annual meeting if one is not held within 15 months after the last annual meeting.

 

Section 2.02 Special Meetings

 

Special meetings of the Shareholders may be called at any time for any purpose by the President, by a Vice President, or by a majority of the Board of Directors. The special meeting will be called by the President, by a Vice President, the Secretary, or any Director of the Corporation upon the written request of the holders of 20% of all the shares outstanding and entitled to vote on the business to be transacted at the meeting. The written request must state the meeting's purpose. The Shareholders must restrict the business transacted at all special meetings of Shareholders to the purpose stated in the notice of the meeting.

 

Section 2.03 Meeting Location

 

The Shareholders will hold all meetings at the Corporation's principal office or elsewhere in the United States, or at such other place as designated by the Board of Directors and specified in the notice of the meeting.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 1

 

 

 

Unless otherwise provided in the Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors may adopt procedures authorizing any annual or special meeting of Shareholders to be held solely by means of remote communication rather than in person at a physical location. Subject to any procedures the Board of Directors may adopt, Shareholders and any proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of Shareholders may participate in and vote at the meeting by conference telephone or other similar electronic communications equipment, and will be deemed present in person at the meeting for all purposes of these Bylaws, whether the meeting is held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication. Any procedures promulgated by the Board of Directors must require that all of the Shareholders and any proxyholders participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other at the same time. If any Shareholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, the Corporation must maintain a record of the vote or other action taken.

 

Section 2.04 Meeting Notice

 

The Secretary will mail written notice of each Shareholder meeting, postage prepaid, to each Shareholder of record entitled to vote at the Shareholder's address as it appears on the books of the Corporation. The Secretary will mail the notice at least 10 days but no more than 60 days before the meeting. The notice must state the place, day, and hour at which the meeting will be held and, in the case of any special meeting, must state briefly the meeting's purpose. If any Shareholder meeting is adjourned to a different date, time, or place, the Secretary need not give notice of the new date, time, or place if this information is announced at the meeting before adjourning. But if a new record date for the adjourned meeting is fixed, the Secretary must give notice of the adjourned meeting to Shareholders as of the new record date.

 

Section 2.05 Shareholder Meetings

 

If all of the Shareholders entitled to vote meet at any place, within or outside the State of Nevada, and consent to the holding of a meeting, the meeting will be valid without call or notice, and the Shareholders may take any action at the meeting.

 

Section 2.06 Action without Meeting by Written Consent

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken at a Shareholder meeting may be taken without a meeting when all of the Shareholders entitled to vote on the subject matter sign a written consent to the action. These signed consents will have the same force and effect as the unanimous vote of all the Shareholders at a meeting duly held. The Secretary must file these consents with the minutes of the Shareholder meetings.

 

Section 2.07 Quorum

 

The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of record of a majority of the shares of the capital stock of the Corporation issued and outstanding and entitled to vote will constitute a quorum at all meetings of the Shareholders, except as otherwise specifically provided by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws, or a resolution of the Board of Directors requiring satisfaction of a greater or lesser quorum requirement. If less than a quorum attends a meeting, the meeting may be adjourned from time to time until a quorum is present. A majority vote of the Shareholders present or represented may adjourn the meeting without any notice other than by announcement at the meeting. At any adjourned meeting at which a quorum is later present, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted if the meeting had been held as originally called.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 2

 

 

 

Section 2.08 Conduct of Meetings

 

The President of the Corporation will preside over Shareholder meetings or, if she or he is not present, by a Vice President, or, if none of those officers are present, by a chairperson elected at the meeting. The Secretary of the Corporation, or if she or he is not present, any Assistant Secretary will act as secretary of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary and any Assistant Secretary, the presiding officer may appoint a person to act as secretary of the meeting.

 

Section 2.09 Voting

 

At all Shareholder meetings, every Shareholder entitled to vote will have one vote for each share of stock standing in his or her name on the books of the Corporation on the date the Shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting are determined. The vote may be made either in person or by proxy. The proxy must be appointed by a written instrument signed by the Shareholder or the Shareholder's duly authorized attorney in fact, bearing a date not more than three months before the meeting, unless the instrument provides for a longer period, but in no event more than 11 months before the meeting. The proxy must be dated, but need not be sealed, witnessed, or acknowledged. All elections must be had and all questions must be decided by a majority of the votes cast at a duly organized meeting, except as otherwise provided by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws.

 

Other than an election of Directors, favorable action on a matter by a quorum is taken if it is approved by a majority of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote on the matter. In the case of any matter that has been approved by vote of the Board of Directors taken at a meeting held before a Shareholder meeting, only a simple majority vote of the shares voted is necessary to approve the action, unless the Board of Directors requires a greater number of affirmative votes.

 

Directors may be elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the shares entitled to vote in the election at a meeting at which a quorum is present. No ballot is required for this election unless requested by a Shareholder or proxyholder entitled to vote in the election.

 

Section 2.10 Cumulative Voting

 

Cumulative voting will not apply to election of Directors. In all elections for Directors, each Shareholder will have the right to cast votes for as many candidates as there are Directors to be elected, and may cast as many votes as equal the number of voting shares owned by him or her in the Corporation for each candidate, either in person or by proxy.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 3

 

 

 

Section 2.11 Voting Lists

 

At least 10 days before each Shareholder meeting, the Secretary will make a complete and alphabetized list of the Shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting, with the address and the number of shares held by each. The Secretary will keep the list on file at the Registered Office of the Corporation for 10 days before the meeting. The list will be subject to inspection by any Shareholder at any time during usual business hours. The list will also be produced and kept open at the time and place of the meeting and will be subject to the inspection of any Shareholder during the meeting. The original or a duplicate share ledger or transfer book will be prima facie evidence as to the Shareholders entitled to examine the list or to vote at any Shareholder meeting.

 

Section 2.12 Voting of Shares by Certain Holders

 

Shares standing in the name of another domestic or foreign corporation may be voted by the officer, agent, or proxy as those corporate bylaws provide, or, if the corporate bylaws make no provision, as that corporation's board of directors may determine.

 

Shares standing in the name of a deceased person may be voted by his or her administrator or executor, either in person or by proxy. Shares standing in the name of a guardian, curator, or trustee may be voted by the fiduciary, either in person or by proxy. But no guardian, curator, or trustee may vote shares held by him or her as a fiduciary without a transfer of the shares into his or her name.

 

Shares standing in the name of a receiver may be voted by the receiver, and shares held by or under the control of a receiver may be voted by the receiver without the transfer of the shares into his or her name if authority to do so is contained in an appropriate order of the court that appointed the receiver.

 

A Shareholder whose shares are pledged will be entitled to vote the shares until the shares have been transferred into the name of the pledgee. After the transfer, the pledgee will be entitled to vote the transferred shares.

 

Section 2.13 Records Inspection

 

A Shareholder entitled to inspect the records of the Corporation under any statutory or other legal right will have access to the records on demand only during the usual and customary hours of business and in a manner that will not unduly interfere with the Corporation's regular conduct of the business. A Shareholder may delegate this inspection right to a certified or public accountant or a licensed attorney at law on the condition that, at the Corporation' s request, an accurate copy of every report made by the accountant or attorney based on the inspection be provided to the Corporation when the report is completed. No Shareholder may use, permit to be used, or acquiesce to others' use of any information the Shareholder, accountant, or attorney obtains to the competitive detriment of the Corporation.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 4

 

 

 

Article Three

Board of Directors

 

Section 3.01 General Powers

 

The property and business of the Corporation will be managed under the direction of the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

Section 3.02 Number and Term of Office

 

The number of Directors to constitute the first Board of Directors of the Corporation will be as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation. If the Articles of Incorporation provide for a Board of Directors of at least three and permit the number of Directors to be changed from time to time in the Bylaws, the Shareholders or the Board of Directors may at any time change the number of Directors to constitute the Board of Directors (to any number not less than three and not more than any maximum number permitted by the Articles of Incorporation) by a resolution of a majority of the entire Board of Directors. Directors need not be Shareholders. The Shareholders must elect Directors each year at the annual meeting of Shareholders, and each Director will serve until his or her successor is elected and qualified.

 

Section 3.03 Filling Vacancies

 

If a vacancy in the Board of Directors arises for any reason, the remaining Directors, by majority vote, may elect a successor to hold office for the unexpired portion of the remaining term. The newly elected Director will hold office until the election of his or her successor, or until resigning or being removed before the end of the term by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Shareholders.

 

Similarly, if the number of Directors is increased as provided in these Bylaws, the additional Directors will be elected by the Board of Directors already in office, and will hold office until the next annual meeting of Shareholders and thereafter until his, her, or their successors are elected.

 

Any Director may be removed from office with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of the majority of the stock issued, outstanding, and entitled to vote at any special meeting of Shareholders regularly called for the purpose.

 

Section 3.04 Meeting Location

 

The Board of Directors may hold their meetings, have one or more offices, and keep the books of the Corporation within or outside the State of Nevada, at any place or places as they may from time to time determine by resolution or by written consent of all the Directors.

 

Section 3.05 Meeting Electronically

 

Members of the Board of Directors may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other similar electronic communications equipment if all of the persons participating in the meeting can hear and speak to each other at the same time. Participating in a meeting in this manner is the same as presence in person at a meeting for all purposes of these Bylaws.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 5

 

 

 

Section 3.06 Regular Meetings

 

The Board of Directors may hold regular meetings without notice at those times and places as the Board determines by corporate resolution only if the Secretary has mailed notice of every Board resolution fixing or changing the time or place for holding the regular meetings to each Director at least three days before the first meeting held under the resolution. But the annual meeting of the Board of Directors must be held immediately after the annual Shareholder meeting at which a Board of Directors is elected. The Board may transact any business at a regular meeting.

 

Section 3.07 Special Meetings

 

Special meetings of the Board of Directors will be held whenever called by direction of the President. Special meetings must be called by the President or the Secretary upon written request of a majority of the Board of Directors. The Secretary must give notice of each special meeting of the Board of Directors by mailing the notice to each Director at least three days before the meeting. Any Director may waive receipt of notice. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice, the Board may transact any business at a special meeting.

 

Section 3.08 Quorum

 

A quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the Board of Directors comprises a majority of all the Directors. But if at any meeting less than a quorum is present, a majority of those present may adjourn the meeting from time to time, and the act of a majority of the Directors present at any meeting at which there is a quorum will be the act of the Board of Directors, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by law, by the Articles of Incorporation, or by these Bylaws.

 

Section 3.09 Meetings of Directors

 

If all of the Directors entitled to vote meet at any place, within or without the State, and consent to hold a meeting, that meeting will be valid without call or notice, and the Board may take any corporate action at the meeting.

 

Section 3.10 Action without Meeting by Written Consents

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken at a meeting of the Directors may be taken without a meeting when written consents setting forth the action taken are signed by all of the Directors entitled to vote with respect to the subject matter. These consents will have the same force and effect as the unanimous vote of the Directors at a meeting duly held. The Secretary must file the consents with the minutes of the meetings of the Directors.

 

Section 3.11 Compensation of Directors

 

The Board of Directors will fix by resolution the compensation or salary paid for attendance at each regular or special meeting of the Board in which a Director actually participates and reimbursement of the expenses incurred in attending any regular or special meeting of the Board. The reimbursement and compensation will be payable whether or not a meeting is adjourned because of the absence of a quorum. No provision of these Bylaws precludes any Director from serving the Corporation in any other capacity and receiving compensation for that service.

 

 

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 6

 

 

 

Section 3.12 Committees

 

The Board of Directors may, by resolution passed by the Board, designate one or more committees that will have and may exercise the powers of the Board of Directors. Each committee must consist of two or more of the Directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors must name these committees by resolution.

 

Article Four

Officers

 

Section 4.01 Election, Tenure, and Compensation

 

The officers of the Corporation will be a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer, and one or more Vice Presidents, and one or more assistants to these officers as the Board of Directors from time to time may consider necessary for the Corporation's proper conduct of the business. The officers will be elected annually by the Board of Directors at its first meeting following the annual meeting of the Shareholders. Any two or more of the above offices, except those of President and Vice President, may be held by the same person, but no officer may sign, acknowledge, or verify any instrument in more than one capacity if the law or these Bylaws require the instrument to be executed, acknowledged, or verified by two or more officers. The Board of Directors will fix the compensation or salary paid to all officers of the Corporation by resolution.

 

If any office other than an office required by law is not filled by the Board of Directors or later becomes vacant, the office and all references in these Bylaws are inoperative until the Board of Directors fills the office in accordance with these Bylaws.

 

Except where otherwise specifically provided in a contract duly authorized by the Board of Directors, all officers and agents of the Corporation are subject to removal at any time by the majority vote of the whole Board of Directors, and all officers, agents, and employees hold office at the discretion of the Board of Directors or of the officers appointing them.

 

Section 4.02 Powers and Duties of the President

 

The President is the chief executive officer of the Corporation and has general charge and control of all its business affairs and properties. He or she will preside at all Shareholder meetings.

 

The President may sign and execute all authorized bonds, contracts, or other obligations in the Corporation' s name. He or she will have the general powers and duties of supervision and management usually vested in the office of president of a corporation. The President will be an ex officio member of all the standing committees. He or she shall perform all other duties as the Board of Directors may assign from time to time.

 

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 7

 

 

 

Section 4.03 Powers and Duties of the Vice President

 

The Board of Directors may appoint a Vice President and may appoint more than one Vice President. Any Vice President (unless otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors) may sign and execute all authorized bonds, contracts, or other obligations in the name of the Corporation. Each Vice President will have other powers and perform all other duties assigned by the Board of Directors or by the President. If the President is absent or disabled, any Vice President will perform the duties of that office, and any action taken by the Vice President in place of the President will be conclusive evidence of the absence or disability of the President.

 

Section 4.04 Secretary

 

The Secretary will give or cause to be given notice of all meetings of Shareholders and Directors and all other notices required by law or by these Bylaws. In the Secretary' s absence, refusal, or neglect, the President may direct any person to give this notice. The Secretary must record all the Shareholder and Board of Director meeting proceedings in books provided for that purpose, and shall perform all other duties assigned by the Directors or the President. The Secretary will have charge of the transfer book for shares of the Corporation. The Secretary will have custody of the corporate seal, if any; will affix the seal to all instruments requiring it when authorized by the Board of Directors or the President; and will attest the fixing of the seal.

 

In general, the Secretary shall perform all the duties generally incident to the office of Secretary, subject to the control of the Board of Directors and the President.

 

Section 4.05 Treasurer

 

The Treasurer will have custody of all the funds and securities of the Corporation, and he or she will keep full and accurate account of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation. The Treasurer will deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in the depository or depositories designated by the Board of Directors.

 

The Treasurer will disburse the funds of the Corporation as ordered by the Board of Directors, taking proper vouchers for all disbursement s. He or she will provide to the President and the Board of Directors, with or without specific request, an account of all his or her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial condition of the Corporation.

 

The Treasurer will give the Corporation a bond, if required by the Board of Directors, in a sum, and with one or more sureties satisfactory to the Board of Directors , for the faithful performance of the duties of his or her office and for the restoration to the Corporation of all books, papers, vouchers, moneys, and other properties of any kind in his or her possession or under his or her control belonging to the Corporation if he or she is removed from office for any reason.

 

The Treasurer shall perform all the duties generally incident to the office of the Treasurer, subject to the control of the Board of Directors and the President.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 8

 

 

 

Section 4.06 Assistant Secretary

 

The Board of Directors may appoint one or more Assistant Secretaries. Except as otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, each Assistant Secretary will have the power to perform all duties of the Secretary in the absence or disability of the Secretary and will have all other powers and will perform all other duties assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the President. If the Secretary is absent or disabled, any Assistant Secretary will perform the duties of the office; the Assistant Secretary taking any action in place of the Secretary is conclusive evidence of the Secretary' s absence or disability.

 

Section 4.07 Assistant Treasurer

 

The Board of Directors may appoint one or more Assistant Treasurers. Except as otherwise provided by resolution of the Board of Directors, each Assistant Treasurer will have the power to perform all duties of the Treasurer in the absence or disability of the Treasurer, and will have all other powers and will perform all other duties assigned to him or her by the Board of Directors or the President. If the Treasurer is absent or disabled, the Assistant Treasurer will perform the duties of the office; the Assistant Treasurer taking of any action in place of the Treasurer is conclusive evidence of the Treasurer's absence or disability.

 

Article Five

Capital Stock

 

Section 5.01 Issuance of Certificates of Stock

 

The ce1iificates for shares of the stock of the Corporation, if issued, must be in a form consistent with the Articles of Incorporation or its amendments, and as approved by the Board of Directors.

 

In lieu of certificates, the Board of Directors may authorize the issuance of uncertificated shares, as set forth in a Corporate Stock Ledger, as provided by NRS 78.235.

 

All certificates must be signed by the President or by the Vice President and countersigned by the Secretary or by an Assistant Secretary. All certificates for each class of stock will be consecutively numbered. The Secretary will enter the name of the person owning the shares issued and the holder' s address in the Corporation' s books. The Secretary will cancel all certificates surrendered to the Corporation for transfer and no new certificates representing the same number of shares may be issued until the former certificate or certificates for the same number of shares have been surrendered and cancelled. If a certificate of stock is lost or destroyed, the Secretary may issue a replacement certificate upon proof of the loss or destruction and, unless specifically waived by the President, give a satisfactory bond of indemnity not exceeding an amount double the value of the stock. Both the proof and bond must be in a form approved by the Corporation's general counsel and by the Transfer Agent of the Corporation and by the Registrar of the stock.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 9

 

 

 

The Board of Directors may issue the number of shares of each class or series authorized by the Articles of Incorporation. The Board of Directors may authorize shares to be issued for consideration consisting of any tangible or intangible property or benefit to the Corporation, including cash, promissory notes, services performed, contracts for services to be performed, or other securities of the Corporation. Before the Corporation issues shares, the Board of Directors must determine that the consideration for the shares to be issued is adequate. The Board of Directors will determine the terms upon which the rights, options, or warrants for the purchase of shares or other securities of the Corporation are issued and the terms, including the consideration, for which the shares or other securities are to be issued.

 

Section 5.02 Transfer of Shares

 

Shares of the Corporation' s capital stock will be transferred on the corporate books only by the holder of the stock in person or by his or her attorney in fact. The capital stock certificates must be surrendered and cancelled in exchange for a like number of shares in accordance with these Bylaws.

 

Section 5.03 Registered Shareholders

 

The Corporation may treat the holder of record of any share or shares of stock as the holder in fact of those shares, and is not bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in those shares in the name of any other person even if the Corporation has notice of the claim or interest, except as specifically provided by Nevada law.

 

Section 5.04 Closing Transfer Books

 

The Board of Directors may fix the time-not more than 50 days before the date of any Shareholder meeting, date of any dividend payment, or date of any allotment of rights-during which time the books of the Corporation will be closed against stock transfers. In the alternative, the Directors may fix a date-not more than 50 days before the date of any Shareholder meeting, date of any dividend payment, or date of any allotment of rights- as a record date to determine the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at any meeting or to receive any dividends or rights (as the case may be). Only Shareholders of record on those dates will be entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the meeting or to receive dividends or rights (as the case may be).

 

Section 5.05 Dividends

 

The Board of Directors may from time to time declare and direct the Corporation to pay dividends on its outstanding shares in the manner and upon the terms provided by law and by its Articles of Incorporation.

 

Article Six

Corporate Seal

 

The Corporation will not have a corporate seal.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 10

 

 

 

Article Seven

Bank Accounts and Loans

 

Section 7.01 Bank Accounts

 

The Board of Directors may from time to time authorize designated officers or agents of the Corporation to deposit any corporate funds in those banks or trust companies designated by the Board of Directors, or may delegate to those officers or agents the authority to designate banks or trust companies. The designated officers or agents may also withdraw any or all of the funds of the Corporation deposited in the bank or trust company upon checks, drafts, or other instruments or orders for the payment of money, drawn against the account or in the name or behalf of this Corporation and made or signed by those officers or agents. Each bank or trust company with which funds of the Corporation are deposited is authorized to accept, honor, cash, and pay- without limit as to amount- all checks, drafts, or other instruments or orders for the payment of money when drawn, made, or signed by officers or agents designated by the Board of Directors until the bank or trust company receives written notice revoking the authority of any officers or agents from the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors will certify from time to time to those banks or trust companies the signatures of the officers or agents of the Corporation authorized to draw against those accounts. If the Board of Directors fails to designate the persons by whom checks, drafts, and other instruments or orders for the payment of money will be signed, any checks, drafts, and other instruments or orders for the payment of money must be signed by the President or a Vice President and countersigned by the Secretary or Treasurer or an Assistant Secretary or an Assistant Treasurer of the Corporation.

 

Section 7.02 Loans

 

No loans may be contracted on behalf of the Corporation and no evidences of indebtedness may be issued in its name unless authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors. The authority granted in the resolution may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

Section 7.03 Contracts

 

The Board of Directors may authorize any officer, agent, or agents of the Corporation to enter into any contract or to sign and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation. The authority granted by the Board of Directors may be general or confined to specific instances.

 

Article Eight

Reimbursements

 

If the Internal Revenue Service disallows in whole or in part any payments made to an officer or other employee of the Corporation such as salary, commission, interest or rent, or incurred entertainment expense as a deductible expense, the officer or employee must reimburse the Corporation for the amount to the full extent of its disallowance. The Board of Directors must enforce payment of each amount disallowed. Instead of payment by the officer or other employee, the Board of Directors may authorize proportionate amounts to be withheld from his or her future compensation until the amount owed to the Corporation has been recovered.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 11

 

 

 

Article Nine

Miscellaneous Provisions

 

Section 9.01 Fiscal Year

 

The first fiscal year of the Corporation will be determined by the filing of the first federal income tax return of the Corporation. Each fiscal year following the first fiscal year must end on the same date unless changed by resolution of the Board of Directors.

 

Section 9.02 Validity of Copies

 

Any person may rely on a copy of these Bylaws or any resolution of the Board of Directors that the Secretary certifies to be a true copy to the same effect as if it were an original.

 

Section 9.03 Singular and Plural; Gender

 

Unless the context requires otherwise, words denoting the singular may be construed as plural and words of the plural may be construed as denoting the singular. Words of one gender may be construed as denoting another gender as appropriate within the context. The word or used in a list of more than two items may function as both a conjunction and a disjunction as the context requires or permits.

 

Section 9.04 Resignation or Removal

 

The phrase resignation or removal means the voluntary or involuntary removal of a Director or officer, as the case may be, due to death, disability, removal by vote of the Shareholders or Directors (as the case may be), resignation, or refusal to act.

 

Section 9.05 Headings of Articles, Sections, and Subsections

 

The headings of Articles, Sections, and Subsections used within these Bylaws are included solely for the convenience and reference of the reader. They have no significance in the interpretation or construction of this Agreement.

 

Section 9.06 Notices

 

Unless otherwise stated, whenever Bylaws call for notice, the notice must be in writing and must be personally delivered with proof of delivery, or mailed postage prepaid by regular US mail, to the last known address of the party requiring notice. If delivery is made by US mail, notice is effective on the date mailed; in all other cases, notice is effective when delivery is made.

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 12

 

 

 

Section 9.07 Waiver of Notice

 

Whenever any notice is required to be given under these Bylaws, the Articles of Incorporation, or any law, a written waiver of the notice, signed by the person or persons entitled to receive notice, whether before or after the time stated therein, is equivalent to the giving of that notice.

 

Attending any meeting is a waiver of notice of the meeting except if the attendance is for the specific purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

Article Ten

Amendments

 

The Board of Directors has the authority to amend, alter, or repeal these Bylaws, in whole or in part, and may from time to time make additional Bylaws. This action may be taken at any general or special meeting of the Board of Directors by a vote of the Directors. But if the action is to be taken at a special meeting, notice of the meeting must state that a purpose of the meeting will be to consider and act upon alterations, amendments, or repeal of the Bylaws.

 

CERTIFICATE OF CORPORATE SECRETARY

 

I, SANDRO PIANCONE, the undersigned, the duly elected and acting Secretary of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC., do hereby certify that the above and foregoing Bylaws were adopted as the Bylaws of said Corporation on 4-1-19 by the Directors of said Corporation.

 

SECRETARY:

 

 

 

 
/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Dated: 4-1, 2019
SANDRO PIANCONE

 

 

 

Bylaws of THE HEMPACCO CO., INC.

Page 13

 

 

  EXHIBIT 10.1

AGREEMENT FOR SHARE EXCHANGE

 

This AGREEMENT FOR SHARE EXCHANGE (this “Agreement”) is entered into on May 21, 2021, with an effective date of the Effective Time (as defined below), by and between Green Globe International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), and the Owners of the common shares of Hempacco Co., Inc. (“Seller Group”). The members of the Seller Group collectively own 100% of the common shares of Hemapacco Co., Inc. (“Subsidiary Shares”) and are hereby identified below and on the signature page hereto.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, Buyer desires to acquire 18,394,410 shares of common stock of Hempacco Co., Inc. (“Hempacco”), such number of shares representing 100% of the issued and outstanding common stock of Hempacco in exchange for the consideration and upon the terms set forth below; and 

 

WHEREAS, Seller Group, individually named below, desires to sell/exchange its holdings of the common shares of Hempacco, as set forth below;

 

SHAREHOLDER NAME

 

NUMBER OF SHARES HELD

 

 

% OF TOTAL

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UST Mexico, Inc.

 

 

8,000,000

 

 

 

43.4888 %

Juan Herrera

 

 

12,623

 

 

0.0686 

%M

Cube 17, Inc.

 

 

585,000

 

 

 

3.1801 %

Jerry Halamuda

 

 

177,016

 

 

 

0.9623 %

Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund L.P.

 

 

8,757,479

 

 

 

47.6066 %

Dr. Stuart W. Titus

 

 

51,030

 

 

 

0.2774 %

McKenzie Cook

 

 

102,016

 

 

0.5546

%M

Mario Taverna

 

 

102,367

 

 

0.5565

%M

Valentino Mordini

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

Romeo Fiore

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

Roger D. Ladd

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

Sylvester Barnes

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

James Lindsey

 

 

28,000

 

 

0.1522

%M

Sergio Oliveros (dba OS5 Technology)

 

 

100,000

 

 

 

0.5436 %

Strategic Global Partners, Inc.

 

 

170,000

 

 

 

0.9241 %

Primus Logistics

 

 

170,000

 

 

 

0.9241 %

TOTAL:

 

 

18,395,532

 

 

 

100.0000 %

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Buyer and Seller Group (as individuals) have each approved the proposed transaction, contingent upon satisfaction prior to closing of all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals, which shall be considered an integral part of this Agreement, and the covenants, conditions, representations and warranties hereinafter set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

THE EXCHANGE

 

1.1 The Exchange. At the Closing (as hereinafter defined), Buyer shall acquire the Subsidiary Shares, in consideration of Buyer issuing Seller Group 70,312,160,174 shares of Buyer’s common stock, representing 95% of the total issued and outstanding shares of Buyer (the “Shares”) (such exchange of shares shall be referred to herein as the “Exchange”). The Exchange shall take place upon the terms and conditions provided for in this Agreement and in accordance with applicable law. Immediately following completion of the share exchange transaction through the issuance of the Shares, Buyer shall have a total of 74,012,800,530 shares of its common stock issued and outstanding. 

 

Individual members of the Seller Group will receive shares of Buyer’s common stock in proportion to their percentage holding of Hempacco stock, as set forth below;

 

SHAREHOLDER NAME

 

NUMBER OF BUYER’S SHARES

 

 

% OF TOTAL

 

UST Mexico, Inc.

 

 

30,577,928,723

 

 

 

43.4888 %

Juan Herrera

 

 

48,247,782

 

 

0.0686

%M

Cube 17, Inc.

 

 

2,236,011,038

 

 

 

3.1801 %

Jerry Halamuda

 

 

676,599,505

 

 

 

0.9623 %

Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

 

107,022,750

 

 

0.1522

%M

Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund L.P.

 

 

33,473,197,809

 

 

 

47.6066 %

Dr. Stuart W. Titus

 

 

195,049,486

 

 

 

0.2774 %

McKenzie Cook

 

 

389,931,423

 

 

0.5546

%M

Mario Taverna

 

 

391,271,825

 

 

0.5565

%M

Valentino Mordini

 

 

107,022,751

 

 

0.1522

%M

Romeo Fiore

 

 

107,022,751

 

 

0.1522

%M

Roger D. Ladd

 

 

107,022,750

 

 

0.1522

%M

Sylvester Barnes

 

 

107,022,751

 

 

0.1522

%M

James Lindsey

 

 

107,022,751

 

 

0.1522

%M

Sergio Oliveros (dba OS5 Technology)

 

 

382,224,109

 

 

 

0.5436 %

Strategic Global Partners, Inc.

 

 

649,780,985

 

 

 

0.9241 %

Primus Logistics

 

 

649,780,985

 

 

 

0.9241 %

TOTAL:

 

 

70,312,160,174

 

 

 

100.0000 %

 

 

 M = Mandatory Conversion

 

 

1.2 For federal income tax purposes, the Exchange shall constitute a tax-free reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a)(1)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

 
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1.2 Closing and Effective Time. Subject to the provisions of this Agreement, the parties shall hold a closing (the “Closing”) on (i) the first business day on which the last of the conditions set forth in Article V to be fulfilled prior to the Closing is fulfilled or waived, or (ii) at such time and place as the parties hereto may agree. Notwithstanding the foregoing, May 21, 2021, shall be considered the effective date of the Exchange for tax and accounting purposes (the “Effective Time”), but in no event shall the Closing occur later than June 10, 2021, unless both parties agree, in writing, to extend the Closing beyond that date.

 

1.3 Actions at Closing. At Closing:

 

(a) Seller Group shall execute and deliver to Buyer the Subsidiary Shares and/or stock powers sufficient to transfer the Subsidiary Shares to Buyer.

 

(b) Buyer shall issue the Shares to individual Seller Group members.

 

(c) The parties to this Agreement further agree to execute, acknowledge and deliver such additional documents, take such additional actions and furnish such additional information as may be reasonably necessary to carry out fully the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE II

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

2.1 Representations and Warranties of Buyer. Buyer represents and warrants to Seller Group as follows:

 

(a) Organization, Standing and Power. Buyer is and will be after the Effective Time a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware and has all requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted, and is duly qualified and in good standing to do business in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the ownership or leasing of its properties makes such qualification necessary except for any such failure, which when taken together with all other failures, is not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, operations, assets, financial condition or prospects of Target Companies or Buyer, if any, taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or by the agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith.

 

(b) Capitalization. As of the date of this Agreement, the authorized capital stock of the Buyer consists of 75,000,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value, 3,700,640,356 shares of which are issued and outstanding, and which are fully paid, validly issued, and nonassessable, and 82,050 shares of preferred stock, 81,950 of which have been designated as Series C preferred stock, which are fully paid, validly issued, and nonassessable, the remaining 100 shares have been designated as Series A preferred stock which shall vote together with the shares of Common Stock of the Corporation as a single class and, regardless of the number of shares of “Series A” Preferred Stock outstanding and as long as at least one of such shares of “Series A” Preferred Stock is outstanding, shall represent eighty percent (80%) of all votes entitled to be voted at any annual or special meeting of shareholders of the Buyer or action by written consent of shareholders. Each outstanding share of the “Series A” Preferred Stock shall represent the proportionate share of the 80% which is allocated to the outstanding shares of “Series A” Preferred Stock.

 

 
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Hempacco purchased 100 shares (representing 100% of the class) of the “Series A” Preferred Stock on March 22, 2021. 

 

At Closing, Hempacco will return the 100 shares of “Class A” Preferred stock to Buyer for cancellation.

 

At Closing, no shares will be reserved for issuance, and there will be no outstanding subscriptions, options, rights, warrants, convertible securities, or other agreements or commitments obligating Buyer to issue or to transfer from treasury any additional shares of its capital stock of any class.

 

(c) Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws. Copies of the Buyer’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and restated, and Bylaws, which have been delivered to Seller Group, are true, correct and complete copies thereof.

 

(d) Authority. Buyer has all requisite power to enter into this Agreement and, subject to approval of the proposed transaction by its shareholders, has the requisite power and authority to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Except as specified herein, no other corporate or shareholder proceedings on the part of Buyer are necessary to authorize the Exchange and the other transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(e) Conflict with Agreements; Approvals. The execution and delivery of this Agreement does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, conflict with, or result in any violation of any provision of the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of Buyer or of any loan or credit agreement, note, mortgage, indenture, lease, benefit plan or other agreement, obligation, instrument, permit, concession, franchise, license, judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to Buyer or its properties or assets except for any such conflict or violation, which when taken together with all other conflict or violation, is not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration or filing with, any governmental entity is required by or with respect to Buyer in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Buyer, or the consummation by Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(f) Books and Records. Buyer has made and will make available for inspection by Seller Group upon reasonable request all the books of account, relating to the business of Buyer. Such books of account have been maintained in the ordinary course of business. All documents furnished or caused to be furnished to Seller Group by Buyer are true and correct copies, and there are no amendments or modifications thereto except as set forth in such documents.

 

(g) Compliance with Laws. Buyer is and has been in compliance in all material respects with all laws, regulations, rules, orders, judgments, decrees and other requirements and policies imposed by any governmental entity applicable to it, its properties or the operation of its businesses.

 

 
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(h) Employees. As of Closing, Buyer shall not have any employees and no employment agreements shall be in existence, and Buyer and shall not be bound by or subject to (and none of the assets or properties of Buyer shall be bound by or subject to) any arrangement or agreement with any labor union with respect to any employees of Buyer. None of Buyer’s prior employees within the past five years have been represented by any labor union or covered by any collective bargaining agreement. No campaign to establish such representation has been commenced or is currently in progress, and there is no pending or threatened labor dispute involving any group of Buyer’s employees or prior employees.

 

(i) Employee Compensation Plans

 

(i) Buyer does not maintain or contribute to, or have any obligation to contribute to or have any liability (including a liability arising out of an indemnification, guarantee, hold harmless or similar agreement) with respect to any plan, program, arrangement, agreement or commitment which is a written employment, consulting or deferred compensation agreement, or a written executive compensation, incentive bonus or other bonus, employee pension, profit sharing, savings, retirement, stock option, stock purchase, stock appreciation rights, severance pay, life, health, disability or accident insurance plan, or other written insurance plan, program, arrangement, agreement or commitment, including any “insurance plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (a “Plan”).

 

(ii) Buyer does not have any liability with respect to an obligation to provide benefits, including death or medical benefits (whether or not insured) with respect to any person beyond their retirement or other termination of service. 

 

(iii) Buyer does not have any material liability, whether absolute or contingent, including any obligation under any insurance plans with respect to any misclassification of a person as an independent contractor rather than as an employee.

 

(iv) Buyer does not maintain any Plan, program or arrangement and is not a party to any contract that provides any person with any rights to acquire any equity securities of Buyer, or provides for any benefits or payments to any person based on or measured by the value of any equity security of Buyer.

 

(j) Insurance. All policies, if any, for (i) professional and Directors and Officers insurance coverage, (ii) property/casualty insurance coverage; (iii) health insurance coverage; and (iv) other insurance coverages maintained by Buyer are paid and will be in good standing through Closing.

 

(j) Litigation. There is no suit, action or proceeding pending, or, to the knowledge of Buyer threatened against or affecting Buyer, which is reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on Buyer, nor is there any judgment, decree, injunction, rule or order of any governmental entity or arbitrator outstanding against Buyer having, or which, insofar as reasonably can be foreseen, in the future could have, any such effect. Buyer and its subsidiaries or principals have not been charged with infringement of any unexpired patent, trademark, trademark registration, trade name, copyright, copyright registration, trade secret or any other proprietary or intellectual property right of any party in connection with the operation of its business. There are no employee-related claims pending or threatened against Buyer or its principals for sexual harassment, discrimination, or wrongful termination.

 

 
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(k) Permits and Licenses. Buyer has, and has had, all permits, licenses, orders and approvals of all federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory bodies required for it to carry on its business as presently conducted, except those permits, licenses, orders and approvals the failure to obtain which individually or in the aggregate are reasonably likely to have no Material Effect.

 

(l) Taxes. Buyer has filed all tax returns and reports required to be filed as of the Closing with all other jurisdictions where such filing is required by law; and Buyer has paid, or made adequate provision for the payment of all taxes, interest, penalties, assessments or deficiencies due and payable on, and with respect to such periods or accruing prior to Closing. As of the Closing, Buyer knows of (i) no other tax returns or reports which were required to be filed which have not been so filed and (ii) no unpaid assessment for additional taxes for any fiscal period ending before the Closing. 

 

(m) Title to Property. Buyer does not own any real property, and Buyer has good and merchantable title to its personal property and assets and all the personal property and assets reflected in the Buyer’s financial statements which have been filed with OTCMarkets.com, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances or charges, except for: (a) those incurred in the ordinary course of business; (b) statutory or common law liens or claims not yet delinquent; or (c) such imperfections of title, easements and encumbrances as do not materially detract from the value, or materially interfere with the present use, of such material properties or assets subject thereto or affected thereby. 

 

2.2 Representations and Warranties of Seller Group. Seller Group represents and warrants to Buyer as follows:

 

(a) Organization, Standing and Power. Seller Group is comprised of five shareholders of Hempacco who held no executive positions or officerships and therefore cannot attest to the good standing of Hempacco or comment upon its business operations or its power or authority to carry on its business in the jurisdictions in which it operates.

 

(b) Authority. Seller Group has all requisite power to enter into this Agreement and has the requisite power and authority to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. Except as specified herein, no other corporate proceedings on the part of Seller Group are necessary to authorize the Exchange and the other transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(c) Conflict with Agreements; Approvals. The execution and delivery of this Agreement does not, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not, conflict with, or result in any violation of any provision of the Articles of Incorporation of Incorporation or Bylaws of Buyer or of any loan or credit agreement, note, mortgage, indenture, lease, benefit plan or other agreement, obligation, instrument, permit, concession, franchise, license, judgment, order, decree, statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to Buyer or their properties or assets except for any such conflict or violation, which when taken together with all other conflict or violation, is not likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, order or authorization of, or registration, declaration or filing with, any governmental entity is required by or with respect to Seller Group in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by Seller Group, or the consummation by Seller Group of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

 
6

 

 

(d) Compliance with Laws. Seller Group is and has been in compliance in all material respects with all laws, regulations, rules, orders, judgments, decrees and other requirements and policies imposed by any governmental entity applicable to it, its properties or the operation of its businesses.

 

(e) Subsidiary Shares Free and Clear. The Subsidiary Shares are free and clear of any liens, claims, options, charges or encumbrances of any nature.

 

(f) Unqualified Right to Subsidiary Shares. Seller Group has the unqualified right to sell, assign, and deliver the Subsidiary Shares, and, upon consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, Buyer will acquire good and valid title to such Subsidiary Shares, free and clear of all liens, claims, options, charges, and encumbrances of whatsoever nature. 

 

ARTICLE III

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

 

3.1 Restricted Shares. The Shares will not be registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), but will be issued pursuant to applicable exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Accordingly, the Shares shall be considered “restricted securities” for purposes of the Securities Act, and the holders of Shares will not be able to transfer such shares except upon compliance with the registration requirements of the Securities Act or in reliance upon an available exemption therefrom. The certificates evidencing the Shares shall contain a legend to the foregoing effect. 

 

3.2 Access to Information. Upon reasonable notice, Buyer and Seller Group shall each afford to the officers, employees, accountants, counsel and other representatives of the other company, access to all their respective properties, books, contracts, commitments and records and all other information concerning its business, properties and personnel as such other party may reasonably request. Unless otherwise required by law, the parties will hold any such information which is nonpublic in confidence until such time as such information otherwise becomes publicly available through no wrongful act of either party, and in the event of termination of this Agreement for any reason each party shall promptly return all nonpublic documents obtained from any other party, and any copies made of such documents, to such other party.

 

 
7

 

 

ARTICLE IV

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CLOSING

 

4.1 Conditions to Each Party’s Obligation to Effect the Exchange. The respective obligations of each party to effect the Exchange shall be conditional upon the filing, occurring or obtainment by the other party of all authorizations, consents, orders or approvals of, or declarations or filings with, or expirations of waiting periods imposed by any governmental entity or by any applicable law, rule, or regulation governing the transactions contemplated hereby, as well as the satisfaction of the following conditions on or before the Closing:

 

(a) [Reserved]. 

 

4.2 Conditions to Obligations of Buyer. The obligation of Buyer to effect the Exchange is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions on or before the Closing unless waived by Buyer:

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Seller Group set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date) as of the Closing as though made on and as of the Closing, except as otherwise stated in this Agreement, and Seller Group shall complete all government and legal process to transfer all of the Subsidiary Shares to Buyer.

 

4.3 Conditions to Obligations of Target Companies. The obligation of Seller Group to effect the Exchange is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions on or before the Closing unless waived by Seller Group:

 

(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Buyer as set forth in this Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date of this Agreement and (except to the extent such representations and warranties speak as of an earlier date) as of the Closing as though made on and as of the Closing, except as otherwise stated in this Agreement.

 

ARTICLE V

TERMINATION AND AMENDMENT

 

5.1 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to the Closing:

 

(a) by mutual consent of Buyer and Seller Group;

 

(b) by either Buyer or Seller Group if there has been a material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the other party or parties, as set forth in this Agreement, which breach has not been cured within five (5) business days following receipt by the breaching party of notice of such breach, or if any permanent injunction or other order of a court or other competent authority preventing the consummation of the Exchange shall have become final and non-appealable.

 

5.2 Effect of Termination. In the event of termination of this Agreement by any party as provided in Section 5.1, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and, subject to the following, there shall be no liability or obligation on the part of any party hereto. In the event of termination under Section 5.1(a), all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses. In the event of termination under Section 5.1(b), all costs and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement by the non-breaching parties shall be paid by the breaching party.

 

 
8

 

 

5.3 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended by mutual agreement of Buyer and Seller Group. Any such amendment must be by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties hereto.

 

5.4 Extension; Waiver. At any time prior to the Closing, any party hereto, by action taken individually or authorized by their respective Board of Directors, may, to the extent legally allowed, (a) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of the other parties hereto, (b) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any of the agreements or conditions contained herein. Any agreement on the part of a party hereto to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a written instrument signed on behalf of such party.

 

ARTICLE VI

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

6.1 Survival of Representations, Warranties and Agreements. All of the representations, warranties and agreements in this Agreement or in any instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall survive the Effective Time for as long as the applicable statute of limitation shall remain open. 

 

6.2 Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally, emailed (which is confirmed) or mailed by registered or certified mail (return receipt requested) to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified by like notice):

 

(a) If to Buyer:

Green Globe International, Inc.

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

(b) If to Seller Group:

 

(b) i UST Mexico, Inc.

c/o Sandro Piancone, Suite 2-F

Incline Village, NV 89451

 

(b) ii Juan Herrera

[redacted]

 

(b) iii Cube 17, Inc.

c/o J.Olson

[redacted]

 

 
9

 

 

(b) iv Jerry Halamuda

[redacted]

 

(b) v Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh.

[redacted]

 

(b) vi Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund L.P.

c/o J.Olson

[redacted]

 

(b) vii Stuart W. Titus

[redacted]

 

(b) viii McKenzie Cook

[redacted]

 

(b) ix Mario Taverna

[redacted]

 

(b) x Valentino Mordini

[redacted]

 

(b) xi Romeo Fiore

[redacted]

 

(b) xii Roger D. Ladd

[redacted]

 

(b) xiii Sylvester Barnes

[redacted]

 

(b) xiv James Lindsey

[redacted]

 

(b) xv Sergio Oliveros

 [redacted]

 

(b) xvi Strategic Global Partners

c/o Sandro Piancone

[redacted]

 

(b) xvii Primus Logistics

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 
10

 

 

6.3 Interpretation. When a reference is made in this Agreement to Sections, such reference shall be to a Section of this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. Whenever the words “include,” “includes,” or “including” are used in this Agreement, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation.” The phrase “made available” in this Agreement shall mean that the information referred to has been made available if requested by the party to whom such information is to be made available.

 

6.4 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when two or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart.

 

6.5 Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries; Rights of Ownership. This Agreement (including the documents and the instruments referred to herein) constitutes the entire agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and is not intended to confer upon any person other than the parties hereto any rights or remedies hereunder.

 

6.6 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to principles of conflicts of law. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any Delaware state court or any federal court in the State of Delaware in respect of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and irrevocably accept for themselves and in respect of their property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts.

 

6.7 No Remedy in Certain Circumstances. Each party agrees that, should any court or other competent authority hold any provision of this Agreement or part hereof or thereof to be null, void or unenforceable, or order any party to take any action inconsistent herewith or not to take any action required herein, the other party shall not be entitled to specific performance of such provision or part hereof or thereof or to any other remedy, including but not limited to money damages, for breach hereof or thereof or of any other provision of this Agreement or part hereof or thereof as a result of such holding or order.

 

6.8 Publicity. Except as otherwise required by law or the rules of the SEC, so long as this Agreement is in effect, no party shall issue or cause the publication of any press release or other public announcement with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement without the written consent of the other party, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

6.9 Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned by any of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other parties. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and assigns.

 

ARTICLE VII

OTHER PROVISIONS

 

7.1 Bankruptcy, Insolvency, Etc. In the case of Buyer (a) instituting any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings, voluntary or involuntary, for relief under any bankruptcy law or any law for the relief of debtors, (b) instituting the dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Buyer or any substantial portion of its business, or (c) Buyer being sued for an amount in excess of $100,000, each prior to the date which is eighteen (18) months following the Effective Time, this Agreement shall be deemed null and void in the sole discretion of either Buyer or Seller Group, and Buyer shall immediately return to Seller Group the Subsidiary Shares.

 

 
11

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEROF, this Agreement has been signed by the parties set forth below as of the date set forth above.

 

BUYER:

 

 

 

 

 

Green Globe International, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

 

Seller Group:

 

 

 

 

 

UST Mexico, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title: President

 

 

 

 

 

Juan Herrera

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Juan Herrera

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Cube 17, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jorge Olson

 

 

Name: Jorge Olson

 

 

Title: President

 

 

 

 

 

Jerry Halamuda

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jerry Halamuda

 

 

Name:

Title:

 

 

 

 
12

 

 

Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico Franchise Opportunity Fund L.P.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jorge Olson

 

 

Name: Jorge Olson

 

 

Title: Managing Partner

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Stuart W. Titus

 

 

 

 

/s/ Dr. Stuart W. Titus

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

McKenzie Cook

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ McKenzie Cook

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Taverna

 

 

 

 

/s/ Mark Taverna

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Valentino Mordini

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Valentino Mordini

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Romeo Fiore

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Romeo Fiore

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
13

 

 

Roger D. Ladd

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Roger D. Ladd

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

Sylvester Barnes

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sylvester Barnes

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

James Lindsey

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ James Lindsey

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Sergio Oliveros

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sergio Oliveros

 

 

Name: Sergio Oliveros

 

 

Title: 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Global Partners, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title: President

 

 

 

 

 

Primus Logistics

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title: President

 

 

 

 
14

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.2

 

PATENT LICENSE AGREEMENT

 

This Patent License Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into on April 1, 2021 (“Effective Date”), by and between Old Belt Extracts, LLC d/b/a Open Book Extracts, a Delaware limited liability company (“OBX”) and Hempacco, Inc., a Nevada C corporation (“Hempacco”) (“LICENSEE”). OBX and Hempacco are each individually a “Party” and collectively the “Parties” to this Agreement.

 

BACKGROUND

 

WHEREAS, OBX specializes in the manufacturing and formulation of non-THC cannabinoids and terpenes, and OBX owns certain PATENT RIGHTS (defined herein) for the spraying of cannabinoids and terpenes on smokable botanicals (covered by U.S. Patent 9532593B2, title: “Herbal Smoking Blend”), trademarked and referred to herein as FlorSureTM;

 

WHEREAS, OBX has the right to grant licenses under PATENT RIGHTS, and OBX desires to have the PATENT RIGHTS developed and commercialized and is willing to grant a license for this purpose;

 

WHEREAS, LICENSEE is a leading manufacturer of hemp cigarettes and owner and wholesaler of branded hemp cigarettes;

 

WHEREAS, LICENSEE desires to obtain a license from OBX wherein LICENSEE will commit itself to a thorough, vigorous, and diligent program of commercializing the PATENT RIGHTS, and OBX desires to license to LICENSEE an exclusive license to use FlorSure™ to make flavored and scented hemp cigarettes under the PATENT RIGHTS upon the terms and conditions set forth below.

 

The parties therefore agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1 – DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of this Agreement, the following words and phrases have the following meanings:

 

1.1 “CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION” means confidential or proprietary information relating to the PATENT RIGHTS, LICENSED PRODUCTS or LICENSED PROCESSES. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION may be in written, graphic, oral or physical form and may include scientific knowledge, know-how, processes, inventions, techniques, formulae, products, business operations, customer requirements, designs, sketches, photographs, drawings, specifications, reports, studies, findings, data, plans or other records, biological materials, and/or software. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION shall not include:

 

 

 

(a)

information which is, or later becomes, generally available to the public through no fault of the recipient;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

information which is provided to the recipient by an independent third party having no obligation to keep the information secret;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(c)

information which the recipient can establish was previously known to it or was independently developed by it without reference to the CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(d)

information that is required to be disclosed to comply with applicable law or court order, provided that the recipient gives prior written notice of the required disclosure to the discloser.

 

 

 

 

1.2 “FIELD OF USE” shall cover use of FlorSure™ to make flavored and scented hemp cigarettes and LICENSEE’s license under this Agreement shall cover the machine application of terpenes to hemp cigarettes. OBX will extend LICENSEE a ROFR (right of first refusal) on additional fields of use, whether that be form factors (e.g., flower, hand rolls, cones), application methods (e.g., spraying by hand), or materials applied (e.g., cannabinoids).

 

1.3 “LICENSED PROCESS” means any process that is covered in whole or in part by an issued, unexpired claim contained in the PATENT RIGHTS.

 

1.4 “LICENSED PRODUCT” means any product or product part which:

 

 

(a)

is covered in whole or in part by an issued, unexpired claim contained in the PATENT RIGHTS in the country in which any such product or product part is made, used or sold; or

 

 

 

 

(b)

is manufactured by using a process or is employed to practice a process which is covered in whole or in part by an issued, unexpired claim contained in the PATENT RIGHTS in the country in which any LICENSED PROCESS is used or in which such product or product part is used or sold.

 

1.5 “LICENSEE” means Hempacco.

 

1.6 “NET SALES” means the gross amount of all sales or leases of LICENSED PRODUCTS and PROCESSES by LICENSEE, Affiliates, or to any customer less:

 

 

(a)

discounts allowed in amounts customary in the trade;

 

 

 

 

(b)

sales, tariff duties and/or use taxes directly imposed and with reference to particular sales;

 

 

 

 

(c)

freight and insurance, if separately itemized on the invoice and paid by the customer; and

 

 

 

 

(d)

amounts allowed or credited on returns.

 

No deductions shall be made for cost of collections or for commissions paid to individuals whether they are with independent sales agencies or regularly employed by LICENSEE and on its payroll. LICENSED PRODUCTS are “sold” when billed out or invoiced.

 

1.7 “PATENT RIGHTS” includes the following OBX intellectual property:

 

U.S. Patent 9532593B2 (title: “Herbal Smoking Blend”).

 

 
2

 

 

1.8 “TERRITORY” means North America (USA, Canada, Mexico).

 

ARTICLE 2 – GRANT

 

2.1 OBX grants to LICENSEE and LICENSEE accepts, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, an exclusive license in the FIELD OF USE and in the TERRITORY under PATENT RIGHTS and, to the extent not prohibited by other patents, to make, have made, use, lease, and sell LICENSED PRODUCTS and to practice the LICENSED PROCESSES.

 

2.2 Duration: LICENSEE’s exclusive license rights under this Agreement shall last for three (3) years, as long as LICENSEE meets its Minimum Royalty payments (described herein). The Parties also agree that the exclusive license to LICENSEE shall be renewable upon the mutual agreement of the Parties.

 

2.3 LICENSEE shall not have any rights to grant a sublicense under this Agreement, without the express prior written permission of OBX.

 

2.4 This Agreement is effective when signed by all parties and shall extend until expiration of the last to expire of the licensed PATENT RIGHTS, unless sooner terminated as provided in Article 9.

 

2.5 LICENSEE agrees that LICENSED PRODUCTS leased or sold in the United States shall be manufactured substantially in the United States.

 

ARTICLE 3 – LICENSE FEES and ROYALTIES

 

3.1 LICENSEE shall pay the following fees and royalties to OBX until the term of the PATENT RIGHTS expires or until this Agreement is terminated:

 

 

 

(a)

Upfront Fee: LICENSEE shall issue OBX $120,000 of equity at the anticipated RTO listing valuation, with a refresh if the RTO prices below target. Such upfront issue fee shall be due upon the effective date of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

Royalty: At the end of each quarter, LICENSEE shall pay OBX the greater of (a) the Minimum Royalty (defined below) or (b) $0.01/stick for each hemp cigarette leveraging FlorSureTM. The “Minimum Royalty” is an annual minimum royalty obligation that shall be applied quarterly, as listed below, where the start date for this schedule is the Effective Date:

 

 

 

 

Year 1: No Minimum

 

 

 

 

Year 2: $90,000 (four installments of $22,500) Year 3: $120,000 (four installments of $30,000)

 

 
3

 

 

3.2 LICENSEE shall be responsible for the payment of all taxes, duties, levies, and other charges, including, but not limited to, sales, use, gross receipts, excise, VAT, and any other taxes, any withholdings or deductions, import and custom taxes, any duties, or any other charges imposed by any taxing authority with respect to the royalties payable to OBX under this agreement. Should LICENSEE be required under any law or regulation of any government entity or authority,

 

domestic or foreign, to withhold or deduct any portion of the payments on royalties due to OBX, then the sum payable to OBX shall be increased by the amount necessary to yield to OBX an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no withholdings or deductions been made. OBX and LICENSEE agree to cooperate in the event there is any question about a specific amount that is due.

 

3.3 Royalty payments shall be paid in United States dollars in a manner and at a place as OBX may reasonably designate. If any currency conversion is required in connection with the payment of royalties, such conversion shall be made using the currency exchange rate that is applicable and current at the time the payment is due.

 

3.4 Royalty payments shall be made on a quarterly basis with submission of the reports required by Article 5. Such payments and reports shall be due within fourteen (14) days of March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each calendar year. Late payments shall be subject to a charge of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month or $100, whichever is greater. The payment of such late charge shall not foreclose OBX from exercising any other rights resulting from any late payment.

 

ARTICLE 4 – DUE DILIGENCE

 

4.1 LICENSEE shall use its best efforts to bring one or more LICENSED PRODUCTS or LICENSED PROCESSES to market through a thorough, vigorous and diligent program for exploiting the PATENT RIGHTS and to continue active, diligent marketing efforts for one or more LICENSED PRODUCTS or LICENSED PROCESSES throughout the life of this Agreement.

 

4.2 LICENSEE agrees to the following terms with regard to commercialization milestones for the LICENSED PRODUCTS and LICENSED PROCESSES (together the “MILESTONES”):

 

(i) Operational Milestone: If the standard operating procedure (SOPs) for spraying smokable flower with terpenes have not been established and entered into commercial production by LICENSEE within four (4) months of the Effective Date, OBX has the option effective on thirty (30) days’ notice to LICENSEE to terminate exclusivity and forfeit its equity in Hempacco issued pursuant to this Agreement.

 

4.3 The MILESTONES in Paragraph 4.2 will be achieved on or before the deadline dates indicated and OBX shall determine in its reasonable discretion whether a MILESTONE has been reached.

 

ARTICLE 5 – REPORTS AND RECORDS

 

5.1 LICENSEE shall keep full, true and accurate books of account containing all particulars necessary to show the amounts payable to OBX. The books of account shall be kept at LICENSEE’s principal place of business or the principal place of business of the appropriate division of LICENSEE to which this Agreement relates. The books and supporting data shall be open at all reasonable times for five (5) years following the end of the calendar year to which they pertain, for inspection by OBX or its agents to verify LICENSEE’s royalty statement or compliance in other respects with this Agreement. Should such inspection lead to the discovery of discrepancy in reporting which is greater than three percent (3%) to OBX’s detriment, LICENSEE agrees to pay the full cost of such inspection.

 

 
4

 

 

5.2 LICENSEE shall provide to OBX a written annual report on or before September 1 of each calendar year. The annual report shall include a report of progress on marketing and sales of LICENSED PRODUCT during the preceding twelve (12) months and plans for the coming year.

 

5.3 After the first commercial sale of a LICENSED PRODUCT or LICENSED PROCESS, LICENSEE shall provide quarterly reports to OBX. The quarterly reports shall be delivered within fourteen (14) days after March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year. The quarterly reports shall give particulars of the business conducted by LICENSEE during the preceding quarter that are pertinent to a royalty accounting, including:

 

 

(a)

number of LICENSED PRODUCTS manufactured and sold by LICENSEE;

 

 

 

 

(b)

total billings for LICENSED PRODUCTS sold by LICENSEE;

 

 

 

 

(c)

accounting for all LICENSED PROCESSES used or sold by LICENSEE:

 

 

 

 

(d)

deductions applicable to NET SALES as provided in Paragraph 1.6; and

 

 

 

 

(e)

total royalties due.

 

5.4 On or before ninety (90) days following the close of LICENSEE’s fiscal year, LICENSEE shall provide OBX with LICENSEE’s certified financial statements for the preceding fiscal year including, at a minimum, a Balance Sheet and an Operating Statement.

 

ARTICLE 6 – INFRINGEMENT

 

6.1 OBX agrees to notify LICENSEE promptly of any potential infringement of the PATENT RIGHTS by any third party of which OBX becomes aware, and vice versa.

 

6.2 OBX shall make and control all decisions about whether to proceed with any infringement action against any third party. Notwithstanding the forgoing, with OBX’s prior approval, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, LICENSEE may proceed with an infringement action against a third party within the FIELD OF USE and TERRITORY at its own expense.

 

ARTICLE 7 – PRODUCT LIABILITY

 

7.1 LICENSEE shall at all times during the term of this Agreement and thereafter, indemnify, defend and hold OBX, its trustees, directors, officers, employees and affiliates, (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) harmless against all claims, proceedings, demands and liabilities of any kind whatsoever, including legal expenses and reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of the death of or injury to any person or persons or out of any damage to property, or resulting from the production, manufacture, sale, use, lease, consumption or advertisement of the LICENSED PRODUCT(s) and/or LICENSED PROCESS(es) or arising from any obligation of LICENSEE under this Agreement, except claims that the PATENT RIGHTS infringe third party intellectual property.

 

 
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7.2 LICENSEE agrees to the following obligations:

 

 

(a)

LICENSEE shall, at all times after the effective date of this Agreement and prior to the occurrence of an event described in Subparagraph 7.2.b, maintain commercial general liability insurance in amounts adequate to assure its obligations to OBX under Section 7.1 of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(b)

Beginning at the time any product, or process relating to, or developed pursuant to, this Agreement is being commercially distributed or sold by LICENSEE or by agent of LICENSEE, LICENSEE shall, at its own expense, procure and maintain commercial general liability insurance in amounts of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per incident and two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) annual aggregate and naming Indemnitees as additional insureds. The general commercial liability insurance required under this paragraph shall provide (i) product liability coverage and (ii) broad form contractual coverage for LICENSEE’s indemnification under this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(c)

LICENSEE shall provide OBX with written evidence of such insurance upon request of OBX. LICENSEE shall provide OBX with written notice at least fifteen (15) days prior to the cancellation, non-renewal or material change of such insurance; if LICENSEE does not obtain replacement insurance providing comparable coverage within such fifteen (15) day period, OBX shall have the right to terminate this Agreement effective at the at the end of such fifteen (15) day period without notice or any additional waiting periods.

 

 

 

 

(d)

LICENSEE shall maintain such commercial general liability insurance beyond the expiration or termination of this Agreement during (i) the period that any product, process, or service relating to, or developed pursuant to, this Agreement is being commercially distributed or sold by LICENSEE or agent of LICENSEE and (ii) a reasonable period after the period referred to in Paragraph 7.2.d.i above which in no event shall be less than fifteen (15) years.

 

7.3 Except as otherwise expressly set forth in this agreement, OBX, its Directors, Officers, employees, and affiliates make no representations and extend no warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and the absence of latent or other defects, whether or not discoverable.

 

ARTICLE 8 – CONFIDENTIALITY

 

8.1 During the course of this Agreement, OBX and LICENSEE may provide each other with CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. All CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION shall be designated in writing as such by the discloser. OBX and LICENSEE each intend to maintain the confidential status of their CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Each shall exercise reasonable care to protect the CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION from disclosure to third parties; no such disclosure shall be made without the other’s written permission. Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, OBX and/or LICENSEE shall comply with the other’s written request to discontinue using and/or return all CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. This Confidentiality provision shall continue for a period of three (3) years following the termination or expiration of this Agreement.

 

 
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ARTICLE 9 – TERMINATION

 

9.1 If LICENSEE becomes bankrupt or insolvent, or files a petition in bankruptcy court, or if the business of LICENSEE is placed in the hands of a receiver, assignee or trustee for the benefit of creditors, whether by the voluntary act of LICENSEE or otherwise, the exclusive license granted under Article 2 herein will automatically convert to a nonexclusive license that may not be assumed or assigned without the consent of OBX.

 

9.2 If LICENSEE fails to make any payment due to OBX, OBX has the right to terminate this Agreement effective on thirty (30) days’ written notice, unless LICENSEE makes all such payments within the thirty (30) day period. If LICENSEE has not made all such payments to OBX by the time the thirty (30) day period expires, this Agreement shall automatically terminate.

 

9.3 If LICENSEE defaults on its obligations under Paragraph 7.2, OBX shall have the right to terminate this Agreement without further notice as provided under Subparagraph 7.2(c).

 

9.4 Upon any material breach or default of this Agreement by LICENSEE, OBX has the right to terminate this Agreement effective on ninety (90) days’ written notice to LICENSEE. Such termination shall become automatically effective upon expiration of the ninety (90) day period unless LICENSEE cures the material breach or default before the period expires.

 

9.5 LICENSEE has the right to terminate this Agreement effective on ninety (90) days’ written notice to OBX if the PATENT RIGHTS are rendered invalid or unenforceable and OBX is unable to cure the PATENT RIGHTS before the period expires.

 

9.6 Termination of this Agreement shall not release OBX and LICENSEE from any obligation that matured prior to the effective date of such termination. Articles 1, 7, 8, 9 and 12 shall survive termination. LICENSEE may, however, after the effective date of such termination, complete and sell LICENSED PRODUCTS in the process of manufacture and sell all LICENSED PRODUCTS already in existence at the time of termination, if LICENSEE pays OBX as required by Article 3 and submits the reports required by Article 5 of this Agreement.

 

 
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ARTICLE 10 - PAYMENTS, NOTICES, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS

 

10.1 Any payment, notice or other communication required by this Agreement shall be sufficiently made or given on the date of mailing if sent by recognized express carrier or certified first class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to OBX or LICENSEE at its address below or as it designates by written notice to the other.

 

For OBX:

 

Oscar Hackett

President, Open Book Extracts 9367 Smith Rd

Waite Hill, OH 44094

 

For LICENSEE:

 

ARTICLE 11 – REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

11.1 LICENSEE represents and warrants that it has the full corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, that this Agreement constitutes the binding legal obligation of LICENSEE, and that the execution and performance of this Agreement by LICENSEE will not violate or conflict with any other agreement to which LICENSEE is a party or by which it is bound or with any law, rule or regulation applicable to LICENSEE. LICENSEE shall not seek to file for any intellectual property rights with any US or foreign government agency with respect to LICENSED PRODUCTS and PROCESSES.

 

ARTICLE 12 – MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

12.1 This Agreement shall be construed, governed, interpreted and applied in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, United States of America, without regard to conflicts of law, except that questions affecting the construction and effect of any patent shall be determined by the law of the country in which the patent was granted.

 

12.2 Each Party shall comply in all respects with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”). Further, each Party shall provide anticorruption training (which shall include FCPA training) to each of its employees engaged in the business contemplated by this Agreement. If a Party engages any third party in relations to the business contemplated by this Agreement, such Party shall require that third party to conduct its duties in all respect in compliance with FCPA. A Party may terminate this Agreement with immediate effect and without further obligation to the counterparty in the event it receives reasonably credible information that the other Party has violated the FCPA.

 

12.3 LICENSEE agrees to comply with all applicable laws and regulations. LICENSEE agrees to be solely responsible for any violation of such laws and regulations, and to defend and hold OBX harmless if any legal action of any nature results from the violation.

 

12.4 LICENSEE agrees to mark the LICENSED PRODUCTS sold in the United States with all applicable United States patent numbers, specifically U.S. Patent 9532593B2. All LICENSED PRODUCTS shipped to or sold in other countries in the TERRITORY shall be marked to comply with the patent laws and practice of the country of manufacture or sale, including the patent number.

 

 
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12.5 Referral fee for OBX: If OBX refers a white label client to LICENSEE, LICENSEE will pay OBX a referral fee of 5% of sales for as long as the client is active.

 

12.6 Corporate Structure Representation: LICENSEE represents that both LICENSEE’s consumer-facing brands and LICENSEE’s hemp cigarette co-manufacturing business will be 100% owned by the RTO entity.

 

12.7 The failure of either OBX or LICENSEE to assert a right or insist upon compliance with any term or condition of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of that right or excuse a similar subsequent failure to perform any such term or condition by the other.

 

12.8 If LICENSEE would like to use the name of OBX in any publicity or advertising, LICENSEE agrees to obtain the advance written consent of OBX.

 

12.9 LICENSEE may not assign this Agreement or any of the rights herein without the prior written consent of OBX, unless the assignment is by operation of law such as by way of merger and consolidation.

 

12.10 Force Majeure. In the event any Party hereto is prevented from or delayed in the performance of any of its obligations hereunder (other than the payment of monies due and owing) by reason of acts of God, war, terrorism, strikes, riots, storms, fires, electrical or telecommunications outages or any other cause whatsoever beyond the reasonable control of the Party, the Party so prevented or delayed shall be excused from the performance of any such obligation to the extent and during the period of such prevention or delay, provided that such Party takes all reasonable steps to overcome such cause(es) as soon as is reasonably possible.

 

12.11 Nothing contained in this Agreement will be deemed to place the parties in a partnership, joint venture or agency relationship and neither party will have the right or authority to obligate or bind the other party in any manner.

 

12.12 This Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Parties named herein and their respective successors and assigns.

 

12.13 The provisions of this Agreement are severable. If any provisions of this Agreement are determined invalid or unenforceable under any controlling body of law, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions.

 

12.14 OBX and LICENSEE acknowledge that this Agreement sets forth their entire understanding concerning the subject matter of this Agreement, and no modification of the Agreement will be effective unless both OBX and LICENSEE agree to it in writing.

 

12.15 This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which will be deemed an original, but all of which taken together will constitute one and the same instrument.

 

 
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The authorized signatures of OBX and LICENSEE below signify their acceptance of the terms of this Agreement.

 

Old Belt Extracts, LLC d/b/a Open Book Extracts Hempacco, Inc.

 

By:

/s/ David Neundorfer

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

David Neundorfer

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

Title:

president

 

Date:

3/18/2021

 

Date:

3/20/2021

 

 

 
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EXHIBIT 10.3

 

Limited Liability Company Agreement of

Cali Vibes D8 LLC

 

A Limited Liability Company

 

TIDS OPERATING AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) of Cali Vibes D8 LLC, (the “Company”), is executed and agreed to, for good and valuable consideration, by the undersigned full members and the undersigned assignee member (“Assignee”) collectively referred to throughout this agreement as (“Members”).

 

I. Formation.

 

A. State of Formation. This is a Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement (the “Agreement”) for Cali Vibes D8 LLC, a Member-managed Delaware limited liability company (the “Company”) formed under and pursuant to Delaware law.

 

B. Operating Agreement Controls. To the extent that the rights or obligations of the Members or the Company under provisions of this Operating Agreement differ from what they would be under Delaware law absent such a provision, this Agreement, to the extent permitted under Delaware law, shall control.

 

C. Primary Business Address. The location of the primary place of business of the Company is:

 

9925 Airway Road, San Diego, California 92154, or such other location as shall be selected from time to time by the Members.

 

D. Registered Agent and Office. The Company’s initial agent (the “Agent”) for service of process is Corporation Service Company. The Agent’s registered office is 251 Little Falls Drive, Wilmington, Delaware 19808. The Company may change its registered office, its registered agent, or both, upon filing a statement with the Delaware Secretary of State.

 

E. No State Law Partnership. No provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or construed to constitute a partnership (including, without limitation, a limited partnership) or joint venture, or any Member a partner or joint venturer of or with any other Member, for any purposes other than federal and state tax purposes.

 

 

 

 

II. Purposes and Powers.

 

A. Purpose. The Company is created for the following business purpose:

 

To Market and sell Delta 8 THC products: Delta 8 THC is a hemp-derived cannabinoid. Under the federal 2018 Farm Bill, all hemp-derived cannabinoids are no longer considered a controlled substance and can be legally produced and sold.

 

The fact that Delta-8 is typically manufactured from hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) and not extracted directly from the hemp plant, has led to some confusion as to the Federal legality of Delta-8.

 

Thus, Members of the Company acknowledge that the Federal legality of Delta-8 is clouded by the late 2020 “Interim Final Rule” issued by the Drug Enforcement Agency (“DEA”) which stated that all synthetically derived tetrahydrocannabinols (“THC”) remain Schedule 1 controlled substances.

 

Should Delta-8 remain an illegal substance under DEA rules, then the Company’s business plan, its forecasted revenues, its inventories of finished product and raw materials, and its capital expenditures could all be adversely affected.

 

The legal situation in the States adds another level of confusion. The Company undertakes to obtain all necessary licenses and permits on a State-by-State basis, to legally sell and distribute its products.

 

B. Powers. The Company shall have all of the powers of a limited liability company set forth under Delaware law.

 

C. Duration. The Company’s term shall commence on April 19, 2021 the filing date of the Articles of Organization and all other such necessary materials with the state of Delaware. The Company will operate until terminated as outlined in this Agreement unless:

 

1. The Members vote unanimously to dissolve the Company;

 

2. No Member of the Company exists, unless the business of the Company is continued in a manner permitted by Delaware law;

 

3. It becomes unlawful for either the Members or the Company to continue in business;

 

4. A judicial decree is entered that dissolves the Company; or

 

5. Any other event results in the dissolution of the Company under federal or Delaware law.

 

 
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III. Members

 

 

A.

Membership Classes. The Members of the Company (jointly the “Members”) shall br represented by two classes, as defined below:

 

 

 

(a)

Class 1 - “Full Members” with full ownership and voting rights as specified below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b)

Class 2- “Assignee Members” with rights to a profit/loss-sharing interest only until such time as they may be admitted to Membership by a unanimous vote of the Members.

 

 

B.

 Members & Membership Interests

 

(a) Full Members

 Contribution Ratio

 

Sharing Ratio

 

 

Voting Rights

 

Hempacco Co., Inc. (“Hempacco”)

 50%

 

 

25%

 

 

50%

VZ Ventures, 50% (‘‘VZ”)

 50%

 

 

50%

 

 

50%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(b) Assignee Members

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BX2SD Hospitality, LLC

 0%

 

 

25%

 

 

0%

 

C. Initial Contribution. Each Full Member shall make an Initial Contribution to the Company. The Initial Contributions of each shall be as described in Attachment A, Initial Contributions of the Members.

 

No Member shall be entitled to interest on their Initial Contribution. Except as expressly provided by this Agreement, or as required by law, no Member shall have any right to demand or receive the return of their Initial Contribution. Any modifications as to the signatories’ respective rights as to the receipt of their initial contributions must be set forth in writing signed by all interested parties.

 

C. Limited Liability of the Members. Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement or otherwise required by Delaware law, no Member shall be personally liable for any acts, debts, liabilities or obligations of the Company beyond their respective Initial Contribution, including liability arising under a judgment, decree or order of a court. The Members shall look solely to the Company property for the return of their Initial Contribution, or value thereof, and if the Company property remaining after payment or discharge of the debts, liabilities or obligations of the Company is insufficient to return such Initial Contributions, or value thereof, no Member shall have any recourse against any other Member except as is expressly provided for by this Agreement or as otherwise allowed by law.

 

 
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D. Death, Incompetency, Resignation or Termination of a Member. Should a Member die, be declared incompetent, or withdraw from the Company voluntarily or involuntarily, the remaining Members will have the option to buy out that Member’s Membership Interest in the Company. If a Member is removed involuntarily, it must be by vote recorded in the official minutes. If a Member resigns, they should submit a notarized resignation letter to the Registered Agent. Should the Members agree to buy out the Membership Interest of the withdrawing Member, that Interest shall be paid for proportionately by the remaining Members, according to their existing Membership Interest and distributed proportionately among the remaining Members. The Members agree to hire an outside firm to assess the value of the Membership Interest.

 

The Members will have 30 days to decide if they want to buy the Membership Interest together and disperse it proportionately. If all Members do not agree to buy the Membership Interest, individual Members will then have the right to buy the Membership Interest individually. If more than one Member requests to buy the remaining Membership Interest, the Membership Interest will be paid for and split proportionately among those Members wishing to purchase the Membership Interest. If all Members agree by unanimous vote, the Company may choose to allow a non-Member to buy the Membership Interest thereby replacing the previous Member.

 

If no individual Member(s) finalize a purchase agreement by 30 days, the withdrawing Member, or their estate, may dispose of their Membership Interest however they see fit, subject to the limitations in Section III (E) below. If a Member is a corporation, trust, partnership, limited liability company or other entity and is dissolved or terminated, the powers of that Member may be exercised by its legal representative or successor.

 

The name of the Company may be amended upon the written and unanimous vote of all Members if a Member withdraws, dies, is found incompetent or is terminated.

 

E. Creation or Substitution of New Members. Any Member may assign in whole or in part its Membership Interest only after granting their fellow Members the right of first refusal, as established in Section III (D) above.

 

 

1.

New Members. The Company will amend this agreement to include new Members upon the written and unanimous vote of all Members. The name of the Company may be amended if a new Member is added to the Company upon the written and unanimous vote of all Members.

 

 
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2.

Entire transfer. If a Member transfers all of its Membership Interest, the transferee shall be admitted to the Company as a substitute Member upon its execution of an instrument signifying its agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Such admission shall be deemed effective immediately upon the transfer, and, simultaneously, the transferor Member shall cease to be a Member of the Company and shall have no further rights or obligations under this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

3.

Partial transfer. If a Member transfers only a portion of its Membership Interest, the transferee shall be admitted to the Company as an additional Member upon its execution of an instrument signifying its agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

4.

Whether a substitute Member or an additional Member, absent the written consent of all existing Members of the Company, the transferee shall be a limited Member and possess only the percentage of the monetary rights of the transferor Member that was transferred without any voting power as a Member in the Company.

 

F. Member Voting.

 

1. Voting power. The Company’s Full Members shall each have voting power equal to their share of Membership Interest in the Company.

 

2. Proxies. At all meetings of Members, a Member may vote in person or by proxy executed in writing by the Member or by his duly authorized attorney-in-fact. Such proxy shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Company before or at the time of the meeting. No proxy shall be valid after eleven months from the date of its execution, unless otherwise provided in the proxy.

 

G. Duties of the Members- Jointly. The Members shall cause the Company to do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises. The Members also shall cause the Company to:

 

1. Maintain its own books, records, accounts, financial statements, stationery, invoices, checks and other limited liability company documents and bank accounts separate from any other person;

 

2. At all times hold itself out as being a legal entity separate from the Members and any other person and conduct its business in its own name;

 

3. File its own tax returns, if any, as may be required under applicable law, and pay any taxes required to be paid under applicable law;

 

4. Not commingle its assets with assets of the Members or any other person, and separately identify, maintain and segregate all Company assets;

 

5. Pay its own liabilities only out of its own funds, except with respect to organizational expenses;

 

6. Maintain an arm’s length relationship with the Members, and, with respect to all business transactions entered into by the Company with the Members, require that the terms and conditions of such transactions (including the terms relating to the amounts paid thereunder) are the same as would be generally available in comparable business transactions if such transactions were with a person that was not a Member;

 

Members providing quantifiable business services or products to the Company will apply an agreed upon discount to the third-party price of such products or services.

 

7. Pay the salaries of its own employees, if any, out of its own funds and maintain a sufficient number of employees in light of its contemplated business operations;

 

8. Not guarantee or become obligated for the debts of any other person or hold out its credit as being available to satisfy the obligations of others;

 

9. Allocate fairly and reasonably any overhead for shared office space;

 

10. Not pledge its assets for the benefit of any other person or make any loans or advances to any person;

 

11. Correct any known misunderstanding regarding its separate identity;

 

12. Maintain adequate capital in light of its contemplated business purposes;

 

13. Cause its Members to meet or act pursuant to written consent and keep minutes of such meetings and actions and observe all other Delaware limited liability company formalities;

 

 
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14. Make any permitted investments directly or through brokers engaged and paid by the Company or its agents;

 

15. Not require any obligations or securities of the Members; and

 

16. Observe all other limited liability formalities.

 

Failure of the Members to comply with any of the foregoing covenants shall not affect the status of the Company as a separate legal entity or the limited liability of the Members.

 

H. Operational Duties& Responsibilities of the Members- Severally:

 

As to Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

1. Product Manufacturing - All product inventory will be purchased through Hempacco unless otherwise agreed upon by both parties.

 

2. Direct to Consumer Fulfillment.

 

3. Wholesale Sales and Retail Distribution.

 

As to VZ Ventures

 

4. Online Marketing Design.

 

5. CRM Integration & Management.

 

6. Credit Card Processing for Internet Sales - using Company bank account(s) maintained by Hempacco

 

I. Fiduciary Duties of the Members.

 

1. Loyalty and Care. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein, each Member shall have a fiduciary duty of loyalty and care similar to that of members of limited liability companies organized under the laws of Delaware.

 

2. Duties Only to the Company. The Member’s fiduciary duties of loyalty and care are to the Company and not to the other Members. The Members shall owe fiduciary duties of disclosure, good faith and fair dealing to the Company and to the other Members. A Member who so performs their duties shall not have any liability by reason of being or having been a Member.

 

 
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3. Reliance on Reports. In discharging the Member’s duties, a Member is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by any of the following:

 

i. One or more Members, Officers, or employees of the Company whom the Member reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented.

 

ii. Legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons as to matters the Member reasonably believes are within the persons’ professional or expert competence.

 

iii. A committee of Members of which the affected Member is not a participant, if the Member reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

 

J. Waiver of Partition: Nature of Interest. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, each Member hereby irrevocably waives any right or power that such Member might have to cause the Company or any of its assets to be partitioned, to cause the appointment of a receiver for all or any portion of the assets of the Company, to compel any sale of all or any portion of the assets of the Company pursuant to any applicable law or to file a complaint or to institute any proceeding at law or in equity to cause the dissolution, liquidation, winding up or termination of the Company. No Member shall have any interest in any specific assets of the Company.

 

K. Compensation of Members. The Members shall have the authority to fix the compensation of individual Members. All Members may be paid their expenses, if any, of attendance at meetings of the Members, which may be a fixed sum for attendance at each meeting of the Members or a stated salary as a Member. No such payment shall preclude any Member from serving the Company in any other capacity and receiving compensation therefor.

 

L. Additional Compensation. At a later date, both Members will agree to certain milestones to reach which, when reached, trigger additional compensation to VZ in the form of equity in Hempacco Co., Inc. or, if applicable in the Parent Company of Hempacco.

 

L. Members as Agents. All Members are agents of the Company for the purpose of its business. An act of any Member, including the signing of an instrument in the Company’s name, binds the Company where the Member executed the act for apparently carrying on the Company’s business or business of the kind carried on by the Company in the ordinary course, unless the Member had no authority to act for the Company in the particular matter and the person with whom the Member was dealing knew or had notice that the Member lacked authority. An act of a Member binds the Company, however, even where the Member executed the act not apparently for carrying on the Company’s business or business of the kind carried on by the Company in the ordinary course only if the act was authorized by the other Members.

 

 
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IV. Accounting and Distributions.

 

A. Fiscal Year. The Company’s fiscal year shall end on the last day of December.

 

B. Records. All financial records including tax returns and financial statements will be maintained and held by Hempacco Co., Inc. at the Company’s primary business address and will be accessible to all Members upon 24 hours written notice.

 

Separate Capital Accounts for Members’ Contributions and Distributions will be maintained in the Company books.

 

In accordance with GAAP and IRS S.448 accounting records will be kept on an accrual basis.

 

C. Distributions. Distributions shall be issued, as directed by the Company’s Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, on a monthly basis, based upon the Company’s fiscal year. The distribution shall not exceed the remaining net cash of the Company after making appropriate provisions for the Company’s ongoing and anticipatable liabilities and expenses.

 

D. Tax Distributions. As soon as possible after the issuance of Forms Kl to Members, and assuming that these documents include an allocation of profits that may potentially require a payment of taxes on said profit by the Member, a distribution will be made, prior to any distribution as specified in “B” above, based upon the amount of the profit allocation multiplied by an arbitrary income tax rate to be decided by the Managing Members at the time of said distributions.

 

E. Each Member shall receive a percentage of the overall distribution that matches that Member’s percentage of Membership Interest in the Company, as defined by the balance of the members’ capital accounts and in accordance with the “sharing ratio” as specified in Section 111B above.

 

V. Tax Treatment Election.

 

The Company has not filed with the Internal Revenue Service for treatment as a corporation. Instead, the Company will be taxed as a pass-through organization. The Company will, upon completion of the annual financial statements prepare Form 1065 for submission to the IRS, and distribute Forms Kl to each Member recording each Members Opening Capital Account plus or minus each member’s share of the Company’s Net Income or Loss, in accordance with IRS Code Section 704(b).

 

The Members may, with unanimous consent, elect for the Company to be treated as a C- Corporation, S-Corporation or a Partnership at any time.

 

 
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VI. Officers.

 

A. Appointment and Titles of Officers. The initial Officers shall be appointed by the Members and shall consist of at least a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. Any additional or substitute Officers shall be chosen by the Members. The Members may also choose one or more President, Vice-President, Assistant Secretaries and Assistant Treasurers. Any number of offices may be held by the same person, as permitted by Delaware law. The Members may appoint such other Officers and agents as they shall deem necessary or advisable who shall hold their offices for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Members. The Officers and agents of the Company shall hold office until their successors are chosen and qualified. Any Officer elected or appointed by the Members may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Members. Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Company shall be filled by the Members. Unless the Members decide otherwise, if the title of an Officer is one commonly used for officers of a limited liability company formed under Delaware law, the assignment of such title shall constitute the delegation to such person of the authorities and duties that are normally associated with that office.

 

1. Chairman. The Chairman shall be the chief executive officer of the Company, shall preside at all meetings of the Members, shall be responsible for the general and active management of the business of the Company and shall see that all orders and resolutions of the Members are carried into effect. The Chairman shall execute all contracts on behalf of the Company, except:

 

i. where required or permitted by law or this Agreement to be otherwise signed and executed;

 

ii. where signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Members to some other Officer or agent of the Company.

 

2. President. In the absence of the Chairman or in the event of the Chairman’s inability to act, the President shall perform the duties of the Chairman, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chairman. The President shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Members may from time to time prescribe.

 

3. Vice-Presidents. In the absence of the Chairman and President or in the event of their inability to act, any Vice-Presidents in the order designated by the Members (or, in the absence of any designation, in the order of their election) shall perform the duties of the Chairman, and when so acting, shall have all the powers of and be subject to all the restrictions upon the Chairman. Vice-Presidents, if any, shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Members may from time to time prescribe.

 

 
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4. Secretary and Assistant Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for filing legal documents and maintaining records for the Company. The Secretary shall attend all meetings of the Members and record all the proceedings of the meetings of the Company and of the Members in a book to be kept for that purpose. The Secretary shall give, or cause to be given, notice of all meetings of the Members, as required in this Agreement or by Delaware law, and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Members or the Chairman, under whose supervision the Secretary shall serve. The Secretary shall cause to be prepared such reports and/or information as the Company is required to prepare by applicable law, other than financial reports. The Assistant Secretary, or if there be more than one, the Assistant Secretaries in the order determined by the Members (or if there be no such determination, then in order of their election), shall, in the absence of the Secretary or in the event of the Secretary’s inability to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Secretary and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Members may from time to time prescribe.

 

5. Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have the custody of the Company funds and securities and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Company according to generally accepted accounting practices, using a fiscal year ending on the last day of the month of December. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys and other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Company in such depositories as may be designated by the Members. The Treasurer shall distribute the Company’s profits to the Members. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Company as may be ordered by the Members and shall render to the Chairman and to the Members, at their regular meetings or when the Members so require, an account of all of the Treasurer’s transactions and of the financial condition of the Company. As soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, the Treasurer shall prepare a statement of financial condition as of the last day of the Company’s fiscal year, and a statement of income and expenses for the fiscal year then ended, together with supporting schedules. Each of said annual statements shall be prepared on an income tax basis and delivered to the Members forthwith upon its preparation. In addition, the Treasurer shall keep all financial records required to be kept pursuant to Delaware law. The Assistant Treasurer, or if there shall be more than one, the Assistant Treasurers in the order determined by the Members (or if there be no such determination, then in the order of their election), shall, in the absence of the Treasurer or in the event of the Treasurer’s inability to act, perform the duties and exercise the powers of the Treasurer and shall perform such other duties and have such other powers as the Members may from time to time prescribe.

 

B. Officers as Agents. The Officers, to the extent of their powers set forth in this Agreement or otherwise vested in them by action of the Members not inconsistent with this Agreement, are agents of the Company for the purpose of the Company’s business, and the actions of the Officers taken in accordance with such powers shall bind the Company.

 

 
10

 

 

C. Fiduciary Duties of the Officers.

 

 

1.

Loyalty and Care. Except to the extent otherwise provided herein, each Officer shall have a fiduciary duty of loyalty and care similar to that of officers of limited liability companies organized under the laws of Delaware.

 

 

 

 

2.

Duties Only to the Company. The Officers’ fiduciary duties of loyalty and care are to the Company and not to the Members or other Officers. The Officers shall owe fiduciary duties of disclosure, good faith and fair dealing to the Company and to the Members, but shall owe no such duties to Officers unless the Officer is a Member. An Officer who so performs their duties shall not have any liability by reason of being or having been an Officer.

 

 

 

 

3.

Reliance on Reports. In discharging the Officer’s duties, an Officer is entitled to rely on information, opinions, reports, or statements, including financial statements and other financial data, if prepared or presented by any of the following:

 

 

i.

One or more Members, Officers, or employees of the Company whom the Officer reasonably believes to be reliable and competent in the matters presented.

 

 

 

 

ii.

Legal counsel, public accountants, or other persons as to matters the Officer reasonably believes are within the persons’ professional or expert competence.

 

 

 

 

iii.

A committee of Members of which the affected Officer is not a participant, if the Officer reasonably believes the committee merits confidence.

 

VII. Dissolution.

 

A. Limits on Dissolution. The Company shall have a perpetual existence, and shall be dissolved, and its affairs shall be wound up only upon the provisions established in Section II (C) above.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Bankruptcy of any Member shall not cause such Member to cease to be a Member of the Company and upon the occurrence of such an event, the business of the Company shall continue without dissolution.

 

 
11

 

 

Each Member waives any right that it may have to agree in writing to dissolve the Company upon the Bankruptcy of any Member or the occurrence of any event that causes any Member to cease to be a Member of the Company.

 

B. Winding Up. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Section Il(C), the Company shall continue solely for the purpose of winding up its affairs in an orderly manner, liquidating its assets, and satisfying the claims of its creditors. One or more Members, selected by the remaining Members, shall be responsible for overseeing the winding up and liquidation of the Company, shall take full account of the liabilities of the Company and its assets, shall either cause its assets to be distributed as provided under this Agreement or sold, and if sold as promptly as is consistent with obtaining the fair market value thereof, shall cause the proceeds therefrom, to the extent sufficient therefor, to be applied and distributed as provided under this Agreement.

 

C. Distributions in Kind. Any non-cash asset distributed to one or more Members in liquidation of the Company shall first be valued at its fair market value (net of any liability secured by such asset that such Member assumes or takes subject to) to determine the profits or losses that would have resulted if such asset were sold for such value, such profit or loss shall then be allocated as provided under this Agreement. The fair market value of such asset shall be determined by the Members or, if any Member objects, by an independent appraiser (any such appraiser must be recognized as an expert in valuing the type of asset involved) approved by the Members.

 

D. Termination. The Company shall terminate when (i) all of the assets of the Company, after payment of or due provision for all debts, liabilities and obligations of the Company, shall have been distributed to the Members in the manner provided for under this Agreement and (ii) the Company’s registration with the state of Delaware shall have been canceled in the manner required by Delaware law.

 

E. Accounting. Within a reasonable time after complete liquidation, the Company Treasurer shall furnish the Members with a statement which shall set forth the assets and liabilities of the Company as at the date of dissolution and the proceeds and expenses of the disposition thereof.

 

F. Limitations on Payments Made in Dissolution. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, each Member shall only be entitled to look solely to the assets of the Company for the return of its Initial Contribution and shall have no recourse for its Initial Contribution and/or share of profits (upon dissolution or otherwise) against any other Member.

 

 
12

 

 

G. Notice to Delaware Authorities. Upon the winding up of the Company, the Member with the highest percentage of Membership Interest in the Company shall be responsible for the filing of all appropriate notices of dissolution with Delaware and any other appropriate state or federal authorities or agencies as may be required by law. In the event that two or more Members have equally high percentages of Membership Interest in the Company, the Member with the longest continuous tenure as a Member of the Company shall be responsible for the filing of such notices.

 

VIII. Exculpation and Indemnification.

 

A. No Member, Officer, employee or agent of the Company and no employee, agent or affiliate of a Member (collectively, the “Covered Persons11 shall be liable to the Company or any other person who has an interest in or claim against the Company for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Covered Person by this Agreement, except that a Covered Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Covered Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

B. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, a Covered Person shall be entitled to indemnification from the Company for any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Covered Person by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Covered Person in good faith on behalf of the Company and in a manner reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Covered Person by this Agreement. Expenses, including legal fees, incurred by a Covered Person defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall be paid by the Company. The Covered Person shall be liable to repay such amount if it is determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in this Agreement. No Covered Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Covered Person by reason of such Covered Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions. Any indemnity under this Agreement shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only.

 

C. A Covered Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Company and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Company by any person as to matters the Covered Person reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Company, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to the Members might properly be paid.

 

D. To the extent that, at law or in equity, a Covered Person has duties (including fiduciary duties) and liabilities relating thereto to the Company or to any other Covered Person, a Covered

 

Person acting under this Agreement shall not be liable to the Company or to any other Covered Person for its good faith reliance on the provisions of this Agreement. The provisions of the Agreement, to the extent that they restrict the duties and liabilities of a Covered Person otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Members to replace such other duties and liabilities of such Covered Person.

 

 
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E. The foregoing provisions of this Article VIII shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

IX. Insurance.

 

The Company shall have the power to purchase and maintain insurance, including insurance on behalf of any Covered Person against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such Covered Person in any such capacity, or arising out of such Covered Person’s status as an agent of the Company, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of Article VIII or under applicable law. This is separate and apart from any business insurance that may be required as part of the business in which the Company is engaged.

 

X. Dispute Resolution.

 

The parties will attempt to resolve any dispute arising out of or relating to the Company or this Agreement through friendly negotiations amongst the parties. If the matter is not resolved by negotiation, the parties will resolve the dispute using the below Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) procedure.

 

Any controversies or disputes arising out of or relating to this Agreement will be submitted to mediation in accordance with any statutory rules of mediation in the state of California If mediation is not successful in resolving the entire dispute or is unavailable, any outstanding issues will be submitted to final and binding arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator’s award will be final, and judgment may be entered upon it by any court having proper jurisdiction within the state of California.

 

XI. Independent Counsel.

 

All Members entering into this Agreement have been advised of their right to seek the advice of independent legal counsel before signing this Agreement. All Members and each of them have entered into this Agreement freely and voluntarily and without any coercion or duress.

 

 
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XII. General Provisions.

A. Notices. All notices, offers or other communications required or permitted to be given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and may be personally served or sent by United States mail and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered in person or three (3) business days after deposit in United States mail, registered or certified, postage prepaid, and properly addressed, by or to the appropriate party. 

B. Number of Days. In computing the number of days (other than business days) for purposes of this Agreement, all days shall be counted, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays; provided, however, that if the final day of any time period falls on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday on which national banks are or may elect to be closed, then the final day shall be deemed to be the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday or such holiday.

 

C. Execution of Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, and all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

D. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are independent of and separable from each other, and no provision shall be affected or rendered invalid or unenforceable by virtue of the fact that for any reason any other or others of them may be invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part.

 

E. Headings. The Article and Section headings in this Agreement are for convenience and they form no part of this Agreement and shall not affect its interpretation.

 

F. Controlling Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in all respects in accordance with the laws of the state of Delaware (without regard to conflicts of law principles thereof).

 

G. Application of Delaware Law. Any matter not specifically covered by a provision of this Agreement shall be governed by the applicable provisions of Delaware law.

 

H. Amendment. This Agreement may be amended only by written consent of all the Members. Upon obtaining the approval of any such amendment, supplement or restatement as to the Certificate, the Company shall cause a Certificate of Amendment or Amended and Restated Certificate to be prepared, executed and filed in accordance with Delaware law.

 

I. Entire Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire understanding among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, inducements or conditions, express or implied, oral or written, except as herein contained.

 

 
15

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Members have executed and agreed to this Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement, which shall be effective as of April 20, 2021.

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 Date: 6-3-21

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

 

By Sandro Piancone, its President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 By:

/s/ Vlad Zatulovsky

 

 Date: 6-3-21

 

 

VZ Ventures

 

 

 

 

By Vlad Zatulovsky, its President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 By:

/s/ Louis Anthony Pelliccia

 

 Date: 6-3-21

 

 

BX2SD Hospitality, LLC

 

 

 

 

By Louis Anthony Pelliccia, its

 

 

 

 

Managing Member

 

 

 

 

 
16

 

 

ATTACHMENT A

Initial Contributions of the Full Members

 

The Initial Contributions of the Full Members of Cali Vibes D8 LLC are as follows:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

Contribution:

Cash: $15,000.00

 

VZ Ventures

Contribution:

Cash: $15,000.00

 

 
17

 

EXHIBIT 10.4

 

Cali Vibes D8 LLC

 

Limited Liability Company Joinder Agreement

 

THIS JOINDER AGREEMENT (the “Joinder’’) is executed as of June 3rd 2021 by

 

Cali Vibes D8 LLC (the Company), Hempacco Co., Inc. (the “Member”) and BX2SD Hospitality, LLC (Assignee Member) and is effective as of the date hereof.

 

WHEREAS, BX2SD Hospitality, LLC has joined as an Assignee Member (“Assignee Member’’) of Cali Vibes 08 LLC (“The Company’’) pursuant to the Operating Agreement of the Company dated April 19, 2021

 

WHEREAS, Assignee Member currently holds a 25% interest in the distribution of the Company’s profits and losses. Assignee Member acknowledges that this Joinder agreement confers no additional interest in the Company distributions over and above that currently held.

 

WHEREAS, Assignee Member will have 12 months from the date of this agreement to exercise an option to purchase a 25% full membership interest in the Capital and Voting rights of the Company from the Member.

 

WHEREAS, Hempacco Co., Inc has agreed to assign a 25% full membership interest in its Capital Contribution and Voting rights to the Assignee Member upon satisfaction of the following terms:

 

a) Payment of $7,500.00 (Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars) to Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which hereby is acknowledged, the parties to this Joinder hereby agree as follows:

 

Joinder. Assignee Member hereby agrees that upon execution of this Joinder, it shall have 12 months to decide whether or not to exercise this option by making the $7,500 payment to Hempacco in order to become a full member of the Company. Assignee Member shall then be fully bound by, and subject to, all of the covenants, terms and conditions of the LLC Operating Agreement of the Company.

 

Exercise procedures. The Assignee Member or the Assignee Member’s representative may exercise this option by: (i) signing and delivering written notice to the Company at 9925 Airway Road, San Diego, California 92154 specifying the election to exercise this option and delivering payment, in cash or cash equivalent for the full amount of the purchase price. In the event that this option is being exercised by the representative of the Assignee Member, the notice shall be accompanied by proof (satisfactory to the company) of the representative’s right to exercise this option.

 

Entire Agreement. This Joinder and the LLC Operating Agreement, constitute the full and entire agreement of the Members with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Joinder and LLC Operating Agreement supersede all prior agreements and under standings among the Joined Party with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof.

 

Severability. The provisions of this Joinder shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Joinder or any invalid clause of any invalid port ion.

 

Counterparts. This Joinder may be executed in multiple counterparts, including by facsimile, each of which shall be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

Conflicts. In the event of any inconsistency or conflict between the terms of the LLC Operating Agreement and this Joinder, the terms of this Joinder shall govern and be binding.

 

Governing State. This Joinder and all claims arising out of or based upon this Joinder or relating to the subject matter hereof shall be governed by and construed in accordance with laws of the State of California.

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS W HEREOF. The undersigned has caused this Joinder Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

Cali Vibes D8 LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Vlad Zatulusky

 

 Date 6/3/21

 

 

Vlad Zatulusky, its Managing Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BX2SD Hospitality, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/Louis Anthony Pelliccia

 

 Date 6/3/21

 

 

Louis Anthony Pelliccia, its Managing Member

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 Date 6/3/21

 

 

Sandro Piancone, its President

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

EXHIBIT 10.5

 

ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT

 

This ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is executed this 14th day of December, 2021, to be considered effective as of the 1st day of November, 2021, by and between Green Globe International, Inc., a California limited liability company (“Assignor”), and Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (“Assignee”).

 

R E C I T A L S

 

A. Whereas Assignor desires to transfer all of the membership and other equity and ownership interests (the “LLC Interests”) of Hemp Hop Smokables LLC, a Florida limited liability company (the “Company”), to Assignee.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the foregoing premises and the undertakings set forth below, and other good and valuable consideration previously paid to Assignor by Assignee, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

A G R E E M E N T

 

1. Assignor hereby grants, transfers, assigns and conveys to Assignee, absolutely and unconditionally, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, mortgages or any other type of security interest, all of its right, title and interest in and to all of the LLC Interests.

 

2. Assignor transfers such LLC Interests to Assignee, its successors and assigns, to have and to hold to and for its and their own use and benefit forever. Assignor, for itself and its successors and assigns, hereby covenants that, from time to time after delivery of this instrument, at Assignee’s request and without further consideration, at no additional cost to Assignor, Assignor will execute and deliver, or will cause to be executed and delivered, such other instruments of conveyance and transfer and take such other actions as Assignee reasonably may require (such as, but not limited to, including a medallion-guaranteed stock power sufficient to transfer the LLC Interests) to more effectively vest in the Assignee the LLC Interests and to put Assignee in possession of the LLC Interests, and to do all other things and execute and deliver all other instruments and documents as may be required to effect the same.

 

3. This Assignment shall be construed in accordance with, and governed by, the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its conflict of laws doctrine. The parties hereto each consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state courts located in Clark County, State of Nevada, for any disputes or controversies arising out of this Assignment.

 

[signature page follows]

 

 

1

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Assignment effective as of the date first written above.

 

 

ASSIGNOR:

 

Green Globe International, Inc.

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

ASSIGNEE:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

2

 

EXHIBIT 10.6

 

JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

Reference is hereby made to the Operating Agreement, dated July 21, 2021, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, as amended from time to time (the "LLC Agreement"), between Hemp Hop Smokables LLC, a company organized under the laws of the State of Florida and the Members named therein (the "Company"). Pursuant to and in accordance with Section 4.01 of the LLC Agreement, the undersigned hereby acknowledges that it has received and reviewed a complete copy of the LLC Agreement and agrees that upon execution of this Joinder, such Person shall become a party to the LLC Agreement and shall be fully bound by, and subject to, all of the covenants, representations, warranties, terms and conditions of the LLC Agreement as though an original party thereto and shall be deemed, and is hereby admitted as, a Member for all purposes thereof and entitled to all the rights incidental thereto and shall hold a 50% membership interest in the Company.

 

Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the LLC Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Joinder Agreement on December 14, 2021.

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: Chief Executive Officer -

 

 
1

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Operating Agreement

 

 

 

 
2

 

 

OPERATING AGREEMENT

 

This Operating Agreement of Hemp Hop Smokables LLC, a Florida limited liability company (the “Company”), is entered into as of the 21st day of July, 2021 (the “Effective Date”) by and among the Company, Hemp Hop Global, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“HHG”), and Green Globe International, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“GGII”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company was formed as a limited liability company under the laws of the State of Florida, for the purposes set forth in Section 2.05 of this Agreement, when the Company’s articles of organization (the “Articles of Organization”) were filed with the Florida Secretary of State on June 18, 2021 (the “Formation Date”); and

 

WHEREAS, Green Globe International, Inc. (OTC Pink: GGII) is a publicly traded entity is obligated to producing PCAOB audited GAAP financial statements, and filing same with the OTC/SEC in accordance with the current regulations and timetables of those governing bodies.

 

WHEREAS, the parties wish to enter into this Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions governing the operation and management of the Company and the other matters set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

Definitions

 

Section 1.01 Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.01 and when not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in FRLLCA:

 

Additional Capital Contribution” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02. “Adjusted Capital Account Deficit” means, with respect to any Member, the deficit

balance, if any, in such Member’s Capital Account as of the end of the relevant Fiscal Year, after

giving effect to the following adjustments:

 

(a) crediting to such Capital Account any amount that such Member is obligated to restore or is deemed to be obligated to restore under Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704- 1(b)(2)(ii)(c), 1.704-2(g)(1), and 1.704-2(i); and

 

(b) debiting to such Capital Account the items described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4)-(6).

 

 
3

 

 

Adjusted Taxable Income” of a Member for a Fiscal Year (or portion thereof) with respect to the Membership Interest held by such Member means the federal taxable income allocated by the Company to the Member with respect to its Membership Interest (as adjusted by any final determination in connection with any tax audit or other proceeding) for such Fiscal Year (or portion thereof); provided, that such taxable income shall be computed (a) minus any excess taxable loss or excess taxable credits of the Company for any prior period allocable to such Member with respect to its Membership Interest that were not previously taken into account for purposes of determining such Member’s Adjusted Taxable Income in a prior Fiscal Year to the extent such loss or credit would be available under the Code to offset income of the Member (or, as appropriate, the direct or indirect owners of the Member) determined as if the income, loss, and credits from the Company were the only income, loss, and credits of the Member (or, as appropriate, the direct or indirect owners of the Member) in such Fiscal Year and all prior Fiscal Years, and (b) taking into account any special basis adjustment with respect to such Member resulting from an election by the Company under Code Section 754.

 

Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person who, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, shall mean the power, direct or indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Agreement” means this Operating Agreement, as executed and as it may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated from time to time, as provided herein.

 

Applicable Law” means all applicable provisions of (a) constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), rules, regulations, decrees, ordinances, codes, proclamations, declarations, or orders of any Governmental Authority, (b) any consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority, and (c) any orders, decisions, advisory or interpretative opinions, injunctions, judgments, awards, decrees of, or agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

Articles of Organization” has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

Available Cash Flow” means, for any period, the sum of gross revenue received, minus the sum of overhead and operating expenses of the Company, as well as a reasonable reserve for future operational needs as the Managing Directors may determine to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, capital contributions, loans, or proceeds from capital transactions and expenses incurred or liabilities of the Company repaid in connection with any thereof shall not be taken into account in computing Available Cash for any period.

 

“BBA” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(a).

 

“Book Depreciation” means, with respect to any Company asset for each Fiscal Year, the Company’s depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deductions determined for federal income tax purposes, except that if the Book Value of an asset differs from its adjusted tax basis at the beginning of such Fiscal Year, Book Depreciation shall be an amount which bears the same ratio to such beginning Book Value as the federal income tax depreciation, amortization, or other cost recovery deduction for such Fiscal Year bears to such beginning adjusted tax basis; provided, that if the adjusted basis for federal income tax purposes of an asset at the beginning of such Fiscal Year is zero and the Book Value of the asset is positive, Book Depreciation shall be determined with reference to such beginning Book Value using any permitted method selected by the Managing Directors in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g)(3).

 

 
4

 

 

“Book Value” means, with respect to any Company asset, the adjusted basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes, except as follows:

 

(a) the initial Book Value of any Company asset contributed by a Member to the Company shall be the gross Fair Market Value of such Company asset as of the date of such contribution;

 

(b) immediately before the distribution by the Company of any Company asset to a Member, the Book Value of such asset shall be adjusted to its gross Fair Market Value as of the date of such distribution;

 

(c) the Book Value of all Company assets may, in the sole discretion of the Managing Directors, be adjusted to equal their respective gross Fair Market Values, as reasonably determined by the Managing Directors, as of the following times:

 

(i) the acquisition of an additional Membership Interest in the Company by a new or existing Member in consideration for more than a de minimis Capital Contribution;

 

(ii) the distribution by the Company to a Member of more than a de minimis amount of property (other than cash) as consideration for all or a part of such Member's Membership Interest in the Company; and

 

(iii) the liquidation of the Company within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(g);

 

(d) the Book Value of each Company asset shall be increased or decreased, as the case may be, to reflect any adjustments to the adjusted tax basis of such Company asset pursuant to Code Section 734(b) or Code Section 743(b), but only to the extent that such adjustments are taken into account in determining Capital Account balances pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m); provided, that Book Values shall not be adjusted pursuant to this paragraph

 

(d) to the extent that an adjustment pursuant to paragraph (c) above is made in conjunction with a transaction that would otherwise result in an adjustment pursuant to this paragraph (d); and

 

(e) if the Book Value of a Company asset has been determined pursuant to paragraph

 

(a) or adjusted pursuant to paragraphs (c) or (d) above, such Book Value shall thereafter be adjusted to reflect the Book Depreciation taken into account with respect to such Company asset for purposes of computing Net Income and Net Losses.

 

“Budget” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.

 

“Business” means the business of marketing and selling hemp smokable products; it being acknowledged and agreed by the Members that such products may include, without limitation “Delta 8 GGII” to the extent the same can be legally produced and sold in the United States of America.

 

 
5

 

 

Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which commercial banks in the State of Florida are authorized or required to close.

 

Capital Account” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03.

 

Capital Contribution” means any Member’s contribution to the capital of the Company in cash and cash equivalents and the Book Value of any property contributed to the Company by such Member.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. “Company” has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

Company Minimum Gain” means “partnership minimum gain” as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(b)(2), substituting the term “Company” for the term “partnership” as the context requires.

 

Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.03(a). “Covered Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(a).

 

Economic Interest” means a Person’s share of the Net Income and Net Losses, and specially allocated items of, the right to receive distributions of Available Cash from the Company and the right to its distributive share of the assets of the Company.

 

Electronic Transmission” means (a) facsimile telecommunication, (b) email, (c) posting on an electronic message board or network that the Company has designated for communications (together with a separate notice to the recipient of the posting when the transmission is given by the Company), or (d) other means of electronic communication where the recipient has consented to the use of the means of transmission (or, if the transmission is to the Company, the Company has placed in effect reasonable measures to verify that the sender is the Member or Managing Director purporting to send the transmission) and the communication creates a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review and may be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

 

“Estimated Tax Amount” of a Member for a Fiscal Year means the Member’s Tax Amount for such Fiscal Year as estimated in good faith from time to time by the Managing Directors. In making such estimate, the Managing Directors shall take into account amounts shown on Internal Revenue Service Form 1065 filed by the Company and similar state or local forms filed by the Company for the preceding taxable year and such other adjustments as the Managing Directors reasonably determine are necessary or appropriate to reflect the estimated operations of the Company for the Fiscal Year.

 

Excess Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(c).

 

 
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Fair Market Value” of any asset as of any date means the purchase price that a willing buyer having all relevant knowledge would pay a willing seller for such asset in an arm’s length transaction.

 

Fiscal Year” means the calendar year, unless the Company is required to or elects to have a taxable year other than the calendar year, in which case Fiscal Year shall be the period that conforms to its taxable year.

 

For Cause” shall mean a Managing Director’s:

 

(a) willful failure to perform his duties (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness) and a failure to cure the same within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Director;

 

(b) engagement in dishonesty, illegal conduct, or misconduct relating to the business of the Company, which is injurious to the Company or its Affiliates; and the same is not cured (if capable of cure) within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Director:

 

(c) embezzlement, misappropriation, or fraud, whether or not related to the Company;

 

(d) conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime that constitutes a felony (or state law equivalent) or a crime that constitutes a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

 

(e) willful unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information;

 

(f) breach of any material obligation under this Agreement which is not cured within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Director.

 

FRLLCA” means the Florida Revised Limited Liability Company Act, Chapter 605, Florida Statutes, as in effect at any given time.

 

Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, local, or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations, or orders of such organization or authority have the force of law), or any arbitrator, court, or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

 

“Independent Third Party” means, with respect to any Member, any Person who is not an Affiliate of such Member.

 

Involuntary Transfer” shall mean any of the following Transfers: (i) an assignment for the benefit of creditors; (ii) the voluntary commencement of any Bankruptcy proceeding; (iii) the involuntary commencement of any Bankruptcy proceeding which is not dismissed within sixty (60) days of the commencement thereof; (iv) the attachment of a Membership Interest which is not removed within 60 days of the attachment; (v) a Membership Interest becoming subject to a charging order; which is not dismissed within 60 days of it occurring (vi) the entering of any order in a legal proceeding that has the effect of transferring any interest in a Membership Interest to another Person other than another Member, or (vii) dissolution of a Member.

 

 
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Involuntary Transferee” means the Person to whom a Membership Interest is Involuntarily Transferred.

 

Joinder Agreement” means the joinder agreement in form and substance attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, option, right of first offer, encumbrance, or other restriction or limitation of any nature whatsoever.

 

Liquidator” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03(a).

 

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(b). “Majority” means 51% or more.

 

Managing Director(s)” means, initially, Sandro Piancone, Jorge Olson, Louis Pellicia, Taylor McCain and James Lindsay, or such five (5) other natural Persons as may be become the Managing Directors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. GGII shall appoint three of the initial Managing Directors and HHG shall appoint the remaining two.

 

The Managing Directors shall constitute a “manager” (as that term is defined in FRLLCA) of the Company.

 

Member(s)” means HHG and GGII, and each Person who is hereafter admitted as a Member in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and FRLLCA, The Members shall constitute “members” (as that term is defined in FRLLCA) of the Company.

 

Member Loan” means a loan granted to the Company by a Member.

 

Member Nonrecourse Debt” means “partner nonrecourse debt” as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(b)(4), substituting the term “Company” for the term “partnership” and the term “Member” for the term “partner” as the context requires.

 

Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain” means an amount, with respect to each Member Nonrecourse Debt, equal to the Company Minimum Gain that would result if the Member Nonrecourse Debt were treated as a Nonrecourse Liability, determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(3).

 

Member Nonrecourse Deduction” means “partner nonrecourse deduction” as defined in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i), substituting the term “Member” for the term “partner” as the context requires.

 

Members Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.

 

 
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Membership Interest” means an interest in the Company owned by a Member, which may consist of the right to (a) an Economic Interest; (b) appoint Managing Director(s), (c) vote or grant or withhold consents with respect to Company matters as provided in this Agreement; and/or

(d) any and all other benefits to which such Member may be entitled as provided in this Agreement or FRLLCA. The Membership Interest of each Member shall be expressed as a Percentage Interest and shall be as set forth in the Members Schedule.

 

Net Income” and “Net Loss” mean, for each Fiscal Year or other period specified in this Agreement, an amount equal to the Company's taxable income or taxable loss, or particular items thereof, determined in accordance with Code Section 703(a) (where, for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss, or deduction required to be stated separately pursuant to Code Section 703(a)(1) shall be included in taxable income or taxable loss), but with the following adjustments:

 

(a) any income realized by the Company that is exempt from federal income taxation, as described in Code Section 705(a)(1)(B), shall be added to such taxable income or taxable loss, notwithstanding that such income is not includable in gross income;

 

(b) any expenditures of the Company described in Code Section 705(a)(2)(B), including any items treated under Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(I) as items described in Code Section 705(a)(2)(B), shall be subtracted from such taxable income or taxable loss, notwithstanding that such expenditures are not deductible for federal income tax purposes;

 

(c) any gain or loss resulting from any disposition of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Book Value of the property so disposed, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis of such property differs from its Book Value;

 

(d) any items of depreciation, amortization, and other cost recovery deductions with respect to Company property having a Book Value that differs from its adjusted tax basis shall be computed by reference to the property's Book Value (as adjusted for Book Depreciation) in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(g);

 

(e) if the Book Value of any Company property is adjusted as provided in the definition of Book Value, then the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain or loss and included in the computation of such taxable income or taxable loss; and

 

(f) to the extent an adjustment to the adjusted tax basis of any Company property pursuant to Code Sections 732(d), 734(b), or 743(b) is required, pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(m), to be taken into account in determining Capital Accounts, the amount of such adjustment to the Capital Accounts shall be treated as an item of gain (if the adjustment increases the basis of the asset) or loss (if the adjustment decreases such basis).

 

Nonrecourse Deductions” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(b).

 

Nonrecourse Liability” has the meaning set forth in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704- 2(b)(3).

 

 
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Officers” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04.

 

Partnership Representative” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.04(a). “Percentage Interest” means the percentage of a Member’s Membership Interests in the Company relative to the entire outstanding Membership Interests in the Company, which is equal to the quotient of the Membership Interest held by a Member divided by all issued and outstanding Membership Interests of the Company held by all Members, as may be adjusted from time to time by the Managing Directors.

 

Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association, or other entity.

 

Quarterly Estimated Tax Amount” of a Member for any calendar quarter of a Fiscal Year means the excess, if any, of (a) the product of (i) a quarter (¼) in the case of the first calendar quarter of the Fiscal Year, half (½) in the case of the second calendar quarter of the Fiscal Year, three-quarters (¾) in the case of the third calendar quarter of the Fiscal Year, and one (1) in the case of the fourth calendar quarter of the Fiscal Year and (ii) the Member’s Estimated Tax Amount for such Fiscal Year, over (b) all distributions previously made during such Fiscal Year to such Member.

 

Regulatory Allocations” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02(e).

 

Related Party Agreement” means any agreement, arrangement, or understanding between the Company and any Managing Director, Member, or Officer, or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate of a Managing Director, Member, Officer, or other employee of the Company; in each case, as such agreement may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. It is agreed by the Members that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and GGII and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of GGII’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup.

 

Representative” means, with respect to any Person, any and all directors, officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, counsel, accountants, and other agents of such Person.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor federal statute, and the rules and regulations thereunder, which shall be in effect at the time.

 

Shortfall Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(b).

 

Shortfall Amount Distribution Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(b). “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which a Majority of the outstanding shares or other equity interests having the power to vote for directors or comparable managers are owned, directly or indirectly, by the first Person.

 

Supermajority of the Members” means Members holding a Percentage Interest of 75% or more.

 

 
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Tax Advance” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(a).

 

Tax Amount” of a Member for a Fiscal Year means the product of (a) the Tax Rate for such Fiscal Year and (b) the Adjusted Taxable Income of the Member for such Fiscal Year with respect to its Membership Interest.

 

Tax Distribution Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(a).

 

Tax Rate” of a Member, for any period, means the highest effective marginal combined federal, state, and local tax rate applicable to an individual residing in Miami, Florida (or, if higher, a corporation doing business in Miami, Florida), taking into account (a) the character (for example, long-term or short-term capital gain, ordinary or exempt) of the applicable income and (b) if applicable the deduction under IRC Section 199A.

 

Taxing Authority” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(b).

 

Transfer” means to, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, assign, gift, pledge, encumber, hypothecate, or similarly dispose of, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, or to enter into any contract, option, or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, or similar disposition of, any Membership Interests owned by a Person or any interest (including a beneficial interest) in any Membership Interests owned by a Person. “Transfer” when used as a noun, and “Transferred” when used to refer to the past tense, shall have correlative meanings. “Transferor” and “Transferee” mean a Person who makes or receives a Transfer, respectively.

 

Treasury Regulations” means the final or temporary regulations issued by the United States Department of Treasury pursuant to its authority under the Code, and any successor regulations.

 

Withholding Advances” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(b).

 

Section 1.02 Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the words “include,” “includes,” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation,” (b) the word “or” is not exclusive, and (c) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereto,” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole. The definitions given for any defined terms in this Agreement shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine, and neuter forms. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein (x) to Articles, Sections, Exhibits, and Schedules mean the Articles and Sections of and Exhibits and Schedules attached to this Agreement, (y) to an agreement, instrument, or other document means such agreement, instrument, or other document as amended, restated, supplemented, and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof, and (z) to a statute or Applicable Law means such statute or Applicable Law as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting an instrument or causing any instrument to be drafted. The Exhibits and Schedules referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein.

 

 
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ARTICLE II

Organization

 

Section 2.01 Formation.

 

(a) The Company was formed on the Formation Date, pursuant to the provisions of FRLLCA, upon the filing of the Articles of Organization with the Florida Secretary of State.

 

(b) This Agreement shall constitute the “operating agreement” (as that term is used in FRLLCA) of the Company. The rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of the Members shall be determined pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that the rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of any Member are by reason of any provision of this Agreement in conflict with FRLLCA, this Agreement shall, to the extent permitted by FRLLCA, control.

 

Section 2.02 Name. The name of the Company is “Hemp Hop Smokables LLC” or such other name or names as may be designated by the Managing Directors; provided, that the name shall always contain the words “limited liability company” or the abbreviation “L.L.C.” or “LLC.” The Company may conduct business under any assumed or fictitious name deemed desirable by the Managing Directors.

 

Section 2.03 Principal Office. The principal office of the Company is located at 150 SE 2 Avenue, PH6, Miami, Florida 33131, or such other place as may from time to time be determined by the Managing Directors. The Managing Directors shall give prompt notice of any such change to each of the Members.

 

Section 2.04 Office and Agent for Service of Process.

 

(a) The office for service of process on the Company in the State of Florida shall be the office of the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other office (which need not be a place of business of the Company) as the Managing Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by FRLLCA and Applicable Law.

 

(b) The agent for service of process on the Company in the State of Florida shall be the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other Person or Persons as the Managing Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by FRLLCA and Applicable Law.

 

Section 2.05 Purpose; Powers.

 

(a) The purpose of the Company is to engage in the Business and any other lawful act or activity for which limited liability companies may be formed under FRLLCA and to engage in any and all activities necessary or incidental thereto.

 

(b) The Company shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes for which it is formed, including the powers granted by FRLLCA.

 

 
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Section 2.06 Term. The term of the Company commenced on the date the Articles of Organization were filed with the Florida Secretary of State and shall continue in existence perpetually until the Company is dissolved in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or as provided by Applicable Law.

 

ARTICLE III

Capital Contributions; Capital Accounts

 

Section 3.01 Initial Capital Contributions. Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, each Member has made an initial Capital Contribution and is deemed to own the Percentage Interest set forth opposite such Member’s name on Schedule A attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein (the “Members Schedule”). The Managing Directors shall update the Members Schedule upon the issuance or Transfer of any Membership Interests to any new or existing Member in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Section 3.02 Additional Capital Contributions. No Member shall be required to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company. However, a Member may make an additional Capital Contribution (an “Additional Capital Contribution”) at any time with the written consent of the Managing Directors. To the extent that a Member makes such an approved Additional Capital Contribution to the Company, such Additional Capital Contribution shall be deemed a Member Loan to the Company and shall not cause dilution of any Member’s Membership Interests.

 

Section 3.03 Maintenance of Capital Accounts. The Company shall establish and maintain for each Member a separate capital account (a “Capital Account”) on its books and records in accordance with this Section 3.03. Each Capital Account shall be established and maintained in accordance with the following provisions:

 

(a) Each Member’s Capital Account shall be increased by the amount of:

 

(i) such Member's Capital Contributions, including such Member’s initial Capital Contribution and any Additional Capital Contributions;

 

(ii) any Net Income or other item of income or gain allocated to such Member pursuant to ARTICLE V; and

 

(iii) any liabilities of the Company that are assumed by such Member or secured by any property distributed to such Member.

 

(b) Each Member’s Capital Account shall be decreased by:

 

(i) the cash amount or Book Value of any property distributed to such Member pursuant to ARTICLE VI and Section 11.03(d);

 

(ii) the amount of any Net Loss or other item of loss or deduction allocated to such Member pursuant to ARTICLE V; and

 

(iii) the amount of any liabilities of such Member assumed by the Company or that are secured by any property contributed by such Member to the Company.

 

 
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Section 3.04 Succession Upon Transfer. If any Membership Interests are Transferred in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Transferee shall succeed to the Capital Account of the Transferor to the extent it relates to the Transferred Membership Interests and, subject to Section 5.04, shall receive allocations and distributions pursuant to ARTICLE V, ARTICLE VI, and ARTICLE XI in respect of such Membership Interests.

 

Section 3.05 Negative Capital Accounts. If any Member shall have a deficit balance in its Capital Account, such Member shall have no obligation, during the term of the Company or upon dissolution or liquidation thereof, to restore such negative balance or make any Capital Contributions to the Company by reason thereof, except as may be required by Applicable Law or in respect of any negative balance resulting from a withdrawal of capital by such Member or dissolution in contravention of this Agreement.

 

Section 3.06 No Withdrawals From Capital Accounts. No Member shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital Account or to receive any distribution from the Company, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Member, including the Managing Directors, shall receive any interest, salary, or drawing with respect to its Capital Contributions or its Capital Account, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. The Capital Accounts are maintained for the sole purpose of allocating items of income, gain, loss, and deduction among the Members and shall have no effect on the amount of any distributions to any Members, in liquidation or otherwise.

 

Section 3.07 Treatment of Loans From Members. Member Loans to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions and shall not affect the maintenance of such Member’s Capital Account, other than to the extent provided in Section 3.03(a)(iii), if applicable.

 

Section 3.08 Modifications. The foregoing provisions and the other provisions of this Agreement relating to the maintenance of Capital Accounts are intended to comply with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b) and shall be interpreted and applied in a manner consistent with such Treasury Regulations. If the Managing Directors determine that it is prudent to modify the manner in which the Capital Accounts, or any increases or decreases to the Capital Accounts, are computed to comply with such Treasury Regulations, the Managing Directors may authorize such modifications.

 

ARTICLE IV

Members

 

Section 4.01 Admission of New Members.

 

(a) New Members may be admitted from time to time (i) in connection with the issuance of Membership Interests by the Company, subject to compliance with the provisions of Section 7.02(b) and Section 8.01(b), and (ii) in connection with a Transfer of Membership Interests, subject to compliance with the provisions of ARTICLE VIII, and in either case, following compliance with the provisions of Section 4.01(b).

 

 
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(b) In order for any Person not already a Member of the Company to be admitted as a Member, whether pursuant to an issuance or Transfer of Membership Interests, such Person shall have delivered to the Company an executed written undertaking substantially in the form of the Joinder Agreement. Upon the amendment of the Members Schedule by the Managing Directors and the satisfaction of all other applicable conditions, including, if a condition, the receipt by the Company of payment for the issuance of Membership Interests, such Person shall be admitted as a Member and deemed listed as such on the books and records of the Company. The Managing Directors shall also adjust the Capital Accounts of the Members as necessary in accordance with Section 3.03.

 

Section 4.02 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided by FRLLCA, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Member will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company or other Members, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Member. Except as otherwise provided by FRLLCA, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Managing Director will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Managing Director.

 

Section 4.03 Dissociation. No Member shall have the ability to dissociate or withdraw as a Member pursuant to FRLLCA, or otherwise, before the dissolution and winding up of the Company and any such dissociation or withdrawal or attempted dissociation or withdrawal by a Member before the dissolution or winding up of the Company shall be null and void ab initio. As soon as any Person who is a Member ceases to hold any Membership Interests, such Person shall no longer be a Member.

 

Section 4.04 No Interest in Company Property. No real or personal property of the Company shall be deemed to be owned by any Member individually, but shall be owned by, and title shall be vested solely in, the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, each Member hereby irrevocably waives during the term of the Company any right that such Member may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the property of the Company.

 

Section 4.05 Certification of Membership Interests. The Managing Directors will not issue certificates to the Members but shall record or cause to be recorded all issuances, exchanges, and other transactions in Membership Interests involving the Members in a ledger maintained as part of the books and records of the Company.

 

Section 4.06 Meetings.

 

(a) Meetings of the Members regarding matters required to be submitted to the Members under FRLLCA or this Agreement may be called by (i) any of the Managing Directors, or (ii) any Member holding a Percentage Interest of 10% or more.

 

(b) Written notice stating the place, date, and time of the meeting, the means of electronic video screen communication or Electronic Transmission by and to the Company, if any, and the general nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting, shall be delivered not fewer than 5 days and not more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each Member, by or at the direction of the Managing Directors or the Member(s) calling the meeting, as the case may be. The business to be conducted at such meeting shall be limited to the purposes described in the notice. The Members may hold meetings at the Company’s principal office or at such other place, within or outside the State of Florida, as the Managing Directors or the Member(s) calling the meeting may designate in the notice for such meeting.

 

 
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(c) Any Member may participate in a meeting of the Members (i) using conference telephone or electronic video screen communication, if all Persons participating in the meeting can talk to and hear each other or (ii) by Electronic Transmission by and to the Company if the Company (1) implements reasonable measures to provide Members, in person or by proxy, a reasonable opportunity to participate and vote, including an opportunity to read or hear the meeting’s proceedings substantially concurrently with the proceedings and (2) maintains a record of votes or other action taken by the Members. Participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

(d) On any matter that is to be voted on by the Members, a Member may vote in person or by proxy, and such proxy may be granted in writing signed by such Member, using Electronic Transmission authorized by such Member, or as otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. Every proxy shall be revocable in the discretion of the Member executing it unless otherwise provided in such proxy; provided, that such right to revocation shall not invalidate or otherwise affect actions taken under such proxy before such revocation.

 

(e) Attendance of a Member at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Member attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Attendance of a Member at a meeting is not a waiver of the Member's right to object to consideration of matters required to be described in the notice for the meeting, if the Member expressly objects to such consideration at the meeting.

 

Section 4.07 Action Without a Meeting. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.06, any matter that is to be voted on by the Members may be taken without a meeting by written consent signed and delivered (including by Electronic Transmission) to the Company by the Members holding the requisite Percentage Interest for such matters had a meeting been taken. A record shall be maintained in the Company’s books and records by the Managing Directors of each such action taken by written consent of a Member or the Members.

 

Section 4.08 Member Services.

 

(a) For so long as GGII shall remain a Member of the Company, GGII shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company at cost: (i) Product manufacturing and packaging; (ii) inventory and CRM management,

 

(iii) direct to consumer fulfillment, (iii) wholesale and retail distribution, and (iv) all GAAP accounting services and PCAOB auditing requirements. Including payment processing and income tax preparation.

 

(b) For so long as HHG shall remain a Member of the Company, HHG shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company at cost: (i) online marketing and promotion, and (ii) design and branding.

 

 
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Section 4.09 Warrant. Simultaneously with execution of this Agreement and as inducement for HHG to enter into this Agreement, GGII shall grant HHG three (3) year warrants for the right to purchase up to one hundred million (100,000,000) shares of GGII’s common stock at a per share exercise price of $0.01.

 

ARTICLE V

Allocations

 

Section 5.01 Allocation of Net Income and Net Loss. For each Fiscal Year (or portion thereof), after giving effect to the special allocations set forth in Section 5.02, Net Income and Net Loss (and, to the extent necessary, individual items of income, gain, loss or deduction) of the Company shall be allocated among the Members in a manner such that the Capital Account balance of each Member, immediately after making such allocations, is, as nearly as possible, equal to (i) the Distributions that would be made to such Member pursuant to if the Company were dissolved, its affairs wound up and its assets sold for cash equal to their Book Value, all Company liabilities were satisfied (limited with respect to each Nonrecourse Liability to the Book Value of the assets securing such liability), and the net assets of the Company were distributed, in accordance with Section 11.03(d) to the Members immediately after making such allocations, minus (ii) such Member’s share of Company Minimum Gain and Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain, computed immediately prior to such hypothetical sale of assets.

 

Section 5.02 Regulatory and Special Allocations. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5.01:

 

(a) If there is a net decrease in Company Minimum Gain (determined according to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(d)(1)) during any Fiscal Year, each Member shall be specially allocated Net Income for such Fiscal Year (and, if necessary, subsequent Fiscal Years) in an amount equal to such Member’s share of the net decrease in Company Minimum Gain, determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(g). The items to be so allocated shall be determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(f)(6) and 1.704-2(j)(2). This Section 5.02 is intended to comply with the “minimum gain chargeback” requirement in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(f) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(b) Member Nonrecourse Deductions shall be allocated in the manner required by Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i). Except as otherwise provided in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4), if there is a net decrease in Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain during any Fiscal Year, each Member that has a share of such Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain shall be specially allocated Net Income for such Fiscal Year (and, if necessary, subsequent Fiscal Years) in an amount equal to that Member’s share of the net decrease in Member Nonrecourse Debt Minimum Gain. Items to be allocated pursuant to this paragraph shall be determined in accordance with Treasury Regulations Sections 1.704-2(i)(4) and 1.704-2(j)(2). This Section 5.02(b) is intended to comply with the “minimum gain chargeback” requirements in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-2(i)(4) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

 
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(c) Nonrecourse Deductions shall be allocated to the Members in accordance with their Membership Interests.

 

(d) In the event any Member unexpectedly receives any adjustments, allocations, or distributions described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d)(4), (5), or (6), Net Income shall be specially allocated to such Member in an amount and manner sufficient to eliminate the Adjusted Capital Account Deficit created by such adjustments, allocations, or distributions as quickly as possible. This Section 5.02(d) is intended to comply with the “qualified income offset” requirement in Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(ii)(d) and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.

 

(e) The allocations set forth in Section 5.02(a), Section 5.02(b), Section 5.02(c), and Section 5.02(d) above (the “Regulatory Allocations”) are intended to comply with certain requirements of the Treasury Regulations under Code Section 704. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this ARTICLE V (other than the Regulatory Allocations), the Regulatory Allocations shall be taken into account in allocating Net Income and Net Losses among Members so that, to the extent possible, the net amount of such allocations of Net Income and Net Losses and other items and the Regulatory Allocations to each Member shall be equal to the net amount that would have been allocated to such Member if the Regulatory Allocations had not occurred.

 

Section 5.03 Tax Allocations.

 

(a) Subject to Section 5.03(b), Section 5.03(c), and Section 5.03(d), all income, gains, losses, and deductions of the Company shall be allocated, for federal, state, and local income tax purposes, among the Members in accordance with the allocation of such income, gains, losses, and deductions pursuant to Section 5.01 and Section 5.02, except that if any such allocation for tax purposes is not permitted by the Code or other Applicable Law, the Company's subsequent income, gains, losses, and deductions shall be allocated among the Members for tax purposes, to the extent permitted by the Code and other Applicable Law, so as to reflect as nearly as possible the allocation set forth in Section 5.01 and Section 5.02.

 

(b) Items of Company taxable income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to any property contributed to the capital of the Company shall be allocated among the Members in accordance with Code Section 704(c) and the traditional method with curative allocations of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-3(c), so as to take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such property to the Company for federal income tax purposes and its Book Value.

 

(c) If the Book Value of any Company asset is adjusted pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(2)(iv)(f) as provided in clause (c) of the definition of Book Value, subsequent allocations of items of taxable income, gain, loss, and deduction with respect to such asset shall take account of any variation between the adjusted basis of such asset for federal income tax purposes and its Book Value in the same manner as under Code Section 704(c).

 

(d) Allocations of tax credit, tax credit recapture, and any items related thereto shall be allocated to the Members according to their interests in such items as determined by the Managing Directors taking into account the principles of Treasury Regulations Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(ii).

 

 
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(e) Allocations pursuant to this Section 5.03 are solely for purposes of federal, state, and local taxes and shall not affect, or in any way be taken into account in computing, any Member's Capital Account or share of Net Income, Net Losses, distributions, or other items pursuant to any provisions of this Agreement.

 

Section 5.04 Allocations in Respect of Transferred Membership Interests. In the event of a Transfer of Membership Interests during any Fiscal Year made in compliance with the provisions of ARTICLE VIII, Net Income, Net Losses, and other items of income, gain, loss, and deduction of the Company attributable to such Membership Interests for such Fiscal Year shall be determined using the interim closing of the books method.

 

ARTICLE VI

Distributions

 

Section 6.01 General.

 

(a) Subject to Section 6.02, distributions of Available Cash shall be made to the Members when and in such amounts as determined by the Managing Directors. After making all distributions required for a given Fiscal Year under Section 6.02, distributions determined to be made by the Managing Directors pursuant to this Section 6.01(a) shall be paid to the Members in accordance with their respective Percentage Interests.

 

(b) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not make any distribution to Members if such distribution would violate FRLLCA or other Applicable Law.

 

Section 6.02 Tax Advances.

 

(a) Subject to Section 6.01(b) and subject to the Managing Directors’ determination to retain any other amounts necessary to satisfy the Company’s obligations, at least 5 days before each date prescribed by the Code for a calendar-year entity to pay quarterly installments of estimated tax (a “Tax Distribution Date”), the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute cash to each Member in proportion to and to the extent of such Member’s Quarterly Estimated Tax Amount for the applicable calendar quarter (each such distribution, a “Tax Advance”).

 

(b) If, at any time after the final Quarterly Estimated Tax Amount has been distributed pursuant to Section 6.02(a) with respect to any Fiscal Year, the aggregate Tax Advances to any Member with respect to such Fiscal Year are less than such Member’s Tax Amount for such Fiscal Year (a “Shortfall Amount”), then the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute cash in proportion to and to the extent of each Member’s Shortfall Amount. The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to distribute Shortfall Amounts with respect to a Fiscal Year before the 75th day of the next succeeding Fiscal Year (the date of any such distribution, a “Shortfall Amount Distribution Date”); provided, that if the Company has made distributions other than pursuant to this Section 6.02, the Managing Directors may apply such distributions to reduce any Shortfall Amount.

 

 
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(c) If the aggregate Tax Advances made to any Member pursuant to this Section 6.02 for any Fiscal Year exceed such Member’s Tax Amount (an “Excess Amount”), such Excess Amount shall reduce subsequent Tax Advances that would be made to such Member pursuant to this Section 6.02, except to the extent taken into account as an advance pursuant to Section 6.02(d).

 

(d) Any distributions made pursuant to this Section 6.02 shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as advances on distributions pursuant to Section 6.01 and shall reduce, dollar-for-dollar, the amount otherwise distributable to such Member pursuant to Section 6.01.

 

Section 6.03 Tax Withholding; Withholding Advances.

 

(a) Tax Withholding. Each Member agrees to furnish the Company with any representations and forms as shall be reasonably requested by the Company to assist it in determining the extent of, and in fulfilling, any withholding obligations it may have.

 

(b) Withholding Advances. The Company is hereby authorized at all times to make payments (“Withholding Advances”) with respect to each Member in amounts required to discharge any obligation of the Company (as determined by the Partnership Representative) based on the advice of legal or tax counsel to the Company to withhold or make payments to any federal, state, local, or foreign taxing authority (a “Taxing Authority”) with respect to any distribution or allocation by the Company of income or gain to such Member and to withhold the same from distributions to such Member, and on making any such payment on behalf of a Member the Company will promptly notify the Member of the same in writing. Any funds withheld from a distribution by reason of this Section 6.03(b) shall nonetheless be deemed distributed to the Member in question for all purposes under this Agreement. If the Company makes any Withholding Advance in respect of a Member hereunder that is not immediately withheld from actual distributions to the Member, then the Member shall promptly reimburse the Company for the amount of such payment, plus interest at a rate equal to the prime rate published in the Wall Street Journal on the date of payment plus 2% per annum, compounded annually, on such amount from the date of such payment until such amount is repaid (or deducted from a distribution) by the Member (any such payment shall not constitute a Capital Contribution). Each Member's reimbursement obligation under this Section 6.03(b) shall continue after such Member transfers its Membership Interests.

 

(c) Indemnification. Each Member hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the other Members from and against any liability with respect to the taxes, interest, or penalties that may be asserted by reason of the Company’s failure to deduct and withhold tax on amounts distributable or allocable to such Member. The provision of this Section 6.03(c) and the obligations of a Member pursuant to Section 6.03(b) shall survive the termination, dissolution, liquidation, and winding up of the Company or the Transfer of its Membership Interests. The Company may pursue and enforce all rights and remedies it may have against each Member under this Section 6.03, including bringing a lawsuit to collect repayment with interest of any Withholding Advances.

 

(d) Over withholding. Neither the Company nor the Managing Directors shall be liable for any excess taxes withheld in respect of any distribution or allocation of income or gain to a Member. In the event of an over withholding, a Member’s sole recourse shall be to apply for a refund from the appropriate Taxing Authority.

 

 
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Section 6.04 Distributions in Kind.

 

(a) Distributions may be made to the Members in the form of securities or other property held by the Company; provided that Tax Advances shall only be made in cash. In any non-cash distribution, the securities or property so distributed will be distributed among the Members in the same proportion and priority as cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such securities or property would be distributed among the Members pursuant to Section 6.01.

 

(b) Any distribution of securities shall be subject to such conditions and restrictions as the Managing Directors determine are required or advisable to ensure compliance with Applicable Law. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Managing Directors may require that the Members execute and deliver such documents as the Managing Directors may deem necessary or appropriate to ensure compliance with all federal and state securities laws that apply to such distribution and any further Transfer of the distributed securities, and may appropriately legend the certificates that represent such securities to reflect any restriction on Transfer with respect to such laws.

 

ARTICLE VII

Management

 

Section 7.01 Management of the Company. The Company shall be manager-managed by the Managing Directors, except as provided herein. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.02 and except as otherwise provided by FRLLCA or this Agreement, the Managing Directors shall have full and complete discretion to manage and control the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, to make all decisions affecting the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, and to take all such actions as they deem necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Company set forth in Section 2.05. The actions of the Managing Directors taken in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall bind the Company. No Member of the Company shall have any authority or right to act on behalf of or bind the Company, unless otherwise provided herein or unless specifically authorized by the Managing Directors pursuant to a resolution expressly authorizing such action which resolution is duly adopted by the Managing Directors. All matters to be decided or actions to be taken by the Managing Directors shall require approval of a Majority of the Managing Directors.

 

Section 7.02 Actions Requiring Approval by Supermajority of the Members. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, without the prior written consent of a Supermajority of the Members, no Member, Officer, or Managing Directors shall enter into any commitment to:

 

(a) amend, modify, or waive any provisions of the Articles of Organization;

 

(b) issue additional Membership Interests or, except in connection with a Transfer of Membership Interests that complies with the applicable provisions of ARTICLE VIII and Section 4.01(b), admit additional Members to the Company;

 

 
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(c) enter into, amend, waive, or terminate any Related Party Agreement other than the entry into or the amendment of a Related Party Agreement that is on terms no less favorable to the Company than those that could be obtained from an unaffiliated third party (it being understood and agreed by the Members that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and GGII and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of GGII’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup);

 

(d) unless stated otherwise herein, enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the purchase, lease, license, exchange, or other acquisition (including by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock, or acquisition of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests of any Person, other than the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(e) enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the sale, lease, license, exchange, or other disposition (including by merger, consolidation, sale of stock, or sale of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests, other the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f) establish a Subsidiary or enter into any joint venture or similar business arrangement;

 

(g) settle any lawsuit, action, dispute, or other proceeding or otherwise assume any liability or agree to the provision of any equitable relief by the Company other than settlements which individually are for less than $10,000; provided, that if the lawsuit, claim, dispute, or other proceeding involves an indemnification claim pursuant to ARTICLE IX, such settlement shall also be approved in accordance with the terms of Section 9.01(c);

 

(h) change the number of Managing Directors;

 

(i) create any incentive equity plan for employees and/or independent contractors;

 

(j) change the Business of the Company in any way; or

 

(k) dissolve the Company.

 

Section 7.03 Budgets. At least sixty (60) days before the beginning of each Fiscal Year, GGII shall prepare and submit to the Managing Directors for approval an annual business plan and budget for the Company through the Fiscal Year ending December 31 (a “Budget”).

 

HHG, as part of its marketing obligations under 4.08(b) will, upon reasonable request, supply GGII with any and all marketing data and information that will enable GGII to more accurately forecast budgeted gross revenues.

 

Each Budget shall include detailed capital and operating expense budgets, cash flow projections (which shall include amounts and due dates of all projected calls for Additional Capital Contributions, if any) and profit and loss projections. The Managing Directors shall operate the Company in accordance with the approved Budgets.

 

 
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 Section 7.04 Officers. The Managing Directors may appoint individuals as officers of the Company (the “Officers”) as the Managing Directors deem necessary or desirable to carry on the business of the Company and the Managing Directors may delegate to such Officers such power and authority as they deem advisable. No Officer need be a Member of the Company. Any individual may hold two or more offices of the Company. Each Officer shall hold office until his or her successor is designated by the Managing Directors or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Any Officer may resign at any time on written notice to the Managing Directors. Any Officer may be removed by the Managing Directors with or without cause at any time. A vacancy in any office occurring because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, may, but need not, be filled by the Managing Directors.

Section 7.05 Compensation. The Managing Directors shall not be compensated for their services as Managing Directors, but the Company shall reimburse the Managing Directors upon written demand for any and all ordinary, necessary, and direct expenses incurred by the Managing Directors on behalf of the Company in carrying out the Company’s business activities. All reimbursements for expenses shall be reasonable in amount and shall not exceed amounts set forth in the Budget for any Fiscal Year.

 

Section 7.06 Removal of Managing Directors. Any Managing Director may be removed by the disinterested Managing Directors at any time For Cause. Following such removal, a successor Managing Director shall be appointed as follows: (a) In the case of [Lou Pellicca] or [Jorge Olson], the successor shall be appointed by GGII (or its permitted assign, if applicable), (b) in the case of James Lindsay or Taylor McCain the successor shall be appointed by HHG (or its permitted assign, if applicable), and (c) in the case of [NAME], the successor shall be appointed by consent of the Supermajority of the Members.

 

Section 7.07 Resignation of a Managing Director. A Managing Director may resign at any time by giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Company. Any such resignation shall be effective on receipt thereof unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or on the occurrence of some other event. The Company’s acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The resignation of a Managing Director shall not affect its or its Affiliate’s rights as a Member (if applicable) and shall not constitute a dissociation of any Member. Following such resignation, a successor Managing Director shall be appointed as provided in Section 7.06 above.

 

Section 7.08 Exclusivity. Any Member and/or any Affiliate of a Member may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures (including without limitation in cannabidiol and/or cannabis product related ventures), unconnected with the Company and independently or with others. The Company shall not have any rights in or to any such independent venture or the income or profits therefrom by virtue of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Member nor any Affiliate of a Member shall own, operate, have an interest in or render services for any business (other than the Company) that is involved in the sale of hemp smokable products and which is directly competitive with the Business.

 

 
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Section 7.09 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided in FRLLCA, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Managing Director nor any Member will have been obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Managing Director or Member.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Transfer Section 8.01 General Restrictions on Transfer.

 

(a) No Member shall Transfer all or any portion of its Membership Interest in the

 

Company without written consent of the Managing Directors. No Transfer of Membership Interests to a Person not already a Member of the Company shall be deemed completed until the prospective Transferee is admitted as a Member of the Company in accordance with Section 4.01(b) hereof.

 

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each Member agrees that it will not Transfer all or any portion of its Membership Interest in the Company, and the Company agrees that it shall not issue any Membership Interests:

 

(i) except as permitted under the Securities Act and other applicable federal or state securities or blue-sky laws;

 

(ii) if such Transfer or issuance would cause the Company to be considered a “publicly traded partnership” under Section 7704(b) of the Code within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Section 1.7704-1(h)(1)(ii), including the look-through rule in Treasury Regulations Section 1.7704-1(h)(3);

 

(iii) if such Transfer or issuance would affect the Company’s existence or qualification as a limited liability company under FRLLCA;

 

(iv) if such Transfer or issuance would cause the Company to lose its status as a partnership for federal income tax purposes;

 

(v) if such Transfer or issuance would cause the Company to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; or

 

(vi) if such Transfer or issuance would cause the assets of the Company to be deemed “Plan Assets” as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or its accompanying regulations or result in any “prohibited transaction” thereunder involving the Company.

 

(c) Any Transfer or attempted Transfer of any Membership Interest in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void ab initio, no such Transfer shall be recorded on the Company’s books and the purported Transferee in any such Transfer shall not be treated (and the purported Transferor shall continue to be treated) as the owner of such Membership Interest for all purposes of this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 8.02 Involuntary Transfers.

 

(a) On the date of the occurrence of an Involuntary Transfer (“Transfer Event”), the Involuntary Transferee of such Membership Interest shall thereupon become an Economic Interest Holder and shall not become, a Member, unless admitted as a Member pursuant to Section 4.01(b). On a Transfer Event, the Involuntary Transferee shall be deemed to have offered for sale, without any further action required, the entire Membership Interest subject to the Involuntary Transfer (“Affected Membership Interest”). First, the Company shall have 30 days from said date within which to elect to purchase some or all of the Affected Membership Interest, and if the Company elects not to do so within said 30- da y period, then the remaining Members shall have 30 days to elect to purchase their pro-rata share (based on their current Percentage Interest) of the Affected Membership Interest. In the event that the exercise of any such election must be approved in any legal proceeding and such approval does not occur within the time periods set forth in this Section, such time periods shall be extended and tolled until fifteen (15) days after the date of any such approvals in order to permit the orderly exercise of such elections. The purchase price for such Affected Membership Interest shall be Fair Market Value as of the Transfer Event.

 

(b) In the event that the Company and the remaining Members elect not to purchase some or all of the Affected Membership Interest in accordance with this Section 8.02(a), the Involuntary Transferee of the portion of such Membership Interest that is not purchased shall hold such portion of such Membership Interest solely as an Economic Interest holder and shall be entitled to the Economic Interest derived from such Membership Interest, but not to any other rights of ownership of such Membership Interest.

 

Section 8.02 Determination of Fair Market Value. Each of the selling and purchasing parties shall use best efforts to determine the Fair Market Value of the Membership Interest offered for sale under Section 8.02. If the parties are unable to agree thereon, then each party shall appoint an appraiser within 30 days of purchaser’s election to purchase such Membership Interest (“Appointment Period”). The two appraisers shall elect a third appraiser within fifteen (15) days of the last day of the Appointment Period who shall determine the Fair Market Value of the Membership Interest being purchased, and the average of the two appraisals which are nearest to each other will be the Fair Market Value of the Membership Interest. The costs of each of the first two appraisers will be paid by the Member who appointed the appraiser, and the costs of the third appraiser will be paid by the Company. Said determination shall be final and binding on the parties. All appraisers selected will be qualified and will be individuals with the “Accredited in Business Valuation” credential of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or the “Accredited Senior Appraiser” designation of the American Society of Appraisers.

 

ARTICLE IX

Indemnification Section 9.01 Covered Persons.

 

(a) Covered Persons. As used herein, the term “Covered Person” shall mean (i) each Member, (ii) each Managing Director, (iii) each officer, director, shareholder, partner, member, manager, Affiliate, employee, agent, or Representative of each Member and of each Managing Director, and each of their respective Affiliates, and (iv) each Officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company.

 

 
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(b) Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted under FRLLCA (after waiving all FRLLCA restrictions on indemnification other than those which cannot be eliminated or modified under FRLLCA), as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, substituted, or replaced (but, in the case of any such amendment, substitution, or replacement, only to the extent that such amendment, substitution, or replacement permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than FRLLCA permitted the Company to provide before such amendment, substitution, or replacement), the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless, defend, pay, and reimburse any Covered Person against any and all losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against such losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, and any amounts expended in settlement of any claims (collectively, “Losses”) to which such Covered Person may become subject by reason of:

 

(i) any act or omission or alleged act or omission performed or omitted to be performed on behalf of the Company, any Member, any Managing Director, or any of their respective direct or indirect Subsidiaries in connection with the business of the Company; or

 

(ii) such Covered Person being or acting in connection with the business of the Company as a member, shareholder, partner, Affiliate, Managing Director, director, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company, any Member, any Managing Director, or any of their respective Affiliates, or such Covered Person serving or having served at the request of the Company as a member, manager, director, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of any Person including the Company; provided, that such Loss did not arise from (1) the Covered Person’s conduct involving bad faith, willful or intentional misconduct, or a knowing violation of law, (2) a transaction from which such Covered Person derived an improper personal benefit, (3) a circumstance under which the liability provisions for improper distributions of FRLLCA are applicable, or (4) a breach of such Covered Person’s fiduciary duties or obligations under FRLLCA.

 

(c) Control of Defense. On a Covered Person’s discovery of any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 9.01, the Covered Person shall give prompt written notice to the Company of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding; provided, that the failure of the Covered Person to provide such notice shall not relieve the Company of any indemnification obligation under this Section 9.01, unless the Company shall have been materially prejudiced thereby. Subject to the approval of the holders of the Majority of the Membership Interests held by the disinterested Members, the Company shall be entitled to participate in or assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding at its own expense. After notice from the Company to the Covered Person of its election to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Company shall not be liable to the Covered Person under this Agreement or otherwise for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any such claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding. If the Company does not elect (or fails to elect) to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Covered Person shall have the right to assume the defense of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding as it deems appropriate, but it shall not settle any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding without the consent of the holders of the Majority of the Membership Interests held by the disinterested Members (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed).

 

 
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(d) Reimbursement. The Company shall promptly reimburse (or advance to the extent reasonably required) each Covered Person for reasonable legal or other expenses (as incurred) of such Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 9.01; provided, that if it is finally judicially determined that such Covered Person is not entitled to the indemnification provided by this Section 9.01, then such Covered Person shall promptly reimburse the Company for any reimbursed or advanced expenses.

 

(e) Entitlement to Indemnity. The indemnification provided by this Section 9.01 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to indemnification to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any agreement or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 9.01 shall continue to afford protection to each Covered Person regardless of whether such Covered Person remains in the position or capacity pursuant to which such Covered Person became entitled to indemnification under this Section 9.01 and shall inure to the benefit of the executors, administrators, legatees, and distributees of such Covered Person.

 

(f) Insurance. To the extent available on commercially reasonable terms, the Company may purchase, at its expense, insurance (i) to cover Losses covered by the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, and (ii) to otherwise cover Losses for any breach or alleged breach by any Covered Person of such Covered Person’s duties whether or not covered by the foregoing indemnifications, in each case, in such amount and with such deductibles as the Managing Directors may reasonably determine; provided, that the failure to obtain such insurance shall not affect the right to indemnification of any Covered Person under the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, including the right to be reimbursed or advanced expenses or otherwise indemnified for Losses hereunder. If any Covered Person recovers any amounts in respect of any Losses from any insurance coverage, then such Covered Person shall, to the extent that such recovery is duplicative, reimburse the Company for any amounts previously paid to such Covered Person by the Company in respect of such Losses.

 

(g) Funding of Indemnification Obligation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, any indemnity by the Company relating to the matters covered in this Section 9.01 shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only, and no Member (unless such Member otherwise agrees in writing) shall have personal liability on account thereof or shall be required to make additional Capital Contributions to help satisfy such indemnity by the Company.

 

(h) Savings Clause. If this Section 9.01 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each Covered Person pursuant to this Section 9.01 to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 9.01 that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law.

 

 
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(i) Amendment. The provisions of this Section 9.01 shall be a contract between the Company, on the one hand, and each Covered Person who served in such capacity at any time while this Section 9.01 is in effect, on the other hand, pursuant to which the Company and each such Covered Person intend to be legally bound. No amendment, modification, or repeal of this Section 9.01 that adversely affects the rights of a Covered Person to indemnification for Losses incurred or relating to a state of facts existing before such amendment, modification, or repeal shall apply in such a way as to eliminate or reduce such Covered Person’s entitlement to indemnification for such Losses without the Covered Person’s prior written consent.

 

Section 9.02 Survival. The provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall survive the dissolution, liquidation, winding up, and termination of the Company.

 

ARTICLE X

Accounting; Inspection Rights; Tax Matters

 

Section 10.01 Financial Statements. The Company shall furnish to each Member the following reports:

 

(a) Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 90 days after the end of each Fiscal Year, unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such Fiscal Year and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Members’ equity for such Fiscal Year.

 

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly accounting period in each Fiscal Year (other than the last fiscal quarter of the Fiscal Year), unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Members' equity for such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date.

 

Section 10.02 Inspection Rights. Upon reasonable notice from a Member, the Company shall afford the Member and each of its respective Representatives access during normal business hours to (i) the Company’s properties, offices, and other facilities, (ii) the corporate, financial, and similar records, reports, and documents of the Company, including, without limitation, all books and records, minutes of proceedings, internal management documents, reports of operations, reports of adverse developments, copies of any management letters, and communications with Members (including the Managing Directors), and permit the Member or and each of its respective Representatives to examine such documents and make copies thereof, and (iii) any Officers, senior employees, and public accountants of the Company, and afford the Member and each of its respective Representatives the opportunity to discuss and advise on the affairs, finances, and accounts of the Company with such Officers, senior employees, and public accountants (and the Company hereby authorizes said accountants and other Persons to discuss with such Member and its Representatives such affairs, finances, and accounts); in each case, to the extent such information is for a purpose reasonably related to the Member’s interest as a Member.

 

Section 10.03 Income Tax Status. It is the intent of the Company and the Members that the Company shall be treated as a partnership for U.S., federal, state, and local income tax purposes. Neither the Company, the Managing Directors, nor any Member shall make an election for the Company to be classified as other than a partnership pursuant to Treasury Regulations Section 301.7701-3.

 

 
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Section 10.04 Partnership Representative.

 

(a) Appointment; Resignation. The Members hereby appoint Sandro Piancone as the “partnership representative” (the “Partnership Representative”) as provided in Code Section 6223(a) (as amended by the BBA). The Partnership Representative may resign at any time. The Partnership Representative can be removed at any time by the Managing Directors.

 

(b) The Partnership Representative will promptly notify the Members in writing of the commencement of any audit of the Company, upon receipt of a tax assessment and upon the receipt of a notice of final partnership adjustment, and shall keep the Members reasonably informed of the status of any tax audit and resulting administrative and judicial proceedings. Without the consent of the Managing Directors, the Partnership Representative shall not extend the statute of limitations, file a request for administrative adjustment, file suit relating to any Company tax refund or deficiency, or enter into any settlement agreement relating to items of income, gain, loss, or deduction of the Company with any federal, state, local, or foreign taxing authority.

 

(c) BBA Elections. To the extent permitted by applicable law and regulations, the Company will annually elect out of the BBA Procedures for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018 pursuant to Code Section 6221(b) (as amended by the BBA). For any year in which applicable law and regulations do not permit the Company to elect out of the BBA Procedures, then within 45 days of any notice of final partnership adjustment, the Company will elect the alternative procedure under Code Section 6226, as amended by the BBA, and furnish to the Internal Revenue Service and each Member during the year or years to which the notice of final partnership adjustment relates a statement of the Member's share of any adjustment set forth in the notice of final partnership adjustment.

 

(d) Tax Returns and Tax Deficiencies. Each Member agrees that such Member shall not treat any Company item inconsistently on such Member’s federal, state, foreign, or other income tax return with the treatment of the item on the Company's return. Any deficiency for taxes imposed on any Member (including penalties, additions to tax, or interest imposed with respect to such taxes and taxes imposed pursuant to Code Section 6226 as amended by the BBA) shall be paid by such Member and if required to be paid (and actually paid) by the Company, will be recoverable from such Member as provided in Section 6.03(c).

 

(e) Income Tax Elections. The Partnership Representative will make an election under Code Section 754, if requested in writing by another Member.

 

Section 10.05 Tax Returns. At the expense of the Company, the Managing Directors (or any Officer that it may designate pursuant to Section 7.04) shall endeavor to cause the preparation and timely filing (including extensions) of all tax returns required to be filed by the Company pursuant to the Code as well as all other required tax returns in each jurisdiction in which the Company owns property or does business. No later than 90 days after the end of each Fiscal Year, the Managing Directors or designated Officer will cause to be delivered to each Person who was a Member at any time during such Fiscal Year, such written information as may be necessary for the preparation of such Person's federal, state and local income tax returns for such Fiscal Year. As soon as reasonably possible after the end of each Fiscal Year, the Managing Directors or designated Officer will cause to be delivered to each Person who was a Member at any time during such Fiscal Year, IRS Schedule K-1 to Form 1065.

 

 
29

 

 

Section 10.06 Company Funds. All funds of the Company shall be deposited in its name, or in such name as may be designated by the Managing Directors, in such checking, savings, or other accounts, or held in its name in the form of such other investments as shall be designated by the Managing Directors. The funds of the Company shall not be commingled with the funds of any other Person. All withdrawals of such deposits or liquidations of such investments by the Company shall be made exclusively on the signature or signatures of such Officer or Officers as the Managing Directors may designate.

 

ARTICLE XI

Dissolution and Liquidation

 

Section 11.01 Events of Dissolution. The Company shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up only on the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(a) An election to dissolve the Company made by a Supermajority of the Members;

 

(b) The sale, exchange, involuntary conversion, or other disposition or Transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company;

 

(c) Passage of 90 consecutive days during which the Company has no Members; or

 

(d) The entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under FRLLCA.

 

Section 11.02 Effectiveness of Dissolution. Dissolution of the Company shall be effective on the day on which the event described in Section 11.01 occurs. On the occurrence of an event described in Section 11.01, the Liquidator (or, in the case of a dissolution pursuant to Section 11.01(d), the Persons conducting the winding up of the Company’s affairs pursuant to FRLLCA) shall commence the wind up of the Company and the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 11.03 and shall thereafter file articles of dissolution with the Florida Secretary of State pursuant to FRLLCA.

 

Section 11.03 Liquidation. If the Company is dissolved pursuant to Section 11.01, the Company shall be liquidated and its business and affairs wound up in accordance with FRLLCA and the following provisions:

 

(a) Liquidator. The Managing Directors shall act as liquidator to wind up the Company (the “Liquidator”). The Liquidator shall have full power and authority to sell, assign, and encumber any or all of the Company’s assets and to wind up and liquidate the affairs of the Company in an orderly and business-like manner.

 

(b) Notice of Liquidation. The Liquidator (or other Persons winding up the affairs of the Company pursuant to Section 11.02) shall give written notice of the commencement of winding up by mail to all known creditors and claimants whose addresses appear on the records of the Company.

 

 
30

 

 

(c) Accounting. As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the Liquidator shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm of certified public accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities, and operations through the last day of the calendar month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as applicable.

 

(d) Distribution of Proceeds. The Liquidator shall liquidate the assets of the Company and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following order of priority, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of Applicable Law:

 

(i) First, to the payment of all of the Company’s known debts and liabilities (including any Member Loans and debts and liabilities to Members who are creditors, if applicable) and the expenses of liquidation (including sales commissions incident to any sales of assets of the Company);

 

(ii) Second, to the establishment of and additions to reserves that are determined by the Liquidator to be reasonably necessary for any contingent unknown liabilities or obligations of the Company; and

 

(iii) Third, to the Members, on a pro-rata basis, in accordance with the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments for the taxable year of the Company during which the liquidation of the Company occurs.

 

(e) Discretion of Liquidator. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section11.03(d) that require the liquidation of the assets of the Company, but subject to the order of priorities set forth in Section 11.03(d), if on dissolution of the Company the Liquidator reasonably determines that an immediate sale of part or all of the Company’s assets would be impractical or could cause undue loss to the Members, the Liquidator may defer the liquidation of any assets except those necessary to satisfy Company liabilities and reserves, and may distribute to the Members, in lieu of cash, as tenants in common and in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.03(d), undivided interests in such Company assets as the Liquidator deems not suitable for liquidation. Any such distribution in kind shall be subject to such conditions relating to the disposition and management of such properties as the Liquidator deems reasonable and equitable and to any agreements governing the operating of such properties at such time. For purposes of any such distribution, any property to be distributed will be valued at its Fair Market Value.

 

Section 11.04 Cancellation of Foreign Qualifications. On completion of the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 11.03(d) hereof, the Liquidator shall file a articles of dissolution with the Florida Secretary of State and shall cause the cancellation of all qualifications and registrations of the Company as a foreign limited liability company in jurisdictions other than the State of Florida and shall take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Company.

 

 
31

 

 

Section 11.05 Survival of Rights, Duties, and Obligations. Dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination of the Company for any reason shall not release any party from any Loss that at the time of such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination already had accrued to any other party or thereafter may accrue in respect of any act or omission before such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the foregoing shall replace, diminish, or otherwise adversely affect any Member’s right to indemnification pursuant to ARTICLE IX.

 

Section 11.06 Recourse for Claims. Each Member shall look solely to the assets of the Company for all distributions with respect to the Company, such Member’s Capital Account, and such Member's share of Net Income, Net Loss, and other items of income, gain, loss, and deduction, and shall have no recourse therefor (upon dissolution or otherwise) against the Liquidator or any other Member.

 

ARTICLE XII

Miscellaneous

 

Section 12.01 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors, and accountants, incurred in connection with the preparation and execution of this Agreement, or any amendment or waiver hereof, and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.

 

Section 12.02 Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company and each Member hereby agrees, at the request of the Company or any other Member, to execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances, and assurances and to take such further actions as may be required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and to operate the Business in accordance with Applicable Law.

 

Section 12.03 Confidentiality.

 

(a) Each Member acknowledges that during the term of this Agreement, it will have access to and become acquainted with trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential information belonging to the Company and its Affiliates that are not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, customer information, manufacturing information, regulatory information, financial statements, vendor information, employee information and other information provided pursuant to this Agreement, operating practices and methods, expansion plans, strategic plans, marketing plans, contracts, customer lists, or other business documents that the Company treats as confidential, in any format whatsoever (including oral, written, electronic, or any other form or medium) (collectively, “Confidential Information”). In addition, each Member acknowledges that (i) the Company has invested, and continues to invest, substantial time, expense, and specialized knowledge in developing its Confidential Information, (ii) the Confidential Information provides the Company with a competitive advantage over others in the marketplace, and (iii) the Company would be irreparably harmed if the Confidential Information were disclosed to competitors or made available to the public. Without limiting the applicability of any other agreement to which any Member is subject, no Member shall, directly or indirectly, disclose or use (other than solely for the purposes of such Member monitoring and analyzing its investment in the Company and carrying out its obligations to the Company) including, without limitation, use for personal, commercial, or proprietary advantage or profit, either during its association with the Company or thereafter, any Confidential Information of which such Member is or becomes aware. Each Member in possession of Confidential Information shall take all appropriate steps to safeguard such information and to protect it against disclosure, misuse, espionage, loss, and theft.

 

 
32

 

 

(b) Nothing contained in Section 12.03(a) shall prevent any Member from disclosing Confidential Information (i) on the order of any court or administrative agency, (ii) on the request or demand of any regulatory agency or authority having jurisdiction over such Member, (iii) to the extent compelled by legal process or required or requested pursuant to subpoena, interrogatories, or other discovery requests, (iv) to the extent necessary in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder, (v) to any other Member, the Managing Directors, or the Company, or (vi) to such Member’s Representatives who, in the reasonable judgment of such Member, need to know such Confidential Information and agree to abide by the provisions of this Section 12.03 as if a Member; provided, that in the case of clause (i), (ii), or (iii), such Member shall notify the Company and other Members of the proposed disclosure as far in advance of such disclosure as practicable (but in no event make any such disclosure before notifying the Company and other Members) and use reasonable efforts to ensure that any Confidential Information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment satisfactory to the Company, when and if available.

 

(c) The restrictions of Section 12.03(a) shall not apply to Confidential Information that (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by a Member in violation of this Agreement, (ii) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Member without use of Confidential Information, or (iii) becomes available to such Member or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company, the other Members, or any of their respective Representatives; provided, that such source is not known by the receiving Member to be bound by a confidentiality agreement regarding the Company.

 

(d) The obligations of each Member under this Section 12.03 shall survive (i) the termination, dissolution, liquidation, and winding up of the Company, (ii) the termination of such Member from the Company in accordance with Section, and (iii) such Member's Transfer of its Membership Interests.

 

Section 12.04 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (i) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt), (ii) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested), (iii) on the date sent by facsimile or email of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient, or (iv) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 12.04):

 

 
33

 

 

If to the Company:

 

Hemp Hop Smokables LLC

150 SE 2 Avenue, PH6

Miami, Florida 33131

[redacted]

Attention: Taylor McCain

 

with a copy to:

 

Lance Brunson

Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC

Walker Center | 14th Floor

175 S. Main Street, Suite 1410 | Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Office Direct: 801.303.5737 | Office General: 801.303.5730

 

If to HHG:

 

Hemp Hop Global, LLC

150 SE 2 Avenue, PH6

Miami, Florida 33131

[redacted]

Attention: Taylor McCain

 

with a copy to:

 

Fox Rothschild LLP

999 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1500

Atlanta, GA 30309

[redacted]

Attention: Leron Rogers

 

And

 

Otterbourg P.C.

230 Park Avenue New York, NY 10019

[redacted]

Attention: Afruz Sayah

 

If to GGII:

 

Green Globe International, Inc.

9925 Airway Road

Sand Diego, CA 92154

 

 
34

 

 

[redacted]

Attention: Sandro Piancone

 

with a copy to:

 

Lance Brunson

Brunson Chandler & Jones, PLLC

Walker Center | 14th Floor

175 S. Main Street, Suite 1410 | Salt Lake City, UT 84111

Office Direct: 801.303.5737 | Office General: 801.303.5730

 

Section 12.05 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience or reference only and are in no way intended to describe, interpret, define, or limit the scope, extent, or intent of this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

 

Section 12.06 Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under Applicable Law in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Except as provided in Section 9.01(h), on such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.

 

Section 12.07 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Articles of Organization and all related Exhibits and Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, records, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, whether express or implied, with respect to such subject matter.

 

Section 12.08 Successors and Assigns. Subject to the restrictions on Transfers set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by any Member except as permitted by this Agreement and any assignment in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void ab initio.

 

Section 12.09 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as provided in ARTICLE IX, which shall be for the benefit of and enforceable by Covered Persons as described therein, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto (and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns) and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person, including any creditor of the Company, any legal or equitable right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

 
35

 

 

Section 12.10 Amendment. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified except by an instrument in writing executed by all of the Members. Any such written amendment or modification will be binding upon the Company and each Member. Notwithstanding the foregoing, amendments to the Members Schedule following any new issuance, redemption, repurchase, or Transfer of Membership Interests in accordance with this Agreement may be made by the Managing Directors without the consent of or execution by the Members.

 

Section 12.11 Waiver. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No waiver by any party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach, or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. No failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power, or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power, or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power, or privilege. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 12.11 shall diminish any of the explicit and implicit waivers described in this Agreement, including in hereof.

 

Section 12.12 Governing Law. All issues and questions concerning the application, construction, validity, interpretation, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Florida or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of Florida.

 

Section 12.13 Submission to Jurisdiction. The parties hereby agree that any suit, action, or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, shall be brought only in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida or, the courts of the State of Florida sitting in Miami-Dade County, and any appellate court from any thereof, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of Florida. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action, or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action, or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action, or proceeding that is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient form. Service of process, summons, notice, or other document by registered mail to the address set forth in Section 12.04 shall be effective service of process for any suit, action, or other proceeding brought in any such court.

 

Section 12.14 Equitable Remedies. Each party hereto acknowledges that a breach or threatened breach by such party of any of its obligations under this Agreement would give rise to irreparable harm to the other parties, for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy, and hereby agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by such party of any such obligations, each of the other parties hereto shall, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies that may be available to them in respect of such breach, be entitled to equitable relief, including a temporary restraining order, an injunction, specific performance, and any other relief that may be available from a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond).

 

 
36

 

 

Section 12.15 Attorneys’ Fees. If any party hereto institutes any legal suit, action, or proceeding, including arbitration, against another party in respect of a matter arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the suit, action, or proceeding shall be entitled to receive, in addition to all other damages to which it may be entitled, the costs incurred by such party in conducting the suit, action, or proceeding, including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses and court costs.

 

Section 12.16 Remedies Cumulative. The rights and remedies under this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any other rights and remedies available at law or in equity or otherwise, except to the extent expressly provided herein to the contrary.

 

Section 12.17 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, email, or other means of Electronic Transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
37

DocuSign Envelope ID: E7E24D9B-4EBC-4960-9B04-A975120983D0

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Members have signed this Operating Agreement of Hemp Hop Smokables LLC as of the Effective Date.

 

 

COMPANY:

 

HEMP HOP SMOKABLES LLC,

a Florida limited liability company

 

By: /s/ James Lindsay

Name: James Lindsay

Title: Managing Director

 

MEMBERS:

 

HEMP HOP GLOBAL, LLC,

A Florida limited liability company

 

By: /s/ James Lindsay

Name: James Lindsay

Title: Managing Director

 

GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL., INC.,

A Delaware corporation

 

By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: CEO

 

 
38

 

  

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

 

 
39

 

 

SCHEDULE A

 

MEMBERS SCHEDULE

 

Member Name

 

Capital Contribution

 

Membership Interest

Green Globe International, Inc.

 

$10,000 plus manufacturing, and patents knowhow, marketing relationships.

 

50%

Hemp Hop Global, LLC

 

Marketing and Sales and Know-How and the Hemp Hop trademark.

 

50%

 

 
40

 

EXHIBIT 10.7

 

JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT

 

THIS JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT of Cheech and Chong’s Hemp Company, a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), is entered into as of the 1st day of January, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and among the Company, Cheech & Chong Cannabis Company, a Nevada corporation (“CCE”), and Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (“HC”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company was formed as a corporation under the laws of the State of Nevada, for the purposes set forth in Section 2.05 of this Agreement, when the Company’s articles of organization (the “Articles of Organization”) were filed with the Nevada Secretary of State on December 17, 2021 (the “Formation Date”); and

 

WHEREAS, HC is currently a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc. (OTC Pink: GGII) “GGII” and as such is obligated to producing PCAOB audited GAAP financial statements, and file same with the OTC Pink Open Market in accordance with the current regulations and timetable of that governing body.

 

WHEREAS, the parties wish to enter into this Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions governing the operation and management of the Company and the other matters set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

Definitions

 

Section 1.01 Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.01 and when not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in NRS:

 

Additional Capital Contribution has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person who, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, shall mean the power, direct or indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Agreement means this Joint Venture Agreement, as executed and as it may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated from time to time, as provided herein.

 

Applicable Law means all applicable provisions of (a) constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), rules, regulations, decrees, ordinances, codes, proclamations, declarations, or orders of any Governmental Authority, (b) any consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority, and (c) any orders, decisions, advisory or interpretative opinions, injunctions, judgments, awards, decrees of, or agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

 

 

 

Articles of Organization has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

Available Cash Flow means, for any period, the sum of gross revenue received, minus the sum of overhead and operating expenses of the Company, as well as a reasonable reserve for future operational needs as the Managing Directors may determine to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, capital contributions, loans, or proceeds from capital transactions and expenses incurred or liabilities of the Company repaid in connection with any thereof shall not be taken into account in computing Available Cash for any period.

 

“Budget” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.

  

“Business” means the business of marketing and selling hemp smokable products, it being acknowledged and agreed by the Shareholders that such products may not include, without limitation “Delta 8 HC” to the extent the same can be legally produced and sold in the particular States of the United States of America where the Company intends to carry on business.

 

Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which commercial banks in the State of Nevada are authorized or required to close.

 

Capital Account has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03.

 

Capital Contribution means any Shareholder’s contribution to the capital of the Company in cash and cash equivalents and the Book Value of any property contributed to the Company by such Shareholder.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Company has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

Confidential Information has the meaning set forth in Section 13.03(a).

 

Covered Person has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(a).

 

NRS” means the Nevada Revised Statutes, Chapter 78 of the Laws of Nevada for Private Corporations, as in effect at any given time.

 

Electronic Transmission means (a) facsimile telecommunication, (b) email, (c) posting on an electronic message board or network that the Company has designated for communications (together with a separate notice to the recipient of the posting when the transmission is given by the Company), or (d) other means of electronic communication where the recipient has consented to the use of the means of transmission (or, if the transmission is to the Company, the Company has placed in effect reasonable measures to verify that the sender is the Shareholder or Managing Shareholder purporting to send the transmission) and the communication creates a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review and may be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

 

Excess Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(c).

 

 
2

 

 

Fair Market Value of any asset as of any date means the purchase price that a willing buyer having all relevant knowledge would pay a willing seller for such asset in an arm’s length transaction.

 

Fiscal Year means the calendar year, unless the Company is required to or elects to have a taxable year other than the calendar year, in which case Fiscal Year shall be the period that conforms to its taxable year.

 

For Cause shall mean a Director or Officer’s:

 

 

(a)

willful failure to perform his duties (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness) and a failure to cure the same within ten (10) business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Shareholder;

 

 

 

 

(b)

engagement in dishonesty, illegal conduct, or misconduct relating to the business of the Company, which is injurious to the Company or its Affiliates; and the same is not cured (if capable of cure) within ten (10) business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Shareholder:

 

 

 

 

(c)

conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to embezzlement, misappropriation, or fraud, whether or not related to the Company;

 

 

 

 

(d)

conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime that constitutes a felony (or state law equivalent) or a crime that constitutes a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

 

 

 

 

(e)

willful unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information;

 

 

 

 

(f)

breach of any material obligation under this Agreement which is not cured within ten (10) business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Officer or Shareholder.

 

Governmental Authority means any federal, state, local, or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations, or orders of such organization or authority have the force of law), or any arbitrator, court, or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

 

“Independent Third Party” means, with respect to any Shareholder, any Person who is not an Affiliate of such Shareholder.

 

Lien means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, option, right of first offer, encumbrance, or other restriction or limitation of any nature whatsoever.

 

Liquidator has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03(a).

 

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(b).

 

Majority means 51% or more.

 

 
3

 

 

Directors(s) means, initially, Sandro Piancone and Jonathan Black, or such two (2) other natural Persons as may be become the Managing Directors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. HC shall appoint one of the initial Managing Directors and CCE shall appoint the remaining two.

 

Shareholder(s) means CCE and HC, and each Person who is hereafter admitted as a Shareholder in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and NRS, The Shareholders shall constitute “Shareholders” (as that term is defined in NRS) of the Company.

 

Shareholders Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.

 

Shareholder” A shareholder (aka Stockholder) is any person, company, or institution that owns shares in a company’s stock. Shareholders are subject to capital gains (or losses) and/or dividend payments as residual claimants on a firm’s profits. Shareholders also enjoy certain rights such as voting at shareholder meetings to approve the board of directors’, dividend distributions, or mergers. In the case of bankruptcy, shareholders can lose up to their entire investment.

 

Net Income and “Net Loss mean, for each Fiscal Year or other period specified in this Agreement, an amount equal to the Company’s taxable income or taxable loss, or particular items thereof, determined in accordance with Code Section 703(a) (where, for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss, or deduction required to be stated separately pursuant to Code Section 703(a)(1) shall be included in taxable income or taxable loss), but with the following adjustments:

 

 (a) any gain or loss resulting from any disposition of Company property with respect to which gain or loss is recognized for federal income tax purposes shall be computed by reference to the Book Value of the property so disposed, notwithstanding that the adjusted tax basis of such property differs from its Book Value; 

      

 (b) if the Book Value of any Company property is adjusted as provided in the definition of Book Value, then the amount of such adjustment shall be treated as an item of gain or loss and included in the computation of such taxable income or taxable loss; and 

 

Officers has the meaning set forth in Section 7.04.

 

Percentage Interest means the percentage of a Shareholder’s Shares in the Company relative to the entire outstanding Shares in the Company, which is equal to the quotient of the Shares held by a Shareholder divided by all issued and outstanding Shares of the Company held by all Shareholders, as may be adjusted from time to time by the Managing Directors.

 

Person means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association, or other entity.

  

Regulatory Allocations” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02(e).

 

Related Party Agreement means any agreement, arrangement, or understanding between the Company and any Managing Shareholder, Shareholder, or Officer, or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate of a Managing Shareholder, Shareholder, Officer, or other employee of the Company; in each case, as such agreement may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. It is agreed by the Shareholders that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and HC and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of HC’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup.

 

 
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Representative means, with respect to any Person, any and all Shareholders, officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, counsel, accountants, and other agents of such Person.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor federal statute, and the rules and regulations thereunder, which shall be in effect at the time.

 

Shareholders” means the Joint Venturers.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which a Majority of the outstanding shares or other equity interests having the power to vote for Shareholders or comparable managers are owned, directly or indirectly, by the first Person.

 

Supermajority” means Shareholders holding a Percentage Interest of 75% or more.

 

Tax Advance has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(a).

 

Tax Amount of a Shareholder for a Fiscal Year means the product of (a) the Tax Rate for such Fiscal Year and (b) the Adjusted Taxable Income of the Shareholder for such Fiscal Year with respect to its Shares.

 

Tax Rate of a Corporate Shareholder, for any period, means the highest effective marginal combined federal, state, and local tax rate applicable to a corporation doing business in Reno, Nevada, taking into account (a) the character (for example, long-term or short-term capital gain, ordinary or exempt) of the applicable income and (b) if applicable the deduction under IRC Section 199A.

 

Transfer means to, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, assign, gift, pledge, encumber, hypothecate, or similarly dispose of, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, or to enter into any contract, option, or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, or similar disposition of, any Shares owned by a Person or any interest (including a beneficial interest) in any Shares owned by a Person. “Transfer when used as a noun, and “Transferred when used to refer to the past tense, shall have correlative meanings. “Transferor” and “Transferee mean a Person who makes or receives a Transfer, respectively.

 

Treasury Regulations” means the final or temporary regulations issued by the United States Department of Treasury pursuant to its authority under the Code, and any successor regulations.

 

Warrant” means 3-year warrants to purchase the common stock of Green Globe International, Inc. (“GGII”) with a conversion price of $0.01 per share. Warrant template document attached hereto as Appendix “A”

 

Withholding Advances” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(b).

 

 
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Section 1.02 Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the words “include,” “includes,” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation,” (b) the word “or” is not exclusive, and (c) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereto,” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole. The definitions given for any defined terms in this Agreement shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine, and neuter forms. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein (x) to Articles, Sections, Exhibits, and Schedules mean the Articles and Sections of and Exhibits and Schedules attached to this Agreement, (y) to an agreement, instrument, or other document means such agreement, instrument, or other document as amended, restated, supplemented, and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof, and (z) to a statute or Applicable Law means such statute or Applicable Law as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting an instrument or causing any instrument to be drafted. The Exhibits and Schedules referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein.

  

ARTICLE II

Organization

 

Section 2.01 Formation.

 

(a) The Company was formed on the Formation Date, pursuant to the provisions of NRS, upon the filing of the Articles of Organization with the Nevada Secretary of State.

 

(b) This Agreement shall constitute the “Joint Venture Agreement” (as that term is used in NRS) of the Company. The rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of the Shareholders shall be determined pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that the rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of any Shareholder are by reason of any provision of this Agreement in conflict with NRS, this Agreement shall, to the extent permitted by NRS, control.

 

Section 2.02 Name. The name of the Company is “Cheech and Chong’s Hemp Company” or such other name or names as may be designated by the Managing Directors; provided, that the name shall always contain the words “Company”, “Corporation” or the abbreviation “Co.” or “Inc.” The Company may conduct business under any assumed or fictitious name deemed desirable by the Managing Directors.

 

Section 2.03 Principal Office. The principal office of the Company is located at Reno, NV 89501, or such other place within or outside the State of Nevada, as may from time to time be determined by the Managing Directors. The Managing Directors shall give prompt notice of any such change to each of the Shareholders.

 

Section 2.04 Office and Agent for Service of Process.

 

(a) The office for service of process on the Company in the State of Nevada shall be the office of the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other office (which need not be a place of business of the Company) as the Managing Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by NRS and Applicable Law.

 

(b) The agent for service of process on the Company in the State of Nevada shall be the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other Person or Persons as the Managing Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by NRS and Applicable Law.

 

 
6

 

 

Section 2.05 Purpose; Powers.

 

(a) The purpose of the Company is to engage in the Business and any other lawful act or activity for which limited liability companies may be formed under NRS and to engage in any and all activities necessary or incidental thereto.

 

(b) The Company shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes for which it is formed, including the powers granted by NRS.

 

(c) All products must be approved by CCE. All product packaging must be approved by CCE.

 

Section 2.06 Term. The term of the Company commenced on the date the Articles of Organization were filed with the Nevada Secretary of State and shall continue in existence perpetually until the Company is dissolved in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or as provided by Applicable Law.

  

ARTICLE III

Capital Contributions; Capital Accounts

 

Section 3.01 Initial Capital Contributions. Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, each Shareholder has made an initial Capital Contribution and is deemed to own the Percentage Interest set forth opposite such Shareholder’s name on Schedule A attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein (the “Shareholders Schedule”). The Managing Directors shall update the Shareholders Schedule upon the issuance or Transfer of any Shares to any new or existing Shareholder in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Section 3.02 Additional Capital Contributions. No Shareholder shall be required to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company. However, a Shareholder may make an additional Capital Contribution (an “Additional Capital Contribution”) at any time with the written unanimous consent of the Managing Directors. To the extent that a Shareholder makes such an approved Additional Capital Contribution to the Company (the “Contributing Shareholder”), the Managing Directors shall revise the Shareholders Schedule to reflect an increase in the Percentage Interest of the Contributing Shareholder, and the corresponding decrease in the Percentage Interest of each non-contributing Shareholder(s), that fairly and equitably reflects the value of the Contributing Shareholder’s Additional Capital Contribution in relation to the aggregate amount of all Capital Contributions made by the Shareholders.

 

Section 3.03 Maintenance of Capital Accounts. The Company shall establish and maintain the customary capital accounts required under GAAP for a corporation, which include but are not limited to:

 

 

a)

Issued Common Shares

 

b)

Issued Preference Shares

 

c)

Additional Paid-in Capital

 

d)

Retained Earnings

 

The Company’s financial statements will include a “Statement of Stockholders Equity” which will provide full details of the transactions affecting these capital accounts on a quarterly basis.

 

 
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Section 3.04 No Withdrawals From Capital Accounts. No Shareholder shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital Account or to receive any distribution from the Company, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Shareholder, including the Managing Directors, shall receive any interest, salary, or drawing with respect to its Capital Contributions or its Capital Account, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. The Capital Accounts are maintained for the sole purpose of allocating items of income, gain, loss, and deduction among the Shareholders and shall have no effect on the amount of any distributions to any Shareholders, in liquidation or otherwise.

 

Section 3.05 Treatment of Loans From Shareholders. Loans by any Shareholder to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions and shall not affect the maintenance of such Shareholder’s Capital Account, other than to the extent provided in Section 3.03(a)(iii), if applicable.

 

ARTICLE IV

Shareholders

 

Section 4.01 Admission of New Shareholders.

 

(a) New Shareholders, having been unanimously approved by the Managing Directors, may be admitted from time to time (i) in connection with the issuance of Shares by the Company, subject to compliance with the provisions of Section 7.02(b) and Section 8.01(b), and (ii) in connection with a Transfer of Shares, subject to compliance with the provisions of ARTICLE VIII, and in either case, following compliance with the provisions of Section 4.01(b).

 

(b) In order for any Person not already a Shareholder of the Company to be admitted as a Shareholder, whether pursuant to an issuance or Transfer of Shares, such Person shall have delivered to the Company an executed written undertaking substantially in the form of the Joinder Agreement. Upon the amendment of the Shareholders Schedule by the Managing Directors and the satisfaction of all other applicable conditions, including, if a condition, the receipt by the Company of payment for the issuance of Shares, such Person shall be admitted as a Shareholder and deemed listed as such on the books and records of the Company. The Managing Directors shall also adjust the Capital Accounts of the Shareholders as necessary in accordance with Section 3.03.

 

Section 4.02 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided by NRS, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Director or Shareholder will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company or other Shareholders, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided by NRS, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Managing Director will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Managing Shareholder.

  

Section 4.03 Dissociation. No Shareholder shall have the ability to dissociate or withdraw as a Shareholder before the dissolution and winding up of the Company, and any such dissociation or withdrawal or attempted dissociation or withdrawal by a Shareholder before the dissolution or winding up of the Company shall be null and void ab initio. As soon as any Person who is a Shareholder ceases to hold any Shares, such Person shall no longer be a Shareholder.

 

Section 4.04 No Interest in Company Property. No real or personal property of the Company shall be deemed to be owned by any Shareholder individually, but shall be owned by, and title shall be vested solely in, the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, each Shareholder hereby irrevocably waives during the term of the Company any right that such Shareholder may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the property of the Company.

 

 
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Section 4.05 Certification of Shares. The Managing Directors will not issue certificates to the Shareholders but shall record or cause to be recorded all issuances, exchanges, and other transactions in Shares involving the Shareholders in a ledger maintained as part of the books and records of the Company.

 

Section 4.06 Meetings.

 

(a) Meetings of the Shareholders regarding matters required to be submitted to the Shareholders under this Agreement may be called by (i) any of the Managing Directors, or (ii) any Shareholder holding a Percentage Interest of 10% or more.

 

(b) Written notice stating the place, date, and time of the meeting, the means of electronic video screen communication or Electronic Transmission by and to the Company, if any, and the general nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting, shall be delivered not fewer than 5 days and not more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each Shareholder, by or at the direction of the Managing Directors or the Shareholder(s) calling the meeting, as the case may be. The business to be conducted at such meeting shall be limited to the purposes described in the notice. The Shareholders may hold meetings at the Company’s principal office or at such other place, within or outside the State of Nevada, as the Managing Directors or the Shareholder(s) calling the meeting may designate in the notice for such meeting.

 

(c) Any Shareholder may participate in a meeting of the Shareholders (i) using conference telephone or electronic video screen communication, if all Persons participating in the meeting can talk to and hear each other or (ii) by Electronic Transmission by and to the Company if the Company (1) implements reasonable measures to provide Shareholders, in person or by proxy, a reasonable opportunity to participate and vote, including an opportunity to read or hear the meeting’s proceedings substantially concurrently with the proceedings and (2) maintains a record of votes or other action taken by the Shareholders. Participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

(d) On any matter that is to be voted on by the Shareholders, a Shareholder may vote in person or by proxy, and such proxy may be granted in writing signed by such Shareholder, using Electronic Transmission authorized by such Shareholder, or as otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. Every proxy shall be revocable in the discretion of the Shareholder executing it unless otherwise provided in such proxy; provided, that such right to revocation shall not invalidate or otherwise affect actions taken under such proxy before such revocation.

 

(e) Attendance of a Shareholder at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Shareholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Attendance of a Shareholder at a meeting is not a waiver of the Shareholder’s right to object to consideration of matters required to be described in the notice for the meeting, if the Shareholder expressly objects to such consideration at the meeting.

 

 
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Section 4.07 Action Without a Meeting. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.06, any matter that is to be voted on by the Shareholders may be taken without a meeting by written consent signed and delivered (including by Electronic Transmission) to the Company by the Shareholders holding the requisite Percentage Interest for such matters had a meeting been taken. A record shall be maintained in the Company’s books and records by the Managing Directors of each such action taken by written consent of a Shareholder or the Shareholders.

 

Section 4.08 Shareholder Services.

 

 

(a)

For so long as HC shall remain a Shareholder of the Company, HC shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company and without additional compensation:

 

 

 

(i)

Product manufacturing and packaging;

 

 

 

 

 

 

(ii)

CRM management.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(iii)

Product Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

(iv)

Direct to consumer fulfillment, (iii) wholesale and retail distribution, and

 

 

 

 

 

 

(v)

(iv) all GAAP accounting services and PCAOB auditing requirements. Including payment processing and income tax preparation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(vi)

Inventory Management and Hemp processing

 

 

 

 

 

 

(vii)

Research & Development & Intellectual Property.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(viii)

Staff training & mentoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(ix)

eCommerce

 

 

 

 

 

 

(x)

Trade show space & Marketing

 

 

 

 

 

 

(xi)

Kiosk Sales & placement

 

 

 

 

 

 

(xii)

Investor & Public Relations board approval on press releases

 

 

 

 

 

 

(xiii)

Public Accounting, Audits and associated legal expenses.

 

 

(b)

For so long as CCE shall remain a Shareholder of the Company, CCE shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company and without additional compensation:

 

 

 

(i)

Online marketing and promotion, and

 

 

 

 

 

 

(ii)

Design and branding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(iii)

Brand Management and Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

(iv)

Securing Trademarks

 

 

 

 

 

 

(v)

Social Media marketing specs for brands

 

 

 

 

 

 

(vi)

Sales and distribution into current distributors

 

 

 

 

 

 

(vii)

Events and appearances of Cheech & Chong

 

 
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ARTICLE V

Allocations

 

Section 5.01 Distributions of Net Income and Net Loss to shareholders. For each Fiscal Year (or portion thereof), Net Income and Net Loss of the Company shall be transferred to the Retained Earnings account of the Company.

 

After considering further distributions for Federal & State Income Taxes, and after considering the balance of working capital that should be retained in the business, then the Directors will decide on the amount, if any, of dividends that will be distributed to shareholders in accordance with their respective percentage interests. This shall be done quarterly.

  

ARTICLE VI

 

Section 6.01 Management of the Company. The Company shall be managed by a Board of Directors. HCI will have the right to appoint 50% of the board members. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties agree that the initial CEO of the Company will be Sandro Piancone and will be a board member and that Jonathan Black will act as Chairman of the Board. The Managing Directors will appoint additional directors as deemed necessary at the appropriate time by unanimous consent of the 2 initial board members.

 

Subject to any other provisions to the contrary in this Agreement, the Directors shall have full and complete discretion to manage and control the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, to make all decisions affecting the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, and to take all such actions as they deem necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Company set forth in Section 2.05. The actions of the Directors taken in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall bind the Company.

 

Section 6.02 Actions Requiring Supermajority Approval of Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, without the prior written consent of a Supermajority of the Shareholders, the Company or the Directors, on behalf of the Company, shall not, and shall not enter into any commitment to:

 

(a) amend, modify, or waive any provisions of the Articles of Organization;

 

(b) issue additional Shares or other debt or equity instruments or, except in connection with a Transfer of Shares that complies with the applicable provisions of ARTICLE VIII and Section 4.01(b), admit additional Shareholders to the Company;

 

(c) enter into, amend, waive, or terminate any Related Party Agreement other than the entry into or the amendment of a Related Party Agreement that is on terms no less favorable to the Company than those that could be obtained from an unaffiliated third party (it being understood and agreed by the Shareholders that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and HCI and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of HCI’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup);

 

(d) enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the purchase, lease, license, exchange, or other acquisition (including by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock, or acquisition of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests of any Person, other than the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

 
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(e) enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the sale, lease, license, exchange, or other disposition (including by merger, consolidation, sale of stock, or sale of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests, other the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f) establish a Subsidiary or enter into any joint venture or similar business arrangement;

 

(g) settle any lawsuit, action, dispute, or other proceeding or otherwise assume any liability or agree to the provision of any equitable relief by the Company other than settlements which individually are for less than $10,000; provided, that if the lawsuit, claim, dispute, or other proceeding involves an indemnification claim pursuant to ARTICLE IX, such settlement shall also be approved in accordance with the terms of Section 9.01(c);

 

(h) change the number of Directors;

 

(i) create any incentive equity plan for employees and/or independent contractors;

 

(j) change the Business of the Company in any way; or

 

(k) dissolve the Company.

  

Section 6.03 Budgets. At least sixty (60) days before the beginning of each Fiscal Year, HCI shall prepare and submit to the Directors for approval an annual business plan and budget for the Company through the Fiscal Year ending December 31 (a “Budget”).

 

Each Budget shall include detailed capital and operating expense budgets, cash flow projections (which shall include amounts and due dates of all projected calls for Additional Capital Contributions, if any) and profit and loss projections. The Directors shall operate the Company in accordance with the approved Budgets.

 

Section 6.04 Officers. The Directors may appoint individuals as officers of the Company (the “Officers”) as the Directors deem necessary or desirable to carry on the business of the Company and the Directors may delegate to such Officers such power and authority as they deem advisable. No Officer need be a Shareholder of the Company. Any individual may hold two or more offices of the Company. Each Officer shall hold office until his or her successor is designated by the Directors or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Any Officer may resign at any time on written notice to the Directors. Any Officer may be removed by the Directors with or without cause at any time. A vacancy in any office occurring because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, may, but need not, be filled by the Directors.

 

Section 6.05 Compensation. The Directors shall not be compensated for their services as Directors, but the Company shall reimburse the Directors upon written demand for any and all ordinary, necessary, and direct expenses incurred by the Directors on behalf of the Company in carrying out the Company’s business activities. All reimbursements for expenses shall be reasonable in amount and shall not exceed amounts set forth in the Budget for any Fiscal Year.

 

 
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Section 6.06 Removal of Directors. Any Director may be removed by the disinterested Directors at any time For Cause. Following such removal, a successor Director shall be appointed as follows: (a) In the case of Sandro Piancone, the successor shall be appointed by HCI (or its permitted assign, if applicable), (b) in the case of Jonathan Black, the successor shall be appointed by CCE (or its permitted assign, if applicable).

 

Section 6.07 Resignation of a Director. A Director may resign at any time by giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Company. Any such resignation shall be effective on receipt thereof unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or on the occurrence of some other event. The Company’s acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The resignation of a Director shall not affect its or its Affiliate’s rights as a Shareholder (if applicable) and shall not constitute a dissociation of any Shareholder. Following such resignation, a successor Director shall be appointed as provided in Section 7.06 above.

 

Section 6.08 Exclusivity. Any Shareholder and/or any Affiliate of a Shareholder may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures (including without limitation in cannabidiol and/or cannabis product related ventures), unconnected with the Company and independently or with others. The Company shall not have any rights in or to any such independent venture or the income or profits therefrom by virtue of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Shareholder nor any Affiliate of a Shareholder shall own, operate, have an interest in or render services for any business (other than the Company) that is involved in the sale of hemp smokable products and which is directly competitive with the Business.

 

Section 6.09 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided in NRS, which gives protection against personal liability for company actions and expenditures provided that Directors and Officers make informed, independent decisions in the performance of their duties no Director nor any Shareholder will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Director or Shareholder.

  

ARTICLE VII

Transfer

 

Section 7.01 General Restrictions on Transfer.

 

(a) No Shareholder shall Transfer all or any portion of its Shares in the Company without written consent of the Directors. No Transfer of Shares to a Person not already a Shareholder of the Company shall be deemed completed until the prospective Transferee is admitted as a Shareholder of the Company in accordance with Section 4.01(b) hereof.

 

(b) Each party to this agreement will have the first right of refusal to purchase from the other joint venture partner, the other 50% of the shares of the company.

 

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each Shareholder agrees that it will not Transfer all or any portion of its Shares in the Company, and the Company agrees that it shall not issue any additional shares:

 

 
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Section 7.02 Involuntary Transfers.

 

(a) On the date of the occurrence of an Involuntary Transfer (“Transfer Event”), the Involuntary Transferee of such Shares shall thereupon become an Economic Interest Holder and shall not become, a Shareholder, unless admitted as a Shareholder pursuant to Section 4.01(b). On a Transfer Event, the Involuntary Transferee shall be deemed to have offered for sale, without any further action required, the entire Shares subject to the Involuntary Transfer (“Affected Shares”).

 

First, the Company shall have 30 days from said date within which to elect to purchase some or all of the Affected Shares, and if the Company elects not to do so within said 30-day period, then the remaining Shareholders shall have 30 days to elect to purchase their pro-rata share (based on their current Percentage Interest) of the Affected Shares. In the event that the exercise of any such election must be approved in any legal proceeding and such approval does not occur within the time periods set forth in this Section, such time periods shall be extended and tolled until fifteen (15) days after the date of any such approvals in order to permit the orderly exercise of such elections. The purchase price for such Affected Shares shall be Fair Market Value as of the Transfer Event.

 

(b) In the event that the Company and the remaining Shareholders elect not to purchase some or all of the Affected Shares in accordance with this Section 8.02(a), the Involuntary Transferee of the portion of such Shares that is not purchased shall hold such portion of such Shares solely as an Economic Interest holder and shall be entitled to the Economic Interest derived from such Shares, but not to any other rights of ownership of such Shares.

 

Section 7.03 Determination of Fair Market Value. Each of the selling and purchasing parties shall use best efforts to determine the Fair Market Value of the Shares offered for sale under Section 8.02. If the parties are unable to agree thereon, then each party shall appoint an appraiser within 30 days of purchaser’s election to purchase such Shares (“Appointment Period”). The two appraisers shall elect a third appraiser within fifteen (15) days of the last day of the Appointment Period who shall determine the Fair Market Value of the Shares being purchased, and the average of the two appraisals which are nearest to each other will be the Fair Market Value of the Shares.

 

The costs of each of the first two appraisers will be paid by the Shareholder who appointed the appraiser, and the costs of the third appraiser will be paid by the Company. Said determination shall be final and binding on the parties. All appraisers selected will be qualified and will be individuals with the “Accredited in Business Valuation” credential of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or the “Accredited Senior Appraiser” designation of the American Society of Appraisers.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Indemnification

 

Section 8.01 Covered Persons.

 

(a) Covered Persons. As used herein, the term “Covered Person” shall mean (i) each Shareholder, (ii) each Director, (iii) each Officer, Shareholder, Manager, Affiliate, employee, agent, or Representative of each Shareholder and of each Director, and each of their respective Affiliates, and (iv) each Officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company, and specifically Jonathan Black, Tommy Chong, and Richard Cheech Marin and their respective companies.

 

 
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(b) Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted under NRS (after waiving all NRS restrictions on indemnification other than those which cannot be eliminated or modified under NRS), as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, substituted, or replaced (but, in the case of any such amendment, substitution, or replacement, only to the extent that such amendment, substitution, or replacement permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than NRS permitted the Company to provide before such amendment, substitution, or replacement), the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless, defend, pay, and reimburse any Covered Person against any and all losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against such losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, and any amounts expended in settlement of any claims (collectively, “Losses”) to which such Covered Person may become subject by reason of:

 

(i) any act or omission or alleged act or omission performed or omitted to be performed on behalf of the Company, any Shareholder, any Director, or any of their respective direct or indirect Subsidiaries in connection with the business of the Company; or

 

(ii) such Covered Person being or acting in connection with the business of the Company as a Shareholder, Director, Affiliate, Director, Shareholder, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company, any Shareholder, any Director, or any of their respective Affiliates, or such Covered Person serving or having served at the request of the Company as a Shareholder, Director, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of any Person including the Company; provided, that such Loss did not arise from (1) the Covered Person’s conduct involving bad faith, willful or intentional misconduct, or a knowing violation of law, (2) a transaction from which such Covered Person derived an improper personal benefit, (3) a circumstance under which the liability provisions for improper distributions of NRS are applicable, or (4) a breach of such Covered Person’s fiduciary duties or obligations under NRS.

 

(C) Control of Defense. On a Covered Person’s discovery of any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 8.01, the Covered Person shall give prompt written notice to the Company of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding; provided, that the failure of the Covered Person to provide such notice shall not relieve the Company of any indemnification obligation under this Section 8.01, unless the Company shall have been materially prejudiced thereby. Subject to the approval of the holders of the Majority of the Shares held by the disinterested Shareholders, the Company shall be entitled to participate in or assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding at its own expense. After notice from the Company to the Covered Person of its election to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Company shall not be liable to the Covered Person under this Agreement or otherwise for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any such claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding. If the Company does not elect (or fails to elect) to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Covered Person shall have the right to assume the defense of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding as it deems appropriate, but it shall not settle any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding without the consent of the holders of the Majority of the Shares held by the disinterested Shareholders (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed).

 

(D) Reimbursement. The Company shall promptly reimburse (or advance to the extent reasonably required) each Covered Person for reasonable legal or other expenses (as incurred) of such Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 8.01; provided, that if it is finally judicially determined that such Covered Person is not entitled to the indemnification provided by this Section 8.01, then such Covered Person shall promptly reimburse the Company for any reimbursed or advanced expenses.

 

 
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(E) Entitlement to Indemnity. The indemnification provided by this Section 8.01 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to indemnification to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any agreement or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 8.01 shall continue to afford protection to each Covered Person regardless of whether such Covered Person remains in the position or capacity pursuant to which such Covered Person became entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.01 and shall inure to the benefit of the executors, administrators, legatees, and distributees of such Covered Person.

 

(F) Insurance. To the extent available on commercially reasonable terms, the Company may purchase, at its expense, insurance (i) to cover Losses covered by the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, and (ii) to otherwise cover Losses for any breach or alleged breach by any Covered Person of such Covered Person’s duties whether or not covered by the foregoing indemnifications, in each case, in such amount and with such deductibles as the Directors may reasonably determine; provided, that the failure to obtain such insurance shall not affect the right to indemnification of any Covered Person under the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, including the right to be reimbursed or advanced expenses or otherwise indemnified for Losses hereunder. If any Covered Person recovers any amounts in respect of any Losses from any insurance coverage, then such Covered Person shall, to the extent that such recovery is duplicative, reimburse the Company for any amounts previously paid to such Covered Person by the Company in respect of such Losses.

 

(G) Funding of Indemnification Obligation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, any indemnity by the Company relating to the matters covered in this Section 8.01 shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only, and no Shareholder (unless such Shareholder otherwise agrees in writing) shall have personal liability on account thereof or shall be required to make additional Capital Contributions to help satisfy such indemnity by the Company.

 

(H) Savings Clause. If this Section 8.01 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each Covered Person pursuant to this Section 8.01 to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 8.01 that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law.

 

(I) Amendment. The provisions of this Section 8.01 shall be a contract between the Company, on the one hand, and each Covered Person who served in such capacity at any time while this Section 8.01 is in effect, on the other hand, pursuant to which the Company and each such Covered Person intend to be legally bound. No amendment, modification, or repeal of this Section 8.01 that adversely affects the rights of a Covered Person to indemnification for Losses incurred or relating to a state of facts existing before such amendment, modification, or repeal shall apply in such a way as to eliminate or reduce such Covered Person’s entitlement to indemnification for such Losses without the Covered Person’s prior written consent.

 

Section 8.02 Survival. The provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall survive the dissolution, liquidation, winding up, and termination of the Company.

 

 
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ARTICLE IX

Accounting; Inspection Rights; Tax Matters

 

Section 9.01 Financial Statements. The Company shall furnish to each Shareholder the following reports:

 

(a) Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 90days after the end of each Fiscal Year, unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such Fiscal Year and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Shareholders’ equity for such Fiscal Year. These financial statements will be prepared on an accrual basis and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in the United States.

 

(b) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly accounting period in each Fiscal Year (other than the last fiscal quarter of the Fiscal Year), unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Shareholders’ equity for such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date.

 

Section 9.02 Inspection Rights. Upon reasonable notice from a Shareholder, the Company shall afford the Shareholder and each of its respective Representatives access during normal business hours to (i) the Company’s properties, offices, and other facilities, (ii) the corporate, financial, and similar records, reports, and documents of the Company, including, without limitation, all books and records, minutes of proceedings, internal management documents, reports of operations, reports of adverse developments, copies of any management letters, and communications with Shareholders (including the Directors), and permit the Shareholder or and each of its respective Representatives to examine such documents and make copies thereof, and (iii) any Officers, senior employees, and public accountants of the Company, and afford the Shareholder and each of its respective Representatives the opportunity to discuss and advise on the affairs, finances, and accounts of the Company with such Officers, senior employees, and public accountants (and the Company hereby authorizes said accountants and other Persons to discuss with such Shareholder and its Representatives such affairs, finances, and accounts); in each case, to the extent such information is for a purpose reasonably related to the Shareholder’s interest as a Shareholder.

 

Section 9.03 Income Tax Status. It is the intent of the Company and the Shareholders that the Company shall be treated as “C” corporation for U.S., federal, state, and local income tax purposes.

  

Section 9.04 Tax Returns. At the expense of the Company, the Directors (or any Officer that it may designate pursuant to Section 7.04) shall endeavor to cause the preparation and timely filing (including extensions) of all tax returns required to be filed by the Company pursuant to the Code as well as all other required tax returns in each jurisdiction in which the Company owns property or does business.

 

Section 9.05 Company Funds. All funds of the Company shall be deposited in its name, or in such name as may be designated by the Directors, in such checking, savings, or other accounts, or held in its name in the form of such other investments as shall be designated by the Directors. The funds of the Company shall not be commingled with the funds of any other Person. All withdrawals of such deposits or liquidations of such investments by the Company shall be made exclusively on the signature or signatures of such Officer or Officers as the Directors may designate.

 

 
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ARTICLE X

Dissolution and Liquidation

 

Section 10.01 Events of Dissolution. The Company shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up only on the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(a) An election to dissolve the Company made by the Directors;

 

(b) The sale, exchange, involuntary conversion, or other disposition or Transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company;

 

(c) Passage of 90 consecutive days during which the Company has no Shareholders; or

 

(d) The entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under NRS.

 

(e) The reduction of sales and/or net profits below a pre-determined level agreed upon, in writing, by both Directors prior to the commencement of business. Measurement will be on a cumulative basis but in any event such determination will not be made within the first 12 months of operations. After the first 12 months CCE will be able to make the determination.

 

(f) CCE will have the power to dissolve the Company at anytime if there are intentional acts of the company are damaging to the image or reputation of CCE as determined by CCE.

 

Section 10.02 Effectiveness of Dissolution. Dissolution of the Company shall be effective on the day on which the event described in Section 10.01 occurs. On the occurrence of an event described in Section 10.01, the Liquidator (or, in the case of a dissolution pursuant to Section 10.01(d), the Persons conducting the winding up of the Company’s affairs pursuant to NRS) shall commence the wind up of the Company and the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 10.03 and shall thereafter file articles of dissolution with the Nevada Secretary of State pursuant to NRS.

 

Section 10.03 Liquidation. If the Company is dissolved pursuant to Section 10.01, the Company shall be liquidated and its business and affairs wound up in accordance with NRS and the following provisions:

 

The Directors shall act as liquidator to wind up the Company (the “Liquidator”). The Liquidator shall have full power and authority to sell, assign, and encumber any or all of the Company’s assets and to wind up and liquidate the affairs of the Company in an orderly and business-like manner.

 

Notice of Liquidation. The Liquidator (or other Persons winding up the affairs of the Company pursuant to Section 10.02) shall give written notice of the commencement of winding up by mail to all known creditors and claimants whose addresses appear on the records of the Company.

 

(a) Accounting. As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the Liquidator shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm of certified public accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities, and operations through the last day of the calendar month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as applicable.

 

 
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(b) Distribution of Proceeds. The Liquidator shall liquidate the assets of the Company and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following order of priority, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of Applicable Law:

 

(i) First, to the payment of all of the Company’s known debts and liabilities (including any debts and liabilities to Shareholders who are creditors, if applicable) and the expenses of liquidation (including sales commissions incident to any sales of assets of the Company);

 

(ii) Second, to the establishment of and additions to reserves that are determined by the Liquidator to be reasonably necessary for any contingent unknown liabilities or obligations of the Company; and

 

(iii) Third, to the Shareholders, on a pro-rata basis, in accordance with the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments for the taxable year of the Company during which the liquidation of the Company occurs.

 

(c) Discretion of Liquidator. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10.03(d) that require the liquidation of the assets of the Company, but subject to the order of priorities set forth in Section 10.03(d), if on dissolution of the Company the Liquidator reasonably determines that an immediate sale of part or all of the Company’s assets would be impractical or could cause undue loss to the Shareholders, the Liquidator may defer the liquidation of any assets except those necessary to satisfy Company liabilities and reserves, and may distribute to the Shareholders, in lieu of cash, as tenants in common and in accordance with the provisions of Section 10.03(d), undivided interests in such Company assets as the Liquidator deems not suitable for liquidation. Any such distribution in kind shall be subject to such conditions relating to the disposition and management of such properties as the Liquidator deems reasonable and equitable and to any agreements governing the operating of such properties at such time. For purposes of any such distribution, any property to be distributed will be valued at its Fair Market Value.

 

Section 10.04 Cancellation of Foreign Qualifications. On completion of the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 10.03(d) hereof, the Liquidator shall file articles of dissolution with the Nevada Secretary of State and shall cause the cancellation of all qualifications and registrations of the Company as a foreign limited liability company in jurisdictions other than the State of Nevada and shall take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Company.

 

Section 10.05 Survival of Rights, Duties, and Obligations. Dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination of the Company for any reason shall not release any party from any Loss that at the time of such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination already had accrued to any other party or thereafter may accrue in respect of any act or omission before such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the foregoing shall replace, diminish, or otherwise adversely affect any Shareholder’s right to indemnification pursuant to ARTICLE IX.

 

Section 10.06 Recourse for Claims. Each Shareholder shall look solely to the assets of the Company for all distributions with respect to the Company, and shall have no recourse therefor (upon dissolution or otherwise) against the Liquidator or any other Shareholder.

 

 
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ARTICLE XI

Miscellaneous

 

Section 11.01 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors, and accountants, incurred in connection with the preparation and execution of this Agreement, or any amendment or waiver hereof, and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.

 

Section 11.02 Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company and each Shareholder hereby agrees, at the request of the Company or any other Shareholder, to execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances, and assurances and to take such further actions as may be required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and to operate the Business in accordance with Applicable Law.

  

Section 11.03 Confidentiality.

 

(a) Each Shareholder acknowledges that during the term of this Agreement, it will have access to and become acquainted with trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential information belonging to the Company and its Affiliates that are not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, customer information, manufacturing information, regulatory information, financial statements, vendor information, employee information and other information provided pursuant to this Agreement, operating practices and methods, expansion plans, strategic plans, marketing plans, contracts, customer lists, or other business documents that the Company treats as confidential, in any format whatsoever (including oral, written, electronic, or any other form or medium) (collectively, “Confidential Information”). In addition, each Shareholder acknowledges that (i) the Company has invested, and continues to invest, substantial time, expense, and specialized knowledge in developing its Confidential Information, (ii) the Confidential Information provides the Company with a competitive advantage over others in the marketplace, and (iii) the Company would be irreparably harmed if the Confidential Information were disclosed to competitors or made available to the public. Without limiting the applicability of any other agreement to which any Shareholder is subject, no Shareholder shall, directly or indirectly, disclose or use (other than solely for the purposes of such Shareholder monitoring and analyzing its investment in the Company and carrying out its obligations to the Company) including, without limitation, use for personal, commercial, or proprietary advantage or profit, either during its association with the Company or thereafter, any Confidential Information of which such Shareholder is or becomes aware. Each Shareholder in possession of Confidential Information shall take all appropriate steps to safeguard such information and to protect it against disclosure, misuse, espionage, loss, and theft.

 

(b) Nothing contained in Section 11.03(a) shall prevent any Shareholder from disclosing Confidential Information (i) on the order of any court or administrative agency, (ii) on the request or demand of any regulatory agency or authority having jurisdiction over such Shareholder, (iii) to the extent compelled by legal process or required or requested pursuant to subpoena, interrogatories, or other discovery requests, (iv) to the extent necessary in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder, (v) to any other Shareholder, the Directors, or the Company, or (vi) to such Shareholder’s Representatives who, in the reasonable judgment of such Shareholder, need to know such Confidential Information and agree to abide by the provisions of this Section 11.03 as if a Shareholder; provided, that in the case of clause (i), (ii), or (iii), such Shareholder shall notify the Company and other Shareholders of the proposed disclosure as far in advance of such disclosure as practicable (but in no event make any such disclosure before notifying the Company and other Shareholders) and use reasonable efforts to ensure that any Confidential Information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment satisfactory to the Company, when and if available.

 

(c) The restrictions of Section 11.03(a) shall not apply to Confidential Information that (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by a Shareholder in violation of this Agreement, (ii) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Shareholder without use of Confidential Information, or (iii) becomes available to such Shareholder or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company, the other Shareholders, or any of their respective Representatives; provided, that such source is not known by the receiving Shareholder to be bound by a confidentiality agreement regarding the Company

 

 
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(d) The obligations of each Shareholder under this Section 11.03 shall survive (i) the termination, dissolution, liquidation, and winding up of the Company, (ii) the termination of such Shareholder from the Company in accordance with Section, and (iii) such Shareholder’s Transfer of its Shares.

 

Section 11.04 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (i) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt), (ii) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested), (iii) on the date sent by facsimile or email of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient, or (iv) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 11.04):

  

If to the Company: Cheech & Chong’s Hemp Company

__________________

__________________

 

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Jonathan Black

 

With a copy to:

 

If to Managing Shareholder:

 

If to CCE: Cheech & Chong’s Cannabis Company

 

145 E Prospect Ave Suite 202

 

Danville Ca 94506

__________________

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Jonathan Black

 

With a copy to:

 

________________

________________

___________________

E-Mail: _______________

Attention: ________________

 

If to HC: Hempacco Co., Inc.

9925 Airway Road

Sand Diego, CA 92154

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Sandro Piancone

 

With a copy to:

 

Brunson, Chandler and Jones

175 S. Main Street, 14th Floor

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Lance Brunson

 

 
21

 

 

Section 12.05 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience or reference only and are in no way intended to describe, interpret, define, or limit the scope, extent, or intent of this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

 

Section 12.06 Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under Applicable Law in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Except as provided in Section 8.01(h), on such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to affect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.

 

Section 12.07 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Articles of Organization and all related Exhibits and Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, records, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, whether express or implied, with respect to such subject matter.

  

Section 12.08 Successors and Assigns. Subject to the restrictions on Transfers set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by any Shareholder except as permitted by this Agreement and any assignment in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void ab initio.

 

Section 12.09 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as provided in ARTICLE IX, which shall be for the benefit of and enforceable by Covered Persons as described therein, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto (and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns) and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person, including any creditor of the Company, any legal or equitable right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

 
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Section 12.10 Amendment. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified except by an instrument in writing executed by all of the Shareholders. Any such written amendment or modification will be binding upon the Company and each Shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, amendments to the Shareholders Schedule following any new issuance, redemption, repurchase, or Transfer of Shares in accordance with this Agreement may be made by the Managing Directors without the consent of or execution by the Shareholders.

 

Section 12.11 Waiver. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No waiver by any party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach, or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. No failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power, or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power, or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power, or privilege. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 12.11 shall diminish any of the explicit and implicit waivers described in this Agreement, including in hereof.

 

Section 12.12 Governing Law. All issues and questions concerning the application, construction, validity, interpretation, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Nevada or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of Nevada.

 

Section 12.13 Submission to Jurisdiction. The parties hereby agree that any suit, action, or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, shall be brought only in the courts of the State of Nevada sitting in Reno County, and any appellate court from any thereof, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of Nevada. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action, or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action, or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action, or proceeding that is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient form. Service of process, summons, notice, or other document by registered mail to the address set forth in Section 12.04 shall be effective service of process for any suit, action, or other proceeding brought in any such court.

 

Section 12.14 Equitable Remedies. Each party hereto acknowledges that a breach or threatened breach by such party of any of its obligations under this Agreement would give rise to irreparable harm to the other parties, for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy, and hereby agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by such party of any such obligations, each of the other parties hereto shall, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies that may be available to them in respect of such breach, be entitled to equitable relief, including a temporary restraining order, an injunction, specific performance, and any other relief that may be available from a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond).

 

 
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Section 12.15 Attorneys’ Fees. If any party hereto institutes any legal suit, action, or proceeding, including arbitration, against another party in respect of a matter arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the suit, action, or proceeding shall be entitled to receive, in addition to all other damages to which it may be entitled, the costs incurred by such party in conducting the suit, action, or proceeding, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses and court costs.

 

Section 12.16 Remedies Cumulative. The rights and remedies under this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any other rights and remedies available at law or in equity or otherwise, except to the extent expressly provided herein to the contrary.

 

Section 12.17 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, email, or other means of Electronic Transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
24

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Shareholders have signed this Joint Venture Agreement of Cheech and Chong’s Hemp Company as of the Effective Date.

 

  COMPANY:
  Cheech and Chong’s Hemp Company   

 

a Nevada corporation

 

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
  Title: Director  
       

 

SHAREHOLDERS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company,

 

 

a Nevada corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Jonathan Black

 

 

Name:

Jonathan Black

 

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

HEMPACCO CO., INC.,

 

 

a Nevada corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title:

 EO

 

 

 
25

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF WARRANT

 

Number ____

 

THIS WARRANT HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE HEREUNDER HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”) AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION THEREOF UNDER THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

WARRANT TO PURCHASE UP TO

100,000,000 SHARES OF

 

COMMON STOCK

OF

GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

 

This Warrant is being issued pursuant to and in conjunction with a Joint Venture Agreement dated January 1, 2021, between Hempacco Co., Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc.) and Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company. This certifies that, for value received, Cheech and Chong’s Cannabis Company or registered assigns (“Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, to purchase from Green Globe International, Inc. (the “Company”), a Nevada corporation, up to 100,000,000 shares of the Common Stock of the Company, upon surrender hereof, at the principal office of the Company referred to below, and simultaneous payment therefore in lawful money of the United States or otherwise as hereinafter provided, at the Exercise Price as determined as set forth in Section 2 below. The number, character and Exercise Price of such shares of Common Stock are not subject to adjustment except as expressly provided herein. The term “Warrant” as used herein shall include this warrant, which is one of a series of warrants issued for the Common Stock of the Company, and any warrants delivered in substitution or exchange as provided herein.

 

1. Term of Warrant. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, this Warrant shall be exercisable at any time commencing on the date of the aforementioned Joint Venture Agreement and continuing for a period of three (3) years from such date.

 

2. Exercise Price. The Exercise Price at which this Warrant may be exercised shall be One Cent ($0.01) per share of Common Stock, and not subject to adjustment except as expressly provided herein. The Exercise Price bears no relation to any objective criteria of value and should in no event be regarded as an indication of any future market price for the securities offered hereby. This Warrant is restricted as to transferability and represents only a conditional right to buy Common Stock and has no independent value.

 

3. Exercise of Warrant.

(a) Cash Exercise. The purchase rights represented by this Warrant are exercisable by the Holder in whole or in part, but not for less than 100 shares at a time (or such lesser number of shares which may then constitute the maximum number purchasable), at any time, or from time to time, during the term hereof as described in Section 1 above, by the surrender of this Warrant and the Notice of Exercise annexed hereto duly completed and executed on behalf of the Holder, at the principal office of the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company), upon payment (1) in cash or by wire or by check acceptable to the Company, (2) by cancellation by the Holder of indebtedness of the Company to the Holder, (3) or by a combination of (1), (2) and (3), of the purchase price of the shares to be purchased.

 

 
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(b) Call by the Company. The Company shall have the option to cause the Warrants to be exercised at any time that the common stock of the Company shall have traded in any public market at an average closing price of $0.15 per share for twenty days out of any thirty-trading day period. Such Call Option may be exercised by the Company upon tendering to the holder a notice of such Call and payment of the exercise price within three (3) business days thereafter.

 

4. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. In lieu of any fractional share to which the Holder would otherwise be entitled, the Company shall make a cash payment equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by such fraction.

 

5. Replacement of Warrant. On receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, on surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company at its expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant of like tenor and amount.

 

6. Rights of Holder. Except as provided herein, by virtue of this Warrant, the Holder shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof for any purpose, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon the Holder, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether upon any recapitalization, issuance of stock, reclassification of stock, change of par value, or change of stock to no par value, consolidation, merger, conveyance, or otherwise) or to receive notice of meetings, or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise until the Warrant shall have been exercised as provided herein.

 

7. Transfer of Warrant.

 

(a) Warrant Register. The Company will maintain a register (the “Warrant Register”) containing the names and addresses of the Holder or Holders. Any Holder of this Warrant or any portion thereof may change his address as shown on the Warrant Register by written notice to the Company requesting such change. Any notice or written communication required or permitted to be given to the Holder may be delivered or given by mail to such Holder as shown on the Warrant Register and at the address shown on the Warrant Register. Until this Warrant is transferred on the Warrant Register of the Company, the Company may treat the Holder as shown on the Warrant Register as the absolute owner of this Warrant for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

 

(b) Warrant Agent. The Company may, at its sole option, by written notice to the Holder, appoint an agent for the purpose of maintaining the Warrant Register referred to in Section 7(a) above, issuing the Common Stock or other securities then issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant, exchanging this Warrant, replacing this Warrant, or any or all of the foregoing. Thereafter, any such registration, issuance, exchange, or replacement, as the case may be, shall be made at the office of such agent.

 

(c) Transferability and Non-negotiability of Warrant. This Warrant may not be transferred or assigned in whole or in part without compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws by the transferor and the transferee (including the delivery of investment representation letters and legal opinions reasonably satisfactory to the Company, if such are requested by the Company). Subject to the provisions of this Warrant with respect to compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), title to this Warrant may be transferred by endorsement (by the Holder executing the Assignment Form annexed hereto) and delivery in the same manner as a negotiable instrument transferable by endorsement and delivery.

 

 
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(d) Exchange of Warrant upon a Transfer. On surrender of this Warrant for exchange, properly endorsed on the Assignment Form and subject to the provisions of this Warrant with respect to compliance with the Act and with the limitations on assignments and transfers contained in this Section 7, the Company at its expense shall issue to or on the order of the Holder a new warrant or warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Holder or as the Holder (on payment by the Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct, for the number of shares issuable upon exercise hereof.

 

(e) Compliance with Securities Laws.

 

(i) The Holder of this Warrant, by acceptance hereof, acknowledges that this Warrant and the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof are being acquired solely for the Holder’s own account and not as a nominee for any other party, and for investment, and that the Holder will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Warrant or any shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof except under circumstances that will not result in a violation of the Act or any state securities laws. Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall, if requested by the Company, confirm in writing, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that the shares of Common Stock so purchased are being acquired solely for the Holder’s own account and not as a nominee for any other party, for investment, and not with a view toward distribution or resale.

 

(ii) This Warrant and all shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof shall be stamped or imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form (in addition to any legend required by state securities laws):

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES AND ANY SECURITIES OR SHARES ISSUED HEREUNDER MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM UNDER SAID ACT AND LAWS. COPIES OF THE AGREEMENT COVERING THE PURCHASE OF THESE SECURITIES AND RESTRICTING THEIR TRANSFER OR SALE MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD HEREOF TO THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE COMPANY.

 

8. Reservation of Stock. The Company covenants that during the term this Warrant is exercisable, the Company will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant and, from time to time, will take all steps necessary to amend its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate”) to provide sufficient reserves of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant. The Company further covenants that all shares that may be issued upon the exercise of rights represented by this Warrant, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price, all as set forth herein, will be free from all taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously or otherwise specified herein). The Company agrees that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant.

 

9. Notices.

 

(a) Whenever the number of shares purchasable hereunder shall be adjusted pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the Company shall issue a certificate signed by its Chief Executive Officer setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring the adjustment, the amount of the adjustment, the method by which such adjustment was calculated, and the number of shares purchasable hereunder after giving effect to such adjustment, and shall cause a copy of such certificate to be mailed (by first-class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder of this Warrant.

 

 
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(b) In case:

 

(i) of any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification of the capital stock of the Company, any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation, or any conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to another corporation, or

 

(ii) of any voluntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company, then, and in each such case, the Company will mail or cause to be mailed to the Holder or Holders a notice specifying the date on which such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed, as of which the holders of record of Common Stock or Common Stock (or such stock or securities at the time receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other stock or securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up. Such notice shall be mailed at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date therein specified.

 

(c) All such notices, advices and communications shall be deemed to have been received (i) in the case of personal delivery, on the date of such delivery and (ii) in the case of mailing, on the third business day following the date of such mailing.

 

10. Amendments.

 

(a) Except as provided in Section 1 above, any term of this Warrant may be amended with the written consent of the Company and the holders of warrants representing not less than sixty percent (60%) of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of any and all outstanding Common Stock warrants (the “Common Stock Warrants”), even without the consent of the Holder. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each holder of any of the Common Stock Warrants, each future holder of all such Common Stock Warrants, and the Company; provided, however, that no special consideration or inducement may be given to any such holder in connection with such consent that is not given ratably to all such holders, and that such amendment must apply to all such holders equally and ratably in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of their Common Stock Warrants. The Company shall promptly give notice to all holders of Common Stock Warrants of any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10.

 

(b) No waivers of, or exceptions to, any term, condition or provision of this Warrant, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be, or construed as, a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition or provision.

 

 
29

 

 

11. Adjustments. The Exercise Price and the number of shares purchasable hereunder may be subject to adjustment from time to time subsequent to the Commencement Date as follows:

 

(a) Merger, Sale of Assets, etc. If at any time after the Commencement Date and any stock splits in connection with the Merger Transaction referred to in Section 1 have come to rest, while this Warrant, or any portion thereof, is outstanding and unexpired there shall be (i) a reorganization (other than a combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), (ii) a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, or a reverse triangular merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but the shares of the Company’s capital stock outstanding immediately prior to the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (iii) a sale or transfer of the Company’s properties and assets as, or substantially as, an entirety to any other person, then, as a part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, lawful provision shall be made so that the holder of this Warrant shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon exercise of this Warrant, during the period specified herein and upon payment of the Exercise Price then in effect, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property of the successor corporation resulting from such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer that a holder of the shares deliverable upon exercise of this Warrant would have been entitled to receive in such reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer if this Warrant had been exercised immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 11; provided, however, that the conditions for exercising this Warrant set forth in Section 1 above must still be satisfied prior to the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant. The foregoing provisions of this Section 11(a) shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, consolidations, mergers, sales and transfers and to the stock or securities of any other corporation that are at the time receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant. If the per-share consideration payable to the holder hereof for shares in connection with any such transaction is in a form other than cash or marketable securities, then the value of such consideration shall be determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors. In all events, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors) shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Warrant with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder after the transaction, to the end that the provisions of this Warrant shall be applicable after that event, as near as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares or other property deliverable after that event upon exercise of this Warrant.

 

(b) Reclassification, Split, Subdivision or Combination of Shares, etc. In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company by reason of stock dividends, splits, recapitalizations, reclassifications, combinations or exchanges of shares, separations, reorganizations, liquidations, or the like, the number and class of shares available under the Warrant in the aggregate and the Exercise Price shall be correspondingly adjusted to give the Holder of the Warrant, on exercise for the same aggregate Exercise Price, the total number, class, and kind of shares as the Holder would have owned had the Warrant been exercised prior to the event and had the Holder continued to hold such shares until after the event requiring adjustment. The form of this Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment in the number of Exercise Shares subject to this Warrant.

 

(c) Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment pursuant to this Section 11, the Company at its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and furnish to each Holder of this Warrant a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. The Company shall, upon the written request, at any time, of any such Holder, furnish or cause to be furnished to such Holder a like certificate setting forth: (i) such adjustments and readjustments; (ii) the Exercise Price at the time in effect; and (iii) the number of shares and the amount, if any, of other property that at the time would be received upon the exercise of the Warrant.

 

(d) No Impairment. The Company will not, by any voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Company, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of this Section 11 and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Holders of this Warrant against impairment.

 

12. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Issue Date. The provisions of this Warrant shall be construed and shall be given effect in all respect as if it had been issued and delivered by the Company as of December 1, 2021.

 

 

 

(b) Successors. This Warrant shall be binding upon any successors or assigns of the Company.

 

(c) Governing Law. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without consideration of its conflicts of laws provisions

 

 
30

 

 

(d) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this agreement.

 

(e) Notices. Unless otherwise provided, any notice required or permitted under this Warrant shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon personal delivery to the party to be notified or one day after being sent via first class mail or air courier, postage prepaid, in all cases addressed to, in the case of the Company, at the address indicated for such party on the signature page hereof, or, in the case of the Holder, at the address indicated in the Warrant Registry, or at such other address as a party may designate by ten days advance written notice to the other party.

 

(f) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall be a Saturday or a Sunday or shall be a legal holiday in the State of California, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding business day.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC. has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officers thereunto duly authorized, as of December 1, 2021.

 

GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC.
   
Sandro Piancone  
President  
   

 

 
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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: Green Globe International, INC.

 

(a) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase shares of Common Stock of GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC. pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the purchase price for such shares in full.

 

(c) In exercising this Warrant, the undersigned hereby confirms and acknowledges that the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion thereof are being acquired solely for the account of the undersigned and not as a nominee

 

(d) for any other party, or for investment, and that the undersigned will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of any such shares of Common Stock except under circumstances that will not result in a violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws.

 

(c) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares of Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

 

 

 

 

(Name)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Name)

 

 

(d) Please issue a new Warrant for the unexercised portion of the attached Warrant in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Name)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Date)

 

 (Signature)

 

 

 

 
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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned registered owner of this Warrant hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto the Assignee named below all of the rights of the undersigned under the within Warrant, with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth below:

 

 Name of Assignee

 

 Address

 

 No. of Shares

 

 

and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney to make such transfer on the books of ., maintained for the purpose, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

The undersigned also represents that, by assignment hereof, the Assignee acknowledges that this Warrant and the shares of stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof are being acquired for investment and that the Assignee will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Warrant or any shares of stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof except under circumstances which will not result in a violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws. Further, the Assignee has acknowledged that upon exercise of this Warrant, the Assignee shall, if requested by the Company, confirm in writing, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that the shares of stock so purchased are being acquired for investment and not with a view toward distribution or resale.

 

Dated: __________, 20__.
       

 

 

Signature of Holder  
     
       

 

 

Address of Holder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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SCHEDULE A

 

SHAREHOLDERS SCHEDULE

 

Shareholder Name

Capital Contribution

Shares

 

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

$10,000, plus Services and Know-How]

50%

 

 

 

Cheech and Chong’s

Cannabis Company

Services and Know-How

50% 

 

 
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EXHIBIT 10.8

 

JOINT VENTURE AGREEMENT

 

This Joint Venture Agreement of Stick-It USA, Inc, a Delaware Corporation (the “Company” or “SIUSA”), is entered into as of the 19th day of January, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and among the Company, Stickit Ltd. an Israeli Corporation (“SIL”), and Hempacco Co., Inc. (“Hempacco” or “HCI”) A Nevada Corporation.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company was formed by SIL as its sole shareholder as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, for the purposes set forth in Section 2.05 of this Agreement, when the Company’s articles of organization (the “Articles of Organization”) were filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on January __, 2022 (the “Formation Date”); and

 

WHEREAS, Hempacco Co., Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc. (OTC Pink: “GGII”) is obligated to producing PCAOB audited GAAP financial statements, and file same with the OTC Pink Open Market in accordance with the current regulations and timetable of that governing body.

 

WHEREAS, the parties wish to enter into this Agreement setting forth the terms and conditions governing the operation and management of the Company and the other matters set forth herein;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

Definitions

 

Section 1.01 Definitions. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in this Section 1.01 and when not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in DCL:

 

Additional Capital Contribution has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.

 

Affiliate means, with respect to any Person, any other Person who, directly or indirectly (including through one or more intermediaries), controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control,” when used with respect to any specified Person, shall mean the power, direct or indirect, to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through ownership of voting securities or partnership or other ownership interests, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Agreement means this Joint Venture Agreement, as executed and as it may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated from time to time, as provided herein.

 

 
1

 

 

Applicable Law means all applicable provisions of (a) constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), rules, regulations, decrees, ordinances, codes, proclamations, declarations, or orders of any Governmental Authority, (b) any consents or approvals of any Governmental Authority, and (c) any orders, decisions, advisory or interpretative opinions, injunctions, judgments, awards, decrees of, or agreements with, any Governmental Authority.

 

Articles of Organization has the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

Available Cash Flow means, for any period, the sum of gross revenue received, minus the sum of overhead and operating expenses of the Company, as well as a reasonable reserve for future operational needs as the Directors may determine to be necessary or appropriate. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, capital contributions, loans, or proceeds from capital transactions and expenses incurred or liabilities of the Company repaid in connection with any thereof shall not be taken into account in computing Available Cash for any period.

 

“Budget” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.

 

“Business” means the business of marketing and selling hemp smokable products solely within the Territory; it being acknowledged and agreed by the Shareholders that such products will include CBD including “Delta 8” to the extent and as long as the same is under the CBD category (and not THC category) and can be legally produced and sold in the particular States of the United States of America where the Company intends to carry on business.

 

Business Day means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which commercial banks in the State of Delaware are authorized or required to close.

 

Capital Account has the meaning set forth in Section 3.03.

 

Capital Contribution means any Shareholder’s contribution to the capital of the Company in cash.

 

Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Company has the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

Confidential Information has the meaning set forth in Section 13.03(a).

 

Covered Person has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(a).

 

DGCL” means the Delaware General Corporation Law, Chapter 1, Title 8 of the Laws of Delaware, as in effect at any given time.

 

Electronic Transmission means (a) facsimile telecommunication, (b) email, (c) posting on an electronic message board or network that the Company has designated for communications (together with a separate notice to the recipient of the posting when the transmission is given by the Company), or (d) other means of electronic communication where the recipient has consented to the use of the means of transmission (or, if the transmission is to the Company, the Company has placed in effect reasonable measures to verify that the sender is the Shareholder or Managing Shareholder purporting to send the transmission) and the communication creates a record that is capable of retention, retrieval, and review and may be rendered into clearly legible tangible form.

 

 
2

 

 

Excess Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.02(c).

 

Fair Market Value of any asset as of any date means the purchase price that a willing buyer having all relevant knowledge would pay a willing seller for such asset in an arm’s length transaction.

 

Fiscal Year means the calendar year, unless the Company is required to or elects to have a taxable year other than the calendar year, in which case Fiscal Year shall be the period that conforms to its taxable year.

 

For Cause shall mean a Director’s:

 

(a) willful failure to perform his duties (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness) and a failure to cure the same within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Shareholder;

 

(b) engagement in dishonesty, illegal conduct, or misconduct relating to the business of the Company, which is injurious to the Company or its Affiliates; and the same is not cured (if capable of cure) within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Shareholder:

 

(c) embezzlement, misappropriation, or fraud, whether or not related to the Company;

 

(d) conviction of or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a crime that constitutes a felony (or state law equivalent) or a crime that constitutes a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

 

(e) willful unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information;

 

(f) breach of any material obligation under this Agreement which is not cured within 10 business days of receipt of written notice thereof from another Managing Shareholder.

 

Governmental Authority means any federal, state, local, or foreign government or political subdivision thereof, or any agency or instrumentality of such government or political subdivision, or any self-regulated organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority or quasi-governmental authority (to the extent that the rules, regulations, or orders of such organization or authority have the force of law), or any arbitrator, court, or tribunal of competent jurisdiction.

 

“Independent Third Party” means, with respect to any Shareholder, any Person who is not an Affiliate of such Shareholder.

 

Lien means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, option, right of first offer, encumbrance, or other restriction or limitation of any nature whatsoever.

 

Liquidator has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03(a).

 

Losses” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.01(b).

 

Majority means 51% or more.

 

 
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Directors(s) means, initially, Sandro Piancone, Dr. Asher Holzer and Eli Ben Haroosh, or such other natural Persons replacing the aforesaid Person as may be become the Directors pursuant to the terms of this Agreement. HCI shall appoint one of the initial Directors and SIL shall appoint the remaining two.

 

Shareholder(s) means SIL and HCI, and each Person who is hereafter admitted as a Shareholder in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement and DGCL, The Shareholders shall constitute “Shareholders” (as that term is defined in DGCL) of the Company.

 

Shareholders Schedule” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.

 

Net Income and “Net Loss mean, for each Fiscal Year or other period specified in this Agreement, an amount equal to the Company's taxable income or taxable loss, or particular items thereof, determined in accordance with Code Section 703(a) (where, for this purpose, all items of income, gain, loss, or deduction required to be stated separately pursuant to Code Section 703(a)(1) shall be included in taxable income or taxable loss).

 

Officers has the meaning set forth in Section 6.04.

 

Percentage Interest means the percentage of a Shareholder’s Shares in the Company relative to the entire outstanding Shares in the Company, which is equal to the quotient of the Shares held by a Shareholder divided by all issued and outstanding Shares of the Company held by all Shareholders, as may be adjusted from time to time by the Directors.

 

Person means an individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, Governmental Authority, unincorporated organization, trust, association, or other entity.

 

Regulatory Allocations” has the meaning set forth in Section 5.02(e).

 

Related Party Agreement means any agreement, arrangement, or understanding between the Company and any Managing Shareholder, Shareholder, or Officer, or other employee of the Company or any Affiliate of a Managing Shareholder, Shareholder, Officer, or other employee of the Company; in each case, as such agreement may be amended, modified, supplemented, or restated in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. It is agreed by the Shareholders that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and HCI and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of HCI’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup.

 

Representative means, with respect to any Person, any and all Shareholders, officers, employees, consultants, financial advisors, counsel, accountants, and other agents of such Person.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor federal statute, and the rules and regulations thereunder, which shall be in effect at the time.

 

Shareholders” means the Joint Venturers

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any other Person of which a Majority of the outstanding shares or other equity interests having the power to vote for Shareholders or comparable managers are owned, directly or indirectly, by the first Person.

 

Supermajority” means Shareholders holding a Percentage Interest of 75% or more.

 

 
4

 

 

Tax Amount of a Shareholder for a Fiscal Year means the product of (a) the Tax Rate for such Fiscal Year and (b) the Adjusted Taxable Income of the Shareholder for such Fiscal Year with respect to its Shares.

 

Tax Rate of a Corporate Shareholder, for any period, means the highest effective marginal combined federal, state, and local tax rate applicable to a corporation doing business in Wilmington, Delaware , taking into account (a) the character (for example, long-term or short-term capital gain, ordinary or exempt) of the applicable income and (b) if applicable the deduction under IRC Section 199A.

 

"Territory” means USA and Mexico.

 

Transfer” means to, directly or indirectly, sell, transfer, assign, gift, pledge, encumber, hypothecate, or similarly dispose of, either voluntarily or involuntarily, by operation of law or otherwise, or to enter into any contract, option, or other arrangement or understanding with respect to the sale, transfer, assignment, gift, pledge, encumbrance, hypothecation, or similar disposition of, any Shares owned by a Person or any interest (including a beneficial interest) in any Shares owned by a Person. “Transfer when used as a noun, and “Transferred when used to refer to the past tense, shall have correlative meanings. “Transferor” and “Transferee mean a Person who makes or receives a Transfer, respectively.

 

Treasury Regulations” means the final or temporary regulations issued by the United States Department of Treasury pursuant to its authority under the Code, and any successor regulations.

 

Warrant” means 5-year warrants to purchase the common stock of Green Globe International, Inc. (“GGII”). Warrant template document attached hereto as Appendix “A”

 

Withholding Advances” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.03(b).

 

Section 1.02 Interpretation. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) the words “include,” “includes,” and “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation,” (b) the word “or” is not exclusive, and (c) the words “herein,” “hereof,” “hereby,” “hereto,” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole. The definitions given for any defined terms in this Agreement shall apply equally to both the singular and plural forms of the terms defined. Whenever the context may require, any pronoun shall include the corresponding masculine, feminine, and neuter forms. Unless the context otherwise requires, references herein (x) to Articles, Sections, Exhibits, and Schedules mean the Articles and Sections of and Exhibits and Schedules attached to this Agreement, (y) to an agreement, instrument, or other document means such agreement, instrument, or other document as amended, restated, supplemented, and modified from time to time to the extent permitted by the provisions thereof, and (z) to a statute or Applicable Law means such statute or Applicable Law as amended from time to time and includes any successor legislation thereto and any regulations promulgated thereunder. This Agreement shall be construed without regard to any presumption or rule requiring construction or interpretation against the party drafting an instrument or causing any instrument to be drafted. The Exhibits and Schedules referred to herein shall be construed with, and as an integral part of, this Agreement to the same extent as if they were set forth verbatim herein.

 

 
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ARTICLE II

Organization

 

Section 2.01 Formation.

 

(a) The Company was formed on the Formation Date by SIL, pursuant to the provisions of DGCL, upon the filing of the Articles of Organization with the Delaware Secretary of State.

 

(b) This Agreement shall constitute the “Joint Venture Agreement” (as that term is used in DGCL) of the Company. The rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of the Shareholders shall be determined pursuant to this Agreement. To the extent that the rights, powers, duties, obligations, and liabilities of any Shareholder are by reason of any provision of this Agreement in conflict with DGCL, this Agreement shall, to the extent permitted by DGCL, control.

 

Section 2.02 Name. The name of the Company is “Stick-It USA, Inc.” or such other name or names as may be designated by the Directors; The Company may conduct business under any assumed or fictitious name deemed desirable by the Directors. If SIL’s shareholding in the Company falls below 50%, the Company will file an amendment with the State of Delaware to change its name, not to include the word “stick” or similar sound, within 3 Business Days, but in any event change its name as above within 30 days, and provide SIL with a proper written evidences to that effect regarding both actions above. Upon such event, the Company will not include the word “stick” in its name. Despite the aforesaid, SIL will be entitled to keep the Company’s name without any change or to include the word “stick” in its name, despite its shareholding being less than 50% by written notice to the Company, and in such event, SIL will keep its right to change the Company’s name as above to any time chosen by SIL to carry out the Company’s name change herein.

 

Section 2.03 Principal Office. The principal office of the Company in the United States is located at 9925 Airway Road, San Diego, CA 92154, or such other place as may from time to time be determined by the Directors. The Directors shall give prompt notice of any such change to each of the Shareholders.

 

Section 2.04 Office and Agent for Service of Process.

 

(a) The office for service of process on the Company in the State of Delaware shall be the office of the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other office (which need not be a place of business of the Company) as the Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by DGCL and Applicable Law.

 

(b) The agent for service of process on the Company in the State of Delaware shall be the initial agent named in the Articles of Organization or such other Person or Persons as the Directors may designate from time to time in the manner provided by DGCL and Applicable Law.

 

Section 2.05 Purpose; Powers.

 

(a) The purpose of the Company is to engage in the Business and any other lawful act or activity for which limited liability companies may be formed under DGCL and to engage in any and all activities necessary or incidental thereto.

 

 
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(b) The Company shall have all the powers necessary or convenient to carry out the purposes for which it is formed, including the powers granted by DGCL.

 

Section 2.06 Term. The term of the Company commenced on the date the Articles of Organization were filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and shall continue in existence perpetually until the Company is dissolved in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement or as provided by Applicable Law.

 

ARTICLE III

Capital Contributions; Capital Accounts

 

Section 3.01 Initial Capital Contributions. Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement, each Shareholder has made an initial Capital Contribution and is deemed to own the Percentage Interest set forth opposite such Shareholder’s name on Schedule A attached hereto and incorporated by reference herein (the “Shareholders Schedule”). The Directors shall update the Shareholders Schedule upon the issuance or Transfer of any Shares to any new or existing Shareholder in accordance with this Agreement.

 

Section 3.02 Additional Capital Contributions. No Shareholder shall be required to make any additional Capital Contributions to the Company. However, a Shareholder may make an additional Capital Contribution (an “Additional Capital Contribution”) at any time with the written consent of the Directors and such Shareholder. To the extent that a Shareholder makes such an approved Additional Capital Contribution to the Company, the Directors shall revise the Shareholders Schedule to reflect an increase in the Percentage Interest of the contributing Shareholder, and the corresponding decrease in the Percentage Interest of each non-contributing Shareholder, that fairly and equitably reflects the value of the contributing Shareholder's Additional Capital Contribution in relation to the aggregate amount of all Capital Contributions made by the Shareholders.

 

Section 3.03 Maintenance of Capital Accounts. The Company shall establish and maintain the customary capital accounts required under GAAP for a corporation, which include but are not limited to:

 

a) Issued Common Shares

 

b) Issued Preference Shares

 

c) Additional Paid-in Capital

 

d) Retained Earnings

 

The company’s financial statements will include a “Statement of Stockholders Equity” which will provide full details of the transactions affecting these capital accounts on a quarterly basis.

 

Section 3.06 No Withdrawals From Capital Accounts. No Shareholder shall be entitled to withdraw any part of its Capital Account or to receive any distribution from the Company, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. No Shareholder, including the Directors, shall receive any interest, salary, or drawing with respect to its Capital Contributions or its Capital Account, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. The Capital Accounts are maintained for the sole purpose of allocating items of income, gain, loss, and deduction among the Shareholders and shall have no effect on the amount of any distributions to any Shareholders, in liquidation or otherwise.

 

 
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Section 3.07 Treatment of Loans From Shareholders. Loans by any Shareholder to the Company shall not be considered Capital Contributions and shall not affect the maintenance of such Shareholder’s Capital Account, other than to the extent provided in Section 3.03(a)(iii), if applicable.

 

ARTICLE IV

Shareholders

Section 4.01 Admission of New Shareholders.

 

(a) New Shareholders, having been approved by the Directors, may be admitted from time to time (i) in connection with the issuance of Shares by the Company, subject to compliance with the provisions of Section 7.02(b) and Section 8.01(b), and (ii) in connection with a Transfer of Shares, subject to compliance with the provisions of ARTICLE VIII, and in either case, following compliance with the provisions of Section 4.01(b).

 

(b) In order for any Person not already a Shareholder of the Company to be admitted as a Shareholder, whether pursuant to an issuance or Transfer of Shares, such Person shall have delivered to the Company an executed written undertaking substantially in the form of the Joinder Agreement. Upon the amendment of the Shareholders Schedule by the Directors and the satisfaction of all other applicable conditions, including, if a condition, the receipt by the Company of payment for the issuance of Shares, such Person shall be admitted as a Shareholder and deemed listed as such on the books and records of the Company. The Directors shall also adjust the Capital Accounts of the Shareholders as necessary in accordance with Section 3.03.

 

Section 4.02 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided by DGCL, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Director or Shareholder will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company or other Shareholders, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Shareholder. Except as otherwise provided by DGCL, by Applicable Law, or expressly in this Agreement, no Director will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Director and/or Shareholder.

 

Section 4.03 Dissociation. No Shareholder shall have the ability to dissociate or withdraw as a Shareholder before the dissolution and winding up of the Company, and any such dissociation or withdrawal or attempted dissociation or withdrawal by a Shareholder before the dissolution or winding up of the Company shall be null and void ab initio. As soon as any Person who is a Shareholder ceases to hold any Shares, such Person shall no longer be a Shareholder.

 

Section 4.04 No Interest in Company Property. No real or personal property of the Company shall be deemed to be owned by any Shareholder individually, but shall be owned by, and title shall be vested solely in, the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, each Shareholder hereby irrevocably waives during the term of the Company any right that such Shareholder may have to maintain any action for partition with respect to the property of the Company.

 

Section 4.05 Certification of Shares. The Directors will not issue certificates to the Shareholders but shall record or cause to be recorded all issuances, exchanges, and other transactions in Shares involving the Shareholders in a ledger maintained as part of the books and records of the Company.

 

 
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Section 4.06 Meetings.

 

(a) Meetings of the Shareholders regarding matters required to be submitted to the Shareholders under this Agreement may be called by (i) any of the Directors, or (ii) any Shareholder holding a Percentage Interest of 10% or more.

 

(b) Written notice stating the place, date, and time of the meeting, the means of electronic video screen communication or Electronic Transmission by and to the Company, if any, and the general nature of the business to be transacted at the meeting, shall be delivered not fewer than 5 days and not more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each Shareholder, by or at the direction of the Directors or the Shareholder(s) calling the meeting, as the case may be. The business to be conducted at such meeting shall be limited to the purposes described in the notice. The Shareholders may hold meetings at the Company’s principal office or at such other place, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Directors or the Shareholder(s) calling the meeting may designate in the notice for such meeting.

 

(c) Any Shareholder may participate in a meeting of the Shareholders (i) using conference telephone or electronic video screen communication, if all Persons participating in the meeting can talk to and hear each other or (ii) by Electronic Transmission by and to the Company if the Company (1) implements reasonable measures to provide Shareholders, in person or by proxy, a reasonable opportunity to participate and vote, including an opportunity to read or hear the meeting’s proceedings substantially concurrently with the proceedings and (2) maintains a record of votes or other action taken by the Shareholders. Participation in a meeting by such means shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

(d) On any matter that is to be voted on by the Shareholders, a Shareholder may vote in person or by proxy, and such proxy may be granted in writing signed by such Shareholder, using Electronic Transmission authorized by such Shareholder, or as otherwise permitted by Applicable Law. Every proxy shall be revocable in the discretion of the Shareholder executing it unless otherwise provided in such proxy; provided, that such right to revocation shall not invalidate or otherwise affect actions taken under such proxy before such revocation.

 

(e) Attendance of a Shareholder at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Shareholder attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Attendance of a Shareholder at a meeting is not a waiver of the Shareholder's right to object to consideration of matters required to be described in the notice for the meeting, if the Shareholder expressly objects to such consideration at the meeting.

 

Section 4.07 Action Without a Meeting. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 4.06, any matter that is to be voted on by the Shareholders may be taken without a meeting by written consent signed and delivered (including by Electronic Transmission) to the Company by the Shareholders holding the requisite Percentage Interest for such matters had a meeting been taken. A record shall be maintained in the Company’s books and records by the Directors of each such action taken by written consent of a Shareholder or the Shareholders.

 

Section 4.08 Shareholder Services.

 

(a) For so long as HCI shall remain a Shareholder of the Company, HCI shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company and without additional compensation:

 

 
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(i) Final product manufacturing and packaging in the existing Hempacco facility in San Diego, CA.

 

(ii) CRM management.

 

iii) Product Development and strategies for increased profitability.

 

iv) Direct to consumer fulfillment, and wholesale and retail distribution.

 

(v) All GAAP accounting services and PCAOB auditing requirements. Including payment processing and income tax preparation.

 

(vi) Inventory Management

 

(vii) Staff training & mentoring.

 

(viii) Trade show space & marketing for USA & Mexico

 

(ix) Kiosk Sales & placement in conjunction with HempBox Vending, Inc.

 

(b) For so long as SIL shall remain a Shareholder of the Company, SIL shall, without limitation, perform or cause to be performed the following services for and on behalf of the Company and without additional compensation:

 

(i) License Agreement regarding its associated IP to sell and distribute “CBD Sticks” within the Territory only, and

 

(ii) Assist HCI with negotiations for new distribution contracts.

 

(iii) Assist HCI with managing Partnerships with master distributors and retailers.

 

(iv) Assist HCI in developing new strategies to expand distribution and increase profits.

 

(c) SIL and the Company will enter into a manufacture and supply agreement for the Territory. The Company shall pay USD 250,000 to SIL for the providing by SIL to the Company the necessary equipment for the manufacture of CBD “Stickit” products, one working week training by SIL team at the Company manufacture facility at HCI plant and materials to manufacture 30,000 CBD “Stickit” products.

 

(d) (v) Provision to the Company of the basic “Stick-It” but without the CBD (which will be added by HCI) at an initial price to the Company of $0.22 per Stick. These prices will be reviewed after 12 months of Operations.

 

 
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Section 4.09 Other Economic Terms.

 

On the execution date of this Agreement, GGII will issue to each of Asher Holzer and Eli Ben Haroosh the following executed warrants: (i) 12,500,000 5-Year warrants of GGII common shares, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. 100% of such warrants will be exercisable on their issuance date; (ii) 12,500,000 5-Year warrants of GGII common shares, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. 100% of such warrants will be exercisable upon the Company achieves gross revenues of $5,000,000 or above in total and for 5 years thereafter; and (iii) 25,000,000 5-Year warrants of GGII common shares, at an exercise price of $0.01 per share. 100% of such warrants will be exercisable upon the Company achieves gross revenues of $10,000,000 or above in total and for 5 years thereafter. In addition, on the execution date of this Agreement, GGII will provide SIL with a copy of the appropriate resolutions taken by its board of directors, approving the (a) issuance of all such 6 warrants above in accordance with their terms in Exhibit A hereto and in this Clause, (b) reserve of 100,000,000 GGII common shares for issuance under such warrants and the, and (c) the issuance of the 100,000,000 GGII common shares underlining such subject to the terms of the specific warrant(s).

 

The warrant agreement form is attached hereto as “Exhibit A”.

 

Section 4.10 Call Option

 

(a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, in the event that neither the Company Board of Directors nor shareholders meeting can resolve on any issue for more than 28 days following the first time such issue was duly required to be resolved by the Company Board of Directors or shareholders meeting (the “Trigger Event”), SIL shall have the right (the “Call Right”), but not the obligation to purchase 100% of HCI’s stock and any other securities of the Company (the “HCI Stock”) at the Call Purchase Price within a period of 3 (three) months following the occurrence of a Trigger Event (the “Call Option Exercise Period”).

 

(b) “Call Purchase Price” means the average Company’s valuation on the Call Exercise Notice date as determined in two appraisals prepared by two seperate appraisers engaged by each of SIL and HCI. Each of SIL and HCI will provide the other party, within 21 days following the Call Exercise Notice date, with a copy of the appraisal prepared by its appraiser (the “Appraisal Date”).

 

(c) If SIL desires to buy HCI Stock pursuant to Section 4.10(a), it shall deliver to HCI, prior to the expiration of the Call Option Exercise Period, a written notice (the “Call Exercise Notice”) exercising the Call Right and specifying the number of HCI Stock to be sold by HCI. The closing of the sale of HCI Stock pursuant to this Section 4.10(a)shall take place no later than twenty (20) Business Days following Appraisal Date (the “Call Right Closing Date”).

 

(d) SIL will pay the Call Purchase Price for HCI Stock by wire transfer of immediately available funds on the Call Right Closing Date. It is hereby acknowledged by the parties that, subject to the aforesaid, that the omission by SIL to exercise the Call Right upon a Trigger Event will not affect the Call Right, which shall stay valid without a change, and will not derogate the Company’s right to exercise the Call right in a subsequent Trigger Event.

 

 
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ARTICLE V

Allocations

 

Section 5.01 Distributions of Net Income and Net Loss to shareholders. For each Fiscal Year (or portion thereof), Net Income and Net Loss of the Company shall be transferred to the Retained Earnings account of the Company.

 

After considering further distributions for Federal & State Income Taxes, and after considering the balance of working capital that should be retained in the business, then the Directors will decide on the amount, if any, of dividends that will be distributed to shareholders in accordance with their respective percentage interests.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Section 6.01 Management of the Company. The Company shall be managed by a Board of Directors, which will be comprised by up to 4 members. Each of HCI and SIL will have the right to appoint 50% of the board members. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties agree that the initial co-CEO’s of SIUSA will be Sandro Piancone and Eli Ben Haroosh and that Mr. Asher Holzer will act as Chairman of the Board.

 

Subject to any other provisions to the contrary in this Agreement, the Directors shall have full and complete discretion to manage and control the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, to make all decisions affecting the business, property, activities, and affairs of the Company, and to take all such actions as they deem necessary or appropriate to accomplish the purposes of the Company set forth in Section 2.05. The actions of the Directors taken in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement shall bind the Company.

 

Section 6.02 Actions Requiring Supermajority Approval of Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, without the prior written consent of a Supermajority of the Shareholders, the Company or the Directors, on behalf of the Company, shall not, and shall not enter into any commitment to:

 

(a) amend, modify, or waive any provisions of the Articles of Organization;

 

(b) issue additional Shares or other debt or equity instruments or, except in connection with a Transfer of Shares that complies with the applicable provisions of ARTICLE VIII and Section 4.01(b), admit additional Shareholders to the Company;

 

(c) enter into, amend, waive, or terminate any Related Party Agreement other than the entry into or the amendment of a Related Party Agreement that is on terms no less favorable to the Company than those that could be obtained from an unaffiliated third party (it being understood and agreed by the Shareholders that any and all Related Party Agreements between the Company and HCI and/or any Affiliate thereof shall provide for the pass-through of HCI’s and/or such Affiliate’s costs to the Company without markup. Such costs will be agreed in advance by SIL in writing, which in any event will not exceed the production costs of SIL in its manufacture site in Spain);

 

(d) enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the purchase, lease, license, exchange, or other acquisition (including by merger, consolidation, acquisition of stock, or acquisition of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests of any Person for consideration exceeding $10,000, other than the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

 
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(e) enter into or effect any transaction or series of related transactions involving the sale, lease, license, exchange, or other disposition (including by merger, consolidation, sale of stock, or sale of assets) by the Company of any assets or equity interests, other the license of assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f) establish a Subsidiary or enter into any joint venture or similar business arrangement;

 

(g) settle any lawsuit, action, dispute, or other proceeding or otherwise assume any liability or agree to the provision of any equitable relief by the Company other than settlements which individually are for less than $10,000; provided, that if the lawsuit, claim, dispute, or other proceeding involves an indemnification claim pursuant to ARTICLE IX, such settlement shall also be approved in accordance with the terms of Section 9.01(c);

 

(h) change the number of Directors;

 

(i) create any incentive equity plan for employees and/or independent contractors;

 

(j) change the Business of the Company in any way; or

 

(k) dissolve the Company.

 

Section 6.03 Budgets. At least sixty (60) days before the beginning of each Fiscal Year, HCI shall prepare and submit to the Directors for approval an annual business plan and budget for the Company through the Fiscal Year ending December 31 (a “Budget”).

 

Each Budget shall include detailed capital and operating expense budgets, cash flow projections (which shall include amounts and due dates of all projected calls for Additional Capital Contributions, if any) and profit and loss projections. The Directors shall operate the Company in accordance with the approved Budgets.

 

Section 6.04 Officers. The Directors may appoint individuals as officers of the Company (the “Officers”) as the Directors deem necessary or desirable to carry on the business of the Company and the Directors may delegate to such Officers such power and authority as they deem advisable. No Officer need be a Shareholder of the Company. Any individual may hold two or more offices of the Company. Each Officer shall hold office until his or her successor is designated by the Directors or until his or her earlier death, resignation, or removal. Any Officer may resign at any time on written notice to the Directors. Any Officer may be removed by the Directors with or without cause at any time. A vacancy in any office occurring because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise, may, but need not, be filled by the Directors.

 

Section 6.05 Compensation. The Directors shall not be compensated for their services as Directors, but the Company shall reimburse the Directors upon written demand for any and all ordinary, necessary, and direct expenses incurred by the Directors on behalf of the Company in carrying out the Company’s business activities. All reimbursements for expenses shall be reasonable in amount, previously approved by the Shareholders, and shall not exceed amounts set forth in the Budget for any Fiscal Year.

 

 
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Section 6.06 Removal of Directors. Any Director may be removed by the shareholder who appointed him. Following such removal, a successor Director shall be appointed as follows: (a) In the case of Sandro Piancone or HCI’s 2nd Director, the successor shall be appointed by HCI (or its permitted assign, if applicable), (b) in the case of Eli Ben Haroosh or Asher Holzer, the successor shall be appointed by SIL (or its permitted assign, if applicable).

 

Section 6.07 Resignation of a Director. A Director may resign at any time by giving at least 30 days’ prior written notice to the Company. Any such resignation shall be effective on receipt thereof unless it is specified to be effective at some other time or on the occurrence of some other event. The Company’s acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The resignation of a Director shall not affect its or its Affiliate’s rights as a Shareholder (if applicable) and shall not constitute a dissociation of any Shareholder. Following such resignation, a successor Director shall be appointed as provided in Section 7.06 above.

 

Section 6.08 Exclusivity. Any Shareholder and/or any Affiliate of a Shareholder may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures (including without limitation in cannabidiol and/or cannabis product related ventures) within the Territory, unconnected with the Company and independently or with others. The Company shall not have any rights in or to any such independent venture or the income or profits therefrom by virtue of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Shareholder nor any Affiliate of a Shareholder shall own, operate, have an interest in or render services for any business (other than the Company) within the Territory that is involved in the sale of hemp smokable products and which is directly competitive with the Business.

 

Section 6.08 No Personal Liability. Except as otherwise provided in DGCL, which gives protection against personal liability for company actions and expenditures provided that Directors and Officers make informed, independent decisions in the performance of their duties no Director nor any Shareholder will be obligated personally for any debt, obligation, or liability of the Company, whether arising in contract, tort, or otherwise, solely by reason of being or acting as a Director or Shareholder.

 

ARTICLE VII

Transfer

Section 7.01 General Restrictions on Transfer.

 

(a) No Shareholder shall Transfer all or any portion of its Shares in the Company without written consent of the Directors. No Transfer of Shares to a Person not already a Shareholder of the Company shall be deemed completed until the prospective Transferee is admitted as a Shareholder of the Company in accordance with Section 4.01(b) hereof.

 

(b) Each party to this agreement will have the first right of refusal to purchase from the other joint venture partner, the other 50% of the shares of the company, as shall more fully be set forth in the organizational documents of the Company.

 

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, each Shareholder agrees that it will not Transfer all or any portion of its Shares in the Company, and the Company agrees that it shall not issue any additional shares:

 

Section 7.02 Involuntary Transfers.

 

(a) On the date of the occurrence of an Involuntary Transfer (“Transfer Event”), the Involuntary Transferee of such Shares shall thereupon become an Economic Interest Holder and shall not become, a Shareholder, unless admitted as a Shareholder pursuant to Section 4.01(b). On a Transfer Event, the Involuntary Transferee shall be deemed to have offered for sale, without any further action required, the entire Shares subject to the Involuntary Transfer (“Affected Shares”).

 

 
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First, the Company shall have 30 days from said date within which to elect to purchase some or all of the Affected Shares, and if the Company elects not to do so within said 30-day period, then the remaining Shareholders shall have 30 days to elect to purchase their pro-rata share (based on their current Percentage Interest) of the Affected Shares. In the event that the exercise of any such election must be approved in any legal proceeding and such approval does not occur within the time periods set forth in this Section, such time periods shall be extended and tolled until fifteen (15) days after the date of any such approvals in order to permit the orderly exercise of such elections. The purchase price for such Affected Shares shall be Fair Market Value as of the Transfer Event.

 

(b) In the event that the Company and the remaining Shareholders elect not to purchase some or all of the Affected Shares in accordance with this Section 8.02(a), the Involuntary Transferee of the portion of such Shares that is not purchased shall hold such portion of such Shares solely as an Economic Interest holder and shall be entitled to the Economic Interest derived from such Shares, but not to any other rights of ownership of such Shares.

 

Section 7.03 Determination of Fair Market Value. Each of the selling and purchasing parties shall use best efforts to determine the Fair Market Value of the Shares offered for sale under Section 7.02. If the parties are unable to agree thereon, then each party shall appoint an appraiser within 30 days of purchaser’s election to purchase such Shares (“Appointment Period”). The two appraisers shall elect a third appraiser within fifteen (15) days of the last day of the Appointment Period who shall determine the Fair Market Value of the Shares being purchased, and the average of the two appraisals which are nearest to each other will be the Fair Market Value of the Shares.

 

The costs of each of the first two appraisers will be paid by the Shareholder who appointed the appraiser, and the costs of the third appraiser will be paid by the Company. Said determination shall be final and binding on the parties. All appraisers selected will be qualified and will be individuals with the “Accredited in Business Valuation” credential of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or the “Accredited Senior Appraiser” designation of the American Society of Appraisers.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Indemnification

 

Section 8.01 Covered Persons.

 

(a) Covered Persons. As used herein, the term “Covered Person” shall mean (i) each Shareholder, (ii) each Director, (iii) each Officer, Shareholder, Manager, Affiliate, employee, agent, or Representative of each Shareholder and of each Director, and each of their respective Affiliates, and (iv) each Officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company, and specifically Eli Ben Haroosh and Asher Holzer and their respective companies.

 

(b) Indemnification. To the fullest extent permitted under DGCL (after waiving all DGCL restrictions on indemnification other than those which cannot be eliminated or modified under DGCL), as the same now exists or may hereafter be amended, substituted, or replaced (but, in the case of any such amendment, substitution, or replacement, only to the extent that such amendment, substitution, or replacement permits the Company to provide broader indemnification rights than DGCL permitted the Company to provide before such amendment, substitution, or replacement), the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless, defend, pay, and reimburse any Covered Person against any and all losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, including reasonable legal fees or other expenses incurred in investigating or defending against such losses, claims, damages, judgments, fines, or liabilities, and any amounts expended in settlement of any claims (collectively, “Losses”) to which such Covered Person may become subject by reason of:

 

(i) any act or omission or alleged act or omission performed or omitted to be performed on behalf of the Company, any Shareholder, any Director, or any of their respective direct or indirect Subsidiaries in connection with the business of the Company; or

 

(ii) such Covered Person being or acting in connection with the business of the Company as a Shareholder, Director, Affiliate, Director, Shareholder, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of the Company, any Shareholder, any Director, or any of their respective Affiliates, or such Covered Person serving or having served at the request of the Company as a Shareholder, Director, officer, employee, agent, or Representative of any Person including the Company; provided, that such Loss did not arise from (1) the Covered Person’s conduct involving bad faith, willful or intentional misconduct, or a knowing violation of law, (2) a transaction from which such Covered Person derived an improper personal benefit, (3) a circumstance under which the liability provisions for improper distributions of DGCL are applicable, or (4) a breach of such Covered Person’s fiduciary duties or obligations under DGCL.

 

(b) Control of Defense. On a Covered Person’s discovery of any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 8.01, the Covered Person shall give prompt written notice to the Company of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding; provided, that the failure of the Covered Person to provide such notice shall not relieve the Company of any indemnification obligation under this Section 9.01, unless the Company shall have been materially prejudiced thereby. Subject to the approval of the holders of the Majority of the Shares held by the disinterested Shareholders, the Company shall be entitled to participate in or assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding at its own expense. After notice from the Company to the Covered Person of its election to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Company shall not be liable to the Covered Person under this Agreement or otherwise for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by the Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any such claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding. If the Company does not elect (or fails to elect) to assume the defense of any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding, the Covered Person shall have the right to assume the defense of such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding as it deems appropriate, but it shall not settle any such claim, lawsuit, or proceeding without the consent of the holders of the Majority of the Shares held by the disinterested Shareholders (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed).

 

Reimbursement. The Company shall promptly reimburse (or advance to the extent reasonably required) each Covered Person for reasonable legal or other expenses (as incurred) of such Covered Person in connection with investigating, preparing to defend, or defending any claim, lawsuit, or other proceeding relating to any Losses for which such Covered Person may be indemnified pursuant to this Section 8.01; provided, that if it is finally judicially determined that such Covered Person is not entitled to the indemnification provided by this Section 9.01, then such Covered Person shall promptly reimburse the Company for any reimbursed or advanced expenses.

 

 
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(c) Entitlement to Indemnity. The indemnification provided by this Section 8.01 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to indemnification to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any agreement or otherwise. The provisions of this Section 8.01 shall continue to afford protection to each Covered Person regardless of whether such Covered Person remains in the position or capacity pursuant to which such Covered Person became entitled to indemnification under this Section 8.01 and shall inure to the benefit of the executors, administrators, legatees, and distributees of such Covered Person.

 

Insurance. To the extent available on commercially reasonable terms, the Company may purchase, at its expense, insurance (i) to cover Losses covered by the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, and (ii) to otherwise cover Losses for any breach or alleged breach by any Covered Person of such Covered Person’s duties whether or not covered by the foregoing indemnifications, in each case, in such amount and with such deductibles as the Directors may reasonably determine; provided, that the failure to obtain such insurance shall not affect the right to indemnification of any Covered Person under the indemnification provisions contained in this ARTICLE IX, including the right to be reimbursed or advanced expenses or otherwise indemnified for Losses hereunder. If any Covered Person recovers any amounts in respect of any Losses from any insurance coverage, then such Covered Person shall, to the extent that such recovery is duplicative, reimburse the Company for any amounts previously paid to such Covered Person by the Company in respect of such Losses.

 

Funding of Indemnification Obligation. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, any indemnity by the Company relating to the matters covered in this Section 8.01 shall be provided out of and to the extent of Company assets only, and no Shareholder (unless such Shareholder otherwise agrees in writing) shall have personal liability on account thereof or shall be required to make additional Capital Contributions to help satisfy such indemnity by the Company.

 

Savings Clause. If this Section 8.01 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each Covered Person pursuant to this Section 8.01 to the fullest extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 8.01 that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law.

 

Amendment. The provisions of this Section 8.01 shall be a contract between the Company, on the one hand, and each Covered Person who served in such capacity at any time while this Section 8.01 is in effect, on the other hand, pursuant to which the Company and each such Covered Person intend to be legally bound. No amendment, modification, or repeal of this Section 8.01 that adversely affects the rights of a Covered Person to indemnification for Losses incurred or relating to a state of facts existing before such amendment, modification, or repeal shall apply in such a way as to eliminate or reduce such Covered Person’s entitlement to indemnification for such Losses without the Covered Person’s prior written consent.

 

 
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Section 8.02 Survival. The provisions of this ARTICLE IX shall survive the dissolution, liquidation, winding up, and termination of the Company.

 

ARTICLE IX

Accounting; Inspection Rights; Tax Matters

 

Section 9.01 Financial Statements. The Company shall furnish to each Shareholder the following reports:

 

Annual Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 90days after the end of each Fiscal Year, unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such Fiscal Year and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Shareholders’ equity for such Fiscal Year. These financial statements will be prepared on an accrual basis and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) in the United States.

 

(a) Quarterly Financial Statements. As soon as available, and in any event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly accounting period in each Fiscal Year (other than the last fiscal quarter of the Fiscal Year), unaudited balance sheets of the Company as of the end of each such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date and unaudited statements of income, cash flows, and Shareholders' equity for such fiscal quarter and for the current Fiscal Year to date.

 

Section 9.02 Inspection Rights. Upon reasonable notice from a Shareholder, the Company shall afford the Shareholder and each of its respective Representatives access during normal business hours to (i) the Company’s properties, offices, and other facilities, (ii) the corporate, financial, and similar records, reports, and documents of the Company, including, without limitation, all books and records, minutes of proceedings, internal management documents, reports of operations, reports of adverse developments, copies of any management letters, and communications with Shareholders (including the Directors), and permit the Shareholder or and each of its respective Representatives to examine such documents and make copies thereof, and (iii) any Officers, senior employees, and public accountants of the Company, and afford the Shareholder and each of its respective Representatives the opportunity to discuss and advise on the affairs, finances, and accounts of the Company with such Officers, senior employees, and public accountants (and the Company hereby authorizes said accountants and other Persons to discuss with such Shareholder and its Representatives such affairs, finances, and accounts); in each case, to the extent such information is for a purpose reasonably related to the Shareholder’s interest as a Shareholder.

 

Section 9.03 Income Tax Status. It is the intent of the Company and the Shareholders that the Company shall be treated as “C” corporation for U.S., federal, state, and local income tax purposes.

 

Section 9.04 Tax Returns. At the expense of the Company and subject to Section 4.08(a)(v) above, the Directors (or any Officer that it may designate pursuant to Section 7.04) shall endeavor to cause the preparation and timely filing (including extensions) of all tax returns required to be filed by the Company pursuant to the Code as well as all other required tax returns in each jurisdiction in which the Company owns property or does business.

 

Section 9.05 Company Funds. All funds of the Company shall be deposited in its name, or in such name as may be designated by the Directors, in such checking, savings, or other accounts, or held in its name in the form of such other investments as shall be designated by the Directors. The funds of the Company shall not be commingled with the funds of any other Person. All withdrawals of such deposits or liquidations of such investments by the Company shall be made exclusively on the signature or signatures of such Officer or Officers as the Directors may designate.

 

 
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ARTICLE X

Dissolution and Liquidation

 

Section 10.01 Events of Dissolution. The Company shall be dissolved and its affairs wound up only on the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(a) An election to dissolve the Company made by the Directors;

 

(b) The sale, exchange, involuntary conversion, or other disposition or Transfer of all or substantially all the assets of the Company;

 

(c) Passage of 90 consecutive days during which the Company has no Shareholders; or

 

(d) The entry of a decree of judicial dissolution under DGCL.

 

(e) The reduction of sales and/or net profits below a pre-determined level agreed upon, in writing, by both Directors prior to the commencement of business. Measurement will be on a cumulative basis but in any event such determination will not be made within the first 12 months of operations.

 

Section 10.02 Effectiveness of Dissolution. Dissolution of the Company shall be effective on the day on which the event described in Section 11.01 occurs. On the occurrence of an event described in Section 11.01, the Liquidator (or, in the case of a dissolution pursuant to Section 11.01(d), the Persons conducting the winding up of the Company’s affairs pursuant to DGCL) shall commence the wind up of the Company and the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 11.03 and shall thereafter file articles of dissolution with the Delaware Secretary of State pursuant to DGCL.

 

Section 10.03 Liquidation. If the Company is dissolved pursuant to Section 10.01, the Company shall be liquidated and its business and affairs wound up in accordance with DGCL and the following provisions:

 

The Directors shall act as liquidator to wind up the Company (the “Liquidator”). The Liquidator shall have full power and authority to sell, assign, and encumber any or all of the Company’s assets and to wind up and liquidate the affairs of the Company in an orderly and business-like manner. It is hereby acknowledged that without derogating from other provisions of this Agreement, in the event of a dissolution of the Company, SIL will become, for no cost, the exclusive owner of the name “Stickit”, “Stick-it” or “Stick-its” and any other name including such words, within the Territory, and such names will not be considered as an asset of the Company for any matter or purpose, including under this Section. The Liquidator will sign off any necessary document and make any necessary actions to perfect the transfer of the exclusive rights to use such names to SIL for no costs.

 

Notice of Liquidation. The Liquidator (or other Persons winding up the affairs of the Company pursuant to Section 10.02) shall give written notice of the commencement of winding up by mail to all known creditors and claimants whose addresses appear on the records of the Company.

 

 
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(a) Accounting. As promptly as possible after dissolution and again after final liquidation, the Liquidator shall cause a proper accounting to be made by a recognized firm of certified public accountants of the Company’s assets, liabilities, and operations through the last day of the calendar month in which the dissolution occurs or the final liquidation is completed, as applicable.

 

(b) Distribution of Proceeds. The Liquidator shall liquidate the assets of the Company and distribute the proceeds of such liquidation in the following order of priority, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of Applicable Law:

 

(i) First, to the payment of all of the Company’s known debts and liabilities (including any debts and liabilities to Shareholders who are creditors, if applicable) and the expenses of liquidation (including sales commissions incident to any sales of assets of the Company);

 

(ii) Second, to the establishment of and additions to reserves that are determined by the Liquidator to be reasonably necessary for any contingent unknown liabilities or obligations of the Company; and

 

(iii) Third, to the Shareholders, on a pro-rata basis, in accordance with the positive balances in their respective Capital Accounts, as determined after taking into account all Capital Account adjustments for the taxable year of the Company during which the liquidation of the Company occurs.

 

(c) Discretion of Liquidator. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11.03(d) that require the liquidation of the assets of the Company, but subject to the order of priorities set forth in Section 11.03(d), if on dissolution of the Company the Liquidator reasonably determines that an immediate sale of part or all of the Company’s assets would be impractical or could cause undue loss to the Shareholders, the Liquidator may defer the liquidation of any assets except those necessary to satisfy Company liabilities and reserves, and may distribute to the Shareholders, in lieu of cash, as tenants in common and in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.03(d), undivided interests in such Company assets as the Liquidator deems not suitable for liquidation. Any such distribution in kind shall be subject to such conditions relating to the disposition and management of such properties as the Liquidator deems reasonable and equitable and to any agreements governing the operating of such properties at such time. For purposes of any such distribution, any property to be distributed will be valued at its Fair Market Value.

 

Section 10.04 Cancellation of Foreign Qualifications. On completion of the distribution of the assets of the Company as provided in Section 11.03(d) hereof, the Liquidator shall file articles of dissolution with the Delaware Secretary of State and shall cause the cancellation of all qualifications and registrations of the Company as a foreign limited liability company in jurisdictions other than the State of Delaware and shall take such other actions as may be necessary to terminate the Company.

 

Section 10.05 Survival of Rights, Duties, and Obligations. Dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination of the Company for any reason shall not release any party from any Loss that at the time of such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination already had accrued to any other party or thereafter may accrue in respect of any act or omission before such dissolution, liquidation, winding up, or termination. For the avoidance of doubt, none of the foregoing shall replace, diminish, or otherwise adversely affect any Shareholder’s right to indemnification pursuant to ARTICLE IX.

 

 
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Section 10.06 Recourse for Claims. Each Shareholder shall look solely to the assets of the Company for all distributions with respect to the Company, and shall have no recourse therefor (upon dissolution or otherwise) against the Liquidator or any other Shareholder.

 

ARTICLE XI

Miscellaneous

 

Section 11.01 Expenses. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel, financial advisors, and accountants, incurred in connection with the preparation and execution of this Agreement, or any amendment or waiver hereof, and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be paid by the party incurring such costs and expenses.

 

Section 11.02 Further Assurances. In connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, the Company and each Shareholder hereby agrees, at the request of the Company or any other Shareholder, to execute and deliver such additional documents, instruments, conveyances, and assurances and to take such further actions as may be required to carry out the provisions hereof and give effect to the transactions contemplated hereby and to operate the Business in accordance with Applicable Law.

 

Section 11.03 Confidentiality.

 

(a) Each Shareholder acknowledges that during the term of this Agreement, it will have access to and become acquainted with trade secrets, proprietary information, and confidential information belonging to the Company and its Affiliates that are not generally known to the public, including, but not limited to, customer information, manufacturing information, regulatory information, financial statements, vendor information, employee information and other information provided pursuant to this Agreement, operating practices and methods, expansion plans, strategic plans, marketing plans, contracts, customer lists, or other business documents that the Company treats as confidential, in any format whatsoever (including oral, written, electronic, or any other form or medium) (collectively, “Confidential Information”). In addition, each Shareholder acknowledges that (i) the Company has invested, and continues to invest, substantial time, expense, and specialized knowledge in developing its Confidential Information, (ii) the Confidential Information provides the Company with a competitive advantage over others in the marketplace, and (iii) the Company would be irreparably harmed if the Confidential Information were disclosed to competitors or made available to the public. Without limiting the applicability of any other agreement to which any Shareholder is subject, no Shareholder shall, directly or indirectly, disclose or use (other than solely for the purposes of such Shareholder monitoring and analyzing its investment in the Company and carrying out its obligations to the Company) including, without limitation, use for personal, commercial, or proprietary advantage or profit, either during its association with the Company or thereafter, any Confidential Information of which such Shareholder is or becomes aware. Each Shareholder in possession of Confidential Information shall take all appropriate steps to safeguard such information and to protect it against disclosure, misuse, espionage, loss, and theft.

 

 
20

 

 

(b) Nothing contained in Section 12.03(a) shall prevent any Shareholder from disclosing Confidential Information (i) on the order of any court or administrative agency, (ii) on the request or demand of any regulatory agency or authority having jurisdiction over such Shareholder, (iii) to the extent compelled by legal process or required or requested pursuant to subpoena, interrogatories, or other discovery requests, (iv) to the extent necessary in connection with the exercise of any remedy hereunder, (v) to any other Shareholder, the Directors, or the Company, or (vi) to such Shareholder’s Representatives who, in the reasonable judgment of such Shareholder, need to know such Confidential Information and agree to abide by the provisions of this Section 12.03 as if a Shareholder; provided, that in the case of clause (i), (ii), or (iii), such Shareholder shall notify the Company and other Shareholders of the proposed disclosure as far in advance of such disclosure as practicable (but in no event make any such disclosure before notifying the Company and other Shareholders) and use reasonable efforts to ensure that any Confidential Information so disclosed is accorded confidential treatment satisfactory to the Company, when and if available.

 

(c) The restrictions of Section 12.03(a) shall not apply to Confidential Information that (i) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure by a Shareholder in violation of this Agreement, (ii) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Shareholder without use of Confidential Information, or (iii) becomes available to such Shareholder or any of its Representatives on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company, the other Shareholders, or any of their respective Representatives; provided, that such source is not known by the receiving Shareholder to be bound by a confidentiality agreement regarding the Company.

 

(d) The obligations of each Shareholder under this Section 12.03 shall survive (i) the termination, dissolution, liquidation, and winding up of the Company, (ii) the termination of such Shareholder from the Company in accordance with Section, and (iii) such Shareholder's Transfer of its Shares.

 

Section 11.04 Notices. All notices, requests, consents, claims, demands, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given (i) when delivered by hand (with written confirmation of receipt), (ii) when received by the addressee if sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier (receipt requested), (iii) on the date sent by facsimile or email of a PDF document (with confirmation of transmission) if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, and on the next Business Day if sent after normal business hours of the recipient, or (iv) on the third day after the date mailed, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Such communications must be sent to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 11.04):

 

If to the Company:

 

Stick-It USA, INC.

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

E-mail: sandro@hempaccoinc.com

Attention: Sandro Piancone

 

with a copy to:

 

Brunson, Chandler and Jones

175 S. Main Street, 14th Floor

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

 

 
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E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Lance Brunson

 

If to Managing Shareholder:

 

If to StickIt Ltd.:

 

StickIt Ltd.

 

Eli Ben Haroosh

 

CEO

E-mail:

Attention: Eli Ben Haroosh

 

with a copy to:

 

Kafri Leibovich Law Firm

11 Habarzel St.

Tel Aviv

E-Mail: [redacted]

Attention: Amit Leibovich

 

If to HCI:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

9925 Airway Road

Sand Diego, CA 92154

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Sandro Piancone

 

with a copy to:

 

Brunson, Chandler and Jones

175 S. Main Street, 14th Floor

Salt Lake City, UT 84111

E-mail: [redacted]

Attention: Lance Brunson

 

Section 11.05 Headings. The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience or reference only and are in no way intended to describe, interpret, define, or limit the scope, extent, or intent of this Agreement or any provision of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.06 Severability. If any term or provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable under Applicable Law in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other term or provision of this Agreement or invalidate or render unenforceable such term or provision in any other jurisdiction. Except as provided in Section 9.01(h), on such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby be consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible.

 

 
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Section 11.07 Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the Articles of Organization and all related Exhibits and Schedules, constitutes the sole and entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement with respect to the subject matter contained herein and therein, and supersedes all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, records, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, whether express or implied, with respect to such subject matter.

 

Section 11.08 Successors and Assigns. Subject to the restrictions on Transfers set forth herein, this Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns. This Agreement may not be assigned by any Shareholder except as permitted by this Agreement and any assignment in violation of this Agreement shall be null and void ab initio.

 

Section 11.09 No Third-Party Beneficiaries. Except as provided in ARTICLE IX, which shall be for the benefit of and enforceable by Covered Persons as described therein, this Agreement is for the sole benefit of the parties hereto (and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and permitted assigns) and nothing herein, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person, including any creditor of the Company, any legal or equitable right, benefit, or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.10 Amendment. Except as otherwise provided by this Agreement, no provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified except by an instrument in writing executed by all of the Shareholders. Any such written amendment or modification will be binding upon the Company and each Shareholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, amendments to the Shareholders Schedule following any new issuance, redemption, repurchase, or Transfer of Shares in accordance with this Agreement may be made by the Directors without the consent of or execution by the Shareholders.

 

Section 11.11 Waiver. No waiver by any party of any of the provisions hereof shall be effective unless explicitly set forth in writing and signed by the party so waiving. No waiver by any party shall operate or be construed as a waiver in respect of any failure, breach, or default not expressly identified by such written waiver, whether of a similar or different character, and whether occurring before or after that waiver. No failure to exercise, or delay in exercising, any right, remedy, power, or privilege arising from this Agreement shall operate or be construed as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power, or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power, or privilege. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained in this Section 12.11 shall diminish any of the explicit and implicit waivers described in this Agreement, including in hereof.

 

Section 11.12 Governing Law. All issues and questions concerning the application, construction, validity, interpretation, and enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Delaware or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than those of the State of Delaware.

 

 
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Section 11.13 Submission to Jurisdiction. The parties hereby agree that any suit, action, or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, whether in contract, tort, or otherwise, shall be brought only in the United States District Court for Delaware or, the courts of the State of Delaware sitting in New Castle County, and any appellate court from any thereof, and that any cause of action arising out of this Agreement shall be deemed to have arisen from a transaction of business in the State of Delaware. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action, or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action, or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action, or proceeding that is brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient form. Service of process, summons, notice, or other document by registered mail to the address set forth in Section 11.04 shall be effective service of process for any suit, action, or other proceeding brought in any such court.

 

Section 11.14 Equitable Remedies. Each party hereto acknowledges that a breach or threatened breach by such party of any of its obligations under this Agreement would give rise to irreparable harm to the other parties, for which monetary damages would not be an adequate remedy, and hereby agrees that in the event of a breach or a threatened breach by such party of any such obligations, each of the other parties hereto shall, in addition to any and all other rights and remedies that may be available to them in respect of such breach, be entitled to equitable relief, including a temporary restraining order, an injunction, specific performance, and any other relief that may be available from a court of competent jurisdiction (without any requirement to post bond).

 

Section 11.15 Attorneys’ Fees. If any party hereto institutes any legal suit, action, or proceeding, including arbitration, against another party in respect of a matter arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the suit, action, or proceeding shall be entitled to receive, in addition to all other damages to which it may be entitled, the costs incurred by such party in conducting the suit, action, or proceeding, including reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses and court costs.

 

Section 11.16 Remedies Cumulative. The rights and remedies under this Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to and not in substitution for any other rights and remedies available at law or in equity or otherwise, except to the extent expressly provided herein to the contrary.

 

Section 11.17 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall be deemed to be one and the same agreement. A signed copy of this Agreement delivered by facsimile, email, or other means of Electronic Transmission shall be deemed to have the same legal effect as delivery of an original signed copy of this Agreement.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Shareholders have signed this Joint Venture Agreement of Stick-It USA, Inc. as of the Effective Date.

 

  COMPANY:

 

 

 

 

Stick-It USA, Inc.

a Delaware Corporation

 

       
By:

 

Name:

 
  Title:  
       

 

SHAREHOLDERS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stickit Ltd.

An Israeli Limited Liability Company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Eli Ben Haroosh

 

 

Name:

Eli Ben Haroosh

 

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

A Nevada corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title:

CEO

 

  

 
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SCHEDULE A

SHAREHOLDERS SCHEDULE

 

Shareholder Name

 

Capital Contribution

 

Shares

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

$750,000 **, plus Services and Know-How

 

50% (750,000 Preference Shares)

 

 

 

 

 

Stickit Ltd.

 

** This initial funding by HCI will be secured by the issuance of $750,000 of Preference Shares by the JV Entity. These shares will be the sole shares of HCI, and will be converted automatically into 750,000 common stock on a 1:1 basis upon HCI will receive the first $ 750,000 in dividends.

 

HCI will the right for preferential dividend distribution equal to 75% of distributable profits until such time as full payment is received, at which point (i) 100% of the 750,000 of Preferred Shares held by HCI will automatically convert into 750,000 common stock on a 1:1 basis, and (ii) profit dividends will be distributed 50/50 .

 

License Agreements, Services and Know-How

 

50% (750,000 Common Stock)

 

 
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EXHIBIT A

 

FORM OF WARRANT

 

Number ____

 

THIS WARRANT HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED AND THE SHARES ISSUABLE HEREUNDER HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “ACT”) AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED, HYPOTHECATED, OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION THEREOF UNDER THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, OR PURSUANT TO RULE 144 OR AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

WARRANT TO PURCHASE UP TO

__________ SHARES OF

 

COMMON STOCK

OF

GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC.

 

This Warrant is being issued pursuant to and in conjunction with a Joint Venture Agreement dated December __, 2021 between Hempacco Co., Inc. (wholly owned subsidiary of Green Globe International, Inc.) and Stickit Ltd. This certifies that, for value received, Stickit Labs Ltd. or registered assigns (“Holder”), is entitled, subject to the terms and conditions set forth below, to purchase from Green Globe International, Inc. (the “Company”), a Delaware corporation, up to ___________ shares of the Common Stock of the Company, upon surrender hereof, at the principal office of the Company referred to below, and simultaneous payment therefore in lawful money of the United States or otherwise as hereinafter provided, at the Exercise Price as determined as set forth  in Section 2 below.  The number, character and Exercise Price of such shares of Common Stock are not subject to adjustment except as expressly provided herein.   The term “Warrant” as used herein shall include this warrant, which is one of a series of warrants issued for the Common Stock of the Company, and any warrants delivered in substitution or exchange as provided herein.

 

1. Term of Warrant. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, this Warrant shall be exercisable at any time commencing on the date of the aforementioned Joint Venture Agreement [with respect to the 2 other Warrants the 7 year period will start upon meeting the relevant milestone to such Warrant as provided in the agreement to which this warrant is attached]and continuing for a period of seven (7) years from such date.

 

2. Exercise Price. The Exercise Price at which this Warrant may be exercised shall be One Hundredth of One Cent ($0.0001) per share of Common Stock, and not subject to adjustment except as expressly provided herein. The Exercise Price bears no relation to any objective criteria of value and should in no event be regarded as an indication of any future market price for the securities offered hereby. This Warrant is restricted as to transferability and represents only a conditional right to buy Common Stock and has no independent value.

 

3. Exercise of Warrant.

 

 
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(a) Cash Exercise. The purchase rights represented by this Warrant are exercisable by the Holder in whole or in part, but not for less than 100 shares at a time (or such lesser number of shares which may then constitute the maximum number purchasable), at any time, or from time to time, during the term hereof as described in Section 1 above, by the surrender of this Warrant and the Notice of Exercise annexed hereto duly completed and executed on behalf of the Holder, at the principal office of the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company), upon payment (1) in cash or by wire or by check acceptable to the Company, (2) by cancellation by the Holder of indebtedness of the Company to the Holder, (3) or by a combination of (1), (2) and (3), of the purchase price of the shares to be purchased.

 

4. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. In lieu of any fractional share to which the Holder would otherwise be entitled, the Company shall make a cash payment equal to the Exercise Price multiplied by such fraction.

 

5. Replacement of Warrant. On receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, on delivery of an indemnity agreement reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company or, in the case of mutilation, on surrender and cancellation of this Warrant, the Company at its expense shall execute and deliver, in lieu of this Warrant, a new warrant of like tenor and amount.

 

6. Rights of Holder. Except as provided herein, by virtue of this Warrant, the Holder shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of Common Stock or any other securities of the Company that may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof for any purpose, nor shall anything contained herein be construed to confer upon the Holder, as such, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to stockholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether upon any recapitalization, issuance of stock, reclassification of stock, change of par value, or change of stock to no par value, consolidation, merger, conveyance, or otherwise) or to receive notice of meetings, or to receive dividends or subscription rights or otherwise until the Warrant shall have been exercised as provided herein.

 

7. Transfer of Warrant.

 

(a) Warrant Register. The Company will maintain a register (the “Warrant Register”) containing the names and addresses of the Holder or Holders. Any Holder of this Warrant or any portion thereof may change his address as shown on the Warrant Register by written notice to the Company requesting such change. Any notice or written communication required or permitted to be given to the Holder may be delivered or given by mail to such Holder as shown on the Warrant Register and at the address shown on the Warrant Register. Until this Warrant is transferred on the Warrant Register of the Company, the Company may treat the Holder as shown on the Warrant Register as the absolute owner of this Warrant for all purposes, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary.

 

(b) Warrant Agent. The Company may, at its sole option, by written notice to the Holder, appoint an agent for the purpose of maintaining the Warrant Register referred to in Section 7(a) above, issuing the Common Stock or other securities then issuable upon the exercise of this Warrant, exchanging this Warrant, replacing this Warrant, or any or all of the foregoing. Thereafter, any such registration, issuance, exchange, or replacement, as the case may be, shall be made at the office of such agent.

 

(c) Transferability and Non-negotiability of Warrant. This Warrant may not be transferred or assigned in whole or in part without compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws by the transferor and the transferee (including the delivery of investment representation letters and legal opinions reasonably satisfactory to the Company, if such are requested by the Company). Subject to the provisions of this Warrant with respect to compliance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), title to this Warrant may be transferred by endorsement (by the Holder executing the Assignment Form annexed hereto) and delivery in the same manner as a negotiable instrument transferable by endorsement and delivery.

 

 
28

 

 

(d) Exchange of Warrant upon a Transfer. On surrender of this Warrant for exchange, properly endorsed on the Assignment Form and subject to the provisions of this Warrant with respect to compliance with the Act and with the limitations on assignments and transfers contained in this Section 7, the Company at its expense shall issue to or on the order of the Holder a new warrant or warrants of like tenor, in the name of the Holder or as the Holder (on payment by the Holder of any applicable transfer taxes) may direct, for the number of shares issuable upon exercise hereof.

 

(e) Compliance with Securities Laws.

 

(i) The Holder of this Warrant, by acceptance hereof, acknowledges that this Warrant and the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof are being acquired solely for the Holder’s own account and not as a nominee for any other party, and for investment, and that the Holder will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Warrant or any shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof except under circumstances that will not result in a violation of the Act or any state securities laws. Upon exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall, if requested by the Company, confirm in writing, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that the shares of Common Stock so purchased are being acquired solely for the Holder's own account and not as a nominee for any other party, for investment, and not with a view toward distribution or resale.

 

(ii) This Warrant and all shares of Common Stock issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof shall be stamped or imprinted with a legend in substantially the following form (in addition to any legend required by state securities laws):

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. SUCH SECURITIES AND ANY SECURITIES OR SHARES ISSUED HEREUNDER MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM UNDER SAID ACT AND LAWS. COPIES OF THE AGREEMENT COVERING THE PURCHASE OF THESE SECURITIES AND RESTRICTING THEIR TRANSFER OR SALE MAY BE OBTAINED AT NO COST BY WRITTEN REQUEST MADE BY THE HOLDER OF RECORD HEREOF TO THE SECRETARY OF THE COMPANY AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF THE COMPANY.

 

8. Reservation of Stock. The Company covenants that during the term this Warrant is exercisable, the Company will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant and, from time to time, will take all steps necessary to amend its Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate”) to provide sufficient reserves of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrant. The Company further covenants that all shares that may be issued upon the exercise of rights represented by this Warrant, upon exercise of the rights represented by this Warrant and payment of the Exercise Price, all as set forth herein, will be free from all taxes, liens and charges in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously or otherwise specified herein). The Company agrees that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of executing stock certificates to execute and issue the necessary certificates for shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this Warrant.

 

9. Notices.

 

(a) Whenever the number of shares purchasable hereunder shall be adjusted pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the Company shall issue a certificate signed by its Chief Executive Officer setting forth, in reasonable detail, the event requiring the adjustment, the amount of the adjustment, the method by which such adjustment was calculated, and the number of shares purchasable hereunder after giving effect to such adjustment, and shall cause a copy of such certificate to be mailed (by first-class mail, postage prepaid) to the Holder of this Warrant.

 

 
29

 

 

(b) In case:

 

(i) of any capital reorganization of the Company, any reclassification of the capital stock of the Company, any consolidation or merger of the Company with or into another corporation, or any conveyance of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to another corporation, or

 

(ii) of any voluntary dissolution, liquidation or winding-up of the Company, then, and in each such case, the Company will mail or cause to be mailed to the Holder or Holders a notice specifying the date on which such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up is to take place, and the time, if any is to be fixed, as of which the holders of record of Common Stock or Common Stock (or such stock or securities at the time receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant) shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock (or such other stock or securities) for securities or other property deliverable upon such reorganization, reclassification, consolidation, merger, conveyance, dissolution, liquidation or winding-up. Such notice shall be mailed at least fifteen (15) days prior to the date therein specified.

 

(c) All such notices, advices and communications shall be deemed to have been received (i) in the case of personal delivery, on the date of such delivery and (ii) in the case of mailing, on the third business day following the date of such mailing.

 

10. Amendments.

 

(a) Except as provided in Section 1 above, any term of this Warrant may be amended with the written consent of the Company and the holders of warrants representing not less than sixty percent (60%) of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of any and all outstanding Common Stock warrants under this Warrant (the “Common Stock Warrants”), even without the consent of the Holder. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10 shall be binding upon each holder of any of the Common Stock Warrants, each future holder of all such Common Stock Warrants, and the Company; provided, however, that no special consideration or inducement may be given to any such holder in connection with such consent that is not given ratably to all such holders, and that such amendment must apply to all such holders equally and ratably in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of their Common Stock Warrants. The Company shall promptly give notice to all holders of Common Stock Warrants of any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 10.

 

(b) No waivers of, or exceptions to, any term, condition or provision of this Warrant, in any one or more instances, shall be deemed to be, or construed as, a further or continuing waiver of any such term, condition or provision.

 

11. Adjustments. The Exercise Price and the number of shares purchasable hereunder may be subject to adjustment from time to time subsequent to the Commencement Date as follows:

 

 
30

 

 

(a) Merger, Sale of Assets, etc. If at any time after the Commencement Date and any stock splits in connection with the Merger Transaction referred to in Section 1 have come to rest, while this Warrant, or any portion thereof, is outstanding and unexpired there shall be (i) a reorganization (other than a combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), (ii) a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another corporation in which the Company is not the surviving entity, or a reverse triangular merger in which the Company is the surviving entity but the shares of the Company's capital stock outstanding immediately prior to the merger are converted by virtue of the merger into other property, whether in the form of securities, cash or otherwise, or (iii) a sale or transfer of the Company's properties and assets as, or substantially as, an entirety to any other person, then, as a part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, lawful provision shall be made so that the holder of this Warrant shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon exercise of this Warrant, during the period specified herein and upon payment of the Exercise Price then in effect, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property of the successor corporation resulting from such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer that a holder of the shares deliverable upon exercise of this Warrant would have been entitled to receive in such reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer if this Warrant had been exercised immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 11; provided, however, that the conditions for exercising this Warrant set forth in Section 1 above must still be satisfied prior to the Holder’s exercise of this Warrant. The foregoing provisions of this Section 11(a) shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, consolidations, mergers, sales and transfers and to the stock or securities of any other corporation that are at the time receivable upon the exercise of this Warrant. If the per-share consideration payable to the holder hereof for shares in connection with any such transaction is in a form other than cash or marketable securities, then the value of such consideration shall be determined in good faith by the Company's Board of Directors. In all events, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Company's Board of Directors) shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Warrant with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder after the transaction, to the end that the provisions of this Warrant shall be applicable after that event, as near as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares or other property deliverable after that event upon exercise of this Warrant.

 

(b) Reclassification, Split, Subdivision or Combination of Shares, etc. In the event of changes in the outstanding Common Stock of the Company by reason of stock dividends, splits, recapitalizations, reclassifications, combinations or exchanges of shares, separations, reorganizations, liquidations, or the like, the number and class of shares available under the Warrant in the aggregate and the Exercise Price shall be correspondingly adjusted to give the Holder of the Warrant, on exercise for the same aggregate Exercise Price, the total number, class, and kind of shares as the Holder would have owned had the Warrant been exercised prior to the event and had the Holder continued to hold such shares until after the event requiring adjustment. The form of this Warrant need not be changed because of any adjustment in the number of Exercise Shares subject to this Warrant.

 

(c) Certificate as to Adjustments. Upon the occurrence of each adjustment or readjustment pursuant to this Section 11, the Company at its expense shall promptly compute such adjustment or readjustment in accordance with the terms hereof and furnish to each Holder of this Warrant a certificate setting forth such adjustment or readjustment and showing in detail the facts upon which such adjustment or readjustment is based. The Company shall, upon the written request, at any time, of any such Holder, furnish or cause to be furnished to such Holder a like certificate setting forth: (i) such adjustments and readjustments; (ii) the Exercise Price at the time in effect; and (iii) the number of shares and the amount, if any, of other property that at the time would be received upon the exercise of the Warrant.

 

(d) No Impairment. The Company will not, by any voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms to be observed or performed hereunder by the Company, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all the provisions of this Section 11 and in the taking of all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order to protect the rights of the Holders of this Warrant against impairment.

 

12. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Issue Date. The provisions of this Warrant shall be construed and shall be given effect in all respect as if it had been issued and delivered by the Company as of December __, 2021.

 

 

(b) Successors. This Warrant shall be binding upon any successors or assigns of the company.

 

 
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(b) Governing Law. This Warrant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without consideration of its conflicts of laws provisions

 

(d) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this agreement.

 

(e) Notices. Unless otherwise provided, any notice required or permitted under this Warrant shall be given in writing and shall be deemed effectively given upon personal delivery to the party to be notified or one day after being sent via first class mail or air courier, postage prepaid, in all cases addressed to, in the case of the Company, at the address indicated for such party on the signature page hereof, or, in the case of the Holder, at the address indicated in the Warrant Registry, or at such other address as a party may designate by ten days advance written notice to the other party.

 

(f) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall be a Saturday or a Sunday or shall be a legal holiday in the State of California, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding business day.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, GREEN GLOBE INTERNATIONAL, INC. has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officers thereunto duly authorized, as of December __, 2021.

 

Green Globe International, Inc.
   

 

Sandro Piancone

President

 

 

 
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NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To: Green Globe International, Inc.

 

(a) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ______________ shares of Common Stock of Green Globe International, Inc. pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant, and tenders herewith payment of the purchase price for such shares in full.

 

(b) In exercising this Warrant, the undersigned hereby confirms and acknowledges that the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion thereof are being acquired solely for the account of the undersigned and not as a nominee

 

(c) for any other party, or for investment, and that the undersigned will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of any such shares of Common Stock except under circumstances that will not result in a violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws.

 

(d) Please issue a certificate or certificates representing said shares of Common Stock in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

 

 

 

  (Name)  
 

 

 
  (Name)  

 

(e) Please issue a new Warrant for the unexercised portion of the attached Warrant in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

 

 

 

 

  (Name)  
 

 

 
(Date)                     (Signature)  

 

 
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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned registered owner of this Warrant hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto the Assignee named below all of the rights of the undersigned under the within Warrant, with respect to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth below:

 

Name of Assignee       

Address    

No. of Shares

 

and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint Attorney________________

to make such transfer on the books of ., maintained for the purpose, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

The undersigned also represents that, by assignment hereof, the Assignee acknowledges that this Warrant and the shares of stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof are being acquired for investment and that the Assignee will not offer, sell or otherwise dispose of this Warrant or any shares of stock to be issued upon exercise hereof or conversion thereof except under circumstances which will not result in a violation of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws. Further, the Assignee has acknowledged that upon exercise of this Warrant, the Assignee shall, if requested by the Company, confirm in writing, in a form satisfactory to the Company, that the shares of stock so purchased are being acquired for investment and not with a view toward distribution or resale.

 

Dated: __________________, 20___.

 

 
  Signature of Holder  

 

 
  Address of Holder  
     

 

 

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EXHIBIT 10.9

 

PURCHASE FINANCE AGREEMENT

 

ENTERED INTO BY AND BETWEEN TITAN GENERAL AGENCY LTD. REPRESENTED HEREIN BY JOHN TOMLINSON on behalf of TITAN GENERAL AGENCY LTD., HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE “SELLER” AND HEMPACCO CO, INC, REPRESENTED BY SANDRO PIANCONE, HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE PURCHASER", ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING:

RECITALS

 

1.- The SELLER declares, through Its legal representative, that:

 

 

a)

It is a legal entity duly incorporated in accordance to the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

 

 

 

 

b)

Its appearing representative holds sufficient power of attorney to represent the company, which have not been revoked or restricted in any form whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

c)

In accordance with the specifications made by the SELLER it has acquired and is the owner of the Machinery and Equipment identified in this Agreement's Sole Exhibit of this Agreement. Such Machinery and Equipment was acquired by the Company under the commission agreement related to this agreement.

 

 

 

 

d)

It wishes to sell the machinery and equipment described In section c) above to the PURCHASER, under the terms and conditions established herein (hereinafter referred to as the Machinery and Equipment for purposes of this Agreement).

 

 

 

 

e)

 The Machinery and Equipment is free of any encumbrance.

 

11.- The PURCHASER declares, through Its legal representative, that:

 

 

a)

It is a legal entity duly incorporated in accordance to the laws of the United States of America.

 

 

 

 

b)

Its appearing representative holds sufficient powers of attorney to represent the company, which have not been revoked or restricted in any form whatsoever.

 

 

 

 

c)

It is aware of the current status and conditions of the Machinery and Equipment and accepts the Machinery and Equipment a s.

 

 

 

 

d)

It wishes to receive the Machinery and Equipment for purposes of using it for its commercial activities and it has determined that the Machinery and Equipment is adequate for its commercial activities.

 

11.- The Parties jointly declare that:

 

 

a)

They have all the proper and sufficient elements to fulfill their obligations contained herein.

 

 

 

 

b)

They mutually acknowledge the capacity with which to appear for the execution of this Agreement

 

 

 

 

c)

There has not been any error, bad faith, violence or fraud among them in the execution of this Agreement In light of the aforementioned, the Parties agree to the following terms:

 

Agreement In light of the aforementioned, the Parties agree to the following terms:

 

 

CLAUSES

 

FIRST, Purpose.- The SELLER grants the sale of the Machinery and Equipment to the PURCHASER, who receives it and which has been identified in Recital l, section c)above, in accordance to the terms and conditions herein established.

 

SECOND. Validity.- The parties agree that the term for this Agreement shall continue until such time as the total purchase price for the Machinery and Equipment which is US$1,500,000 has been paid In full. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Parties agree that the PURCHASER shall pay in full the total purchase price of $1,500,000 USO within 18 months from the execution of this document Under this Agreement's terms and conditions, the agreements to purchase and manufacture product will continue based on current market prices which shall be mutually agreed from time to time.

 

THIRD. Finance Payments.- The PURCHASER hereby undertakes the obligation to pay for the machinery, the total purchase price of $1,500,000 listed in this Agreement's Sole Exhibit according to the total value of the machines. Payments will be paid monthly at $1.50 per pack (20 cigarettes) or 7.5 USO cents per stick produced on the Machinery and Equipment Payments shall be paid monthly by the 10111 of the month, for packs manufactured the prior month.

 

Until the purchase price is paid in full, Seller also agrees to manufacture all hemp smokables for the SELLER, at a price of $1.00 prepack of 20. This shall Include all materials (filer. paper, printing}, but not to Include hemp (bio mass).

 

PURCHASER has the right to pre-pay the US$1,500,000 purchase price at any time, less funds already transferred by Hempacco Co to Titan General Agency Ltd for hemp cigarettes already produced on the Equipment.

 

 
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FOURTH. Payment days. - Payments shall be paid monthly by the 10th of the month, for packs manufactured the prior month, through wire transfer to the bank account appointed by the SELLER for said purpose, in Dollars currency of the United States of America

 

Accounting - PURCHASER shall maintain records in sufficient detail for purposes of determining the amount of the lease payments made to SELLER for each Hemp cigarette produced on the Machinery and Equipment and shall provide to SELLER a written account of production that sets forth the manner In which the payment due calculated on or before the10th day of each month.

 

Right to Inspect.- SELLER or its agent, shall have the right to inspect PURCHASER'S records for the limited purpose of verifying the calculation of the payments made for Hemp cigarette production, subject to such restrictions as PURCHASER may reasonably impose to protect the confidentiality of the records. Such inspections shall be made during reasonable business hours upon not less than 48 hours’ notice by SELLER.

 

Audit - PURCHASER shall provide unfettered access to a _______________ (insert name), a member of the Hempacco Co. production staff in the manufacturing facility of sufficient seniority to have knowledge and access to production data in order to communicate directly to Titan General Agency Ltd details of the relevant production data on request

 

Default - In the event of a default by PURCHASER of any obligation in this Agreement. including any payment obligations, SELLER shall provide a written notice of default to PURCHASER, giving PURCHASER fifteen (15) days ("Cure Period1to cure such default Should PURCHASER fail to cure the default within the Cure Period, SELLER shall be immediately permitted to seize, repossess, or sell to a third party the Machinery and Equipment PURCHASER shall be responsible for all costs incurred by SELLER as a result of the seizure and/or repossession and/or sale to third party of the Machinery and Equipment, including but not limited to the following expenses: moving, shipping, packing, modifications, electrical, staffing, forklift, and trucking/shipping. Further, all monthly payments made by PURCHASER toward the purchase price shall be forfeited and PURCHASER shall not be entitled to a refund or credit for any past payments made.

 

FIFTH. Invoices. - The payment referred to in the above Clause shall be completed with the delivery of an invoice issued by the SELLER, based on information provided by the Purchaser, which shall contain requirements established by the applicable tax law including volumes of hemp cigarettes produced.

 

Also, the Parties agree that each of them shall take care of their respective tax obligations derived from this Agreement. including but not limited to, any other tax withholding due between the parties arising from any tax provision and/or international treaty.

 

SIXTH. Grace Period.- The Parties agree that the PURCHASER shall be entitled to a period of grace regarding the monthly payments for the Machinery and Equipment starting from the date of its reception, in the understanding that the monthly payments shall start upon the first month following the pickup of the Machinery and Equipment from Denver by the Purchaser, and calculated on the basis of the number of sticks manufactured at a price of 7.5 USO cents per stick and by March 2020 a minimum payment of no less than US$40,000 per month will be paid irrespective of volume of sticks manufactured on the Machinery and Equipment listed in the Appendix.

 

In Light of the above, the Parties agree that the SELLER shall make available the Machinery and Equipment as referenced in the sole exhibit in its Colorado location for pick upby the Purchaser on December 11, 2019.

 

SEVENTH. Use. - The authorized use for the Machinery and Equipment shall be exclusively for commercial use manufacturing hemp smokables.

 

EIGHTH. Sole Exhibit.-_The Machinery and Equipment subject to this agreement, identified in this Agreement’s Sole Exhibit reflects the entirety of the machinery and equipment under consideration in the agreement

 

NINTH. Delivery of the Machinery and Equipment. - The PURCHASER shall pick up the Machinery and Equipment at the place appointed by the SELLER and will be responsible for the safe dismantling and transport from the Colorado location to San Diego at the PURCHASER's exclusive cost The PURCHASER hereby acknowledges that the SELLER is the sole and exclusive owner of the Machinery and Equipment, until the full purchase price of $1,500,000 is paid in full.

 

 
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The PURCHASER hereby acknowledges and accepts that in accordance to the Appendixes that form the Sole Exhibit the Machinery and Equipment is rendered under its current as-ls conditions, and Purchaser acknowledges that it has inspected the Machinery and Equipment and Purchaser has determined the Machinery and Equipment is appropriate to

perform all of the appropriate adjustments for its operation and working conditions.

 

TENTH. Modifications.- PURCHASER acknowledges that the Machinery and Equipment are exclusive property of the SEUER, which is why even though they currently are in good conditions, the PURCHASER shall be entitled to perform the necessary modifications, repairs, alterations and improvements to the Machinery and Equipment, always maintaining the proper operation and status of the Machinery and Equipment

 

Both Parties agree that any improvement that substantially alters the Machinery and Equipment or that becomes a permanent and Irremovable part of the same, shall be in the PURCHASER's benefit, once PURCHASER has paid the purchase price In full, and the SELLER shall not be obligated to pay any amount whatsoever for it. In the understanding that the PURCHASER shall be entitled at all moments to implement the necessary equipment and material, owned by it or by third parties, to perform its activities.

 

ELEVENTH. Maintenance.- The Parties agree that all minor or major maintenance and repair expenses for the Machinery and Equipment shall be on the Purchaser’s account as a consequence of its obligation to keep the assets subject of this agreement in good conditions.

 

TWELVTH. Territory.- For purposes of this Agreement, the geographical area in which the PURCHASER may use the Machinery and Equipment shall be in San Diego, CA. PURCHASER shall not relocate the Machinery and Equipment until the purchase price is paid in full.

 

THIRTHEENTH. Insurance. - PURCHASER agrees to have, directly or indirectly, an insurance policy for liability, theft and any other coverage for the Machinery and Equipment with limits of not less than $1,500,000 until the purchase price is paid in full. Until the purchase price is paid in full, PURCHASER shall list SELLER as an additional insured on the insurance policy(les).

 

PURCHASER acknowledges and accepts that it shall be solely responsible in case of any liability for damages to third parties or to the Machinery or Equipment in the event that the insurance does not cover, totally or partially, the mishap or eventuality of the Machinery and Equipment’s operation.

 

FOURTEENTH. PURCHASER's Obligations.- In addition to any other obligation herein contained, the PURCHASER undertakes the following obligations:

 

 

a)

Keep the Machinery and Equipment safe from any lien or encumbrance, present or future, during the validity of this Agreement and its e extensions

 

 

 

 

b)

Comply with all payments and/or extraordinary expenses related to the Machinery and Equipment during the validity of this Agreement and its extensions, as well as all others that guarantee the non-affectation of temporary use of the Machinery and Equipment to the SELLER, be it for failure or omission to comply with these obligations or matters beyond control of the Parties such as, but not limited to, legal action, lawsuits, claims, trials, fines, expropriation or requisition.

 

 

 

 

c}

Provide equal priority to production orders from Titan General Agency Ltd for production of Hemp Cigarettes on the equipment as to orders from Hempacco Co orders i.e., on an equal FIFO (First in First Out} basis.

 

 

 

 

d}

The Purchaser agrees to diligently use their best endeavors to protect the machinery from damage by excluding material from the Machinery and Equipment which is not of a sufficient standard and will choose to reject material from being used rather than prejudice the effectiveness of the machinery.

 

 

 

 

e)

Purchaser shall be responsible for all costs to dismantle Machinery and Equipment for shipment, including technical support, staff, forklift. equipment, etc., all shipping costs to San Diego, and all costs and expenses related to the installation and any needed warehouse modifications and total reinstallation.

 

 

 

 

f)

Maintain the Machinery and Equipment in good working order, conduct regular and required maintenance, and upkeep upon the Machinery and Equipment.

 

 
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FIFTHTEENTH. SELLER'S Obligations. - SELLER, additionally to its obligations herein contained, shall inform PURCHASER, as soon as possible, after it has become aware of;

 

 

a)

Any accident or incident in which the Machinery and Equipment is involved prior to PURCHASER's receipt of the Machinery and Equipment;

 

 

 

 

b)

Any substantial requirement or recommendation performed by any insurance broker or competent authority;

 

 

 

 

c)

Any withholding of the Machinery and Equipment or exercise of any encumbrance over the same, or its insurance, or any requisition of the Machinery and Equipment;

 

 

 

 

d)

Any accident or substantial injury toa third party caused by the Machinery or Equipment or in relation to them;

 

 

 

 

e)

Any other event that occurs regarding the Machinery and Equipment that affects or may affect the PURCHASER's rights.

 

 

 

 

SIXTEENTH. Non-Compliance. - Purchaser may not terminate this Agreement in case of non-compliance to any of its terms once the Machinery and Equipment has begun to be dismantled for relocation from Colorado to San Diego. This Agreement shall remain in effect until the purchase price is paid in full.

 

SEVENTEENTH. Survival of Obligations.- Termination of this Agreement shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the obligations that, by nature, legal provision or will of the Parties, may be demanded even after termination of this Agreement

 

EIGHTEENTH. Assignment of rights.- The Parties agree that they may assign, transmit and/or transfer their rights and/or obligations bestowed upon them in this Agreement, to any subsidiary, affiliate or partner of any of the Parties; in the understanding that in case the assignor be a different person, prior written consent from the other Party shall be required.

 

NINETEENTH. Confidentiality. - The Parties agree to keep the execution of this Agreement and all related information under strict confidentiality, including financial terms or payments to be performed according to this agreement; the Parties having to ensure that said information be kept confidential by any and all of its partners, legal representatives, attorneys- in-fact, employees and their families.

 

The Information that must be disclosed by any of the Parties regarding the same to authorities or official departments due to any procedure or defense of their interests or financing sources, when said disclosure is justified, shall not be considered as non-compliance.

 

TWENTYETH. Notices.- For purposes of this agreement, each and every notice, communication, circular or notification that has to be made to any of the parties shall be In writing and sent by email to the addresses below:

 

SELLER: [redacted]

 

PURCHASER: [redacted]

 

TWENTY FIRST. Force Majeure.- In case that compliance to any obligation herein contained, be it partial or total, is delayed, restricted or impaired due to force majeure; force majeure meaning the act or condition far beyond reasonable control from any of the Parties. The Party affected by those conditions, consequently impaired to meet said obligation, shall be exempt of its compliance, in the part and for the time that said delay, restriction or impairment continues and shall try to make its best efforts in order to avoid or remedy the situation and shall meet its obligations according to the provisions herein contained once said causes are over; in the understanding that this agreement shall remain in in full effect.

 

TWENTY SECOND. Modifications.- No addition, change or modification to this agreement shall be valid unless made In writing and signed by all of the appearing parties.

 

TWENTY THIRD. Complete Agreement. - The Parties agree that this agreement holds their express consent regarding the object. which is why any other verbal or written agreement, contract, covenantor negotiation held prior to the date of execution of this Agreement, shall have no legal effect as of this day.

 

 
4

 

 

TWENTY FOURTH. Total Agreement.-The Parties agree that incase that any term or provision be declared null, non- existent or Inapplicable by competent authority, said provision shall not nullify nor invalidate the rest of the provisions herein contained.

 

This agreement constitutes the total agreement between the Parties regarding the object and leaves any other previous contract, agreement or understanding between the parties with no effect regarding said object

 

TWENTY FIFTH. Jurisdiction. - For any matter not regulated in this Agreement. the parties shall apply the dispositions related to movable assets defined in the Commercial Code, as well as the Lease Agreement regulated by the Civil Code of California. The prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in any such action.

 

Also, the parties agree that in the case of Non-Compliance of payments the Lessor shall take possession of the Machinery and Equipment at the moment of the initial demand under the terms of Article UCC1 of the Commercial Code, in addition to any other remedies available.

 

For all matters related to the interpretation and compliance of this agreement, the parties hereby submit themselves to the provisions of the Civil Code for the State of California and to the jurisdiction of the competent Courts of the city of San Diego, California, wavering any other jurisdiction that may correspond to them due to their current or future addresses. The prevailing party shall be awarded reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in any such action, including appellate fees.

 

Having read this Agreement and fully aware of Its contents, value and reach, the Parties hereby execute it in 2 (two) sets, on December 3, 2019.

 

SELLER PURCHASER

 

 

By /s/ John Tomlinson By /s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 
5

 

 

Appendix

 

Machinery and Equipment rendered in lease

 

MODEL        SERIAL NUMBER

 

SELLER PURCHASER

 

 

/s/ John Tomlinson /s/ Sandro Piancone
Legal Representative Legal Representative

 

The Machinery and Equipment will be picked up from the Colorado location by the Purchaser.

An inventory of Machinery and Equipment constituting the full cigarette factory line will be compiled and ratified at that same time by a representative of the Seller and a representative of the Purchaser who will jointly cosign as legal representatives of their respective parties.

 

 
6

EXHIBIT 10.10

 

LOAN AGREEMENT

 

THIS LOAN AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is dated the 15th day of June 2020.

This Agreement, together with the Security Agreement and the Personal Guarantee entered into in connection herewith, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and replace all prior or contemporaneous agreements, documents, correspondence, conversations and/or understandings, whether written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

BETWEEN:

 

(1)

Courier Labs, LLC (the "Lender"); and

 

 

(2) 

Hempacco Co., Inc. (collectively, the "Borrower").

 

 

(3)

WHEREAS: The Lender is extending loan proceeds to Borrower in an aggregate amount of two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000.00) (the "Advance"), payable as follows: eighty- five thousand dollars of the Advance shall be extended to Borrower within two days from the date hereof, with the additional one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars payable within forty-five days of the initial payment.

 

NOW IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:

 

1.

The Borrower hereby directs the Lender to pay the Advance by wire transfer to the bank account set forth in Section 5.

 

 

2.

Borrower and Lender agree to execute the following in connection with the Loan Agreement:

 

 

(a)

delivery of a security agreement in a form acceptable to Lender (the "Security Agreement"). The collateral (the "Collateral") thereunder shall be one hundred percent ( 100%) of Borrower's right, title and interest in and to the property listed in the Security Agreement;

 

 

 

 

(b)

delivery of a personal guarantee of payment obligations signed by Sandro Pinecone in a form acceptable to Lender (the "Personal Guarantee"); and

 

 

 

 

(c)

delivery of a kiosk purchase agreement (the "Kiosk Purchase Agreement") between Borrower and Lender dated as of the date hereof.

 

The Advance, together with accrued interest, shall be repaid to the Lender on or before the first anniversary from the date of this Agreement (the "Maturity Date"). Borrower shall be charged a finance fee of one dollar in connection with Lender's extension of the Loan.

 

The Parties agree and acknowledge that any purchase price for kiosk machines (each a "Kiosk") pursuant to that certain Kiosk Purchase Agreement between the Parties dated as of the date hereof in excess of the initial ten Kiosks being purchased at the outset of such agreement will be applied to offset on a dollar-for-dollar basis the amount of the balance due hereunder. Additionally, any purchases of products by Lender from Borrower to be sold in the Kiosk machines by Lender will likewise be credited as a dollar-for-dollar offset on the balance due by Borrower under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event any Kiosk is rendered inoperable or beyond reasonable repaid and Borrower is unable to provide a replacement Kiosk pursuant to the terms of the Kiosk Purchase Agreement, the purchase price of such machine will be refunded to Lender within ten days or, in the absence of Lender's receipt of such refund, the price of such machine shall be added back to the balance due under this Agreement (so as to increase the balance due hereunder on a dollar- for-dollar basis). Similarly, any products purchased by Lender and credited against the principal balance of the Advance that are, after good faith determination of Lender, not accepted for delivery or unfit or unlawful for sale, will be credited back and applied to the loan balance in the absence of Borrower providing replacement product pursuant to the terms of the Kiosk Purchase Agreement.

 

 
1

 

 

Subject to the terms of this paragraph, in the event any of the loan amounts remain unpaid by the applicable Maturity Date set forth above, then penalty interest shall accrue on the entire overdue amount (together with previously accrued interest) at a rate of 8.0% per year until full payment by Borrower of all such amounts to Lender are made in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, interest shall not be assessed on any amount following the Maturity Date unless one or more Kiosks have, in the good faith determination of Lender, been rendered inoperable or beyond reasonable repair and Borrower is unable to provide a replacement kiosk that is in operation and good working order fit for Lender's contemplated purposes of selling commercial CBD consumer retail products in accordance with the Kiosk Purchase Agreement.

 

Any failure by Borrower to perform or observe any of the covenants, conditions or agreements set forth in this Agreement, the Note, or the Security Agreement shall constitute a default hereunder. In the event of such a default, Lender may do any of the following: (i) declare all amounts due hereunder immediately due and payable; (ii) exercise all available rights under the Security Agreement or at law; and/or (iii) exercise any rights or remedies Lender may have as a "secured party" under the Uniform Commercial Code.

 

5.

The Advance shall be payable by wire to the following account of Borrower:

Hempacco Co. Inc.

Severn Bank

[redacted]

 

6.

Borrower hereby represents, warrants and undertakes, and shall be deemed to repeat each such representation, warranty and undertaking on each day that any amounts remain to be repaid/paid to the Lender hereunder, that:

 

 

(d)

it is in good standing, duly organized and validly existing, with the power to own assets and to carry on its business as currently conducted, and that it has the requisite power and authority and has taken all necessary organizational action to enable it to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement;

 

 

 

 

(e)

the information set out in this Agreement and all other documents and information supplied or to be supplied to the Lender hereunder are true and accurate in all material respects;

 

 

 

 

(f)

the Borrower shall deliver such documents as may be reasonably necessary to document the authority of the individuals signing for the Borrower to bind the Borrower to the terms of this Agreement and any documents required by this Agreement;

 

 

 

 

(g)

the Borrower agrees to promptly deliver all documents fully consistent herewith that may be reasonably required to correct any errors or as may be reasonably needed by the Lender to perfect the pledge of Collateral required by the Security Agreement;

 

 

 

 

(h)

Borrower has not done and will not do any act, and has not made and will not make any grant, assignment or agreement, which will or might be reasonably expected to conflict or interfere with the complete enjoyment of all of Lender's rights under this Agreement, the Security Agreement and/or the Personal Guarantee; and

 

 

 

 

(i)

Borrower shall not transfer or assign the Collateral or any portion thereof to any third party or grant a security interest in or otherwise create any lien or encumbrance upon the Collateral, and Borrower has good and marketable title to all and every part of the Collateral free and clear of any liens and/or encumbrances.

 

7.

Borrower shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Lender from and against all claims, liability, judgments, losses, damages, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable outside attorneys' fees and expenses), arising in connection with (a) a breach by Borrower of any of its representations, warranties or agreements hereunder and/or (b) Borrower's gross negligence and/or willful misconduct.

 

 
2

 

 

8.

Borrower may not transfer or assign this Agreement in whole or in part without the prior written consent of Lender, and any attempt to do so shall be void.

 

 

9.

Any and all legal and equitable remedies shall be available to Lender. No right or remedy conferred upon Lender herein or otherwise available at law or in equity (or both) shall be exclusive of any other right or remedy contained herein or therein or otherwise made available. All such rights and remedies are cumulative and are not exclusive of any right or remedy which Lender may otherwise have.

 

 

12.

Borrower hereby irrevocably appoints Lender as its attorney-in-fact with full power and authority to execute such other documents or instruments and/or to do such other acts that Lender determines, in its sole and absolute discretion (but only after notice to Borrower is given), are necessary or advisable to further evidence or effectuate Lender's rights under this Agreement, (it being acknowledged that such appointment is a power coupled with an interest with full right of substitution and delegation).

 

 

13.

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement, the Security Agreement and/or the Personal Guarantee, Lender's security interest in the Collateral shall immediately and irrevocably terminate automatically upon Borrower's payment to Lender of all amounts due pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

14.

The obligations of Borrower under this Agreement and the Security Agreement shall be primary, joint and several, in solido and independent of the obligation of the guarantor under the Personal Guarantee.

 

 

15.

This Agreement, the Security Agreement and the Personal Guarantee constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede and replace all prior or contemporaneous agreements, documents, correspondence, conversations and/or understandings, whether written and oral, between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof. No termination, waiver, modification or amendment of or to this Agreement shall be binding unless it is in writing and signed by both parties hereto. No failure or delay by Lender in exercising any right or privilege under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, and no single or partial exercise of any right or privilege hereunder shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or privilege. No waiver by Lender of a breach or default hereunder shall be deemed a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach or default hereunder or under any other agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a partnership, joint venture, agency or employment relationship between the parties, and neither party shall bind the other party to any third-party obligation or hold itself out as having the authority to do so. This Agreement, and all rights and obligations hereunder, shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective heirs, executors, administrators. personal representatives, designees, successors, licensees and/or permitted assigns, as the case may be. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Louisiana applicable to contracts entered into and fully performed therein without regard to conflict of law principles. With respect to any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, each of the parties hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in Louisiana and. to the maximum extent permitted by law, hereby irrevocably waives the defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding. If any provision of this Agreement shall be deemed invalid or unenforceable as written, it shall be construed, to the maximum extent possible, in a manner which renders it valid and enforceable, and all other provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. All notices required to be given hereunder shall be given in writing, by personal delivery, by mail or by electronic transmission, to the respective addresses of the parties hereto as set forth on the signature page hereof, or at such other addresses as may be designated in writing by either party to the other, and the date of service of such notices shall be deemed the date of personal delivery (if personally delivered), three (3) days after mailing (if sent via mail) or the date of electronic transmission (if email), unless otherwise specified herein, provided that if delivery occurs outside normal business hours or on a Saturday. Sunday or U.S. bank holiday, then the date of service shall be deemed to be the next business day. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in counterparts, by facsimile or pdf e-mail, each of which shall be deemed an enforceable original and all of which together shall constitute one enforceable agreement. The paragraph headings contained in this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. The terms "hereof', "herein", and "hereunder" and words of similar import shall, unless otherwise stated, be construed to refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement.

 

 
3

 

 

EXECUTION PAGE – LOAN AGREEMENT

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE UNDERSIGNED, INTENDING TO BE LEGALLY BOUND, HAVE EXECUTED THIS AGREEMENT AS OF THE DATE FIRST WRITTEN ABOVE.

 

LENDER

 

COURIER LABS, LLC

 

 

  /s/ Timothy Thompson  
By: Timothy Thompson

Its: 

CEO  
   
     

 

BORROWER

 

HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

 

  /s/ Sandro Piancone  
By: Sandro Piancone

Its:

CEO  
   
     

 

 
4

 

EXHIBIT 10.11

 

V3

SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT (as it may from time to time be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or amended and restated, the "Agreement") dated as of June __, 2020 between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation with a place of business at 9925 Airway Rd., San Diego, CA 92154 (collectively, the "Debtor"), on the one hand, and Courier Labs, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company having a place of business at 567 S. Hollywood Rd., Houma, LA 70360 (the "Secured Party"), on the other hand.

 

RECITALS

 

Loan Agreement. Secured Party is concurrently herewith entering into (a) that certain Loan Agreement dated concurrently herewith (the "Loan Agreement") pursuant to the terms of which Debtor is borrowing two hundred ten thousand dollars (the "Advance") to be untiled for general corporate and commercial purposes in connection with its business.

 

Obligation. As an inducement to Secured Party to contribute the Advance, Debtor desires to secure its obligations as set forth in the Loan Agreement (the "Secured Obligations").

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for valuable consideration, the receipt, adequacy and legal sufficiency of which Debtor hereby acknowledges, Debtor hereby agrees with Secured Party for its benefit as follows:

 

AGREEMENT

 

1. Defined Terms.

 

(a) As used herein, capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meaning given to them in the Loan Agreement.

 

(b) As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

 

(i) "Advance" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

(ii) "Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

(iii) "Collateral" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.

 

(iv) "Debtor" shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

(v) "Equipment" shall mean all of the kiosk machines used or anticipated to be used in the commercial retail sale of CBD and hemp consumer products or otherwise that are currently, or will in the future, be owned by Debtor.

 

(vi) "Instrument" shall mean a negotiable instrument or any other writing which evidences a right to the payment of a monetary obligation and is not itself a security agreement or lease and is of a type which is transferred in the ordinary course of business by delivery with any necessary endorsement or assignment.

 

 
1

 

 

(vii) '"Loan Agreement" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

(viii) "Personal Guarantee" means the personal guarantee of payment obligations by Debtor's principal dated on the same date as the Agreement.

 

(ix) "Secured Obligations" shall have the meaning set forth in the Recitals.

 

(x) "Secured Party" shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

 

(xi) "Security Interest" shall have the meaning given such term in Section 2 hereof.

 

(xii) "Termination Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3.

 

(xiii) "UCC" means the Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of Louisiana, as amended or modified from time to time.

 

(c) All other terms used in this Agreement which are not specifically defined herein shall have the meaning assigned to such terms in Article 9 of the UCC.

 

(d) Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise clearly requires, references to the plural include the singular, the singular, the plural and "or" has the inclusive meaning represented by the phrase "and/or." The words "include," "includes" and "including" shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase ''without limitation." The words "hereof," "herein," "hereunder" and similar terms in this Agreement refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular provision of this Agreement. References to Sections are references to Sections in this Security Agreement unless otherwise provided.

 

2. Grant of Security Interest. As security for the full payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, Debtor hereby grants to Secured Party a security interest (the "Security Interest") in all of the Debtor's right, title, and interest in and to the following, whether now or hereafter owned, existing, arising or acquired and wherever located (collectively, the "Collateral"):

 

(a) All Equipment.

 

(b) To the extent not otherwise included in the foregoing, all proceeds and products of each of the foregoing and all accessions to, substitutions and replacements for, and rents, profits and products of, each of the foregoing, and any and all proceeds of any insurance, indemnity, warranty or guaranty payable to such Debtor from time to time with respect to any of the foregoing; and (iii) all accessions and additions to, parts and appurtenances of, substitutions for and replacements of any of the foregoing.

 

 
2

 

 

3. Continuing Assignment and Security Interest; Termination. This Agreement shall create a continuing assignment of and security interest in all of the Collateral, and shall remain in full force and effect until all amounts under the Loan Agreement have been satisfied and discharged in full (the "Termination Date"). Upon the occurrence of the Termination Date, the Security Interest in all the Collateral shall automatically terminate, whereupon Secured Party shall promptly execute such documents and instruments as Debtor shall reasonably require to evidence such termination, without recourse to or warranty by Secured Party.

 

4. Rights of Secured Party. Secured Party may resort to its security interest in the Collateral hereunder if Debtor fails to satisfy any of its obligations under this Agreement, the Loan Agreement, or the Note. In addition to any and all legal and equitable remedies and the rights granted to Secured Party under the Loan Agreement and the Personal Guarantee, Secured Party shall have all rights and remedies of a "secured party" under the Uniform Commercial Code (as it may be amended from time to time). No right or remedy conferred upon Secured Party herein or otherwise available at law or in equity (or both) shall be exclusive of any other right or remedy contained herein or therein or otherwise made available.

 

5. Representations and Warranties of Debtor. Debtor hereby represents and warrants to Secured Party as follows: (a) Debtor is duly authorized to enter into this Agreement, the Loan Agreement, and the Note, to grant the rights herein and therein granted and to perform all its obligations hereunder and thereunder; (b) this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding agreement and obligation of Debtor, enforceable against Debtor in accordance with its terms; (c) Debtor has not done and will not do any act, and has not made and will not make any grant, assignment or agreement, which will or might be reasonably expected to conflict or interfere with the complete enjoyment of all of Secured Party's rights hereunder; (d) Debtor is the sole and exclusive owner of all right, title and interest in and to the Collateral and has good and marketable title to all and every part of the Collateral, free and clear of any liens, claims, threatened claims or encumbrances; and (e) Debtor shall not transfer or assign the Collateral or any portion thereof to any third party or grant any further security interest in or otherwise create any lien or encumbrance upon the Collateral without Secured Party's prior written consent in each instance.

 

6. Indemnification. Debtor shall indemnify and hold harmless Secured Party from and against any and all claims, damages, liabilities, costs and/or expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable outside attorneys' fees and expenses) arising as a result of any breach by Debtor of any of its representations, warranties or agreements hereunder.

 

7. Power of Attorney. Debtor irrevocably hereby appoints the Secured Party as Debtor's attorney-in-fact with full authority in the place and stead of Debtor and in the name of Debtor or otherwise, from time to time in the Secured Party's sole and absolute discretion, to take any action and to execute any instrument which the Secured Party may deem necessary or advisable to accomplish the purposes of this Agreement. Debtor acknowledges that the foregoing grant of power of attorney is a power coupled with an interest and is irrevocable.

 

8. Expenses. Debtor agrees to pay upon demand to Secured Party any and all reasonable expenses which Secured Party may incur in connection with (a) the custody or preservation of, or the sale of, collection from, or other realization upon, any of the Collateral, (b) the exercise or enforcement of any of the rights of Secured Party under this Agreement, the Loan Agreement and/or the Note, and/or (c) the failure by Debtor to perform or observe any of the provisions of this Agreement, the Loan Agreement and/or the Note.

 

 
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9. Other. This Agreement and the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana without giving effect to any conflict of law provision. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the federal, state and local courts located in the State of Louisiana if any dispute arises under this Agreement. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, such provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted by law and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect. No termination, waiver, modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be binding unless in writing and signed by the parties hereto. The failure of either party to take action as a result of a breach of this Agreement by the other party shall constitute neither a waiver of the particular breach involved nor a waiver of either party's right to enforce any provision of this Agreement through any remedy granted by law or this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed and delivered in counterparts, by facsimile or PDF e-mail, each of which shall be deemed to be an enforceable original and all of which together shall constitute one enforceable instrument.

 
4

 

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Debtor and Secured Party have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

DEBTOR

HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

 

  /s/ Sandro Piancone  
By: Sandro Piancone

Its:

CEO  

 

SECURED PARTY

 

COURIER LABS, LLC
     
By:

Its: 

 

 

 
5

 

  EXHIBIT 10.12

 

SIDE LETTER AGREEMENT & LOAN EXTENSION

 

Reference is made to that certain Loan Agreement (the “Agreement”) dated on June 15, 2020, between Courier Labs, LLC (“Courier”) and Hempacco Co., Inc. (“HEMP”). By execution hereof, the undersigned confirms and acknowledges that (i) $41,000 of the loan principal has not yet been extended by Lender; and (ii) the maturity date on the aggregate loan under the Agreement is extended to August 15, 2023. This side letter is made a part of and subject to the terms of the Agreement.

 

HEMPACCO CO., INC.
     
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: 

Sandro Piancone  

 

COURIER LABS, LLC
     
By: /s/ Timothy Thompson

Name:

Timothy Thompson  

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.13

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% 6 MONTH NOTE

$50,000

as of May 4, 2021

  

            FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), 6 months of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Fifty Thousand US Dollars ($50,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest.  Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum. 

  

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.50 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note. This shall be a minimum of 150,000 shares or more.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 

1

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 

2

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

THE COMPANY

HEMPACCO CO, INC.
     
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
Title: CEO  

 

LENDER

Name: Mario Taverna
     
By: /s/ Mario Taverna

Name:

Mario Taverna  
Title:  
Address: [redacted]  

Address:

[redacted]

 

 

 

3

 EXHIBIT 10.14

 

Note Extension Agreement

 

This NOTE EXTENSION AGREEMENT ("Extension") is dated as of November 05, 2021 (the "Effective Date"), by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., located at 9925 Airport Road, San Diego, California 92154 ("Hempacco"), and Mario Taverna, located at 18181 N.E. 31st - Court, S-1508 Tower, Aventura, Florida 33160 (“Lender") and collectively, (the "Parties").

 

WHEREAS the Parties entered into a 12% 6 Month Promissory Note on May 04, 2021 (the "Original Note").

 

WH EREAS the Parties hereby agree to extend the term of the Original Note in accordance with the terms of the Original Contract as well as the terms provided herein.

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein, each of Hempacco and Lender mutually covenant and agree as follows:

 

 

·

The Original Contract, which is attached hereto as a part of this Extension, matured on November 03, 2021.

 

 

 

 

·

The parties agree to extend the Original Note for an additional period of 6 months, which will begin immediately upon the expiration of the original time period and will end on May 04, 2022.

 

 

 

 

·

In addition, the following provisions of the Original Contract are amended as described herein:

 

 

 

 

·

Mandatory Conversion: Notwithstanding the terms and conditions of conversion outlined in the original Note, the parties hereby agree that the Note will be converted into common stock of Hempacco Co., Inc. at $1.00 per share.

 

 

 

 

·

This Extension binds and benefits both Parties and any successors or assigns. This document, including the attached Original Contract, is the entire agreement between the Parties.

 

This is a RocketLawyer.com document.

 

 

 

 

 

All other terms and conditions of the Original Contract remain unchanged.

 

This Agreement shall be signed on behalf of Hempacco Co., Inc. by Sandro Piancone, its CEO, and on behalf of Lender by Mario Taverna.

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

   

 

 
/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Date: 11-05-2021

 By:

Sandro Piancone

 

 
  CEO

 

 

 

Mario Taverna

 

   

 

 
By: /s/ Mario Taverna

 

Date: 11-05-2021

 

Mario Taverna

 

 
  Lender

 

 
   

 

 

 

This is a RocketLawyer.com document.

 

 

2

 

EXHIBIT 10.15

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS NOTE AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Principal Amount: US $50,000

Issuance Date: May 6th, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, The Hempacco Company Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Obligor”), effective as of April 23, 2021 (the “Issuance Date”), hereby promises to pay to the order of Miguel Cambero Villasenor (the “Holder”), the principal amount of fifty thousand Dollars ($50,000) payable as set forth below (“Principal”). The Obligor also promises to pay to the order of the Holder interest on the principal amount hereof at a rate of eight percent (8%) per annum, which interest (“Interest”) shall be payable on the Maturity Date (defined below) or the Conversion Date (defined below). The payments of Principal and interest hereunder shall be made in the currency of the United States of America.

 

This Convertible Promissory Note (“Note”) is being issued pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Obligor and the Holder (the “Purchase Agreement”), and is entitled to the benefits of, and evidences obligations incurred under the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.

 

This Note shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions as part of the agreement between the Holder and Obligor:

 

1. Maturity. Subject to Section 3 hereof, all Principal shall be due on demand of the Holder in one (1) installment on or after October 23, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) or prior to such Maturity Date in an Event of Default as provided in Section 9 hereof. On the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall pay to the Holder an amount in cash representing all outstanding Principal, any unpaid Interest and any other outstanding amounts due to the Holder.

 

2. Payments; Interest. Interest shall be payable on the Maturity Date or the Conversion Date (except as set forth herein) in arrears to the Holder. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of the year of 360 days. Payment shall be made by wire transfer as instructed by the Holder or by check mailed within five (5) days of the date due, to the address of the Holder as indicated in the Purchase Agreement or as may be changed by the Holder upon ten (10) days written notice to the Obligor at the principal address identified in the Purchase Agreement. In the event that any payment to be made hereunder shall be or become due on Saturday, Sunday or any other day which is a legal bank holiday, such payment shall be or become due on the next succeeding business day.

 

3. Prepayment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note, at any time prior to the date that is thirty (30) days prior to the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall have the right, exercisable on not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Holder of the Note, to prepay the outstanding Principal amount and Interest then due under this Note, in whole or in part, in accordance with this Section 3. Any notice of prepayment hereunder (an “Optional Prepayment Notice”) shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note and shall state: (1) that the Obligor is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment (which shall not less than ten (10) days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice). On the date fixed for prepayment (the “Optional Prepayment Date”), the Borrower shall make payment of the Optional Prepayment Amount (as defined below) to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash (the “Optional Prepayment Amount”) equal to the sum of: (i) the Principal amount, plus (ii) eight percent (8%) accrued and unpaid Interest on the Principal Amount to the Optional Prepayment Date.

 

 
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4. Conversion.

 

(a) Mandatory Conversion at Maturity. On the Maturity Date, all amounts due under this Note, including any accrued and unpaid Interest hereon, shall automatically, with no additional action by the Holder or the Obligor, convert into shares of common stock of the Obligor, par value $0.001 per share, or, if the Obligor is acquired by, merges with or otherwise combines with a public company, shares of common stock of such public company (such Obligor common stock or public company common stock, as the case may be, the “Common Stock”), at a conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) equal to 75% of the 30-day average bid price of the Common Stock as then quoted on the OTCQB, OTCQX Markets, or listed on a national stock exchange (such Conversion Price representing a 25% discount).

 

(b) If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is subdivided (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) into a greater number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-subdivision prices. If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is combined (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-combination prices. Any adjustment under this Section shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective or, in the case of a stock dividend, the date of such event.

 

(c) If the Obligor, by reclassification of securities or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), shall change any of the securities as to which conversion rights under this Note exist into the same or a different number of securities of any other class or classes, this Note shall thereafter be convertible into such number and kind of securities as would have been issuable as the result of such change with respect to the securities that were subject to the conversion rights under this Note immediately prior to such reclassification or other change, and the Conversion Price therefore shall be appropriately adjusted, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. No adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 4(d) upon any conversion or redemption of the Common Stock which is the subject of Section 4(e).

 

 
2

 

 

(d) In case of any capital reorganization of the capital stock of the Obligor (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or any merger or consolidation of the Obligor with or into another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Obligor then, and in each such case, as a part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, lawful provision shall be made so that the Holder of this Note shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of this Note, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) to which the holder of the shares deliverable upon conversion of this Note would have been entitled to receive in such reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer if this Note had been converted immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4(e) shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, consolidations, mergers, sales and transfers and to the stock or securities of any other corporation that are at the time receivable upon the conversion of this Note. In all events, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Obligor’s Board of Directors) shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Note with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder after the transaction, to the end that the provisions of this Note shall be applicable after that event, as near as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares or other property deliverable after that event upon conversion of this Note.

 

(e) In case all or any portion of the authorized and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Obligor are redeemed or converted or reclassified into other securities or property pursuant to the Obligor’s Certificate of Incorporation or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or the Common Stock otherwise ceases to exist, then, in such case, the Holder of this Note, upon conversion hereof at any time after the date on which the Common Stock is so redeemed or converted, reclassified or ceases to exist (the “Termination Date”), shall receive, in lieu of the number of Conversion Shares that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the Termination Date, the securities or property that would have been received if this Note had been converted in full and the Common Stock received thereupon had been simultaneously converted immediately prior to the Termination Date, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Note.

 

(f) Not later than ten (10) business days after the Conversion Date, the Obligor will deliver, or will cause to be delivered, to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of Common Stock being acquired upon the conversion of all or a portion of the Principal amount of or Interest under this Note (the “Conversion Shares”). If the Obligor fails to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Note by the close of business on the tenth business day after the date of exercise, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Obligor’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing Conversion Shares upon conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

(g) Certificates representing shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon a conversion hereunder may bear restrictive legends and may be Restricted Securities as defined in the Purchase Agreement; such securities may be resold without registration under the Securities Act only in certain limited circumstances. Such shares may have affixed thereto a legend substantially in the following form:

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

 
3

 

 

(h) The Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall at all times reserve out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock a number of Conversion Shares necessary to satisfy a full conversion of the Principal amount of and Interest under this Note (the “Required Reserve Amount”). If at any time while this Note remains outstanding the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) does not have a sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock to satisfy its obligation to reserve the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall take all action necessary to increase its authorized shares of Common Stock to an amount sufficient to satisfy the Required Reserve Amount. As soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after the occurrence, the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, an Authorized Share Failure shall constitute an Event of Default pursuant to Section 9 of this Note, notwithstanding the Obligor’s obligation or efforts to comply with the requirements set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(i) Upon a conversion hereunder the Obligor shall not be required to deliver stock certificates representing fractions of shares of Common Stock. All fractional shares shall be rounded to the nearest whole share as full, final and complete satisfaction of its obligations for any conversion hereunder.

 

(j) The transfer of certificates for Conversion Shares shall be made without cost or charge to the Holder in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificate, provided that the Obligor shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion.

 

(k) Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder shall be in writing and delivered in accordance with the Section 9.2 of the Purchase Agreement.

 

5. No Waiver. No failure or delay by the Holder in exercising any right, power or privilege under the Note shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. No course of dealing between the Obligor and the Holder shall operate as a waiver of any rights by the Holder.

 

6. Waiver of Presentment and Notice of Dishonor. The Obligor and all endorsers, guarantors and other parties that may be liable under this Note hereby waive presentment, notice of dishonor, protest and all other demands and notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance or enforcement of this Note.

 

7. Transfer. This Note and the Conversion Shares may not be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned in the absence of (a) an effective registration statement for this Note or the Conversion Shares, as applicable, or (b) an opinion of counsel (selected by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Obligor), in a form reasonable acceptable to the Obligor, that this Note and the Conversion Shares may be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration.

 

 
4

 

 

8. Events of Default. The entire unpaid Principal amount of this Note and all accrued and unpaid Interest shall, at the option of the Holder exercised by written notice to the Obligor forthwith become immediately and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, if any one or more of the following events (herein called “Events of Default”) shall have occurred (for any reason whatsoever and whether such happening shall be voluntary or involuntary or come about or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to or in compliance with any judgement, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) and be continuing at the time of such notice; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (b) or (c) of this Section 9 occurs, all such amounts due under this Note shall become and be immediately due and payable without any notice, declaration or other act on the part of the Holder of this Note:

 

(a) if the Principal of this Note and the Interest due thereon is not paid when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, or by acceleration or otherwise, and such default have continued for a period of seven (7) days.

 

(b) if the Obligor shall:

 

(i) file a petition in bankruptcy or petition to take advantage of any insolvency act;

 

(ii) on a petition in bankruptcy filed against the Obligor, be adjudicated a bankrupt; or

 

(iii) file a petition or answer seeking reorganization or arrangement under the Federal bankruptcy laws or any other applicable law or statute of the United States of America or any State, district or territory thereof;

 

(c) if a court of competent jurisdiction shall enter an order, judgment, or decree appointing, without the consent of the Obligor, a receiver of the whole or any substantial part of the Obligor's property, and such other judgment or decree shall not be vacated or set aside or stayed with thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof;

 

(d) if, under the provisions of any other law for the relief or aid of debtors, any court or competent jurisdiction shall assume custody or control of the whole or any substantial part of Obligor's property and such custody or control shall not be terminated or stayed within (30) days from the date of assumption of such custody or control;

 

(e) if any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Obligor or any Subsidiary or any of its or their property or other assets for more than $100,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of thirty (30) days;

 

(f) there shall occur a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Obligor, any Subsidiary or any substantial portion of its or their business;

 

(g) if there is any cessation of operations by Obligor or any Subsidiary or Obligor or any Subsidiary admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due;

 

(h) the failure by the Obligor or any Subsidiary to maintain any material intellectual property rights, personal property, real property or other assets or rights which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future);

 

(i) any court of competent jurisdiction issues an order declaring this Note, any other Transaction Document or any provision hereunder or thereunder to be illegal; or

 

(e) if the Obligor breaches any covenant, agreement, representation or warranty in any of the Transaction Documents, and such breach continues for a period of at least fifteen (15) days.

 

 
5

 

 

9. Remedies. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Holder may proceed to protect and enforce its rights whether by suit and/or equity and/or by action law, whether for the specific performance of any covenant or agreement contained in this Note or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Note, or the Holder may proceed to enforce the payment of all sums due upon the Note or enforce any other legal or equitable right of the Holder. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Obligor shall pay the Holder for the costs of collection and enforcement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

10. Certain Covenants. So long as the Obligor shall have any obligation under this Note, the Obligor shall:

 

(a) maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.

 

11. Severability. In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Note shall for any reason be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Note, but this Note shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

12. Non-Circumvention. The Obligor hereby covenants and agrees that the Obligor will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Note, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Note and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder of this Note.

 

13. Governing Law. This Note and the right and obligations of the Obligor and the Holder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to the conflict of law provisions thereof.

 

14. Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Obligor hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Holder in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Note. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Note, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Obligor under this Note for payments which under California law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest when aggregated with any other sums which under California law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Note exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by California law and applicable to this Note is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the Issue Date, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Note from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Obligor to the Holder with respect to indebtedness evidenced by this the Note, such excess shall be applied by the Holder to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Obligor, the manner of handling such excess to be at the Holder’s election.

 

 
6

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Hempacco Company Inc., has signed this Note effective as of the 6th day of May, 2021.

 

OBLIGOR:

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.
     
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
Title: CEO  

 

 
7

 

  EXHIBIT 10.16

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS NOTE AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE  SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Principal Amount: US $50,000 

Issuance Date: June 7th, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, The Hempacco Company Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Obligor”), effective as of June 7, 2021 (the “Issuance Date”), hereby promises to pay to the order of Miguel Cambero Villasenor (the “Holder”), the principal amount of fifty thousand Dollars ($50,000) payable as set forth below (“Principal”). The Obligor also promises to pay to the order of the Holder interest on the principal amount hereof at a rate of eight percent (8%) per annum, which interest (“Interest”) shall be payable on the Maturity Date (defined below) or the Conversion Date (defined below). The payments of Principal and interest hereunder shall be made in the currency of the United States of America.

 

This Convertible Promissory Note (“Note”) is being issued pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Obligor and the Holder (the “Purchase Agreement”), and is entitled to the benefits of, and evidences obligations incurred under the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.

 

This Note shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions as part of the agreement between the Holder and Obligor:

 

1. Maturity. Subject to Section 3 hereof, all Principal shall be due on demand of the Holder in one (1) installment on or after October 23, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) or prior to such Maturity Date in an Event of Default as provided in Section 9 hereof. On the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall pay to the Holder an amount in cash representing all outstanding Principal, any unpaid Interest and any other outstanding amounts due to the Holder.

 

2. Payments; Interest. Interest shall be payable on the Maturity Date or the Conversion Date (except as set forth herein) in arrears to the Holder. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of the year of 360 days. Payment shall be made by wire transfer as instructed by the Holder or by check mailed within five (5) days of the date due, to the address of the Holder as indicated in the Purchase Agreement or as may be changed by the Holder upon ten (10) days written notice to the Obligor at the principal address identified in the Purchase Agreement. In the event that any payment to be made hereunder shall be or become due on Saturday, Sunday or any other day which is a legal bank holiday, such payment shall be or become due on the next succeeding business day.

 

 
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3. Prepayment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note, at any time prior to the date that is thirty (30) days prior to the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall have the right, exercisable on not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Holder of the Note, to prepay the outstanding Principal amount and Interest then due under this Note, in whole or in part, in accordance with this Section 3. Any notice of prepayment hereunder (an “Optional Prepayment Notice”) shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note and shall state: (1) that the Obligor is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment (which shall not less than ten (10) days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice). On the date fixed for prepayment (the “Optional Prepayment Date”), the Borrower shall make payment of the Optional Prepayment Amount (as defined below) to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash (the “Optional Prepayment Amount”) equal to the sum of: (i) the Principal amount, plus (ii) eight percent (8%) accrued and unpaid Interest on the Principal Amount to the Optional Prepayment Date.

 

4. Conversion.

 

(a) Mandatory Conversion at Maturity. On the Maturity Date, all amounts due under this Note, including any accrued and unpaid Interest hereon, shall automatically, with no additional action by the Holder or the Obligor, convert into shares of common stock of the Obligor, par value $0.001 per share, or, if the Obligor is acquired by, merges with or otherwise combines with a public company, shares of common stock of such public company (such Obligor common stock or public company common stock, as the case may be, the “Common Stock”), at a conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) equal to 75% of the 30-day average bid price of the Common Stock as then quoted on the OTCQB, OTCQX Markets, or listed on a national stock exchange (such Conversion Price representing a 25% discount).

 

(b) If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is subdivided (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) into a greater number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-subdivision prices. If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is combined (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-combination prices. Any adjustment under this Section shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective or, in the case of a stock dividend, the date of such event.

 

(c) If the Obligor, by reclassification of securities or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), shall change any of the securities as to which conversion rights under this Note exist into the same or a different number of securities of any other class or classes, this Note shall thereafter be convertible into such number and kind of securities as would have been issuable as the result of such change with respect to the securities that were subject to the conversion rights under this Note immediately prior to such reclassification or other change, and the Conversion Price therefore shall be appropriately adjusted, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. No adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 4(d) upon any conversion or redemption of the Common Stock which is the subject of Section 4(e).

 

 
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(d) In case of any capital reorganization of the capital stock of the Obligor (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or any merger or consolidation of the Obligor with or into another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Obligor then, and in each such case, as a part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, lawful provision shall be made so that the Holder of this Note shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of this Note, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) to which the holder of the shares deliverable upon conversion of this Note would have been entitled to receive in such reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer if this Note had been converted immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4(e) shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, consolidations, mergers, sales and transfers and to the stock or securities of any other corporation that are at the time receivable upon the conversion of this Note. In all events, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Obligor’s Board of Directors) shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Note with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder after the transaction, to the end that the provisions of this Note shall be applicable after that event, as near as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares or other property deliverable after that event upon conversion of this Note.

 

(e) In case all or any portion of the authorized and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Obligor are redeemed or converted or reclassified into other securities or property pursuant to the Obligor’s Certificate of Incorporation or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or the Common Stock otherwise ceases to exist, then, in such case, the Holder of this Note, upon conversion hereof at any time after the date on which the Common Stock is so redeemed or converted, reclassified or ceases to exist (the “Termination Date”), shall receive, in lieu of the number of Conversion Shares that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the Termination Date, the securities or property that would have been received if this Note had been converted in full and the Common Stock received thereupon had been simultaneously converted immediately prior to the Termination Date, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Note.

 

(f) Not later than ten (10) business days after the Conversion Date, the Obligor will deliver, or will cause to be delivered, to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of Common Stock being acquired upon the conversion of all or a portion of the Principal amount of or Interest under this Note (the “Conversion Shares”). If the Obligor fails to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Note by the close of business on the tenth business day after the date of exercise, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Obligor’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing Conversion Shares upon conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

(g) Certificates representing shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon a conversion hereunder may bear restrictive legends and may be Restricted Securities as defined in the Purchase Agreement; such securities may be resold without registration under the Securities Act only in certain limited circumstances. Such shares may have affixed thereto a legend substantially in the following form:

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED,  TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

 
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(h) The Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall at all times reserve out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock a number of Conversion Shares necessary to satisfy a full conversion of the Principal amount of and Interest under this Note (the “Required Reserve Amount”). If at any time while this Note remains outstanding the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) does not have a sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock to satisfy its obligation to reserve the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall take all action necessary to increase its authorized shares of Common Stock to an amount sufficient to satisfy the Required Reserve Amount. As soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after the occurrence, the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, an Authorized Share Failure shall constitute an Event of Default pursuant to Section 9 of this Note, notwithstanding the Obligor’s obligation or efforts to comply with the requirements set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(i) Upon a conversion hereunder the Obligor shall not be required to deliver stock certificates representing fractions of shares of Common Stock. All fractional shares shall be rounded to the nearest whole share as full, final and complete satisfaction of its obligations for any conversion hereunder.

 

(j) The transfer of certificates for Conversion Shares shall be made without cost or charge to the Holder in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificate, provided that the Obligor shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion.

 

(k) Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder shall be in writing and delivered in accordance with the Section 9.2 of the Purchase Agreement.

 

5. No Waiver. No failure or delay by the Holder in exercising any right, power or privilege under the Note shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. No course of dealing between the Obligor and the Holder shall operate as a waiver of any rights by the Holder.

 

6. Waiver of Presentment and Notice of Dishonor. The Obligor and all endorsers, guarantors and other parties that may be liable under this Note hereby waive presentment, notice of dishonor, protest and all other demands and notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance or enforcement of this Note.

 

7. Transfer. This Note and the Conversion Shares may not be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned in the absence of (a) an effective registration statement for this Note or the Conversion Shares, as applicable, or (b) an opinion of counsel (selected by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Obligor), in a form reasonable acceptable to the Obligor, that this Note and the Conversion Shares may be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration.

 

 
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8. Events of Default. The entire unpaid Principal amount of this Note and all accrued and unpaid Interest shall, at the option of the Holder exercised by written notice to the Obligor forthwith become immediately and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, if any one or more of the following events (herein called “Events of Default”) shall have occurred (for any reason whatsoever and whether such happening shall be voluntary or involuntary or come about or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to or in compliance with any judgement, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) and be continuing at the time of such notice; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (b) or (c) of this Section 9 occurs, all such amounts due under this Note shall become and be immediately due and payable without any notice, declaration or other act on the part of the Holder of this Note:

 

(a) if the Principal of this Note and the Interest due thereon is not paid when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, or by acceleration or otherwise, and such default have continued for a period of seven (7) days.

 

(b) if the Obligor shall:

 

(i) file a petition in bankruptcy or petition to take advantage of any insolvency act;

 

(ii) on a petition in bankruptcy filed against the Obligor, be adjudicated a bankrupt; or

 

(iii) file a petition or answer seeking reorganization or arrangement under the Federal bankruptcy laws or any other applicable law or statute of the United States of America or any State, district or territory thereof;

 

(c) if a court of competent jurisdiction shall enter an order, judgment, or decree appointing, without the consent of the Obligor, a receiver of the whole or any substantial part of the Obligor's property, and such other judgment or decree shall not be vacated or set aside or stayed with thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof;

 

(d) if, under the provisions of any other law for the relief or aid of debtors, any court or competent jurisdiction shall assume custody or control of the whole or any substantial part of Obligor's property and such custody or control shall not be terminated or stayed within (30) days from the date of assumption of such custody or control;

 

(e) if any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Obligor or any Subsidiary or any of its or their property or other assets for more than $100,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of thirty (30) days;

 

(f) there shall occur a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Obligor, any Subsidiary or any substantial portion of its or their business;

 

(g) if there is any cessation of operations by Obligor or any Subsidiary or Obligor or any Subsidiary admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due;

 

(h) the failure by the Obligor or any Subsidiary to maintain any material intellectual property rights, personal property, real property or other assets or rights which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future);

 

(i) any court of competent jurisdiction issues an order declaring this Note, any other Transaction Document or any provision hereunder or thereunder to be illegal; or

 

(e) if the Obligor breaches any covenant, agreement, representation or warranty in any of the Transaction Documents, and such breach continues for a period of at least fifteen (15) days.

 

 
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9. Remedies. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Holder may proceed to protect and enforce its rights whether by suit and/or equity and/or by action law, whether for the specific performance of any covenant or agreement contained in this Note or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Note, or the Holder may proceed to enforce the payment of all sums due upon the Note or enforce any other legal or equitable right of the Holder. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Obligor shall pay the Holder for the costs of collection and enforcement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

10. Certain Covenants. So long as the Obligor shall have any obligation under this Note, the Obligor shall:

 

(a) maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.

 

11. Severability. In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Note shall for any reason be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Note, but this Note shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

12. Non-Circumvention. The Obligor hereby covenants and agrees that the Obligor will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Note, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Note and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder of this Note.

 

13. Governing Law. This Note and the right and obligations of the Obligor and the Holder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to the conflict of law provisions thereof.

 

14. Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Obligor hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Holder in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Note. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Note, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Obligor under this Note for payments which under California law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest when aggregated with any other sums which under California law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Note exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by California law and applicable to this Note is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the Issue Date, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Note from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Obligor to the Holder with respect to indebtedness evidenced by this the Note, such excess shall be applied by the Holder to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Obligor, the manner of handling such excess to be at the Holder’s election.

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Hempacco Company Inc., has signed this Note effective as of the 7th day of June, 2021.

 

OBLIGOR:

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.

     
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: 

Sandro Piancone  
Title:  CEO  

 

 

 
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EXHIBIT 10.17

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS NOTE AND THE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE  SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE NOR THE COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON CONVERSION OF THIS NOTE MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

CONVERTIBLE PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Principal Amount: US $25,000   

Issuance Date: May 10, 2021

                                                          

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, The Hempacco Company Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Obligor”), effective as of April 23, 2021 (the “Issuance Date”), hereby promises to pay to the order of D. Ernest Sparks and Julee A. Sparks (the “Holder”), the principal amount of Twenty five thousand Dollars ($25,000) payable as set forth below (“Principal”). The Obligor also promises to pay to the order of the Holder interest on the principal amount hereof at a rate of eight percent (8%) per annum, which interest (“Interest”) shall be payable on the Maturity Date (defined below) or the Conversion Date (defined below). The payments of Principal and interest hereunder shall be made in the currency of the United States of America.

 

This Convertible Promissory Note (“Note”) is being issued pursuant to that certain Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Obligor and the Holder (the “Purchase Agreement”), and is entitled to the benefits of, and evidences obligations incurred under the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.

 

This Note shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions as part of the agreement between the Holder and Obligor:

 

1. Maturity. Subject to Section 3 hereof, all Principal shall be due on demand of the Holder in one (1) installment on or after October 23, 2022 (the “Maturity Date”) or prior to such Maturity Date in an Event of Default as provided in Section 9 hereof. On the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall pay to the Holder an amount in cash representing all outstanding Principal, any unpaid Interest and any other outstanding amounts due to the Holder.

 

2. Payments; Interest. Interest shall be payable on the Maturity Date or the Conversion Date (except as set forth herein) in arrears to the Holder. Interest shall be calculated on the basis of the year of 360 days. Payment shall be made by wire transfer as instructed by the Holder or by check mailed within five (5) days of the date due, to the address of the Holder as indicated in the Purchase Agreement or as may be changed by the Holder upon ten (10) days written notice to the Obligor at the principal address identified in the Purchase Agreement. In the event that any payment to be made hereunder shall be or become due on Saturday, Sunday or any other day which is a legal bank holiday, such payment shall be or become due on the next succeeding business day.

 

 
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3. Prepayment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Note, at any time prior to the date that is thirty (30) days prior to the Maturity Date, the Obligor shall have the right, exercisable on not less than ten (10) days’ prior written notice to the Holder of the Note, to prepay the outstanding Principal amount and Interest then due under this Note, in whole or in part, in accordance with this Section 3. Any notice of prepayment hereunder (an “Optional Prepayment Notice”) shall be delivered to the Holder of the Note and shall state: (1) that the Obligor is exercising its right to prepay the Note, and (2) the date of prepayment (which shall not less than ten (10) days from the date of the Optional Prepayment Notice). On the date fixed for prepayment (the “Optional Prepayment Date”), the Borrower shall make payment of the Optional Prepayment Amount (as defined below) to or upon the order of the Holder as specified by the Holder in writing to the Borrower at least one (1) business day prior to the Optional Prepayment Date. If the Borrower exercises its right to prepay the Note, the Borrower shall make payment to the Holder of an amount in cash (the “Optional Prepayment Amount”) equal to the sum of: (i) the Principal amount, plus (ii) eight percent (8%) accrued and unpaid Interest on the Principal Amount to the Optional Prepayment Date.

 

4. Conversion.

 

(a) Mandatory Conversion at Maturity. On the Maturity Date, all amounts due under this Note, including any accrued and unpaid Interest hereon, shall automatically, with no additional action by the Holder or the Obligor, convert into shares of common stock of the Obligor, par value $0.001 per share, or, if the Obligor is acquired by, merges with or otherwise combines with a public company, shares of common stock of such public company (such Obligor common stock or public company common stock, as the case may be, the “Common Stock”), at a conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) equal to 75% of the 30-day average bid price of the Common Stock as then quoted on the OTCQB, OTCQX Markets, or listed on a national stock exchange (such Conversion Price representing a 25% discount).

 

(b) Earlier Mandatory Conversion at Sole Discretion of the Obligor. Prior to the Maturity Date, the Note will automatically convert, at the Obligor’s sole and absolute discretion and with no additional action by the Holder, into shares of Common Stock, at the then-applicable Conversion Price if the 30-day volume-weighted average price of the Common Stock exceeds $3.00/share.

 

(c) If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is subdivided (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization or otherwise) into a greater number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-subdivision prices. If the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock at any time, or from time to time, is combined (by combination, reverse stock split or otherwise) into a smaller number of shares, the Conversion Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased as necessary to the extent that the Conversion Price calculation may include pre-combination prices. Any adjustment under this Section shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective or, in the case of a stock dividend, the date of such event.

 

(d) If the Obligor, by reclassification of securities or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), shall change any of the securities as to which conversion rights under this Note exist into the same or a different number of securities of any other class or classes, this Note shall thereafter be convertible into such number and kind of securities as would have been issuable as the result of such change with respect to the securities that were subject to the conversion rights under this Note immediately prior to such reclassification or other change, and the Conversion Price therefore shall be appropriately adjusted, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. No adjustment shall be made pursuant to this Section 4(d) upon any conversion or redemption of the Common Stock which is the subject of Section 4(e).

 

 
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(e) In case of any capital reorganization of the capital stock of the Obligor (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or any merger or consolidation of the Obligor with or into another corporation, or the sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Obligor then, and in each such case, as a part of such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, lawful provision shall be made so that the Holder of this Note shall thereafter be entitled to receive upon conversion of this Note, the number of shares of stock or other securities or property (including cash) to which the holder of the shares deliverable upon conversion of this Note would have been entitled to receive in such reorganization, consolidation, merger, sale or transfer if this Note had been converted immediately before such reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale or transfer, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Section 4. The foregoing provisions of this Section 4(e) shall similarly apply to successive reorganizations, consolidations, mergers, sales and transfers and to the stock or securities of any other corporation that are at the time receivable upon the conversion of this Note. In all events, appropriate adjustment (as determined in good faith by the Obligor’s Board of Directors) shall be made in the application of the provisions of this Note with respect to the rights and interests of the Holder after the transaction, to the end that the provisions of this Note shall be applicable after that event, as near as reasonably may be, in relation to any shares or other property deliverable after that event upon conversion of this Note.

 

(f) In case all or any portion of the authorized and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Obligor are redeemed or converted or reclassified into other securities or property pursuant to the Obligor’s Certificate of Incorporation or otherwise (other than the acquisition, merger, or combination of the Obligor by or with a public company pursuant to Section 4(a), or any other combination, reclassification, exchange or subdivision of shares otherwise provided for herein), or the Common Stock otherwise ceases to exist, then, in such case, the Holder of this Note, upon conversion hereof at any time after the date on which the Common Stock is so redeemed or converted, reclassified or ceases to exist (the “Termination Date”), shall receive, in lieu of the number of Conversion Shares that would have been issuable upon such conversion immediately prior to the Termination Date, the securities or property that would have been received if this Note had been converted in full and the Common Stock received thereupon had been simultaneously converted immediately prior to the Termination Date, all subject to further adjustment as provided in this Note.

 

(g) Not later than ten (10) business days after the Conversion Date, the Obligor will deliver, or will cause to be delivered, to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the number of shares of Common Stock being acquired upon the conversion of all or a portion of the Principal amount of or Interest under this Note (the “Conversion Shares”). If the Obligor fails to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing the Conversion Shares pursuant to Section 4(a) of this Note by the close of business on the tenth business day after the date of exercise, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Obligor’s failure to timely deliver certificates representing Conversion Shares upon conversion of this Note as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

(h) Certificates representing shares of Common Stock to be delivered upon a conversion hereunder may bear restrictive legends and may be Restricted Securities as defined in the Purchase Agreement; such securities may be resold without registration under the Securities Act only in certain limited circumstances. Such shares may have affixed thereto a legend substantially in the following form:

 

THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR ANY OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS AND HAVE BEEN ISSUED IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND SUCH OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED, HYPOTHECATED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO A TRANSACTION THAT IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION.

 

 
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(i) The Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall at all times reserve out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock a number of Conversion Shares necessary to satisfy a full conversion of the Principal amount of and Interest under this Note (the “Required Reserve Amount”). If at any time while this Note remains outstanding the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) does not have a sufficient number of authorized shares of Common Stock to satisfy its obligation to reserve the Required Reserve Amount (an “Authorized Share Failure”), then the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall take all action necessary to increase its authorized shares of Common Stock to an amount sufficient to satisfy the Required Reserve Amount. As soon as practicable after the date of the occurrence of an Authorized Share Failure, but in no event later than thirty (30) days after the occurrence, the Obligor (or any public company that acquires Obligor pursuant to Section 4(a)) shall hold a meeting of its stockholders for the approval of an increase in the number of authorized shares of Common Stock. For the avoidance of doubt, an Authorized Share Failure shall constitute an Event of Default pursuant to Section 9 of this Note, notwithstanding the Obligor’s obligation or efforts to comply with the requirements set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.

 

(j) Upon a conversion hereunder the Obligor shall not be required to deliver stock certificates representing fractions of shares of Common Stock. All fractional shares shall be rounded to the nearest whole share as full, final and complete satisfaction of its obligations for any conversion hereunder.

 

(k) The transfer of certificates for Conversion Shares shall be made without cost or charge to the Holder in respect of the issue or delivery of such certificate, provided that the Obligor shall not be required to pay any tax that may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the issuance and delivery of any such certificate upon conversion.

 

(l) Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder shall be in writing and delivered in accordance with the Section 9.2 of the Purchase Agreement.

 

5. No Waiver. No failure or delay by the Holder in exercising any right, power or privilege under the Note shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege. The rights and remedies herein provided shall be cumulative and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law. No course of dealing between the Obligor and the Holder shall operate as a waiver of any rights by the Holder.

 

6. Waiver of Presentment and Notice of Dishonor. The Obligor and all endorsers, guarantors and other parties that may be liable under this Note hereby waive presentment, notice of dishonor, protest and all other demands and notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance or enforcement of this Note.

 

7. Transfer. This Note and the Conversion Shares may not be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned in the absence of (a) an effective registration statement for this Note or the Conversion Shares, as applicable, or (b) an opinion of counsel (selected by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Obligor), in a form reasonable acceptable to the Obligor, that this Note and the Conversion Shares may be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration.

 

 
4

 

 

8. Events of Default. The entire unpaid Principal amount of this Note and all accrued and unpaid Interest shall, at the option of the Holder exercised by written notice to the Obligor forthwith become immediately and be due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, if any one or more of the following events (herein called “Events of Default”) shall have occurred (for any reason whatsoever and whether such happening shall be voluntary or involuntary or come about or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to or in compliance with any judgement, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) and be continuing at the time of such notice; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of Default specified in clause (b) or (c) of this Section 9 occurs, all such amounts due under this Note shall become and be immediately due and payable without any notice, declaration or other act on the part of the Holder of this Note:

 

(a) if the Principal of this Note and the Interest due thereon is not paid when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity, or by acceleration or otherwise, and such default have continued for a period of seven (7) days.

 

(b) if the Obligor shall:

 

(i) file a petition in bankruptcy or petition to take advantage of any insolvency act;

 

(ii) on a petition in bankruptcy filed against the Obligor, be adjudicated a bankrupt; or

 

(iii) file a petition or answer seeking reorganization or arrangement under the Federal bankruptcy laws or any other applicable law or statute of the United States of America or any State, district or territory thereof;

 

(c) if a court of competent jurisdiction shall enter an order, judgment, or decree appointing, without the consent of the Obligor, a receiver of the whole or any substantial part of the Obligor's property, and such other judgment or decree shall not be vacated or set aside or stayed with thirty (30) days from the date of entry thereof;

 

(d) if, under the provisions of any other law for the relief or aid of debtors, any court or competent jurisdiction shall assume custody or control of the whole or any substantial part of Obligor's property and such custody or control shall not be terminated or stayed within (30) days from the date of assumption of such custody or control;

 

(e) if any money judgment, writ or similar process shall be entered or filed against the Obligor or any Subsidiary or any of its or their property or other assets for more than $100,000, and shall remain unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a period of thirty (30) days;

 

(f) there shall occur a dissolution, liquidation, or winding up of Obligor, any Subsidiary or any substantial portion of its or their business;

 

(g) if there is any cessation of operations by Obligor or any Subsidiary or Obligor or any Subsidiary admits it is otherwise generally unable to pay its debts as such debts become due;

 

(h) the failure by the Obligor or any Subsidiary to maintain any material intellectual property rights, personal property, real property or other assets or rights which are necessary to conduct its business (whether now or in the future);

 

 
5

 

 

(i) any court of competent jurisdiction issues an order declaring this Note, any other Transaction Document or any provision hereunder or thereunder to be illegal; or

 

(e) if the Obligor breaches any covenant, agreement, representation or warranty in any of the Transaction Documents, and such breach continues for a period of at least fifteen (15) days.

 

9. Remedies. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Holder may proceed to protect and enforce its rights whether by suit and/or equity and/or by action law, whether for the specific performance of any covenant or agreement contained in this Note or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Note, or the Holder may proceed to enforce the payment of all sums due upon the Note or enforce any other legal or equitable right of the Holder. In case any one or more of the Events of Default specified in Section 9 hereof shall have occurred, the Obligor shall pay the Holder for the costs of collection and enforcement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees.

 

10. Certain Covenants. So long as the Obligor shall have any obligation under this Note, the Obligor shall:

 

(a) maintain and preserve, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to maintain and preserve, its existence, rights and privileges, and become or remain, and cause each of its Subsidiaries to become or remain, duly qualified and in good standing in each jurisdiction in which the character of the properties owned or leased by it or in which the transaction of its business makes such qualification necessary.

 

11. Severability. In the event that one or more of the provisions of this Note shall for any reason be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of this Note, but this Note shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained herein.

 

12. Non-Circumvention. The Obligor hereby covenants and agrees that the Obligor will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Note, and will at all times in good faith carry out all of the provisions of this Note and take all action as may be required to protect the rights of the Holder of this Note.

 

13. Governing Law. This Note and the right and obligations of the Obligor and the Holder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect to the conflict of law provisions thereof.

 

14. Usury. To the extent it may lawfully do so, the Obligor hereby agrees not to insist upon or plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts to be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any action or proceeding that may be brought by the Holder in order to enforce any right or remedy under this Note. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Note, it is expressly agreed and provided that the total liability of the Obligor under this Note for payments which under California law are in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful rate authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum Rate”), and, without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest when aggregated with any other sums which under California law in the nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under this Note exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum contract rate of interest allowed by California law and applicable to this Note is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental action subsequent to the Issue Date, the new maximum contract rate of interest allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to this Note from the effective date thereof forward, unless such application is precluded by applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of the Maximum Rate is paid by the Obligor to the Holder with respect to indebtedness evidenced by this the Note, such excess shall be applied by the Holder to the unpaid principal balance of any such indebtedness or be refunded to the Obligor, the manner of handling such excess to be at the Holder’s election.

 

 
6

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, The Hempacco Company Inc., has signed this Note effective as of the 10th day of May, 2021.

 

 

OBLIGOR:

 

 

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.
     
By: /s/Sandro Piancone

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
Title:

CEO

 
     

 

 

7

 

EXHIBIT 10.18

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of November 12, 2019

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
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(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
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If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

Name:

Dennis Holba & Raffaella Marsh

 

Title:

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

  

 
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EXHIBIT 10.19

 

SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE

 

Principal Amount: US $ 50,000

Issuance Date: February 17, 2020

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the "Obligor"), hereby promises to pay to the order of Jerry Halamuda (the "Holder"), the principal amount of fifty thousand Dollars ($50,000) payable as set forth below (“Principal”). The Obligor also promises to pay to the order of the Holder interest on the principal amount hereof at a rate of 0% percent per annum, which interest (“Interest”) shall be payable at term. The payments of Principal and interest hereunder shall be made in the currency of the United States of America.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be paid in full on May 17th 2020. The Corporation may make full or partial prepayments of principal and interest at any time prior to maturity. Any such prepayments shall first be applied to accrued interest and then to principal. The company has agreed to issue 25,000 shares as inducement to make the loan.

 

The holder, at his sole election, may decide to convert the principle and interest to common shares in Hempacco Co, Inc at the price of $1.00 per share.

 

The loan will be guaranteed with 7 fully working and operational kiosks, which will be wrapped and in perfect working order.

 

Payments of both principal and interest shall be made in lawful money of the United States of America to the Lender at: San Diego, CA or at such other address as may be designated by the Lender in writing.

 

The obligations undertaken by the Corporation under the terms of this Note are senior in liquidation preference to all other outstanding debts, obligations, or securities of the Corporation.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Corporation. This Note is binding upon the Corporation and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Corporation hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Corporation further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Corporation may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

The Corporation agrees to pay all costs of collection of this Note, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and any attorneys’ fees incurred in appellate, bankruptcy, or post-judgment proceedings. This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law. The Corporation and Lender hereby submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the State and Federal courts located in the State of Nevada.

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

THE CORPORATION

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: CEO

 

Sandro Piancone (personally)

 

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

LENDER

Jerry Halamuda

 

By: /s/ Jerry Halamuda

Name:

Title:

 

 
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EXHIBIT 10.20

 

THIS NOTE AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON THE EXERCISE OF THE WARRANTS HEREOF HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF CERTAIN STATES. THESE SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT OR AN EXEMPTION THEREFROM. THE ISSUER OF THESE SECURITIES MAY REQUIRE AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY TO THE ISSUER THAT SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR HYPOTHECATION OTHERWISE COMPLIES WITH THE ACT AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.

 

THE HEMPACCO COMPANY, INC

 

PROMISSORY NOTE

 

And

 

WARRANT PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

[$200,000]

February 16, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, THE HEMPACCO COMPANY, Inc, a Nevada corporation (the "Company"), promises to pay to Jerry Halamuda or his registered assigns, ("Investor") Investor and Company may individually be referred to as a "Party" and collectively be referred to as the "Parties," in lawful money of the United States of America the principal sum of Two Hundred Thousand [$200,000] dollars with interest accruing from the date of this Convertible Promissory Note (this "Note") on the unpaid principal balance at a rate equal to Eight (8%) Percent per annum, computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed and a year of 365 days. All unpaid principal, together with any then unpaid and accrued interest and other amounts payable hereunder, shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) the 12th month anniversary of the Initial Closing Date (the "Maturity Date"); (ii) upon the occurrence of a Liquidity Event or (iii) such other date in accordance with the terms specified in Section 1, the Promissory Note, in each case, in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

In further consideration for the provision of the loan to the Company, the Company shall issue to the Investor Warrants for the purchase of shares of the Common Stock of the Company in the amount, time and having an exercise price as shall be set forth herein.

 

 
1

 

 

The following is a statement of the facts and circumstances pertaining to the issuance of and the conditions to which this Note and the Warrant are subject, and to which Investor, by the acceptance of this Note acknowledges and agrees:

 

A. The Company has been in existence and good standing since April 2019 when it was incorporated in and pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada;

 

B. Investor is an accredited investor as such term in defined in Rule 50l(a) under the Securities Act of 1933 as issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission and has full and complete opportunity to obtain such information as it deemed appropriate and necessary in order to make an informed investment decision and has performed such diligence. By executing this Agreement, Investor shall so certify and agree to execute such other documents, such as a Subscription Agreement, which the Company may require.

 

C. The Company is currently engaged in negotiations to engage in a reverse merger transaction with Green Globe International, Inc. (GGII) whose common stock is currently trading in the Over-the-Counter market.

 

D. The Note to be issued hereunder is one of a series of such Notes with an aggregate principal amount outstanding of two hundred fifty thousand ($250,000) dollars when issued.

 

E. There are currently outstanding 8,000,000 shares of the common stock of the Company and 8,000,000 shares of its preferred stock.

 

Now therefore for and in consideration of the receipt by the Company of the amount $200,000 and other good and valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:

 

1. The Promissory Note.

 

(a) Interest. Interest on this Note shall accrue from the date of the Note and be payable at Maturity.

 

(b) Voluntary Prepayment. This Note and all accrued interest may be prepaid at any time prior to Maturity;

 

(c) Mandatory Prepayment. If a Liquidity Event occurs prior to Maturity, the outstanding principal amount of this Note, plus all accrued and unpaid interest, shall be due and payable upon the closing of such Liquidity Event.

 

2. Events of Default. The occurrence of any of the following shall constitute an "Event of Default" under this Note and the Transaction Documents and shall constitute an acceleration of the Maturity Date to the date of such Event of Default:

 

(a) Failure to Pay. The Company shall fail to pay when due: (i) any principal payment on the due date hereunder or (ii) any interest payment or other payment required under the terms of this Note or any other Transaction Document on the date due; or

 

 
2

 

 

(b) Breaches of Covenants. The Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant, obligation, condition or agreement contained in this Note or the other Transaction Documents and such failure shall continue for ten (10) business days after the Company's receipt of written notice to the Company of such failure; or

 

(c) Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certificate, or other statement (financial or otherwise) made or furnished by or on behalf of the Company to Investor in writing in connection with this Note or any of the other Transaction Documents, or as an inducement to Investor to enter into this Note and the other Transaction Documents, shall be false, incorrect, incomplete or misleading in any material respect when made or furnished; or

 

(d) Reserved

 

(e) Other Payment Obligations. Defaults shall exist under any agreements (other than the Notes) of the Company with any third party or parties which consists of the failure to pay any indebtedness for borrowed money at maturity or which results in a right by such third party or parties, whether or not exercised, to accelerate the maturity of such indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company, in each case, in an aggregate amount in excess of fifty thousand ($50,000) dollars; or

 

(f) Voluntary Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings. The Company shall (i) apply for or consent to the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator or custodian of itself or of all or a substantial part of its property, (ii) admit in writing its inability to pay its debts generally as they mature, (iii) make a general assignment for the benefit of any of its creditors, (iv) be dissolved or liquidated, (v) commence a voluntary case or other proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to itself or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or consent to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession of its property by any official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it, or (vi) take any action for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; or

 

(g) Involuntary Bankruptcy or Insolvency Proceedings. Proceedings for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator or custodian of the Company, or of all or a substantial part of the property thereof, or an involuntary case or other proceedings seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, if any, or the debts thereof under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect shall be commenced and an order for relief entered or such proceeding shall not be dismissed or discharged within ninety (90) days of commencement; or

 

(h) Judgments. A final judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) (exclusive of amounts covered by insurance) shall be rendered against the Company and the same shall remain undischarged for a period of thirty (30) days during which execution shall not be effectively stayed, or any judgment, writ, assessment, warrant of attachment, or execution or similar process shall be issued or levied against a substantial part of the property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, if any and such judgment, writ, or similar process shall not be released, stayed, vacated or otherwise dismissed within 30 days after issue or levy.

 

 
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3. Rights of Investor upon Default. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default (other than an Event of Default described in Sections 2(f) or 2(g)) and at any time thereafter during the continuance of such Event of Default, Investor may, by written notice to the Company, declare all outstanding Obligations payable by the Company hereunder to be immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or any other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, anything contained herein or in the other Transaction Documents to the contrary notwithstanding. Upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in Sections 2(f) and 2(g), immediately and without notice, all outstanding Obligations payable by the Company hereunder shall automatically become immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, anything contained herein or in the other Transaction Documents to the contrary notwithstanding. In addition to the foregoing remedies, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, Investor may exercise any other right power or remedy granted to it by the Transaction Documents or otherwise permitted to it by law, either by suit in equity or by action at law, or both.

 

4. The Warrant.

 

(a) Description. Simultaneous with the issuance of any Note, and as further consideration for the provision of the funds evidenced by the Note, the Company shall issue to the Investor three hundred thousand (600,000) Warrants evidenced by a Certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit 4(a) representing the right of the Investor to purchase up to three hundred thousand (600,000) shares of the Common Stock of the issued and outstanding Common Stock following any reverse stock split following the merger or reverse merger of the Company into or with Green Globe International, Inc or any entity being the surviving entity in such a consolidation transaction.

 

(b) Duration of Warrant Rights. The Warrant shall be exercisable at any time commencing at such time as the Merger Transaction shall have been concluded with any post-closing stock splits of any kind having become effective and continuing for a period of five years.

 

(c) Price of Shares of Issuable upon Exercise of Warrant. The price for the exercise of the Warrant shall be one ($1.00) dollar per share

 

(d) No voting rights Holders of the Notes and the Warrants shall not have voting rights until such time as the Warrant has been exercised and stock shall have been duly issued at which time the Issued Stock shall have the same rights and privileges as all other stock of the same class outstanding at that time.

 

(e) Call Option The Company shall have the option to cause the Warrants be exercised at any time that the common stock of the Company shall have traded in any public market at an average closing price of $2.00 per share for twenty days out of any thirty trading day period. Such Call Option may be exercised by the Company upon tendering to the holder a notice of such Call and payment of the exercise price within three (3) business days thereafter.

 

 
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(t) Trading of Stock

 

(i) The Company will use its commercially reasonable best efforts to cause any stock issued upon exercise of the Warrant to be eligible for trading in the shortest possible time without restrictions being imposed upon the purchaser or recipient.

 

(ii) Stock issued upon exercise of the Warrant will contain one or more legends indicating any restrictions on trading that may then be in place and the Company shall cause its register to reflect such restrictions on trading.

 

(g) Exercise Procedure. As set forth in the Warrant Certificate

 

(h) Reserve Adequate Common Stock. The Company shall, at all times that any Warrants issued hereunder shall remain outstanding and unexercised, hold in reserve that number of authorized but unissued shares of its Common Stock sufficient to be issued upon exercise of any such Warrants.

 

5. Most Favored Nations. The Company covenants and agrees that if, within ninety (90) days of the issuance this Note to the Investor, it issues any convertible or other form of debt (the "New Notes") that contains terms materially differing from those set forth in this Note or would dilute the interest of the holder of the Warrants, then, at the option of the Investor, the Company shall amend this Note to include any terms from the New Notes that the Investor elects and its stock interests not be diluted.

 

6. Definitions. As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms have the following meanings:

 

I. "Event of Default" has the meaning given in Section 2 hereof.

 

2. "Initial Closing Date" shall mean the date when the Company shall have determined that the principal amount of all of the Notes to be issued has been received by the Company.

 

3. "Merger Transaction" shall mean the closing of the Company's proposed merger or reverse merger or equivalent transaction with GGII or equivalent entity.

 

4. "Investor" shall mean the Person specified in the introductory paragraph of this Note or any Person who shall at the time be the registered holder of this Note or Warrant. Investors" shall mean the investors that have purchased Notes.

 

5. "Issued Stock" shall mean the stock to be issued by the Company upon exercise of a Warrant or as converted into or exchanged with GGII or other entity in connection with the Merger Transaction.

 

6. "Lien" shall mean, with respect to any property, any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, claim, charge or other encumbrance.

 

 
5

 

 

7. "Liquidity Event" shall mean (i) the receipt by the Company of proceeds from any financing transaction in the principal amount of $250,000 or greater; (ii) any consolidation or merger, in any form, of the Company with or into any other corporation or other entity or person, or any other corporate reorganization; currently contemplated to be with GGII; (iii) a sale, lease, exclusive license or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; or (iv) any transaction or series of related transactions to which the Company is a party in which in excess of 50% of the Company's voting power is transferred.

 

8. "Obligations" shall mean and include all loans, advances, debts, liabilities and obligations, howsoever arising, owed by the Company to Investor of every kind and description, now existing or hereafter arising under or pursuant to the terms of this Note and the other Transaction Documents, including, all interest, fees, charges, expenses, attorneys' fees and costs and accountants' fees and costs chargeable to and payable by the Company hereunder and thereunder, in each case, whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due, and whether or not arising after the commencement of a proceeding under Title 11 of the United States Code (11 U. S. C. Section 101 et seq.), as amended from time to time (including post-petition interest) and whether or not allowed or allowable as a claim in any such proceeding. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Obligations" shall not include any obligations of Company under or with respect to any warrants to purchase Company's capital stock.

 

9. "Person" shall mean and include an individual, a partnership, a corporation (including a business trust), a joint stock company, a limited liability company, an unincorporated association, a joint venture or other entity or a governmental authority.

 

10. "Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

11. "Transaction Documents" shall mean this Note, any Warrant Agreement or Certificate and any Subscription Agreement executed by the Investor.

 

7. Miscellaneous.

 

(a) Successors and Assigns, Transfer of this Note, the Warrant and any securities issuable upon exercise of any Warrant.

 

(i) Subject to the restrictions on transfer described in this Section 7(a), the rights and obligations of the Company and Investor shall be binding upon and benefit the successors, assigns, heirs, administrators and transferees of the parties.

 

 
6

 

 

(ii) With respect to any offer, sale or other disposition of this Note, the Warrant or any Issued Stock, Investor will give written notice to the Company prior thereto, describing briefly the manner thereof, together with evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company or any successor, to the effect that such offer, sale or other distribution may be effected without registration or qualification (under any federal or state law then in effect). Upon receiving such written notice and any reasonably satisfactory legal opinion, if so requested, or other evidence, the Company, as promptly as practicable, shall notify Investor that Investor may sell or otherwise dispose of this Note, the Warrant or such Issued Stock, all in accordance with the terms of the notice delivered to the Company. If a determination has been made pursuant to this Section 7(a) that the opinion of counsel for Investor, or other evidence, is not reasonably satisfactory to the Company, the Company shall so notify Investor promptly after such determination has been made. Each Note thus transferred and each certificate representing the Issued Stock thus transferred shall bear a legend as to the applicable restrictions on transferability in order to ensure compliance with the Securities Act, unless in the opinion of counsel for the Company such legend is not required in order to ensure compliance with the Securities Act. The Company may issue stop transfer instructions to its transfer agent in connection with such restrictions. Subject to the foregoing, transfers of this Note shall be registered upon registration books maintained for such purpose by or on behalf of the Company. Prior to presentation of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company shall treat the registered holder hereof as the owner and holder of this Note for the purpose of receiving all payments of principal and interest hereon and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not this Note shall be overdue and the Company shall not be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

(iii) Neither this Note nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned, by operation of law or otherwise, in whole or in part, by the Company without the prior written consent of the Investor.

 

(b) Waiver and Amendment. Any provision of this Note may be amended, waived or modified only upon the written consent of the Company and the Investor.

 

(c) Notices. All notices, requests, demands, consents, instructions, or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, sent via email or other electronic transmission and mailed or delivered to each party at the respective addresses of the parties, or at such other address or electronic address as the Company shall have furnished to Investor in writing. All such notices and communications will be deemed effectively given the earlier of (i) when received, (ii) when delivered personally, (iii) one business day after being delivered by electronic transmission (with receipt of appropriate confirmation), (iv) one business day after being deposited with an overnight courier service of recognized standing or (v) four days after being deposited in the U.S. mail, first class with postage prepaid.

 

(d) Pari Passu Notes. Investor acknowledges and agrees that the payment of all or any portion of the outstanding principal amount of this Note and all interest hereon shall be pari-passu in right of payment and in all other respects to the other Notes.

 

(e) Default Rate; Usury. During any period in which an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Company shall pay interest on the unpaid principal balance hereof at a rate per annum equal to five percent (5%) higher than the rate otherwise applicable hereunder. In the event any interest payable on this Note is deemed to be in excess of the then legal maximum rate, then that portion of the interest payment representing an amount in excess of the then legal maximum rate shall be deemed a payment of principal and applied against the principal of this Note.

 

 
7

 

 

(t) Waivers. The Company hereby waives notice of default, presentment or demand for payment, protest or notice of nonpayment or dishonor and all other notices or demands relative to this instrument.

 

(g) Governing Law. This Note and all actions arising out of or in connection with this Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions of the State of Nevada, or of any other state.

 

(h) Waiver of Jury Trial; Judicial Reference. By acceptance of this Note, Investor hereby agrees and the Company hereby agrees to waive their respective rights to a jury trial of any claim or cause of action based upon or arising out of this Note or any of the Transaction Documents. This paragraph shall not restrict a party from exercising remedies under the Uniform Commercial Code or from exercising pre-judgment remedies under applicable law.

 

(i) Counterparts. This Note may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties on separate counterparts, each of which, when executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original, and all of which, when taken together, shall constitute but one and the same Note.

 

(j) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties. It supersedes any other agreements which might exist as to the subject matter of this Agreement. It may not be amended except by a written instrument executed on behalf of each party to be bound thereby.

 

(k) Due Authorization and Power to Act. The Parties each represent that they have the power to enter into this Agreement and each signatory is duly authorized to bind such signatory.

 

 
8

 

 

 

The Company

 

THE HEMPACCO COMPANY, INC.

a Nevada corporation

 

[INVESTOR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

By:

/s/ Jerry Halamuda

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Jerry Halamuda

 

Title:

CEO

 

Title:

Investor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
9

 

EXHIBIT 10.21

 

PROMISSORY NOTE AGREEMENT

 

AMENDMENT 1

 

This AMENDMENT 1 to the PROMISSORY NOTE (the “Agreement”), effective as of May 17, 2020 is entered into by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada company (the “Company”) and Jerry Halamuda (individually, a “Purchaser”.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser, entered into a Promissory Note Agreement resulting in the issuance of promissory notes to the Purchaser which is incorporated herein by reference; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser desire to amend the Agreement and the terms of the issued promissory notes to extend the Maturity Date to August 17th 2020 or sooner and accrue all interest until the amended Maturity Date.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and of the mutual representations, warranties, covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and other valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Section 2 (a) of the Agreement shall be replaced with the following:

 

(a) Term and Interest. All principal and accrued interest under the Notes shall be due and payable on August 17, 2020 (the “Maturity Date”). The Notes shall bear interest at a rate equal to zero 0% per annum payable on the Maturity Date. On the Maturity Date. The company has agreed to issue 25,000 shares as inducement to extend the loan.

 

[REMAINDER OF THE PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Amendment 1 to the Agreement to be executed on its behalf effective as of the date first written above.

 

COMPANY:

Hempacco Co., INC.,

A Nevada Corporation

 

By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name: Sandro Piancone

Title: CEO

 

PURCHASER:

JERRY HALAMUDA

 

By: /s/ Jerry Halamuda

Name: _______________________

Title: _______________________

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.22

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$50,000

as of March 5, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Fifty Thousand US Dollars ($50,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

 

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

Mario Taverna

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mario Taverna

 

Name:

Mario Taverna

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

  

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.23

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$50,000

as of March 10, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Fifty Thousand US Dollars ($50,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

Mario Taverna

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Mario Taverna

 

Name:

Mario Taverna

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

  

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.24

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE.  THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM. 

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of March 9, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

     
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
Title: CEO  

 

LENDER
Name: Valentino Mordini  

 

 

 

By:

Name:

/s/ Valentino Mordini

 
Title:  
Address: [redacted]  

Address:

[redacted]

 

 

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.25

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of March 10, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

     
By: /s/Sandro Piancone

Name:

Sandro Piancone  
Title: CEO  

 

LENDER
Name: Romeo Fiori  

 

 

 

By: /s/ Romeo Fiori

Name:

 
Title:  
Address: [redacted]  

Address:

[redacted]

 

 

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.26

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of March 15, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

J. Lin Inc.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ James Lindsay

 

Name:

J Lin Inc.

 

Title:

President

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

  

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.27

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of 4-1-2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

Sylvester Barnes

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

 

 

Address:

 

 

 

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.28

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

12% ONE YEAR NOTE

 

$25,000

as of April 13, 2021

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, HEMPACCO CO, INC., a Nevada Corporation (the “Company”), promises to pay to the undersigned Lender, its heirs or assigns (the “Lender”), on the first anniversary of the date of this Note (the “Maturity Date”), the principal sum of Twenty Five Thousand US Dollars ($25,000), plus any and all outstanding or accrued interest. Interest on the original principal sum shall accrue and be payable at the rate of twelve percent (12%) per annum.

 

Any interest not paid when due will be added to the principal and will thereafter bear interest at the rate per annum applicable to the principal hereof. The original principal sum, all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts then outstanding shall be subject to mandatory conversion whereby the outstanding principal and interest of the Notes will automatically convert, with no additional action required from the holders, into shares of Common Stock, at $1.00 per share, subject to adjustment and additional terms as included in the Note.

 

The undersigned Lender hereby represents and warrants to the Company the following with respect to his financial status and investment sophistication:

 

(a) Lender has the ability to bear the economic risks of lending under this Note.

 

(b) (i) Lender has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial, business, or investment matters to participate in this Note. By reason of Lender's business or financial experience Lender has the capacity to evaluate the merits and risk of, and protect Lender's interests in connection with, the loan under this Note; or (ii) Lender has a preexisting personal or business relationship with the one or more of the officers or directors of the Company, of a nature and duration as would allow the Lender to be aware of the character, business acumen, general business and financial circumstances of the person(s) with whom such relationship exists. Lender acknowledges that the Note and the Shares are instruments for which no market exists.

 

(c) Lender is an "accredited investor" as the term is defined in, Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act").

 

 
-1-

 

 

(d) Lender is (i) a bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; (ii) an employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5 million; (iii) a charitable organization, corporation, or partnership with assets exceeding $5 million; (iv) a director, executive officer, or general partner of the company selling the securities; (v) a business in which all the equity owners are accredited investors; (vi) a natural person who has individual net worth, or joint net worth with the person’s spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of the purchase, excluding the value of the primary residence of such person; (vii) a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year; or (viii) a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

 

Lender acknowledges and accepts that the Shares issued in connection with this Note will be restricted and bear the following or a similar legend:

 

THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT"), OR UNDER THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE. THESE SECURITIES ARE SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS ON TRANSFERABILITY AND RESALE AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OR RESOLD EXCEPT AS PERMITTED UNDER THE ACT AND THE APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION AND QUALIFICATION OR EXEMPTION THEREFROM.

 

This Note may be assigned, in whole or in part, by the Lender without the express written consent of the Company. This Note is binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of the Lender, his heirs and assigns.

 

All of the Lender’s rights and remedies under this Note are cumulative and non-exclusive. The acceptance by the Lender of any partial performance hereunder shall not establish any waiver of the strict enforcement of this Note’s terms. The Company hereby waives presentment, protest, notice of presentment, default or nonpayment of this Note. The Company further waives any and all notice or similar rights to which the Company may be entitled with respect to this Note by application of any law.

 

This Note has been delivered in, and shall be governed by and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of Nevada, without regard to its principles of conflicts of law.

 

The parties hereby submit all controversies, claims and matters of difference arising out of this Note to arbitration in the State of Nevada, according to the rules and practices of the American Arbitration Association from time to time in force. This submission and agreement to arbitrate shall be specifically enforceable.

 

 
-2-

 

 

If any legal action or any arbitration or other proceeding is brought for the enforcement of this Note, or because of an alleged dispute breach, default or misrepresentation in connection with any of the provisions of this Note, the successful or prevailing party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs incurred in that action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled.

 

The books and records of the Company relating to all matters shall be available for inspection and copying at request of the Lender during ordinary business hours. The Lender shall also have the right, to meet with the Company's accountants and discuss with them any and all business of the Company.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Note as of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY

 

HEMPACCO CO, INC.

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

Name:

Sandro Piancone

 

Title:

CEO

 

 

 

 

LENDER

 

Name:

Roger Ladd

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

/s/ Roger Ladd

 

Title:

 

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

Address:

[redacted]

 

 

 
-3-

 

EXHIBIT 10.29

 

STANDARD INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL MULTI-TENANT LEASE - GROSS

 

Basic Provisions ("Basic Provisions")

 

1.1 Parties: This Lease ("Lease"), dated for reference purposes only January 1, 2020

Is made by and Between Primus Logistics. Inc. ("Lessor") and Hempacco Co., lnc. ("Lessee"), (Collectively the "Parties", or individually a "Party").

 

1.2(a) Premises: That certain port ion of the Project (as defined below), including all improvements therein or to be provided by Lessor under the terms of this Lease, commonly known by the street address of 9925 Airway Road, located in the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, State of California, with zip code 92154, as outlined on Exhibit A attached hereto ("Premises") and generally described as (describe briefly the nature of the premises): an approximately 2,500 square foot industrial space co, plus 2,500 square feet of offices (up front-downstairs) as part of a larger building totaling approximately 53,561 square feet.

 

In addition to Lessee's rights to use and occupy the Premises as hereinafter specified, Lessee shall have non-exclusive rights to any utility raceways of the building containing the Premises (Building') and to the common Areas (as defined in Paragraph

2.7 below) but shall not have any rights to the roof or exterior walls of the Building or to any other buildings in the Project. The Premises, the Building, the Common areas, the land upon which they are located, along with all other buildings and improvements thereon, are herein collectively referred to as the "Project"

 

1.2(b) Parking: Eight (8) unreserved vehicle parking spaces.

 

1.3 Term: Six Years (6) commencing years and Zero (0) months (“Original Term”) commencing January 1st 2020 (“Commencement Date”) and ending DECEMBER 31st, 2026 (“Expiration Date”).

 

1.4 Early Possession: If the Premises are available, Lessee may have non-exclusive possession of the Premises commencing:

 

mutual lease execution, payment of total monies due and Certificate of Insurance ("Early Possession Date").

 

1.5 Base Rent: $ 10,000.00 per month ("Base Rent"), payable on day of each month commencing January 1st, 2020.

 

1.6 Lessee's Share of Common Areas operating Expenses: (0%)

 

("Lessee's Share"). In the event that the size of the Premises and/or the Project are modified during the term of this Lease, Lessor shall recalculate Lessee's Share to reflect such modification.

 

1.7 Base Rent and Other Monies Paid Upon Execution:

 

a) Base Rent: $10,000.00 For the period January 1. 2020 – December 31, 2026

 

b) Common Area Operating Expenses: $0.00 for the period January 1. 2020 – December 31, 2026

 

c) Security Deposit: $0 ("Security Deposit"). (See also Paragraph 5)

 

d) Other: $ ______________ for _______________.

 

1.8 Agreed Use: Production, Warehouse distribution, general office administration and any other legally permitted use. Primus Logistics, Inc. will have use of the doors to load and unload merchandise, but will not inventory any product in the designated areas.

 

 
1

 

 

1.9 Insuring Party. Lessor is the "Insuring Party".

 

1.10 Attachments. Attached hereto are the following, all of which constitute a part of this lease:

 

site plan depicting the Premises;

 

___________________

___________________

 

 

INITIALS

INITIALS

 

ADDENDUM TO THE STANDARD INDUSTRIAL/COMMERCIAL MULTI-TENANT LEASE – GROSS BY AND BETWEEN PRIM US LOGISTICS, INC AS LESSEE AND HEMPACCO CO, INC. AS LESSOR FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 9925 AIRWAY ROAD, SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

 

2.0 RENT INCREASES: The base rent shall be adjusted by a three percent (3%) fixed annual increase as follows:

 

Year 2) January 1st, 2021 - December 31st, 2021 the base rent shall be $10,300 per month, GROSS Year 3)

January 1st, 2022 - December 31st, 2022 the base rent shall be $ 10,609 per month, GROSS Year 4)

January 1st, 2023 - December 31st, 2023 the base rent shall be $ 10,926.27 per month, GROSS

Year 5) January 1st, 2024 - December 31st, 2024 the base rent shall be $ 11,254.06 per month, GROSS

Year 6) January 1st, 2025 - December 31st, 2025 the base rent shall be $ 11,591.68 per month, GROSS

 

2.1 OFFICE S PACE: Lessee shall have non-exclusive use of the reception/lobby area, conference room, break room and restrooms on the second floor area.

 

2.2 UTILITIES: The lease shall include all electricity.

 

/s/ Juan Hererra   /s/ Sandro Piancone  
Primus Logistics, Inc   Hempacco Co. Inc.  
Juan Hererra   Sandro Piancone  

 

 
2

 

EXHIBIT 10.30

 

November 6, 2019

 

Sales and Marketing Agreement

 

This agreement between Hempacco Inc., and Cube17, Inc. is project management, sales and marketing services.

 

Term: This agreement is good for one year and can be terminated after one year with thirty days notice by either party. Commissions from sales and marketing efforts will continue to be paid for the life of the account or channel as specified on Commissions.

 

Fee: The fee for Project Management 400,000 new shares and $10,000 per month. The fee will be paid at a minimum of 5% of funding as it comes into the company from anyone (not just from Cube's efforts). For example, if December brings in $100,000 in funding, only $5,000 will be paid towards the Project Management Fee. The rest will be paid when more funding comes in, until project management fees are current. Fees does not include traveling expenses.

 

Commission: Hempacco Inc., will pay commissions to Cube17, Inc. in two weeks or less with the following formula.

 

General Compensation

 

 

·

5% of any business brought by Cube17, Inc.

 

·

2.5% if there is another broker in the middle (I will also target brokers)

 

·

5% from online leads

 

·

5% of machine sales, business opportunities, and other programs junta

 

House Brands Compensation

 

 

·

5% of sales brought by Cube17, Inc.

 

·

5% of website leads for house brands

 

·

5% sales to retailer. With broker in the middle, 2.5%

 

·

10% of online retail sales

 

·

House brands are those owned by Hempacco, Inc. such as The Real Stuff.

 

Activities: The activities are specified in the Marketing Plan.

 

 

/s/ Jorge Olson     /s/ Sandro Piancone  

 

Jorge Olson for Cube17, Inc.

    Sandro Piancone for Hempacco, Inc.  

 

EXHIBIT 10.31

 

STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERS, INC.

 

Strategic Global Partners, Inc.

1785 East Sahara Avenue Suite 490

Las Vegas, NV 89104

(619) 254-2720

 

CONSULTING & MARKETING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of Wednesday, January 3, 2020

 

By and Between

 

Strategic Global Partners, Inc. (SGP) (the Consultant)

 

And

 

Hempacco Co,, Inc. (Hemp) (the Company)

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company desires to promote its business to customers to customers in the USA and around the world.

 

B. The Consultant and its founder has extensive knowledge and expertise in the areas of sales, marketing and logistics to distributors and supermarket chains in USA and around the world; and

 

C. The Company recognizes the substantial experience and knowledge of the Consultant in matters relating their respective expertise; and

 

D. The Company further recognizes that it is in the best interest of the Company to engage the services of the Consultant; and

 

E. The Company desires to retain the valuable services and counsel of the Consultant, and the Consultant desires to render such services to the Company upon the terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants set forth below, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Recitals: The Recitals to this Agreement are hereby incorporated into this agreement as though fully restated herein.

 

 

/s/ SP     /s/ SP  

 

SGP Initialed     HEMP Initials  

 

 
1

 

 

STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERS, INC.

 

2. Engagement: The Company hereby engages the Consultant, and the Consultant accepts engagement by the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

3. Term: The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date hereof and shall continue for a period of Sixty (60) months, and then continue on a month to month basis.

 

4. Duties: During the term of this Agreement, the Consultant will provide consulting services to the Company as requested. These services will be performed on a best efforts basis and will include, without limitation, assistance in finding distributors for its products, and supermarket chains all with the objective of accomplishing the business and financial goals of the Company. In each case, the Consultant will exercise its best efforts to accomplish the goals established by the Company and shall comply with all applicable laws in connection with the performance of the Agreement. Specific expectations and deliverables are outlined in Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

5. Consulting Service Compensation: The Company shall pay a monthly consulting fee of $10,000 per month for sixty (60) months starting on the date of the execution of this agreement.

 

In addition to the monthly consulting fee the Company will review the Consultant's performance on a monthly basis and recommend bonus cash compensation and equity bonus, In addition, the company shall pay for life insurance and health insurance agreeable by both parties.

 

6. Nature of Engagement: The Consultant is being engaged by the Company as an independent contractor and shall be responsible for payment of its own taxes. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to create an employer-employee relationship between the parties.

 

7. Expenses: Upon receipt of requests from the Consultant for reimbursement, the Company shall reimburse the Consultant for all reasonable and necessary expenses the Consultant incurs, prior to and after the date of this Agreement in performing its duties in connection with this Agreement with prior approval of the company.

 

8. Termination. This Agreement is terminable by either party on 12 (twelve) months' notice by written notice from either party. Address for notice:

 

Sandro Piancone

CEO

Strategic Global Partners, Inc

1785 East Sahara Ave #490

Las Vegas, NV 89104

 

Sandro Piancone

President

Hempacco Co., Inc

9925 Airway Rd.

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 

/s/ SP     /s/ SP  

 

SGP Initialed     HEMP Initials  

 

 
2

 

 

STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERS, INC.

 

Following the termination of the Agreement, the Company shall pay to Consultant compensation and equity granted in full satisfaction earned through the date of termination. All of the Consultant's other rights under the Agreement (except for those associated with the previously earned compensation and granted equity except as otherwise set forth within the Agreement) shall immediately be terminated and the Company shall have no further obligations to the Consultant.

 

9. Miscellaneous Provisions:

 

a. Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by, interpreted and enforced in accordance with the Laws of the State of Nevada.

 

b. Waiver: The waiver by any party hereto of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of any other breach of any provision of this Agreement by any party.

 

c. Entire Agreement: This instrument contains the entire Agreement of the parties concerning engagement and may not be changed or modified except by written agreement duly executed by the parties hereto.

 

d. Successors and Assigns: This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns.

 

e. Confidentiality: Except as may otherwise be required by Law, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain strictly confidential. To the extent permitted by the Law, the Board of Directors of the Company shall ensure that no person other than Members of the Board of Directors of the Company and appropriate Officers of the Company are made aware of the terms of this Agreement. In addition, neither the Company nor the Consultant shall, either directly or indirectly through their respective Officers, Directors, Employees, Shareholders, Partners, Joint Ventures, Agents, Consultant, Contractor, Affiliates or any other person, disclose, communicate, disseminate or otherwise breach the confidentiality of all or any provision of this Agreement, without the express written consent of both parties to this Agreement. Consultant agrees that it will not disclose confidential information received from the Company to any third party except as necessary to fulfill the terms of this Agreement or as such disclosure may be required by law. For purposes of this Agreement, "confidential information" shall mean information provided by the Company to Consultant that is not otherwise available to Consultant from sources outside the Company.

 

f. Specific Performance: Strict compliance shall be required with each and every provision of this Agreement. The parties hereto agree that breach of this Agreement shall result in irreparable damage, and that specific performance of these obligations may be obtained.

 

 

/s/ SP     /s/ SP  

 

SGP Initialed     HEMP Initials  

 

 
3

 

 

STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERS, INC.

 

g. Additional Documents: The Company agrees to execute such other documents and agreements to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement, as the Consultant may request from time to time.

 

h. Assignments: The obligation of the parties under this Agreement shall not be assigned without the written consent of the parties. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, however, the Consultant shall be entitled to provide that any funds payable or stock issuable to it, pursuant to the Agreement, shall instead be paid or issued to another person by written request.

 

i. Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and all counterparts will be considered as part of one agreement binding on all parties to this Agreement.

 

j. Facsimile Signatures: The parties may execute this Agreement by facsimile, which signature[s] shall be deemed as an original and shall be binding upon such party.

 

k. Severability: If any term, condition or provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any party of circumstance shall, at any time or to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such term, condition or provision to parties or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each term, condition and provision of their Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by the Law.

 

I. Dispute Procedure: Any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in Las Vegas, Nevada in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The parties further agree that they will abide by and perform any award rendered by the Arbitrator[s]. Judgment upon any such award may be in any court, State or Federal, having any arbitration demand, service or process, notice of motion or other application the court or any Judge thereof may require. Service may be by registered or certified mail, or by personal service, provided a reasonable time for appearance or answer is allowed.

 

m. Board of Directors: Except as expressly provided otherwise in the Agreement, reference to the actions, determinations or similar occurrences by the Company shall mean the action, decisions or determination of its Board of Directors.

 

n. Authority: The Company hereby represents and warrants that the person executing this Agreement on its behalf is duly authorized to do so, that the execution of the Agreement has been duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, and that this Agreement is binding upon the Company.

 

 

 

/s/ SP     /s/ SP  

 

SGP Initialed     HEMP Initials  

 

 
4

 

 

STRATEGIC GLOBAL PARTNERS, INC.

 

o. Indemnity: The Company agrees to indemnify and hold Consultant and its associates harmless from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses arising out of entering into or performing services under the Agreement, unless it is judicially determined by the arbitration procedure identified herein that Consultant has committed an act or acts of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

p. Consultant Authority: Consultant shall have no authority under this Agreement to bind the Company to any transaction or contract. The Company has the right in its sole and absolute discretion to reject any transaction or contract regardless of the terms proposed.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Consulting & Marketing Agreement dated January 3, 2020.

 

Strategic Global Partners, Inc.

  Hempacco Co., Inc.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone   By: /s/ Sandro Piancone  

 

Sandro Piancone, CEO     Sandro Piancone, CEO  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SGP Initialed

 

HEMP Initials

 

 

 

5

 

EXHIBIT 10.32

 

UST MEXICO, INC.

 

UST MEXICO, Inc/US TOBACCO DE MEXICO.

916 Southwood, Unit 2F

Incline Village, NV 89451

 

CONSULTING & MARKETING AGREEMENT

 

THIS AGREEMENT is made as of Wednesday, January 3, 2020

 

By and Between

 

UST Mexico, Inc./US Tobacco De Mexico SA De CV (UST) (the Consultants)

 

And

 

Hempacco Co,, Inc. (Hemp) (the Company)

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company desires to produce and manufacture quality hemp cigarettes..

 

B. The Consultants have extensive knowledge and expertise in the areas of manufacturing, production, and maintenance of certain manufacturing equipment specialized for producing hemp cigarettes. The consultant will also handle procurement of supplies needed for manufacturing,

 

C. The Company recognizes the substantial experience and knowledge of the Consultants in matters relating their respective expertise; and

 

D. The Company further recognizes that it is in the best interest of the Company to engage the services of the Consultant; and

 

E. The Company desires to retain the valuable services and counsel of the Consultant, and the Consultant desires to render such services to the Company upon the terms set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants set forth below, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby agree as follows:

 

1. Recitals: The Recitals to this Agreement are hereby incorporated into this agreement as though fully restated herein.

 

 

 

 

UST Initials

 

HEMP Initials

 

 
1

 

 

UST MEXICO, INC.

 

2. Engagement: The Company hereby engages the Consultant, and the Consultant accepts engagement by the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

3. Term: The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date hereof and shall continue for a period of Sixty (60) months, and then continue on a month to month basis.

 

4. Duties: During the term of this Agreement, the Consultants will provide consulting services to the Company as requested. These services will be performed on a best efforts basis and will include, without limitation, assistance in extensive knowledge and expertise in the areas of manufacturing, production, and maintenance of certain manufacturing equipment specialized for producing hemp cigarettes, with the objective of accomplishing the business and financial goals of the Company. In each case, the Consultant will exercise its best efforts to accomplish the goals established by the Company and shall comply with all applicable laws in connection with the performance of the Agreement. Specific expectations and deliverables are outlined in Exhibit A attached hereto.

 

5. Consulting Service Compensation: The Company shall pay a monthly consulting fee of $15,000 per month for sixty (60) months starting on the date of the execution of this agreement.

 

In addition to the monthly consulting fee the Company will review the Consultant's performance on a monthly basis and recommend bonus cash compensation and equity bonus.

 

6. Nature of Engagement: The Consultant is being engaged by the Company as an independent contractor and shall be responsible for payment of its own taxes. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed so as to create an employer-employee relationship between the parties.

 

7. Expenses: Upon receipt of requests from the Consultant for reimbursement, the Company shall reimburse the Consultant for all reasonable and necessary expenses the Consultant incurs, prior to and after the date of this Agreement in performing its duties in connection with this Agreement with prior approval of the company.

 

8. Termination. This Agreement is terminable by either party on 12 (twelve) months' notice by written notice from either party. Address for notice:

 

Sandro Piancone

Director General

UST Mexico, Inc. US Tobacco

916 Southwood, Unit 2F

Incline Village, NV 89104

 

Sandro Piancone

President

Hempacco Co., Inc

9925 Airway Rd.

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 

 

 

UST Initials

 

HEMP Initials

 

 
2

 

 

UST MEXICO, INC.

 

Following the termination of the Agreement, the Company shall pay to Consultant compensation and equity granted in full satisfaction earned through the date of termination. All of the Consultant's other rights under the Agreement (except for those associated with the previously earned compensation and granted equity except as otherwise set forth within the Agreement) shall immediately be terminated and the Company shall have no further obligations to the Consultant

 

9. Miscellaneous Provisions:

 

a. Governing Law: This Agreement shall be governed by, interpreted and enforced in accordance with the Laws of the State of Nevada.

 

b. Waiver: The waiver by any party hereto of a breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of any other breach of any provision of this Agreement by any party.

 

c. Entire Agreement: This instrument contains the entire Agreement of the parties concerning engagement and may not be changed or modified except by written agreement duly executed by the parties hereto.

 

d. Successors and Assigns: This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns.

 

e. Confidentiality: Except as may otherwise be required by Law, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain strictly confidential. To the extent permitted by the Law, the Board of Directors of the Company shall ensure that no person other than Members of the Board of Directors of the Company and appropriate Officers of the Company are made aware of the terms of this Agreement. In addition, neither the Company nor the Consultant shall, either directly or indirectly through their respective Officers, Directors, Employees, Shareholders, Partners, Joint Ventures, Agents, Consultant, Contractor, Affiliates or any other person, disclose, communicate, disseminate or otherwise breach the confidentiality of all or any provision of this Agreement, without the express written consent of both parties to this Agreement. Consultant agrees that it will not disclose confidential information received from the Company to any third party except as necessary to fulfill the terms of this Agreement or as such disclosure may be required by law. For purposes of this Agreement, "confidential information" shall mean information provided by the Company to Consultant that is not otherwise available to Consultant from sources outside the Company.

 

f. Specific Performance: Strict compliance shall be required with each and every provision of this Agreement. The parties hereto agree that breach of this Agreement shall result in irreparable damage, and that specific performance of these obligations may be obtained.

  

 

 

 

UST Initials

 

HEMP Initials

  

 
3

 

 

UST MEXICO, INC.

 

g. Additional Documents: The Company agrees to execute such other documents and agreements to effectuate the purposes of this Agreement, as the Consultant may request from time to time.

 

h. Assignments: The obligation of the parties under this Agreement shall not be assigned without the written consent of the parties. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, however, the Consultant shall be entitled to provide that any funds payable or stock issuable to it, pursuant to the Agreement, shall instead be paid or issued to another person by written request.

 

i. Counterparts: This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and all counterparts will be considered as part of one agreement binding on all parties to this Agreement.

 

j. Facsimile Signatures: The parties may execute this Agreement by facsimile, which signature[s] shall be deemed as an original and shall be binding upon such party.

 

k. Severability: If any term, condition or provision of this Agreement or the application thereof to any party of circumstance shall, at any time or to any extent, be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such term, condition or provision to parties or circumstances other than those as to which it is held invalid or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each term, condition and provision of their Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by the Law.

 

I. Dispute Procedure: Any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in Las Vegas, Nevada in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The parties further agree that they will abide by and perform any award rendered by the Arbitrator[s]. Judgment upon any such award may be in any court, State or Federal, having any arbitration demand, service or process, notice of motion or other application the court or any Judge thereof may require. Service may be by registered or certified mail, or by personal service, provided a reasonable time for appearance or answer is allowed.

 

m. Board of Directors: Except as expressly provided otherwise in the Agreement, reference to the actions, determinations or similar occurrences by the Company shall mean the action, decisions or determination of its Board of Directors.

 

n. Authority: The Company hereby represents and warrants that the person executing this Agreement on its behalf is duly authorized to do so, that the execution of the Agreement has been duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Company, and that this Agreement is binding upon the Company.

  

 

 

 

UST Initials

 

HEMP Initials

  

 
4

 

 

UST MEXICO, INC.

 

o. Indemnity: The Company agrees to indemnify and hold Consultant and its associates harmless from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses arising out of entering into or performing services under the Agreement, unless it is judicially determined by the arbitration procedure identified herein that Consultant has committed an act or acts of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

 

p. Consultant Authority: Consultant shall have no authority under this Agreement to bind the Company to any transaction or contract. The Company has the right in its sole and absolute discretion to reject any transaction or contract regardless of the terms proposed.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Consulting & Marketing Agreement dated January 3, 2020.

 

UST Mexico, Inc.

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Sandro Piancone, Director General

 

 

Sandro Piancone, CEO

 

  

 

 

 

UST Initials

 

HEMP Initials

  

 
5

 

EXHIBIT 10.33

 

INTERIM CONSULTING AGREEMENT

 

Agreement made this 1st day of March, 2021 by and between The Hempacco Co., Inc. (The Company) and Neville Pearson. (Consultant).

 

Consultant is an independent contractor willing to provide skills and abilities to The Company that The Company has need for.

 

In consideration of the mutual terms, conditions and covenants hereinafter set forth, The Company and Consultant agrees as follows:

 

1. The Company hereby employs the Consultant as an independent contractor, and the Consultant hereby accepts employment.

 

2. The Consultant will undertake the duties and responsibilities of Interim Chief Financial Officer of The Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada Corporation formed on April 1, 2019.

 

3. The term of this Interim Agreement shall commence on March 1, 2021, and shall terminate upon the earlier of the proposed public funding of The Company, or August 31, 2021, whichever shall occur first (the Interim period). This agreement may be renewed or replaced after 6 months by mutual agreement of the parties. After the first thirty (30) days of the term, either party may, without cause, terminate this Agreement by giving one month's written notice to the other. Payment for services will end at the effective termination date.

 

4. The parties acknowledge that the Consultant currently provides consultancy services to an existing non-competing entity and that Consultant reserves the right to allocate and manage his time and resources in such a manner as to provide the optimum service to both clients. Consultant will work from his home office and will make visits to The Company's business premises as and when required given reasonable notice.

 

The parties acknowledge the potential, from time to time for a "conflict of interest" situation to arise. Consultant undertakes to make every effort to ensure that all clients' needs are met regardless of the additional time or resources required to do so.

 

5. Considering the part-time nature of the project, Company shall pay to consultant, on presentation of an invoice, and Consultant shall accept from the Company as compensation for all services to be provided pursuant to this Agreement, the initial sum of $5,000 per calendar month.

 

Consultant acknowledges the start-up status of The Company and that additional funding is currently being sought.

 

 
1

 

 

6. Business expenses incurred while carrying out the duties and activities of the consultant's position shall be reimbursed by The Company upon receipt of a detailed expense claim together with supporting invoices and/or other documentation.

 

7. Consultant shall provide financial management and administrative duties as are customarily provided by a Chief Financial Officer and/or Contro1ler, and as may be more specifically defined in the attached Exhibit "A". Consultant shall devote such time, attention and energies as required to fulfill these duties and responsibilities, but in any event, consultant commits to spending at least 30 hours per week on Company business. Consultant also commits to being available by email or telephone at any reasonable hour 7 days per week.

 

8. During the Interim period, Consultant may engage in other non-competing business activities provided however, that any such activities do not result in any diminution of the time committed to The Company under this agreement, and that Consultant shall not during the term of this agreement solicit The Company's employees or accounts on behalf of another entity.

 

9. If Consultant becomes unable to perform services pursuant to this Agreement by reason of illness, incapacity or death, compensation shall cease upon the happening of the event.

 

10. Neither party may assign this Agreement without the express written consent of the other party.

 

11. It is agreed between the parties that there are no other agreements or understandings between them relating to the subject matter of this Agreement. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements, oral or written between the parties and is intended as a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between the parties. No change or modification of the Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties.

 

12. All notices required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and may be delivered personally or by Certified Mail - Return receipt Requested, postage prepaid, addressed to:

 

The Company at:

 

The Hempacco Co, Inc.

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

The Consultant at:

 

Neville Pearson

[redacted]

 

 
2

 

 

13. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

INTENDING TO BE LEGALLY BOUND, the

Parties hereto have caused the Agreement to be executed

As of the date first above written.

 

 

THE COMPANY:

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.

a Nevada Corporation

       
By:

/s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

The Hempacco Co., Inc.

 
   

Sandro Piancone

 
       

 

Its:

President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONSULTANT:

 

Neville Pearson, an Individual

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Neville Pearson

 

 

 

Neville Pearson

 

   

 
3

 

 

EXHIBIT "A"

 

Chief financial Officer (CFO) job description

 

Comments: The content of the following job description is based on the assumption that the CFO has proper staffing to address accounting and treasury functions. If not, the CFO is probably really fulfilling the job of a controller, while also handling cash management and risk planning activities on the side.

 

Also, note that this position is frequently filled by people with strong fundraising backgrounds, rather than those with accounting expertise; this is particularly likely to be the case when a strong controller is on staff who can handle all accounting functions.

 

Basic Function: The chief financial officer position is accountable for the administrative, financial, and risk management operations of the company, to include the development of a financial and operational strategy, metrics tied to that strategy, and the ongoing development and monitoring of control systems designed to preserve company assets and report accurate financial results. Principal accountabilities are:

 

Planning

 

I. Assist in formulating the company's future direction and supporting tactical initiatives

2. Monitor and direct the implementation of strategic business plans

3. Develop financial and tax strategies

4. Manage the capital request and budgeting processes

5. Develop performance measures and monitoring systems that support the company's strategic direction

 

Operations

 

1. Participate in key decisions as a member of the executive management team

2. Maintain in-depth relations with all members of the management team

3. Manage the accounting, human resources, investor relations, legal, tax, and treasury departments

4. Oversee the financial operations of subsidiary companies and foreign operations

5. Manage any third parties to which accounting or finance functions have been outsourced

6. Oversee the company's transaction processing systems

7. Implement operational best practices

8. Oversee employee benefit plans, with particular emphasis on maximizing a cost-effective benefits package

9. Supervise acquisition due diligence and negotiate acquisitions

 

Financial Information

 

1. Oversee the issuance of financial information

2. Personally review and approve all Form 8-K, 10-K, and l0-Q filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (if the company is publicly held)

3. Report financial results to the board of directors

 

 
4

 

 

Risk Management

 

1. Understand and mitigate key elements of the company's risk profile

2. Monitor all open legal issues involving the company, and legal issues affecting the industry

3. Construct and monitor reliable control systems

4. Maintain appropriate insurance coverage

5. Ensure that the company complies with all legal and regulatory requirements

6. Ensure that record keeping meets the requirements of auditors and government agencies

7. Report risk issues to the audit committee of the board of directors

8. Maintain relations with external auditors and investigate their findings and recommendations

 

Funding

 

1. Monitor cash balances and cash forecasts

2. Arrange for debt financing and equity financing

3. Invest funds

4. Invest pension funds

 

Third Parties

 

1. Participate in conference calls with the investment community

2. Maintain banking relationships

3. Represent the company with investment bankers and investors

 

Supervises: Controller, Tax Manager, Human Resources Manager, Investor Relations Officer

 

 
5

 

EXHIBIT 10.34

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 20, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) and Sandro Piancone (the “Employee”).

RECITALS

 

A. The Company desires to obtain the services of Employee under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

B. Employee desires to provide his services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employee and the Company hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1. Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Agreement.

 

2. Employment.

 

(a) The Company agrees to employ Employee as Chief Executive Officer, as of the Effective Date and for the period set forth in Section 2(c) below, unless Employee’s employment is terminated sooner in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(b) Employee accepts employment and agrees to devote his full time (approximately 40 hours/week) and attention to the performance of his duties as determined by the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and to operate within the guidelines, plans and policies as may be established or approved by the Company from time to time. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during his employment, the Employee shall not serve on the boards of directors of any for-profit entity without the prior consent of the Board.

 

(c) Employee shall commence his duties hereunder as of the Effective Date and continue in the employ of the Company until the third (3rd) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”) or until his employment is terminated sooner as provided in this Agreement. Upon expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement may be extended by the Company for an additional one (1) year period (the “Renewal Term”), by providing written notice to Employee not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term.

 

(d) Employee’s primary place of employment shall be in San Diego, California area, or any other geographic location within one time zone of the Company’s headquarters in California. Employee may also be required to engage in reasonable travel to other locations on Company business consistent with Employee’s position.

 

3. Compensation.

 

(a) The Company shall pay to Employee an annual base salary of $120,000 (“Base Salary”), which amount shall be prorated for any partial year and paid in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices related to salaried employees. If Employee’s employment is terminated as provided herein prior to the expiration of the Initial or the Renewal Term (if applicable), then the Company shall pay to Employee any amount of Base Salary due to Employee up to and including the date of such termination.

 

 

 

 

(b) Commencing with calendar year 2022, Employee shall be eligible to receive a performance-based cash bonus of up to 110% of Employee’s base salary, based on the Employee’s personal performance and the Company’s ability to achieve certain EBITDA and financial goals, each as determined by the Board (“Annual Bonus”). The Board shall have the sole discretion whether to make any such award. Employee shall only be entitled to receive any Annual Bonus payment if Employee remains an employee in good standing with the Company as of the date such Annual Bonus is payable.

 

(c) Employee will be eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards under and subject to the terms of any Company’s equity or other long-term incentive plan (including any applicable award agreement) as in effect from time to time. The target value of the awards granted will equal approximately 130% of Employee’s Base Salary. Employee recognizes and acknowledges that the award of equity compensation is not guaranteed or promised in any way.

 

4. Payment or Reimbursement of Expenses. Subject to compliance by Employee with such policies regarding expenses and expense reimbursements as may be adopted from time to time by the Company, Employee shall be paid or reimbursed for reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with the performance of his duties under this Agreement and in the furtherance of the business and affairs of the Company. Any such reimbursement shall be made within a reasonable period after presentation by Employee of an itemized account of such expenses, accompanied by appropriate receipts satisfactory to the Company. In no event shall any expense be paid or reimbursed, unless properly accounted for to the extent necessary to substantiate the Company’s federal income tax deduction under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder or any similar state or federal law or regulation.

 

5. Additional Benefits.

 

(a) Employee shall be eligible to participate in or receive benefits under any employee benefit plan or arrangement now or in the future made available by the Company generally to its executive employees, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms, conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the Company’s right to change insurance carriers and to adopt, amend, terminate, or modify such plans and arrangements from time to time, provided that such changes apply to all Employee employees generally.

 

(b) Employee shall be entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. No paid vacation may be carried forward from one 12-month period to another. The other terms and conditions of such vacation and all other forms of leave, including accrual rates and payout, shall be as set forth in the Company’s vacation and leave policies, as they may exist and be amended from time to time. Employee shall also be entitled to all paid holidays given by the Company in accordance with the Company’s regular paid holiday policy, as it may exist and be amended from time to time.

 

6. Termination. This Agreement and the Company’s obligations hereunder shall terminate as provided in Section 2(c) unless terminated earlier pursuant to this Section 6 as follows:

 

(a) In the event of the death or Total Disability of Employee, this Agreement shall automatically terminate as of the date of such death or Total Disability.

 

(b) Employee may terminate his employment at any time upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice delivered to the Company.

 

(c) The Company may terminate Employee’s employment at any time, effective immediately, with or without Cause.

 

 

 

 

7. Severance.

 

(a) If the Company terminates Employee’s employment with the Company without Cause in accordance with Section 6(c) prior to the expiration of the Initial Term, the Company shall pay Employee a severance payment an amount equal to twelve months of Employee’s Base Salary as in effect on the date of termination, subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e).

 

(b) If during the Term of this Agreement there is a CC Termination upon a Change in Control or within one year thereafter, then the Employee will be entitled to a severance payment (in addition to any other rights and other amounts payable to the Employee under Company plans in which Employee is a participant, but without duplication for any amounts due to Employee pursuant to Section 7(a)) payable in a lump sum in cash in an amount equal to the sum of: (i) the Employee’s Base Salary in effect on date of such CC Termination (or, if greater, the highest Base Salary in effect during the three year period ending on the date of such CC Termination), and (ii) the Employee’s Average Annual Bonus, subject to subsections (c), (d) and (e).

 

(c) Subject to Section 7(c), any severance payment payable to Employee pursuant to this Section 7 (a “Severance Payment”) will be made in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the date Employee’s employment is terminated giving rise to such Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7(a) or (b); provided that Employee executes and delivers the release contemplated by Section 7(d) and such release becomes effective and irrevocable. If such sixty (60) day period spans two calendar years, the Severance Payment will be made in the second calendar year. However, if Employee is a “specified employee” as defined in regulations under Section 409A of the Code and the Severance Payment constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Severance Payment will be made on the Company’s first payroll payment date that is more than six (6) months the Severance Payment is otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(d) Employee acknowledges and agrees the Severance Payment to which the Employee is entitled under this Section 7 is conditioned upon and subject to the Employee’s executing and delivering the general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B by the 45th day following the Employee’s separation from service and not revoking the release within the seven (7) days after executing and delivering the release. If such forty-five (45) day period plus the seven (7) day revocation period spans two calendar years, the Severance Payment will be paid in the second calendar year. Employee’s right to the Severance Payment is further conditioned upon Employee’s continued compliance with Sections 8-11 of this Agreement. If Employee breaches any of his obligations in Sections 8-11 of this Agreement, he will immediately return to the Company any portion of the Severance Payment that has been paid to him pursuant to Section 7.

 

8. Covenant Not to Compete.

 

(a) During Employee’s employment with the Company and for an additional period of two years following the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason (the “Restricted Period”), Employee covenants and agrees that, with respect to the entire United States of America and Canada (the “Restricted Area”), Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, for his own benefit or to the detriment of the Company or any of its Affiliates:

 

(i) Compete with the Company in the Business in any manner or capacity (e.g., through any form of ownership, lending relationship, or as an advisor, principal, investor, agent, partner, officer, director, manager, employee, employer, independent contractor, consultant, member of any association or otherwise, whether or not for compensation or gain) by working for, becoming employed by, engaging in, carrying on, or providing services to any business involving the Business;

 

 

 

 

(ii) Own, manage, operate, join or control, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, a business (however structured) that carries on or engages in any manner in the Business;

 

(iii) Perform services of the type he or she performs for the Company for any Person engaged in the Business, whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or otherwise; or

 

(iv) Solicit, induce or otherwise contact customers or suppliers of the Company for any purpose or manner detrimental to the Company.

 

The parties agree that each of the foregoing prohibitions is intended to constitute a separate restriction. Accordingly, should any such prohibition be declared invalid or unenforceable, such prohibition shall be deemed severable from and shall not affect the remainder thereof. The Parties further agree that the foregoing restrictions are reasonable in both time and scope.

 

(b) Ownership by Employee, as a passive investment, in the aggregate of less than one percent (1%) of the outstanding equity securities of any corporation or other entity listed on a national securities exchange or publicly traded on any nationally recognized over-the-counter market shall not constitute a breach of Section 8(a) of this Agreement.

 

9. Confidential Information.

 

(a) Employee hereby acknowledges that Employee may be exposed to trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information of the Company and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, all design drawings, blueprints, plans, designs, calculations, technical specifications, construction notes or other works of authorship, inventions, writings, information, data, formulas, models, photographs, and design concepts, and the like, and all other documentation developed for or relating to the Company and its Affiliates and other technical information (including functional and technical specifications, designs, drawings, analysis, research, processes, procedures, manuals, computer programs, methods, ideas, Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Rights, “know how” and the like), business information (development and acquisition prospects, reserve reports, materials, plans, accounting and financial information, pricing information, customer and supplier information, completion studies, expansion or acquisition opportunities, personnel records and the like) and other information designated as confidential expressly or by the circumstances in which it is provided (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information does not include (i) information already known or independently developed by a third party recipient without the use of Confidential Information; (ii) information in the public domain through sources free of any confidentiality restriction and without any wrongful act of the recipient, or (iii) information received by the recipient from another third party who was free to disclose it.

 

(b) Employee hereby agrees, while employed by the Company or at any time thereafter, to keep strictly confidential and not disclose, use, divulge, publish, or otherwise reveal, directly or through any other Person, any Confidential Information of the Company and its Affiliates, except as may be necessary for Employee to perform his duties and obligations in conjunction with his employment with the Company. Employee further agrees that, upon expiration or termination of his employment with the Company for any reason, Employee will not, without the prior written consent of the Company’s Board, take any Confidential Information of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(c) All written or electronic materials, records and documents made by Employee or in the possession of Employee during his employment with the Company concerning the business or affairs of the Company or its Affiliates or otherwise containing Confidential Information, or other items or property held by or for Employee, but owned or used by the Company or its Affiliates, shall be the sole property of the Company or its Affiliate, as the case may be, and, upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company or upon the request of the Company or any of its Affiliates, Employee shall promptly deliver all of such materials, records, documents or other items of property that are then in his possession.

 

 

 

 

(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

10. Non-Solicitation of Employees. During the Restricted Period, Employee will not under any circumstances within the Restricted Area, without the express written consent of the Board, employ, solicit the employment or engagement of, or assist any other entity in employing or soliciting the employment or engagement of, any Protected Person (as defined below), recommend the employment or engagement of any Protected Person to any other business or encourage any Protected Person to terminate his or her employment relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates. A “Protected Person” means any person who was employed by the Company or any of its Affiliates at or after the Effective Date and prior to the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company.

 

11. Ownership of Inventions and Other Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Company’s Ownership of Inventions and Other IP: Assignment. All Discovered IP Rights shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company without additional compensation to Employee. Employee forever and irrevocably assigns to Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, any Discovered IP Rights. Employee shall disclose promptly to the Company or its nominee any and all Discovered IP. Without in any way limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, to the extent that a work may be deemed a “work made for hire”, Employee and the Company agree that such work (regardless of whether such work is created or authored solely by Employee or is created or authored jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) shall be a “work made for hire” and Employee hereby assigns to the Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, the entire present and future right, title, claim and interest in and to all Intellectual Property Rights to such work.

 

(b) Employee’s Further Assurances. Whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall execute, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, any and all applications, assignments, oaths, certifications, declarations, statements, affidavits or other instruments which the Company shall deem necessary to grant to, vest in or perfect for the Company or its nominee the right, title, claim and interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to enable the Company or its nominee to apply for, obtain, procure, register, maintain, renew, defend and enforce Intellectual Property Rights in and to the Discovered IP, whether in the United States, Canada or any foreign country, or to otherwise protect Company’s or its nominee’s interest therein. These obligations shall continue beyond the termination of employment and shall be binding upon Employee’s assigns, executors, administrators, heirs and other legal representatives. Employee represents and warrants, and, throughout Employee’s employment with the Company, continues to represent and warrant, that Employee has not heretofore assigned, licensed or granted any right, title, claim or interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to any other Person or entered into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement; and that Employee shall never assign, license, or grant any right, title, claim or interest of any kind to the Discovered IP Rights or enter into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement save and except as expressly authorized by the Company in writing. Without limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, do the following with respect to, for, arising out of or related to any of the Discovered IP Rights: (1) cooperate with the Company in the filing, application, procurement, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and defense of each and every domestic or foreign patent application or application for invention or industrial rights (including, without limitation, each and every provisional, original, divisional, continuation or continuation in part patent application); patent or invention certificate (including, without limitation, any proceedings for the reissue, reexamination, renewal or extension of a patent); interference proceeding, opposition or cancellation proceeding, priority contest or public use proceedings; trade secret, trade dress, trademark or other right or benefit; (2) appear before or assist in preparations for any and all hearings, depositions or other proceedings related to any of the foregoing; and, (3) take such further actions as reasonably requested by the Company so that the Company enjoys the full extent of the assignment granted under, or other rights arising under, this Agreement. Employee represents and warrants that Employee shall never disclose to the Company, or use for the benefit of the Company, any trade secrets or other confidential information learned or obtained from Employee’s previous employers or other Persons if such disclosure or use would violate the trade secret rights or other rights of such previous employers or other Persons.

 

 

 

 

(c) Employee’s Indemnification of Company. Employee shall indemnify, defend and hold the Company and its Affiliates, and each of the foregoing’s directors, officers, shareholders, members, managers, employees and agents, harmless from any and all claims, demands, suits, causes of action, damages (including, without limitation, consequential damages), liabilities, losses, costs, expenses and fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fee and investigatory fees) for or arising out of or from Employee’s breach, misrepresentation or otherwise failure to fully perform, satisfy, comply and observe all of Employee’s agreements, covenants, representations, warranties, commitments, obligations or other undertakings arising under this Section 11.

 

(d) Employee’s Assignment of Prior Rights. Employee hereby assigns to the Company any and all Intellectual Property and/or Intellectual Property Rights related to the operations of the Company that may have inured to Employee’s benefit prior to the Effective Date.

 

12. Non-Disparagement. During his employment and following termination of his employment, whatever the cause, Employee agrees not to disparage, and to cause Employee’s Affiliates not to disparage, either orally or in writing, any of the Company or its Affiliates or the foregoing Persons’ business, products, services or practices, or any of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ directors, officers, agents, representatives, stockholders, partners, members, employees, or managers.

 

13. Reasonable Limits. Employee acknowledges that the agreement of the Employee not to engage in the activities prohibited herein for the period of time and in the areas agreed upon herein is a substantial consideration for his employment with the Company. Employee hereby acknowledges that the above covenants are manifestly reasonable on their face and expressly agrees that they are also reasonable as to time and territorial scope and otherwise and that same are no greater than is required for the protection of the respective interests of the parties.

 

14. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. The Company and Employee intend that any amounts or benefits payable or provided under this Agreement comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations relating thereto so as not to subject Employee to the payment of the tax, interest and any tax penalty which may be imposed under Section 409A; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability for any tax (including a tax or penalty due as a result of a failure to comply with Section 409A) from the Employee to the Company or to any other individual or entity. Any payment to the Employee that is subject to Section 409A and that is contingent on a termination of employment is contingent on a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. Each payment shall be considered to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent. In furtherance thereof, to the extent that any provision hereof would otherwise result in Employee being subject to payment of tax, interest and tax penalty under Section 409A, the Company and Employee agree to amend this Agreement in a manner that brings this Agreement into compliance with Section 409A and preserve to the maximum extent possible the economic value of the relevant payment or benefit under this Agreement to Employee. Any taxable reimbursement shall be paid no later than December 31 of the year after the year in which the expense is incurred and shall comply with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv).

 

 

 

 

15. No Violation of Third-Party Rights. Employee hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that Employee: (a) shall not, during his employment with the Company, infringe upon or violate any proprietary rights of any third party (including, without limitation, any third party confidential relationships, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights); (b) is not a party to any agreement with a third party that prevents him from fulfilling the terms of employment and the obligations of this Agreement or which would be breached as a result of Employee’s execution of this Agreement or performance of his employment duties; and (c) agrees to respect any and all valid obligations which Employee may now have to prior employers or to others relating to confidential information, inventions or discoveries which are the property of those prior employers or others, as the case may be.

 

16. Resignation from All Positions. Upon the termination of the Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be deemed to have resigned, as of the date of such termination, from all positions he then holds as an officer, director, employee and member of the Board (and any committee thereof) and the boards of all of its subsidiaries.

 

17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by nationally recognized overnight courier, or mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt required, postage prepaid, or sent by electronic mail addressed as follows:

 

 

If to the Company to:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc. 9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 

 

 

 

If to Employee to:

 

Sandro Piancone

[redacted]

 

18. Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive local law of the State of Nevada, without consideration of the conflicts of law provisions thereof.

 

19. Remedies. Each party acknowledges that the other party will have no adequate remedy at law if the first party violates certain of the terms of this Agreement, and that the other party shall have the right, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in addition to any other rights or remedies it may have, to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction, injunctive relief to restrain any breach or threatened breach hereof or otherwise to specifically enforce the provisions hereof.

 

20. Waiver. No waiver of any obligation, right or remedy under this Agreement shall be effective, unless such waiver is made in writing, specifying the terms of this Agreement. Any such waiver by either party of any of its rights or remedies hereunder on any occasion shall not be a bar to the exercise of the same right or remedy on any subsequent occasion or of the exercise of any other right or remedy at any time.

 

 

 

 

21. Integration and Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter. No modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective or binding unless in writing, specifying such modification or amendment, executed by both of the parties hereto.

 

22. Severability. If any provision, paragraph or subparagraph of this Agreement is adjudged by any court to be void or unenforceable, in whole or in part, such an adjudication shall not be deemed to affect the validity of the remainder of the Agreement, and all other provisions, sections and subsections of this Agreement shall be severable from every other provision, section or subsection and each constitutes a separate and distinct covenant.

 

23. Court Modification for Enforcement. In the event a court determines that any provisions of this Agreement are overbroad, excessive or unenforceable in any respect including but not limited to the Restricted Period, the Restricted Area, or the nature of the restrictions, then in such an event the parties agree that the court shall be permitted to modify this Agreement in order to make the restrictions more narrow and to make this Agreement enforceable in order to provide each party with the maximum restriction or restrictions allowed by law.

 

24. Reimbursement for Expenses. If litigation or other action is commenced between the parties concerning any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the action will be entitled, in addition to any other award that may be made, to recover all court costs or other official costs and all reasonable expenses associated with the action, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses.

 

25. Survival of Certain Provisions. The rights and obligations of Employee and Company under Sections 7-12 of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

 

26. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, respectively. Executed copies of the signature pages of this Agreement sent by facsimile or transmitted electronically in Portable Document Format (“PDF”) shall be treated as originals, fully binding and with full legal force and effect, and the Parties waive any rights they may have to object to such treatment. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or PDF also may deliver a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, but the failure to deliver a manually executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement effective as of the Effective Date above.

 

  HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

 

 

    /s/ Sandro Piancone  
By: Sandro Piancone

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

  EMPLOYEE:
       
By: /s/ Sandro Piancone

 

 

Sandro Piancone  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

DEFINED TERMS

 

The following terms, as used in this Agreement and in any correspondence or other communications between the parties in performing or in connection with this Agreement, shall have the meaning ascribed as follows:

 

(a) “Affiliates” means with respect to any Person, (a) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person; (b) any Person owning or controlling fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting securities or interests of such Person; (c) any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of such Person or of any Person specified in (a) or (b) above; and (d) any Person in which any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of any Person specified in (c) above is an officer, director, member, manager, trustee, or (limited or general) partner. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meaning, controlled by and under common control with) of a Person means the direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of such Person through any means.

 

(b) “Average Annual Bonus” means (a) if the CC Termination occurs before the Annual Bonus is paid for the Employee’s first year of employment, 110% of the Employee’s Base Salary as in effect on the Effective Date, or (b) otherwise, the average Annual Bonus paid pursuant to Section 3(b) for the preceding three years (or such lesser number of years as the Employee may have been employed).

 

(c) “Business” means the business of manufacturing hemp smokable products and all activities related thereto.

 

(d) “Cause,” shall mean by reason of such Employee’s: (A) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, dishonesty, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (B) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such Employee’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the Employee’s performance of such duties, (C) malfeasance, in the conduct of such Employee’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to or on behalf of the Company or its Affiliates, (D) violation of any provision of this Agreement, or (E) failure to perform the duties of such Employee’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates after the Employee shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 30 days to remedy the same, or (F) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company by which such Employee is employed or in a service relationship with.

 

(e) “CC Termination” means any of the following: (a) the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause following a Change of Control; (b) the Employee resigns as a result of a material diminution in the Employee’s authority, duties, or responsibilities, a material reduction in the Employee’s then current Base Salary or a material reduction in the Employee’s then current benefits as provided in Sections 3-4, a relocation of more than 50 miles from the Employee’s then current place of employment being required by the Board, or a material breach by the Company under this Agreement; or (c) the Employee resigns in connection with a Change in Control as a result of the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of this Agreement, without limitation or reduction, by any successor to the Company or any parent corporation of the Company.

 

(f) “Change in Control” shall mean that any one of the following applies:

 

 

 

 

(i) The acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) of 40% or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”). For purposes of this paragraph (i) the following acquisitions by a Person will not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company; (B) any acquisition by the Company; or (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company.

 

(ii) If ________ ceases to be an officer or director of the Company.

 

(iii) The consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), unless following such Business Combination: (i) the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the outstanding common stock of the Company and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions to one another as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 40% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the Board of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv) The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(g) “Discover” means create, invent, originate, author, devise, engineer, formulate, develop, prototype, improve, compile, design, conceive, reduce to practice, discover, make, produce, generate or otherwise identify or document; and, other grammatical forms of the term “Discover” shall have the grammatical meaning of such form (for example, but not in limitation, “Discovered” means created, invented, etc., and “Discovery” means creation, invention, etc.).

 

(h) “Discovered IP” means the Intellectual Property in any way Discovered by Employee (regardless of whether such Discovery is made solely by Employee or is made jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) wherein such Discovery occurs during, in conjunction with, in relation to or preparatory to, or otherwise arises out of, Employee’s course and scope of employment with Company (regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or otherwise arises with or without the use or benefit of Company’s equipment, facilities or other resources; and, further, regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or arises during company time, Employee’s free or personal time or otherwise).

 

 

 

 

(i) “Discovered IP Rights” means the Intellectual Property Rights for the Discovered IP.

 

(j) “Intellectual Property” means, whether or not patentable, each and all of the following: ideas, inventions, concepts, developments, improvements, discoveries, designs, compounds, substances or other materials, formulations, compilations, designs, applets, scripts, databases, or other computer programs, firmware or software, manuals, documentation, test procedures or techniques, training materials, systems materials, other materials, reports, creations, other works of authorship, machines, apparatus, technology, prototypes, confidential information, know-how, show-how, trade secrets, methods (whether technological, business or otherwise), processes, marks, symbols, slogans, emblems, business plans and strategies or other proprietary things or information.

 

(k) “Intellectual Property Rights” means all worldwide rights (including, without limitation, all rights to, and to apply for, register, own, license and otherwise exploit, as well as all rights to any now or hereinafter pending applications for, issued, registered, registrations for, or otherwise existing, United States or foreign patents, industrial rights, invention certificates, copyrights, rights of authorship, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, trade secrets or other proprietary or intellectual property rights) in and to the Intellectual Property; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Intellectual Property Rights” also includes all present or future applied for, claimed, pending, registered or issued United States or foreign patents and all applications therefor, including, without limitation, all original, provisional, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part and continued prosecution applications and, including, without limitation, all reissues or extensions thereof.

 

(l) “Person” means and includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, or other entity.

 

(m) “Total Disability” or “Totally Disabled” with respect to Employee, means he is unable to perform, on a full-time basis the regular activities of his employment for a period of (i) six (6) consecutive months or (ii) a total of 26 weeks during any period of 12 consecutive months; provided that authorized vacations or other leaves of absence shall not be counted. The date of Total Disability shall be the date on which the earlier of the requirements stated in (i) or (ii) of this definition are satisfied.

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF RELEASE

 

This Release (this “Release”) is made effective as of __________________ (the “Effective Date”), by Sandro Piancone (“Employee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. Employee and Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), are parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated effective as of January 20, 2022 (the “Employment Agreement”).

 

B. This Release is delivered pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Employment Agreement.

 

C. Employee acknowledges that the execution and delivery of this Release is a condition to receiving the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, in order to induce Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, Seller and Members hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1 Terms. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement.

 

Section 2 Releases.

 

(a) Employee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company and its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, members, managers, successors and assigns (the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, demands, proceedings, causes of action, orders, obligations, debts and liabilities whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, both at law and in equity, which Employee now has or has ever had against the Released Parties arising on or prior to the Effective Date, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise and whether or not relating to claims pending on, or asserted after, the Effective Date, including, but not limited to any and all claims arising out of or related to Employee’s employment with the Company, including any alleged violation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000(e) et seq.; the Civil Rights Act of 1866, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991,42 U.S.C. §1981,; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (except for vested benefits under any tax qualified benefit plan), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Equal Pay Act; Executive Order 11246; Executive Order 11141; and any other statutory claim, employment or other contract claim, or common or civil law claim for wrongful discharge, defamation, or invasion of privacy arising out of or in any way connected with or involving any employment relationship of Employee with any Released Party, the termination or resignation of Employee’s employment with any Released Party, or any continuing effects of his employment with any Released Party, including, but not limited to, any claim for severance pay other than Severance Pay required pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement, bonus, salary, sick leave, holiday pay, vacation pay, life insurance, health or medical insurance or any other fringe benefit, workers’ compensation, or disability.

 

(b)(1) Employee acknowledges that the Company is not obligated to provide the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement and that the Company has agreed to provide such consideration in exchange for the Release. Employee further acknowledges that neither payment by the Company of the Severance Payment, nor any term or condition contained in the Release or the Employment Agreement, shall be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the Company.

 

 

 

 

(2) Employee acknowledges that he was given a period of forty-five (45) days to consider and execute the Release. Further, Employee acknowledges that he has a right to revoke this Release within a period of seven (7) days following his signing the Release. Employee also understands that the Release shall not become effective or enforceable until the seven–day period has ended and he has not revoked the Release.

 

(3) Employee understands that if he does not sign the Release within forty-five (45) days, or if he revokes the Agreement within the seven (7) day revocation period, he will not receive the Severance Payment.

 

Section 3 Representations and Warranties. Employee represents and warrants to the Released Parties that he has not assigned or otherwise transferred any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Employee also represents that he has read and fully understands the Release and acknowledges that he had the right and full opportunity to review this Release with an attorney of his choice and was encouraged to do so. Employee further represents has signed this Release freely and voluntarily, with full knowledge that he is waiving all claims against the Company through the date of this Release.

 

Section 4 Covenants. Employee hereby irrevocably and perpetually covenants as follows:

 

(a) Employee will refrain from, directly or indirectly, asserting any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof, or commencing, instituting or causing to be commenced, any proceeding of any kind against the Released Parties, based upon any matter purported to be released hereby.

 

(b) Employee will not assign or transfer any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

 

Section 5 Miscellaneous.

 

(a) The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Release shall not affect the other provisions hereof, and this Release shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provisions were omitted.

 

(b) This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to any applicable principles of conflicts of law.

 

(c) This Release shall not be amended or modified except by a written instrument duly executed by Employee and the Company.

 

(d) Captions and headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Release are intended solely for convenience and no provision of this Release is to be construed by reference to the caption or heading of any section or paragraph.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Release shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Release effective as of the Effective Date above.

 

EMPLOYEE:

_________________________________

Sandro Piancone

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.35

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of January 20, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) and Neville Pearson (the “Employee”).

RECITALS

 

A. The Company desires to obtain the services of Employee under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

B. Employee desires to provide his services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employee and the Company hereby covenant and agree as follows:

 

1. Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Agreement.

 

2. Employment.

 

(a) The Company agrees to employ Employee as Chief Financial Officer, as of the Effective Date and for the period set forth in Section 2(c) below, unless Employee’s employment is terminated sooner in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(b) Employee accepts employment and agrees to devote his full time (approximately 40 hours/week) and attention to the performance of his duties as determined by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and to operate within the guidelines, plans and policies as may be established or approved by the Company from time to time. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, during his employment, the Employee shall not serve on the boards of directors of any for-profit entity without the prior consent of the Board.

 

(c) Employee shall commence his duties hereunder as of the Effective Date and continue in the employ of the Company until the third (3rd) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”) or until his employment is terminated sooner as provided in this Agreement. Upon expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement may be extended by the Company for an additional one (1) year period (the “Renewal Term”), by providing written notice to Employee not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term.

 

(d) Employee’s primary place of employment shall be in the Scottsdale, Arizona area, or any other geographic location within one time zone of the Company’s headquarters in California. Employee may also be required to engage in reasonable travel to other locations on Company business consistent with Employee’s position.

 

3. Compensation.

 

(a) The Company shall pay to Employee an annual base salary of $60,000 (“Base Salary”), which amount shall be prorated for any partial year and paid in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices related to salaried employees. If Employee’s employment is terminated as provided herein prior to the expiration of the Initial or the Renewal Term (if applicable), then the Company shall pay to Employee any amount of Base Salary due to Employee up to and including the date of such termination.

 

 

 

 

(b) Commencing with calendar year 2022, Employee shall be eligible to receive a performance-based cash bonus of up to 110% of Employee’s base salary, based on the Employee’s personal performance and the Company’s ability to achieve certain EBITDA and financial goals, each as determined by the Board (“Annual Bonus”). The Board shall have the sole discretion whether to make any such award. Employee shall only be entitled to receive any Annual Bonus payment if Employee remains an employee in good standing with the Company as of the date such Annual Bonus is payable.

 

(c) Employee will be eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards under and subject to the terms of any Company’s equity or other long-term incentive plan (including any applicable award agreement) as in effect from time to time. The target value of the awards granted will equal approximately 130% of Employee’s Base Salary. Employee recognizes and acknowledges that the award of equity compensation is not guaranteed or promised in any way.

 

4. Payment or Reimbursement of Expenses. Subject to compliance by Employee with such policies regarding expenses and expense reimbursements as may be adopted from time to time by the Company, Employee shall be paid or reimbursed for reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with the performance of his duties under this Agreement and in the furtherance of the business and affairs of the Company. Any such reimbursement shall be made within a reasonable period after presentation by Employee of an itemized account of such expenses, accompanied by appropriate receipts satisfactory to the Company. In no event shall any expense be paid or reimbursed, unless properly accounted for to the extent necessary to substantiate the Company’s federal income tax deduction under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder or any similar state or federal law or regulation.

 

5. Additional Benefits.

 

(a) Employee shall be eligible to participate in or receive benefits under any employee benefit plan or arrangement now or in the future made available by the Company generally to its executive employees, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms, conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the Company’s right to change insurance carriers and to adopt, amend, terminate, or modify such plans and arrangements from time to time, provided that such changes apply to all Employee employees generally.

 

(b) Employee shall be entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. No paid vacation may be carried forward from one 12-month period to another. The other terms and conditions of such vacation and all other forms of leave, including accrual rates and payout, shall be as set forth in the Company’s vacation and leave policies, as they may exist and be amended from time to time. Employee shall also be entitled to all paid holidays given by the Company in accordance with the Company’s regular paid holiday policy, as it may exist and be amended from time to time.

 

6. Termination. This Agreement and the Company’s obligations hereunder shall terminate as provided in Section 2(c) unless terminated earlier pursuant to this Section 6 as follows:

 

(a) In the event of the death or Total Disability of Employee, this Agreement shall automatically terminate as of the date of such death or Total Disability.

 

(b) Employee may terminate his employment at any time upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice delivered to the Company.

 

(c) The Company may terminate Employee’s employment at any time, effective immediately, with or without Cause.

 

 

 

 

7. Severance.

 

(a) If the Company terminates Employee’s employment with the Company without Cause in accordance with Section 6(c) prior to the expiration of the Initial Term, the Company shall pay Employee a severance payment an amount equal to twelve months of Employee’s Base Salary as in effect on the date of termination, subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e).

 

(b) If during the Term of this Agreement there is a CC Termination upon a Change in Control or within one year thereafter, then the Employee will be entitled to a severance payment (in addition to any other rights and other amounts payable to the Employee under Company plans in which Employee is a participant, but without duplication for any amounts due to Employee pursuant to Section 7(a)) payable in a lump sum in cash in an amount equal to the sum of: (i) the Employee’s Base Salary in effect on date of such CC Termination (or, if greater, the highest Base Salary in effect during the three year period ending on the date of such CC Termination), and (ii) the Employee’s Average Annual Bonus, subject to subsections (c), (d) and (e).

 

(c) Subject to Section 7(c), any severance payment payable to Employee pursuant to this Section 7 (a “Severance Payment”) will be made in a lump sum within sixty (60) days after the date Employee’s employment is terminated giving rise to such Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7(a) or (b); provided that Employee executes and delivers the release contemplated by Section 7(d) and such release becomes effective and irrevocable. If such sixty (60) day period spans two calendar years, the Severance Payment will be made in the second calendar year. However, if Employee is a “specified employee” as defined in regulations under Section 409A of the Code and the Severance Payment constitutes “nonqualified deferred compensation” that is subject to Section 409A of the Code, the Severance Payment will be made on the Company’s first payroll payment date that is more than six (6) months the Severance Payment is otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(d) Employee acknowledges and agrees the Severance Payment to which the Employee is entitled under this Section 7 is conditioned upon and subject to the Employee’s executing and delivering the general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B by the 45th day following the Employee’s separation from service and not revoking the release within the seven (7) days after executing and delivering the release. If such forty-five (45) day period plus the seven (7) day revocation period spans two calendar years, the Severance Payment will be paid in the second calendar year. Employee’s right to the Severance Payment is further conditioned upon Employee’s continued compliance with Sections 8-11 of this Agreement. If Employee breaches any of his obligations in Sections 8-11 of this Agreement, he will immediately return to the Company any portion of the Severance Payment that has been paid to him pursuant to Section 7.

 

8. Covenant Not to Compete.

 

(a) During Employee’s employment with the Company and for an additional period of two years following the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason (the “Restricted Period”), Employee covenants and agrees that, with respect to the entire United States of America and Canada (the “Restricted Area”), Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, for his own benefit or to the detriment of the Company or any of its Affiliates:

 

(i) Compete with the Company in the Business in any manner or capacity (e.g., through any form of ownership, lending relationship, or as an advisor, principal, investor, agent, partner, officer, director, manager, employee, employer, independent contractor, consultant, member of any association or otherwise, whether or not for compensation or gain) by working for, becoming employed by, engaging in, carrying on, or providing services to any business involving the Business;

 

 

 

 

(ii) Own, manage, operate, join or control, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, a business (however structured) that carries on or engages in any manner in the Business;

 

(iii) Perform services of the type he or she performs for the Company for any Person engaged in the Business, whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or otherwise; or

 

(iv) Solicit, induce or otherwise contact customers or suppliers of the Company for any purpose or manner detrimental to the Company.

 

The parties agree that each of the foregoing prohibitions is intended to constitute a separate restriction. Accordingly, should any such prohibition be declared invalid or unenforceable, such prohibition shall be deemed severable from and shall not affect the remainder thereof. The Parties further agree that the foregoing restrictions are reasonable in both time and scope.

 

(b) Ownership by Employee, as a passive investment, in the aggregate of less than one percent (1%) of the outstanding equity securities of any corporation or other entity listed on a national securities exchange or publicly traded on any nationally recognized over-the-counter market shall not constitute a breach of Section 8(a) of this Agreement.

 

9. Confidential Information.

 

(a) Employee hereby acknowledges that Employee may be exposed to trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information of the Company and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, all design drawings, blueprints, plans, designs, calculations, technical specifications, construction notes or other works of authorship, inventions, writings, information, data, formulas, models, photographs, and design concepts, and the like, and all other documentation developed for or relating to the Company and its Affiliates and other technical information (including functional and technical specifications, designs, drawings, analysis, research, processes, procedures, manuals, computer programs, methods, ideas, Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Rights, “know how” and the like), business information (development and acquisition prospects, reserve reports, materials, plans, accounting and financial information, pricing information, customer and supplier information, completion studies, expansion or acquisition opportunities, personnel records and the like) and other information designated as confidential expressly or by the circumstances in which it is provided (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information does not include (i) information already known or independently developed by a third party recipient without the use of Confidential Information; (ii) information in the public domain through sources free of any confidentiality restriction and without any wrongful act of the recipient, or (iii) information received by the recipient from another third party who was free to disclose it.

 

(b) Employee hereby agrees, while employed by the Company or at any time thereafter, to keep strictly confidential and not disclose, use, divulge, publish, or otherwise reveal, directly or through any other Person, any Confidential Information of the Company and its Affiliates, except as may be necessary for Employee to perform his duties and obligations in conjunction with his employment with the Company. Employee further agrees that, upon expiration or termination of his employment with the Company for any reason, Employee will not, without the prior written consent of the Company’s Board, take any Confidential Information of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(c) All written or electronic materials, records and documents made by Employee or in the possession of Employee during his employment with the Company concerning the business or affairs of the Company or its Affiliates or otherwise containing Confidential Information, or other items or property held by or for Employee, but owned or used by the Company or its Affiliates, shall be the sole property of the Company or its Affiliate, as the case may be, and, upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company or upon the request of the Company or any of its Affiliates, Employee shall promptly deliver all of such materials, records, documents or other items of property that are then in his possession.

 

 

 

 

(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

10. Non-Solicitation of Employees. During the Restricted Period, Employee will not under any circumstances within the Restricted Area, without the express written consent of the Board, employ, solicit the employment or engagement of, or assist any other entity in employing or soliciting the employment or engagement of, any Protected Person (as defined below), recommend the employment or engagement of any Protected Person to any other business or encourage any Protected Person to terminate his or her employment relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates. A “Protected Person” means any person who was employed by the Company or any of its Affiliates at or after the Effective Date and prior to the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company.

 

11. Ownership of Inventions and Other Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Company’s Ownership of Inventions and Other IP: Assignment. All Discovered IP Rights shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company without additional compensation to Employee. Employee forever and irrevocably assigns to Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, any Discovered IP Rights. Employee shall disclose promptly to the Company or its nominee any and all Discovered IP. Without in any way limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, to the extent that a work may be deemed a “work made for hire”, Employee and the Company agree that such work (regardless of whether such work is created or authored solely by Employee or is created or authored jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) shall be a “work made for hire” and Employee hereby assigns to the Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, the entire present and future right, title, claim and interest in and to all Intellectual Property Rights to such work.

 

(b) Employee’s Further Assurances. Whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall execute, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, any and all applications, assignments, oaths, certifications, declarations, statements, affidavits or other instruments which the Company shall deem necessary to grant to, vest in or perfect for the Company or its nominee the right, title, claim and interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to enable the Company or its nominee to apply for, obtain, procure, register, maintain, renew, defend and enforce Intellectual Property Rights in and to the Discovered IP, whether in the United States, Canada or any foreign country, or to otherwise protect Company’s or its nominee’s interest therein. These obligations shall continue beyond the termination of employment and shall be binding upon Employee’s assigns, executors, administrators, heirs and other legal representatives. Employee represents and warrants, and, throughout Employee’s employment with the Company, continues to represent and warrant, that Employee has not heretofore assigned, licensed or granted any right, title, claim or interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to any other Person or entered into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement; and that Employee shall never assign, license, or grant any right, title, claim or interest of any kind to the Discovered IP Rights or enter into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement save and except as expressly authorized by the Company in writing. Without limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, do the following with respect to, for, arising out of or related to any of the Discovered IP Rights: (1) cooperate with the Company in the filing, application, procurement, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and defense of each and every domestic or foreign patent application or application for invention or industrial rights (including, without limitation, each and every provisional, original, divisional, continuation or continuation in part patent application); patent or invention certificate (including, without limitation, any proceedings for the reissue, reexamination, renewal or extension of a patent); interference proceeding, opposition or cancellation proceeding, priority contest or public use proceedings; trade secret, trade dress, trademark or other right or benefit; (2) appear before or assist in preparations for any and all hearings, depositions or other proceedings related to any of the foregoing; and, (3) take such further actions as reasonably requested by the Company so that the Company enjoys the full extent of the assignment granted under, or other rights arising under, this Agreement. Employee represents and warrants that Employee shall never disclose to the Company, or use for the benefit of the Company, any trade secrets or other confidential information learned or obtained from Employee’s previous employers or other Persons if such disclosure or use would violate the trade secret rights or other rights of such previous employers or other Persons.

 

 

 

 

(c) Employee’s Indemnification of Company. Employee shall indemnify, defend and hold the Company and its Affiliates, and each of the foregoing’s directors, officers, shareholders, members, managers, employees and agents, harmless from any and all claims, demands, suits, causes of action, damages (including, without limitation, consequential damages), liabilities, losses, costs, expenses and fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fee and investigatory fees) for or arising out of or from Employee’s breach, misrepresentation or otherwise failure to fully perform, satisfy, comply and observe all of Employee’s agreements, covenants, representations, warranties, commitments, obligations or other undertakings arising under this Section 11.

 

(d) Employee’s Assignment of Prior Rights. Employee hereby assigns to the Company any and all Intellectual Property and/or Intellectual Property Rights related to the operations of the Company that may have inured to Employee’s benefit prior to the Effective Date.

 

12. Non-Disparagement. During his employment and following termination of his employment, whatever the cause, Employee agrees not to disparage, and to cause Employee’s Affiliates not to disparage, either orally or in writing, any of the Company or its Affiliates or the foregoing Persons’ business, products, services or practices, or any of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ directors, officers, agents, representatives, stockholders, partners, members, employees, or managers.

 

13. Reasonable Limits. Employee acknowledges that the agreement of the Employee not to engage in the activities prohibited herein for the period of time and in the areas agreed upon herein is a substantial consideration for his employment with the Company. Employee hereby acknowledges that the above covenants are manifestly reasonable on their face and expressly agrees that they are also reasonable as to time and territorial scope and otherwise and that same are no greater than is required for the protection of the respective interests of the parties.

 

14. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. The Company and Employee intend that any amounts or benefits payable or provided under this Agreement comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations relating thereto so as not to subject Employee to the payment of the tax, interest and any tax penalty which may be imposed under Section 409A; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability for any tax (including a tax or penalty due as a result of a failure to comply with Section 409A) from the Employee to the Company or to any other individual or entity. Any payment to the Employee that is subject to Section 409A and that is contingent on a termination of employment is contingent on a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. Each payment shall be considered to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent. In furtherance thereof, to the extent that any provision hereof would otherwise result in Employee being subject to payment of tax, interest and tax penalty under Section 409A, the Company and Employee agree to amend this Agreement in a manner that brings this Agreement into compliance with Section 409A and preserve to the maximum extent possible the economic value of the relevant payment or benefit under this Agreement to Employee. Any taxable reimbursement shall be paid no later than December 31 of the year after the year in which the expense is incurred and shall comply with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv).

 

 

 

 

15. No Violation of Third-Party Rights. Employee hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that Employee: (a) shall not, during his employment with the Company, infringe upon or violate any proprietary rights of any third party (including, without limitation, any third party confidential relationships, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights); (b) is not a party to any agreement with a third party that prevents him from fulfilling the terms of employment and the obligations of this Agreement or which would be breached as a result of Employee’s execution of this Agreement or performance of his employment duties; and (c) agrees to respect any and all valid obligations which Employee may now have to prior employers or to others relating to confidential information, inventions or discoveries which are the property of those prior employers or others, as the case may be.

 

16. Resignation from All Positions. Upon the termination of the Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be deemed to have resigned, as of the date of such termination, from all positions he then holds as an officer, director, employee and member of the Board (and any committee thereof) and the boards of all of its subsidiaries.

 

17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by nationally recognized overnight courier, or mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt required, postage prepaid, or sent by electronic mail addressed as follows:

 

 

If to the Company to:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc. 9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 

 

 

 

If to Employee to:

 

Neville Pearson

[redacted]

 

18. Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive local law of the State of Nevada, without consideration of the conflicts of law provisions thereof.

 

19. Remedies. Each party acknowledges that the other party will have no adequate remedy at law if the first party violates certain of the terms of this Agreement, and that the other party shall have the right, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in addition to any other rights or remedies it may have, to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction, injunctive relief to restrain any breach or threatened breach hereof or otherwise to specifically enforce the provisions hereof.

 

20. Waiver. No waiver of any obligation, right or remedy under this Agreement shall be effective, unless such waiver is made in writing, specifying the terms of this Agreement. Any such waiver by either party of any of its rights or remedies hereunder on any occasion shall not be a bar to the exercise of the same right or remedy on any subsequent occasion or of the exercise of any other right or remedy at any time.

 

 

 

 

21. Integration and Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter. No modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective or binding unless in writing, specifying such modification or amendment, executed by both of the parties hereto.

 

22. Severability. If any provision, paragraph or subparagraph of this Agreement is adjudged by any court to be void or unenforceable, in whole or in part, such an adjudication shall not be deemed to affect the validity of the remainder of the Agreement, and all other provisions, sections and subsections of this Agreement shall be severable from every other provision, section or subsection and each constitutes a separate and distinct covenant.

 

23. Court Modification for Enforcement. In the event a court determines that any provisions of this Agreement are overbroad, excessive or unenforceable in any respect including but not limited to the Restricted Period, the Restricted Area, or the nature of the restrictions, then in such an event the parties agree that the court shall be permitted to modify this Agreement in order to make the restrictions more narrow and to make this Agreement enforceable in order to provide each party with the maximum restriction or restrictions allowed by law.

 

24. Reimbursement for Expenses. If litigation or other action is commenced between the parties concerning any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the action will be entitled, in addition to any other award that may be made, to recover all court costs or other official costs and all reasonable expenses associated with the action, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses.

 

25. Survival of Certain Provisions. The rights and obligations of Employee and Company under Sections 7-12 of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

 

26. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, respectively. Executed copies of the signature pages of this Agreement sent by facsimile or transmitted electronically in Portable Document Format (“PDF”) shall be treated as originals, fully binding and with full legal force and effect, and the Parties waive any rights they may have to object to such treatment. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or PDF also may deliver a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, but the failure to deliver a manually executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement effective as of the Effective Date above.

 

  HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

 

 

    /s/Sandro Piancone  
By: Sandro Piancone

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

  EMPLOYEE:
     
/s/ Neville Pearson

 

Neville Pearson  

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

DEFINED TERMS

 

The following terms, as used in this Agreement and in any correspondence or other communications between the parties in performing or in connection with this Agreement, shall have the meaning ascribed as follows:

 

(a) “Affiliates” means with respect to any Person, (a) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person; (b) any Person owning or controlling fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting securities or interests of such Person; (c) any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of such Person or of any Person specified in (a) or (b) above; and (d) any Person in which any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of any Person specified in (c) above is an officer, director, member, manager, trustee, or (limited or general) partner. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meaning, controlled by and under common control with) of a Person means the direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of such Person through any means.

 

(b) “Average Annual Bonus” means (a) if the CC Termination occurs before the Annual Bonus is paid for the Employee’s first year of employment, 110% of the Employee’s Base Salary as in effect on the Effective Date, or (b) otherwise, the average Annual Bonus paid pursuant to Section 3(b) for the preceding three years (or such lesser number of years as the Employee may have been employed).

 

(c) “Business” means the business of manufacturing hemp smokable products and all activities related thereto.

 

(d) “Cause,” shall mean by reason of such Employee’s: (A) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, dishonesty, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (B) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such Employee’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the Employee’s performance of such duties, (C) malfeasance, in the conduct of such Employee’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to or on behalf of the Company or its Affiliates, (D) violation of any provision of this Agreement, or (E) failure to perform the duties of such Employee’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates after the Employee shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 30 days to remedy the same, or (F) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company by which such Employee is employed or in a service relationship with.

 

(e) “CC Termination” means any of the following: (a) the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause following a Change of Control; (b) the Employee resigns as a result of a material diminution in the Employee’s authority, duties, or responsibilities, a material reduction in the Employee’s then current Base Salary or a material reduction in the Employee’s then current benefits as provided in Sections 3-4, a relocation of more than 50 miles from the Employee’s then current place of employment being required by the Board, or a material breach by the Company under this Agreement; or (c) the Employee resigns in connection with a Change in Control as a result of the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of this Agreement, without limitation or reduction, by any successor to the Company or any parent corporation of the Company.

 

(f) “Change in Control” shall mean that any one of the following applies:

 

 

 

 

(i) The acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) of 40% or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”). For purposes of this paragraph (i) the following acquisitions by a Person will not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company; (B) any acquisition by the Company; or (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company.

 

(ii) If ________ ceases to be an officer or director of the Company.

 

(iii) The consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), unless following such Business Combination: (i) the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the outstanding common stock of the Company and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions to one another as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 40% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the Board of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv) The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(g) “Discover” means create, invent, originate, author, devise, engineer, formulate, develop, prototype, improve, compile, design, conceive, reduce to practice, discover, make, produce, generate or otherwise identify or document; and, other grammatical forms of the term “Discover” shall have the grammatical meaning of such form (for example, but not in limitation, “Discovered” means created, invented, etc., and “Discovery” means creation, invention, etc.).

 

(h) “Discovered IP” means the Intellectual Property in any way Discovered by Employee (regardless of whether such Discovery is made solely by Employee or is made jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) wherein such Discovery occurs during, in conjunction with, in relation to or preparatory to, or otherwise arises out of, Employee’s course and scope of employment with Company (regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or otherwise arises with or without the use or benefit of Company’s equipment, facilities or other resources; and, further, regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or arises during company time, Employee’s free or personal time or otherwise).

 

 

 

 

(i) “Discovered IP Rights” means the Intellectual Property Rights for the Discovered IP.

 

(j) “Intellectual Property” means, whether or not patentable, each and all of the following: ideas, inventions, concepts, developments, improvements, discoveries, designs, compounds, substances or other materials, formulations, compilations, designs, applets, scripts, databases, or other computer programs, firmware or software, manuals, documentation, test procedures or techniques, training materials, systems materials, other materials, reports, creations, other works of authorship, machines, apparatus, technology, prototypes, confidential information, know-how, show-how, trade secrets, methods (whether technological, business or otherwise), processes, marks, symbols, slogans, emblems, business plans and strategies or other proprietary things or information.

 

(k) “Intellectual Property Rights” means all worldwide rights (including, without limitation, all rights to, and to apply for, register, own, license and otherwise exploit, as well as all rights to any now or hereinafter pending applications for, issued, registered, registrations for, or otherwise existing, United States or foreign patents, industrial rights, invention certificates, copyrights, rights of authorship, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, trade secrets or other proprietary or intellectual property rights) in and to the Intellectual Property; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Intellectual Property Rights” also includes all present or future applied for, claimed, pending, registered or issued United States or foreign patents and all applications therefor, including, without limitation, all original, provisional, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part and continued prosecution applications and, including, without limitation, all reissues or extensions thereof.

 

(l) “Person” means and includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, or other entity.

 

(m) “Total Disability” or “Totally Disabled” with respect to Employee, means he is unable to perform, on a full-time basis the regular activities of his employment for a period of (i) six (6) consecutive months or (ii) a total of 26 weeks during any period of 12 consecutive months; provided that authorized vacations or other leaves of absence shall not be counted. The date of Total Disability shall be the date on which the earlier of the requirements stated in (i) or (ii) of this definition are satisfied.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF RELEASE

 

This Release (this “Release”) is made effective as of __________________ (the “Effective Date”), by Neville Pearson (“Employee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. Employee and Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), are parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated effective as of January 20, 2022 (the “Employment Agreement”).

 

B. This Release is delivered pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Employment Agreement.

 

C. Employee acknowledges that the execution and delivery of this Release is a condition to receiving the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, in order to induce Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, Seller and Members hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1 Terms. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement.

 

Section 2 Releases.

 

(a) Employee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company and its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, members, managers, successors and assigns (the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, demands, proceedings, causes of action, orders, obligations, debts and liabilities whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, both at law and in equity, which Employee now has or has ever had against the Released Parties arising on or prior to the Effective Date, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise and whether or not relating to claims pending on, or asserted after, the Effective Date, including, but not limited to any and all claims arising out of or related to Employee’s employment with the Company, including any alleged violation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000(e) et seq.; the Civil Rights Act of 1866, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991,42 U.S.C. §1981,; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (except for vested benefits under any tax qualified benefit plan), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Equal Pay Act; Executive Order 11246; Executive Order 11141; and any other statutory claim, employment or other contract claim, or common or civil law claim for wrongful discharge, defamation, or invasion of privacy arising out of or in any way connected with or involving any employment relationship of Employee with any Released Party, the termination or resignation of Employee’s employment with any Released Party, or any continuing effects of his employment with any Released Party, including, but not limited to, any claim for severance pay other than Severance Pay required pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement, bonus, salary, sick leave, holiday pay, vacation pay, life insurance, health or medical insurance or any other fringe benefit, workers’ compensation, or disability.

 

 

 

 

(b)(1) Employee acknowledges that the Company is not obligated to provide the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement and that the Company has agreed to provide such consideration in exchange for the Release. Employee further acknowledges that neither payment by the Company of the Severance Payment, nor any term or condition contained in the Release or the Employment Agreement, shall be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the Company.

 

(2) Employee acknowledges that he was given a period of forty-five (45) days to consider and execute the Release. Further, Employee acknowledges that he has a right to revoke this Release within a period of seven (7) days following his signing the Release. Employee also understands that the Release shall not become effective or enforceable until the seven–day period has ended and he has not revoked the Release.

 

(3) Employee understands that if he does not sign the Release within forty-five (45) days, or if he revokes the Agreement within the seven (7) day revocation period, he will not receive the Severance Payment.

 

Section 3 Representations and Warranties. Employee represents and warrants to the Released Parties that he has not assigned or otherwise transferred any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Employee also represents that he has read and fully understands the Release and acknowledges that he had the right and full opportunity to review this Release with an attorney of his choice and was encouraged to do so. Employee further represents has signed this Release freely and voluntarily, with full knowledge that he is waiving all claims against the Company through the date of this Release.

 

Section 4 Covenants. Employee hereby irrevocably and perpetually covenants as follows:

 

(a) Employee will refrain from, directly or indirectly, asserting any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof, or commencing, instituting or causing to be commenced, any proceeding of any kind against the Released Parties, based upon any matter purported to be released hereby.

 

(b) Employee will not assign or transfer any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

 

Section 5 Miscellaneous.

 

(a) The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Release shall not affect the other provisions hereof, and this Release shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provisions were omitted.

 

(b) This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to any applicable principles of conflicts of law.

 

(c) This Release shall not be amended or modified except by a written instrument duly executed by Employee and the Company.

 

(d) Captions and headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Release are intended solely for convenience and no provision of this Release is to be construed by reference to the caption or heading of any section or paragraph.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Release shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Release effective as of the Effective Date above.   

 

EMPLOYEE:
       

 

 

Neville Pearson  

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.36

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of February 2, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”) and Jorge Olson (the “Employee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company desires to obtain the services of Employee under the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

B. Employee desires to provide his services to the Company upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employee and the Company hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1. Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in Exhibit A attached to this Agreement.

 

2. Employment.

 

(a) The Company agrees to employ Employee as Chief Marketing Officer, as of the Effective Date and for the period set forth in Section 2(c) below, unless Employee’s employment is terminated sooner in accordance with this Agreement.

 

(b) Employee accepts employment and agrees to devote his full time (approximately 40 hours/week) and attention to the performance of his duties as determined by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”) and to operate within the guidelines, plans and policies as may be established or approved by the Company from time to time.

 

(c) Employee shall commence his duties hereunder as of the Effective Date and continue in the employ of the Company until the third (3rd) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”) or until his employment is terminated sooner as provided in this Agreement. Upon expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement may be extended by the Company for an additional one (1) year period (the “Renewal Term”), by providing written notice to Employee not less than forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Term.

 

(d) Employee’s primary place of employment shall be in the San Diego, California area. Employee may also be required to engage in reasonable travel to other locations on Company business consistent with Employee’s position.

 

3. Compensation.

 

(a) The Company shall pay to Employee an annual base salary of $120,000 (“Base Salary”), which amount shall be prorated for any partial year and paid in accordance with the Company’s payroll practices related to salaried employees. If Employee’s employment is terminated as provided herein prior to the expiration of the Initial or the Renewal Term (if applicable), then the Company shall pay to Employee any amount of Base Salary due to Employee up to and including the date of such termination.

 

(b) Commencing with calendar year 2022, Employee shall be eligible to receive a performance-based cash bonus of up to 500% of Employee’s base salary, based on the Employee’s personal performance and the Company’s ability to achieve certain marketing goals, each as determined by the Board (“Annual Bonus”). The Board shall have the sole discretion whether to make any such award. Employee shall only be entitled to receive any Annual Bonus payment if Employee remains an employee in good standing with the Company as of the date such Annual Bonus is payable.

 

 

(c) Employee will be eligible to receive annual grants of long-term incentive awards under and subject to the terms of any Company’s equity or other long-term incentive plan (including any applicable award agreement) as in effect from time to time. The target value of the awards granted will equal approximately 1,000% of Employee’s Base Salary. Employee recognizes and acknowledges that the award of equity compensation is not guaranteed or promised in any way.

 

4. Payment or Reimbursement of Expenses. Subject to compliance by Employee with such policies regarding expenses and expense reimbursements as may be adopted from time to time by the Company, Employee shall be paid or reimbursed for reasonable expenses actually incurred in connection with the performance of his duties under this Agreement and in the furtherance of the business and affairs of the Company, including $350 per diem of travel outside of San Diego. Any such reimbursement shall be made within seven business days after presentation by Employee of an itemized account of such expenses, accompanied by appropriate receipts satisfactory to the Company. In no event shall any expense be paid or reimbursed, unless properly accounted for to the extent necessary to substantiate the Company’s federal income tax deduction under the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the regulations promulgated thereunder or any similar state or federal law or regulation.

 

5. Additional Benefits.

 

(a) Employee shall be eligible to participate in or receive benefits under any employee benefit plan or arrangement now or in the future made available by the Company generally to its executive employees, subject to and on a basis consistent with the terms, conditions and overall administration of such plans and arrangements. Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the Company’s right to change insurance carriers and to adopt, amend, terminate, or modify such plans and arrangements from time to time, provided that such changes apply to all Employee employees generally.

 

(b) Employee shall be entitled to take 30 days of paid vacation during each 12-month period. No paid vacation may be carried forward from one 12-month period to another. The other terms and conditions of such vacation and all other forms of leave, including accrual rates and payout, shall be as set forth in the Company’s vacation and leave policies, as they may exist and be amended from time to time. Employee shall also be entitled to all paid holidays given by the Company in accordance with the Company’s regular paid holiday policy, as it may exist and be amended from time to time.

 

6. Termination. This Agreement and the Company’s obligations hereunder shall terminate as provided in Section 2(c) unless terminated earlier pursuant to this Section 6 as follows:

 

(a) In the event of the death or Total Disability of Employee, this Agreement shall automatically terminate as of the date of such death or Total Disability.

 

(b) Employee may terminate his employment at any time upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice delivered to the Company.

 

(c) The Company may terminate Employee’s employment at any time, upon thirty (30) days’ advance written notice delivered to the Employee, with or without Cause.

 

7. Severance.

 

 

 

 

(a) If the Company terminates Employee’s employment with the Company without Cause during the Term of this Agreement, or if there is a CC Termination upon a Change in Control or within one year thereafter, then the Employee will be entitled to a severance payment (in addition to any other rights and other amounts payable to the Employee under Company plans in which Employee is a participant) payable in an amount equal to two times the sum of (i) the Employee’s Base Salary in effect on date of such termination (or, if greater, the highest Base Salary in effect during the three year period ending on the date of such termination), and (ii) the Employee’s Average Annual Bonus subject to subsections (b), and (c).

 

(b) Subject to Section 7(c), any severance payment payable to Employee pursuant to this Section 7 (a “Severance Payment”) will be made in a lump sum within 15 days of the date that Employee’s employment is terminated giving rise to such Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7(a) or (b); provided that Employee executes and delivers the release contemplated by Section 7(c) and such release becomes effective and irrevocable.

 

(c) Employee acknowledges and agrees the Severance Payment to which the Employee is entitled under this Section 7 is conditioned upon and subject to the Employee’s executing and delivering the general release of claims in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B by the 45th day following the Employee’s separation from service and not revoking the release within the seven (7) days after executing and delivering the release. Employee’s right to the Severance Payment is further conditioned upon Employee’s continued compliance with Sections 8-11 of this Agreement. If Employee breaches any of his obligations in Sections 8-11 of this Agreement, he will immediately return to the Company any portion of the Severance Payment that has been paid to him pursuant to Section 7.

 

8. Covenant Not to Compete.

 

(a) During Employee’s employment with the Company and for an additional period of two years following the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason (the “Restricted Period”), Employee covenants and agrees that, with respect to the entire United States of America and Canada (the “Restricted Area”), Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, for his own benefit or to the detriment of the Company or any of its Affiliates:

 

(i) Compete with the Company in the Business of hemp smokables in any manner or capacity (e.g., through any form of ownership, lending relationship, or as an advisor, principal, investor, agent, partner, officer, director, manager, employee, employer, independent contractor, consultant, member of any association or otherwise, whether or not for compensation or gain) by working for, becoming employed by, engaging in, carrying on, or providing services to any business involving the Business of hemp smokables;

 

(ii) Own, manage, operate, join or control, or participate in the ownership, management, operation or control of, a business (however structured) that carries on or engages in any manner in the Business or hemp smokables;

 

(iii) Perform services of the type he or she performs for the Company for any Person engaged in the Business of hemp smokables, whether as an employee, independent contractor, consultant or otherwise; or

 

(iv) Solicit, induce or otherwise contact customers or suppliers of the Company for any purpose or manner detrimental to the Company.

 

The parties agree that each of the foregoing prohibitions is intended to constitute a separate restriction. Accordingly, should any such prohibition be declared invalid or unenforceable, such prohibition shall be deemed severable from and shall not affect the remainder thereof. The Parties further agree that the foregoing restrictions are reasonable in both time and scope.

(b) Ownership by Employee, as a passive investment, in the aggregate of less than one percent (1%) of the outstanding equity securities of any corporation or other entity listed on a national securities exchange or publicly traded on any nationally recognized over-the-counter market shall not constitute a breach of Section 8(a) of this Agreement.

 

 

 

 

9. Confidential Information.

 

(a) Except for the information, assets, books, copy, social media accounts and groups, domains, websites and best practices owned by the Employee or Employee’s companies or investments, Employee hereby acknowledges that Employee may be exposed to trade secrets and confidential and proprietary information of the Company and its Affiliates, including, without limitation, all design drawings, blueprints, plans, designs, calculations, technical specifications, construction notes or other works of authorship, inventions, writings, information, data, formulas, models, photographs, and design concepts, and the like, and all other documentation developed for or relating to the Company and its Affiliates and other technical information (including functional and technical specifications, designs, drawings, analysis, research, processes, procedures, manuals, computer programs, methods, ideas, Intellectual Property, Intellectual Property Rights, “know how” and the like), business information (development and acquisition prospects, reserve reports, materials, plans, accounting and financial information, pricing information, customer and supplier information, completion studies, expansion or acquisition opportunities, personnel records and the like) and other information designated as confidential expressly or by the circumstances in which it is provided (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information does not include (i) information already known or independently developed by a third party recipient without the use of Confidential Information; (ii) information in the public domain through sources free of any confidentiality restriction and without any wrongful act of the recipient, or (iii) information received by the recipient from another third party who was free to disclose it.

 

(b) Except for the information and assets owned or previously owned or developed by the Employee or his affiliates, Employee hereby agrees, while employed by the Company or at any time thereafter, to keep strictly confidential and not disclose, use, divulge, publish, or otherwise reveal, directly or through any other Person, any Confidential Information of the Company and its Affiliates, except as may be necessary for Employee to perform his duties and obligations in conjunction with his employment with the Company. Employee further agrees that, upon expiration or termination of his employment with the Company for any reason, Employee will not, without the prior written consent of the Company’s Board, take any Confidential Information of the Company or its Affiliates.

 

(c) Except for any information previously owned or developed by Employee or Employee affiliates, all written or electronic materials, records and documents made by Employee or in the possession of Employee during his employment with the Company concerning the business or affairs of the Company or its Affiliates or otherwise containing Confidential Information, or other items or property held by or for Employee, but owned or used by the Company or its Affiliates, shall be the sole property of the Company or its Affiliate, as the case may be, and, upon termination of Employee’s employment with the Company or upon the request of the Company or any of its Affiliates, Employee shall promptly deliver all of such materials, records, documents or other items of property that are then in his possession.

 

(d) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

 

 

 

10. Non-Solicitation of Employees. During the Restricted Period, Employee will not under any circumstances within the Restricted Area, without the express written consent of the Board, employ, solicit the employment or engagement of, or assist any other entity in employing or soliciting the employment or engagement of, any Protected Person (as defined below), recommend the employment or engagement of any Protected Person to any other business or encourage any Protected Person to terminate his or her employment relationship with the Company or any of its Affiliates. A “Protected Person” means any person who was employed by the Company or any of its Affiliates at or after the Effective Date and prior to the termination of Employee’s employment with the Company.

 

11. Ownership of Inventions and Other Intellectual Property.

 

(a) Company’s Ownership of Inventions and Other IP: Assignment. All Discovered IP Rights shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company without additional compensation to Employee except for the Intellectual Property already owned by the Employee or his affiliates. Employee forever and irrevocably assigns to Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, any Discovered IP Rights. Employee shall disclose promptly to the Company or its nominee any and all Discovered IP. Without in any way limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, to the extent that a work may be deemed a “work made for hire”, Employee and the Company agree that such work (regardless of whether such work is created or authored solely by Employee or is created or authored jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) shall be a “work made for hire” and Employee hereby assigns to the Company, without any reservation for royalties or other reservations, and free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind whatsoever, the entire present and future right, title, claim and interest in and to all Intellectual Property Rights to such work.

 

(b) Employee’s Further Assurances. Whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall execute, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, any and all applications, assignments, oaths, certifications, declarations, statements, affidavits or other instruments which the Company shall deem necessary to grant to, vest in or perfect for the Company or its nominee the right, title, claim and interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to enable the Company or its nominee to apply for, obtain, procure, register, maintain, renew, defend and enforce Intellectual Property Rights in and to the Discovered IP, whether in the United States, Canada or any foreign country, or to otherwise protect Company’s or its nominee’s interest therein. These obligations shall continue beyond the termination of employment and shall be binding upon Employee’s assigns, executors, administrators, heirs and other legal representatives. Employee represents and warrants, and, throughout Employee’s employment with the Company, continues to represent and warrant, that Employee has not heretofore assigned, licensed or granted any right, title, claim or interest in and to the Discovered IP Rights to any other Person or entered into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement; and that Employee shall never assign, license, or grant any right, title, claim or interest of any kind to the Discovered IP Rights or enter into any agreement, commitment or undertaking in conflict with this Agreement save and except as expressly authorized by the Company in writing. Without limiting the Company’s rights or Employee’s obligations under the foregoing, whenever requested to do so by the Company, Employee shall, without further compensation to Employee, but at the expense of the Company, do the following with respect to, for, arising out of or related to any of the Discovered IP Rights: (1) cooperate with the Company in the filing, application, procurement, prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and defense of each and every domestic or foreign patent application or application for invention or industrial rights (including, without limitation, each and every provisional, original, divisional, continuation or continuation in part patent application); patent or invention certificate (including, without limitation, any proceedings for the reissue, reexamination, renewal or extension of a patent); interference proceeding, opposition or cancellation proceeding, priority contest or public use proceedings; trade secret, trade dress, trademark or other right or benefit; (2) appear before or assist in preparations for any and all hearings, depositions or other proceedings related to any of the foregoing; and, (3) take such further actions as reasonably requested by the Company so that the Company enjoys the full extent of the assignment granted under, or other rights arising under, this Agreement. Employee represents and warrants that Employee shall never disclose to the Company, or use for the benefit of the Company, any trade secrets or other confidential information learned or obtained from Employee’s previous employers or other Persons if such disclosure or use would violate the trade secret rights or other rights of such previous employers or other Persons.

 

 

 

 

(c) Employee’s Indemnification of Company. Employee shall indemnify, defend and hold the Company and its Affiliates, and each of the foregoing’s directors, officers, shareholders, members, managers, employees and agents, harmless from any and all claims, demands, suits, causes of action, damages (including, without limitation, consequential damages), liabilities, losses, costs, expenses and fees (including reasonable attorneys’ fee and investigatory fees) for or arising out of or from Employee’s breach, misrepresentation or otherwise failure to fully perform, satisfy, comply and observe all of Employee’s agreements, covenants, representations, warranties, commitments, obligations or other undertakings arising under this Section 11.

 

(d) Employee’s Assignment of Prior Rights. Employee hereby assigns to the Company any and all Intellectual Property and/or Intellectual Property Rights developed for the Company that may have inured to Employee’s benefit prior to the Effective Date (but specifically not including Employee’s literary works; marketing funnels; LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, or other social media contacts and accounts; audios, podcasts, videos and courses not connected to the Company; and websites not connected to the Company).

 

12. Non-Disparagement. During his employment and following termination of his employment, whatever the cause, Employee and Company both agree not to disparage, and to cause Employee’s Affiliates not to disparage, either orally or in writing, any of the Company or its Affiliates or the foregoing Persons’ business, products, services or practices, or any of the Company’s or its Affiliates’ directors, officers, agents, representatives, stockholders, partners, members, employees, or managers.

 

13. Reasonable Limits. Employee acknowledges that the agreement of the Employee not to engage in the activities prohibited herein for the period of time and in the areas agreed upon herein is a substantial consideration for his employment with the Company. Employee hereby acknowledges that the above covenants are manifestly reasonable on their face and expressly agrees that they are also reasonable as to time and territorial scope and otherwise and that same are no greater than is required for the protection of the respective interests of the parties.

 

14. Compliance with Section 409A of the Code. The Company and Employee intend that any amounts or benefits payable or provided under this Agreement comply with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations relating thereto so as not to subject Employee to the payment of the tax, interest and any tax penalty which may be imposed under Section 409A; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall be interpreted or construed to transfer any liability for any tax (including a tax or penalty due as a result of a failure to comply with Section 409A) from the Employee to the Company or to any other individual or entity. Any payment to the Employee that is subject to Section 409A and that is contingent on a termination of employment is contingent on a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A. Each payment shall be considered to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. The provisions of this Agreement shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with such intent. In furtherance thereof, to the extent that any provision hereof would otherwise result in Employee being subject to payment of tax, interest and tax penalty under Section 409A, the Company and Employee agree to amend this Agreement in a manner that brings this Agreement into compliance with Section 409A and preserve to the maximum extent possible the economic value of the relevant payment or benefit under this Agreement to Employee. Any taxable reimbursement shall be paid no later than December 31 of the year after the year in which the expense is incurred and shall comply with Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-3(i)(1)(iv).

 

 

 

 

15. No Violation of Third-Party Rights. Employee hereby represents, warrants and covenants to the Company that Employee: (a) shall not, during his employment with the Company, infringe upon or violate any proprietary rights of any third party (including, without limitation, any third party confidential relationships, patents, copyrights, trade secrets, Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights); (b) is not a party to any agreement with a third party that prevents him from fulfilling the terms of employment and the obligations of this Agreement or which would be breached as a result of Employee’s execution of this Agreement or performance of his employment duties; and (c) agrees to respect any and all valid obligations which Employee may now have to prior employers or to others relating to confidential information, inventions or discoveries which are the property of those prior employers or others, as the case may be.

 

16. Resignation from All Positions. Upon the termination of the Employee’s employment with the Company for any reason, Employee shall be deemed to have resigned, as of the date of such termination, from all positions he then holds as an officer, director, employee and member of the Board (and any committee thereof) and the boards of all of its subsidiaries, unless the other members of the Board otherwise agree.

 

17. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications provided for by this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by nationally recognized overnight courier, or mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt required, postage prepaid, or sent by electronic mail addressed as follows:

 

 

If to the Company to:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc. 9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

 

 

 

 

 

If to Employee to:

 

Jorge Olson  

[redacted]

 

18. Governing Law. The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive local law of the State of Nevada, without consideration of the conflicts of law provisions thereof.

 

19. Remedies. Each party acknowledges that the other party will have no adequate remedy at law if the first party violates certain of the terms of this Agreement, and that the other party shall have the right, to the extent permitted by applicable law, in addition to any other rights or remedies it may have, to obtain from any court of competent jurisdiction, injunctive relief to restrain any breach or threatened breach hereof or otherwise to specifically enforce the provisions hereof.

 

20. Waiver. No waiver of any obligation, right or remedy under this Agreement shall be effective, unless such waiver is made in writing, specifying the terms of this Agreement. Any such waiver by either party of any of its rights or remedies hereunder on any occasion shall not be a bar to the exercise of the same right or remedy on any subsequent occasion or of the exercise of any other right or remedy at any time.

 

21. Integration and Amendments. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes any prior agreement or understanding, whether written or oral, relating to such subject matter. No modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be effective or binding unless in writing, specifying such modification or amendment, executed by both of the parties hereto.

 

 

 

 

22. Severability. If any provision, paragraph or subparagraph of this Agreement is adjudged by any court to be void or unenforceable, in whole or in part, such an adjudication shall not be deemed to affect the validity of the remainder of the Agreement, and all other provisions, sections and subsections of this Agreement shall be severable from every other provision, section or subsection and each constitutes a separate and distinct covenant.

 

23. Court Modification for Enforcement. In the event a court determines that any provisions of this Agreement are overbroad, excessive or unenforceable in any respect including but not limited to the Restricted Period, the Restricted Area, or the nature of the restrictions, then in such an event the parties agree that the court shall be permitted to modify this Agreement in order to make the restrictions more narrow and to make this Agreement enforceable in order to provide each party with the maximum restriction or restrictions allowed by law.

 

24. Reimbursement for Expenses. If litigation or other action is commenced between the parties concerning any dispute arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in the action will be entitled, in addition to any other award that may be made, to recover all court costs or other official costs and all reasonable expenses associated with the action, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses.

 

25. Survival of Certain Provisions. The rights and obligations of Employee and Company under Sections 7-12 of this Agreement shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.

 

26. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument, respectively. Executed copies of the signature pages of this Agreement sent by facsimile or transmitted electronically in Portable Document Format (“PDF”) shall be treated as originals, fully binding and with full legal force and effect, and the Parties waive any rights they may have to object to such treatment. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or PDF also may deliver a manually executed counterpart of this Agreement, but the failure to deliver a manually executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability, and binding effect of this Agreement.

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Employment Agreement effective as of the Effective Date above.

 

  HEMPACCO CO., INC.

 

 

 

    /s/ Sandro Piancone  
By: Sandro Piancone

 

 

President and Chief Executive Officer  

 

  EMPLOYEE:
       
By: /s/ Jorge Olson

 

 

Jorge Olson

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

DEFINED TERMS

 

The following terms, as used in this Agreement and in any correspondence or other communications between the parties in performing or in connection with this Agreement, shall have the meaning ascribed as follows:

 

(a) “Affiliates” means with respect to any Person, (a) any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with such Person; (b) any Person owning or controlling fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting securities or interests of such Person; (c) any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of such Person or of any Person specified in (a) or (b) above; and (d) any Person in which any officer, director, member, manager, trustee or (limited or general) partner of any Person specified in (c) above is an officer, director, member, manager, trustee, or (limited or general) partner. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meaning, controlled by and under common control with) of a Person means the direct or indirect possession of the power to direct or cause the direction of management or policies of such Person through any means.

 

(b) “Average Annual Bonus” means (a) if the CC Termination occurs before the Annual Bonus is paid for the Employee’s first year of employment, 500% of the Employee’s Base Salary as in effect on the Effective Date, or (b) otherwise, the average Annual Bonus paid pursuant to Section 3(b) for the preceding three years (or such lesser number of years as the Employee may have been employed).

 

(c) “Business” means the business of manufacturing hemp smokable products and all activities related thereto.

 

(d) “Cause,” shall mean by reason of such Employee’s: (A) conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, any felony or to any crime or offense causing substantial harm to the Company or its Affiliates or involving acts of theft, fraud, dishonesty, embezzlement, moral turpitude, or similar conduct, (B) repeated intoxication by alcohol or drugs during the performance of such Employee’s duties in a manner that materially and adversely affects the Employee’s performance of such duties, (C) malfeasance, in the conduct of such Employee’s duties, including, but not limited to, (1) misuse or diversion of funds of the Company or its Affiliates, (2) embezzlement, or (3) misrepresentations or concealments on any written reports submitted to or on behalf of the Company or its Affiliates, (D) violation of any provision of this Agreement, or (E) failure to perform the duties of such Employee’s employment or service relationship with the Company or its Affiliates after the Employee shall have been informed, in writing, of such material failure and given a period of not less than 30 days to remedy the same, or (F) failure to follow or comply with the reasonable and lawful written directives or policies of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company by which such Employee is employed or in a service relationship with.

 

(e) “CC Termination” means any of the following: (a) the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause following a Change of Control; (b) the Employee resigns as a result of a material diminution in the Employee’s authority, duties, or responsibilities, a material reduction in the Employee’s then current Base Salary or a material reduction in the Employee’s then current benefits as provided in Sections 3-4, a relocation of more than 50 miles from the Employee’s then current place of employment being required by the Board, or a material breach by the Company under this Agreement; or (c) the Employee resigns in connection with a Change in Control as a result of the Company’s failure to obtain the assumption of this Agreement, without limitation or reduction, by any successor to the Company or any parent corporation of the Company.

 

(f) “Change in Control” shall mean that any one of the following applies:

 

 

 

 

(i) The acquisition by any Person of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) of 40% or more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”). For purposes of this paragraph (i) the following acquisitions by a Person will not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition directly from the Company; (B) any acquisition by the Company; or (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any entity controlled by the Company.

 

(ii) If Sandro Piancone ceases to be an officer or director of the Company.

 

(iii) The consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a “Business Combination”), unless following such Business Combination: (i) the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the outstanding common stock of the Company and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions to one another as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any entity resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 40% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such entity except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the Board of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or

 

(iv) The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

(g) “Discover” means create, invent, originate, author, devise, engineer, formulate, develop, prototype, improve, compile, design, conceive, reduce to practice, discover, make, produce, generate or otherwise identify or document; and, other grammatical forms of the term “Discover” shall have the grammatical meaning of such form (for example, but not in limitation, “Discovered” means created, invented, etc., and “Discovery” means creation, invention, etc.).

 

(h) “Discovered IP” means the Intellectual Property in any way Discovered by Employee (regardless of whether such Discovery is made solely by Employee or is made jointly with, or with the assistance, participation or involvement of one or more other Persons) wherein such Discovery occurs during, in conjunction with, in relation to or preparatory to, or otherwise arises out of, Employee’s course and scope of employment with Company (regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or otherwise arises with or without the use or benefit of Company’s equipment, facilities or other resources; and, further, regardless of whether or not such Discovery occurs or arises during company time, Employee’s free or personal time or otherwise).

 

 

 

 

(i) “Discovered IP Rights” means the Intellectual Property Rights for the Discovered IP.

 

(j) “Intellectual Property” means, whether or not patentable, each and all of the following: ideas, inventions, concepts, developments, improvements, discoveries, designs, compounds, substances or other materials, formulations, compilations, designs, applets, scripts, databases, or other computer programs, firmware or software, manuals, documentation, test procedures or techniques, training materials, systems materials, other materials, reports, creations, other works of authorship, machines, apparatus, technology, prototypes, confidential information, know-how, show-how, trade secrets, methods (whether technological, business or otherwise), processes, marks, symbols, slogans, emblems, business plans and strategies or other proprietary things or information.

 

(k) “Intellectual Property Rights” means all worldwide rights (including, without limitation, all rights to, and to apply for, register, own, license and otherwise exploit, as well as all rights to any now or hereinafter pending applications for, issued, registered, registrations for, or otherwise existing, United States or foreign patents, industrial rights, invention certificates, copyrights, rights of authorship, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trade dress, trade secrets or other proprietary or intellectual property rights) in and to the Intellectual Property; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term “Intellectual Property Rights” also includes all present or future applied for, claimed, pending, registered or issued United States or foreign patents and all applications therefor, including, without limitation, all original, provisional, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part and continued prosecution applications and, including, without limitation, all reissues or extensions thereof.

 

(l) “Person” means and includes any individual, corporation, partnership, association, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, or other entity.

 

(m) “Total Disability” or “Totally Disabled” with respect to Employee, means he is unable to perform, on a full-time basis the regular activities of his employment for a period of (i) six (6) consecutive months or (ii) a total of 26 weeks during any period of 12 consecutive months; provided that authorized vacations or other leaves of absence shall not be counted. The date of Total Disability shall be the date on which the earlier of the requirements stated in (i) or (ii) of this definition are satisfied.

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF RELEASE

 

This Release (this “Release”) is made effective as of __________________ (the “Effective Date”), by [Jorge Olson] (“Employee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. Employee and Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), are parties to that certain Employment Agreement, dated effective as of February 2, 2022 (the “Employment Agreement”).

 

B. This Release is delivered pursuant to Section 7(c) of the Employment Agreement.

 

C. Employee acknowledges that the execution and delivery of this Release is a condition to receiving the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, in order to induce Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement, Seller and Members hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1 Terms. Capitalized terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have their respective meanings set forth in the Employment Agreement.

 

Section 2 Releases.

 

(a) Employee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally releases, acquits and forever discharges the Company and its Affiliates and their respective officers, directors, members, managers, successors and assigns (the “Released Parties”) from any and all claims, demands, proceedings, causes of action, orders, obligations, debts and liabilities whether known or unknown, suspected or unsuspected, both at law and in equity, which Employee now has or has ever had against the Released Parties arising on or prior to the Effective Date, whether pursuant to contract or otherwise and whether or not relating to claims pending on, or asserted after, the Effective Date, including, but not limited to any and all claims arising out of or related to Employee’s employment with the Company, including any alleged violation under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000(e) et seq.; the Civil Rights Act of 1866, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991,42 U.S.C. §1981,; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (except for vested benefits under any tax qualified benefit plan), as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq.; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et seq.; the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the Equal Pay Act; Executive Order 11246; Executive Order 11141; and any other statutory claim, employment or other contract claim, or common or civil law claim for wrongful discharge, defamation, or invasion of privacy arising out of or in any way connected with or involving any employment relationship of Employee with any Released Party, the termination or resignation of Employee’s employment with any Released Party, or any continuing effects of his employment with any Released Party, including, but not limited to, any claim for severance pay other than Severance Pay required pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement, bonus, salary, sick leave, holiday pay, vacation pay, life insurance, health or medical insurance or any other fringe benefit, workers’ compensation, or disability.

 

(b)(1) Employee acknowledges that the Company is not obligated to provide the Severance Payment pursuant to Section 7 of the Employment Agreement and that the Company has agreed to provide such consideration in exchange for the Release. Employee further acknowledges that neither payment by the Company of the Severance Payment, nor any term or condition contained in the Release or the Employment Agreement, shall be construed as an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the Company.

 

 

 

 

(2) Employee acknowledges that he was given a period of forty-five (45) days to consider and execute the Release. Further, Employee acknowledges that he has a right to revoke this Release within a period of seven (7) days following his signing the Release. Employee also understands that the Release shall not become effective or enforceable until the seven–day period has ended and he has not revoked the Release.

 

(3) Employee understands that if he does not sign the Release within forty-five (45) days, or if he revokes the Agreement within the seven (7) day revocation period, he will not receive the Severance Payment.

 

Section 3 Representations and Warranties. Employee represents and warrants to the Released Parties that he has not assigned or otherwise transferred any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof. Employee also represents that he has read and fully understands the Release and acknowledges that he had the right and full opportunity to review this Release with an attorney of his choice and was encouraged to do so. Employee further represents has signed this Release freely and voluntarily, with full knowledge that he is waiving all claims against the Company through the date of this Release.

 

Section 4 Covenants. Employee hereby irrevocably and perpetually covenants as follows:

 

(a) Employee will refrain from, directly or indirectly, asserting any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof, or commencing, instituting or causing to be commenced, any proceeding of any kind against the Released Parties, based upon any matter purported to be released hereby.

 

(b) Employee will not assign or transfer any right or interest in any claims released pursuant to Section 2 hereof.

 

Section 5 Miscellaneous.

 

(a) The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Release shall not affect the other provisions hereof, and this Release shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable provisions were omitted.

 

(b) This Release shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada without regard to any applicable principles of conflicts of law.

 

(c) This Release shall not be amended or modified except by a written instrument duly executed by Employee and the Company.

 

(d) Captions and headings of the sections and paragraphs of this Release are intended solely for convenience and no provision of this Release is to be construed by reference to the caption or heading of any section or paragraph.

 

(e) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Release shall (i) prohibit the Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulations to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and the rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulations, (ii) require notification or prior approval by the Company of any reporting described in clause (i), or (iii) limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information reported to any government agency or entity as described in clause (i).

 

 

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Release effective as of the Effective Date above.

 

EMPLOYEE:

_________________________________

Jorge Olson

 

 

 

EXHIBIT 10.37

 

INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEPENDENT DIRECTOR AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made effective as of [●], and is by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned (the “Director”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. The Company is filing a registration statement on Form S-1 relating to a firm commitment initial public offering of its securities (the “IPO”).

 

B. The current Board consists of [●] members and the Board intends to appoint [●] additional independent director(s) prior to the closing of the IPO.

 

C. The Company desires to appoint the Director to serve on the Company’s board of directors (the “Board”), which will include membership on one or more committees of the Board, and the Director desires to accept such appointment to serve on the Board.

 

AGREEMENT

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained herein, the adequacy and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Company and the Director hereby agree as follows:

 

1. DUTIES. From and after the effective date of the registration statement for the IPO and related pricing of the IPO (the “Effective Time”), the Company requires that the Director be available to perform the duties of an independent director customarily related to this function as may be determined and assigned by the Board and as may be required by the Company’s constituent instruments, including its articles of incorporation and bylaws, as amended, and its corporate governance and board committee charters, each as amended or modified from time to time, and by applicable law, including the Nevada Revised Statutes. The Director agrees to devote as much time as is necessary to perform completely the duties as a Director of the Company, including duties as a member of one or more committees of the Board, to which the Director may hereafter be appointed. The Director will perform such duties described herein in accordance with the general fiduciary duty of directors.

 

2. TERM. The term of this Agreement shall commence as of the Effective Time, which shall be the date of the Director’s appointment by the board of directors of the Company, and shall continue until the Director’s removal or resignation. In addition to a termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8, the Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the Director at any time without liability prior to the Effective Time.

 

3. COMPENSATION.

 

(a) Cash Compensation. Following the commencement of the term of this Agreement, for all services to be rendered by the Director in any capacity hereunder, the Company agrees to compensate the Director a fee of $[ ] per year in cash (the “Annual Fee”), which Annual Fee shall be paid to the Director in four (4) equal installments no later than the fifth business day of each calendar quarter commencing in the first quarter following the Effective Date. The Director shall be responsible for his or her own individual income tax payment on the Annual Fee in jurisdictions where the Director resides.

 

 
1

 

 

(b) Equity Compensation.

 

(i) Upon execution of this agreement, the Director shall be entitled to receive the Company’s Restricted Common Stock worth $☑ per year (the “Share Grants”), which Share Grants shall vest in four (4) equal quarterly installments commencing in the first quarter following the Effect Date. The per share price of each share issued to the Director shall equal to the price of Company stock offered in the IPO.

 

(ii) Upon execution of this agreement, the Director shall be entitled to receive an initial stock option (the “Initial Award”) to purchase ☑ of the Company’s ordinary shares. The per share exercise price of each option granted to the Director shall equal to the price of Company stock offered in the IPO. The Initial Award shall vest and become exercisable in twelve (12) equal monthly installments over the first year following the date of grant, subject to the Director continuing in service on the Board through each such vesting date. The term of each stock option granted to the Director shall be ten (10) years from the date of grant.

 

In the event that the Director serves less than a full year on the Board, the Company shall only be obligated to pay the pro rata portion of such Annual Fee to the Director for his services performed during such year. Furthermore, the vesting of the Option shall not accelerate in the event the Director serves less than a full year on the Board.

 

4. INDEPENDENCE. The Director acknowledges that his appointment hereunder is contingent upon the Board’s determination that he is “independent” with respect to the Company, in accordance with the listing requirements of the Nasdaq and NYSE American stock exchanges, and that his appointment may be terminated by the Company in the event that the Director does not maintain such independence standard.

 

5. EXPENSES. The Company shall reimburse the Director for pre-approved reasonable business related expenses incurred in good faith in connection with the performance of the Director’s duties for the Company. Such reimbursement shall be made by the Company upon submission by the Director of a signed statement itemizing the expenses incurred, which shall be accompanied by sufficient documentation to support the expenditures.

 

 
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6. OTHER AGREEMENTS.

 

(a) Confidential Information and Insider Trading. The Company and the Director each acknowledge that, in order for the intentions and purposes of this Agreement to be accomplished, the Director shall necessarily be obtaining access to certain confidential information concerning the Company and its affairs, including, but not limited to, business methods, information systems, financial data and strategic plans which are unique assets of the Company (as further defined below, the “Confidential Information”) and that the communication of such Confidential Information to third parties could irreparably injure the Company and its business. Accordingly, the Director agrees that, during his association with the Company and thereafter, he will treat and safeguard as confidential and secret all Confidential Information received by him at any time and that, without the prior written consent of the Company, he will not disclose or reveal any of the Confidential Information to any third party whatsoever or use the same in any manner except in connection with the business of the Company and in any event in no way harmful to or competitive with the Company or its business. For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” includes any information not generally known to the public or recognized as confidential according to standard industry practice, any trade secrets, know-how, development, manufacturing, marketing and distribution plans and information, inventions, formulas, methods or processes, whether or not patented or patentable, pricing policies and records of the Company (and such other information normally understood to be confidential or otherwise designated as such in writing by the Company), all of which the Director expressly acknowledges and agrees shall be confidential and proprietary information belonging to the Company. Upon termination of his association with the Company, the Director shall return to the Company all documents and papers relating to the Company, including any Confidential Information, together with any copies thereof, or certify that he or she has destroyed all such documents and papers. Furthermore, the Director recognizes that the Company has received and in the future will receive confidential or proprietary information from third parties subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and, in some cases, to use it only for certain limited purposes. The Director agrees that the Director owes the Company and such third parties, both during the term of the Director’s association with the Company and thereafter, a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the strictest confidence and not to, except as is consistent with the Company’s agreement with the third party, disclose it to any person or entity or use it for the benefit of anyone other than the Company or such third party, unless expressly authorized to act otherwise by an officer of the Company. In addition, the Director acknowledges and agrees that the Director may have access to “material non-public information” for purposes of the federal securities laws (“Insider Information”) and that the Director will abide by all securities laws relating to the handling of and acting upon such Insider Information.

 

(b) Disparaging Statements. At all times during and after the period in which the Director is a member of the Board and at all times thereafter, the Director shall not either verbally, in writing, electronically or otherwise: (i) make any derogatory or disparaging statements about the Company, any of its affiliates, any of their respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees and agents, or any of the Company’s current or past customers or employees, or (ii) make any public statement or perform or do any other act prejudicial or injurious to the reputation or goodwill of the Company or any of its affiliates or otherwise interfere with the business of the Company or any of its affiliates; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall preclude the Director from complying with all obligations imposed by law or legal compulsion, and provided, further, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed applicable to any testimony given by the Director in any legal or administrative proceedings.

 

 
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(c) Work Product. Director agrees that any and all Work Product (as defined below) shall be the Company’s sole and exclusive property. Director hereby irrevocably assigns to the Company all right, title and interest worldwide in and to any deliverables resulting from the Director’s services as a director to the Company (“Deliverables”), and to any ideas, concepts, processes, discoveries, developments, formulae, information, materials, improvements, designs, artwork, content, software programs, other copyrightable works, and any other work product created, conceived or developed by you (whether alone or jointly with others) for the Company during or before the term of this Agreement, including all copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property rights therein (the “Work Product”). Director retains no rights to use the Work Product and agrees not to challenge the validity of our ownership of the Work Product. Director agrees to execute, at Company’s request and expense, all documents and other instruments necessary or desirable to confirm such assignment. In the event that Director does not, for any reason, execute such documents within a reasonable time after the Company’s request, Director hereby irrevocably appoint the Company as Director’s attorney-in-fact for the purpose of executing such documents on your behalf, which appointment is coupled with an interest. Director will deliver to the Company any Deliverables and disclose promptly in writing to us all other Work Product.

 

(d) Enforcement. The Director acknowledges and agrees that the covenants contained herein are reasonable, that valid consideration has been and will be received and that the agreements set forth herein are the result of arms-length negotiations between the parties hereto. The Director recognizes that the provisions of this Section 6 are vitally important to the continuing welfare of the Company and its affiliates and that any violation of this Section 6 could result in irreparable harm to the Company and its affiliates for which money damages would constitute a totally inadequate remedy. Accordingly, in the event of any such violation by the Director, the Company and its affiliates, in addition to any other remedies they may have, shall have the right to institute and maintain a proceeding to compel specific performance thereof or to obtain an injunction or other equitable relief restraining any action by the Director in violation of this Section 6 without posting any bond therefore or demonstrating actual damages, and the Director will not claim as a defense thereto that the Company has an adequate remedy at law or require the posting of a bond. If any of the restrictions or activities contained in this Section 6 shall for any reason be held by an arbitrator to be excessively broad as to duration, geographical scope, activity or subject, such restrictions shall be construed so as thereafter to be limited or reduced to be enforceable to the extent compatible with the applicable law; it being understood that by the execution of this Agreement the parties hereto regard such restrictions as reasonable and compatible with their respective rights. The Director acknowledges that injunctive relief may be granted immediately upon the commencement of any such action without notice to the Director and in addition Company may recover monetary damages.

 

(e) Separate Agreement. The parties hereto further agree that the provisions of Section 6 are separate from and independent of the remainder of this Agreement and that Section 6 is specifically enforceable by the Company notwithstanding any claim made by the Director against the Company. The terms of this Section 6 shall survive termination of this Agreement.

 

7. MARKET STAND-OFF AGREEMENT. In the event of a public or private offering of the Company’s securities, including in connection with the IPO, and upon request of the Company, the underwriters or placement agents placing the offering of the Company’s securities, the Director agrees not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any securities of the Company that the Director may own, other than those included in the registration, without the prior written consent of the Company or such underwriters, as the case may be, for such period of time from the effective date of such registration as may be requested by the Company or such placement agent or underwriter.

 

 
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8. TERMINATION. With or without cause, the Company and the Director may each terminate this Agreement at any time upon ten (10) days written notice, and the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Director the compensation and expenses due up to the date of the termination. Nothing contained herein or omitted herefrom shall prevent the stockholder(s) of the Company from removing the Director with immediate effect at any time for any reason. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Company terminates this Agreement prior to the closing of the IPO in accordance with Section 2 hereof, then the Company shall not have any liability whatsoever to the Director.

 

9. INDEMNIFICATION. The Company shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Director, to the full extent allowed by the law of the State of Nevada, and as provided by, or granted pursuant to, any charter provision, bylaw provision, agreement (including, without limitation, the Indemnification Agreement executed herewith), vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in the Director’s official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office. The Company and the Director are executing an indemnification agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

10. EFFECT OF WAIVER. The waiver by either party of the breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate as or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach thereof.

 

11. NOTICE. Any and all notices referred to herein shall be sufficient if furnished in writing at the addresses specified on the signature page hereto or, if to the Company, to the Company’s address as specified in filings made by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

12. GOVERNING LAW; ARBITRATION. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with, and the rights of the parties hereto shall be determined by, the laws of the State of Nevada without reference to that state’s conflicts of laws principles. Any disputes or claims arising under or in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereunder shall be resolved by binding arbitration. Notice of a demand to arbitrate a dispute by any party hereto shall be given in writing to the other parties hereto at their last known addresses. Arbitration shall be commenced by the filing by such a party of an arbitration demand with the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). The arbitration and resolution of the dispute shall be resolved by a single arbitrator appointed by the AAA pursuant to AAA rules. The arbitration shall in all respects be governed and conducted by applicable AAA rules, and any award and/or decision shall be conclusive and binding on the parties. The arbitration shall be conducted in San Diego, California. The arbitrator shall supply a written opinion supporting any award, and judgment may be entered on the award in any court of competent jurisdiction. Each party hereto shall pay its own fees and expenses for the arbitration, except that any costs and charges imposed by the AAA and any fees of the arbitrator for his services shall be assessed against the losing party by the arbitrator. In the event that preliminary or permanent injunctive relief is necessary or desirable in order to prevent a party from acting contrary to this Agreement or to prevent irreparable harm prior to a confirmation of an arbitration award, then any party hereto is authorized and entitled to commence a lawsuit solely to obtain equitable relief against the other such parties pending the completion of the arbitration in a court having jurisdiction over those parties.

 

 
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13. ASSIGNMENT. The rights and benefits of the Company under this Agreement shall be transferable, and all the covenants and agreements hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by or against, its successors and assigns. The duties and obligations of the Director under this Agreement are personal and therefore the Director may not assign any right or duty under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the Company.

 

14. MISCELLANEOUS. If any provision of this Agreement shall be declared invalid or illegal, for any reason whatsoever, then, notwithstanding such invalidity or illegality, the remaining terms and provisions of the this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in the same manner as if the invalid or illegal provision had not been contained herein. The article headings contained in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes. Except as provided elsewhere herein, this Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the parties with respect to its subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements, promises, covenants, arrangements, communications, representations or warranties, whether oral or written, by any officer, employee or representative of any party to this Agreement with respect to such subject matter.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Independent Director Agreement to be duly executed and signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

  The Company:

 

  

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

       
By:

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 
  Title: CEO  

 

 

 

 

The Director:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  [●]  

 

 
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EXHIBIT A

 

Indemnification Agreement

(See Attached)

 

 

 

 

 
8

EXHIBIT 10.38

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated effective as of [●], is made by and between Hempacco Co., Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Corporation”), and [●] (the “Indemnitee”).

 

PREMISES

 

A. The Corporation desires to provide for indemnification of the Corporation’s directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the Nevada Revised Statutes (collectively, “Nevada Law”).

 

B. The parties recognize the continued difficulty in obtaining liability insurance for the Corporation’s directors, officers, employees, stockholders, controlling persons, agents, and fiduciaries, the significant increases in the cost of such insurance, and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance. Furthermore, the parties further recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees, controlling persons, stockholders, agents, and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance have been severely limited.

 

C. Indemnitee does not regard the current protection available under the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, as the same may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (as amended, the “Articles”), and the Bylaws of the Corporation (the “Bylaws”) as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee and other directors, officers, employees, stockholders, controlling persons, agents, and fiduciaries of the Corporation may not be willing to serve in such capacities without additional protection. Moreover, the Corporation (i) desires to attract and retain the involvement of highly qualified persons, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Corporation and, in part, in order to induce Indemnitee to be involved with the Corporation, (ii) wishes to provide for the indemnification and advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law, and (iii) wishes to assure Indemnitee that there will be increased certainty of adequate protection in the future.

 

D. In addition to any insurance purchased by the Corporation on behalf of Indemnitee, it is reasonable, prudent, and necessary for the Corporation to obligate itself contractually to indemnify Indemnitee so that he may remain free from undue concern that he will not be adequately protected both during his service as an executive officer and a director of the Corporation and following any termination of such service.

 

E. This Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and Bylaws and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor or to abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.

 

F. The directors of the Corporation have duly approved this Agreement and the indemnification provided herein with the express recognition that the indemnification arrangements provided herein exceed that which the Corporation would be required to provide pursuant to Nevada Law.

 

 
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AGREEMENT

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the covenants contained herein, the Corporation and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

 

1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:

 

(a) A “Change in Control” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(i) any Person is or becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporation representing 20% or more of the Corporation’s then outstanding voting securities unless the change in relative beneficial ownership of the Corporation’s securities by any person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors;

 

(ii) the consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, unless immediately following such reorganization, merger or consolidation, all of the beneficial owners of the voting securities of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the entity resulting from such transaction;

 

(iii) during any period of two consecutive years, not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors (the “Board”) (including for this purpose any new directors whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Corporation’s stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; or

 

(iv) the stockholders of the Corporation approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Corporation of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s assets.

 

(b) The term “Indemnifiable Matter” means any event, occurrence, status, or condition that takes place either prior to or after the execution of this Agreement, including any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution activity, whether brought by or in the right of the Corporation or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, or believes might be involved as a party, witness, or otherwise (except any of the foregoing initiated by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 16(a) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement), by reason of the fact, in whole or in part, that Indemnitee is or was actually or allegedly a director, officer, agent, or advisor of the Corporation; by reason of any action actually or allegedly taken by him or of any inaction or omission on his part while acting as a director, officer, agent, or advisor of the Corporation; by reason of the registration, offer, sale, purchase, or ownership of any securities of the Corporation; by reason of any duty owed to, respecting, or in connection with the Corporation; or by reason of the fact, in whole or in part, that he is or was actually or allegedly serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent, or advisor of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, or other entity or enterprise, in each case whether or not he is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any loss, liability, or expense is incurred for which indemnification or reimbursement can be provided under this Agreement and even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.

 

 
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(c) The term “Indemnitee” shall include the Indemnitee named in the first paragraph of this Agreement and such Indemnitee’s actual or alleged alter egos, spouse, family members, and corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, trusts, and other enterprises or entities of any form whatsoever under the control of any of the foregoing, and the property of all of the foregoing. The term “control” (including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by,” and “under common control with”) means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract, or otherwise, as interpreted under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

(d) Except as provided in Section 15, the term “Independent Counsel” shall mean an attorney, law firm, or member of a law firm, who (or which) is licensed to practice law in the state of Nevada and is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent (i) the Corporation or Indemnitee in any other matter material to either such party; or (ii) any other party to the Indemnifiable Matter giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Corporation or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. From time to time, the Corporation may select and preapprove the names of persons or law firms that it deems qualified as Independent Counsel under the foregoing criteria. Further, at the request of Indemnitee, the Corporation shall review the qualifications and suitability under the foregoing criteria of persons or law firms selected by Indemnitee and preapprove them as Independent Counsel if they meet the foregoing criteria. An Independent Counsel that has already been preapproved by the board of directors may be appointed as Independent Counsel without any further evaluation, so long as such prospective Independent Counsel continues, as determined by the board of directors, to remain independent.

 

(e) The term “Losses” means any and all losses, claims, damages, expenses, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties and actions in respect thereof, as they are incurred, against Indemnitee in connection with an Indemnifiable Matter; amounts paid by Indemnitee in settlement of an Indemnifiable Matter; any indirect, consequential, or incidental damages suffered or incurred by Indemnitee; and all attorneys’ fees and disbursements, accountants’ fees and disbursements, private investigation fees and disbursements, retainers, court costs, payments of attachment, appeal or other bonds or security, transcript costs, fees of experts, fees and expenses of witnesses, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses reasonably incurred by or for Indemnitee in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, appealing, or being or preparing to be a witness in any threatened or pending Indemnifiable Matter or establishing Indemnitee’s right or entitlement to indemnification for any of the foregoing.

 

 
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(f) Reference to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “serving at the request of the Corporation” shall include any service as a director, officer, employee, agent, or advisor with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants, or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in the interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Corporation” as referred to in this Agreement.

 

(g) The term “substantiating documentation” shall mean copies of bills or invoices for costs incurred by or for Indemnitee, or copies of court or agency orders, decrees, or settlement agreements, as the case may be, accompanied by a declaration, which need not be notarized, from Indemnitee that such bills, invoices, court or agency orders, decrees, or settlement agreements represent costs or liabilities meeting the definition of “Losses” herein.

 

2. Indemnity of Indemnitee. The Corporation hereby agrees to indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless Indemnitee against any and all Losses incurred by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, agent, or advisor of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or advisor of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, or other entity or enterprise, to the fullest extent permitted by Nevada Law. The termination of any Indemnifiable Matter by judgment, order of the court, settlement, conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, and with respect to any criminal proceeding, shall not create a presumption that such person believed that his conduct was unlawful. The indemnification provided herein shall be applicable whether or not the breach of any standard of care or duty, including a breach of a fiduciary duty, of the Indemnitee is alleged or proven, except as limited by Section 3 herein. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of any Indemnifiable Matter brought by or in the right of the Corporation, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification for any claim, issue, or matter as to which Indemnitee has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction, after exhaustion of all appeals therefrom (a “Final Adjudication”), to be liable to the Corporation or for amounts paid in settlement to the Corporation unless, and only to the extent that, the court in which the Indemnifiable Matter was brought or another court of competent jurisdiction determines, on application, that in view of all the circumstances, the Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses as the court deems proper.

 

3. Limit on Indemnification. Notwithstanding any breach of any standard of care or duty, including breach of a fiduciary duty, by the Indemnitee, and subject to the restrictions in Nevada Revised Statutes § 78.7502 or any successor Nevada Law, the Corporation shall indemnify Indemnitee except when a Final Adjudication establishes that Indemnitee’s acts or omissions involved intentional misconduct, fraud, or a knowing violation of law and were material to the cause of action.

 

 
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4. Choice of Counsel. Indemnitee shall be entitled to employ and be reimbursed for the fees and disbursements of counsel separate from that chosen by any other person or persons whom the Corporation is obligated to indemnify with respect to the same or any related or similar Indemnifiable Matter.

 

5. Advances of Losses. Losses (other than judgments, penalties, fines, and settlements) incurred by Indemnitee shall be paid by the Corporation, in advance of the final disposition of the Indemnifiable Matter, within 10 days after receipt of Indemnitee’s written request accompanied by substantiating documentation.

 

6. Officer and Director Liability Insurance. The Corporation shall, from time to time, make the good faith determination whether or not it is practicable for the Corporation to obtain and maintain a policy or policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies providing the officers and directors of the Corporation with coverage for losses, or to ensure the Corporation’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Among other considerations, the Corporation will weigh the costs of obtaining such insurance coverage against the protection afforded by such coverage. The Corporation shall consult with and be heard by Indemnitee in connection with the Corporation’s actions hereunder. In all policies of director and officer liability insurance, (a) Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Corporation’s directors, if Indemnitee is a director, or of the Corporation’s officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Corporation but is an officer; and (b) the policy shall provide that it shall not be cancelled or materially modified without 30 days’ prior written notice to Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall have no obligation to obtain or maintain such insurance if the Corporation determines in good faith that such insurance is not reasonably available, if the premium costs for such insurance are disproportionate to the amount of coverage provided, if the coverage provided by such insurance is limited by exclusions so as to provide an insufficient benefit, or if Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a subsidiary or parent of the Corporation.

 

7. Indemnification Trust Fund or Other Financial Arrangements. Pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes § 78.752 or any successor Nevada Law, the Corporation may establish an indemnification trust fund or make other financial arrangements acceptable to Indemnitee for Indemnitee’s benefit. Indemnitee shall be an intended third-party beneficiary of any such fund or arrangement, with the right, power, and authority of the Indemnitee to sue for, enforce, and collect the same, in the name, place, and stead of the Corporation or otherwise, for Indemnitee’s benefit. Such fund or other arrangements shall be available to Indemnitee for payment of Losses upon the Corporation’s failure, inability, or refusal to pay Losses incurred by the Indemnitee.

 

 
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8. Right of Indemnitee to Indemnification upon Application; Selection of Independent Counsel; Procedure upon Application.

 

(a) Any application for indemnification under this Agreement, other than when Losses are paid in advance of any final disposition pursuant to Section 5 hereof, shall be submitted to the board of directors. If a quorum of the board of directors were not parties to the action, suit, proceeding or other matter, a majority of the directors who were not parties to the action, suit, proceeding or other matter may determine whether indemnification of the applicant is not prohibited by law or may have such determination made by Independent Counsel in a written decision. If a quorum of the board directors who were not parties to the action cannot be obtained, the board of directors shall have such determination made by Independent Counsel in a written decision. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, the board of directors may under any circumstances submit the determination of whether indemnification is proper in the circumstances to the stockholders. The board of directors shall respond to a request for indemnification or initiate the process of submitting the determination to the stockholders within 45 days after receipt by the Corporation of the written application for indemnification.

 

(b) If required, Independent Counsel shall be selected by the board of directors, and the Corporation shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him of the identity of Independent Counsel so selected. Indemnitee may, within seven days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Corporation a written objection to such selection. Such objection may be asserted only on the ground that Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel,” as defined in Section 1, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. If such written objection is made, Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written objection to the Independent Counsel selected, the Corporation has failed to identify a replacement Independent Counsel, the Indemnitee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection that shall have been made by Indemnitee to the Corporation’s selection of Independent Counsel and for appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by such court or by such other person as such court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom an objection is so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel. The Corporation shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with its fees and expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 8 regardless of the manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed.

 

(c) The right to indemnification or advances as provided by this Agreement shall be enforceable by Indemnitee in any court of competent jurisdiction. The burden of proving that indemnification is not appropriate shall be on the Corporation. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its board of directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification is proper in the circumstances, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its board of directors or Independent Counsel) that indemnification is not proper in the circumstances, shall be a defense to the action, suit, proceeding, or other matter or create a presumption that indemnification is not proper in the circumstances.

 

9. Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of an application for indemnification pursuant to Section 2 hereof or a request for advances of Losses pursuant to Section 5 hereof, the Corporation has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Corporation shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Indemnifiable Matter to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Corporation shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Indemnifiable Matter in accordance with the terms of such policies.

 

 
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10. Undertaking by Indemnitee. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay to the Corporation any advances of Losses pursuant to this Agreement to the extent that it is ultimately determined pursuant to a Final Adjudication that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification.

 

11. Indemnification Hereunder Not Exclusive. The indemnification and advancement of Losses provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under the Articles or Bylaws, the Nevada Law, any policy or policies of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office (together, “Other Indemnification”). However, Indemnitee shall reimburse the Corporation for amounts paid to him under Other Indemnification and not under this Agreement in an amount equal to any payments received pursuant to such Other Indemnification, to the extent such payments duplicate any payments received pursuant to this Agreement.

 

12. Continuation of Indemnity. All agreements and obligations of the Corporation contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee is a director, officer, employee, agent, or advisor of the Corporation (or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent, or advisor of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, or other enterprise) and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Indemnifiable Matter.

 

13. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Corporation for some or a portion of Losses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Corporation shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such Losses to which Indemnitee is entitled.

 

14. Settlement of Claims. The Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any Indemnifiable Matter effected without the Corporation’s written consent. The Corporation shall not settle any Indemnifiable Matter in any manner that would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement without Indemnitee’s written consent. Neither the Corporation nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold its consent to any proposed settlement. The Corporation shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement with regard to any judicial award if the Corporation was not given a reasonable and timely opportunity, at its expense, to participate in the defense of such action.

 

 
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15. Change in Control.

 

(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 6, any provision for the benefit of officers and directors existing immediately prior to a Change in Control, including officer and director liability insurance, an indemnification trust fund or other financial arrangements, shall be maintained for so long as Indemnitee is subject to any Indemnifiable Matter. In the case of officer and director liability insurance, such insurance shall be maintained with the same scope and amount of coverage, with no larger deductible or retention amounts, and otherwise on the same terms and conditions as were in effect immediately prior to such Change in Control unless such coverages, terms and conditions are no longer available.

 

(b) With respect to all matters thereafter arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to payments of Losses under this Agreement or any other agreement, or under the Articles or Bylaws as now or hereafter in effect, independent counsel shall be selected by the Indemnitee and approved by the Corporation (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld). Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion to the Corporation and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent Indemnitee would be permitted to be indemnified under Nevada Law as determined in accordance with Section 16(d). The Corporation agrees to abide by such opinion and to pay the reasonable fees of the independent counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.

 

16. Enforcement.

 

(a) The Corporation expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on the Corporation hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Corporation, and acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in continuing as a director or officer. The Corporation shall be precluded from asserting in any action commenced pursuant to this Section 16 that the procedures and presumptions in this section are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such judicial proceedings that the Corporation is bound by all of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(b) In any action commenced pursuant to this Section 16, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to indemnification and advancement of Losses in accordance with Section 5 under this Agreement, as the case may be, and the Corporation shall have the burden of proof in overcoming such presumption and must show by clear and convincing evidence that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Losses, as the case may be.

 

(c) The execution of this Agreement shall constitute the Corporation’s stipulation by which it shall be irrevocably bound in any action by Indemnitee for enforcement of Indemnitee’s rights hereunder that the Corporation’s obligations set forth in this Agreement are unique and special, and that failure of the Corporation to comply with the provisions of this Agreement will cause irreparable and immediate injury to Indemnitee, for which a remedy at law will be inadequate. As a result, in addition to any other right or remedy Indemnitee may have at law or in equity respecting a breach of this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to injunctive or mandatory relief directing specific performance by the Corporation of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

 
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(d) In the event that Indemnitee shall deem it shall be necessary or desirable to retain legal counsel and/or incur other costs and expenses in connection with the interpretation or enforcement of any or all of Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to recover from the Corporation, and the Corporation shall indemnify Indemnitee against, any and all fees, costs, and expenses (of the types described in the definition of Losses in Section 1(b)) incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation or enforcement of said rights. The Corporation shall make payment to the Indemnitee at the time such fees, costs, and expenses are incurred by Indemnitee. If, however, the Indemnitee does not prevail in such action under this Section 16, Indemnitee shall repay any and all such amounts to the Corporation. If it shall be determined in an action pursuant to this Section 16 that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification or advancement of fees, costs, and expenses or other benefit sought, the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with an action pursuant to this Section 16 shall be equitably allocated between the Corporation and Indemnitee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Change in Control shall have occurred, Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification under this Section 16 regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately prevails in such judicial adjudication or arbitration. This Section 16(b) is not subject to the provisions of Section 8.

 

17. Governing Law; Binding Effect; Amendment and Termination; Construction.

 

(a) This Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced in accordance with Nevada Law.

 

(b) This Agreement shall be binding upon the Corporation, its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee such Indemnitee’s actual or alleged alter egos, spouse, family members, and corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, trusts, and other enterprises or entities of any form whatsoever under the control of any of the foregoing, the property of all of the foregoing, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing.

 

(c) No amendment, modification, termination, or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Corporation and Indemnitee.

 

(d) This Agreement shall be construed liberally in favor of the Indemnitee to the fullest extent possible under Nevada Law, even if such indemnification is not specifically authorized by this Agreement or any other agreement, the Articles or Bylaws, or by Nevada Law. In the event Nevada Law is changed after the date of this Agreement, through statutory amendment, judicial interpretation, administrative regulations or otherwise, to allow additional indemnification or to remove or restrict current limitations on indemnification, this Agreement shall be deemed to be amended and reformed so that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits of such change. In the event of any change in Nevada Law that narrows or restricts the right of a Nevada corporation to indemnify Indemnitee, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by Nevada Law to be applied to Indemnitee in the relevant circumstances, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the rights and obligations of the parties hereunder.

 

18. Mutual Acknowledgement; Federal Preemption. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, both the Corporation and Indemnitee acknowledge and agree that in certain instances, federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the Corporation from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. Such instances include, but are not limited to, the Securities and Exchange Commission’s prohibition on indemnification for liabilities arising under certain federal securities laws. Indemnitee understands, acknowledges and agrees that the Corporation has undertaken, or may be required in the future to undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission, to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Corporation’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.

 

 
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19. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable:

 

(a) the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be in any way affected or impaired thereby; and

 

(b) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal, or unenforceable.

 

Each section of this Agreement is a separate and independent portion of this Agreement. If the indemnification to which Indemnitee is entitled as respects any aspect of any claim varies between two or more sections of this Agreement, that section providing the most comprehensive indemnification shall apply.

 

20. Notice. Any notice, demand, request, or other communication permitted or required under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been given as of the date so delivered, if personally served; as of the date so sent, if transmitted by facsimile and receipt is confirmed by the facsimile operator of the recipient; as of the date so sent, if sent by electronic mail and receipt is acknowledged by the recipient; one day after the date so sent, if delivered by overnight courier service; or three days after the date so mailed, if mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed as follows:

 

 

If to the Corporation:

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

9925 Airway Road

San Diego, CA 92154

Attn: Sandro Piancone, CEO

 

 

 

 

If to Indemnitee, to:

[●]

 

or such other addresses, facsimile numbers, or electronic mail address as shall be furnished in writing by any party in the manner for giving notices hereunder.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective on and as of the day and year first above written.

 

  Corporation:
       

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

Name: Sandro Piancone

 

 

Title: CEO

 

 

 

 

 

Indemnitee:

 

     
   

 

[●]

 

 

[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]

 

 
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 EXHIBIT 14.1

 

 

CODE OF ETHICS AND BUSINESS CONDUCT

 

1. Introduction.

 

1.1. The Board of Directors of Hempacco Co., Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) has adopted this Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (this “Code”) in order to:

 

(a) promote honest and ethical conduct, including the ethical handling of actual or apparent conflicts of interest;

 

(b) promote full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that the Company files with, or submits to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and in other public communications made by the Company;

 

(c) promote compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations;

 

(d) deter wrongdoing; and

 

(e) ensure accountability for adherence to this Code.

 

1.2. All directors, officers and employees, including principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer are required to be familiar with this Code, comply with its provisions and report any suspected violations as described below in Section 6.

 

2. Honest and Ethical Conduct.

 

2.1. The Company’s policy is to promote high standards of integrity by conducting its affairs honestly and ethically.

 

2.2. Each director, officer and employee must act with integrity and observe the highest ethical standards of business conduct in his or her dealings with the Company’s customers, suppliers, partners, service providers, competitors, employees and anyone else with whom he or she has contact in the course of performing his or her job.

 

3. Conflicts of Interest.

 

3.1. A conflict of interest occurs when an individual’s private interest (or the interest of a member of his or her family) interferes, or even appears to interfere, with the interests of the Company as a whole. A conflict of interest can arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family) takes actions or has interests that may make it difficult to perform his or her work for the Company objectively and effectively. Conflicts of interest also arise when an employee, officer or director (or a member of his or her family) receives improper personal benefits as a result of his or her position in the Company.

 

 
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3.2. Loans by the Company to, or guarantees by the Company of obligations of, employees or their family members are of special concern and could constitute improper personal benefits to the recipients of such loans or guarantees, depending on the facts and circumstances. Loans by the Company to, or guarantees by the Company of obligations of, any director or executive officer are expressly prohibited.

 

3.3. Whether or not a conflict of interest exists or will exist can be unclear. Conflicts of interest should be avoided unless specifically authorized as described in Section 3.4.

 

3.4. Persons other than directors and executive officers who have questions about a potential conflict of interest or who become aware of an actual or potential conflict should discuss the matter with, and seek a determination and prior authorization or approval from, their supervisor or the Chief Compliance Officer. If the Company does not have a Chief Compliance Officer, then references in this Code to Chief Compliance Officer shall be deemed to be references to the Company’s Chief Financial Officer. A supervisor may not authorize or approve conflict of interest matters or make determinations as to whether a problematic conflict of interest exists without first providing the Chief Compliance Officer with a written description of the activity and seeking the Chief Compliance Officer’s written approval. If the supervisor is himself involved in the potential or actual conflict, the matter should instead be discussed directly with the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

3.5. Directors and executive officers must seek determinations and prior authorizations or approvals of potential conflicts of interest exclusively from the Audit Committee, or the Board of Directors if no Audit Committee exists.

 

4. Compliance.

 

4.1. Employees, officers and directors should comply, both in letter and spirit, with all applicable laws, rules and regulations in the cities, states and countries in which the Company operates.

 

4.2. Although not all employees, officers and directors are expected to know the details of all applicable laws, rules and regulations, it is important to know enough to determine when to seek advice from appropriate personnel. Questions about compliance should be addressed to the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

4.3. No director, officer or employee may purchase or sell any Company securities while in possession of material non-public information regarding the Company, nor may any director, officer or employee purchase or sell another company’s securities while in possession of material non-public information regarding that company. It is against Company policies and illegal for any director, officer or employee to use material non-public information regarding the Company or any other company to (a) obtain profit for himself or herself; or (b) directly or indirectly “tip” others who might make an investment decision on the basis of that information.

 

 
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5. Disclosure.

 

5.1. The Company’s periodic reports and other documents filed with the SEC, including all financial statements and other financial information, must comply with applicable federal securities laws and SEC rules.

 

5.2. Each director, officer and employee who contributes in any way to the preparation or verification of the Company’s financial statements and other financial information must ensure that the Company’s books, records and accounts are accurately maintained. Each director, officer and employee must cooperate fully with the Company’s accounting and internal audit departments, as well as the Company’s independent public accountants and counsel.

 

5.3. Each director, officer and employee who is involved in the Company’s disclosure process must: (a) be familiar with and comply with the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and its internal control over financial reporting; and (b) take all necessary steps to ensure that all filings with the SEC and all other public communications about the financial and business condition of the Company provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure.

 

6. Reporting.

 

6.1. Actions prohibited by this Code involving directors or executive officers must be reported to the Audit Committee, or the Board of Directors if no Audit Committee exists.

 

6.2. Actions prohibited by this Code involving any other person must be reported to the reporting person’s supervisor or the Chief Compliance Officer.

 

6.3. After receiving a report of an alleged prohibited action, the Audit Committee, or the Board of Directors if no Audit Committee exists, the relevant supervisor or the Chief Compliance Officer must promptly take all appropriate actions necessary to investigate.

 

6.4. All directors, officers and employees are expected to cooperate in any internal investigation of misconduct.

 

7. Enforcement.

 

7.1. The Company must ensure prompt and consistent action against violations of this Code.

 

7.2. If, after investigating a report of an alleged prohibited action by a director or executive officer, the Audit Committee determines that a violation of this Code has occurred, the Audit Committee will report such determination to the full Board of Directors.

 

 
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7.3. If, after investigating a report of an alleged prohibited action by any other person, the relevant supervisor or the Chief Compliance Officer determines that a violation of this Code has occurred, the supervisor or the Chief Compliance Officer will report such determination to the Chief Executive Officer or the General Counsel, if the Company has a General Counsel.

 

7.4. Upon receipt of a determination that there has been a violation of this Code, the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel will take such preventative or disciplinary action as it deems appropriate, including, but not limited to, reassignment, demotion, dismissal and, in the event of criminal conduct or other serious violations of the law, notification of appropriate governmental authorities.

 

8. Waivers and Amendments.

 

8.1. Each of the Audit Committee (or the Board of Directors if no Audit Committee exists) (in the case of a violation by a director or executive officer) and the Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel (in the case of a violation by any other person) may, in its discretion, waive any violation of this Code or make any amendment of this Code

 

8.2. Any waiver for a director or an executive officer or any amendment of this Code shall be disclosed as required by SEC rules and the applicable rules of any trading market on which the Company’s securities are listed or quoted, or on the Company’s website within four (4) business days following the date of such amendment or waiver

 

9. Prohibition on Retaliation.

 

The Company does not tolerate acts of retaliation against any director, officer or employee who makes a good faith report of known or suspected acts of misconduct or other violations of this Code.

 

 
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EXHIBIT 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the use, in this Registration Statement on Form S-1, of our report dated March 23, 2022 related to the consolidated financial statements of Hempacco Co, Inc. as of December 31, 2021 and 2020 and for the years then ended, which includes an explanatory paragraph regarding substantial doubt about Hempacco Co, Inc.’s ability to continue as a going concern. We also consent to the reference to us in the “Experts” section of the Registration Statement.

 

/s/ dbbmckennon

San Diego, California

March 23, 2022

 

EXHIBIT 99.1

 

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

PURPOSE:

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Hempacco Co., Inc. (the “Corporation”) will make such examinations as are necessary to monitor the corporate financial reporting and external audits of the Corporation and its subsidiaries; to provide to the Board the results of its examinations and recommendations derived therefrom; to outline to the Board improvements made, or to be made, in internal accounting controls; to nominate independent auditor; and to provide to the Board such additional information and materials as it may deem necessary to make the Board aware of significant financial matters requiring Board attention.

 

In addition, the Audit Committee will undertake those specific duties and responsibilities listed below and such other duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

MEMBERSHIP:

 

The Audit Committee shall consist of at least three (3) members of the Board, each of whom must (1) be “independent” as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) under the Listing Rules of The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (the “NASDAQ Rules”); (2) meet the criteria for independence set forth in Rule 10A-3(b)(1) promulgated under Section 10A(m)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), subject to the exemptions provided in Rule 10A-3(c) under the Exchange Act; and (3) not have participated in the preparation of the financial statements of the Company or a current subsidiary of the Company at any time during the past three years.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, one director who (1) is not “independent” as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2) under the NASDAQ Rules; (2) satisfies the criteria for independence set forth in Section 10A(m)(3) of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder; and (3) is not a current officer or employee or a Family Member of such officer or employee, may be appointed to the Audit Committee, if the Board, under exceptional and limited circumstances, determines that membership on the Audit Committee by the individual is required by the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, and the Board discloses, in the next annual proxy statement subsequent to such determination (or, if the Company does not file a proxy statement, in its Form 10-K or 20-F), the nature of the relationship and the reasons for that determination. A member appointed under this exception may not serve on the Audit Committee for more than two years and may not chair the Audit Committee.

 

 
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Each member of the Audit Committee must be able to read and understand fundamental financial statements, including a company’s balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. At least one member of the Audit Committee shall have past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite professional certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background which results in the individual’s financial sophistication, including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities. One or more members of the Audit Committee may qualify as an “audit committee financial expert” under the rules promulgated by the SEC.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall recommend to the Board nominees for appointment to the Audit Committee annually and as vacancies or newly created positions occur. The members of the Audit Committee shall be appointed annually by the Board and may be replaced or removed by the Board with or without cause. Resignation or removal of a Director from the Board, for whatever reason, shall automatically and without any further action constitute resignation or removal, as applicable, from the Audit Committee. Any vacancy on the Audit Committee, occurring for whatever reason, may be filled only by the Board. The Board shall designate one member of the Audit Committee to be Chair of the committee.

 

COMPENSATION:

 

A member of the Audit Committee may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the Audit Committee, the Board or any other committee established by the Board, receive directly or indirectly any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the Company. A member of the Audit Committee may receive additional directors’ fees to compensate such member for the significant time and effort expended by such member to fulfill his or her duties as an Audit Committee member.

 

MEETINGS:

 

The Audit Committee shall meet as often as it determines is appropriate to carry out its responsibilities under this Charter, but not less frequently than quarterly. A majority of the members of the Audit Committee shall constitute a quorum for purposes of holding a meeting and the Audit Committee may act by a vote of a majority of the members present at such meeting. In lieu of a meeting, the Audit Committee may act by unanimous written consent. The Chair of the Audit Committee, in consultation with the other committee members, may determine the frequency and length of the committee meetings and may set meeting agendas consistent with this Charter.

 

 
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RESPONSIBILITES:

 

1. Review of Charter

 

i. The Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter annually and recommend to the Board any amendments or modifications to the Charter that the Audit Committee deems appropriate.

 

2. Performance Evaluation of the Audit Committee

 

i. Periodically, the Audit Committee shall evaluate its own performance and report the results of such evaluation to the Board.

 

3. Matters Relating to Selection, Performance, and Independence of Independent Auditors

 

i. The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for the appointment, retention, and termination, and for determining the compensation, of the Company’s independent auditors engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review or attest services for the Company. The Audit Committee may consult with management in fulfilling these duties but may not delegate these responsibilities to management.

 

ii. The Audit Committee shall be directly responsible for oversight of the work of the independent auditors (including resolution of disagreements between management and the independent auditors regarding financial reporting) engaged for the purpose of preparing or issuing an audit report or performing other audit, review, or attest services for the Company.

 

iii. The independent auditors shall report directly to the Audit Committee.

 

iv. The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all auditing services and the terms thereof (which may include providing comfort letters in connection with securities underwritings) and non-audit services (other than non- audit services prohibited under Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act or the applicable rules of the SEC or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”)) to be provided to the Company by the independent auditors; provided, however, the pre-approval requirement is waived with respect to the provision of non-audit services for the Company if the “de minimus” provisions of Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Exchange Act are satisfied. This authority to pre-approve non-audit services may be delegated to one or more members of the Audit Committee, who shall present all decisions to pre-approve an activity to the full Audit Committee at its first meeting following such decision.

 

 
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v. The Audit Committee may review and approve the scope and staffing of the independent auditors’ annual audit plan(s).

 

vi. The Audit Committee shall:

 

1. request that the independent auditors provide the Audit Committee with the written disclosures and the letter required by PCAOB Rule 3526 (“Rule 3526”),

 

2. require that the independent auditors submit to the Audit Committee at least annually a formal written statement describing all relationships between the independent auditors or any of its affiliates and the Company or persons in financial reporting oversight roles at the Company that might reasonably be thought to bear on the independence of the independent auditors,

 

3. discuss with the independent auditors the potential effects of any disclosed relationships or services on the objectivity and independence of the independent auditors,

 

4. require that the independent auditors provide to the Audit Committee written affirmation that the independent auditor is, as of the date of the affirmation, independent in compliance with PCAOB Rule 3520 and

 

5. based on such disclosures, statement, discussion, and affirmation, take, or recommend that the Board take appropriate action in response to the independent auditor’s report to satisfy itself of the independent auditor’s independence. In addition, before approving the initial engagement of any independent auditor, the Audit Committee shall receive, review, and discuss with the audit firm all information required by, and otherwise take all actions necessary for compliance with the requirements of, Rule 3526. References to rules of the PCAOB shall be deemed to refer to such rules and to any substantially equivalent rules adopted to replace such rules, in each case as subsequently amended, modified, or supplemented.

 

vii. The Audit Committee may consider whether the provision of the services covered in Items 9(e)(2) and 9(e)(3) of Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act

 

 
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(or any successor provision) is compatible with maintaining the independent auditor’s independence.

 

viii. The Audit Committee shall evaluate the independent auditor’s qualifications, performance and independence and shall present its conclusions with respect to the independent auditors to the full Board. As part of such evaluation, at least annually, the Audit Committee shall: obtain and review a report or reports from the independent auditors describing:

 

1. the auditor’s internal quality-control procedures,

 

2. any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality- control review or peer review of the auditors or by any inquiry or investigation by government or professional authorities, within the preceding five years, regarding one or more independent audits carried out by the auditors, and any steps taken to address any such issues, and

 

3. in order to assess the auditor’s independence, all relationships between the independent auditors and the Company; review and evaluate the performance of the independent auditors and the lead partner (and the Audit Committee may review and evaluate the performance of other members of the independent auditor’s audit staff); and assure the regular rotation of the audit partners (including, without limitation, the lead and concurring partners) as required under the Exchange Act and Regulation S-X.

 

ix. In this regard, the Audit Committee shall also:

 

1. seek the opinion of management and the internal auditors of the independent auditor’s performance and

 

2. consider whether, in order to assure continuing auditor independence, there should be regular rotation of the audit firm. The Audit Committee may establish, or recommend to the Board, policies with respect to the potential hiring of current or former employees of the independent auditors.

 

4. Audited Financial Statements and Annual Audit

 

i. The Audit Committee shall review the overall audit plan (both internal and external) with the independent auditors and the members of management who are responsible for preparing the Company’s financial statements, including the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and/or principal accounting officer or principal financial officer (the Chief Financial Officer and such other officer or officers are referred to herein collectively as the “Senior Accounting Executive”).

 

 
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ii. The Audit Committee shall review and discuss with management (including the Company’s Senior Accounting Executive) and with the independent auditors the Company’s annual audited financial statements, including:

 

1. all critical accounting policies and practices used or to be used by the Company,

 

2. the Company’s disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” prior to the filing of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and

 

3. any significant financial reporting issues that have arisen in connection with the preparation of such audited financial statements.

 

iii. The Audit Committee must review:

 

1. any analyses prepared by management, the internal auditors (if any) and/or the independent auditors setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial statements. The Audit Committee may consider the ramifications of the use of such alternative disclosures and treatments on the financial statements, and the treatment preferred by the independent auditors. The Audit Committee may also consider other material written communications between the registered public accounting firm and management, such as any management letter or schedule of unadjusted differences;

 

2. major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control deficiencies;

 

3. major issues regarding accounting principles and procedures and financial statement presentations, including any significant changes in the Company’s selection or application of accounting principles; and

 

4. the effects of regulatory and accounting initiatives, as well as off- balance sheet transactions and structures, on the financial statements of the Company.

 

 
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iv. The Audit Committee shall review and discuss with the independent auditors (outside of the presence of management) how the independent auditors plan to handle their responsibilities under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and request assurance from the independent auditors that Section 10A(b) of the Exchange Act has not been implicated.

 

v. The Audit Committee shall review and discuss with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s response thereto. This review shall include:

 

1. any difficulties encountered by the independent auditors in the course of performing their audit work, including any restrictions on the scope of their activities or their access to information,

 

2. any significant disagreements with management and

 

3. a discussion of the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function.

 

vi. This review may also include:

 

1. any accounting adjustments that were noted or proposed by the independent auditors but were “passed” (as immaterial or otherwise);

 

2. any communications between the audit team and the audit firm’s national office regarding auditing or accounting issues presented by the engagement; and

 

3. any management or internal control letter issued, or proposed to be issued, by the independent auditors.

 

vii. The Audit Committee shall discuss with the independent auditors those matters brought to the attention of the Audit Committee by the independent auditors pursuant to Auditing Standard No. 1301, Communications with Audit Committees, as amended (“AS 1301”).

 

viii. The Audit Committee shall also review and discuss with the independent auditors the report required to be delivered by such auditors pursuant to Section 10A(k) of the Exchange Act.

 

ix. If brought to the attention of the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee shall discuss with the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company:

 

1. all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and

 
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2. any fraud involving management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

x. Based on the Audit Committee’s review and discussions:

 

1. with management of the audited financial statements,

 

2. with the independent auditors of the matters required to be discussed by AS 1301, and

 

3. with the independent auditors concerning the independent auditor’s independence, the Audit Committee shall make a recommendation to the Board as to whether the Company’s audited financial statements should be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the last fiscal year.

 

xi. The Audit Committee shall prepare the Audit Committee report required by Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision) to be included in the Company’s annual proxy statement.

 

5. Internal Auditors (if and when applicable)

 

i. The Audit Committee shall evaluate the performance, responsibilities, budget and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function and review the internal audit plan. Such evaluation may include a review of the responsibilities, budget and staffing of the Company’s internal audit function with the independent auditors.

 

ii. If applicable, in connection with the Audit Committee’s evaluation of the Company’s internal audit function, the Audit Committee may evaluate the performance of the senior officer or officers responsible for the internal audit function.

 

6. Unaudited Quarterly Financial Statements

 

i. The Audit Committee shall discuss with management and the independent auditors, prior to the filing of the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10- Q,

 

1. the Company’s quarterly financial statements and the Company’s related disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,”

 

 
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2. such issues as may be brought to the Audit Committee’s attention by the independent auditors pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 100, and

 

3. any significant financial reporting issues that have arisen in connection with the preparation of such financial statements.

 

7. Earnings Press Releases

 

i. The Audit Committee shall discuss the Company’s earnings press releases, as well as financial information and earnings guidance provided to analysts and rating agencies, including, in general, the types of information to be disclosed and the types of presentations to be made (paying particular attention to the use of “pro forma” or “adjusted” non- GAAP information).

 

8. Risk Assessment and Management

 

i. The Audit Committee shall discuss the guidelines and policies that govern the process by which the Company’s exposure to risk is assessed and managed by management.

 

ii. In connection with the Audit Committee’s discussion of the Company’s risk assessment and management guidelines, the Audit Committee may discuss or consider the Company’s major financial risk exposures and the steps that the Company’s management has taken to monitor and control such exposures.

 

9. Procedures for Addressing Complaints and Concerns

 

i. The Audit Committee shall establish procedures for:

 

1. the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls, or auditing matters and

 

2. the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.

 

ii. The Audit Committee may review and reassess the adequacy of these procedures periodically and adopt any changes to such procedures that the Audit Committee deems necessary or appropriate.

 

10. Regular Reports to the Board

 

i. The Audit Committee shall regularly report to and review with the Board any issues that arise with respect to the quality or integrity of the Company’s financial statements, the Company’s compliance with legal or regulatory requirements, the performance and independence of the independent auditors, the performance of the internal audit function and any other matters that the Audit Committee deems appropriate or is requested to review for the benefit of the Board.

 

 
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ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITES:

 

The Audit Committee is authorized, on behalf of the Board, to do any of the following as it deems necessary or appropriate:

 

1. Engagement of Advisors

 

i. The Audit Committee may engage independent counsel and such other advisors it deems necessary or advisable to carry out its responsibilities and powers, and, if such counsel or other advisors are engaged, shall determine the compensation or fees payable to such counsel or other advisors.

 

2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

 

i. The Audit Committee may discuss with management and the independent auditors, and review with the Board, the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to the Company and its subsidiaries and the Company’s compliance with such requirements. After these discussions, the Audit Committee may, if it determines it to be appropriate, make recommendations to the Board with respect to the Company’s policies and procedures regarding compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

 

3. The Audit Committee may discuss with management legal matters (including pending or threatened litigation) that may have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements or its compliance policies and procedures.

 

4. Conflicts of Interest

 

i. The Audit Committee shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions for potential conflict of interest situations on an ongoing basis, and the approval of the Audit Committee shall be required for all such transactions. The Audit Committee may establish such policies and procedures as it deems appropriate to facilitate such review.

 

5. General

 

i. The Audit Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees consisting of one or more of its members as the Audit Committee deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities and exercise its powers.

 

 
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ii. The Audit Committee may perform such other oversight functions outside of its stated purpose as may be requested by the Board from time to time.

 

iii. In performing its oversight function, the Audit Committee shall be entitled to rely upon advice and information that it receives in its discussions and communications with management, the independent auditors and such experts, advisors and professionals as may be consulted with by the Audit Committee.

 

iv. The Audit Committee is authorized to request that any officer or employee of the Company, the Company’s outside legal counsel, the Company’s independent auditors or any other professional retained by the Company to render advice to the Company attend a meeting of the Audit Committee or meet with any members of or advisors to the Audit Committee.

 

v. The Audit Committee is authorized to incur such ordinary administrative expenses as are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its duties.

 

6. Notwithstanding the responsibilities and powers of the Audit Committee set forth in this Charter, the Audit Committee does not have the responsibility of planning or conducting audits of the Company’s financial statements or determining whether the Company’s financial statements are complete, accurate and in accordance with GAAP. Such responsibilities are the duty of management and, to the extent of the independent auditor’s audit responsibilities, the independent auditors. In addition, it is not the duty of the Audit Committee to conduct investigations or to ensure compliance with laws and regulations.

 

 
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AUDIT COMMITTEE COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

 

This policy outlines the procedures that the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Hempacco Co., Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”) has established with respect to the receipt, treatment and retention of complaints received by the Company regarding:

 

1. accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, including the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters, or

 

2. potential violations of the federal securities laws, including any rules and regulations thereunder, or the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) (collectively, “Complaints”).

 

1. Procedures for Receiving Complaints

 

a. Complaints may be submitted to the Company as follows:

 

i. The complaining party may contact the “Compliance Hotline” (anonymously or not) by phone, online or by email using the contact information contained in the Company’s Code of Conduct. The complaining party should identify the subject matter of his or her Complaint and the practices that are alleged to constitute an improper accounting, internal accounting control or auditing matter or a violation of the federal securities laws or the FCPA, as the case may be, providing as much detail as possible; and/or

 

ii. The complaining party may submit a confidential memorandum which identifies the subject matter of his or her Complaint and the practices that are alleged to constitute an improper accounting, internal accounting control or auditing matter or a violation of the federal securities laws or the FCPA, as the case may be, providing as much detail as possible. The confidential memorandum may be mailed to the following:

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

Attention: Chairperson of the Audit Committee

 

 
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b. All Company employees will be instructed through postings and the Company’s Code of Conduct that any and all Complaints may be made anonymously and in a confidential manner in accordance with one or more of the procedures set forth above. Employees will also be notified that, if they do not feel comfortable submitting a Complaint in accordance with these procedures or if they feel that a previously submitted Complaint was not adequately addressed, they may contact the Chairperson or any other member of the Audit Committee directly by mail. The Company will provide notice on a current basis through postings, the Company’s Code of Conduct, and/or such other manner as is determined by the Audit Committee from time to time of the names, phone numbers and addresses of the designated recipients to whom Complaints may be submitted.

 

c. Any Complaint received by Audit Committee, the Compliance Officer, or the Compliance Hotline in accordance with the procedures set forth above will be forwarded in a confidential manner to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of such Complaint. In addition, management will be informed that any Complaint received outside of these procedures should likewise be forwarded in a confidential manner to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee as soon as reasonably practicable following receipt of such Complaint.

 

d. To ensure that the Compliant Procedure is not inadvertently or improperly screening out Complaints that should be viewed by the Audit Committee, the Company’s Compliance Officer will be charged with preparing and submitting to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee prior to each regularly scheduled meeting of the Audit Committee, a table or other report detailing the time, date, nature and disposition of each complaint received by the Compliance Officer and/or the Compliance Hotline since the date of the prior report. The table or other report will be reviewed by the Audit Committee at its next regularly- scheduled meeting.

 

2. Procedures for Treating Complaints

 

a. Following receipt of a Complaint, the Chairperson of the Audit Committee will promptly begin to conduct an initial evaluation of the Complaint. The Chairperson may delegate this authority to another member of the Audit Committee. In connection with the initial evaluation, the Chairperson or his or her designee will decide:

 

i. whether the Complaint requires immediate investigation;

 

ii. whether it can be held for discussion at the next regularly-scheduled meeting of the Audit Committee or whether a special meeting of the Audit Committee should be called; or

 

 
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iii. whether it does not relate to accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters or potential violations of the federal securities laws or the FCPA and should be reviewed by a party other than the Audit Committee in accordance with the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or other policies.

 

b. In any event, each Complaint will be discussed at the next meeting of the Audit Committee. At that meeting, the Audit Committee will decide as to whether and how such Complaint will be investigated, or if the investigation has commenced, how to proceed with such investigation. The Audit Committee may elect among the following options or may investigate the Complaint in another manner determined by the Audit Committee:

 

i. The Audit Committee may choose to investigate the Complaint on its own.

 

ii. The Audit Committee may select a responsible designee within the Company to investigate the Complaint. Under no circumstances should a member of the division of the Company that is the source of the Complaint be charged with its investigation. If the Complaint was not made on an anonymous basis, the Audit Committee will determine whether it is appropriate to provide the designee with the identity of the complaining party.

 

iii. The Audit Committee may retain an outside party (other than the Company’s independent auditor) to investigate the Complaint and assist in the Complaint’s evaluation.

 

iv. The Audit Committee may retain outside counsel to initiate an investigation and work either with internal parties or an outside financial/forensic auditing company to assist in such investigation.

 

The investigating party designated by the Audit Committee will be permitted reasonable access to the Company and its documents and computer systems for purposes of conducting the investigation. At the conclusion of its investigation, the investigating party will be responsible for making a full report to the Audit Committee with respect to the Complaint and,

if requested by the Audit Committee, to make recommendations for corrective actions, if any, to be taken by the Company.

 

The Audit Committee will consider, if applicable, the recommendations of the investigating party and determine whether any corrective actions should be taken. The Audit Committee will report to the Board of Directors not later than its next regularly-scheduled meeting with respect to the Complaint for which such investigation has been completed and, if applicable, any recommended corrective actions. In the event that the Complaint involves any Director of the Company (whether in his or her role as a director, employee, or officer of the Company or otherwise), the Audit Committee will make its report in an Executive Session of the Board of Directors (exclusive of any Director involved in such Complaint).

 

 
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3. Procedures for Retaining Records Regarding Complaints

 

a. The Audit Committee will seek to ensure that all Complaints received by the Audit Committee, together with all documents pertaining to the Audit Committee’s or its designee’s investigation and treatment of any such Complaint, are retained in a secure location in accordance with the Company’s record retention policy. If a Complaint becomes the subject of a criminal investigation or civil litigation, all documents related to that Complaint will be retained until such investigation or litigation is resolved, including all appeals. The Audit Committee may delegate this record retention obligation to an independent advisor or entity or the Company’s Compliance Officer.

 

4. Protection for Whistleblowers

 

a. At no time will there be any retaliation by the Company or at its direction against any employee for making a reasonable complaint, in good faith, pursuant to the procedures described herein regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, or potential violations of the federal securities laws or the FCPA.

 

5. Disciplinary Action

 

a. Nothing in these procedures shall limit the Company or the Board of Directors or a committee or designee thereof in taking such disciplinary or other action under the Company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or other applicable policies of the Company as may be appropriate with respect to any matter that is the subject of a Complaint.

 

6. Periodic Review of Procedures

 

a. The Audit Committee will review the procedures outlined above and consider changes to such procedures periodically.

 

 
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AUDIT COMMITTEE PRE-APPROVAL POLICY FOR

AUDIT AND NON-AUDIT SERVICES

 

1. Statement of Principles

 

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Hempacco Co., Inc. recognizes the importance of maintaining the independence of its independent auditor. Under the rules and regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) to implement the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Act”), the Audit Committee is required to pre-approve the audit and non-audit services performed by the independent auditor in order to ensure that the provision of such services does not impair the auditor’s independence from the Company.

 

The SEC’s rules permit the Audit Committee to pre-approve such services by establishing policies and procedures for audit and non-audit services, provided that the policies and procedures are detailed as to the particular service, the Audit Committee is informed of each service, and such policies and procedures do not result in the delegation of the Audit Committee’s responsibilities to management. Accordingly, the Board of Directors has adopted, and the Audit Committee has ratified, this Pre-Approval Policy for Audit and Non-Audit Services (this “Policy”), which sets forth the procedures and the conditions pursuant to which services proposed to be performed by the independent auditor may be pre-approved. Unless a type of service has been pre-approved pursuant to this Policy, it must be separately pre-approved by the Audit Committee before it may be provided by the independent auditor. Any proposed services exceeding pre- approved cost levels or budgeted amounts will also require separate pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

 

The appendices to this Policy describe in detail the Audit, Audit-Related, Tax and All Other Services that have the pre-approval of the Audit Committee and do not result in the delegation of the Audit Committee’s responsibilities to management. The term of any pre-approval under this Policy is twelve (12) months from the date of pre-approval, unless the Audit Committee approves a different period. The Audit Committee may periodically revise the list of services pre-approved pursuant to this Policy, based on subsequent determinations. Pursuant to the Audit Committee Charter, pre-approval is waived for non-audit services that satisfy the “de minimus” provisions of Section 10A(i)(1)(B) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

 
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2. Delegation

 

As provided in the SEC’s rules, the Audit Committee may delegate pre-approval authority to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. The Chairperson of the Audit Committee to whom such authority is delegated shall report any pre-approval decisions to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting. The Audit Committee delegates to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee the authority to pre-approve the provision by the Company’s independent auditor of non-audit services if time constraints require that such pre-approval occur prior to the Audit Committee’s next scheduled meeting.

 

3. Audit Services

 

Audit Services are services necessary for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and the review of the Company’s quarterly financial statements and services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements. The engagement of the independent auditor to perform the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and the review of the Company’s quarterly financial statements as well as the terms and fees for such engagement will be subject to separate pre-approval of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee will approve, if necessary, any changes in terms, conditions and fees resulting from changes in audit scope, Company structure or other items.

 

4. Audit-Related Services

 

Audit-Related Services are assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Company’s financial statements that are traditionally performed by the independent auditor. The Audit Committee believes that the provision of Audit-Related Services does not impair the independence of the auditor and, consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence, has pre-approved the Audit-Related Services, if any, in Appendix B. All other Audit-Related Services not listed in Appendix B must be separately pre-approved by the Audit Committee.

 

5. Tax Services

 

Tax Services are professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. The Audit Committee believes that the independent auditor can provide Tax Services to the Company without impairing the auditor’s independence, and the SEC has stated that the independent auditor may provide such services. However, the Audit Committee will not permit the retention of the independent auditor in connection with

(i) a transaction initially recommended by the independent auditor, the sole business purpose of which may be tax avoidance and the tax treatment of which may not be supported in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and related regulations, or

 

(ii) representing the Company before a tax court, district court or federal court of claims.

 

 
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6. All Other Services

 

The Audit Committee believes, based on the SEC’s rules prohibiting the independent auditor from providing specific non-audit services, that the independent auditor may provide other types of non-audit services (“All Other Services”) that are not specifically prohibited and that are not Audit-Related Services or Tax Services. Accordingly, the Audit Committee believes it may pre-approve All Other Services that it believes are routine and recurring services, would not impair the independence of the auditor and are consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

 

7. Pre-Approval Fee Levels or Budgeted Amounts

 

Pre-approval fee levels or budgeted amounts for all services to be provided by the independent auditor will be established periodically by the Audit Committee. Any proposed services exceeding these levels or amounts will require separate pre-approval by the Audit Committee.

 

8. Supporting Documentation

 

With respect to each service pre-approved under this Policy, the independent auditor has provided, or will provide for addition to the appendices hereto, detailed back-up documentation to the Audit Committee regarding the specific services pre-approved under this Policy. The detailed back-up documentation provided to the Audit Committee is incorporated by reference into, and shall be deemed a part of, this Policy.

 

9. Procedures

 

All requests or applications for pre-approval of services to be provided by the independent auditor will be submitted to the Audit Committee, the Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer for submission to the Audit Committee and must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered and detailed back-up documentation regarding the specific services to be provided. The Audit Committee will be informed on a timely basis of any such services as they are rendered by the independent auditor.

 

 
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In the event that time constraints require pre-approval prior to the Audit Committee’s next scheduled meeting, the Chairperson of the Audit Committee will have the authority to grant such pre-approval, provided that the Chairperson is independent, and, in accordance with Section II of this Policy, will report such pre-approval decision to the Audit Committee at the next scheduled Audit Committee meeting. Requests for pre- approval by the Chairperson of the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Chairperson by both the independent auditor and the Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer and must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered and a joint statement as to whether, in their view, the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence. The Audit Committee may from time to time limit the ability of the Chairperson of the Audit Committee to pre-approve services in accordance with the provisions of this Section IX.

 

Requests or applications to provide services that require separate approval by the Audit Committee will be submitted to the Audit Committee by both the independent auditor and the Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer and must include a detailed description of the services to be rendered and a statement as to whether, in their view, the request or application is consistent with the SEC’s rules on auditor independence.

 

The Audit Committee has designated the Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer to monitor the performance of all services provided by the independent auditor and to determine whether such services are in compliance with this Policy. The Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer will report to the Audit Committee on a periodic basis on the results of this monitoring. The Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer and management will immediately report to the Chairperson of the Audit Committee any breach of this Policy that comes to the attention of the Chief Financial Officer or other designated officer or any member of management. The directives in the paragraph do not delegate any required duties or authority of the Audit Committee to management or relieve the Audit Committee from any of its responsibilities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules of the SEC.

 

MINUTES:

 

The Audit Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board.

 

 
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EXHIBIT 99.2

 

 

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

PURPOSE:

 

The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (“the Board) of Hempacco Co., Inc. (the “Corporation”) is established pursuant to this charter. The purpose of the Compensation Committee is to review and make recommendations to the Board regarding all forms of compensation to be provided to the executive officers and directors of the Corporation, including stock compensation and loans, and all bonus and stock compensation to all employees.

 

The Compensation Committee has the authority to undertake the specific duties and responsibilities listed below and will have the authority to undertake such other specific duties as the Board may from time to time prescribe.

 

MEMBERSHIP:

 

The Compensation Committee shall consist of at least two (2) members of the Board, all of whom shall be independent directors in accordance with Rule 5605 (d) of the NASDAQ OMX Group Company Guide. The members of the Compensation Committee will be appointed by a majority of the Board. No member of the Compensation Committee shall be removed except by a majority vote of the independent directors then in office.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

The responsibilities and duties of the Compensation Committee shall include:

 

1. To review and approve annually the corporate goals and objectives applicable to the compensation of the chief executive officer ("CEO"), evaluate at least annually the CEO's performance in light of those goals and objectives, and determine and approve the CEO's compensation level based on this evaluation. In determining the long-term incentive component of CEO compensation, the Compensation Committee may consider the Corporation's performance and relative stockholder return, the value of similar incentive awards given to CEOs at comparable companies and the awards given to the company's CEO in past years.

 

 
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2. Matters Related to Compensation of the Officers Other Than the Chief Executive Officer:

 

a. Review and approve the proposed compensation for all Officers of the Company other than the CEO; for purposes hereof, the term “Officer” shall mean any officer at C-level, any “officer” as defined in Section 16 of the Exchange Act and Rule 16a-1 promulgated thereunder, and any individual that reports directly to the CEO.

 

b. Review no less frequently than annually the aggregate amount of compensation being paid or potentially payable to the Company’s Officers.

 

c. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding the compensation policy for executive officers and directors of the Corporation, and such other officers of the Corporation as directed by the Board.

 

3. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding all forms of compensation (including all “plan” compensation, as such term is defined in Item 402(a)(7) of Regulation S-K promulgated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and all non-plan compensation) to be provided to the executive officers of the Corporation.

 

4. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding general compensation goals and guidelines for the Corporation's employees and the criteria by which bonuses to the Corporation's employees are determined.

 

5. Acting as Administrator any Stock Option Plan and administering, within the authority delegated by the Board, any Employee Stock Purchase Plan adopted by the Corporation. In its administration of the plans, the Compensation Committee may, pursuant to authority delegated by the Board, grant stock options or stock purchase rights to individuals eligible for such grants and amend such stock options or stock purchase rights. The Compensation Committee shall also make recommendations to the Board with respect to amendments to the plans and changes in the number of shares reserved for issuance hereunder.

 

6. Review and approve grants and awards under incentive-based compensation plans and equity-based plans, in each case consistent with the terms of such plans.

 

7. Review and make such recommendations to the Board as the Compensation Committee deems advisable with regard to policies and procedures for the grant of equity-based awards by the Company.

 

8. Reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding other plans that are proposed for adoption or adopted by the Corporation for the provision of compensation to employees of, directors of and consultants to the Corporation.

 

 
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9. Preparing a report (to be included in the Corporation's proxy statement) which describes:

 

(a) the criteria on which compensation paid to the Chief Executive Officer for the last completed fiscal year is based; (b) the relationship of such compensation to the Corporation's performance; and (c) the Compensation Committee's executive compensation policies applicable to executive officers.

 

10. Authorizing the repurchase of shares from terminated employees pursuant to applicable law.

 

11. If applicable, the Compensation Committee shall consider the results of the most recent stockholder advisory vote on executive compensation required by Section 14A of the Exchange Act in its recommendations and decisions.

 

MEETINGS:

 

It is anticipated that the Compensation Committee will meet at least two times each year. However, the Compensation Committee may establish its own schedule, which it will provide to the Board in advance. At a minimum of one of such meetings annually, the Compensation Committee will consider stock plans, performance goals and incentive awards, and the overall coverage and composition of the compensation package. The Compensation Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board. The Compensation Committee shall report regularly to the Board regarding its actions and make recommendations to the Board as appropriate.

 

The Compensation Committee may invite such members of management to its meetings as it deems appropriate. However, the Compensation Committee shall meet regularly without such members present, and in all cases the CEO and any other such officers shall not be present at meetings at which their compensation or performance is discussed or determined.

 

REPORTS:

 

The Compensation Committee will provide written reports to the Board of the Corporation regarding recommendations of the Compensation Committee submitted to the Board for action, and copies of the written minutes of its meetings.

 

Review and discuss with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis to be included in the Company’s proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K (“CD&A”).

 

Based on the Compensation Committee’s review and discussions with management of the CD&A, make a recommendation to the Board that the CD&A be included in the Company’s proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K.

 

 
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Prepare the Compensation Committee Report to be included in the Company’s proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange on which the Company’s securities are traded, and any other rules and regulations applicable to the Company.

 

EVALUATION OF COMMITTEE PERFORMANCE:

 

The Compensation Committee shall on an annual basis, evaluate its performance under this Charter. The Compensation Committee shall address all matters that the Board of Directors considers relevant to its performance. The Compensation Committee shall deliver a report setting forth the results of its evaluation, including any recommended amendments to this Charter and any recommended changes to the Board’s or the Corporation’s policies or procedures.

 

COMMITTEE RESOURCES:

 

The Compensation Committee shall have the authority to obtain advice and seek assistance from internal and external legal, accounting, and other advisors. The Compensation Committee shall have sole authority to retain and terminate any compensation consultant to be used to evaluate director or officer compensation, including sole authority to approve the consulting firm’s fee and retention terms.

 

 
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EXHIBIT 99.3

 

 

NOMINATING AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHARTER

 

I. PURPOSE.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (the “Committee”) is appointed by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Hempacco Co., Inc. (the “Company”). The purpose of the Committee is to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibility to assure that the Company is governed in a manner consistent with the interests of the Company’s stockholders and in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, rules and orders.

 

The Committee has overall responsibility for: (i) identifying and evaluating individuals qualified to become members of the Board by reviewing nominees for election to the Board submitted by stockholders and recommending to the Board director nominees for each annual meeting of stockholders and for election to fill any vacancies on the Board, (ii) advising the Board with respect to Board organization, desired qualifications of Board members, the membership, function, operation, structure and composition of committees (including any committee authority to delegate to subcommittees), and self-evaluation and policies, (iii) advising on matters relating to corporate governance, in each case subject to the requirements of the bylaws of the Company (as may be amended from time to time, the “Bylaws”) and monitoring developments in the law and practice of corporate governance, (iv) overseeing compliance with the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and conduct of the Company’s officers and directors, and (v) approving any related party transactions.

 

II. MEMBERSHIP, STRUCTURE AND QUALIFICATIONS.

 

Membership and Structure. The Committee shall consist of three (3) or more independent directors. The Committee members shall be elected annually by the Board, upon the recommendation of the Committee, for terms of one (1) year, or until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified.

 

Qualifications. All Committee members shall meet all applicable independence requirements of Rule 5605 (e)(2) of the NASDAQ OMX Group Company Guide (the “Guide”) and applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

 

Chairman. Unless the Chairman of the Committee (the “Chairman”) is elected by the full Board, the Committee members may designate a Chairman consistent with any recommendation of the Committee.

 

Resignation, Removal and Replacement. Any director may resign from the Committee at any time upon notice of such resignation to the Company. An independent director who ceases to be independent under the Guide shall promptly resign to the extent required for the Company to comply with applicable laws, rules and regulations. The Board shall have the power at any time to remove a member of the Committee with or without cause, to fill all vacancies, and to designate alternate members, upon the recommendation of the Committee, to replace any absent or disqualified members, so long as the Committee shall at all times have at least three (3) members and be composed solely of independent board members.

 

 
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III. MEETINGS AND OTHER ACTIONS.

 

All meetings of and other actions by the Committee shall be held and taken pursuant to the Bylaws, including provisions governing notice of meetings and waiver thereof, the number of Committee members required to take actions at meetings and by written consent, and other related matters. The Committee may invite any director who is not a member of the Committee, management, counsel, representatives of service providers or other persons to attend meetings and provide information as the Committee, in its sole discretion, considers appropriate.

 

Unless otherwise authorized by the Board, the Committee shall not delegate any of its authority to any subcommittee.

 

In the event that the Committee’s Chairman is unable to perform any of his or her functions or obligations hereunder, the Chairman of the Company’s Compensation Committee is hereby authorized and directed to act in the place and stead of the Chairman of this Committee and fulfill any and all functions or obligations that would otherwise be the responsibility of the Chairman of this Committee, without any further action or authorization by this Committee.

 

IV. GOALS, RESPONSIBILITIES AND AUTHORITY.

 

The following are the general goals, responsibilities and authority of the Committee and are set forth only for its guidance. The Committee, however, may diverge from these responsibilities and/or may assume such other responsibilities as the Board may delegate from time to time and/or as the Committee may deem necessary or appropriate from time to time in performing its functions in accordance with the Bylaws and other governance documents of the Company with applicable law.

 

Nothing in this Charter shall be interpreted as diminishing or derogating the duties, responsibilities or obligations of the Board. Subject to the requirements of the Bylaws, the Committee shall:

 

NOMINATING DIRECTORS

 

1. Evaluate periodically the desirability of and recommend to the Board any changes in the size and composition of the Board or the qualifications for Board membership.

 

2. Select and evaluate nominated directors, nominated either by the Board or the stockholders, in accordance with the general and specific considerations set forth below:

 

 
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(a) General ConsiderationsThe Board shall be comprised of at least enough independent directors to comply with the requirements of the Guide as well as applicable rules and regulations of the SEC (each such independent director, an “Independent Director” and collectively, the “Independent Directors”). In making its recommendations, the Committee may consider some or all of the following factors:

 

1. the candidate’s judgment, skill, experience with other organizations of comparable purpose, complexity and size, and subject to similar legal restrictions and oversight;

 

2. the interplay of the candidate’s experience with the experience of other Board members;

 

3. the extent to which the candidate would be a desirable addition to the Board and any committee thereof;

 

4. whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence, including, but not limited to, business, financial or family relationships with the Company’s management; and

 

5. the candidate’s ability to contribute to the effective management of the Company, taking into account the needs of the Company and such factors as the individual’s experience, perspective, skills and knowledge of the industries in which the Company’s subsidiaries operate.

 

(b) Specific Considerations. In addition to the foregoing general considerations, the Committee shall develop, reevaluate at least annually and modify as appropriate a set of specific considerations outlining the skills, experiences (whether in business or in other areas such as public service, academia or scientific communities), particular areas of expertise, specific backgrounds, and other characteristics for which there is a specific need on the Board and which would enhance the effectiveness of the Board and its committees given its current composition.

 

3. Evaluate each new director candidate and each incumbent director before recommending that the Board nominate or re-nominate such individual for election or reelection (or that the Board elect such individual on an interim basis) as a director based upon the extent to which such individual satisfies the general criteria above and will contribute significantly to satisfying the overall mix of specific criteria identified above. Each annual decision to re-nominate an incumbent director should be based upon a careful consideration of such individual’s contributions, including the value of his or her experience as a director of the Company, the availability of new director candidates who may offer unique contributions and the Company’s changing needs.

 

4. Seek to identify potential director candidates who will strengthen the Board and will contribute to the overall mix of considerations identified above. This process should include establishing procedures for soliciting and reviewing potential nominees from directors and stockholders and for notifying those who suggest nominees of the outcome of such review. The Committee shall have sole authority to retain and terminate any third-party search firms to be used to identify director candidates, including sole authority to approve any such search firm’s fees and other terms of retention.

 

5. Submit to the Board the candidates for director to be recommended by the Board for election at each annual meeting of stockholders and to be added to the Board at any other times due to any expansion of the Board, director resignations or retirements or otherwise.

 

6. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, following determination by the Board that such vacancy shall be filled, identify candidates for director qualified to fill such vacancy that satisfies the general criteria above.

 

 
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

7. Monitor performance of the Board and its individual members based upon the general criteria and the specific criteria applicable to the Board and each of its members. If any serious issues are identified with any director, work with such director to resolve such issues or, if necessary, seek such director’s resignation or recommend to the Board such person’s removal.

 

8. Review director compensation process, self-evaluation and policies.

 

9. Develop and periodically evaluate initial orientation guidelines and continuing education guidelines for each member of the Board and each member of each committee thereof regarding his or her responsibilities as a director generally and as a member of any applicable committee of the Board, and monitor and evaluate annually (and at any additional time a new member joins the Board or any committee thereof).

 

BOARD COMMITTEES

 

10. Review and evaluate at least annually the adequacy of the Committee’s own performance and Charter and provide a report on such evaluation and recommended proposed changes to the Charter to the Board.

 

11. Evaluate at least annually the performance, authority, operations, charter and composition of each standing or ad hoc committee of the Board (including any authority of a committee to delegate to a subcommittee) and the performance of each committee member and recommend any changes considered appropriate in the authority, operations, charter, number or membership of each committee.

 

12. Submit to the Board annually (and at any additional times that any committee members are to be selected) recommendations regarding candidates for membership on each committee of the Board.

 

EVALUATION OF AND SUCCESSION PLANNING FOR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

13. Assist the Board in evaluating the performance of and other factors relating to the retention of executive officers.

 

14. Develop and periodically review and revise as appropriate a management succession plan and related procedures. Consider and recommend to the Board candidates for successor to executive officers.

 

 
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

 

15. Develop, monitor and make recommendations to the Board on matters of Company policies and practices relating to corporate governance, including the Company’s corporate governance guidelines.

 

16. Review and make recommendations to the Board regarding proposals of stockholders that relate to corporate governance.

 

17. Oversee compliance with the Company’s Code of Ethics and Business Conduct.

 

18. Oversee the evaluation of the Board.

 

19. Review and approve any related party transactions.

 

OTHER MATTERS

 

20. Perform such other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned to the Committee, from time to time, by the Board and/or the Chairman of the Board, or as designated in the Bylaws.

 

The forgoing list of duties is not exhaustive, and the Committee may, in addition, perform such other functions as may be necessary or appropriate for the performance of its duties.

 

V. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES.

 

Subject to the approval of the Board, the Committee shall have the right to use reasonable amounts of time of the Company’s independent accountants, outside lawyers and other internal staff and also shall have the right to hire independent experts, lawyers and other consultants to assist and advise the Committee in connection with its responsibilities. The Committee shall keep the Company’s Chief Financial Officer informed as to the general range of anticipated expenses for outside consultants, and shall obtain the approval of the Board in advance for any expenditures.

 

VI. AMENDMENTS.

 

Any amendments to this Charter must be approved or ratified by a majority vote of the Company’s Board, including a majority of independent directors.

 

VII. DISCLOSURE OF CHARTER.

 

This charter will be made available on the Company’s website.

 

 
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EXHIBIT 107

 

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

 

Form S-1

(Form Type)

 

Hempacco Co., Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

 

 

Security Type

Security Class Title

Fee Calculation or Carry Forward Rule

Amount Registered 

Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Share

Maximum Aggregate Offering Price (1)(2)

Fee Rate

Amount of Registration Fee (4)

Carry Forward Form Type

Carry Forward File Number

Carry Forward Initial effective date

Filing Fee Previously Paid In Connection with Unsold Securities to be Carried Forward

 

Newly Registered Securities

 

Fees to be paid

Equity

Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (3)

457(o)

$17,250,000

$92.70 per $1,000,000

$1,599.08

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity

Representative’s Warrants (4)

457(g)

 

 

-

-

-

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equity

Common stock, par value $0.001 per share (Representative’s Warrant Shares) (3) (5)

457(g)

 

 

$1,811,250

$92.70 per $1,000,000

$167.90

 

 

 

 

 

Fees previously paid

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carry Forward Securities

 

Carry Forward Securities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Offering Amounts

 

 

 

$1,766.98

 

 

 

 

 

Total Fees Previously Paid

 

 

 

$0

 

 

 

 

 

Total Fee Offsets

 

 

 

$0

 

 

 

 

 

Net Fee Due

 

 

 

$1,766.98

 

 

 

 

 

(1)

 

Estimated solely for the purpose of computing the amount of the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

 

(2)

 

Includes initial public offering price of shares that the underwriters have the option to purchase to cover over-allotments, if any.

 

(3)

 

Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act, the shares of common stock registered hereby also includes an indeterminable number of additional shares of common stock as may from time to time become issuable by reason of stock splits, stock dividends, recapitalizations or other similar transactions.

 

(4)

 

No fee required pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act.

 

(5)

 

Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act. The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable for a number of shares equal to 7% of the shares of common stock offered hereby at a per share exercise price equal to 150% of the public offering price per share. As estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(g) under the Securities Act, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Representative’s Warrants (including the over-allotment) is $1,811,250, which is equal to 150% of $1,207,500 (7% of $17,500,000).