RISK FACTORS

An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risks and all of the other information contained in this prospectus before deciding whether to invest in our common stock. If any of the following risks are realized, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our common stock could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment in our common stock. Additional risks of which we are not presently aware or that we currently believe are immaterial may also harm our business and results of operations. Some statements in this prospectus, including such statements in the following risk factors, constitute forward-looking statements. See the section entitled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

Risks Related to our Business and Operations - General Risks

We have a relatively limited history of operations, a history of losses, and our future earnings, if any, and cash flows may be volatile, resulting in uncertainty about our prospects.

Our lack of a significant history and the evolving nature of the market in which we operate make it likely that there are risks inherent to our business that are yet to be recognized by us or others, or not fully appreciated, and that could result in us suffering further losses. As a result of the foregoing, and concerns regarding the economic impact from COVID-19, an investment in our securities necessarily involves uncertainty about the stability of our operating results or results of operations.

We had negative cash flow for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and for the year ended December 31, 2020.

We had a negative operating cash flow of $1,656,575 in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, and $513,337 for the year ended December 31, 2020. To the extent that we have negative operating cash flow in future periods, we may need to allocate a portion of our cash reserves to fund such negative cash flow. We may also be required to raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or debt securities. There can be no assurance that we will be able to generate positive cash flow from our operations, that additional capital or other types of financing will be available when needed or that these financings will be on terms favorable to us.

We have not based our financial projections or valuation on actual operations.

Our pre-operational stage precludes us from providing financial information based on actual operations. Current financial projections are based on assumptions concerning future operations that we believe are reasonable but may prove incorrect. Because actual conditions will differ from those assumptions, and the differences may be material, we cannot assure you that these projections will prove accurate and caution you against excessive reliance on them in deciding whether to invest in our equity securities. Any increase in our costs or decrease in our revenues could affect your ability to receive a return on your investment.

We are highly dependent on our management team, and the loss of our senior executive officers or other key employees could harm our ability to implement our strategies, impair our relationships with clients and adversely affect our business, results of operations and growth prospects.

Our success depends, to a large degree, on the skills of our management team and our ability to retain, recruit and motivate key officers and employees. Our active senior executive leadership team has significant experience, and their knowledge and relationships would be difficult to replace. Leadership changes will occur from time to time, and we cannot predict whether significant resignations will occur or whether we will be able to recruit additional qualified personnel. Competition for senior executives and skilled personnel in the horticulture industry is intense, which means the cost of hiring, paying incentives and retaining skilled personnel may continue to increase.

We need to continue attracting and retaining key personnel and recruiting qualified individuals to succeed existing key personnel to ensure the continued growth and successful operation of our business. In addition, as a provider of custom-tailored horticulture solutions, we must attract and retain qualified personnel to continue to grow our business, and competition for such personnel can be intense. Our ability to effectively compete for senior executives and other qualified personnel by offering competitive compensation and benefit arrangements may be restricted by cash flow and other operational restraints. The loss of the services of any senior executive or other key personnel, or the inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. In addition, to attract and retain personnel with appropriate skills and knowledge to support our business, we may offer a variety of benefits, which could reduce our earnings or have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our insurance may not adequately cover our operating risk.

We have insurance to protect our assets, operations and employees. While we believe our insurance coverage addresses all material risks to which we are exposed and is adequate and customary in our current state of operations, such insurance is subject to coverage limits and exclusions and may not be available for the risks and hazards to which we are exposed. In addition, no assurance can be given that such insurance will be adequate to cover our liabilities or will be generally available in the future or, if available, that premiums will be commercially justifiable. If we were to incur substantial liability and such damages were not covered by insurance or were in excess of policy limits, or if we were to incur such liability at a time when we are not able to obtain liability insurance, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected.

We may have difficulty obtaining insurance at economically viable rates.

Our lack of operating history in an emerging area, and our plan to grow cannabis, even legally under all applicable laws, may make it difficult to obtain insurance policies at rates competitive with rates for other crops. Insurance that is otherwise readily available, such as workers’ compensation, general liability, title insurance and directors’ and officers’ insurance, is more difficult for us to find and more expensive because of our involvement in emerging areas as well as our cultivation, processing, and sale of cannabis, albeit legally under both state and federal laws. There are no guarantees that we will be able to find insurance coverage at otherwise competitive, or even economically viable terms.

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

U.S. GAAP 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, revenue recognition, stock-based compensation, trade 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 significantly change our reported results.

The COVID-19 pandemic could continue to materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and day-to-day operations.

The outbreak of COVID-19, a novel strain of coronavirus first identified in China, which has spread across the globe including the U.S., has had an adverse impact on our operations and financial condition. Most recently, the response to this coronavirus by federal, state and local governments in the U.S. has resulted in the significant market and business disruptions across many industries and affecting businesses of all sizes. This pandemic has also caused significant stock market volatility and further tightened capital access for most businesses. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruptions are of unknown duration, they could have an adverse effect on our liquidity and profitability.

The ultimate magnitude of COVID-19, including the extent of its impact on our financial and operational results, which could be material, will depend on the length of time that the pandemic continues, its effect on the demand for our products and our supply chain, the effect of governmental regulations imposed in response to the pandemic, as well as uncertainty regarding all of the foregoing. We cannot at this time predict the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it could have a larger material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows beyond what is discussed within this prospectus.

Risks Related to our Business and Operations - Required DEA Authority To Grow and Process Cannabis and Cannabis Generally

Cannabis is highly regulated at the federal and state level, and authorizations for the production of cannabis for research is still in the early stages.

Cannabis, other than hemp, is a Schedule I controlled substance under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801, et seq.) (the “CSA”). Even in states or territories that have legalized cannabis to some extent, the cultivation, possession, and sale of cannabis all remain violations of federal law that are punishable by imprisonment, substantial fines and forfeiture. While cannabis remains a federally illegal Schedule I drug under the CSA, there is a process by which cannabis can be grown or manufactured for uses in federally sanctioned research. To become an authorized cannabis researcher in the United States, one must obtain a permit from the DEA and meet certain requirements imposed by the DEA, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and the National Institutes of Health. The registration process to manufacture controlled substances is codified under 21 U.S.C. § 823. It requires that the Attorney General determine whether registrations are in the public interest. To do so, the Attorney General is directed to consider multiple factors, including “compliance with applicable State and local law.”

The University of Mississippi, pursuant to a contractual agreement with National Institute on Drug Abuse (“NIDA”), has been the only authorized cannabis producer in the United States for years. In the face of unprecedented demand for cannabis manufacture for research necessitating more suppliers, the program at the University of Mississippi has faced significant criticism for its poor quality flower, mold issues, and limited availability of strains with levels of THC and CBD comparable to commercial cannabis products.

In recent years, the federal government has acknowledged the need for new suppliers. During his confirmation hearings in 2019, Attorney General Barr testified that he supported authorizing more facilities to cultivate cannabis in the U.S. for research purposes. In January 2020, a senior policy advisor for the DEA, Matthew J. Strait, testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee regarding the DEA’s progress to date. Mr. Strait acknowledged concerns about the limited supply of research-grade cannabis and the lack of chemical diversity in the plants cultivated in Mississippi. He outlined the DEA’s various steps in the past few years to expand cannabis research and manufacturing capacity, including:

In addition to these efforts, in 2016, the DEA began accepting new research cultivation applications with regulations crafted under the Obama administration. However, no decisions were made on those applicants, and, in August 2019, the DEA issued a notice to the pending applicants, stating that it would promulgate new regulations to govern the program of growing “marihuana” for scientific and medical research prior to issuing any registrations. During his testimony, Mr. Strait explained that the DEA is “actively taking steps to expand” the number of registered growers, and had recently sent draft regulations to facilitate licensing additional growers to the Office of Management and Budget.

Those draft regulations were published in late March 2020. Under the proposed regulations, the DEA will maintain sole ownership of all cannabis produced under the program, requiring growers to notify the DEA of an upcoming harvest up to four months’ in advance, or at a minimum, 15 days before a harvest. The DEA currently has roughly 35 outstanding applications for research cannabis cultivation licenses, and the agency said it expects to approve between five and 13 suppliers once the rules are finalized after a public comment period, which has ended. The proposed rule provides that, with a limited exception, applications accepted for filing after the date the final rule becomes effective will not be considered pending until all applications accepted for filing on or before the date the final rule becomes effective have been granted or denied by the Administrator.

On December 18, 2020, the DEA finalized new regulations pertaining to applications by entities seeking to become registered with the DEA to grow cannabis as bulk manufacturers for research purposes and provide cannabis to other DEA registered manufacturers. Under these and other applicable regulations, applicants are responsible for demonstrating they have met various requirements, including requirements to possess appropriate state authority, document that their customers are licensed to perform research, and employ adequate safeguards to prevent diversion.

On May 14, 2021, the DEA announced that it planned to provide memorandums of agreement to an unspecified and unnamed number of companies to collaborate with the DEA “to facilitate the production, storage, packaging, and distribution of marijuana under the new regulations as well as other applicable legal standards and relevant laws.” The DEA’s final rule on the topic estimated that it would award licenses to between three and fifteen companies. To the extent these memorandums of agreement are finalized, the DEA anticipates issuing DEA registrations to these manufacturers. Each applicant will then be authorized to cultivate cannabis – up to an allotted quota – in support of the more than 575 DEA-licensed researchers across the nation. As individual manufacturers are granted DEA registrations, that information will be made available on DEA’s Diversion Control website.

A denial of, or significant delay in obtaining, or any interruption of required government authorizations to grow cannabis for federally sanctioned purposes would likely significantly, negatively impact BGC.

Our business plan depends heavily on receiving the necessary state and federal authorizations to research cannabis and to grow cannabis for federally sanctioned cannabis research. Bright Green may not commence cannabis growing operations until both the State of New Mexico and the federal government, in particular the DEA, have signed off that Bright Green has met its obligations under state law and the MOA and is compliance with all applicable regulations. While New Mexico has granted to Bright Green the necessary licenses to grow cannabis for research, and BGC and the DEA have entered into a MOA for BGC to be one of the entities registered by the DEA to grow cannabis for federally sanctioned purposes, we cannot guarantee that the DEA will ultimately permit BGC to register manufacture cannabis. The MOA was effective and became binding on May 20, 2021. The DEA’s denial of any authorizations or any delay in granting the authorization or renewal could have a significantly negative impact on our business plans, operations and financial results.

BGC must comply with all terms agreed to in the MOA which include:

Furthermore, unless terminated for cause by the DEA, the MOA is effective for an initial one-year term from its effective date, subject to automatic renewal for up to four additional one-year terms. There is no guarantee, however, that the needed authorizations will be obtained in the first place, or subsequently renewed at the one year or subsequent renewal terms.

Changes in the competitive landscape for cannabis for federally sanctioned research could significantly, negatively impact BGC.

The DEA has not made public how many entities received memorandums of agreement. If the DEA awards additional licenses to grow cannabis for federally sanctioned research it would limit our competitive advantage. This would have a negative impact on our business plans, operations and financial results.

Furthermore, the current barriers to entry to the market for cannabis for federally sanctioned research could be lowered significantly. For example, a pending bill in Congress would permit federally sanctioned researchers to use cannabis purchased from state-regulated cannabis businesses to ensure an adequate supply to meet demand for cannabis research. While that concept and the bill do not have significant support currently, that could change. In July 2021, Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) release a draft bill, the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, which provides a comprehensive federal solution for cannabis, including descheduling cannabis. Any decriminalization or legalization of cannabis, beyond hemp, under U.S. law could significantly alter the competitive landscape. On the other hand, federal decriminalization or legalization would likely increase the demand for cannabis for research, and the federal government could continue to control the supply particularly for FDA sanctioned research.

The U.S. wholesale market for cannabis for research is of unknown size and is difficult to forecast.

BGC plans to operate in a novel market which currently only has one participant. The extent to which the DEA will expand the current cannabis research program, and the supply that the DEA will require from bulk manufacturers to furnish researchers with cannabis is unknown and unprecedented. Because this market is new and novel, there are risks to predicting the market size and the resulting revenue BGC will obtain from government contracts to supply cannabis researchers, should the DEA registration be obtained, and any such projections may prove inaccurate.

We may not develop as many cannabis products or a crop of the consistency or quality that we expect, which could have a negative adverse effect on our business plan and profitability.

Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain research customers, but we face competition in obtaining customers for our cannabis materials and products. There are many factors that could impact our ability to attract and retain customers, including our ability to successfully compete based on price, produce high quality or consistent crops, continually produce desirable and effective products that are superior to others in the market, and the successful implementation of our customer acquisition plan and the continued growth in the aggregate number of potential customers. Competition for customers may result in increasing our costs while also lowering the market prices for our products, and reduce our profitability. If we are not successful in attracting and retaining customers, we may fail to be competitive or achieve profitability or sustain profitability over time.

As a result of changing customer preferences, many products attain financial success for a limited period of time.

Even if we are successful in introducing new products, a failure to gain consumer acceptance or to update products with compelling attributes could cause a decline in our products’ popularity that could reduce revenues and harm our business, operating results and financial condition. Failure to introduce new products or product types and to achieve and sustain market acceptance could result in our being unable to meet consumer preferences and generate revenue, which would have a material adverse effect on our profitability and financial results from operations.

FDA regulation of cannabis could negatively affect the cannabis industry, which would directly affect our financial condition.

Should the federal government legalize cannabis, it is possible that the FDA would seek to regulate it under the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act. Indeed, after the U.S. government removed hemp and its extracts from the CSA as part of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, then FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued a statement reminding the public of the FDA’s continued authority “to regulate products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and section 351 of the Public Health Service Act.” He also reminded the public that “it’s unlawful under the FDCA to introduce food containing added cannabidiol (“CBD”) or tetrahydrocannabinol (“THC”) into interstate commerce, or to market CBD or THC products, as, or in, dietary supplements, regardless of whether the substances are hemp-derived,” and regardless of whether health claims are made, because CBD and THC entered the FDA testing pipeline as the subject of public substantial clinical investigations for GW Pharmaceuticals’ Sativex (THC and CBD) and Epidiolex (CBD). Gottlieb’s statement added that, prior to introduction into interstate commerce, any cannabis product, whether derived from hemp or otherwise, marketed with a disease claim (e.g., therapeutic benefit, disease prevention, etc.) must first be approved by the FDA for its intended use through one of the drug approval pathways.

The FDA has sent numerous warning letters to sellers of CBD products making health claims. The FDA could turn its attention to the cannabis industry at large. In addition to requiring FDA approval of cannabis products marketed as drugs, the FDA could issue rules and regulations including certified good manufacturing practices related to the growth, cultivation, harvesting and processing of cannabis. It is also possible that the FDA would require that facilities where cannabis is grown register with the FDA and comply with certain federally prescribed regulations. Cannabis facilities are currently regulated by state and local governments. In the event that some or all of these federal enforcement and regulations are imposed, we do not know what the impact would be on our operations, including what costs, requirements and possible prohibitions may be enforced. If we are unable to comply with the regulations or registration as prescribed by the FDA, we may be unable to continue to operate our business in its proposed form or at all. There is no guarantee that cannabinoid products that may not be fully legal now will be able to be legally commercialized in the future or that Bright Green’s products or operations will meet any new FDA regulations or interpretations of the law, which could inhibit Bright Green’s business prospects even in the case that the federal government were to legalize cannabis.

Due to FDA’s position on CBD, and because we are committed to complying with both state and federal laws, any legal restriction on the sale of products that containing extracts of cannabis could limit the legally accessible CBD/legal cannabinoid market for our proposed products.

Additionally, the FDA may, in the future, decide to regulate cannabis products, which could significantly accelerate or stall the development and sale of cannabis-based products. Currently, there is uncertainty regarding the FDA’s path forward regarding cannabis. If the FDA were to regulate cannabis, it is possible that it would distinguish between DEA-approved facilities like Bright Green’s, and commercial cannabis retailers selling directly to consumers in state-legal markets. Because Bright Green’s products are not going directly to consumers, and would only reach consumers via a prescription drug that has undergone FDA clinical trials and safety testing, it is likely that the majority of the FDA’s regulation would affect state-legal cannabis operators more so than Bright Green. However, the effect of future FDA regulation on cannabis remains uncertain and could also have an adverse effect on our business operations, operating costs, and performance. Moreover, there is no guarantee that the FDA will find our products safe or effective or grant us the required approvals under the FDCA, which may inhibit our business prospects even in the case that the federal government were to legalize cannabis, and could also create unforeseen costs created by requirements to comply with the FDCA.

Research in the United States, Canada and other countries on the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy and dosing of cannabis or isolated cannabinoids may cause adverse effects on our operations.

Historically stringent regulations related to cannabis have made conducting medical and academic studies challenging. Many statements concerning the potential medical benefits of cannabinoids are based on published articles and reports, and as a result, such statements are subject to the experimental parameters, qualifications and limitations in the studies that have been completed. Future research and clinical trials may draw different or negative conclusions regarding the medical benefits, viability, safety, efficacy, dosing or other facts and perceptions related to medical cannabis, which could adversely affect social acceptance of cannabis and the demand for their products.

There can be no assurance that future scientific research, findings, regulatory proceedings, litigation, media attention, or other research findings or publicity will be favorable to the cannabis market or any particular cannabis product or will be consistent with earlier publicity. Adverse future scientific research reports, findings and regulatory proceedings that are, or litigation, media attention or other publicity that is, perceived as less favorable than, or that questions, earlier research reports, findings or publicity (whether or not accurate or with merit) could result in a significant reduction in the demand for the cannabis products of a portfolio company. Further, adverse publicity reports or other media attention regarding the safety, efficacy and quality of cannabis, or our products specifically, or associating the consumption of cannabis with illness or other negative effects or events, could adversely affect our business. This adverse publicity could arise even if the adverse effects associated with cannabis products resulted from consumers’ failure to use such products legally, appropriately or as directed.

The very dynamic nature of the laws and regulations affecting the cannabis market, the federal authorization of cannabis for research, or the state-regulated cannabis industry could materially adversely affect our proposed operations, and we cannot predict the impact that future regulations may have on us.

Local, state and federal cannabis laws and regulations have been evolving rapidly and are subject to varied interpretations, which could require us to incur substantial costs associated with compliance or alter our business plan and could negatively impact our business plan or business. We can know neither the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications nor the effect additional governmental regulations or administrative policies and procedures, when and if promulgated, could have on our business. For example, if cannabis is no longer illegal under federal law, and depending on future laws or guidance on cannabis for research, we may experience a significant increase in competition. Accordingly, any change in these laws or regulations, changes in their interpretation, or newly enacted laws or regulations and any failure by us to comply with these laws or regulations could require changes to certain of our business practices, negatively impact our operations, cash flow or financial condition, impose additional costs on us or otherwise adversely affect our business.

Operating in a highly regulated business requires significant resources.

We intend to operate in a highly regulated business. As a result, we expect a significant amount of our management’s time and external resources to be used to comply with the laws, regulations and guidelines that impact our business, and changes thereto, and such compliance may place a significant burden on our management and other resources.

Additionally, we may be subject to a variety of laws, regulations and guidelines in each of the jurisdictions in which we distribute cannabis, which may differ among these various jurisdictions. Complying with multiple regulatory regimes will require additional resources and may our ability to expand into certain jurisdictions. For example, even if cannabis were to become legal under U.S. federal law, companies operating in the cannabis industry would have to comply with all applicable state and local laws, which may vary greatly between jurisdictions, increasing costs for companies that operate in multiple jurisdictions.

The uncertainties around funding, construction, and growing an agricultural crop pose risks to our business.

Our planned operations are contingent on completion of raising significant additional funding for the construction of certain facilities in Grants, New Mexico. We need significant additional capital to build out the properties, and the timing and terms of obtaining that capital are uncertain. It is also possible that we may not be able to raise the capital required for our construction plans.

Delays in obtaining the capital, onerous terms for the capital, or a failure to raise the significant capital required could have a material, negative impact on business or plans of operations. Furthermore, we will be an agricultural supplier and will be subject to agricultural risks related to issues such as climate change, natural disasters or pests. In particular, there could be difficulties with the first crop or harvest in any new facility.

The cannabis industry is subject to the risks inherent in an agricultural business, including environmental factors and the risk of crop failure.

The growing of cannabis is an agricultural process. As such, a portfolio company with operations in the cannabis industry is subject to the risks inherent in the agricultural business, including risks of crop failure presented by weather, climate change, water scarcity, fires, insects, plant diseases and similar agricultural risks. Although some cannabis production is conducted indoors under climate-controlled conditions, cannabis continues to be grown outdoors, and in our case, in greenhouses using natural light, which is susceptible to climate changes, and there can be no assurance that artificial or natural elements, such as insects and plant diseases, will not entirely interrupt production activities or have an adverse effect on the production of cannabis and, accordingly, the operations of a portfolio company, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The direct listing process differs from an initial public offering underwritten on a firm-commitment basis and the impact on the Company’s brand and consumer recognition is unpredictable; researcher and patient preferences for our products or brands can be unpredictable; our marketing and brand development efforts may not be successful.

We will not conduct a traditional “roadshow” with underwriters prior to the opening of trading on Nasdaq. Instead, we intend to host an investor day, as well as engage in certain other investor education meetings. In advance of the investor day, we will announce the date for such day over financial news outlets in a manner consistent with typical corporate outreach to investors. We will prepare an electronic presentation for this investor day, which will have content similar to a traditional roadshow presentation, and make one version of the presentation publicly available, without restriction, on a website. There can be no guarantees that the investor day and other investor education meetings will have the same impact on investor education as a traditional “roadshow” conducted in connection with a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering. As a result, there may not be efficient price discovery with respect to our common stock or sufficient demand among investors immediately after our listing, which could result in a more volatile public price of our common stock.

Further, there is no guarantee that our Company will be successful in creating and maintaining consumer demand and estimated pricing levels. To do this, our Company may be dependent upon, among other things, continually producing desirable and effective cannabis and cannabis-related products and the continued growth in the aggregate number of DEA authorized customers, including pharmaceutical companies, and eventually, post-legalization consumers. Campaigns designed to enhance our brand and attract consumers, subject to restrictions imposed by law, can be expensive and may not result in increased sales. If we are unable to attract new consumers, we may not be able to increase sales.

As a result of changing consumer preferences, many consumer products attain financial success for a limited period of time. Even if our products find success with researchers, pharmaceutical companies, or as prescription medications, there can be no assurance that such products will continue to be profitable. Our success will be significantly dependent upon our ability to develop new and improved product lines and adapt to researcher and patient preferences. Even if we are successful in introducing new products or developing our current products, a failure to gain researcher or patient acceptance or to update products could cause a decline in the products’ popularity and impair the brands. In addition, we may be required to invest significant capital in the creation of new product lines, strains, brands, marketing campaigns, packaging and other product features, none of which are guaranteed to be successful. Failure to introduce new features and product lines and to achieve and sustain market acceptance could result in our Company being unable to satisfy researcher, pharmaceutical company, and patient preferences and generate revenue which could have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition and results of operations of our Company, and, in turn, on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may be vulnerable to rising energy costs.

Cannabis growing operations consume considerable energy, which makes us vulnerable to rising energy costs and/or the availability of stable energy sources. Accordingly, rising or volatile energy costs or the inability to access stable energy sources may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Environmental risks may adversely affect our business.

Cultivation and production activities may be subject to licensing requirements relating to environment regulation. Environmental legislation and regulations are evolving in such a manner that may result in stricter standards and enforcement, larger fines and liability and potentially increased capital expenditures and operating costs. The application of environmental laws to our business may cause us to increase the costs of our cultivation, production or scientific activities. Unanticipated licensing delays can result in significant delays and expenses related to compliance with new environmental regulations, and cost overruns in our business and could affect our financial condition and results of operations. There can be no assurance that these delays will not occur.

The growth of our business continues to be subject to new and changing federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Continued development of the cannabis industry is dependent upon further legalization of cannabis at the state level, and a number of factors could slow or halt progress in this area, even where there is public support for legislative action. Any delay or halt in the passing or implementation of legislation legalizing cannabis use, or its cultivation, manufacturing, processing, transportation, distribution, storage and/or sale, or the re-criminalization or restriction of cannabis at the state level, could negatively impact our business, even though we are primarily regulated by the DEA. Additionally, changes in applicable federal, state, and local regulations, including zoning restrictions, environmental requirements, FDA compliance, security requirements, or permitting requirements and fees, could restrict the products and services we may offer or impose additional compliance costs on us. Violations of applicable laws, or allegations of such violations, could disrupt our business and result in a material adverse effect on our operations. We cannot predict the nature of any future laws, regulations, interpretations or applications, including local, state, federal, or environmental, and it is possible that regulations may be enacted in the future that will be materially adverse to our business or which would have materially significant costs of compliance which could negatively impact our business.

We are subject to risks, including delays, from our ongoing and future construction projects, which may result from reliance on third parties, delays relating to material delivery and supply chains, and fluctuating material prices, among other factors.

We are subject to several risks in connection with the construction of our projects, including the availability and performance of engineers and contractors, suppliers and consultants, the availability of funding, and the receipt of required governmental approvals, licenses and permits, and the projected timeline for construction, which could change due to delays. Any delay in the performance of any one or more of the contractors, suppliers, consultants or other persons on which we are dependent in connection with our construction activities, a delay in or failure to receive the required governmental approvals, licenses and permits in a timely manner or on reasonable terms, or a delay in or failure in connection with the completion and successful operation of the operational elements in connection with construction could delay or prevent the construction of the additional phases of the facilities as planned. There can be no assurance that current or future construction plans implemented by us will be successfully completed on time, within budget and without design defect, that the necessary personnel and equipment will be available in a timely manner or on reasonable terms to complete construction projects successfully, that we will be able to obtain all necessary governmental approvals, licenses and permits, or that the completion of the construction, the start-up costs and the ongoing operating costs will not be significantly higher than anticipated by us. Any of the foregoing factors could adversely impact our operations and financial condition.

The costs to procure such materials and services to build new facilities may fluctuate widely based on the impact of numerous factors beyond our control including, international, economic and political trends, foreign currency fluctuations, expectations of inflation, global or regional consumptive patterns, speculative activities and increased or improved production and distribution methods.

Since early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted global economic activity, and the governments of many countries, states, cities and other geographic regions have previously taken or continue to take preventative or protective actions, which have caused disruptions in global supply chains such as closures or other restrictions on the conduct of business operations of manufacturers, suppliers and vendors. Such preventative or proactive actions may be reinstated or expanded upon in the future. The recovery from COVID-19 also may have risks in that increased economic activity globally or regionally may result in high demand for, and constrained access to, materials and services we require to construct and commission our facilities, which may lead to increased costs or delays that could materially and adversely affect our business.

Global demand on shipping and transport services may cause us to experience delays in the future, which could impact our ability to obtain materials or build our facilities in a timely manner. These factors could otherwise disrupt our operations and could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. Logistical problems, unexpected costs, and delays in facility construction, whether or not caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which we cannot control, can cause prolonged disruption to or increased costs of third-party transportation services used to ship materials, which could negatively affect our facility building schedule, and more generally our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. If we experience significant unexpected delays in construction, we may have to delay or limit our production depending on the timing and extent of the delays, which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operation.

Product recalls could adversely affect our business.

Our products could become subject to recall or return for various reasons, including product defects, such as contamination, unintended harmful side effects or interactions with other substances, packaging safety and inadequate or inaccurate labeling disclosure. If any of our products are recalled due to an alleged product defect, regulatory requirements or for any other reason, we could be required to incur the unexpected expense of the recall and any legal proceedings that might arise in connection with the recall. We may lose a significant amount of sales and may not be able to replace those sales at an acceptable margin or at all. In addition, a product recall may require significant management attention. Recall of products could lead to adverse publicity, decreased demand for our products and could have significant reputational and brand damage. Although we have detailed procedures in place for testing finished products, there can be no assurance that any quality, potency or contamination problems will be detected in time to avoid unforeseen product recalls, regulatory action or lawsuits. A recall for any of the foregoing reasons could lead to decreased demand for our products and could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Additionally, product recalls may lead to increased scrutiny of our operations by health authorities or regulatory agencies where the company operates or products are sold, requiring further management attention and potential legal fees and other expenses.

Our sale of cannabis and cannabis products could expose us to significant product liability risks.

We may be subject to various product liability claims, including, among others, that our products caused injury or illness, include inadequate instructions for use or include inadequate warnings concerning possible side effects or interactions with other substances. A product liability claim or regulatory action against us could result in increased costs, could adversely affect our reputation with our clients and consumers generally, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. There can be no assurances that we will be able to obtain or maintain product liability insurance on acceptable terms or with adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Such insurance is expensive and may not be available in the future on acceptable terms, or at all. The inability to obtain sufficient insurance coverage on reasonable terms or to otherwise protect against potential product liability claims could prevent or inhibit the commercialization of our potential products.

A significant failure or deterioration in our quality control systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.

The quality and safety of our products are critical to the success of our business and operations. As such, it is imperative that our (and our service providers’) quality control systems operate effectively and successfully. Quality control systems can be negatively impacted by the design of the quality control systems, the quality training programs and adherence by employees to quality control guidelines. Although we strive to ensure that all of our service providers have implemented and adhere to high-quality control systems, any significant failure or deterioration of such quality control systems could have a material adverse effect on our business and operating results.

We may experience breaches of security at our facilities or loss as a result of the theft of our products.

Given the nature of our products and their lack of legal availability outside of government-approved channels, as well as the concentration of inventory in our Colombian and Portuguese facilities, and despite meeting or exceeding applicable security requirements, there remains a risk of security breach as well as theft. A security breach at one of our facilities could result in a significant loss of available products, expose us to additional liability under applicable regulations and to potentially costly litigation or increase expenses relating to the resolution and future prevention of these breaches and may deter potential customers from choosing our products, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to liability arising from any fraudulent or illegal activity by our employees, contractors and consultants.

We are exposed to the risk that our employees, independent contractors and consultants may engage in fraudulent or other illegal activity. Misconduct by these parties could include intentional, reckless, or negligent conduct or disclosure of unauthorized activities to us that violate (i) government regulations, (ii) manufacturing standards, (iii) federal, state and provincial healthcare fraud and abuse laws and regulations, or (iv) laws that require the true, complete and accurate reporting of financial information or data. It is not always possible for us to identify and deter misconduct by our employees and other third parties, and the precautions taken by us to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling unknown or unmanaged risks or losses or in protecting us from governmental investigations or other actions or lawsuits stemming from a failure to be in compliance with such laws or regulations. If any actions are brought against us, including by former employees, independent contractors or consultants, and we are not successful in defending ourselves or asserting our rights, those actions could have a significant impact on our business, including the imposition of civil, criminal and administrative penalties, damages, monetary fines, contractual damages, reputational harm, diminished profits and future earnings, and the curtailment of our operations, any of which would have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results from operations.

We will need to raise substantial additional funds in the future, which funds may not be available or, if available, may not be available on acceptable terms.

Designing and constructing cultivation, processing and distribution facilities and cultivating and producing cannabis is expensive. Changing circumstances may cause us to consume capital more rapidly than we currently anticipate. For example, we may incur costs for the design and construction of cultivation, processing and dispensary facilities that greatly exceed our current budget for such projects. Alternatively, we may identify opportunities to acquire additional cannabis licenses that we believe would be beneficial to us. The acquisition of such licenses, and the cost of acquiring the related cultivation, processing or distribution facilities or, if not in existence or completed, the design and construction of such facilities may require substantial capital. In such events, we may need to raise additional capital to fund the completion of any such projects.

Furthermore, the cannabis industry is in its early stages and it is likely that we and our competitors will seek to introduce new products in the future which may include new genetic formulations. In attempting to keep pace with any new market developments, we will need to expend significant amounts of capital to successfully develop and generate revenues from new products, including new genetic formulations. We may also be required to obtain additional regulatory approvals from applicable authorities based on the jurisdictions in which we plan to distribute our products, which may take significant time. We may not be successful in developing effective and safe new products, bringing such products to market in time to be effectively commercialized or obtaining any required regulatory approvals, which together with capital expenditures made in the course of such product development and regulatory approval processes, may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We may need to raise additional funds in the future to support our operations. If we are required to secure additional financing, such additional fundraising efforts may divert our management from our day-to-day activities, and we may be required to:

If we are required to conduct additional fundraising activities and we are unable to raise additional capital in sufficient amounts or on terms acceptable to us, we may be prevented from executing upon our business plan. This would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Banking regulations could limit access to banking services.

Since the use of cannabis is illegal under federal law, federally chartered banks will not accept deposit funds from businesses involved with cannabis. Consequently, businesses in the cannabis industry often have trouble finding a bank willing to accept their business. The inability to open bank accounts may make it difficult for our clients in the cannabis industry to operate, and their reliance on cash can result in a heightened risk of theft, which could harm their businesses and, in turn, harm our business. Additionally, some courts have denied cannabis-related businesses bankruptcy protection, thus, making it very difficult for lenders to recoup their investments, which may limit the willingness of banks to lend to our clients and us.

Risks Related to our Business and Operations - Intellectual Property

We may be forced to litigate to defend our intellectual property rights, or to defend against claims by third parties against us relating to intellectual property rights.

We may be forced to litigate to enforce or defend our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets or to determine the validity and scope of other parties’ proprietary rights. Any such litigation could be very costly and could distract our management from focusing on operating our business. The existence and/or outcome of any such litigation could harm our business.

We are subject to risks related to information technology systems, including cyber-security risks; successful cyber-attacks or technological malfunctions can result in, among other things, financial losses, the inability to process transactions, the unauthorized release of confidential information and reputational risk, all of which would negatively impact our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our use of technology is critical to our continued operations. We are susceptible to operational, financial and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks or technological malfunctions. Successful cyber-attacks or technological malfunctions affecting us or our service providers can result in, among other things, financial losses, the inability to process transactions, the unauthorized release of confidential or proprietary information and reputational risk. As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, we may be required to use additional resources to continue to modify or enhance protective measures or to investigate security vulnerabilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

We are reliant on our intellectual property; failure to protect our intellectual property could negatively affect our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Our success will depend in part on our ability to use and develop new extraction technologies, know-how and new strains of cannabis. We may be vulnerable to competitors who develop competing technology, whether independently or as a result of acquiring access to the proprietary products and trade secrets of acquired businesses. In addition, effective future patent, copyright and trade secret protection may be unavailable or limited in the U.S. due to federal illegality or in foreign countries and may be unenforceable under the laws of some jurisdictions. Failure to adequately maintain and enhance protection over our proprietary techniques and processes, as well as over our unregistered intellectual property, including policies, procedures and training manuals, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Risks Related to Ownership of Our Common Stock

Our listing differs significantly from an initial public offering conducted on a firm-commitment basis.

This is not an initial public offering of common stock conducted on a firm-commitment underwritten basis. This listing of our common stock on Nasdaq differs from a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering in several significant ways, which include, but are not limited to, the following:

Such differences from a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering could result in a volatile market price for our common stock and uncertain trading volume and may adversely affect your ability to sell your common stock.

Our shares of common stock currently have no public market. An active trading market may not develop or continue to be liquid and the market price of our shares of common stock may be volatile.

We expect our shares of common stock to be listed and traded on Nasdaq. Prior to the listing on Nasdaq, there has not been a public market for our shares of common stock, and an active market for our shares of common stock may not develop or be sustained after the listing, which could depress the market price of our shares of common stock and could affect the ability of our stockholders to sell our shares of common stock. In the absence of an active public trading market, investors may not be able to liquidate their investments in our shares of common stock. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling our shares of common stock, our ability to motivate our employees through equity incentive awards and our ability to acquire other companies, products or technologies by using our shares of common stock as consideration.

In addition, we cannot predict the prices at which our shares of common stock may trade on Nasdaq following the listing of our shares of common stock, and the market price of our shares of common stock may fluctuate significantly in response to various factors, some of which are beyond our control. In particular, as this listing is taking place through a novel process that is not a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering, there will be no traditional book building process and no price at which traditional underwriters initially sold shares to the public to help inform efficient price discovery with respect to the opening trades on Nasdaq. On the day that our shares of common stock are initially listed on Nasdaq, Nasdaq will begin accepting, but not executing, pre-opening buy and sell orders and will begin to continuously generate the indicative Current Reference Price (as defined below) on the basis of such accepted orders. The Current Reference Price is calculated each second and, during a 10-minute “Display Only” period, is disseminated, along with other indicative imbalance information, to market participants by Nasdaq on its NOII and BookViewer tools. Following the “Display Only” period, a “Pre-Launch” period begins, during which the Advisor, in its capacity as our financial advisor, must notify Nasdaq that our shares are “ready to trade.” Once the Advisor has notified Nasdaq that our shares of common stock are ready to trade, Nasdaq will confirm the Current Reference Price for our shares of common stock, in accordance with the Nasdaq rules. If the Advisor then approves proceeding at the Current Reference Price, the applicable orders that have been entered will be executed at such price and regular trading of our shares of common stock on Nasdaq will commence, subject to Nasdaq conducting validation checks in accordance with Nasdaq rules. The Advisor will determine when our shares of common stock are ready to trade and approve proceeding at the Current Reference Price primarily based on considerations of volume, timing and price. In particular, the Advisor will determine, based primarily on pre-opening buy and sell orders, when a reasonable amount of volume will cross on the opening trade such that sufficient price discovery has been made to open trading at the Current Reference Price. If the Advisor does not approve proceeding at the Current Reference Price (for example, due to the absence of adequate preopening buy and sell interest), the Advisor will request that Nasdaq delay the open until such a time that sufficient price discovery has been made to ensure a reasonable amount of volume crosses on the opening trade. For more information, see “Plan of Distribution.”

Additionally, prior to the opening trade, there will not be a price at which underwriters initially sold shares of common stock to the public as there would be in a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering. The absence of a predetermined initial public offering price could impact the range of buy and sell orders collected by Nasdaq from various broker-dealers. Consequently, upon listing on Nasdaq, the public price of our common stock may be more volatile than in a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering and could decline significantly and rapidly.

Furthermore, because of our novel listing process on the Nasdaq Capital Market, Nasdaq’s rules for ensuring compliance with its initial listing standards, such as those requiring a valuation or other compelling evidence of value, are untested. In the absence of a prior active public trading market for our common stock, if the price of our common stock or our market capitalization falls below those required by Nasdaq’s eligibility standards, we may not be able to satisfy the ongoing listing criteria and may be required to delist.

In addition, because of our novel listing process, individual investors, retail or otherwise, may have greater influence in setting the opening public price and subsequent public prices of our common stock on Nasdaq and may participate more in our initial trading than is typical for a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering. These factors could result in a public price of our common stock that is higher than other investors (such as institutional investors) are willing to pay, which could cause volatility in the trading price of our common stock and an unsustainable trading price if the price of our common stock significantly rises upon listing and institutional investors believe our common stock is worth less than retail investors, in which case the price of our common stock may decline over time. Further, if the public price of our common stock is above the level that investors determine is reasonable for our common stock, some investors may attempt to short our common stock after trading begins, which would create additional downward pressure on the public price of our common stock. To the extent that there is a lack of consumer awareness among retail investors, such a lack of consumer awareness could reduce the value of our common stock and cause volatility in the trading price of our common stock.

The public price of our common stock following the listing also could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to the risk factors described in this prospectus and others beyond our control, including:

In addition, stock markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that have affected and continue to affect the market prices of equity securities of many companies. Stock prices of many companies have fluctuated in a manner often unrelated to the operating performance of those companies. These fluctuations may be even more pronounced in the trading market for our common stock shortly following the listing of our common stock on Nasdaq as a result of the supply and demand forces described above. In the past, stockholders have instituted securities class action litigation following periods of market volatility. If we were to become involved in securities litigation, it could subject us to substantial costs, divert resources and the attention of management from our business and harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Future sales of common stock by our Registered Stockholders and other existing stockholders could cause our share price to decline.

We currently expect our common stock to be listed and traded on Nasdaq. Prior to listing on Nasdaq, there has been no public market for our common stock and there has not been a sustained history of trading in our common stock in “over-the-counter” markets. Moreover, consistent with Regulation M and other federal securities laws applicable to our listing, we have not consulted with Registered Stockholders or other existing stockholders regarding their desire or plans to sell shares in the public market following the listing or discussed with potential investors their intentions to buy our common stock in the open market. While our common stock may be sold after our listing on Nasdaq by the Registered Stockholders pursuant to this prospectus or by our other existing stockholders in accordance with Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, unlike a firm-commitment underwritten initial public offering, there can be no assurance that any Registered Stockholders or other existing stockholders will sell any of their shares of common stock and there may initially be a lack of supply of, or demand for, common stock on Nasdaq. As described herein, substantially all shares of our common stock outstanding as of the date hereof will be registered under this registration statement. There can be no assurance that the Registered Stockholders and other existing stockholders will not sell all of their shares of common stock, resulting in an oversupply of our common stock on Nasdaq. In the case of a lack of supply of our common stock, the trading price of our common stock may rise to an unsustainable level. Further, institutional investors may be discouraged from purchasing our common stock if they are unable to purchase a block of our common stock in the open market due to a potential unwillingness of our existing stockholders to sell a sufficient amount of common stock at the price offered by such institutional investors and the greater influence individual investors have in setting the trading price. If institutional investors are unable to purchase our common stock, the market for our common stock may be more volatile without the influence of long-term institutional investors holding significant amounts of our common stock. In the case of a lack of market demand for our common stock, the trading price of our common stock could decline significantly and rapidly after our listing. Furthermore, the decision by our directors and officers, who retain significant ownership of our common stock, to sell, or refrain from selling, shares of common stock from time to time, could impact the market supply and trading volumes of our common stock, thereby affecting market prices and creating additional volatility, which impact will increase if the percentage of shares sold by non-affiliated Registered Stockholders or other existing stockholders from time to time decreases. Therefore, an active, liquid and orderly trading market for our common stock may not initially develop or be sustained, which could significantly depress the public price of our common stock and/or result in significant volatility, which could affect your ability to sell your shares of common stock.

You may be diluted by future issuances of preferred stock or additional common stock in connection with our incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise; future sales of such shares in the public market, or the expectations that such sales may occur, could lower our stock price.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes us to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of common stock. Prior to the effectiveness of this registration statement, we will adopt an amended and restated certificate of incorporation which will authorize us to issue shares of common stock and options, rights, warrants and appreciation rights relating to our common stock for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our Board of Directors (the “Board”), in its sole discretion. We could issue a significant number of shares of common stock in the future in connection with investments or acquisitions. Any of these issuances could dilute our existing stockholders, and such dilution could be significant. Moreover, such dilution could have a material adverse effect on the market price for the shares of our common stock.

The future issuance of shares of preferred stock with voting rights may adversely affect the voting power of the holders of shares of our common stock, either by diluting the voting power of our common stock if the preferred stock votes together with the common stock as a single class, or by giving the holders of any such preferred stock the right to block an action on which they have a separate class vote, even if the action were approved by the holders of our shares of our common stock.

The future issuance of shares of preferred stock with dividend or conversion rights, liquidation preferences or other economic terms favorable to the holders of preferred stock could adversely affect the market price for our common stock by making an investment in the common stock less attractive. For example, investors in the common stock may not wish to purchase common stock at a price above the conversion price of a series of convertible preferred stock because the holders of the preferred stock would effectively be entitled to purchase common stock at the lower conversion price, causing economic dilution to the holders of common stock.

We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future.

We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to fund the development and growth of our business. We do not intend to pay any dividends to holders of our common stock in the foreseeable future. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our Board taking into account various factors, including our business, operating results and financial condition, current and anticipated cash needs, plans for expansion, any legal or contractual limitations on our ability to pay dividends under our loan agreements or otherwise. As a result, if our Board does not declare and pay dividends, the capital appreciation in the price of our common stock, if any, will be your only source of gain on an investment in our common stock, and you may have to sell some or all of your common stock to generate cash flow from your investment.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or if they downgrade their recommendations regarding our common stock, its trading price and volume could decline.

We expect the trading market for our common stock to be influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts publish about us, our business or our industry. As a new public company, we do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our stock may be negatively impacted. If we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage and if one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to decline and our common stock to be less liquid. Moreover, if one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrades our stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, or if our results of operations do not meet their expectations, our stock price could decline.

We are an “emerging growth company,” and our election to comply with the reduced disclosure requirements as a public company may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

For so long as we remain an “emerging growth company” as defined in the JOBS Act, we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies,” including not being required to comply with the independent auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, being required to provide fewer years of audited financial statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We may lose our emerging growth company status and become subject to the SEC’s internal control over financial reporting management and auditor attestation requirements. If we are unable to certify the effectiveness of our internal controls, or if our internal controls have a material weakness, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny and a loss of confidence by stockholders, which could harm our business and adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

We will cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have more than $1.07 billion in annual revenue; (ii) the date we qualify as a large accelerated filer, with at least $700 million of equity securities held by non-affiliates; (iii) the date on which we have, in any three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; and (iv) (the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of becoming a public company). As an emerging growth company, we may choose to take advantage of some but not all of these reduced reporting burdens. Accordingly, the information we provide to our stockholders may be different than the information you receive from other public companies in which you hold stock. In addition, the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards.

We have elected to take advantage of this extended transition period under the JOBS Act. As a result, our operating results and financial statements may not be comparable to the operating results and financial statements of other companies who have adopted the new or revised accounting standards. It is possible that some investors will find our common stock less attractive as a result, which may result in a less active trading market for our common stock and higher volatility in our stock price.

We are a “smaller reporting company,” and our election to comply with the reduced disclosure requirements as a public company may make our common stock less attractive to investors.

For so long as we remain a smaller reporting company, we are permitted and intend to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure and other requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not smaller reporting companies, such as providing only two years of audited financing statements. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company if either (i) the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter or (ii) our annual revenue is less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year and the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates is less than $700 million measured on the last business day of our second fiscal quarter.

If we are a smaller reporting company at the time we cease to be an emerging growth company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. It is possible that some investors will find our common stock less attractive as a result, which may result in a less active trading market for our common stock and higher volatility in our stock price.

Provisions of our planned amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws may delay or prevent a take-over that may not be in the best interests of our stockholders.

Provisions of our proposed amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws may be deemed to have anti-takeover effects, which include when and by whom special meetings of our stockholders may be called, and may delay, defer or prevent a takeover attempt.

In addition, our planned amended and restated certificate of incorporation will authorize the issuance of shares of preferred stock which will have such rights and preferences determined from time to time by our Board. Following the adoption of the amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our Board may, without stockholder approval, issue additional preferred shares with dividends, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of our common stock.

The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources, divert management’s attention and affect our ability to attract and retain executive management and qualified board members.

As a public company, we are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Compliance with these rules and regulations involves significant legal and financial compliance costs, may make some activities more difficult, time-consuming or costly and may increase demand on our systems and resources, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. The Exchange Act requires, among other things, that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with respect to our business and operating results. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. In order to maintain and, if required, improve our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting to meet this standard, significant resources and management oversight may be required. As a result, management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could adversely affect our business and operating results. We may need to hire more employees in the future or engage outside consultants, which will increase our costs and expenses.

In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time-consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as regulatory and governing bodies provide new guidance. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us, and our business may be adversely affected.

However, for as long as we remain an “emerging growth company,” we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We may take advantage of these reporting exemptions until we are no longer an “emerging growth company.” We would cease to be an “emerging growth company” upon the earliest of: (i) the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary the last day of the fiscal year ending after the fifth anniversary of the listing of our common stock on Nasdaq; (ii) the first fiscal year after our annual gross revenues are $1.07 billion or more; (iii) the date on which we have, during the previous three-year period, issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities; or (iv) as of the end of any fiscal year in which the market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates exceeded $700 million as of the end of the second quarter of that fiscal year.

As a result of disclosure of information in this prospectus and in filings required of a public company, our business and financial condition are highly visible, which may result in threatened or actual litigation, including by competitors and other third parties. If such claims are successful, our business and operating results could be adversely affected, and even if the claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor, these claims, and the time and resources necessary to resolve them, could divert the resources of our management and adversely affect our business and operating results.

We may be subject to additional regulatory burdens resulting from our public listing.

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 common stock 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. In addition, compliance with reporting and other requirements applicable to public companies listed on Nasdaq will create additional costs for us and require management’s time and attention. We cannot predict the amount of the additional costs that we might incur, the timing of such costs or the impact that management’s attention to these matters will have on our business.

Holders of our common stock may be diluted by the future issuance of additional common stock, preferred stock or securities convertible into shares of common stock or preferred stock in connection with incentive plans, acquisitions or otherwise; future sales of such shares in the public market or the expectation that such sales may occur may decrease the market price of our common stock.

We could issue a significant number of shares of common stock in the future in connection with investments or acquisitions. We plan to adopt one or more incentive plans which will provide for the issuance, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in any plan as adopted, of long-term incentive compensation which may take the form of options, restricted stock units or other securities. Any of these issuances could dilute our existing stockholders, and such dilution could be significant. Moreover, such dilution could have a material adverse effect on the market price for the shares of our common stock.

Any issuance of shares of preferred stock with voting rights may adversely affect the voting power of the holders of shares of our common stock, either by diluting the voting power of our common stock if the preferred stock votes together with the common stock as a single class, or by giving the holders of any such preferred stock the right to block an action on which they have a separate class vote, even if the action were approved by the holders of our shares of our common stock. The future issuance of shares of preferred stock with dividend or conversion rights, liquidation preferences or other economic terms favorable to the holders of preferred stock could adversely affect the market price for our common stock by making an investment in the common stock less attractive. For example, investors in the common stock may not wish to purchase common stock at a price above the conversion price of a series of convertible preferred stock because the holders of the preferred stock would effectively be entitled to purchase common stock at the lower conversion price, causing economic dilution to the holders of common stock. As of December 31, 2021, we had no shares of preferred stock authorized, issued or outstanding.

We may be exposed to currency fluctuations.

Although our revenues and expenses are expected to be predominantly denominated in U.S. dollars, we may be exposed to currency exchange fluctuations. Recent events in the global financial markets have been coupled with increased volatility in the currency markets. Fluctuations in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the currency of other regions in which we may operate or have customers may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and operating results. We may, in the future, establish a program to hedge a portion of our foreign currency exposure with the objective of minimizing the impact of adverse foreign currency exchange movements. However, even if we develop a hedging program, there can be no assurance that it will effectively mitigate currency risks.