As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 28, 2022
Registration Statement No. 333-262688
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
AMENDMENT NO. 2
to
FORM S-1
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Netcapital Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
Utah | 6199 | 87-0409951 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: (781) 925-1700
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Coreen Kraysler
Chief Financial Officer
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
Phone: (781) 925-1700
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Richard A. Friedman, Esq. Greg Carney, Esq. |
Oded Har-Even,
Esq. Angela Gomes, Esq. |
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP | Sullivan & Worcester LLP |
30 Rockefeller Plaza | 1633 Broadway |
New York, NY 10112 | New York, NY 10019 |
Phone: (212) 653-8700 | Phone: (212) 660-5002 |
Approximate date of proposed sale to public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.
If any of the securities being registered on the 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, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier 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 registration statement for the same offering: ☐
Indicate by check mark whether registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
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 complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a) may determine.
The information contained in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS |
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION | DATED JUNE 28, 2022 |
Up to 784,314 Shares of Common Stock
784,314 Warrants for Common Stock
Up to 784,314 Pre-Funded Warrants for Common Stock
Netcapital Inc.
We are offering an aggregate of up to 784,314 shares of our common stock, $0.001 par value per share and warrants to purchase up to 784,314 shares of our common stock, or warrants, to be sold together on a one for one basis in a firm commitment public offering. The warrants will have an exercise price of $ per share (125% of the public offering price). The warrants are exercisable immediately and expire five years from the date of issuance.
We are also offering to each purchaser whose purchase of shares of our common stock in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the holder, 9.99%) of our outstanding shares of common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if the purchaser so chooses, pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock, or pre-funded warrants, in lieu of shares of common stock. Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one share of our common stock. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will equal the price per share of common stock being sold to the public, minus $0.01, and the exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.01 per share. For each pre-funded warrant that we sell, the number of shares of our common stock that we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. With each pre-funded warrant, the purchaser will also purchase a warrant, on a one for one basis.
Our common stock is presently quoted on the OTCQX under the symbol “NCPL”. We have applied to have our common stock and warrants listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbols “NCPL” and “NCPLW”, respectively. No assurance can be given that our application will be approved. If our application is not approved, we will not consummate this offering. We have not applied, and do not intend to apply, to list the pre-funded warrants will not be listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. On June 23, 2022, the last reported sale price for our stock on the OTCQX was $7.65 per share. At present, there is a very limited market for our common stock. The trading price of our common stock has been, and may continue to be, subject to wide price fluctuations in response to various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including those described in “Risk Factors.”
The number of shares of common stock and warrants offered by this prospectus and all other applicable information has been determined based on an assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share of common stock, which is the last reported sales price of our common stock of $7.65 on June 23, 2022. The actual public offering price of the shares of common stock will be determined between the underwriters and us at the time of pricing, considering our historical performance and capital structure, prevailing market conditions, and overall assessment of our business, and may be at a discount to the current market price. Therefore, the assumed public offering price per share of common stock used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the actual public offering price for the shares of common stock. See “Determination of Offering Price” for additional information.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 12 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission 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 and Warrant | Per Pre-Funded Warrant and Warrant | Total | |||||||||||
Public offering price | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||
Proceeds to us, before expenses(2) | $ | $ | $ |
(1) | Underwriting discounts and commissions do not include a non-accountable expense allowance equal to 1.0% of the gross proceeds initial public offering price payable to the underwriters. We refer you to “Underwriting” beginning on page 60 for additional information regarding underwriters’ compensation. |
(2) | The amount of offering proceeds to us presented in this table does not give effect to any exercise of the: (i) over-allotment option (if any) we have granted to the Representative as described below or (ii) warrants to purchase shares of our common stock, or the Representative’s Warrants, to be issued to ThinkEquity LLC, or ThinkEquity or the Representative, warrants or pre-funded warrants. |
We have granted a 45-day option to the Representative to purchase up to 117,647 additional shares of our common stock and/or 117,647 pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof, representing 15% of the shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants sold in the offering, and/or up to 117,647 additional warrants, representing 15% of the warrants sold in the offering, solely to cover over-allotments, if any.
The underwriters expect to deliver the securities to purchasers in the offering on or about , 2022.
ThinkEquity
The date of this prospectus is , 2022
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS | v | ||
BASIS OF PRESENTATION | v | ||
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY | 1 | ||
THE OFFERING | 7 | ||
RISK FACTORS | 12 | ||
USE OF PROCEEDS | 24 | ||
MARKET FOR OUR COMMON STOCK | 24 | ||
DIVIDEND POLICY | 25 | ||
CAPITALIZATION | 25 | ||
DILUTION | 26 | ||
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS | 27 | ||
OUR BUSINESS | 32 | ||
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS | 41 | ||
MANAGEMENT | 41 | ||
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION | 46 | ||
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS | 49 | ||
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT | 51 | ||
SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE | 53 | ||
DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES | 55 | ||
UNDERWRITING | 60 | ||
LEGAL MATTERS | 67 | ||
EXPERTS | 67 | ||
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION | 67 | ||
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS | F-1 |
You should rely only on information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information different from that contained in this prospectus. We are not making an offer of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. The information in this prospectus may only be accurate as of the date on the front of this prospectus regardless of time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of our securities.
No person is authorized in connection with this prospectus to give any information or to make any representations about us, the common stock hereby or any matter discussed in this prospectus, other than the information and representations contained in this prospectus. If any other information or representation is given or made, such information or representation may not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy our common stock in any circumstance under which the offer or solicitation is unlawful. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any distribution of our common stock in accordance with this prospectus shall, under any circumstances, imply that there has been no change in our affairs since the date of this prospectus.
Neither we nor the Underwriter have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than the United States. You are required to inform yourself about, and to observe any restrictions relating to, this offering and the distribution of this prospectus. |
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus contains express or implied forward-looking statements that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. Statements regarding our future results of operations and financial position, business strategy and plans and objectives of management for future operations. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this prospectus and in any related prospectus supplement are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “predict,” “seek,” “contemplate,” “project,” “continue,” “potential,” “ongoing” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology.
Forward-looking statements are subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are difficult to predict and beyond our control, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements. These and other risks, uncertainties and contingencies are described elsewhere in this prospectus, including under “Risk Factors,” and in the documents incorporated by reference herein, and include the following factors:
· | capital requirements and the availability of capital to fund our growth and to service our existing debt; | |
· | difficulties executing our growth strategy, including attracting new issuers and investors; | |
· | our anticipated use of the net proceeds from this offering; | |
· | economic uncertainties and business interruptions resulting from the coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic and its aftermath;
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· | as restrictions related to the coronavirus COVID-19 global pandemic are removed and face-to-face economic activities normalize, it may be difficult for us to maintain the recent sales gains that we have experienced;
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all the risks of acquiring one or more complementary businesses, including identifying a suitable target, completing comprehensive due diligence uncovering all information relating to the target, the financial stability of the target, the impact on our financial condition of the debt we may incur in acquiring the target, the ability to integrate the target’s operations with our existing operations, our ability to retain management and key employees of the target, among other factors attendant to acquisitions of small, non-public operating companies;
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· | difficulties in increasing revenue per issuer; | |
· | challenges related to hiring and training fintech employees at competitive wage rates; | |
· | difficulties in increasing the average number of investments made per investor; | |
· | shortages or interruptions in the supply of quality issuers; | |
· | our dependence on a small number of large issuers to generate revenue; | |
· | negative publicity relating to any one of our issuers; | |
· | competition from other online capital portals with significantly greater resources than we have; | |
· | changes in investor tastes and purchasing trends; | |
· | our inability to manage our growth; | |
· | our inability to maintain an adequate level of cash flow, or access to capital, to meet growth expectations; | |
· | changes in senior management, loss of one or more key personnel or an inability to attract, hire, integrate and retain skilled personnel;
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· | labor shortages, unionization activities, labor disputes or increased labor costs, including increased labor costs resulting from the demand for qualified employees;
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· | our vulnerability to increased costs of running an online portal on Amazon Web Services; | |
· | our vulnerability to increasing labor costs; | |
· | the impact of governmental laws and regulation; | |
· | failure to obtain or maintain required licenses; | |
· | changes in economic or regulatory conditions and other unforeseen conditions that prevent or delay the development of a secondary trading market for shares of equity that are sold on our online portal;
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· | inadequately protecting our intellectual property or breaches of security of confidential user information; and | |
· | our expectations regarding having our securities listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. |
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this prospectus. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus after we distribute this prospectus, whether as a result of any new information, future events or otherwise.
TRADEMARKS AND TRADE NAMES
This prospectus includes trademarks that are protected under applicable intellectual property laws and are the Company’s property or the property of one of the Company’s subsidiaries. This prospectus also contains trademarks, service marks, trade names and/or copyrights of other companies, which are the property of their respective owners. Solely for convenience, trademarks and trade names referred to in this prospectus may appear without the ® or TM symbols, but such references are not intended to indicate, in any way, that the owner will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable law, its rights to these trademarks and trade names.
INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA
Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus concerning the Company’s industry and the markets in which it operates, including market position and market opportunity, is based on information from management’s estimates, as well as from industry publications and research, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. The third-party sources from which the Company has obtained information generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but the Company cannot assure you that this information is accurate or complete. The Company has not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources nor has it verified the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by those third parties. Similarly, internal company surveys, industry forecasts and market research, which the Company believes to be reliable, based upon management’s knowledge of the industry, have not been verified by any independent sources. The Company’s internal surveys are based on data it has collected over the past several years, which it believes to be reliable. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information, its knowledge of the industry, and assumptions based on such information and knowledge, which management believes to be reasonable and appropriate. However, assumptions and estimates of the Company’s future performance, and the future performance of its industry, are subject to numerous known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including those described under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and those described elsewhere in this prospectus, and the other documents the Company files with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, from time to time. These and other important factors could result in its estimates and assumptions being materially different from future results. You should read the information contained in this prospectus completely and with the understanding that future results may be materially different and worse from what the Company expects. See the information included under the heading “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before deciding to invest in our securities, you should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the sections of this prospectus entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our financial statements and related notes contained elsewhere in this prospectus. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Netcapital, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
Company Overview
Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online from accredited and non-accredited investors. We give all investors the opportunity to access investments in private companies. Our model is disruptive to traditional private equity investing and is based on Title III, Reg CF of the JOBS Act. We generate fees from listing private companies on our portals. Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice in exchange for equity positions. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, a registered national securities association, and provides investors with opportunities to invest in private companies.
Our Business
We provide private companies with access to investments from accredited and non-accredited retail investors through our online portal (www.netcapital.com). The Netcapital funding portal charges a $5,000 engagement fee and a 4.9% success fee for capital raised at closing. In addition, the portal generates fees for other ancillary services, such as rolling closes. Netcapital Advisors generates fees and equity stakes from consulting in select portfolio and non-portfolio clients. We generated revenues of $3,636,050, with costs of service of $85,429, in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 for a gross profit of $3,550,621 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 as compared to revenues of $3,770,813 with costs of service of $730,343 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021 for a gross profit of $3,040,470 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021. We generated revenues of $4,721,003 with costs of service of $759,158 in the year ended April 30, 2021 for a gross profit of $3,961,845 in the year ended April 30, 2021 as compared to revenues of $1,753,558 with costs of service of $11,105 in the year ended April 30, 2020 for a gross profit of $1,742,453 in the year ended April 30, 2020.
Funding Portal
Netcapital.com is an SEC-registered funding portal that enables private companies to raise capital online, while investors are able to invest from anywhere in the world, at any time, with just a few clicks. Securities offerings on the portal are accessible through individual offering pages, where companies include product or service details, market size, competitive advantages, and financial documents. Companies can accept investment from anyone, including friends, family, customers, employees, etc. Customer accounts on our platform will not be permitted to hold digital securities.
In addition to access to the funding portal, the Netcapital funding portal provides the following services:
● a fully automated onboarding process;
● automated filing of required regulatory documents;
● compliance review;
● custom-built offering page on our portal website;
● third party transfer agent and custodial services;
● email marketing to our proprietary list of investors;
● rolling closes, which provide potential access to liquidity before final close date of offering;
● assistance with annual filings; and
● direct access to our team for ongoing support.
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Consulting Business
Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors helps companies at all stages to raise capital. Netcapital Advisors provides strategic advice, technology consulting and online marketing services to assist with fundraising campaigns on the Netcapital platform. We also act as an incubator and accelerator, taking equity stakes in select disruptive start-ups.
Netcapital Advisors’ services include:
● incubation of technology start-ups;
● investor introductions;
● online marketing;
● website design, software and software development;
● message crafting, including pitch decks, offering pages, and ad creation;
● strategic advice; and
● technology consulting.
Regulatory Overview
In an effort to enhance economic growth and to democratize access to private investment opportunities, Congress finalized the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act, in 2016. Title III of the JOBS Act enabled early-stage companies to offer and sell securities to the general public for the first time. The SEC then adopted Regulation Crowdfunding, or Reg CF, in order to implement the JOBS Act’s crowdfunding provisions.
Reg CF has several important features that changed the landscape for private capital raising and investment. For the first time, this regulation:
● | Allowed the general public to invest in private companies, no longer limiting early-stage investment opportunities to less than 10% of the population; |
● | Enabled private companies to advertise their securities offerings to the public (general solicitation); and |
● | Conditionally exempted securities sold under Section 4(a)(6) from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. |
Our Market
The traditional funding model restricts access to capital, investments and liquidity. According to Harvard Business Review, venture capital firms, or VCs, invest in fewer than 1% of the companies they consider and only 10% of VC meetings are obtained through cold outreach. In addition, under 5% of VC funding went to women and minority-owned firms in 2020, according to Forbes.
Furthermore, under the traditional model, the average investor lacked access to early-stage investments. Prior to the JOBS Act, almost 90% of U.S. households were precluded from investing in private deals, per dqydj.com. Liquidity has also been an issue, as private investments are generally locked up until IPO or takeout.
The JOBS Act helped provide a solution to these issues by establishing the funding portal industry, which is currently in its infancy. Title III of the JOBS Act outlines Reg CF, which traditionally allowed private companies to raise up to $1.07 million from all Americans. In March 2021, regulatory enhancements by the SEC went into effect and increased the limit to $5 million. These amendments increased the offering limits for Reg CF, Regulation A and Regulation D, Rule 504 offerings as follows: Reg CF increased to $5 million; Regulation D, Rule 504 increased to $10 million from $5 million; and Regulation A Tier 2 increased to $75 million from $50 million.
Reg CF private company investments accounted for approximately $490 million in 2021, according to KingsCrowd, versus $205 million during 2020. We believe a significant opportunity exists to disrupt private capital markets via the Netcapital portal.
Private capital markets reached $7.4 trillion at the end of 2020, per Morgan Stanley, and this number is expected to reach $13 trillion over the next five years. Within this market, private equity represents the largest share, with assets in excess of $3 trillion and a 10-year CAGR of 10%. Since 2000, global private equity, or PE, net asset value has increased almost tenfold, nearly three times faster than the size of the public equity market. Both McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group predict that this strong growth will continue, as investors allocate increasing amounts to private equity, due to historically higher returns and lower volatility than public markets. In addition, Boston Consulting Group estimates that there are $42 trillion held in retail investment accounts, which we believe represents a large pool of potential account holders for us.
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Our Technology
The Netcapital platform is a scalable, real-time, transaction-processing engine that runs without human intervention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For companies raising capital, the technology provides fully automated onboarding with integrated regulatory filings. Funds are collected from investors and held in escrow until the offering closes. For entrepreneurs, the technology facilitates access to capital at low cost. For investors, the platform provides access to investments in private, early-stage companies that were previously unavailable to the general public. Both entrepreneurs and investors can track and view their investments through their dashboard on netcapital.com. The platform currently has almost 100,000 users.
Scalability was demonstrated in November 2021, when the platform processed more than 2,000 investments in less than two hours, totaling more than $2 million.
Our infrastructure is designed in a way that can horizontally scale to meet our capacity needs. Using Docker containers and Amazon Elastic Container Service, or Amazon ECS, we are able to automate the creation and launch of our production web and application programming interface, or API, endpoints in order to replicate them as needed behind Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs).
Additionally, all of our public facing endpoints live behind CloudFlare to ensure protection from large scale traffic fluctuations (including DDoS attacks).
Our main database layer is built on Amazon RDS and features a Multi-AZ deployment that can also be easily scaled up or down as needed. General queries are cached in our API layer, and we monitor to optimize very complex database queries that are generated by the API. Additionally, we cache the most complex queries (such as analytics data) in our NoSQL (Mongo) data store for improved performance.
Most of our central processing unit, or CPU, intensive data processing happens asynchronously through a worker/jobs system managed by AWS ElastiCache’s Redis endpoint. This component can be easily fine-tuned for any scale necessary.
The technology necessary to operate our funding portal is licensed from Netcapital Systems LLC, or Netcapital DE LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, of which Jason Frishman, Chief Executive Officer of our wholly-owned subsidiary Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., a Utah corporation, owns a 29% interest, under a license agreement with Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc., for an annual license fee of $380,000, paid in quarterly installments.
MAGFAST Case Study
MAGFAST, a wireless charger company, launched an equity offering on our funding portal in November 2020, with a fundraising goal of $1.07 million. The company sold out the offering in one day. Almost 1,000 investors successfully invested through our funding portal in a 24-hour period. In November of 2021, MAGFAST raised approximately $2 million in two hours in a follow-on offering. We believe the rapid sell-out of the MAGFAST offering demonstrates the proven scalability of our platform.
Competitive Advantages
We believe we provide the lowest cost solution for online capital raising versus our peer group (StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder Inc. and Republic Core LLC). We also believe that our access and onboarding of new clients are superior due to our facilitated technology platforms. Our network is rapidly expanding as a result of our enhanced marketing and broad distribution to reach new investors.
Our competitors include StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder,Inc. and Republic Core LLC . Given the rapid growth in the industry and its potential to disrupt the multi-billion dollar private capital market, there is sufficient room for multiple players.
Our Strategy
Three major tailwinds are driving accelerated growth in the shift to the use of online funding portals: (i) the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) the increase in funding limits under Reg CF; and (iii) recent private equity outperformance of public markets. The pandemic drove a rapid need to bring as many processes as possible online. With travel restrictions in place and most people in lockdown, entrepreneurs were no longer able to fundraise in person and have increasingly turned to online capital raising through funding portals.
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There are numerous industry drivers and tailwinds that complement investor demand for access to investments in private companies. To capitalize on these, our strategy is to:
● | Generate New Investor Accounts. Growing the number of investor accounts on our platform is a top priority. Investment dollars that continue to flow through our platform are the key revenue driver. When issuers advertise their offerings, they are generating new investor accounts for us at no cost to Netcapital. We plan to supplement our issuers' spend on advertising by increasing our online marketing spend as well, which may include virtual conferences going forward. |
● | Hire Additional Business Development Staff. We seek to hire additional business development staff that is technology advanced and financially passionate about capital markets to handle our growing backlog of potential customers. |
● | Increase the Number of Companies on Our Platform via Marketing. When a new company lists on our platform, they bring their customers, supporters, and brand ambassadors as new investors to Netcapital. We plan to increase our marketing budget to help grow our portal and advisory clients. |
● | Invest in Technology. Technology is critical to everything that we do. We plan to invest in developing innovative technologies that enhance our platform and allow us to pursue additional service offerings. For example, we plan on developing a dedicated mobile app in 2022 to make our platform more accessible. |
● | Incubate and accelerate our advisory portfolio clients. The advisory portfolio and our equity interests in select advisory clients represent potential upside for our shareholders. We seek to grow this model of advisory clients. |
● | Expand Internationally. We believe there is a significant opportunity to expand into Europe and Asia as an appetite abroad grows for U.S. stocks. |
● | Open ATS/Secondary Transfer Feature. Lack of liquidity is a key issue for investors in private companies as private markets lack a liquidity feature in our targeted market. We plan to open a Secondary Transfer Feature and are exploring various alternatives to provide potential liquidity for secondary offerings to investors who participate in our primary offerings on the Netcapital platform. |
● | New Verticals Represent a Compelling Opportunity. We operate in a regulated market supported by the JOBS Act. We may pursue expanding our model to include Regulation A and Regulation D offerings. |
Our Management
Our management team is experienced in finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and marketing.
Our Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, Dr. Cecilia Lenk, was formerly Vice President of Technology and Digital Design at Decision Resources Inc., a global company serving the biopharmaceutical market, where she oversaw the implementation of new technologies, products, and business processes. Prior to joining Decision Resources, she founded a technology firm that built a patented platform for online research. She has a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University and a B.A. (with honors) in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
Coreen Kraysler, CFA, is our Chief Financial Officer, or CFO. With over 30 years of investment experience, she was formerly a Senior Vice President and Principal at Independence Investments, where she managed several 5-star rated mutual funds and served on the Investment Committee. She also worked at Eaton Vance as a Vice President, Equity Analyst on the Large and Midcap Value teams. She received a B.A. in Economics and French, cum laude from Wellesley College and a Master of Science in Management from MIT Sloan.
Jason Frishman is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of our funding portal subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. Mr. Frishman founded Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. to help reduce the systemic inefficiencies early-stage companies face in securing capital. He currently holds advisory positions at leading organizations in the financial technology ecosystem and has spoken as an external expert at Morgan Stanley, University of Michigan, YPO, and others. Mr. Frishman has a background in the life sciences and previously conducted research in medical oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Miami, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Neuroscience.
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Corporate Information
The Company was incorporated in Utah in 1984 as DBS Investments, Inc., or DBS. DBS merged with Valuesetters L.L.C. in December 2003 and changed its name to Valuesetters, Inc. In November 2020, the Company purchased Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. from Netcapital DE LLC and changed the name of the Company from Valuesetters, Inc. to Netcapital Inc.
Attached below is an organization chart for the Company as of the date of this prospectus:
Our principal executive offices are located at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts and our telephone number is 781-925-1700. We maintain a website at www.netcapitalinc.com. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not, and should not be considered, part of, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and you should not consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus in deciding whether to purchase our securities.
Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company
We have elected to take advantage of certain of the reduced disclosure obligations in this prospectus and may elect to take advantage of other reduced reporting requirements in future filings. As a result, the information that we provide to our stockholders may be different than you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity interests.
We are a “smaller reporting company,” meaning that the market value of our stock held by non-affiliates plus the proposed aggregate amount of gross proceeds to us as a result of this offering is less than $700 million and our annual revenue was less than $100 million during the most recently completed fiscal year. We may continue to be a smaller reporting company after this offering if either (i) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates is less than $250 million or (ii) our annual revenue was 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. As a smaller reporting company, we may continue to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are available to smaller reporting companies. Specifically, as a smaller reporting company we may choose to present only the two most recent fiscal years of audited financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and, similar to emerging growth companies, smaller reporting companies have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation.
5
Recent Developments
Preliminary Results for our Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2022
Our audited consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, or fiscal year 2022, are not yet available. We have presented preliminary estimated ranges of certain of our financial results below for fiscal year 2022, based on information currently available to management. We have provided ranges, rather than specific amounts, for certain financial results below, primarily because our financial closing procedures for the three months and year ended April 30, 2022 are not yet complete. As a result, our actual results may vary materially from the estimated preliminary results included herein and will not be publicly available until after the closing of this offering. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these estimates. The preliminary financial data included in this prospectus has been prepared by, and is the responsibility of, management. Our independent registered public accounting firm has not audited, reviewed, compiled, or performed any procedures with respect to the preliminary estimated financial data below and does not express an opinion or any other form of assurance with respect thereto. See “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for additional information regarding factors that could result in differences between the preliminary estimated ranges of certain financial results presented below and the financial results we will ultimately report for fiscal year 2022.
For the quarter ended April 30, 2022, we estimate that our net sales will range from $1.7 million to $1.9 million, an increase of approximately $850,000, or 89.4%, at the mid-point of the estimated net sales range when compared with net sales of $950,190 for the quarter ended April 30, 2021. The increase in sales was driven primarily by higher consulting revenues and an increase in ancillary fees at our funding portal.
For the fiscal year 2022, we estimate that our net sales will range from $5.3 million to $5.5 million, an increase of approximately $700,000, or 14.9%, using the mid-point of the estimated net sales range when compared with net sales of $4.7 million for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021, or fiscal year 2021. The increase in sales was driven primarily by growth in dollars invested through our funding portal and an increase in consulting fees.
For the fiscal year 2022, we estimate that our net income will range from $3.3 million to $3.5 million which includes loan forgiveness of approximately $1.9 million, an increase of 126.7%, using the mid-point of the estimated range when compared with net income of $1.5 million for fiscal year 2021.
Drawdown on Secured Loan Facility
In April 2022, we borrowed an additional $400,000 under our secured loan facility with Vaxstar LLC. Following this additional borrowing, the aggregate principal amount owed to our senior lender is $1.4 million. This loan has a current maturity date of April 30, 2023.
February 2022 Private Placement of Convertible Notes
On February 9, 2022, we issued and sold in a private placement $300,000 of unsecured convertible promissory notes, or the February 2022 Notes. These notes bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum and have a maturity date of February 9, 2023. In addition, these February 2022 Notes will automatically convert simultaneously with the closing of a Qualified Equity Financing (as defined below) into a number of securities sold in the Qualified Equity Financing equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (a) an amount equal to the amount of the February 2022 Notes outstanding on the closing date of such Qualified Equity Financing by (b) a conversion price equal to the lesser of (1) $10.00 and (2) 80% of the price per shares paid for securities sold in such Qualified Equity Financing upon the closing of such Qualified Equity Financing. A “Qualified Equity Financing” means the offer and sale for cash by us of any of our equity securities with the principal purpose of raising capital and that results in aggregate gross proceeds to us of at least $5,000,000 and “Subsequent Round Securities” means the equity securities sold in the Qualified Equity Financing. We used the net proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes. The February 2022 Notes were issued under the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) and/or Rule 506 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Upon the closing of this offering we will issue to the holders of the February 2022 Notes 50,868 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase up to 50,868 shares of our common stock, based on the assumed public offering price, pursuant to the automatic conversion provisions and the February 2022 Notes will be canceled. The February 2022 Notes were issued based on the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
July 2021 Private Placement
In July 2021, the Company completed an offering of 176,934 shares of common stock at a price of $9.00 per share for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,592,400. The shares were issued based on the exemption provided by Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
6
THE OFFERING
Common Stock offered by us: | 784,314 shares (assuming no sale of any pre-funded warrants and no exercise of the over-allotment option). |
Warrants offered by us: |
Warrants to purchase up to 784,314 shares of common stock. Subject to certain ownership limitations, the warrants are immediately exercisable and tradable and expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance. Each warrant will have an exercise price of $ per share of common stock (125% of the public offering price). To better understand the terms of the warrants, you should carefully read the “Description of the Securities” section of this prospectus. You should also read the form of warrant, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
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Pre-funded warrants offered by us: |
We are also offering to those purchasers, if any, whose purchase of the common stock in this offering would result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if they so choose, up to 784,314 pre-funded warrants, in lieu of the common stock that would otherwise result in ownership in excess of 4.99% (or 9.99%, as applicable) of our outstanding common stock.
The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will equal the price per share of common stock being sold to the public in this offering, minus $0.01, and the exercise price of each pre-funded warrant will be $0.01 per share.
For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of shares of common stock we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. The number of warrants sold in this offering will not change as a result of a change in the mix of the common stock and pre-funded warrants sold.
Each pre-funded warrant will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until exercised in full. To better understand the terms of the pre-funded warrants, you should carefully read the “Description of the Securities” section of this prospectus. You should also read the form of pre-funded warrant, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of this prospectus forms a part.
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7
Common stock outstanding before the offering | 2,934,344 shares of common stock. |
Common stock to be outstanding after the offering(1) | 3,809,427 shares of common stock. If the Representative’s over-allotment option is exercised in full, the total number of shares of common stock outstanding immediately after this offering would be 3,927,074. |
Option to purchase additional shares and warrants |
We have granted the Representative a 45-day option to purchase up to 117,647 additional shares of our common stock (and/or up to 117,647 additional pre-funded warrants in lieu thereof) and/or up to 117,647 additional warrants to cover allotments, if any. The securities may be purchased separately.
The purchase price to be paid per additional share of common stock or pre-funded warrant by the underwriters shall be equal to the public offering price of one share of common stock or pre-funded warrant, as applicable, less the underwriting discount, and the purchase price to be paid per additional warrant by the underwriters shall be $0.00001. No underwriting discount will be paid on the exercise of the over-allotment for warrants only. |
Use of proceeds | We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately $4.94 million, or approximately $5.77 million if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full for shares of common stock or pre-funded warrants only). We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for research and development activities (including development of a mobile app), sales and marketing, and for general working capital purposes and potential acquisitions of other companies, products or technologies, though no such acquisitions are currently contemplated. In addition, we intend to use up to $1,000,000 for the repayment of certain indebtedness, having an 8% interest rate and a maturity date of April 30, 2023. See “Use of Proceeds” on page 24. |
Risk factors | Investing in our securities is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the information set forth in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page 12 before deciding to invest in our securities. |
Trading symbol | Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQX under the trading symbol “NCPL”. We have applied to list our common stock and warrants on Nasdaq under the symbols “NCPL” and “NCPLW”, respectively upon our satisfaction of the exchange’s initial listing criteria. No assurance can be given that our listing application will be approved. If our listing application is not approved by Nasdaq, we will not consummate this offering. We do not intend to apply for the listing of the pre-funded warrants on any national securities exchange or other trading market. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be limited. |
8
Lock-up Agreements | We and our directors, officers and holders of 5% or more of our outstanding shares as of the date of this prospectus have agreed with the underwriters not to offer for sale, issue, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of any of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock for a period of six (6) months from the date of the closing date of this offering in the case of the Company’s directors and officers and three (3) months from the date of this offering in the case of the company and 5% or greater holders. See “Underwriting” section on page 60. |
9
(1) | The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 2,934,344 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 23, 2022, includes the following: |
· | 39,901 shares of common stock to be issued to Netcapital DE LLC prior to the closing of this offering as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.; and | |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; | |
and excludes the following: | ||
· | 29,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan; | |
· |
271,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options with an exercise price of $10.50 per share; | |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock underlying the warrants to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; and | |
· | 39,216 shares of the Company’s common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants. |
Except as otherwise indicated herein, all information in this prospectus reflects or assumes:
· | no exercise of the outstanding options or warrants to be issued described above; | |
· |
no sale of any pre-funded warrants; and
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· | no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 117,647 shares of common stock and/or pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock or warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock, to cover over-allotments, if any. |
10
SELECTED HISTORICAL CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
The following table presents our selected historical consolidated financial data for the periods indicated. The selected historical consolidated financial data for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 are derived from our audited financial statements. The summary historical financial data for the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2022 and 2021 are derived from our unaudited financial statements.
Historical results are included for illustrative and informational purposes only and are not necessarily indicative of results we expect in future periods, and results of interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. The data presented below should be read in conjunction with, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus.
Year Ended(1) | Nine Months Ended | |||||||||||||||
Income Statement Data: |
April 30, 2021 |
April 30, 2020 |
January 31, 2022 |
January 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||
Sales | $ | 4,721,003 | $ | 1,753,558 | $ | 3,636,050 | $ | 3,770,813 | ||||||||
Cost of operations | $ | 5,122,504 | $ | 606,336 | $ | 5,172,993 | $ | 3,571,300 | ||||||||
Income (loss) from operations | $ | (401,501 | ) | $ | 1,147,222 | $ | (1,536,943 | ) | $ | 199,513 | ||||||
Interest expense | $ | (87,333 | ) | $ | (18,879 | ) | $ | (90,844 | ) | $ | (53,690 | ) | ||||
Other income (expense)(4) | $ | 2,571,494 | $ | (175,952 | ) | $ | 5,180,047 | $ | — | |||||||
Income (loss) before income taxes | $ | 2,082,660 | $ | 424,851 | $ | 3,552,260 | $ | 145,823 | ||||||||
Benefit (provision) for income taxes | $ | (613,000 | ) | $ | (129,000 | ) | $ | (548,000 | ) | $ | (42,288 | ) | ||||
Net income (loss) | $ | 1,469,660 | $ | 604,851 | $ | 3,004,260 | $ | 103,535 | ||||||||
Per Share Data: | ||||||||||||||||
Net income (loss) per share – basic | 1.18 | 1.50 | 1.16 | 0.11 | ||||||||||||
Net income (loss) per share – diluted | 0.89 | 1.50 | 1.14 | 0.11 | ||||||||||||
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic | 1,250,002 | 402,284 | 2,589,142 | 948,058 | ||||||||||||
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted | 1,647,295 | 402,284 | 2,629,043 | 948,058 | ||||||||||||
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow Data: |
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Cash (used in) operating activities | $ | (3,250,868 | ) | $ | (3,604 | ) | $ | (2,303,458 | ) | $ | (2,475,484 | ) | ||||
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | $ | 242,025 | $ | — | $ | (319,166 | ) | $ | 364,939 | |||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | $ | 5,471,596 | $ | (4,300 | ) | $ | 625,799 | $ | 2,385,800 |
Balance Sheet Data: | January
31, 2022 (Actual) | January
31, 2022 Pro Forma(5) | January 31, 2022 (Pro Forma As Adjusted)(6) | |||||||||
Cash | $ | 477,134 | $ | 477,134 | $ | 4,419,136 | ||||||
Equity securities at fair value(2) | $ | 11,261,253 | $ | 11,261,253 | $ | 11,261,253 | ||||||
Total assets | $ | 29,990,632 | $ | 30,390,632 | $ | 34,332,634 | ||||||
Total debt(3) | $ | 3,442,984 | $ | 3,842,984 | $ | 2,842,984 | ||||||
Total stockholders’ equity | $ | 24,065,311 | $ | 25,081,863 | $ | 30,023,865 |
(1) | We have an April 30 fiscal year end. |
(2) |
Investments are monitored for any changes in observable prices from orderly transactions. |
(3) | Total debt includes two Small Business Administration, or SBA, loans and a secured loan, covering substantially all of the Company’s assets, of $1,000,000 as of January 31, 2022, which increased to $1,400,000 in the pro forma presentation to give effect to an additional borrowing subsequent to January 31, 2022. A third SBA loan was forgiven during the nine-month period ended January 31, 2022, and the amount of forgiveness including accrued interest, totaling $1,904,302, is included in other income. We have applied for forgiveness of approximately $1.9 million of the outstanding SBA loans, which application we expect to be approved; however such forgiveness is at the discretion of the SBA and we cannot be sure of the timing or amount of such forgiveness. |
(4) | The result of price changes in the fair value of equity securities is the largest component of other income. |
(5) | The pro forma column gives effect to the automatic conversion of the February 2022 Notes into 50,868 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase 50,868 shares of our common stock and issuance of 39,901 shares of our common stock to satisfy outstanding supplemental consideration liabilities and the corresponding decrease in liabilities, and the issuance of 37,500 shares of our common stock in conjunction with the purchase of a 10% equity stake in Caesar Media Group, Inc. on April 28, 2022, in each case as if such conversion had occurred as of January 31, 2022. |
(6) | The pro forma as adjusted column gives effect to reflect the receipt of approximately $4.94 million of net proceeds from this offering after underwriting discounts and fees and estimated offering expenses, repayment of $1,000,000 to our secured lender with a portion of the net proceeds and issuance of 784,314 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase 784,314 shares of our common stock (assuming no exercise of the over-allotment option). |
11
RISK FACTORS
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, including our financial statements and the related notes appearing at the end of this prospectus, before making your decision to invest in our securities. We cannot assure you that any of the events discussed in the risk factors below will not occur. These risks could have a material and adverse impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows and, if so, our prospects would likely be materially and adversely affected. If any of such events were to happen, the trading price of our securities in any market that may develop for our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Growth Strategy
We have a limited operating history and our profits have been generated primarily by unrealized gains from equity securities we own in other companies. Although we have been profitable, the likelihood of our success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays frequently encountered by a small developing company.
We were incorporated in the State of Utah in April 1984. Although we have reported earnings in the year ended April 30, 2021 and the nine months ended January 31, 2022, the majority of our earnings came from unrealized gains in equity securities that we own. These securities have observable prices but are not liquid. Furthermore, the likelihood of our success must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications and delays frequently encountered by a small developing company starting a new business enterprise and the highly competitive environment in which we will operate. Since we have a limited operating history, we cannot assure you that our business will maintain profitability.
We have substantial customer concentration, with a limited number of customers accounting for a substantial portion of our revenues.
We currently derive a significant portion of our revenues from a limited number of customers. During the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% and 33% of revenues and a second customer that constituted 28% and 33% of revenues, respectively. For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, the Company had one related party customer that constituted 37% and 0% of our revenues, a second customer that constituted 18% and 0% of our revenues, a third customer that constituted 13% and 37% of our revenues, and a fourth customer that constituted 9% and 28% of our revenues, respectively. For the year ended April 30, 2021, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% of our revenues, a second customer that constituted 15% of our revenues, a third customer that constituted 14% of our revenues and a fourth customer that accounted for 11% of our revenues. For the year ended April 30, 2020, the Company had one customer that constituted 47% of our revenues, a second customer that constituted 31% of our revenues and a third customer that accounted for 13% of our revenues. There are inherent risks whenever a large percentage of total revenues are concentrated with a limited number of customers. It is not possible for us to predict the future level of demand for our services that will be generated by these customers or new customers, or the future demand for the products and services of these customers or new customers. If any of these customers experience declining or delayed sales due to market, economic or competitive conditions, we could be pressured to reduce the prices we charge for our products which could have an adverse effect on our margins and financial position and could negatively affect our revenues and results of operations and/or trading price of our common stock.
We operate in a regulatory environment that is evolving and uncertain.
The regulatory framework for online capital formation or crowdfunding is very new. The regulations that govern our operations have been in existence for a very few years. Further, there are constant discussions among legislators and regulators with respect to changing the regulatory environment. New laws and regulations could be adopted in the United States and abroad. Further, existing laws and regulations may be interpreted in ways that would impact our operations, including how we communicate and work with investors and the companies that use our services and the types of securities that our clients can offer and sell on our platform.
We operate in a highly regulated industry.
We are subject to extensive regulation and failure to comply with such regulation could have an adverse effect on our business. Further, our subsidiary Netcapital Funding Portal Inc is registered as a funding portal. As a funding portal we have to comply with stringent regulations, and the operation of our funding portal is frequently subject to examination, constraints on its business, and in some cases fines. In addition, some of the restrictions and rules applicable to our subsidiary could adversely affect and limit some of our business plans.
Our funding portal’s service offerings are relatively new in an industry that is still quickly evolving.
The principal securities regulations that we work with, Rule 506(c) and Reg CF, have only been in effect in their current form since 2013 and 2016, respectively. Our ability to continue to penetrate the market remains uncertain as potential issuer companies may choose to use different platforms or providers (including, in the case of Rule 506(c) and Regulation A, using their own online platform), or determine alternative methods of financing. Investors may decide to invest their money elsewhere. Further, our potential market may not be as large, or our industry may not grow as rapidly as anticipated. Success will likely be a factor of investing in the development and implementation of marketing campaigns, repeat business from both issuer companies and investors, and favorable changes in the regulatory environment.
We have an evolving business model.
Our business model is one of innovation, including continuously working to expand our product lines and services to our clients. For example, we are evaluating an expansion into the transfer agent and broker-dealer space as well as our foray into becoming an alternative trading system. It is unclear whether these services will be successful. Further, we continuously try to offer additional types of services, and we cannot offer any assurance that any of them will be successful. From time to time, we may also modify aspects of our business model relating to our service offerings. We cannot offer any assurance that these or any other modifications will be successful or will not result in harm to the business. We may not be able to manage growth effectively, which could damage our reputation, limit our growth, and negatively affect our operating results.
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We may be liable for misstatements made by issuers.
Under the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”), issuers making offerings through our funding portal may be liable for inappropriate disclosures, including untrue statements of material facts or for omitting information that could make the statements misleading. This liability may also extend in Reg CF offerings to funding portals, such as our subsidiary. Even though due diligence defenses may be available, there can be no assurance that if we were sued, we would prevail. Further, even if we do succeed, lawsuits are time consuming and expensive, and being a party to such actions may cause us reputational harm that would negatively impact our business. Moreover, even if we are not liable or a party to a lawsuit or enforcement action, some of our clients have been and will be subject to such proceedings. Any involvement we may have, including responding to document production requests, may be time-consuming and expensive as well.
Our compliance is focused on U.S. laws and we have not analyzed foreign laws regarding the participation of non-U.S. residents.
Some of the investment opportunities posted on our platform are open to non-U.S. residents. We have not researched all the applicable foreign laws and regulations, and we have not set up our structure to be compliant with foreign laws. It is possible that we may be deemed in violation of those laws, which could result in fines or penalties as well as reputational harm. Any violation of foreign laws may limit our ability in the future to assist companies in accessing money from those investors, and compliance with those laws and regulations may limit our business operations and plans for future expansion.
Our cash flow is reliant on one main type of service.
Most of our cash-flow generating services are variants on one type of service: providing a platform for online capital formation. Our revenues are therefore dependent upon the market for online capital formation. As such, any downturn in the market could have a material adverse effect of our business and financial condition.
We depend on key personnel and face challenges recruiting needed personnel.
Our future success depends on the efforts of a small number of key personnel, including the founder of our subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. and Chief Executive Officer, and our compliance, engineering and marketing teams. Our software engineer team, as well as our compliance team and our marketing team are critical to continually innovate and improve our products while operating in a highly regulated industry. In addition, due to the specialized expertise required, we may not be able to recruit the individuals needed for our business needs. There can be no assurance that we will be successful in attracting and retaining the personnel we require to operate and be innovative.
We are vulnerable to hackers and cyber attacks.
As an internet-based business, we may be vulnerable to hackers who may access the data of our investors and the issuer companies that utilize our platform. Further, any significant disruption in service on our funding portal platform or in our computer systems could reduce the attractiveness of our platform and result in a loss of investors and companies interested in using our platform. Further, we rely on a third-party technology provider to provide some of our back-up technology as well as act as our escrow agent. Any disruptions of services or cyber-attacks either on our technology provider, escrow agent, or on us could harm our reputation and materially negatively impact our financial condition and business.
Our funding portal relies on one escrow agent to hold investment commitments for issuers.
We currently rely on Boston Private Bank to provide all escrow services related to offerings on our platform. Any change in this relationship will require us to find another escrow agent and escrow bank. This change may cause us delays as well as additional costs in transitioning our technology. We are not allowed to operate our funding portal business without a qualified third-party escrow bank. There are a limited number of banks that provide this service. As such, if our relationship with our escrow agent is terminated, we may have difficulty finding a replacement which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
If our wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., fails to comply with its obligations under the license agreement with Netcapital DE LLC under which the technology to operate our funding portal is licensed to Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., we could lose rights necessary to operate our funding portal which are important to our business.
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. has licensed the technology necessary to operate our funding portal from our majority stockholder, Netcapital DE LLC, of which Mr. Frishman owns a 29% interest. These rights are extremely important to our business. If Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. fails to comply with any obligations under this license agreement, such license agreement may be subject to termination in whole or in part, which could severely impact our ability to operate our funding portal which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations.
In addition, disputes may arise regarding the technology subject to a license agreement, including:
● | the scope of rights granted under the license agreement and other interpretation-related issues; |
● | the extent to which our processes infringe on the technology of Netcapital DE LLC that is not subject to the license agreement; |
● | the ownership of inventions and know-how resulting from the joint creation or use of technology by Netcapital DE LLC and us. |
Disputes over technology under the license agreement with Netcapital DE LLC may prevent or impair our ability to maintain our current license agreement on acceptable terms, and we may be unable to successfully operate our funding portal. In addition, any failure of Netcaptial DE LLC to service the technology subject to the license agreement or to operate its website could result in our inability to operate our funding portal which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Netcapital DE LLC relies on third-party software for the technology subject to the license agreement with Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. that may be difficult to replace or which could cause errors or failures of our funding portal.
Netcapital DE LLC relies on software licensed from third parties for the technology subject to the license agreement with Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.. This software may not continue to be available at reasonable prices or on commercially reasonable terms, or at all. Any loss by Netcapital DE LLC of the right to use any of this software could significantly increase our expenses and otherwise result in delays in the provisioning of our funding portal until equivalent technology is either developed by us or Netcapital DE LLC, or, if available, is identified, obtained and integrated, which could harm our business. Any errors or defects in third-party software could result in errors or a failure of our funding portal which could harm our business.
Our strategy to purchase a portion of early-stage companies may provide us with investments that have no liquidity.
It is our strategy to sometimes purchase, at an affordable price, part or all of early-stage companies and cross pollinate the ideas, technology and expertise within these companies to enhance the operations, profits and market share of all the entities. That strategy may result in us diverting management attention and advisory resources to do work for early-stage companies that pay for the work with equity, which becomes impaired in value or never becomes a liquid asset. For all of these early-stage companies, the future liquidity and value of our investments cannot be guaranteed, and no market may exist for us to generate gains from our investments in early-stage companies.
Our business depends on the reliability of the infrastructure that supports the Internet and the viability of the Internet.
The growth of Internet usage has caused frequent interruptions and delays in processing and transmitting data over the Internet. There can be no assurance that the Internet infrastructure or the Company’s own network systems will continue to be able to support the demands placed on it by the continued growth of the Internet, the overall online securities industry or that of our customers.
The Internet’s viability could be affected if the necessary infrastructure is not sufficient, or if other technologies and technological devices eclipse the Internet as a viable channel.
End-users of our software depend on Internet Service Providers (“ISPs”), online service providers and our system infrastructure for access to the Internet sites that we operate. Many of these services have experienced service outages in the past and could experience service outages, delays and other difficulties due to system failures, stability or interruption. As a result, we may not be able to meet a level of service that we have promised to our subscribers, and we may be in breach of our contractual commitments, which could materially adversely affect our business, revenues, operating results and financial condition.
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We are dependent on general economic conditions.
Our business model is dependent on investors investing in the companies presented on our platforms. Investment dollars are disposable income. Our business model is thus dependent on national and international economic conditions. Adverse national and international economic conditions may reduce the future availability of investment dollars, which would negatively impact our revenues and possibly our ability to continue operations. It is not possible to accurately predict the potential adverse impacts on the Company, if any, of current economic conditions on its financial condition, operating results and cash flow.
We face significant market competition.
We facilitate online capital formation. Though this is a new market, we compete against a variety of entrants in the market as well likely new entrants into the market. Some of these follow a regulatory model that is different from ours and might provide them competitive advantages. New entrants could include those that may already have a foothold in the securities industry, including some established broker-dealers. Further, online capital formation is not the only way to address helping start-ups raise capital, and the Company has to compete with a number of other approaches, including traditional venture capital investments, loans and other traditional methods of raising funds and companies conducting crowdfunding raises on their own websites. Additionally, some competitors and future competitors may be better capitalized than us, which would give them a significant advantage in marketing and operations.
Moreover, as we continue to expand our offerings, including providing administrative services to issuers and transfer agent services, we will continue to face headwinds and compete with companies that are more established and/or have more financial resources than we do and/or new entrants bringing disruptive technologies and/or ideas.
Intense competition could prevent us from increasing our market share and growing our revenues.
We compete with a number of public and private companies and most of our competitors have significant financial resources and occupy entrenched positions in the market with name-brand recognition. We also face challenges from new Internet sites that aim to attract subscribers who seek to play interactive games or invest in public or private securities. Such companies may be able to attract significantly more subscribers because of new marketing ideas and user interface concepts.
Increased competition from current and future competitors may in the future materially adversely affect our business, revenues, operating results and financial condition.
We will require our secured lender to cooperate with us and, among other things, not demand repayments of principal and interest until the business is capable of making such payments.
We owed our secured lender, or the Lender, $1,400,000 in principal, or the Loan, as of June 23, 2022. Our Lender holds a term note bearing interest at an annual rate of 8%. We have not paid interest on the note and it accrues each month. We have a loan and security agreement, or the Loan, with the Lender with a maturity date of April 30, 2023. We intend to pay off a portion of the Loan using a portion of the net proceeds from this offering.
To secure the payment of all obligations to the Lender, the Company granted to the Lender a continuing security interest and first lien on all of the assets of the Company.
In connection with the Loan, the Company has agreed to certain restrictive covenants, including, among others, that the Company may not convey, sell lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any part of its business or property, except as permitted in the agreement, dissolve, liquidate or merge with any other party unless, in the case of a merger, the Company is the surviving entity, incur any indebtedness except as defined in the agreement, create or allow a lien on any of its assets or collateral that has been pledged to the Lender, make any loans to any person, except for prepaid items or deposits incurred in the ordinary course of business, or make any material capital expenditures. If we default on our loan obligations with the Lender, it could exercise their rights and remedies under the applicable agreements, which could include seizing all of our assets. Any such action would have a material adverse effect on our business and prospects.
The Loan contains numerous restrictive covenants which limit management’s discretion to operate our business.
In order to obtain the Loan, we agreed to certain covenants that place significant restrictions on, among other things, our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to create liens or other encumbrances, to make certain payments and investments, and to sell or otherwise dispose of assets and merge or consolidate with other entities. Any failure to comply with the covenants included in the Loan could result in an event of default, which could trigger an acceleration of the related debt. If we were unable to repay the debt upon any such acceleration, the Lender could seek to foreclose on our assets in an effort to seek repayment under the loans. If the Lender was successful, we would be unable to conduct our business as it is presently conducted and our ability to generate revenues and fund our ongoing operations would be materially adversely affected.
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We may require additional financing in the future to fund our operations.
We may need additional capital in the future to continue to execute our business plan. Therefore, we will be dependent upon additional capital in the form of either debt or equity to continue our operations. At the present time, we do not have arrangements to raise all of the needed additional capital, and we will need to identify potential investors and negotiate appropriate arrangements with them. Our ability to obtain additional financing will be subject to a number of factors, including market conditions, our operating performance and investor sentiment. If we are unable to raise additional capital when required or on acceptable terms, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue our operations.
Raising additional capital may cause dilution to our stockholders, restrict our operations or require us to relinquish certain rights.
We may seek additional capital through a combination of equity offerings, debt financings, strategic collaborations and alliances or licensing arrangements. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity, convertible debt securities or other equity-based derivative securities, your ownership interest will be diluted and the terms may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect your rights as a stockholder. Any indebtedness we incur could involve restrictive covenants, such as limitations on our ability to incur additional debt, acquire or license intellectual property rights, declare dividends, make capital expenditures and other operating restrictions that could adversely impact our ability to conduct our business. Furthermore, the issuance of additional securities, whether equity or debt, by us, or the possibility of such issuance, may cause the market price of our common stock to decline. If we raise additional funds through strategic collaborations and alliances or licensing arrangements with third parties, we may have to relinquish valuable rights to future therapeutic candidates or otherwise agree to terms unfavorable to us, any of which may have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and prospects. Adequate additional financing may not be available to us on acceptable terms, or at all. If we are unable to raise additional funds when needed, we may be required to delay, limit, reduce or terminate our product development or future commercialization efforts or grant rights to develop and market our future therapeutic candidates that we would otherwise prefer to develop and market ourselves.
Our debt level could negatively impact our financial condition, results of operations and business prospects.
As of June 23, 2022, we had approximately $4,142,984 of principal indebtedness outstanding and we have borrowed money on three occasions from the SBA. Our level of debt could have significant consequences to our shareholders, including the following:
● | requiring the dedication of a substantial portion of cash flow from operations to make payments on debt, thereby reducing the availability of cash flow for working capital, capital expenditures and other general business activities; |
● | requiring a substantial portion of our corporate cash reserves to be held as a reserve for debt service, limiting our ability to invest in new growth opportunities; |
● | limiting the ability to obtain additional financing in the future for working capital, capital expenditures, acquisitions and general corporate and other activities; |
● | limiting the flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in the business and industry in which we operate; |
● | increasing our vulnerability to both general and industry-specific adverse economic conditions; |
● | putting us at a competitive disadvantage vs. less leveraged competitors; and |
● | increasing vulnerability to changes in the prevailing interest rates. |
Our ability to make payments of principal and interest, or to refinance our indebtedness, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors. Our business may not generate sufficient cash flow in the future to service our debt because of factors beyond our control, including but not limited to our ability to market our products and expand our operations. If we are unable to generate sufficient cash flows, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations. We intend to repay up to $1.0 million of this indebtedness with a portion of the proceeds raised in this offering. In addition, we have applied for forgiveness of approximately $1.9 million of the outstanding SBA loans, which application we expect to be approved; however such forgiveness is at the discretion of the SBA and we cannot be sure of the timing or amount of such forgiveness.
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We may make acquisitions or form joint ventures that are unsuccessful.
Our ability to grow is partially dependent on our ability to successfully acquire other companies, which creates substantial risk. In order to pursue a growth by acquisition strategy successfully, we must identify suitable candidates for these transactions; however, because of our limited funds, we may not be able to purchase those companies that we have identified as potential acquisition candidates. Additionally, we may have difficulty managing post-closing issues such as the integration into our corporate structure. Integration issues are complex, time consuming and expensive and, without proper planning and implementation, could significantly disrupt our business, including, but not limited to, the diversion of management's attention, the loss of key business and/or personnel from the acquired company, unanticipated events, and legal liabilities.
Our future growth depends on our ability to develop and retain customers.
Our future growth depends to a large extent on our ability to effectively anticipate and adapt to customer requirements and offer services that meet customer demands. If we are unable to attract new customers and/or retain new customers, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially adversely affected.
We will need to attract, train and retain additional highly qualified senior executives and technical and managerial personnel in the future.
We continue to seek technical and managerial staff members, although we have limited resources to compensate them until we have raised additional capital or developed a business that generates consistent cash flow from operations. We believe it is important to negotiate with potential candidates and, if appropriate, engage them on a part-time basis or on a project basis and compensate them at least partially, with stock-based compensation, when appropriate. There is a high demand for highly trained and managerial staff members. If we are not able to fill these positions, it may have an adverse effect on our business.
Major health epidemics, such as the outbreak caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and other outbreaks or unforeseen or catastrophic events could continue to disrupt and adversely affect our operations, financial condition and business.
Public health epidemics or outbreaks could adversely impact our business. In July 2021, the global tally of confirmed cases of the coronavirus-borne illness COVID-19 exceeded 180 million. The extent to which the coronavirus impacts our operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the duration of the outbreak, new information which may emerge concerning the severity of the coronavirus and the emergence of variants, among others. In particular, the spread and treatment of the coronavirus globally could adversely impact our operations and could have an adverse impact on our business and our financial results. To date, our business has not been impacted by COVID-19 but it could be in the future.
We may make acquisitions or form joint ventures that are unsuccessful.
Our ability to grow is partially dependent on our ability to successfully acquire other companies, which creates substantial risk. In order to pursue a growth by acquisition strategy successfully, we must identify suitable candidates for these transactions; however, because of our limited funds, we may not be able to purchase those companies that we have identified as potential acquisition candidates. Additionally, we may have difficulty managing post-closing issues such as the integration into our corporate structure. Integration issues are complex, time consuming and expensive and, without proper planning and implementation, could significantly disrupt our business, including, but not limited to, the diversion of management's attention, the loss of key business and/or personnel from the acquired company, unanticipated events, and legal liabilities.
We may not be able to protect all of our intellectual property.
Our profitability may depend in part on our ability to effectively protect our proprietary rights, including obtaining trademarks for our brand names, protecting our products and websites, maintaining the secrecy of our internal workings and preserving our trade secrets, as well as our ability to operate without inadvertently infringing on the proprietary rights of others. There can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain future protections for our intellectual property or defend our current trademarks and future trademarks and patents. Further, policing and protecting our intellectual property against unauthorized use by third parties is time-consuming and expensive, and certain countries may not even recognize our intellectual property rights. There can also be no assurance that a third party will not assert infringement claims with respect to our products or technologies. Any litigation for both protecting our intellectual property or defending our use of certain technologies could have material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition, regardless of the outcome of such litigation.
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Our revenues and profits are subject to fluctuations.
It is difficult to accurately forecast our revenues and operating results, and these could fluctuate in the future due to a number of factors. These factors may include adverse changes in: number of investors and amount of investors’ dollars, the success of world securities markets, general economic conditions, our ability to market our platform to companies and investors, headcount and other operating costs, and general industry and regulatory conditions and requirements. The Company's operating results may fluctuate from year to year due to the factors listed above and others not listed. At times, these fluctuations may be significant and could impact our ability to operate our business.
Natural disasters and other events beyond our control could materially adversely affect us.
Natural disasters or other catastrophic events may cause damage or disruption to our operations, international commerce and the global economy, and thus could have a strong negative effect on us. Our business operations are subject to interruption by natural disasters, fire, power shortages, pandemics and other events beyond our control. Although we maintain crisis management and disaster response plans, such events could make it difficult or impossible for us to deliver our services to our customers and could decrease demand for our services. Since the spring of 2020, large segments of the U.S. and global economies were impacted by COVID-19, a significant portion of the U.S. population were subject to “stay at home” or similar requirements. The extent of the impact of COVID-19 on our operational and financial performance will depend on certain developments, including the duration and spread of the outbreak, impact on our customers (both issuers using our services and investors investing on our platform) and our sales cycles, impact on our customer, employee or industry events, and effect on our vendors, all of which are uncertain and cannot be predicted. At this point, the extent to which COVID-19 may impact our financial condition or results of operations is uncertain. To date, the COVID-19 outbreak, has significantly impacted global markets, U.S. employment numbers, as well as the business prospects of many small business (our potential clients). A significant part of our business model is based on receiving a percentage of the investments made through our platform and services. Further, we are dependent on investments in our offerings to fund our business. However, to date, other than working remotely, COVID-19 has not had a negative impact on the Company. While our business has not yet been impacted by COVID-19, to the extent COVID-19 continues and limits investment capital or personally impacts any of our key employees, it may have significant impact on our results and operations.
Acquisitions may have unanticipated consequences that could harm our business and our financial condition.
Any acquisition that we pursue, whether successfully completed or not, involves risks, including:
• | material adverse effects on our operating results, particularly in the fiscal quarters immediately following the acquisition as the acquired restaurants are integrated into our operations; | |
• | risks associated with entering into markets or conducting operations where we have no or limited prior experience; | |
• | problems retaining key personnel; | |
• | potential impairment of tangible and intangible assets and goodwill acquired in the acquisition; | |
• | potential unknown liabilities; | |
• | difficulties of integration and failure to realize anticipated synergies; and | |
• | disruption of our ongoing business, including diversion of management’s attention from other business concerns. |
Future acquisitions may be accomplished through a cash purchase transaction, the issuance of our equity securities or a combination of both, could result in potentially dilutive issuances of our equity securities, the incurrence of debt and contingent liabilities and impairment charges related to goodwill and other intangible assets, any of which could harm our business and financial condition.
If we do not effectively protect our customers’ credit and debit card data, or other personal information, we could be exposed to data loss, litigation, liability and reputational damage.
In connection with credit and debit card sales, we transmit confidential credit and debit card information by way of secure online networks. Although we use private networks, third parties may have the technology or know-how to breach the security of the customer information transmitted in connection with credit and debit card sales, and our security measures and those of our technology vendors may not effectively prohibit others from obtaining improper access to this information. If a person were able to circumvent these security measures, he or she could destroy or steal valuable information or disrupt our operations. Any security breach could expose us to risks of data loss, litigation and liability and could seriously disrupt our operations and any resulting negative publicity could significantly harm our reputation.
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We could be harmed by improper disclosure or loss of sensitive or confidential Company, employee, associate or customer data, including personal data.
In connection with the operation of our business, we plan to store, process and transmit data, including personal and payment information, about our employees, customers, associates and candidates, a portion of which is confidential and/or personally sensitive. Unauthorized disclosure or loss of sensitive or confidential data may occur through a variety of methods. These include, but are not limited to, systems failure, employee negligence, fraud or misappropriation, or unauthorized access to or through our information systems, whether by our employees or third parties, including a cyberattack by computer programmers, hackers, members of organized crime and/or state-sponsored organizations, who may develop and deploy viruses, worms or other malicious software programs.
Such disclosure, loss or breach could harm our reputation and subject us to government sanctions and liability under our contracts and laws that protect sensitive or personal data and confidential information, resulting in increased costs or loss of revenues. It is possible that security controls over sensitive or confidential data and other practices we and our third-party vendors follow may not prevent the improper access to, disclosure of, or loss of such information. The potential risk of security breaches and cyberattacks may increase as we introduce new services and offerings, such as mobile technology. Further, data privacy is subject to frequently changing rules and regulations, which sometimes conflict among the various jurisdictions in which we provide services. Any failure or perceived failure to successfully manage the collection, use, disclosure, or security of personal information or other privacy related matters, or any failure to comply with changing regulatory requirements in this area, could result in legal liability or impairment to our reputation in the marketplace.
Failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the accelerated impact of social media could adversely impact our business.
In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the use of social media platforms, including blogs, chat platforms, social media websites, and other forms of Internet based communications which allow individuals access to a broad audience of consumers and other interested persons. The rising popularity of social media and other consumer-oriented technologies has increased the speed and accessibility of information dissemination. Many social media platforms immediately publish the content their subscribers and participants post, often without filters or checks on accuracy of the content posted. Information posted on such platforms at any time may be adverse to our interests and/or may be inaccurate. The dissemination of information via social media could harm our business, reputation, financial condition, and results of operations, regardless of the information’s accuracy. The damage may be immediate without affording us an opportunity for redress or correction.
In addition, social media is frequently used to communicate with our customers and the public in general. Failure by us to use social media effectively or appropriately, particularly as compared to our brands’ respective competitors, could lead to a decline in brand value, customer visits and revenue. Other risks associated with the use of social media include improper disclosure of proprietary information, negative comments about our brands, exposure of personally identifiable information, fraud, hoaxes or malicious dissemination of false information. The inappropriate use of social media by our customers or employees could increase our costs, lead to litigation or result in negative publicity that could damage our reputation and adversely affect our results of operations.
Risks Related to Receipt of Securities for Services
We are not, and do not intend to become, regulated as an investment company under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the 40 Act, (and similar legislation in other jurisdictions) and if we are deemed an “investment company” under the 40 Act applicable restrictions would make it impractical for us to operate as contemplated.
The 40 Act and the rules thereunder (and similar legislation in other jurisdictions) provide certain protections to investors and impose certain restrictions on companies that are registered as investment companies. Among other things, such rules limit or prohibit transactions with affiliates, impose limitations on the issuance of debt and equity securities and impose certain governance requirements. We have not been and do not intend to become regulated as an investment company and we intend to conduct our activities so we will not be deemed to be an investment company under the 40 Act (and similar legislation in other jurisdictions). In order to ensure that we are not deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to materially restrict or limit the scope of our operations or plans related to us, we will be limited in the types of acquisitions that we may make and we may need to modify our organizational structure or dispose of assets that we would not otherwise dispose of. Moreover, if anything were to happen which would potentially cause us to be deemed an investment company under the 40 Act, it would be impractical for us to operate as intended pursuant to our platform and our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially adversely affected. Accordingly, we would be required to take extraordinary steps to address the situation, such as the modification and restructuring of our platform, which would materially adversely affect our ability to derive revenue.
Our consulting and advisory services are primarily paid for in restricted shares of stock of our customers, which are often private companies with no established trading market for their securities.
For our consulting and advisory services, payment is often made through equity securities of customers instead of cash. The securities issued are in private companies with no established trading market for their securities In the absence of a trading market, we may be unable to liquidate our investment, which will result in the loss of our investment.
Risk Factors Related to the Common Stock and the Offering
Concentration of ownership among our majority stockholders may prevent new investors from influencing significant corporate decisions.
As of June 23, 2022, Netcapital DE LLC, our majority stockholder, beneficially owned, in the aggregate, approximately 57% of our outstanding shares of common stock and assuming 784,314 shares are sold in this offering will continue to own 44% of our outstanding shares of common stock following this offering. As a result, this stockholder will be able to exercise a significant level of control over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors, amendment of our certificate of incorporation and approval of significant corporate transactions. This control could have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of our company or changes in management and will make the approval of certain transactions difficult or impossible without the support of these stockholders.
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Investors in this offering will suffer immediate and substantial dilution.
The assumed public offering price of our common stock is substantially higher than the as adjusted net tangible book value per share issued and outstanding immediately after this offering. Investors who purchase common stock in this offering will pay a price per share that substantially exceeds the as adjusted net tangible book value per share of common stock immediately prior to this offering. If you purchase shares of our common stock in this offering, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution of $3.85 in the as adjusted net tangible book value per share, based upon the assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share. See “Dilution.”
Even if we meet Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, there can be no assurance that we will be able to comply with Nasdaq’s continued listing standards, a failure of which could result in a de-listing of our common stock and warrants.
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQX. We have applied to list our common stock and warrants on Nasdaq. There is no assurance that our common stock and warrants will ever be listed on Nasdaq or that we will be able to comply with such applicable listing standards. Should our common stock and warrants be listed on Nasdaq, in order to maintain that listing, Nasdaq requires that the trading price of a company’s listed stock on Nasdaq remain above one dollar in order for such stock to remain listed. If a listed stock trades below one dollar for more than 30 consecutive trading days, then it is subject to delisting from Nasdaq. In addition, to maintain a listing on Nasdaq, we must satisfy minimum financial and other continued listing requirements and standards, including those regarding director independence and independent committee requirements, minimum stockholders’ equity, and certain corporate governance requirements. If we are unable to satisfy these requirements or standards, we could be subject to delisting, which would have a negative effect on the price of our common stock and warrants and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our common stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we would expect to take actions to restore our compliance with the listing requirements, but we can provide no assurance that any such action taken by us would allow our common stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our common stock, prevent our common stock from dropping below the minimum bid price requirement, or prevent future non-compliance with the listing requirements.
We are selling a substantial number of shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase common stock in this offering, which could cause the price of our common stock to decline.
In this offering, we will sell up to 784,314 shares of common stock (assuming no exercise by the underwriters of their over-allotment option and no purchase of pre-funded warrants). Additionally, we are selling warrants to purchase shares of common stock, equal to the number of shares of common stock being sold in the offering (assuming no purchase of pre-funded warrants and no exercise by the underwriters of their overallotment option). The existence of the potential additional shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that such additional shares may be in the market, could adversely affect the price of our common stock. We cannot predict the effect, if any, that market sales of those shares of common stock or the availability of those shares of common stock for sale will have on the market price of our common stock. Any decline in the price of a share of common stock will also have a negative effect on the price in the market of a warrant.
There is no public market for either the warrants or the pre-funded warrants being sold in this offering.
There is no established public trading market for either the warrants or the pre-funded warrants being sold in this offering. We will list the warrants on Nasdaq, however there is no assurance that any market will develop. We will not list the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, including Nasdaq. Therefore, we do not expect a market to ever develop for the pre-funded warrants. Without an active market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be limited.
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The warrants and pre-funded warrants are speculative in nature.
Neither the warrants nor the pre-funded warrants confer any rights of common stock ownership on their respective holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire shares of common stock at a fixed price. Commencing on the date of issuance, holders of either the warrants or the pre-funded warrants may exercise their right to acquire the common stock and pay the stated exercise price per share.
Holders of our warrants will have no rights as a common stockholder until such holders exercise their warrants and acquire our common stock.
Until holders of the warrants acquire shares of our common stock upon exercise thereof, holders of the warrants will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock. Upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants, such holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.
There is no assurance that any of the warrants will be exercised and we will receive the exercise proceeds therefrom.
The warrants have an exercise price above the price of a share of common stock and warrant in this offering. If the price of our common stock does not exceed the warrant exercise price, then it is unlikely that the warrants will be exercised. The warrants will expire on the fifth anniversary of their issuance, which if they expire without being exercised the company will not receive any proceeds therefrom.
Additionally for the warrants to be exercised for cash, the company must keep an effective registration statement available for issuance of the common stock on exercise of the warrants. If the company fails to maintain an effective registration statement, then the warrants may be exercised on a cashless basis, and the company will not receive any cash amount from their exercise.
We do not expect to pay dividends and investors should not buy our common stock expecting to receive dividends.
We have not paid any dividends on our common stock in the past, and do not anticipate that we will declare or pay any dividends in the foreseeable future. Consequently, you will only realize an economic gain on your investment in our common stock if the price appreciates. You should not purchase our common stock expecting to receive cash dividends. Since we do not pay dividends, and if we are not successful in having our shares listed or quoted on an exchange, then you may have a limited ability to liquidate or receive any payment on your investment. Therefore, our failure to pay dividends may cause you to not see any return on your investment even if we are successful in our business operations. In addition, because we do not pay dividends we may have trouble raising additional funds, which could affect our ability to expand our business operations.
We may conduct future offerings of our common stock and pay debt obligations with our common stock which may diminish our investors’ pro rata ownership and depress our stock price.
We reserve the right to make future offers and sales, either public or private, of our securities, including shares of our common stock or securities convertible into common stock at prices differing from the price of the common stock previously issued. In the event that any such future sales of securities are affected or we use our common stock to pay principal or interest on our debt obligations, an investor’s pro rata ownership interest may be reduced to the extent of any such future sales.
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Our management will have immediate and broad discretion over the use of the net proceeds from this offering and we may use the net proceeds in ways with which you disagree.
The net proceeds from this offering will be immediately available to our management to use at their discretion. We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for research and development activities, sales and marketing, and for general working capital purposes and potential acquisitions of other companies, products or technologies, though no such acquisitions are currently contemplated. In addition, we may use up to $1.0 million for the retirement of indebtedness having an interest rate of 8% with a maturity date of April 30, 2023. See “Use of Proceeds.” Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering and could spend the proceeds in ways that do not improve our results of operations or enhance the value of our securities. You will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of these net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. It is possible that the net proceeds will be invested in a way that does not yield a favorable, or any, return for us. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, operating results and cash flow.
The market price of our common stock is highly volatile and could be subject to volatility related or unrelated to our operations.
You should consider an investment in our securities to be risky, and you should invest in our securities only if you can withstand a significant loss and wide fluctuations in the market value of your investment. Some factors that may cause the market price of our common stock to fluctuate, in addition to the other risks mentioned in this “Risk Factors” section and elsewhere in this prospectus, are:
· | actual or anticipated fluctuations in quarterly funding portal revenues or operating results, whether in our operations or in those of our competitors; | |
· | changes in financial estimates or opinions by research analysts, either with respect to us or other fintech companies; | |
· | our failure to accelerate user growth or new issuer growth; | |
· | any failure to meet investor or analyst expectations; | |
· | the public’s reaction to our press releases, other public announcements and our filings with the SEC; | |
· | actual or anticipated changes in domestic or worldwide economic, political or market conditions, such as recessions; | |
· | changes in the consumer spending environment; | |
· | terrorist acts; | |
· | changes in laws or regulations, or new interpretations or applications of laws and regulations, that are applicable to our business; | |
· | changes in accounting standards, policies, guidance, interpretations or principles; | |
· | short sales, hedging and other derivative transactions in the shares of our common stock; | |
· | future sales or issuances of our common stock, including sales or issuances by us, our directors or executive officers and our significant stockholders; | |
· | our dividend policy; | |
· | changes in the market valuations of other restaurant companies; | |
· | actions by stockholders; | |
· | various market factors or perceived market factors, including rumors, involving us, our vendors and clients, whether accurate or not; | |
· | announcements by us or our competitors of new locations, menu items, technological advances, significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, divestitures, joint ventures or other strategic initiatives; and | |
· | a loss of a key member of management. |
The stock markets in general have experienced substantial volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of individual companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock in any market that develops for it. In addition, our stock price may be influenced by trading activity in our common stock as a result of market commentary (including commentary that may be unreliable or incomplete in some cases); changes in expectations about our business, our creditworthiness or investor confidence generally; or actions by stockholders and others seeking to influence our business strategies.
In the past, following periods of volatility in the market price of a company’s securities, stockholders have instituted class action securities litigation against those companies. Such litigation, if instituted, could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management attention and resources, which would significantly harm our profitability and reputation.
Our common stock may be subject to the “penny stock” rules of the SEC and the trading market in the securities is limited, which could make transactions in the stock cumbersome and may reduce the value of an investment in the stock.
Rule 15g-9 under the Exchange Act establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant to us, as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share, subject to certain exceptions. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require: (a) that a broker or dealer approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks; and (b) the broker or dealer receive from the investor a written agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased.
In order to approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must: (a) obtain financial information and investment experience objectives of the person and (b) make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny stocks are suitable for that person and the person has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of transactions in penny stocks.
The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which, in highlight form: (a) sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination; and (b) confirms that the broker or dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our common stock.
Disclosure also has to be made about the risks of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and about the commissions payable to both the broker or dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available to an investor in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements have to be sent disclosing recent price information for the penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks.
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FINRA sales practice requirements may limit a stockholder’s ability to buy and sell our securities.
In addition to the “penny stock” rules described above, FINRA has adopted rules that require that in recommending an investment to a customer, a broker-dealer must have reasonable grounds for believing that the investment is suitable for that customer. Prior to recommending speculative, low-priced securities to their non-institutional customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer’s financial status, tax status, investment objectives and other information. The FINRA requirements may make it more difficult for broker-dealers to recommend that their customers buy our common stock or our warrants, which may have the effect of reducing the level of trading activity in our securities. As a result, fewer broker-dealers may be willing to make a market in our common stock or our warrants, reducing a stockholder’s ability to resell shares of our common stock and warrants.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our securities adversely, the price of our common stock or warrants and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock may be influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the analysts who may cover us change their recommendation regarding our securities adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our common stock or warrants would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us was to cease coverage of our company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price of our common stock or warrants or trading volume to decline.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock following this offering may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the issuance of additional shares will dilute all other stockholders.
Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market or otherwise following this offering, or the perception that such sales could occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock. After completion of this offering and the issuance of the common stock there will be shares of our common stock outstanding (without giving effect to the exercise by the Representative of the over-allotment option). In addition, our articles of incorporation permit the issuance of up to 900,000,000 total shares of common stock. Thus, we could issue substantial amounts of common stock in the future, which would dilute the percentage ownership held by the investors who purchase shares of our common stock in this offering.
Our issuance of common stock upon the exercise of options granted under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan may dilute all other stockholders.
We have issued options to purchase 271,000 shares of common stock under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan and we expect to issue options to purchase the remaining 29,000 shares of common stock in the future to officers, directors, employees and consultants under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. Any such issuances of common stock underlying stock options may cause stockholders to experience dilution of their ownership interests and the per share value of our common stock to decline.
Our compliance with complicated U.S. regulations concerning corporate governance and public disclosure is expensive and diverts management’s attention from our core business, which could adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.
As a publicly reporting company, we are faced with expensive, complicated and evolving disclosure, governance and compliance laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the Dodd-Frank Act, and, following this offering, Nasdaq rules. As a result of the complexity involved in complying with the applicable rules and regulations, our management’s attention may be diverted from other business concerns, which could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition. We may need to hire more personnel in the future or engage outside consultants, which will increase our operating expenses, to assist us in complying with these requirements.
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 new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. 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 substantial 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 business operations 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 harmed.
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Failure to maintain effective internal control over our financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act could cause our financial reports to be inaccurate.
We are required pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, or Section 404, to maintain internal control over financial reporting and to assess and report on the effectiveness of those controls. This assessment includes disclosure of any material weaknesses identified by our management in our internal control over financial reporting. Although we prepare our financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, our internal accounting controls may not meet all standards applicable to companies with publicly traded securities. If we fail to implement any required improvements to our disclosure controls and procedures, we may be obligated to report control deficiencies in which case, we could become subject to regulatory sanction or investigation. Further, these outcomes could damage investor confidence in the accuracy and reliability of our financial statements.
Claims for indemnification by our directors and officers may reduce our available funds to satisfy successful third-party claims against us and may reduce the amount of money available to us.
Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors and officers, in each case to the fullest extent permitted by Utah law.
In addition, as permitted by the Utah Business Corporation Act, our bylaws and the indemnification agreements that we have entered into with our directors and officers provide that:
● | we will indemnify our directors and officers for serving us in those capacities or for serving other business enterprises at our request, to the fullest extent permitted by Utah law. Utah law provides that a corporation may indemnify such person if such person acted in good faith and in a manner such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the registrant and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person’s conduct was unlawful; |
● | we may, in our discretion, indemnify employees and agents in those circumstances where indemnification is permitted by applicable law; |
● | we are required to advance expenses, as incurred, to our directors and officers in connection with defending a proceeding, except that such directors or officers shall undertake to repay such advances if it is ultimately determined that such person is not entitled to indemnification; |
● | we will not be obligated pursuant to our bylaws to indemnify a person with respect to proceedings initiated by that person against us or our other indemnitees, except with respect to proceedings authorized by our board of directors, or Board, or brought to enforce a right to indemnification; |
● | the rights conferred in our bylaws are not exclusive, and we are authorized to enter into indemnification agreements with our directors, officers, employees and agents and to obtain insurance to indemnify such persons; and |
● | we may not retroactively amend our bylaw provisions to reduce our indemnification obligations to directors, officers, employees and agents. |
Limitations on liability and indemnification matters.
As permitted by the corporate laws of the state of Utah, our articles of incorporation include a provision to eliminate the personal liability of our directors for monetary damages for breach or alleged breach of their fiduciary duties as directors, subject to certain exceptions. In addition, our bylaws provide that we are required to indemnify our officers and directors under certain circumstances, including those circumstances in which indemnification would otherwise be discretionary, and we will be required to advance expenses to our officers and directors as incurred in connection with proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified. If we are required to indemnify, both for the costs of their defense in any action or to pay monetary damages upon a finding of a court or in any settlement, our business and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
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USE OF PROCEEDS
We estimate that the net proceeds from sale of shares of common stock offered by us in this offering will be approximately $4.94 million, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and advisory fee and estimated offering expenses payable by us. If the Representative’s over-allotment is exercised in full for shares of common stock and warrants, we estimate that our net proceeds will be approximately $5.77 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
We intend to use the net proceeds of this offering for research and development activities (including development of a mobile app), sales and marketing, and for general working capital purposes and potential acquisitions of other companies, products or technologies, though no such acquisitions are currently contemplated. In addition, we intend to use up to $1.0 million for the repayment of indebtedness with an interest rate of 8% and a maturity date of April 30, 2023.
We believe opportunities may exist from time to time to expand our current business through acquisitions or investments. While we have no current agreements, commitments or understandings for any specific acquisitions or investments, we may use a portion of the net proceeds for these purposes.
We believe that the net proceeds from this offering, together with our existing cash and cash equivalents, will enable us to fund our operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through at least the next twelve months from the date of this offering.
This expected use of the net proceeds from this offering represents our intentions based upon our current plans and business conditions. Pending our application of the net proceeds from this offering, we intend to invest the net proceeds in a variety of capital preservation investments, including short-term, investment grade, interest bearing instruments and U.S. government securities.
MARKET FOR OUR COMMON EQUITY
Market Information
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQX marketplace under the symbol NCPL. We have applied to list our common stock on Nasdaq under the symbol “NCPL”. The approval of our listing of our common stock is a condition of closing this offering. No assurance can be given that our application will be accepted.
Holders
As of June 23, 2022, there were 230 holders of record of our common stock and the last reported sale price of our common stock on the OTCQX was $7.65 per share on June 23, 2022.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equity Stock Transfer LLC with its business address at 237 W 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, NY 10018. Its telephone number is (212) 575-5757 and its email address is info@equitystock.com.
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
We currently have 300,000 shares of common stock reserved for issuances under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. As of June 23, 2022, there are 271,000 options outstanding to purchase our common stock. The weighted average exercise price of these options is $10.50, the average term when issued was ten years and the options vest monthly on a straight-line basis over a 48-month period.
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DIVIDEND POLICY
We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including our results of operations, financial condition, future prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board of directors deems relevant. There are currently no restrictions that limit our ability to declare cash dividends on our common stock.
CAPITALIZATION
The following table sets forth our capitalization:
• | on an actual basis as of January 31, 2022; and | |
• | on a pro forma basis to give effect to: the issuance of the February 2022 Notes; the automatic conversion of the February 2022 Notes into 50,868 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase 50,868 shares of our common stock and resulting cancellation of $300,000 of convertible promissory notes concurrent with the closing of this offering; a $400,000 increase in our secured loan; the issuance of 39,901 shares of our common stock as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. prior to the closing of this offering; and the issuance of 37,500 shares of our common stock in April 2022 in connection with the purchase of a 10% interest in Caesar Media Group Inc., and | |
• | on pro forma as adjusted basis to give effect to: the issuance and sale by us of 784,314 shares of common stock and warrants to purchase 784,314 shares of common stock at an assumed offering price of $7.65 per share and warrant (assuming no exercise of the Representative’s over-allotment option and no sale of pre-funded warrants); the receipt of $4.94 million in net proceeds after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering costs payable by us; and the repayment of $1 million in outstanding secured indebtedness using a portion of the net proceeds received in this offering. |
You should read the following table in conjunction with “Use of Proceeds,” “Selected Historical Consolidated Financial Data,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Description of Securities” and other financial information contained in this prospectus, including the financial statements and related notes appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
As of January 31, 2022 | ||||||||||||
Capitalization in U.S. Dollars | Actual | Pro Forma | Pro Forma As Adjusted (1) | |||||||||
Current Debt | ||||||||||||
SBA loans | $ | 951,417 | $ | 951,417 | $ | 951,417 | ||||||
Related party loans | 22,860 | 22,860 | 22,860 | |||||||||
Bank loan | 34,324 | 34,324 | 34,324 | |||||||||
Long-term debt | ||||||||||||
SBA Loans | 1,434,833 | 1,434,833 | 1,434,833 | |||||||||
Secured loan | 1,000,000 | 1,400,000 | 400,000 | |||||||||
Total Debt | 3,442,984 | 3,842,984 | 2,842,984 | |||||||||
Shareholders' Equity | ||||||||||||
Common stock, $.001 par value, 900,000,000 authorized, 2,896,844, 3,025,113 and 3,809,427 shares issued and outstanding on an actual, pro forma and pro forma as adjusted basis, respectively | 2,896 | 3,025 | 3,809 | |||||||||
Additional paid-in capital | 22,050,777 | 23,067,200 | 28,008,418 | |||||||||
Retained earnings | 2,011,638 | 2,011,638 | 2,011,638 | |||||||||
Total shareholders' equity | 24,065,311 | 25,081,863 | 30,023,865 | |||||||||
Total capitalization | $ | 27,508,295 | $ | 28,924,847 | $ | 32,866,849 |
Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by approximately $718,000, 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 underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase (decrease) of 100,000 shares in the number of shares offered by us at the assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share would increase (decrease) the as adjusted amount of each of cash and cash equivalents, working capital, total assets and total stockholders’ equity by approximately $700,000.
(1) | The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding after this offering is based on 2,934,344 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 23, 2022, includes the following: |
· | 39,901 shares of common stock to be issued to Netcapital DE LLC prior to the closing of this offering as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.; and |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; |
and excludes the following |
· | 29,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan; | |
· |
271,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options with an exercise price of $10.50 per share; |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock underlying the warrants to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; and |
· | 39,216 shares of the Company’s common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants. |
Except as otherwise indicated herein, all information in this prospectus reflects or assumes:
· | no exercise of the outstanding options or warrants to be issued described above; | |
· | no sale of any pre-funded warrants; and | |
· | no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 117,647 shares of common stock and/or pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock or warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock, to cover over-allotments, if any. | |
· | In addition, we have applied for forgiveness of approximately $1.9 million of the outstanding SBA loans, which application we expect to be approved, however such forgiveness is at the discretion of the SBA and we cannot be sure of the timing or amount of such forgiveness. |
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DILUTION
If you invest in our common stock in this offering, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the public offering price per share of common stock and the net tangible book value per share of our common stock immediately after this offering. We calculate net tangible book value per share by dividing our net tangible book value, which is tangible assets less total liabilities, by the number of outstanding shares of our common stock as of January 31, 2022. Our historical net tangible book value as of January 31, 2022, was $8,528,607 or $2.94 per share of our common stock.
After giving effect to: the issuance of the February 2022 Notes; the automatic conversion of the February 2022 Notes into 50,868 shares of our common stock and warrants to purchase 50,868 shares of our common stock and resulting cancellation of $300,000 of convertible promissory notes concurrent with the closing of this offering; a $400,000 increase in our secured loan; the issuance of 39,901 shares of our common stock as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. prior to the closing of this offering; and the issuance of 37,500 shares of our common stock in April 2022 in connection with the purchase of a 10% interest in Caesar Media Group Inc., our pro forma net tangible book value as of January 31, 2022 would have been $3.16 per share.
After giving effect to the issuance and sale of shares of common stock and warrants in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share and warrant, excluding shares that may be issued upon exercise of the Representative’s over-allotment option and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of January 31, 2022 would have been $3.80 per share. This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.86 per share to existing stockholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $3.85 per share to purchasers of common stock in this offering, based on an assumed public offering price of $7.65 per share and warrant. The following table illustrates this per share dilution:
Assumed public offering price per share | $ | 7.65 | ||||||
Pro forma net tangible book value per share as of January 31, 2022 | $ | 2.94 | ||||||
Increase in net tangible book value per share attributable to debt conversions and new investors | $ | 0.86 | ||||||
Less: pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share after giving effect to the offering | $ | 3.80 | ||||||
Immediate dilution in net tangible book value per share to new investors | $ | 3.85 |
Each $1.00 increase (decrease) in the public offering price, would increase (decrease) pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share to new investors by $0.19, and would increase (decrease) dilution per share to new investors in this offering by $0.81, assuming that the number of shares of common stock and warrants offered by us, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus, remains the same, and after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. Similarly, each increase or decrease of 100,000 in the number of shares of common stock offered by us would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value by approximately $0.19 per share and increase (decrease) the dilution to new investors by $0.19 per share, assuming the public offering price remains the same, and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.
(1) | The number of shares of our common stock to be outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 2,934,344 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 23, 2022 and includes the following: |
· | 39,901 shares of common stock to be issued to Netcapital DE LLC prior to the closing of this offering as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.; and |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; and excludes the following: |
· | 29,000 shares of common stock reserved for future issuance under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan; | |
· |
271,000 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options with an exercise price of $10.50 per share; |
· | 50,868 shares of common stock underlying the warrants to be issued to the holders of the February 2022 Notes upon the automatic conversion of such notes (including accrued interest) at the closing of this offering; and |
· | 39,216 shares of the Company’s common stock underlying the Representative’s Warrants. |
Except as otherwise indicated herein, all information in this prospectus reflects or assumes:
· | no exercise of the outstanding options or warrants to be issued described above; | |
· |
no sale of any pre-funded warrants; and
| |
· | no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase up to an additional 117,647 shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock or warrants to purchase up to 117,647 shares of common stock, to cover over-allotments, if any. |
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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operation should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes that appear elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements and information relating to our business that reflect our current views and assumptions with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the risks in the section entitled Risk Factors beginning on page 9, that may cause our or our industry’s 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.
Overview
Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online from accredited and non-accredited investors. We give all investors the opportunity to access investments in private companies. Our model is disruptive to traditional private equity investing and is based on Title III, Reg CF of the JOBS Act. We generate fees from listing private companies on our portal. Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice in exchange for equity positions and cash fees. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC, is a member of FINRA and provides investors with opportunities to invest in private companies.
We provide private company investment access to accredited retail and non-accredited retail investors through our online portal (www.netcapital.com). The Netcapital funding portal charges a $5,000 engagement fee and a 4.9% success fee for capital raised at closing. In addition, the portal generates fees for other ancillary services, such as rolling closes. Netcapital Advisors generates fees and equity stakes from consulting in select portfolio and non-portfolio clients.
Netcapital.com is an SEC-registered funding portal that enables private companies to raise capital online, while investors are able to invest from anywhere in the world, at any time, with just a few clicks. Securities offerings on the portal are accessible through individual offering pages, where companies include product or service details, market size, competitive advantages, and financial documents. Companies can accept investment from anyone, including friends, family, customers, employees, etc.
In addition to access to the funding portal, Netcapital provides the following services:
● a fully automated onboarding process;
● automated filing of required regulatory documents;
● compliance review;
● custom-built offering page on our portal website;
● third party transfer agent and custodial services;
● email marketing to our proprietary list of investors;
● rolling closes, which provide potential access to liquidity before final close date of offering;
● assistance with annual filings; and
● direct access to our team for ongoing support.
Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors helps companies at all stages to raise capital. Netcapital Advisors provides strategic advice, technology consulting and online marketing services to assist with fundraising campaigns on the Netcapital platform. The Company also acts as an incubator and accelerator, taking equity stakes in select disruptive start-ups.
Netcapital Advisors’ services include:
● incubation of technology start-ups;
● investor introductions;
● online marketing;
● website design, software and software development;
● message crafting, including pitch decks, offering pages, and ad creation;
● strategic advice; and
● technology consulting.
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes to the financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. This discussion contains forward-looking statements that relate to future events or our future financial performance. These statements 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.
Results of Operations
Nine Months Ended January 31, 2022 Compared to the Nine Months Ended January 31, 2021
Our revenues for the nine months ended January 31, 2022 decreased by $134,763, or 4%, to $3,636,050, as compared to $3,770,813 reported for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The decrease in revenues is attributable to a decrease of $1,044,025 in non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity, which amounted to $2,102,174 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $3,146,199 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021. This decrease was offset by revenues from our funding portal. Funding portal revenues began for us in November 2020. Funding portal revenues consisted of a listing fee that we charge when an issuer signs an engagement letter to raise capital on our funding portal, and portal fees that are equal to 4.9% of the capital that was raised by the issuers. The components of revenue for the nine-month periods ended January 31, 2022 and 2021 are as follows:
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Jan. 31, 2022 | Jan 31, 2021 | |||||||
Consulting services for equity securities | $ | 2,102,174 | $ | 3,146,198 | ||||
Consulting revenue | 293,221 | 270,604 | ||||||
Portal fees | 951,760 | 250,541 | ||||||
Listing fees | 288,000 | 102,500 | ||||||
Other revenue | 895 | 970 | ||||||
Total | $ | 3,636,050 | $ | 3,770,813 |
Costs of revenues decreased by $644,914 to $85,429 for the nine-months ended January 31, 2022 from $730,343 reported in the nine-months ended January 31, 2021. The decrease is attributable to a decrease in non-cash revenues from the receipt of equity.
Payroll and payroll related expenses increased by $879,426, or 41%, to $3,032,987 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $2,153,561 reported for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase is attributable to an increase in staff.
Marketing expense increased by $46,151, or 213%, to $67,771 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $21,620 reported for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase in expense is due to additional marketing outlets that we utilized in the nine months ended January 31, 2022.
Rent expense decreased by $5,036, or 13%, to $34,480 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $39,516 reported for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The decrease in expense is a result of discounts available to us in fiscal 2022 and our ability to have personnel work from home.
General and administrative expenses increased by $1,042,092, or 443%, to $1,277,146 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, from $235,054 for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase is primarily attributed to additional expenses we incurred in the current fiscal year for our newly acquired funding portal business.
Consulting expense increased by $283,974, to $675,180, or 73%, for the nine months ended January 31, 2022 from $391,206 reported in the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase in expense is due to issuance of stock-based compensation to two outside consulting firms.
Interest expense increased by $37,154 to $90,844 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $53,690 for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase in interest expense is attributable to higher debt amounts and a higher interest rate on our secured debt.
Our net income increased by $2,900,725 to $3,004,260, or 2,802% for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, as compared to $103,535 for the nine months ended January 31, 2021. The increase in net income is primarily attributable to debt forgiveness of $1,904,302 during the period related to our loan with the SBA.
Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2021 Compared to Fiscal Year Ended April 30, 2020
Our revenues for fiscal 2021 increased by $2,967,445, or 169%, to $4,721,003 as compared to $1,753,558 reported for fiscal 2020. The increase in revenues is primarily attributable to our consulting services. We also received additional revenues in fiscal 2021 from our funding portal, which we did not have in fiscal 2020. Funding portal revenues consisted of a listing fee that we charge when an issuer signs an engagement letter to raise capital on our funding portal, and portal fees that are equal to 4.9% of the capital that was raised by the issuers. The components of revenue are as follows:
Fiscal 2021 | Fiscal 2020 | |||||||
Receipt of equity from issuers for consulting services | $ | 3,547,032 | $ | 1,538,980 | ||||
Consulting revenue | 338,990 | 214,578 | ||||||
Portal fees | 524,991 | — | ||||||
Listing fees | 301,990 | — | ||||||
Other funding portal revenue | 8,000 | — | ||||||
Total revenue | $ | 4,721,003 | $ | 1,753,558 |
Each component of revenue is trending upward when comparing fiscal 2021 revenues with fiscal 2020. Based upon activity in the last two quarters of fiscal 2021, our funding portal revenues are trending upward as portal fees increased by $23,909, or 9.5%, to $274,450 in Q4 of fiscal 2021 from $250,541 in Q3 of fiscal 2021. Listing fees increased by $96,990, or 94.6%, to $199,490 in Q4 of fiscal 2021 from $102,500 in Q3 of fiscal 2021.
Our costs of revenues increased by $748,053, or 6,736%, to $759,158 in fiscal 2021, from $11,105 in fiscal 2020. The increase is primarily attributable to our increased revenues and the change in our strategy of how we accelerate the product development for the companies we invest in.
Stock-based compensation increased by $324,359, or 91%, to $680,611 for fiscal 2021 from $356,252 reported in the prior fiscal year. The increase is primarily attributable to higher values of the price per share of our common stock in fiscal 2021, as compared to fiscal 2020. In addition, two new marketing consultants were hired in fiscal 2021that accounted for $147,654 in stock-based compensation.
Consulting expense decreased by $96,020, or 94%, to $6,580 for fiscal 2021 from $102,600 reported in the prior fiscal year. The decrease is attributed to our increase in wages in fiscal 2021.
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Payroll and payroll related expenses increased to $3,117,075 in fiscal 2021. In fiscal 2020 compensation was paid through the issuance of common stock grants and cash payments to consultants. Payroll expense also increased in fiscal 2021 due to the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., which had approximately 20 employees.
General and administrative expenses increased by $392,208, or 539%, to $464,955 for the year ended April 30, 2021, as compared to $72,747 for the prior fiscal year. The primary increase in expenses is attributable to legal costs of approximately $224,000 and software usage fees of $100,000.
Interest expense increased by $68,454 to $87,333 for the year ended April 30, 2021, as compared to $18,879 for the prior fiscal year. Our debt balances increased significantly slightly in fiscal 2021 due to $4,271,600 in new borrowings during the year and an increase in the interest rate on our $1,000,000 secured loan, effective October 31, 2020, from 1.25% to 8%.
In fiscal 2020 we incurred a loss on the sale of investments of $527,540. We sold equity we had earned in one of our consulting engagements primarily to take advantage of a realized loss for tax purposes. No realized gains or losses were recognized in fiscal 2021.
In fiscal 2020 we incurred an impairment loss of $185,952, whereas no impairment losses were recognized in fiscal 2021. We monitor all our assets for any changes in observable prices from orderly transactions and we record an impairment expense when appropriate.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
At January 31, 2022, we had cash and cash equivalents of $477,134 and negative working capital of $502,393 as compared to cash and cash equivalents of $2,473,959 and negative working capital of $4,666,833 at April 30, 2021. As of April 30, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of $2,473,959 and negative working capital of $4,666,833 as compared to cash and cash equivalents of $11,206 and negative working capital of $1,057,581 as of April 30, 2020.
We have been successful in raising capital by selling restricted common stock in private placements and by borrowing funds from the U.S. Small Business Administration. We believe our negative working capital balance as of January 31, 2022 will be eliminated by the forgiveness of $1,885,800 in borrowings from the SBA. The negative working capital balance as of April 30, 2021 has been eliminated by converting approximately $5 million in current liabilities into shares of common stock at a price range of $9.00 to $9.74 per share. In addition to the settlement of $5 million in current liabilities, we anticipate the $1,885,800 SBA loan will be forgiven this summer and we raised an additional $300,000 from the sale of shares of common stock in May 2021. In addition, we expect to reduce our related party payable by $315,564 prior to the closing of this offering by issuing 39,901 shares of our common stock to Netcapital DE LLC as supplemental consideration under the agreement to acquire Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.
We believe that our existing cash investment balances, and our anticipated cash flows from operations will be sufficient to meet our working capital and expenditure requirements for the next 12 months. Although we believe we have adequate sources of liquidity over the next 12 months, the success of our operations, the global economic outlook, and the pace of sustainable growth in our markets, in each case, in light of the market volatility and uncertainty as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other factors, could impact our business and liquidity. Up to this point in time, we believe the pandemic has helped drive people to online investing, as we see regular monthly increases in users and dollars invested, and an increase in issuers seeking to use online fund-raising services in lieu of face-to-face meetings.
Year over Year Changes
Net cash used in operating activities amounted to $2,303,458 and $2,475,484 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. The principal source of cash from operating activities in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 was net income of $3,004,260 and a non-cash item, stock-based compensation of $1,137,042. However, these sources of cash were offset by an unrealized gain on equity securities of $3,275,745, an increase in accounts receivable of $900,242, debt forgiveness of $1,904,302 and non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity of $1,187,500. The principal source of cash from operating activities in the nine months ended January 31, 2021 was net income of $103,535 and a non-cash item, stock-based compensation of $386,121. However, these items were offset by changes in non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity of $2,319,532 and an increase in accounts receivable of $1,001,586.
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Net cash used in operating activities amounted to $3,250,868 in fiscal 2021, as compared to net cash used in operating activities of $3,604 in fiscal 2020. In fiscal 2021, the primary uses of cash were an unrealized gain on equity securities of $2,571,494, non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity of $2,319,532 and an increase in accounts receivable of $1,417,257. These uses of cash were partially offset by net income of $1,469,660, stock-based compensation of $680,611 and an increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses of $172,204. In fiscal 2020, the principal source of cash from operating activities was net income of $604,851, adjusted by stock-based compensation of $356,252, a loss on the sale of investments of $527,540 and asset impairment of $185,952. These sources of cash from operating activities were offset by investments of $1,538,980 because of non-cash contract revenue with major customers.
Net cash used in investing activities amounted to $319,166 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022. The use of cash consisted of loans to affiliates of $202,000 and an investment in an affiliate of $117,166. Cash provided by investing activities in the nine months ended January 31, 2021 amounted to $364,939, from the purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. In fiscal 2021, net cash provided by investing activities amounted to $242,025. Proceeds from the purchase of a subsidiary provided cash of $364,939, which was offset by a use of cash of $122,914 as an investment in an affiliate. There was no investing activity in fiscal 2019.
For the nine months ended January 31, 2022, cash provided financing activities amounted to $625,799, which consisted of proceeds from stock subscriptions for the sale of common stock. For the nine months ended January 31, 2021, cash provided by financing activities amounted to $2,385,800, which consisted of two loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended April 30, 2021 totaled $5,471,596. Proceeds from loans amounted to $4,271,600 and proceeds from stock subscriptions totaled $1,199,996. Net cash used in financial activities in fiscal 2020 consisted of principal payments on a related party note totaling $4,300.
In the nine months ended January 31, 2022 and 2021, there were no expenditures for capital assets. We do not anticipate any capital expenditures in fiscal 2022.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We did not have during the periods presented, and we do not currently have, any off-balance sheet arrangements, as defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
There has been no impact to our financial statements and our results of operations and financial condition as the result of the adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements, see “Part I, Item 1, Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies” of the Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included in this prospectus.
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Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of operating results and financial condition are based upon our condensed consolidated financial statements. The preparation of our condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, sales, expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities. We base our estimates on past experience and other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, and we evaluate these estimates on an ongoing basis.
Our critical accounting policies are those that materially affect our financial statements and involve subjective or complex judgments by management. Although these estimates are based on our management’s best knowledge of current events and actions that may impact us in the future, actual results may be materially different from the estimates. All of our significant accounting policies are disclosed in our Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes service revenue from its consulting contracts and its game website using the five-step model as prescribed by ASC 606:
● | Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer; |
● | Identification of the performance obligations in the contract; |
● | Determination of the transaction price; |
● | Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and |
● | Recognition of revenue when or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation. |
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
In order to record the Company’s accounts receivable at their net realizable value, the Company must assess their collectability. A considerable amount of judgment is required in order to make this assessment, including an analysis of historical bad debts and other adjustments, a review of the aging of the Company’s receivables, and the current creditworthiness of the Company’s customers. Generally, when a customer account reaches a certain level of delinquency, the Company provides an allowance for the related amount receivable from the customer. The Company writes off the accounts receivable balance from a customer and the related allowance established when it believes it has exhausted all reasonable collection efforts. Accounts receivable of $1,356,932 and $0 were recorded on April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and an allowance for doubtful accounts of $60,325 and $0 were recorded on April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) authoritative guidance requires that certain assets be reviewed for impairment and, if impaired, remeasured at fair value whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. Impairment loss estimates are primarily based upon our management’s analysis and review of the carrying value of long-lived assets at each balance sheet date, utilizing an undiscounted future cash flow calculation. We recognized an impairment loss of $0 and $185,952 in fiscal 2021 and 2020, respectively, as we concluded the carrying amount of the equity that we owned in an early-stage company was not recoverable and we wrote down the value of our investment.
Income Taxes
We estimate the degree to which tax assets and loss carryforwards will result in a benefit based on expected profitability by tax jurisdiction. A valuation allowance for such tax assets and loss carryforwards is provided when it is determined that such assets will more likely than not go unused. If it becomes more likely than not that a tax asset or loss carry-forward will be used, the related valuation allowance on such assets is reversed. Based upon several profitable quarters over the past two years, and our ability to generate operating income of $1,147,222 and $624,433 in fiscal 2020 and 2019, respectively, and taxable income in both fiscal years, we reversed the valuation allowance from April 30, 2019 and recorded a current deferred tax asset as of April 30, 2020, and a deferred tax liability as of April 30, 2021.
Information About Market Risk
We are not subject to fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates or other financial market risks. We have not made any sales, purchases or commitments with foreign entities which would expose us to currency risks.
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OUR BUSINESS
Company Overview
Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online from accredited and non-accredited investors. We give all investors the opportunity to access investments in private companies. Our model is disruptive to traditional private equity investing, which is based on Title III, Reg CF of the JOBS Act. We generate fees from listing private companies on our portals. Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice in exchange for equity positions. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC, is a member of FINRA, and provides investors with opportunities to invest in private companies.
Our Business
We provide private companies with access to investment from accredited and non-accredited retail investors through our online portal (www.netcapital.com). The Netcapital funding portal charges a $5,000 engagement fee and a 4.9% success fee for capital raised at closing. In addition, the portal generates fees for other ancillary services such as rolling closes. Netcapital Advisors generates fees and equity stakes from consulting in select portfolio and non-portfolio clients. We generated revenues of $3,636,050 with costs of service of $85,429 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 for a gross profit of $3,550,621 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022 as compared to revenues of $3,770,813 with costs of service of $730,343 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021 for a gross profit of $3,040,470 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021. We generated revenues of $4,721,001 with costs of service of $759,158 in the year ended April 30, 2021 for a gross profit of $3,961,845 in the year ended April 30, 2021 as compared to revenues of 1,753,558 with costs of service of $11,105 in the year ended April 30, 2020 for a gross profit of $1,742,453 in the year ended April 30, 2020.
Funding Portal
Netcapital.com is an SEC-registered funding portal that enables private companies to raise capital online, while investors are able to invest from anywhere in the world, at any time, with just a few clicks. Securities offerings on Netcapital are accessible through individual offering pages, where companies include product or service details, market size, competitive advantages, and financial documents. Companies can accept investment from anyone, including friends, family, customers, employees, etc. Customer accounts on our platform will not be permitted to hold digital securities.
In addition to access to the funding portal, the Netcapital funding portal provides the following services:
● a fully automated onboarding process;
● automated filing of required regulatory documents;
● compliance review;
● custom-built offering page on our website;
● third party transfer agent and custodial services;
● email marketing to our proprietary list of investors;
● rolling closes, which provide potential access to liquidity before final close date of offering
● assistance with annual filings; and
● direct access to our team for ongoing support.
Consulting Business
Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, helps companies at all stages to raise capital. Advisors provides strategic advice, technology consulting and online marketing services to assist with fundraising campaigns on the Netcapital platform. We also act as an incubator and accelerator, taking equity stakes in select disruptive start-ups.
Netcapital Advisors’ services include:
● incubation of technology start-ups;
● investor introductions;
● digital marketing;
● website design, software and software development;
● message crafting, including pitch decks, offering pages, and ad creation;
● strategic advice; and
● technology consulting
Regulatory Overview
In an effort to enhance economic growth and to democratize access to private investment opportunities, Congress finalized the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) in 2016. Title III of the JOBS Act enabled early-stage companies to offer and sell securities to the general public for the first time. The SEC then adopted Regulation Crowdfunding, or Reg CF, in order to implement the JOBS Act’s crowdfunding provisions.
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Reg CF has several important features that changed the landscape for private capital raising and investment. For the first time, this regulation:
● | Allowed the general public to invest in private companies, no longer limiting early-stage investment opportunities to less than 10% of the population; |
● | Enabled private companies to advertise their securities offerings to the public (general solicitation); and |
● | Conditionally exempted securities sold under Section 4(a)(6) from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934. |
Our Market
The traditional funding model restricts access to capital, investments and liquidity. According to Harvard Business Review, VCs invest in fewer than 1% of the companies they consider and only 10% of VC meetings are obtained through cold outreach. In addition, under 5% of VC funding went to women and minority-owned firms in 2020, according to Forbes.
Furthermore, under the traditional model, the average investor lacked access to early-stage investments. Prior to the JOBS Act, almost 90% of U.S. households were precluded from investing in private deals, per dqydj.com. Liquidity has also been an issue, as private investments are generally locked up until IPO or takeout.
The JOBS Act helped provide a solution to these issues by establishing the funding portal industry which is currently in its infancy. Title III of the JOBS Act outlines Reg CF, which traditionally allowed private companies to raise up to $1.07 million from all Americans. In March 2021, regulatory enhancements by the SEC went into effect and increased the limit to $5 million. These amendments increased the offering limits for Reg CF, Regulation A and Regulation D Rule 504 offerings as follows; Reg CF increased to $5 million, Regulation D, Rule 504 increased to $10 million from $5 million; and Regulation A Tier 2 increased to $75 million from $50 million.
Reg CF private company investments accounted for approximately $490 million in 2021, according to KingsCrowd, versus $205 million during 2020. We believe a significant opportunity exists to disrupt private capital markets via the Netcapital portal.
Private capital markets reached $7.4 trillion at the end of 2020, per Morgan Stanley, and this number is expected to reach $13 trillion over the next five years. Within this market, private equity represents the largest share, with assets in excess of $3 trillion and a 10-year CAGR of 10%. Since 2000, global PE net asset value has increased almost tenfold, nearly three times faster than the size of the public equity market. Both McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group predict that this strong growth will continue, as investors allocate increasing amounts to private equity, due to historically higher returns and lower volatility than public markets. In addition, Boston Consulting Group estimates that there are $42 trillion held in retail investment accounts, which we believe represents a large pool of potential account holders for us.
Our Technology
The Netcapital platform is a scalable, real-time, transaction processing engine that runs without human intervention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For companies raising capital, the technology provides fully automated onboarding with integrated regulatory filings. Funds are collected from investors and held in escrow until the offering closes.
For entrepreneurs, the technology facilitates access to capital at low cost. For investors, the platform provides access to investments in private, early-stage companies that were previously unavailable to the general public. Both entrepreneurs and investors can track and view their investments through their dashboard on netcapital.com. The platform currently has almost 100,000 users.
Scalability was demonstrated in November 2021, when the platform processed more than 2,000 investments in less than two hours, totaling more than $2 million.
Our infrastructure is designed in a way that can horizontally scale to meet our capacity needs. Using Docker containers and Amazon ECS, we are able to automate the creation and launch of our production web and API endpoints in order to replicate them as needed behind Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs).
Additionally, all of our public facing endpoints live behind CloudFlare to ensure protection from large scale traffic fluctuations (including DDoS attacks).
Our main database layer is built on Amazon RDS and features a Multi-AZ deployment that can also be easily scaled up or down as needed. General queries are cached in our API layer, and we monitor to optimize very complex database queries that are generated by the API. Additionally, we cache the most complex queries (such as analytics data) in our NoSQL (Mongo) data store for improved performance.
Most of our CPU intensive data processing happens asynchronously through a worker/jobs system managed by AWS ElastiCache’s Redis endpoint. This component can be easily fine-tuned for any scale necessary.
The technology necessary to operate our funding portal is licensed from our affiliate, Netcapital DE LLC under a license agreement with our wholly-owned subsidiary Netcapial Funding Portal, Inc., where we have the exclusive right to use the technology with respect to our funding portal, for an annual license fee of $380,000 paid in quarterly installments.
MAGFAST Case Study
MAGFAST, a wireless charger company, launched an equity offering on the Netcapital funding portal in November 2020, with a fundraising goal of $1.07 million. The company sold out the offering in one day. Almost 1,000 investors successfully invested through the Netcapital funding portal in a 24-hour period. In November of 2021, MAGFAST raised approximately $2 million in two hours in a follow-on offering. We believe the rapid sell-out of the MAGFAST offering demonstrates the proven scalability of the Netcapital platform.
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Competitive Advantages
We believe we provide the lowest cost solution for online capital raising versus our peer group (StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder Inc.and Republic Core LLC. We also believe that our access and onboarding of new clients are superior due to our facilitated technology platforms. Our network is rapidly expanding as a result of our enhanced marketing and broad distribution to reach new investors.
Other competitors include StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder Inc., and Republic Core LLC. Given the rapid growth in the industry and its potential to disrupt the multi-billion dollar private capital market, there is sufficient room for multiple players.
Our Strategy
Three major tailwinds are driving accelerated growth in the shift to the use of online funding portals: (i) the COVID-19 pandemic; (ii) the increase in funding limits under Reg CF; and (iii) the recent private equity outperformance of public markets. The pandemic drove a rapid need to bring as many processes as possible online. With travel restrictions in place and most people in lockdown, entrepreneurs were no longer able to fundraise in person and have increasingly turned to online capital raising through funding portals.
There are numerous industry drivers and tailwinds that complement investor demand for access to investments in private companies. To capitalize on these, our strategy is to:
● | Generate New Investor Accounts. Growing the number of investor accounts on our platform is a top priority. Investment dollars continue to flow through our platform are the key revenue driver. When issuers advertise their offerings, they are generating new investor accounts for us at no cost to Netcapital. We plan to supplement our issuers’ spend on advertising by increasing our online marketing spend as well, which may include virtual conferences going forward. |
● | Hire Additional Business Development Staff. We seek to hire additional business development staff that is technology and financially passionate about capital markets to handle our growing backlog of potential customers. |
● | Increase the Number of Companies on Our Platform via Marketing. When a new company lists on our platform, they bring their customers, supporters, and brand ambassadors as new investors to Netcapital. We plan to increase our marketing budget to help grow our portal and advisory clients. |
● | Invest in Technology. Technology is critical to everything that we do. We plan to invest in developing innovative technologies that enhance our platform and allow us to pursue additional service offerings. For example, we plan on developing a dedicated mobile app in 2022 to make our platform more accessible. |
● | Incubate and Accelerate Our Advisory Portfolio Clients. The advisory portfolio and our equity interests in select advisory clients represent potential upside for our shareholders. We seek to grow this model of advisory clients. |
● | Expand Internationally. We believe there is a significant opportunity to expand into Europe and Asia as an appetite abroad grows for U.S. stocks. |
● | Open ATS/Secondary Transfer Feature. Lack of liquidity is a key issue for investors in private companies as private markets lack a liquidity feature in our targeted market. We plan to open a Secondary Transfer Feature and are exploring various alternatives to provide potential liquidity for secondary offerings to investors who participate in our primary offerings on the Netcapital platform. |
● | New Verticals Represent a Compelling Opportunity. We operate in a regulated market supported by the JOBS Act. We may pursue expansion to our model to include Regulation A and Regulation D offerings. |
Our Management
Our management team is experienced in finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and marketing.
Chairman, President and CEO, Dr. Cecilia Lenk, was formerly Vice President of Technology and Digital Design at Decision Resources Inc., a global company serving the biopharmaceutical market, where she oversaw the implementation of new technologies, products, and business processes. Prior to joining Decision Resources, she founded a technology firm that built a patented platform for online research. She has a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University and a B.A. (with honors) in Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University.
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Coreen Kraysler, CFA is the company’s Chief Financial Officer. With over 30 years of investment experience, she was formerly a Senior Vice President and Principal at Independence Investments, where she managed several 5-star rated mutual funds and served on the Investment Committee. She also worked at Eaton Vance as a Vice President, Equity Analyst on the Large and Midcap Value teams. She received a B.A. in Economics and French, cum laude from Wellesley College and a Master of Science in Management from MIT Sloan.
Jason Frishman is the founder and CEO of the company’s funding portal subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. to help reduce the systemic inefficiencies early-stage companies face in securing capital. He currently holds advisory positions at leading organizations in the financial technology ecosystem and has spoken as an external expert at Morgan Stanley, University of Michigan, YPO, and others. Jason has a background in the life sciences and previously conducted research in medical oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Miami.
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Key Metrics of our Funding Portal
The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA.
94,000 investor accounts
264 issuers
$46 million raised through the platform
For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% and 33% of revenues and a second customer that constituted 28% and 33% of revenues, respectively. For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, the Company had one related party customer that constituted 37% and 0% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 18% and 0% of its revenues, a third customer that constituted 13% and 37% of its revenues, and a fourth customer that constituted 9% and 28% of its revenues, respectively. For the year ended April 30, 2021, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 15% of its revenues, a third customer that constituted 14% of its revenues and a fourth customer that accounted for 11% of its revenues. For the year ended April 30, 2020, the Company had one customer that constituted 47% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 31% of its revenues and a third customer that accounted for 13% of its revenues.
*data as of March 31, 2022
Business Model
The Netcapital funding portal charges a 4.9% success fee for capital raised through the platform, as well as engagement and other fees. Netcapital Advisors generates fees from consulting, and the equity stakes we take in select technology companies provide optionality through possible exits, such as a sale or an initial public offering.
Proposed ATS Partnership
We currently do not operate or maintain a secondary market for securities of any issuers, and we have no agreements or understandings with any parties to do so. We are, nevertheless, exploring various alternatives to provide issuers and investors on the Netcapital funding portal with the potential for greater distribution and liquidity, for secondary offerings, including engaging a broker dealer that operates an Alternative Trading System, or ATS. We believe that such a partnership, if established, would also ultimately increase demand and share prices.
Our Netcapital funding portal is currently registered with the SEC, is a member of FINRA. For so long as we continue to operate our Netcapital platform solely for primary offerings by issuers under Reg CF, we believe that we are not required to register under Regulation ATS.
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Industry Tailwinds
Two major tailwinds are driving accelerated growth in the shift to digital fundraising: the COVID-19 pandemic and regulatory enhancements to the Jobs Act. The pandemic drove a rapid need to bring as many processes as possible online. With travel restrictions in place and most people in lockdown, entrepreneurs were no longer able to fundraise in person and have increasingly turned to online capital raising through funding portals.
In addition, exempt offering regulatory enhancements proposed by the SEC in 2020 went into effect in March 2021. These amendments increased the offering limits for Reg CF, Regulation A and Rule 504 of Regulation D offerings as follows: the Reg CF limit increased to $5 million from $1.07 million, every twelve months. Rule 504 of Regulation D moved to $10 million from $5 million and Regulation A Tier 2 rose to $75 million from $50 million.
Propelled by this rule change, Reg CF commitments of $56 million in March 2021 were more than five times higher than in March of the previous year. We believe that the recent increase in offering limits in combination with pandemic-driven acceleration in the need for digital fundraising have been the primary drivers of the 161% increase in Reg CF commitments through the first nine months of 2021. We expect these changes to continue to have a significant, positive impact on demand as they increase the attractiveness of digital fundraising options and pave the way for larger companies to utilize the exempt framework. This could also potentially drive higher demand for Netcapital Advisors’ services.
In another important regulatory development, the U.S. Department of Labor, or DOL, recently expressed their support for retail investment in private equity. In 2020, the DOL released an information letter backing private equity as an investment option for defined contribution plans. As a result, large asset managers are working on adding private investment choices to their retirement products, according to a study conducted by BCG.
Investment Portfolio
A key part of our story involves the potential value creation driven by our portfolio companies. In our portfolio, we focus on companies with emerging, disruptive technologies. A partial list of our investment portfolio is described below:
KingsCrowd
Industry: Fintech
Trusted by over 300,000 investors to vet startup investments, KingsCrowd, Inc. is the leader in ratings and analytics for online private markets. The company aggregates, analyzes, and rates companies raising on platforms like Netcapital to help investors make more informed decisions.
ChipBrain
Industry: AI
Effective communicators close more deals. ChipBrain LLC’s emotionally intelligent AI assistant provides real-time emotion, tone, and facial expression feedback in live conversations across text, voice, and video. Taking the guesswork out of identifying conversational cues, the company’s technology enables sales professionals to see at a glance how they are coming across to customers.
Deuce Drone
Industry: Drone Delivery Technology
Deuce Drone LLC solves the last mile delivery problem for “brick and mortar” retailers. The company designs, builds, and operates drone delivery systems, transforming retail stores into customer fulfillment centers. Deuce Drone LLC provides a cost-effective, technology-driven solution for same-day delivery that allows retailers to compete with major e-commerce players.
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Zelgor
Industry: Mobile Games
Backed by famous venture capitalist Tim Draper, Napster founder, Shawn Fanning, and co-creator of Guitar Hero, Kai Huang, Zelgor Inc. is an interactive entertainment company featuring a new species of rambunctious alien characters called The Noobs. The Noobs are a unique and original intellectual property introduced to the world through mobile games, multimedia content, and strategic partnerships.
MustWatch
Industry: Technology
MustWatch LLC brings your friends and favorite shows together all in one place. The Watch Party app makes it easy to find new shows, see what your friends are watching, and recommend great shows to each other. The company’s platform delivers targeted show recommendations based on the television viewing tastes of users’ friends and family. It’s not a single streaming platform’s media catalog, but a cross-platform television guide, crowdsourced from your friends and family.
C-Reveal Therapeutics
Industry: Cancer Immunotherapy
C-Reveal Therapeutics’s proprietary technology, developed at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard University, helps the body's immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells by inhibiting key enzymes that conceal the disease. This patent pending approach is designed to improve the efficacy of treating a broad range of cancers.
Hiveskill LLC
Industry: AI
The product is an AI-powered database and CRM hybrid that uses data and emotionally intelligent AI to boost direct one-to-one marketing efforts. It also provides specialized experts who know how to leverage your company’s data.
ScanHash LLC
Industry: AI
With the click of a button and the wallet owner’s permission, ScanHash’s innovative program launches and immediately integrates with customers' technology systems to search for clues and traces of their private key, digital wallets and other crypto-enabling logs and records. Thanks to ScanHash’s proprietary digital forensics technology, recovering lost cryptocurrency is affordable, accessible, and safe.
Caesar Media Group Inc.
Industry: Marketing
Caesar Media Group, Inc. is an advanced marketing and technology solutions provider. Caesar Media Group is designed to leverage its technology and data to provide lead generation, search engine optimization (SEO) website development, project development, digital marketing, content management, customer service, and sales management.
The following table summarizes the components of investments as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021:
January 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | |||||||
Netcapital DE LLC | $ | 48,128 | $ | 48,128 | ||||
MustWatch LLC | 235,400 | 235,400 | ||||||
Zelgor Inc. | 1,400,000 | 1,400,000 | ||||||
ChipBrain LLC | 1,704,480 | 1,704,480 | ||||||
Vymedic Inc. | 20,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
C-Reveal Therapeutics LLC | 50,000 | — | ||||||
Deuce Drone LLC | 2,350,000 | 2,350,000 | ||||||
Hiveskill LLC | 712,500 | — | ||||||
ScanHash LLC | 425,000 | — | ||||||
Caesar Media Group Inc. | 500,000 | — | ||||||
Kingscrowd Inc. | 3,815,745 | 540,000 | ||||||
Total Investments at cost | $ | 11,261,253 | $ | 6,298,008 |
Investment Portfolio Company Progress
KingsCrowd, Inc., a fintech company that provides ratings and analytics for online private markets, grew their subscriber base to 350,000, generated almost half a million in revenues last year, rated over half a billion dollars in transactions with their proprietary rating algorithm, and just launched a $15 million Reg A+ round at a $45 million pre-money valuation.
Deuce Drone recently secured an exclusive contract for food delivery at the BB&T Center, in Mobile, Alabama. They successfully completed their first food delivery run: Operation Smoothie. The Deuce Drone team was joined by several notable community leaders for the demo, including Representative Jerry Carl, the chief executive officer of the Mobile Chamber of Commerce, staff from Senator Tommy Tuberville’s office, and representatives from Innovation Portal, a local incubator that recently invested in the company. Local Fox 10 News and Alabama.com covered the event. They have also continued to build out their team, including the addition of General Ed Fienga as chief operating officer.
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MustWatch launched their television show recommendation app in the Apple app store, which has been awarded a 5-star rating by users. They also added acclaimed Hollywood producer and screenwriter Jason Keller to their team. Keller brings nearly two decades of experience in the film and entertainment industry to the MustWatch team. Most recently Keller wrote the Oscar winning film Ford vs. Ferrari (starring Christian Bale and Matt Damon) which was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. His other notable writing credits include Mirror, Mirror (starring Julia Roberts), Escape Plan (starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone) and Machine Gun Preacher (starring Gerard Butler), as well as an executive producer for the fifth movie in the Die Hard franchise, A Good Day to Die Hard (starring Bruce Willis).
Zelgor completed a stability test launch of their first mobile game, Noobs in Space, and generated thousands of downloads in the first 48 hours. They sold out their recent offering on the Netcapital platform.
ChipBrain, which develops emotionally intelligent AI, has built out their core machine learning models and performed pilot programs with multiple customers. With the help of Netcapital Advisors, the Company sold out two rounds of financing on Netcapital, and just closed a venture round at a $20 million pre-money valuation.
Working with Netcapital Advisors, C-Reveal raised over $1 million on the Netcapital platform, and then closed a $3 million venture round.
Funding Portal
The Netcapital funding portal showed strong momentum in fiscal 2021, as a number of previous client success stories returned to our platform to leverage the SEC enhancements and raise additional capital. More than $17 million dollars were invested through the platform during the year, six times higher than the previous year. Since the beginning of our fiscal year, the portal’s market share has more than tripled. Growth accelerated into the fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, with dollars invested through the portal up 740% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.
Financial Highlights Fiscal 2021
● | Net income increased by 143% to $1.5 million, as compared to $0.6 million in fiscal 2020. |
● | Equity securities at fair value rose by 348% to $6.3 million, as compared to $1.4 million in fiscal 2020. |
● | Book value rose to $6.51 per share, as compared to $1.63 per share in fiscal 2020. |
Portal Momentum Discussion - First Nine Months of Fiscal 2022
$16.1 million dollars were invested through the platform in the first nine months of fiscal 2022, up 66% from the first nine months of last year. During the same period, there were 1.2 million unique visitors to netcapital.com, an increase of 69%, while new investor accounts grew by 47%.
Financial Highlights – First Nine Months Fiscal 2022
● | Net income increased by $2,900,725, or more than 2,800%, to $3,004,260 for the nine months ended January 31, 2022, from $103,535 in the nine months ended January 31, 2021. |
● | Equity securities at fair value increased by $7.5 million or 202%, to $11.3 million as of January 31, 2022, from $3.7 million as of January 31, 2021. |
● | Book value increased by $2.48 per share, or 42%, to $8.31 as of January 31, 2022, from $5.83 as of January 31, 2021. |
Marketable Securities
We have, from time to time, received equity securities in exchange for consulting work. All investments are initially measured at cost and are evaluated each quarter for changes in estimated fair value.
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Competition
We compete with a number of public and private companies that provide assistance with capital raising, strategy, technology consulting, and digital marketing. Most of our competitors have significant financial resources and occupy entrenched positions in the market with name-brand recognition. The majority of our capital raising and digital marketing business is on the Internet.
The barriers to entry into most Internet markets are relatively low, making them accessible to a large number of entities and individuals. We believe the principal competitive factors in our industry that create certain barriers to entry include, but are not limited to reputation, technology, financial stability and resources, proven track record of successful operations, critical mass, and independent oversight and transparency of business practices. While these barriers will limit those able to enter or compete effectively in the market, it is likely that new competitors as well as laws and regulations of governmental authority will be established in the future, in addition to our known current competitors.
We face significant competition in every aspect of our business, including from companies that facilitate online capital formation and the sharing of content and information, companies that enable marketers to display advertising, companies that distribute video and other forms of media content, and companies that provide development platforms for applications developers. We compete to attract, engage, and retain customers, to attract and retain marketers, and to attract and retain developers to build compelling applications that integrate with our products.
Increased competition from current and future competitors may in the future materially adversely affect our business, revenues, operating results and financial condition.
Government Regulation
We are subject, both directly and indirectly, to various laws and regulations relating to our business. If any of the laws are amended, compliance could become more expensive and directly affect our income. We intend to comply with such laws, but new restrictions may arise that could materially adversely affect our Company. Specifically, the SEC regulates our funding portal business, and our funding portal is also a member of FINRA and is regulated by FINRA. We are also subject to the USA Patriot Act of 2001, which contains anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and mandates various regulations applicable to financial services companies, including standards for verifying client identification at account opening, and obligations to monitor client transactions and report suspicious activities. Anti-money laundering laws outside of the United States contain some similar provisions. Our failure to comply with these requirements as applicable to us could have a material adverse effect on us.
Employees
As of March 31, 2022, the Company had three members of its senior corporate personnel. As of March 31, 2022, we had approximately 40 employees, all of which were full time. None of our employees are unionized or covered by collective bargaining agreements, and we consider our current employee relations to be good.
Corporate History and Information
The company was incorporated in Utah in 1984 as DBS Investments, Inc. DBS merged with Valuesetters L.L.C. in December of 2003 and changed its name to Valuesetters, Inc. In November 2010, the company purchased NetGames.com to drive subscription revenue through online games such as chess.net. In the summer of 2017, Dr. Cecilia Lenk and Coreen Kraysler, CFA were hired to bring in consulting and advisory business. In November 2020, the company purchased Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. and changed the name of the parent company from Valuesetters, Inc. to Netcapital Inc., while the name of the consulting business was changed to Netcapital Advisors. In November 2021, the company purchased MSG Development Corp.
Our principal executive offices are located at State Street Financial Center, One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts and our telephone number is 781-925-1700. We maintain a website at www.netcapitalinc.com. Information contained on or accessible through our website is not, and should not be considered, part of, or incorporated by reference into, this prospectus and you should not consider any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website as part of this prospectus in deciding whether to purchase our securities.
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PROPERTIES
We utilize an office at 1 Lincoln Street in Boston, Massachusetts. We currently pay rent of approximately $3,600 a month, and our lease agreement is through March 2022 for approximately 400 square feet in an office-suite location. The majority of our employees work remotely. We believe our current office space is suitable and adequate for its intended purposes and our near-term expansion plans.
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 currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that we believe will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.
MANAGEMENT
Directors and Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information regarding our executive officers and directors as of the date of this prospectus, as well as the Chief Executive Officer of our wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.:
Name | Age | Position | ||
Cecilia Lenk | 67 | President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board | ||
Martin Kay | 58 | Director | ||
Avi Liss | 42 | Director | ||
Steven Geary | 55 | Director | ||
Coreen Kraysler | 58 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
Jason Frishman | 29 | Chief Executive Officer of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. |
Background Information about our Officers and Directors
Cecilia Lenk, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Cecilia Lenk has served as our Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer since July 2017 and was appointed President in June 2022. Prior to that, she worked as a self-employed business consultant and a town councilor in Watertown, MA for five years.
Ms. Lenk has specialized in technology and health care. Formerly Vice President of Technology and Digital Design at Decision Resources Inc., a global company serving the biopharmaceutical market, she oversaw the implementation of new technologies, products, and business processes. Prior to joining Decision Resources, Cecilia founded a technology firm that built a patented platform for online research. She has managed large-scale technology projects for leading corporations, universities, government agencies, and major non-profit organizations.
Ms. Lenk has a Ph.D. in Biology from Harvard University and a B.A. from Johns Hopkins University in Geography and Environmental Engineering. She has served on a number of non-profit boards, including Chair of the Johns Hopkins Engineering Alumni. She is currently on the Alumni Advisory Board for the Hopkins School of Engineering.
Ms. Lenk brings to our Board key leadership experience in high-growth technology companies and possesses a strong mix of strategic, finance, and operating skills.
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Martin Kay, Director
Martin Kay has served as a Director of the Company since May 2022. Mr. Kay is currently a Managing Director at Accenture Strategy, a position he has held since October 2015. Mr. Kay holds a BA in physics from Oxford University and an MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business.
Mr. Kay is an experienced C-suite advisor and digital media entrepreneur, working at the intersection of business and technology. His experience includes oversight of our funding portal when he served on the board of managers of Netcapital Systems LLC from 2017 – 2021.
Avi Liss, Director and Secretary
Avi Liss has served as a Director and Secretary of the Company since August 2010. From August 2009 to present, he has served as the President of Liss Law, LLC, a law firm specializing in real estate conveyances. Prior to founding Liss Law, he worked as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Stephen S. Mitchell, a bankruptcy court judge for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Mr. Liss is well qualified to serve as a director of the company due to his knowledge and working experience with legal governance matters.
Steven Geary, Director
Steven Geary has served as a Director of the Company since June 2006. Since 2009, he has served in several management positions at Statera and is currently the Vice President of Strategy and Business Development. From 2008 to 2009, he was the Chief Executive Officer of ImproveSmart, Inc. From April 2006 to June 2008, he served as our President and Chief Operating Officer, and as our Chief Executive Officer from June 2008 to December 2009.
Mr. Geary has significant business development and brand marketing expertise in consumer products and services.
Coreen Kraysler, CFA, Chief Financial Officer
Coreen Kraysler has served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company since September 2017.
Ms. Kraysler, a CFA® charterholder, has over 30 years of investment experience. Formerly a Senior Vice President and Principal at Independence Investments, she managed several 5-star rated mutual funds as well as institutional accounts and served on the Investment Committee. She also worked at Eaton Vance as a Vice President, Equity Analyst on the Large and Midcap Value teams. A specialist in financial services, household and consumer products, she guest lectures at local colleges and universities. She received a B.A. in Economics and French, Cum Laude, from Wellesley College and a Master of Science in Management from MIT Sloan.
Jason Frishman, CEO Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.
Jason Frishman is the founder and CEO of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. and serves as a mentor and advisor for early stage companies in order to help reduce the systemic inefficiencies early-stage companies face in securing capital. He currently holds advisory positions at leading organizations in the financial technology ecosystem and has spoken as an external expert at Morgan Stanley, University of Michigan, YPO, and others. Jason has a background in the life sciences and previously conducted research in medical oncology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and cognitive neuroscience at the University of Miami, where he graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Neuroscience.
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Term of Office
All our directors will hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified or appointed or the earlier of their death, resignation or removal. Executive officers are appointed and serve at the discretion of the Board.
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships among our directors or officers.
Board Composition
Our bylaws provide that the size of our Board will be determined from time to time by resolution of our Board. Currently, the board comprises four members, three of whom qualify as “independent” directors under any applicable standard.
Election of Directors
Our bylaws provide that members of our board or directors will be elected by a majority vote of our stockholders.
Director Independence
Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTCQX market. To be eligible for the OTCQX market, the Company is required to have a board of directors that includes at least two independent directors, and the Company must have an audit committee, a majority of the members of which are independent directors. Nasdaq Rule 5065(b) requires that “[a] majority of the board of directors must be comprised of Independent Directors as defined in Rule 5605(a)(2).” Pursuant to these requirements, Avi Liss, Martin Kay, and Steven Geary are independent members of our Board.
Arrangements between Officers and Directors
Except as set forth herein, to our knowledge, there is no arrangement or understanding between any of our officers or directors and any other person pursuant to which the officer or director was selected to serve as an officer or director.
Board Meetings and Committees; Management Matters
Board Committees
Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the Company’s Board will establish three standing Nasdaq compliance committees: Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Corporate Governance. While we currently have an audit committee, such committee will be reconfigured to be in compliance with the Nasdaq governance standards effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part requiring that all members of such committee be independent. Currently, Cecelia Lenk serves on our audit committee. Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our audit committee will consist of Avi Liss, Martin Kay, and Steven Geary. Each of the committees will operate pursuant to its charter. The committee charters will be reviewed annually by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. If appropriate, and in consultation with the chairs of the other committees, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee may propose revisions to the charters. The responsibilities of each committee are described in more detail below.
Our Board took actions by written consent on five occasions during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021. No fees are paid to directors for attendance at meetings or for agreeing to a unanimous consent or the Board.
Compensation Committee
Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our Board will establish a Compensation Committee. Our Compensation Committee will consist of Avi Liss, Martin Kay, and Steven Geary.
The Compensation Committee oversees our compensation policies, plans and programs, and to review and determine the compensation to be paid to our executive officers and directors. In addition, the Compensation Committee has the authority to act on behalf of the Board in fulfilling the Board’s responsibilities with respect to compensation-based and related disclosures in filings as required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. This committee had no meetings in fiscal 2021.
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Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our Board will establish a Nominating and Governance Committee. Our Nominating and Governance Committee will consist of Avi Liss, Martin Kay, and Steven Geary.
The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (i) oversees our corporate governance functions on behalf of the Board; (ii) makes recommendations to the Board regarding corporate governance issues; (iii) identify and evaluate candidates to serve as our directors consistent with the criteria approved by the Board and reviews and evaluates the performance of the Board; (iv) serves as a focal point for communication between director candidates, non-committee directors and management; (v) selects or recommends to the Board for selection candidates to the Board, or, to the extent required below, to serve as nominees for director for the annual meeting of shareholders; and (vi) makes other recommendations to the Board regarding affairs relating to our directors. This committee held no meetings in fiscal 2021.
Audit Committee
Effective as of the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, our Audit Committee members will consist of Martin Kay, Avi Liss and Steven Geary. Each of the members of our Audit Committee is an independent director under the Nasdaq listing rules, satisfies the additional independence criteria for Audit Committee members and satisfies the requirements for financial literacy under the Nasdaq listing rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act, as applicable.
Our board has also determined that Mr. Geary qualifies as an Audit Committee financial expert within the meaning of the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and satisfies the financial sophistication requirements of the Nasdaq listing rules.
Our Audit Committee oversees our corporate accounting and financial reporting process and assists our Board in monitoring our financial systems and our legal and regulatory compliance. Our Audit Committee also:
● | oversees the work of our independent auditors; |
● | approves the hiring, discharging and compensation of our independent auditors; |
● | approves engagements of the independent auditors to render any audit or permissible non-audit services; |
● | reviews the qualifications, independence and performance of the independent auditors; |
● | reviews our financial statements and our critical accounting policies and estimates; |
● | reviews the adequacy and effectiveness of our internal controls; |
● | reviews our policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management; |
● | reviews and monitors our policies and procedures relating to related person transactions; and |
● | reviews and discusses with management and the independent auditors the results of our annual audit, our quarterly financial statements and our publicly filed reports. |
As of the effective date of this registration statement, our Audit Committee will operate under a written charter approved by our Board and that satisfies the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing requirements of Nasdaq. The charter is available on the corporate governance section of our website, which is located at www.netcapitalinc.com
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Code of Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to our directors, officers and employees, in accordance with Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the rules of the SEC promulgated thereunder, and the Nasdaq listing rules. We have filed a copy of our form of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. You will be able to review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct will be provided without charge upon request from us. See the section of this prospectus entitled “Where You Can Find Additional Information.” If we make any amendments to our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct other than technical, administrative or other non-substantive amendments, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct applicable to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer principal accounting officer or controller or persons performing similar functions requiring disclosure under applicable SEC or Nasdaq rules, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver in a Current Report on Form 8-K. We also intend to post any amendments to our Code of Ethics and Business Conduct, or any waivers of its requirements, on our website, www.netcapitalinc.com.
Limitation of liability and indemnification matters
Our articles of incorporation contain provisions that limit the liability of our directors for monetary damages to the fullest extent permitted by Utah law. Consequently, our directors will not be personally liable to us or our stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duties as directors, unless the director engaged in gross negligence, willful misconduct or intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or its shareholders, or an intentional violation of criminal law.
We have entered and expect to continue to enter into agreements to indemnify our directors, executive officers and other employees as determined by our Board. With specified exceptions, these agreements provide for indemnification for related expenses including, among other things, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines and settlement amounts incurred by any of these individuals in any action or proceeding. We believe that these provisions in our articles of incorporation and the indemnification agreements are necessary to attract and retain qualified persons as directors and officers.
The limitation of liability and indemnification provisions included in our articles of incorporation may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors and officers for breach of their fiduciary duty. They may also reduce the likelihood of derivative litigation against our directors and officers, even though an action, if successful, might benefit us and our stockholders. Further, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent that we pay the costs of settlement and damage.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table sets forth, for the fiscal years indicated, all compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to Cecilia Lenk, our Chief Executive Officer, Coreen Kraysler, our Chief Financial Officer,Carole Murko, our former Chief Marketing Officer and Jason Frishman, Chief Executive Officer of our wholly-owned subsidiary Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc., or, collectively, the Named Executive Officers, or NEOs. We have no other executive officers.
Summary Executive Compensation Table
Non-equity |
Change in pension value and nonqualified | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name | incentive | deferred | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
and | Stock | Option | plan | compensation | All other | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
principal | Salary | Bonus | awards | awards | compensation | earnings | compensation | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
position | Fiscal Year | ($) | ($) | ($)(1) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | ($) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Cecilia | 2022 | 96,000 | 0 | 40,608 | 5,825 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 142,433 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Lenk, CEO | 2021 | 81,431 | 0 | 161,107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 242,538 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coreen | 2022 | 96,000 | 0 | 40,608 | 11,649 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 148,257 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kraysler, CFO | 2021 | 81,431 | 0 | 161,107 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 242,538 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Murko, former CMO (until January 7, 2022)(2) | 2022 | 73,688 | 0 | 109,547 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 183,235 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | 88,431 | 0 | 31,693 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 120,124 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jason Frishman, CEO Netcapital Funding Portal | 2022 |
96,000 |
0 | 0 | 11,649 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 107,649 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2021 | 114,284 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 114,284 |
(1) | Represents the dollar amount of vested equity awards during the fiscal year. |
(2) | Ms. Murko received severance of $7,384.50 and her 8,885 unvested shares vested upon termination, both pursuant to a separation agreement. |
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Outstanding Equity Awards At End Of 2022
The following table provides information about outstanding stock options issued by the Company held by each of our NEOs as of April 30, 2022. None of our NEOs held any other equity awards from the Company as of April 30, 2022.
Option Awards | Stock Awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
Name | Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Exercisable |
Number
of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options (#) Unexercisable |
Option Exercise Price ($) |
Option Expiration Date |
Number of Shares of Stock That Has Not Yet Vested |
Market Value of Stock that has not Yet Vested |
||||||||||||||||
Cecilia Lenk | 625 | 9,375 | 10.50 | 2/9/2032 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
Coreen Kraysler | 1,250 | 18,750 | 10.50 | 2/9/2032 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
Jason Frishman | 1,250 | 18,750 | 10.50 | 2/9/2032 | 0 | 0 |
Director Compensation
We have not paid any cash compensation to our directors in their capacity as such.
On February 9, 2022, we issued to each of our then three independent board members, options to purchase 5,000 shares of common stock under the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan which will be exercisable at a per share exercise price of $10.50, that is out-of-the-money at time of issuance and expire ten years after the date of grant.
We issued Avi Liss 10,000 shares of our common stock valued at $7.50 per share on November 18, 2021 in consideration of his services as a director of the Company
Officer Compensation
Beginning in fiscal 2021, we pay each of our Named Executives Officers an annual salary of $96,000 per annum. Each Named Executive Officer has also received varying amounts of equity awards for their services. In addition to base pay, Carole Murko earned commissions on certain transactions.
Employment Agreements
We currently have employment agreements with Cecilia Lenk, Coreen Kraysler and Jason Frishman as described below. Prior to the termination of Carole Murko on January 7, 2022, we had an employment agreement with her as described below:
Employment Agreement with Cecilia Lenk
We entered into an employment agreement with Cecilia Lenk on June 23, 2022 pursuant to which we employ Ms. Lenk as our President and Chief Executive Officer. The term of her agreement ends on June 23, 2025. The Agreement provides for an annual base salary during the term of the agreement of $96,000, which will be increased to $150,000 upon completion of this offering. Ms. Lenk is eligible for periodic bonuses or for additional salary in addition to her base salary, as may be determined by our board of directors or the compensation committee.
The agreement also contains the following material provisions: eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit share plans; eligible to participate in any medical and health plans; entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits; entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary business expenses. Ms. Lenk agreed to non-compete and non-solicit terms under her agreement.
Employment Agreement with Coreen Kraysler
We entered into an employment agreement with Coreen Kraysler on June 23, 2022 pursuant to which we employ Ms. Kraysler as our Chief Financial Officer. The term of her agreement ends on June 23, 2025. The agreement provides for an annual base salary during the term of the agreement of $96,000, which will be increased to $150,000 upon completion of this offering. Ms. Kraysler is eligible for periodic bonuses or for additional salary in addition to her base salary, as may be determined by our board of directors or the compensation committee.
The agreement also contains the following material provisions: eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit share plans; eligible to participate in any medical and health plans;; entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits; entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary business expenses. Ms. Kraysler agreed to non-compete and non-solicit terms under her agreement.
Employment Agreement with Jason Frishman
We entered into an employment agreement with Jason Frishman on June 23 2022 pursuant to which we employ Mr. Frishman as Chief Executive Officer of Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc. The term of his agreement ends on June 23, 2025. The Agreement provides for an annual base salary during the term of the agreement of $96,000, which will be increased to $150,000 upon completion of this offering. Mr. Frishman is eligible for periodic bonuses or for additional salary in addition to his base salary, as may be determined by our board of directors or the compensation committee.
The agreement also contains the following material provisions: eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit share plans; eligible to participate in any medical and health plans; entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits; entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary business expenses. Mr. Frishman agreed to non-compete and non-solicit terms under his agreement.
Employment Agreement with Carole Murko
We entered into an employment agreement with Carole Murko on March 10, 2020 pursuant to which we employed Ms. Murko as our Director of Busines Development. The agreement was for an initial term of four years. The agreement provided for an annual base salary during the term of the agreement of $1.00 plus a commission of 20% of the cash collected from revenues generated directly by Ms. Murko plus an unvested grant of stock-based compensation of 12,500 shares (after giving effect to the November 2020 1-for-2000 reverse stock split) of restricted stock. The stock vested over a 48 month period in equal installments of 260 shares per month. Ms. Murko is eligible for periodic bonuses or for additional salary in addition to her base salary.
The agreement also contained the following material provisions: eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit share plans; eligible to participate in any medical and health plans; entitled to up to eight weeks of paid time off; entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits; entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary business expenses. If Ms. Murko was to be terminated for any reason other than “cause” prior to the end of her term, then the Company will have no claim on the unvested portion of her 12,500 shares. If Ms. Murko resigned without “good reason” or retired before the end of her term, the unvested shares would have been returned to the Company. Ms. Murko agreed to non-compete and non-solicit terms under her agreement.
Potential Payments Upon Termination Or Change In Control
In the event that Ms. Lenk’s employment is terminated by us for any reason other than “cause” or by Ms. Lenk for “good reason,” then we will have no claims to the 10,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to Ms. Lenk in February 2022.
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In the event that Ms. Kraysler’s employment is terminated by us for any reason other than “cause” or by Ms. Kraysler for “good reason,” then we will have no claims to the 20,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to Ms. Kraysler in February 2022.
In the event that Mr. Frishman’s employment is terminated by us for any reason other than “cause” or by Mr. Frishman for “good reason,” then we will have no claims to the 20,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to Mr. Frishman in February 2022.
The following table sets forth quantitative information with respect to potential payments to be made to either Ms. Lenk, Ms. Kraysler or Mr. Frishman upon termination in various circumstances. The potential payments are based on the terms of each of the employment agreements discussed above. For a more detailed description of the employment agreements, see the “Employment Agreements” section above.
Name | Potential Payment Upon Termination | |||
Option Awards (#) | ||||
Cecilia Lenk | 9,375 | (1) | ||
Coreen Kraysler | 18,750 | (2) | ||
Jason Frishman | 18,750 | (3) |
(1) | Represents the number of unvested options at April 30, 2022. Ms. Lenk’s options vest equally over a 48-month period. At April 30, 2022, there were 45 months remaining in her vesting schedule. The potential payment of shares subject to Ms. Lenk’s unvested options will reduce every month as her options vest and the value of her unvested options will be based on our market price at such time. |
(2) | Represents the number of unvested options at April 30, 2022. Ms. Kraysler’s options vest equally over a 48-month period. At April 30, 2022, there were 45 months remaining in her vesting schedule. The potential payment of shares subject to Ms. Kraysler’s unvested options will reduce every month as her options vest and the value of her unvested options will be based on our market price at such time. |
(3) | Represents the number of unvested options at April 30, 2022. Mr. Frishman’s options vest equally over a 48-month period. At April 30, 2022, there were 45 months remaining in his vesting schedule. The potential payment of shares subject to Mr. Frishman’s unvested options will reduce every month as her options vest and the value of his unvested options will be based on our market price at such time. |
Compensation Plans
2021 Equity Incentive Plan
The following table shows information regarding our equity compensation plans as of April 30, 2022.
Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) |
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights (b) |
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (c) |
|||||||||
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders | - | - | - | |||||||||
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders (1) | 271,000 | $ | 10.50 | 29,000 | ||||||||
Total | 271,000 | $ | 10.50 | 29,000 |
(1) 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. In November 2021, our Board adopted the 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, or the Plan. An aggregate of 300,000 shares of our common stock is reserved for issuance and available for awards under the Plan, including incentive stock options granted under the Plan. The Plan administrator may grant awards to any employee, director, consultant or other person providing services to us or our affiliates. As of June 23, 2022, we had awarded an aggregate of 271,000 options to purchase shares of common stock to directors and there remain 29,000 shares for grant under the Plan.
The Plan is administered by our Board. The Plan administrator has the authority to determine, within the limits of the express provisions of the Plan, the individuals to whom awards will be granted, the nature, amount and terms of such awards and the objectives and conditions for earning such awards. Our Board may at any time amend or terminate the Plan, provided that no such action may be taken that adversely affects any rights or obligations with respect to any awards previously made under the Plan without the consent of the recipient. No awards may be made under the Plan after the tenth anniversary of its effective date.
Awards under the Plan may include incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted shares of common stock, restricted stock units, performance share awards, stock bonuses and other stock-based awards and cash-based incentive awards.
Stock Options. The Plan administrator may grant to a participant options to purchase our common stock that qualify as incentive stock options for purposes of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code (“incentive stock options”), options that do not qualify as incentive stock options (“non-qualified stock options”) or a combination thereof. The terms and conditions of stock option grants, including the quantity, price, vesting periods, and other conditions on exercise will be determined by the Plan administrator. The exercise price for stock options will be determined by the Plan administrator in its discretion, but non-qualified stock options and incentive stock options may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of one share of our company’s common stock on the date when the stock option is granted. Additionally, in the case of incentive stock options granted to a holder of more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock on the date of grant, the exercise price may not be less than 110% of the fair market value of one share of common stock on the date the stock option is granted. Stock options must be exercised within a period fixed by the Plan administrator that may not exceed ten years from the date of grant, except that in the case of incentive stock options granted to a holder of more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of our stock on the date of grant, the exercise period may not exceed five years. At the Plan administrator’s discretion, payment for shares of common stock on the exercise of stock options may be made in cash, shares of our common stock held by the participant or in any other form of consideration acceptable to the Plan administrator (including one or more forms of “cashless” or “net” exercise).
Stock Appreciation Rights. The Plan administrator may grant to a participant an award of SARs, which entitles the participant to receive, upon its exercise, a payment equal to (i) the excess of the fair market value of a share of common stock on the exercise date over the SAR exercise price, times (ii) the number of shares of common stock with respect to which the SAR is exercised. The exercise price for a SAR will be determined by the Plan administrator in its discretion; provided, however, that in no event shall the exercise price be less than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant.
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Restricted Shares and Restricted Units. The Plan administrator may award to a participant shares of common stock subject to specified restrictions (“restricted shares”). Restricted shares are subject to forfeiture if the participant does not meet certain conditions such as continued employment over a specified forfeiture period and/or the attainment of specified performance targets over the forfeiture period. The Plan administrator also may award to a participant units representing the right to receive shares of common stock in the future subject to the achievement of one or more goals relating to the completion of service by the participant and/or the achievement of performance or other objectives (“restricted units”). The terms and conditions of restricted share and restricted unit awards are determined by the Plan administrator.
Stock Bonuses. Stock bonuses may be granted as additional compensation for service or performance and may be settled in the form of common stock, cash or a combination thereof, and may be subject to restrictions, which may vest subject to continued service and/or the achievement of performance conditions.
Performance Awards. The Plan administrator may grant performance awards to participants under such terms and conditions as the Plan administrator deems appropriate. A performance award entitles a participant to receive a payment from us, the amount of which is based upon the attainment of predetermined performance targets over a specified award period. Performance awards may be paid in cash, shares of common stock or a combination thereof, as determined by the Plan administrator.
Other Stock-Based Awards. The Plan administrator may grant equity-based or equity-related awards, referred to as “other stock-based awards,” other than options, SARs, restricted shares, restricted units, or performance awards. The terms and conditions of each other stock-based award will be determined by the Plan administrator. Payment under any other stock-based awards will be made in common stock or cash, as determined by the Plan administrator.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Policies and Procedures for Transactions with Related Parties
Our Chief Executive Officer or our Chief Financial Officer must review and approve certain transactions between us and Related Parties (as defined below). A “Related-Party Transaction” is defined as a transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships) in which we (including any of our subsidiaries) were, are or will be a participant.
For the purposes of our Related-Party Transactions, a “Related Party” is defined as: any person who is, or at any time since the beginning of our last two fiscal years was, a director or executive officer or a nominee to become a director; any person who is known to be the beneficial owner of more than ten percent of our common stock; any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons, including any child, stepchild, parent, stepparent, spouse, sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, and any person (other than a tenant or employee) sharing the household of any of the foregoing persons; and any firm, corporation or other entity in which any of the foregoing persons is a general partner or, for other ownership interests, a limited partner or other owner in which such person has a beneficial ownership interest of 10% or more.
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Transactions with Related Parties
Below we describe transactions and any series of related transactions to which we were a party, or may be a party, and which we have entered into since April 30, 2019.
The Company’s majority stockholder, Netcapital DE LLC, which is majority owned by Mr. Frishman, beneficially owns 1,701,661 shares of common stock, or approximately 57% of the outstanding common stock of the Company as of June 23, 2022. The Company has a demand note payable to Netcapital DE LLC of $4,660. In addition, as of April 30, 2021, the Company accrued a payable of $3,817,516 for supplemental consideration owed in conjunction with its purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., which was reduced to $294,054 as of January 31, 2022, because of the issuance to 361,736 shares of common stock, valued at $3,523,462. In total, the Company owed Netcapital DE LLC $298,714 and $3,822,116 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, respectively. Prior to the closing of this offering, the Company will issue to Netcapital DE LLC 39,901 shares of common stock as supplemental consideration pursuant to the acquisition agreement, which will reduce this payable to zero. The Company paid Netcapital DE LLC $257,429 and $100,000 in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, respectively, and $100,000 and $0 in the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, for use of the software that runs our website www.netcapital.com.
Compensation to officers in the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of common stock valued at $353,907 and $231,131, respectively, and cash compensation of $332,724 and $72,000, respectively. Compensation to officers in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $190,763 and $89,436, respectively, and cash salary of $217,688 and $73,688, respectively. Netcapital DE LLC entered into an agreement with us on November 5, 2020 pursuant to which they agreed to vote their shares of common stock to support the resolutions of our Board on any matters brought to a shareholder vote.
Compensation to a related party consultant in the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of common stock valued at $76,882 and $49,711, respectively, and cash compensation of $81,431 and $26,200, respectively. Compensation to a related party consultant in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $25,908 and $0 respectively, and cash wages of $45,000 and $15,000, respectively. Compensation to this related party consultant in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of common stock valued at $76,882 and $49,711, respectively, and cash compensation of $81,431 and $26,200, respectively. This consultant is also the controlling shareholder of Zelgor Inc. and the Company earned revenues from Zelgor Inc. of $1,400,000 in the year ended April 30, 2021.
Compensation to board members of Netcapital DE LLC in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $19,378 and $0, respectively, and cash wages of $96,000 and $24,000, respectively. Compensation to managers of Netcapital DE LLC in the nine and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 consisted of common stock valued at $58,135 and $19,378, respectively, and cash wages of $141,308 and $48,000, respectively. Compensation to two board members of Netcapital DE LLC amounted to $162,123 and $0 in the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. One of these board members also received stock-based compensation of $76,882 and $49,711 for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We owe Steven Geary, a director, $31,680 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021. This obligation is not interest bearing. $16,680 is recorded as a related party trade accounts payable and $15,000 as a related party note payable. We have no signed agreements for the indebtedness to Mr. Geary. This loan is due on demand.
The Company advanced $240,080, as of January 31, 2022, and $122,914 as of April 30, 2021, to an affiliate, 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc., in conjunction with a land lease in an airport in Alaska. Our Chief Executive Officer is also the Chief Executive Officer of 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc.
As of April 30, 2021 and 2020, we owed $9,490 and $0, respectively, to a company controlled by one of our directors. We paid cash compensation of $29,738 and $0 to this director for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, and for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, respectively. No cash compensation was paid to this director in fiscal 2022. On April 30, 2020, we sold 722 membership interest units (the "Units") of Netcapital DE LLC to a company controlled by this related party at a price of $91.15 per Unit for a total of $65,823, which paid off all debt and accrued interest payable to the related party as of that date. The price per Unit was similar to an offer to purchase Units directly from Netcapital DE LLC.
In November 2021, we issued a member of our Board 10,000 shares of common stock for his service as a member of our board and audit committee, valued at $100,000.
On February 2, 2022, the Company granted to members of our Board an aggregate of 25,000 options to purchase shares of our common stock at an exercise price of $10.50 per share. An option to purchase 10,000 shares of common stock was granted to the Chairman of the Board and each of the three independent board members received an option to purchase 5,000 shares of common stock. The options vest on a monthly basis over 48 months and expire in 10 years.
Coreen Kraysler, our Chief Financial Officer, has personally guaranteed a $500,000 promissory note from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The note bears interest at an annual rate of 3.75%, has a 30-year term, and monthly payments of $2,594 are scheduled to begin on June 17, 2022.
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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
The following table sets forth the number of shares of and percent of the Company’s common stock beneficially owned as of June 23, 2022, by (i) each person (or group of affiliated persons) who is known by us to own more than five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock, (ii) each director, executive officer and director nominee, and (iii) all of our directors, executive officers and director nominees as a group, immediately prior to this offering, and immediately after the closing of this offering, as adjusted to reflect the assumed sale of the shares of common stock and warrants but without giving effect to the exercise of the warrants or the Representative’s Warrants or the exercise of the Representative’s over-allotment option.
We have determined beneficial ownership in accordance with the rules of the SEC. These rules generally attribute beneficial ownership of securities to persons who possess sole or shared voting or investment power with respect to such securities. In addition, pursuant to such rules, we deemed outstanding shares of common stock subject to options or warrants held by that person that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of June 23, 2022. We did not deem such shares outstanding, however, for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person. Except as indicated by the footnotes below, we believe, based on the information furnished to us, that the beneficial owners named in the table below have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of our common stock that they beneficially own, subject to applicable community property laws. The inclusion in the table below of any shares deemed beneficially owned does not constitute an admission of beneficial ownership of those shares.
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Name and Address | ||||||
of Beneficial Owner (1) | Number of Shares | Percent of Common Stock Before Offering* After Offering* | ||||
5% Stockholders: | ||||||
Netcapital DE LLC (2) (3) | 1,711,261 | 57.50% 44.92% | ||||
Officers and Directors: | ||||||
Cecilia Lenk (4) | 23,333 | **% **% | ||||
Coreen Kraysler (5) | 24,167 | **% **% | ||||
Avi Liss (6) | 11,417 | **% **% | ||||
Steven Geary (6) | 10,717 | **% **% | ||||
Martin Kay (6) | — | **% **% | ||||
Officers and Directors as a group (5 persons) | 69,634 | 2.37% 1.83% |
* Based on 2,934,344 shares of common stock outstanding as of June 23, 2022 and 3,809,427 shares outstanding following the offering. ** Less than 1% | |
(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each member of our Board is c/o Netcapital Inc. 1 Lincoln Street, Boston Massachusetts 02111. |
(2) | The natural person with investment control over the securities held by Netcapital DE LLC is Jason Frishman. Netcapital DE LLC has agreed to vote its shares of common stock to support the resolutions of the Board of Netcapital Inc. on any matters that are brought to a shareholder vote. |
(3) | Includes 39,901 shares to be issued to Netcapital DE LLC prior to the closing of this offering as supplemental consideration pursuant to the agreement to acquire Netcapital Portal, Inc. |
(4) Includes 833 shares of common stock subject to stock options that are presently exercisable or
exercisable within 60 days after June 23, 2022.
(5) Includes 1,667 shares of common stock subject to stock options that are presently exercisable or
exercisable within 60 days after June 23, 2022.
(6) Includes 417 shares of common stock subject to stock options that are presently exercisable or
exercisable within 60 days after June 23, 2022.
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SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE
Prior to this offering, there was a limited public market for our common stock, and a liquid trading market for our common stock may not develop or be sustained after this offering. Future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, or the anticipation of such sales, could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock from time to time and could impair our future ability to raise equity capital in the future. Furthermore, when additional shares of our common stock are available for sale shortly after this offering due to certain contractual and legal restrictions on resale described below, sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market after such restrictions lapse, or the anticipation of such sales, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common stock and our ability to raise equity capital in the future.
Prior to the completion of this offering, there were 2,934,344 shares of common stock outstanding. Of the 2,934,344 shares of common stock outstanding, 250,000 shares of common stock previously were registered for resale under the Securities Act.
Upon the completion of this offering, we will have a total of 3,809,427 shares of common stock outstanding based upon 2,934,344 shares outstanding and the sale of 784,314 shares of common stock included and assuming no exercise by the Representative of the over-allotment option to purchase additional shares and warrants, and no exercise or conversion of outstanding options, warrants, or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of our common stock (including the warrants sold in this offering). Of such outstanding shares:
· | all of the shares of common stock sold in this offering will be freely tradable, except that any shares purchased in this offering by our affiliates, as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, would only be able to be sold in compliance with the Rule 144 limitations described below; and | |
· | of the 2,934,344 shares outstanding prior to consummation of this offering 1,780,712 shares will be subject to the lock-up agreements described below, all of which are held by affiliates of the Company and will be subject to sale in compliance with the Rule 144 following the expiration of the lock-up agreements. |
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Sales of substantial amounts of common stock, including shares issued upon the exercise of outstanding options, or the perception that such sales could occur, could materially and adversely affect the market price of our common stock and could impair our future ability to raise capital through the sale of our equity or equity-related securities at a time and price that we deem appropriate. See “Risk Factors— Sales of a substantial number of shares of our common stock following this offering may adversely affect the market price of our common stock and the issuance of additional shares will dilute all other stockholders.”
Lock-Up Agreements
We and our directors, officers and certain holders who own in the aggregate 5% or more of the outstanding shares of common stock as of the effective date of the registration statement related to this offering (and all holders of securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of common stock) will enter into customary “lock-up” agreements pursuant to which such persons and entities will agree not to offer, issue, sell, contract to sell, pledge, encumber, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of any of our securities for a period of six months after the date of this prospectus in the case of our directors and officers, and for a period of three months after the date of this offering in the case of any other 5% or greater holder and the company. The Representatives may, in their discretion, release any of the securities subject to these lock-up agreements at any time. Please see “Underwriting—Lock-Up Agreements” for a discussion of the terms of these agreements.
Rule 144
In general, under Rule 144 as currently in effect, a person (or persons whose shares are required to be aggregated) who is not deemed to have been one of our affiliates for purposes of the Securities Act at any time during the 90 days preceding a sale and who has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least six months, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, is entitled to sell those shares without complying with the manner of sale, volume limitation or notice provisions of Rule 144, subject to compliance with the public information requirements of Rule 144. If such a person has beneficially owned the shares proposed to be sold for at least one year, including the holding period of any prior owner other than our affiliates, then that person is entitled to sell those shares without complying with any of the requirements of Rule 144.
In general, under Rule 144, as currently in effect, our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are entitled to sell upon expiration of the lock-up agreements described above, within any three-month period, a number of shares that does not exceed the greater of:
• | 1% of the number of the shares of common stock then outstanding, which will equal approximately 38,094 shares, based on the number of shares of our common stock outstanding upon completion of this offering; or | |
• | The average weekly trading volume of the shares of common stock during the four calendar weeks preceding the filing of a notice on Form 144 with respect to that sale. |
Sales under Rule 144 by our affiliates or persons selling shares on behalf of our affiliates are also subject to certain manner of sale provisions and notice requirements and to the availability of current public information about us.
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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES
General
Our articles of incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 900,000,000 shares of common stock, par value of $0.001 per share.
As of June 23, 2022, there were 2,934,344 shares of our common stock outstanding.
Common Stock
The holders of shares of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share. In addition, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to receive ratably such dividends, if any, as may be declared by our Board out of legally available funds; however, the current policy of our Board is to retain earnings, if any, for operations and growth. Upon liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the holders of our common stock will be entitled to share ratably in all assets that are legally available for distribution. The holders of our common stock will have no preemptive rights.
Warrants to be Issued in this Offering
Warrants
The following is a brief summary of certain terms and conditions of the warrants to be issued in connection with this offering and are subject in all respects to the provisions contained in the warrants.
Form. The warrants will be issued in electronic book-entry form to the investors. You should review a copy of the form of warrant, which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants.
Exercisability. The warrants are exercisable at any time after their original issuance and at any time up to the date that is five years after their original issuance. The warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice and, at any time a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is effective and available for the issuance of such shares, by payment in full in immediately available funds for the number of shares of common stock purchased upon such exercise. If a registration statement registering the issuance of the shares of common stock underlying the warrants under the Securities Act is not effective or available, the holder may, in its sole discretion, elect to exercise the warrant through a cashless exercise, in which case the holder would receive upon such exercise the net number of shares of common stock determined according to the formula set forth in the warrant. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a warrant. In lieu of fractional shares, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price or round up to the next whole share.
Exercise Limitation. A holder will not have the right to exercise any portion of the warrant if the holder (together with its affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% of the number of shares of our common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the warrants. However, any holder may increase or decrease such percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us.
Exercise Price. The exercise price per whole share of common stock purchasable upon exercise of the warrants is expected to be $ per share (125% of public offering price of common stock and warrants in this offering) of common stock. The exercise price is also subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of certain stock dividends and distributions, stock splits, stock combinations, reclassifications or similar events affecting our common stock and also upon any distributions of assets, including cash, stock or other property to our stockholders.
Transferability. Subject to applicable laws, the warrants may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without our consent.
Exchange Listing. We have applied to list the warrants offered in this offering on Nasdaq under the symbol “NCPLW”. No assurance can be given that such listing will be approved or that a trading market will develop.
Fundamental Transactions. In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding common stock, the holders of the warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction.
Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holder of a warrant does not have the rights or privileges of a holder of our common stock, including any voting rights, until the holder exercises the warrant.
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Pre-Funded Warrants
The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the pre-funded warrants that are being offered hereby in lieu of a share of common stock is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the pre-funded warrant, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Duration and Exercise Price. Each pre-funded warrant offered hereby will have an initial exercise price per share equal to $0.01. The pre-funded warrants will be immediately exercisable and may be exercised at any time until the pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of stock dividends, stock splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our common stock and the exercise price.
Exercisability. The pre-funded warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of our common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). There is no expiration date for the pre-funded warrants. A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of the pre-funded warrant to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% (or at the election of the holder prior to the issuance of any pre-funded warrants, 9.99%) of the outstanding shares of common stock immediately after exercise. Any holder may increase such percentage to any percentage not in excess of 9.99% upon at least 61 days’ prior notice to us. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the exercise of a pre-funded warrant. In lieu of fractional shares of common stock, we will pay the holder an amount in cash equal to the fractional amount multiplied by the exercise price of such pre-funded warrant or round up to the next whole share.
Cashless Exercise. In lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula set forth in the pre-funded warrants.
Fundamental Transaction. In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the pre-funded warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding shares of common stock, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding shares of common stock, the holders of the pre-funded warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the pre-funded warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction.
Transferability. Subject to applicable laws, a pre-funded warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the pre-funded warrant to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.
Exchange Listing. We do not intend to list the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system.
Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in the pre-funded warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of our common stock, the holders of the pre-funded warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our common stock, including any voting rights, until they exercise their pre-funded warrants
Other Convertible Securities
As of June 23, 2022, in addition to the securities described above, there are options outstanding to purchase up to 271,000 shares of common stock under our 2021 Equity Incentive Plan, with 29,000 shares available for future issuance. We also have $300,000 in convertible notes outstanding as of June 23, 2022, or the “February 2022 Notes”. These notes bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum and have a maturity date of February 9, 2023. In addition, these February 2022 Notes shall automatically convert simultaneously with the closing of a Qualified Equity Financing (as defined below) into a number of securities sold in the Qualified Equity Financing equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (a) an amount equal to the amount of the February 2022 Notes outstanding on the closing date of such Qualified Equity Financing by (b) a conversion price equal to the lesser of (1) $10.00 and (2) 80% of the price per share paid for securities sold in such Qualified Equity Financing upon the closing of such Qualified Equity Financing. A “Qualified Equity Financing” means the offer and sale for cash by us of any of our equity securities with the principal purpose of raising capital and that results in aggregate gross proceeds to us of at least $5,000,000.
Anti-Takeover Effects of Utah Law and Our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws
The provisions of Utah law, our articles of incorporation and our bylaws may have the effect of delaying, deferring or discouraging another person from acquiring control of our Company. These provisions, which are summarized below, may have the effect of discouraging takeover bids. They are also designed, in part, to encourage persons seeking to acquire control of us to negotiate first with our Board. We believe that the benefits of increased protection of our potential ability to negotiate with an unfriendly or unsolicited acquirer outweigh the disadvantages of discouraging a proposal to acquire us because negotiation of these proposals could result in an improvement of their terms.
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Articles of Incorporation and Bylaw Provisions
Our articles of incorporation and our bylaws include several provisions that could deter hostile takeovers or delay or prevent changes in control of our management team, including the following:
• | Board of directors’ vacancies. Our articles of incorporation and bylaws provide that newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors and vacancies occurring in the board for any reason except the removal of directors without cause may be filled by a vote of the majority of directors then in office, although less than a quorum exists. Vacancies occurring by reason of the removal of directors without cause shall be filled by vote of the stockholders. A director elected to fill a vacancy caused by resignation, death or removal shall be elected to hold office for the unexpired term of his predecessor. In addition, the number of directors constituting our Board is permitted to be set only by a resolution adopted by our Board. These provisions prevent a stockholder from increasing the size of our Board and then gaining control of our Board by filling the resulting vacancies with its own nominees. This makes it more difficult to change the composition of our Board but promotes continuity of management. | |
• | Special meeting of stockholders. Our bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only by our president or any two directors, thus prohibiting a stockholder from calling a special meeting. These provisions might delay the ability of our stockholders to force consideration of a proposal or for stockholders controlling a majority of our capital stock to take any action, including the removal of directors. |
• | No cumulative voting. The Utah Business Corporation Act provides that stockholders are not entitled to the right to cumulate votes in the election of directors unless a corporation's articles of incorporation provide otherwise. Our articles of incorporation do not provide for cumulative voting. |
Limitations of Liability and Indemnification Matters
For a discussion of liability and indemnification, please see the section titled “Management—Limitation of Liability and Indemnification.”
Transfer Agent
The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is Equity Stock Transfer LLC with its business address at 237 W 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, NY 10018. Its telephone number is (212) 575-5757 and its email address is info@equitystock.com.
MATERIAL U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES TO NON-U.S. HOLDERS OF THE COMPANY’S COMMON STOCK
The following is a summary of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences to non-U.S. holders (as defined below) of the ownership and disposition of the Company’s common stock but does not purport to be a complete analysis of all the potential tax considerations relating thereto. This summary is based upon the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, administrative rulings and judicial decisions, all as of the date hereof. These authorities may be changed, possibly retroactively, so as to result in U.S. federal income tax consequences different from those set forth below. No ruling on the U.S. federal, state, or local tax considerations relevant to the Company’s operations or to the purchase, ownership or disposition of its shares, has been requested from the IRS or other tax authority. No assurance can be given that the IRS would not assert, or that a court would not sustain, a position contrary to any of the tax consequences described below.
This summary also does not address the tax considerations arising under the laws of any non-U.S., state or local jurisdiction, or under U.S. federal gift and estate tax laws, except to the limited extent set forth below. In addition, this discussion does not address tax considerations applicable to an investor’s particular circumstances or to investors that may be subject to special tax rules, including, without limitation:
● | banks, insurance companies or other financial institutions, regulated investment companies or real estate investment trusts; |
● | persons subject to the alternative minimum tax or Medicare contribution tax on net investment income; |
● | tax-exempt organizations or governmental organizations; |
● | controlled foreign corporations, passive foreign investment companies and corporations that accumulate earnings to avoid U.S. federal income tax; |
● | brokers or dealers in securities or currencies; |
● | traders in securities that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for their securities holdings; |
● | persons that own, or are deemed to own, more than five percent of the Company’s capital stock (except to the extent specifically set forth below); |
● | U.S. expatriates and certain former citizens or long-term residents of the United States; |
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● | partnerships or entities classified as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes or other pass-through entities (and investors therein); |
● | persons who hold the Company’s common stock as a position in a hedging transaction, “straddle,” “conversion transaction” or other risk reduction transaction or integrated investment; |
● | persons who hold or receive the Company’s common stock pursuant to the exercise of any employee stock option or otherwise as compensation; |
● | persons who do not hold the Company’s common stock as a capital asset within the meaning of Section 1221 of the Internal Revenue Code; or |
● | persons deemed to sell the Company’s common stock under the constructive sale provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. |
In addition, if a partnership or entity classified as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes holds the Company’s common stock, the tax treatment of a partner generally will depend on the status of the partner and upon the activities of the partnership. Accordingly, partnerships that hold the Company’s common stock, and partners in such partnerships, should consult their tax advisors.
You are urged to consult your tax advisor with respect to the application of the U.S. federal income tax laws to your particular situation, as well as any tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Company’s common stock arising under the U.S. federal estate or gift tax rules or under the laws of any state, local, non-U.S., or other taxing jurisdiction or under any applicable tax treaty.
Non-U.S. Holder Defined
For purposes of this discussion, you are a non-U.S. holder (other than a partnership) if you are any holder other than:
● | an individual citizen or resident of the United States (for U.S. federal income tax purposes); |
● | a corporation or other entity taxable as a corporation created or organized in the United States or under the laws of the United States, any state thereof, or the District of Columbia, or other entity treated as such for U.S. federal income tax purposes; |
● | an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or |
● | a trust (x) whose administration is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more “U.S. persons” (within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code) who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (y) which has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person. |
Distributions
As described in “Dividend Policy,” the Company has never declared or paid cash dividends on its common stock and do not anticipate paying any dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. However, if the Company does make distributions on its common stock, those payments will constitute dividends for U.S. tax purposes to the extent paid from the Company’s current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles. To the extent those distributions exceed both the Company’s current and its accumulated earnings and profits, they will constitute a return of capital and will first reduce your basis in the Company’s common stock, but not below zero, and then will be treated as gain from the sale of stock as described below under “— Gain on Disposition of common stock.”
Subject to the discussion below on effectively connected income, backup withholding and foreign accounts, any dividend paid to you generally will be subject to U.S. withholding tax either at a rate of 30% of the gross amount of the dividend or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. In order to receive a reduced treaty rate, you must provide us with an IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or other appropriate version of IRS Form W-8 certifying qualification for the reduced rate. A non-U.S. holder of shares of the Company’s common stock eligible for a reduced rate of U.S. withholding tax pursuant to an income tax treaty may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld by timely filing an appropriate claim for refund with the IRS. If the non-U.S. holder holds the stock through a financial institution or other agent acting on the non-U.S. holder’s behalf, the non-U.S. holder will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the agent, which then will be required to provide certification to the Company or its paying agent, either directly or through other intermediaries.
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Dividends received by you that are effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States) are generally exempt from the withholding tax described above. In order to obtain this exemption, you must provide us with an IRS Form W-8ECI or other applicable IRS Form W-8 properly certifying such exemption. Such effectively connected dividends, although not subject to withholding tax, are taxed at the same graduated rates applicable to U.S. persons, net of certain deductions and credits. In addition, if you are a corporate non-U.S. holder, dividends you receive that are effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business may also be subject to a branch profits tax at a rate of 30% or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. You should consult your tax advisor regarding any applicable tax treaties that may provide for different rules.
Gain on Disposition of Common Stock
Subject to the discussion below regarding backup withholding and foreign accounts, you generally will not be required to pay U.S. federal income tax on any gain realized upon the sale or other disposition of the Company’s common stock unless:
● | the gain is effectively connected with your conduct of a U.S. trade or business (and, if required by an applicable income tax treaty, the gain is attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by you in the United States); |
● | you are a non-resident alien individual who is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year in which the sale or disposition occurs and certain other conditions are met; or |
● | the Company’s common stock constitutes a United States real property interest by reason of its status as a “United States real property holding corporation,” or USRPHC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes at any time within the shorter of (i) the five-year period preceding your disposition of the Company’s common stock, or (ii) your holding period for its common stock. |
The Company believes that it is not currently and will not become a USRPHC for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and the remainder of this discussion so assumes. However, because the determination of whether it is a USRPHC depends on the fair market value of its U.S. real property relative to the fair market value of its other business assets, there can be no assurance that the Company will not become a USRPHC in the future. Even if it becomes a USRPHC, however, as long as the Company’s common stock is regularly traded on an established securities market, such common stock will be treated as U.S. real property interests only if you actually or constructively hold more than five percent of such regularly traded common stock at any time during the shorter of (i) the five-year period preceding your disposition of the Company’s common stock, or (ii) your holding period for the Company’s common stock.
If you are a non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet above, you will be required to pay tax on the net gain derived from the sale under regular graduated U.S. federal income tax rates, and a corporate non-U.S. holder described in the first bullet above also may be subject to the branch profits tax at a 30% rate, or such lower rate as may be specified by an applicable income tax treaty. If you are an individual non-U.S. holder described in the second bullet above, you will be required to pay a flat 30% tax (or such lower rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty) on the gain derived from the sale, which gain may be offset by U.S. source capital losses for the year (provided you have timely filed U.S. federal income tax returns with respect to such losses). You should consult any applicable income tax or other treaties that may provide for different rules.
Backup Withholding and Information Reporting
Generally, the Company must report annually to the IRS, regardless of whether any tax was withheld, the amount of dividends paid to you, your name and address and the amount of tax withheld, if any. A similar report will be sent to you. Pursuant to applicable income tax treaties or other agreements, the IRS may make these reports available to tax authorities in your country of residence.
Payments of dividends or of proceeds on the disposition of stock made to you may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding at a current rate of 24% unless you establish an exemption, for example, by properly certifying your non-U.S. status on an IRS Form W-8BEN, IRS Form W-8BEN-E, or another appropriate version of IRS Form W-8.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax; rather, the U.S. federal income tax liability of persons subject to backup withholding will be reduced by the amount of tax withheld. If withholding results in an overpayment of taxes, a refund or credit may generally be obtained from the IRS, provided that the required information is furnished to the IRS in a timely manner.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, imposes withholding tax at a rate of 30% on dividends on and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the Company’s common stock paid to “foreign financial institutions” (as specially defined under these rules), unless such institution enters into an agreement with the U.S. government to withhold on certain payments and to collect and provide to the U.S. tax authorities substantial information regarding the U.S. account holders of such institution (which includes certain equity and debt holders of such institution, as well as certain account holders that are foreign entities with U.S. owners) or otherwise establishes an exemption. FATCA also generally imposes a U.S. federal withholding tax of 30% on dividends on and gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the Company’s common stock paid to a “non-financial foreign entity” (as specially defined for purposes of these rules) unless such entity provides the withholding agent with a certification identifying certain substantial direct and indirect U.S. owners of the entity, certifies that there are none or otherwise establishes an exemption. The withholding provisions under FATCA generally apply to dividends on our common stock, and under current transition rules, are expected to apply with respect to the gross proceeds from the sale or other disposition of the Company’s common stock on or after January 1, 2019. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country may modify the requirements described in this paragraph. Non-U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the possible implications of this legislation on their investment in the Company’s common stock.
Each prospective investor should consult its own tax advisor regarding the particular U.S. federal, state and local and non-U.S. tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of the Company’s common stock, including the consequences of any proposed change in applicable laws.
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Underwriting
ThinkEquity LLC is acting as the Representative. On , 2022 we entered into an underwriting agreement with the Representative (the “Underwriting Agreement”). Subject to the terms and conditions of the Underwriting Agreement, we have agreed to sell, and each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase, the number of shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants and warrants listed next to each underwriter’s name in the following table, at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions, as set forth on the cover page of this prospectus and as indicated below:
Underwriters | Number
of Shares and Warrants |
Number of Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants | ||
ThinkEquity LLC | ||||
Total |
The underwriters have committed to purchase all of the shares of common stock pre-funded warrants and warrants offered by us in this offering, other than those covered by the over-allotment option described below. The obligations of the underwriters may be terminated upon the occurrence of certain events specified in the Underwriting Agreement. Furthermore, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the underwriters’ obligations are subject to customary conditions, representations and warranties, such as receipt by the underwriters of officers’ certificates and legal opinions.
The underwriters are offering the shares, pre-funded warrants and warrants subject to prior sale, when, as and if issued to and accepted by them, subject to approval of legal matters by their counsel and other conditions. The underwriters reserve the right to withdraw, cancel or modify offers to the public and to reject orders in whole or in part.
The underwriters propose to offer the shares to the public at the public offering price set forth on the cover of the prospectus. After the shares are released for sale to the public, the underwriters may from time to time change the offering price and other selling terms.
Over-Allotment Option
We have granted to the Representative an option, exercisable for 45 days from the closing date of this offering, to purchase up to 117,647 additional shares of our common stock (15% of the shares sold in this offering) and/or pre-funded warrants at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions and 117,647 warrants to purchase additional shares of common stock and a purchase price for each additional warrant of $0.00001. The underwriters may exercise the option solely for the purpose of covering over-allotments, if any, in connection with this offering. To the extent that the option is exercised, each underwriter must purchase additional shares of our common stock and/or pre-funded warrants and/or warrants in an amount that is approximately proportionate to that underwriter’s initial purchase commitment (set forth in the table above). Any shares of our common stock and/or pre-funded warrants issued or sold under the option will be issued and sold on the same terms and conditions as the other shares of our common stock and/or pre-funded warrants that are the subject of this offering.
Discounts and Commissions
The Representative has advised that the underwriters propose to offer the shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants and warrants directly to the public at the public offering price per share set forth on the cover page of this prospectus. After the offering to the public, the offering prices and other selling terms may be changed by the underwriters without changing the proceeds we will receive from the underwriters. Any shares, pre-funded warrants and warrants sold by the underwriters to securities dealers will be sold at the public offering price less a concession not in excess of $ per share.
The following table summarizes the public offering price, underwriting commissions, and proceeds before expenses to us.
Per Share and Warrant | Per Pre-Funded Warrant and Warrant |
Total
Without |
Total
With Full Over- Allotment | ||||||||
Public offering price | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||
Underwriting discount (7.5%) (1) | $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us | $ | $ | $ | $ |
———————
(1) | We have agreed to pay a non-accountable expense allowance to the Representative equal to 1% of the gross proceeds received in this offering (excluding proceeds received from exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) which is not included in the underwriting discounts and commission. |
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We have paid an expense deposit of $50,000 to the Representative, which will be applied against the Representative’s accountable out-of-pocket expenses (in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(C)) that are payable by us in connection with this offering. We have agreed to reimburse the Representative for all expenses relating to the offering, including, without limitation, (a) all filing fees and communication expenses relating to the registration of the Shares to be sold in the offering (including the over-allotment Shares) with the SEC; (b) all filing fees and expenses associated with the review of the offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Shares on Nasdaq, including any fees charged by The Depository Trust Company (DTC) for new securities; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers, directors and entities in an amount not to exceed $15,000 in the aggregate; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of such Shares under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states, if applicable, and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of such Shares under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any agreement among Underwriters, selected dealers’ agreement, underwriters’ questionnaire and power of attorney), registration statements, prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (h) the costs and expenses of the public relations firm; (i) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Shares; (j) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the common Stock; (k) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Representative; (l) the costs associated with advertising the offering in the national editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times; (m) the costs associated with bound volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request, in an amount not to exceed $3,000; (n) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (o) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (p) the fees and expenses of the Underwriter’s legal counsel not to exceed $125,000; (q) the $29,500 cost associated with the use of Ipreo’s book building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the offering; (r) $10,000 for data services and communications expenses; (s) up to $10,000 of the Representative’s actual accountable “road show” expenses; and (t) up to $10,000 of the Representative’s market making and trading, and clearing firm settlement expenses for the offering.
We expect that the total expenses of the offering payable by us, excluding underwriting discount and commissions, will be approximately $548,000.
Representative’s Warrants
We have also agreed to issue to the Representative, at the closing of this offering, Representative’s Warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of shares of our common stock (5% of the shares of common stock or in lieu thereof the pre-funded warrants, sold in the offering, excluding any shares sold upon exercise of the Representative’s over-allotment option). The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable at a per share price equal to 125% of the public offering price per share in this offering (excluding the over-allotment option). The Representative’s Warrants are exercisable at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, commencing on the six-month anniversary of the commencement of sales in this offering and expiring on the date that is four and a half years following the date that such warrants become exercisable. The registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part also registers the Representative’s Warrants and underlying shares of common stock.
The Representative’s Warrants are deemed underwriter compensation by FINRA and are, therefore, subject to a 180-day lock-up pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1). The Representative (or permitted assignees under Rule 5110(e)(1) will not sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate these warrants or the securities underlying these warrants, nor will they engage in any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the warrants or the underlying securities for a period of 180 days from the commencement of sales in this offering. In addition, the Representative’s Warrants provide for registration rights upon request, in certain cases. The demand registration right provided will not be greater than five years from the effective date of this offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C). The piggyback registration right provided will not be greater than seven years from the effective date of this offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D). We will bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the securities issuable on exercise of the Representative’s Warrants other than underwriting commissions incurred and payable by the holders. The exercise price and number of shares issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend or our recapitalization, reorganization, merger, or consolidation. However, neither the Representative Warrant exercise price, nor the number of shares of common stock underlying such warrants, will be adjusted for issuances of shares of common stock by the Company at a price below the exercise price of the Representative’s Warrants.
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Discretionary Accounts
The underwriters do not intend to confirm sales of the securities offered hereby to any accounts over which they have discretionary authority.
Lock-Up Agreements
Pursuant to certain “lock-up” agreements, we and holders of 5% or greater of our outstanding shares have agreed, for a period of three (3) months from the closing date of this offering, and with respect to our executive officers and directors, for a period of six (6) months from the closing date of this offering, not to engage in any of the following, whether directly or indirectly, without the Representative’s consent: offer to sell, sell, contract to sell pledge, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of our common stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for our common stock (the “Lock-Up Securities”); enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities; make any demand for or exercise any right or cause to be filed a registration statement, including any amendments thereto, with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; enter into any transaction, swap, hedge, or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities subject to customary exceptions; or publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing. Additionally, the Company agrees that for a period of 24 months after the Offering it will not directly or indirectly in any “at-the-market”, continuous equity or variable rate transaction, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company, without the prior written consent of the Representative.
Right of First Refusal
We have granted the Representative a right of first refusal, for a period of 24 months from the consummation of this offering, to act as sole investment banker, sole book-runner and/or sole placement agent, at the Representative’s sole discretion, for each and every future public and private equity and debt offering, including all equity linked financings, during such 24 month period, for us, or any successor to or any subsidiary of us, on terms customary for the Representative. The Representative will have the sole right to determine whether any other broker-dealer shall have the right to participate in any such offering and the economic terms of any such participation.
Indemnification
We have agreed to indemnify the underwriters against liabilities relating to this offering that may arise under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and from any breach of the representations and warranties contained in the Underwriting Agreement. We have further agreed to contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make for these liabilities.
Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares
This prospectus in electronic format may be made available on websites or through other online services maintained by one or more of the underwriters, or by their affiliates. Other than this prospectus in electronic format, the information on any underwriter’s website and any information contained in any other website maintained by an underwriter is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved or endorsed by us or any underwriter in its capacity as underwriter, and should not be relied upon by investors.
Offer Restrictions Outside of the United States
Other than in the United States, no action has been taken that would permit a public offering of our common stock in any jurisdiction where action for the 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 country or jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the 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.
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Australia
This prospectus is not a disclosure document under Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act, has not been lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and does not purport to include the information required of a disclosure document under Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act. Accordingly, (i) the offer of the securities under this prospectus is only made to persons to whom it is lawful to offer the securities without disclosure under Chapter 6D of the Australian Corporations Act under one or more exemptions set out in section 708 of the Australian Corporations Act, (ii) this prospectus is made available in Australia only to those persons as set forth in clause (i) above, and (iii) the offeree must be sent a notice stating in substance that by accepting this offer, the offeree represents that the offeree is such a person as set forth in clause (i) above, and, unless permitted under the Australian Corporations Act, agrees not to sell or offer for sale within Australia any of the securities sold to the offeree within 12 months after its transfer to the offeree under this prospectus.
Canada
The shares of common stock may be sold only to purchasers purchasing, or deemed to be purchasing, as principal that are accredited investors, as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions or subsection 73.3(1) of the Securities Act (Ontario), and are permitted clients, as defined in National Instrument 31-103 Registration Requirements, Exemptions and Ongoing Registrant Obligations. Any resale of the securities must be made in accordance with an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the prospectus requirements of applicable securities laws.
Securities legislation in certain provinces or territories of Canada may provide a purchaser with remedies for rescission or damages if this prospectus (including any amendment thereto) contains a misrepresentation, provided that the remedies for rescission or damages are exercised by the purchaser within the time limit prescribed by the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory. The purchaser should refer to any applicable provisions of the securities legislation of the purchaser’s province or territory for particulars of these rights or consult with a legal advisor.
China
The information in this document does not constitute a public offer of the securities, whether by way of sale or subscription, in the People’s Republic of China (excluding, for purposes of this paragraph, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region and Taiwan). The securities may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in the PRC to legal or natural persons other than directly to “qualified domestic institutional investors.”
European Economic Area—Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Netherlands
The information in this document has been prepared on the basis that all offers of securities will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Directive 2003/71/EC (“Prospectus Directive”), as implemented in Member States of the European Economic Area (each, a “Relevant Member State”), from the requirement to produce a prospectus for offers of securities. An offer to the public of securities has not been made, and may not be made, in a Relevant Member State except pursuant to one of the following exemptions under the Prospectus Directive as implemented in that Relevant Member State:
● | to legal entities that are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities; | |
● | to any legal entity that has two or more of (i) an average of at least 250 employees during its last fiscal year; (ii) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 (as shown on its last annual unconsolidated or consolidated financial statements) and (iii) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000 (as shown on its last annual unconsolidated or consolidated financial statements); | |
● | to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors within the meaning of Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the Company or any underwriter for any such offer; or | |
● | in any other circumstances falling within Article 3(2) of the Prospectus Directive, provided that no such offer of securities shall result in a requirement for the publication by the Company of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive. |
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France
This document is not being distributed in the context of a public offering of financial securitie (offre au public de titres financiers) in France within the meaning of Article L.411-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code (Code Monétaire et Financier) and Articles 211-1 et seq. of the General Regulation of the French Autorité de marchés financiers (“AMF”). The securities have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in France.
This document and any other offering material relating to the securities have not been, and will not be, submitted to the AMF for approval in France and, accordingly, may not be distributed or caused to distributed, directly or indirectly, to the public in France.
Such offers, sales and distributions have been and shall only be made in France to (i) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) acting for their own account, as defined in and in accordance with Articles L.411-2-II-2° and D.411-1 to D.411-3, D.744-1, D.754-1 ;and D.764-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code and any implementing regulation and/or (ii) a restricted number of non-qualified investors (cercle restreint d’investisseurs) acting for their own account, as defined in and in accordance with Articles L.411-2-II-2° and D.411-4, D.744-1, D.754-1; and D.764-1 of the French Monetary and Financial Code and any implementing regulation.
Pursuant to Article 211-3 of the General Regulation of the AMF, investors in France are informed that the securities cannot be distributed (directly or indirectly) to the public by the investors otherwise than in accordance with Articles L.411-1, L.411-2, L.412-1 and L.621-8 to L.621-8-3 of the French Monetary and Financial Code.
Hong Kong
Neither the information in this document nor any other document relating to the offer has been delivered for registration to the Registrar of Companies in Hong Kong, and its contents have not been reviewed or approved by any regulatory authority in Hong Kong, nor have we been authorized by the Securities and Futures Commission in Hong Kong. This document does not constitute an offer or invitation to the public in Hong Kong to acquire securities. Accordingly, unless permitted by the securities laws of Hong Kong, no person may issue or have in its possession for the purpose of issue, this document or any advertisement, invitation or document relating to the securities, whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere, which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong other than in relation to securities which are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” (as such term is defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (“SFO”) and the subsidiary legislation made thereunder) or in circumstances which do not result in this document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance of Hong Kong (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the “CO”) or which do not constitute an offer or an invitation to the public for the purposes of the SFO or the CO. The offer of the securities is personal to the person to whom this document has been delivered by or on behalf of our company, and a subscription for securities will only be accepted from such person. No person to whom a copy of this document is issued may issue, circulate or distribute this document in Hong Kong or make or give a copy of this document to any other person. You are advised to exercise caution in relation to the offer. If you are in any doubt about any of the contents of this document, you should obtain independent professional advice. No document may be distributed, published or reproduced (in whole or in part), disclosed by or to any other person in Hong Kong or to any person to whom the offer of sale of the securities would be a breach of the CO or SFO.
Ireland
The information in this document does not constitute a prospectus under any Irish laws or regulations and this document has not been filed with or approved by any Irish regulatory authority as the information has not been prepared in the context of a public offering of securities in Ireland within the meaning of the Irish Prospectus (Directive 2003/71/EC) Regulations 2005 (the “Prospectus Regulations”). The securities have not been offered or sold, and will not be offered, sold or delivered directly or indirectly in Ireland by way of a public offering, except to (i) qualified investors as defined in Regulation 2(l) of the Prospectus Regulations and (ii) fewer than 100 natural or legal persons who are not qualified investors.
Israel
The securities offered by this prospectus have not been approved or disapproved by the Israeli Securities Authority (the ISA), nor have such securities been registered for sale in Israel. The shares may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in Israel, absent the publication of a prospectus. The ISA has not issued permits, approvals or licenses in connection with the offering or publishing the prospectus; nor has it authenticated the details included herein, confirmed their reliability or completeness, or rendered an opinion as to the quality of the securities being offered. Any resale in Israel, directly or indirectly, to the public of the securities offered by this prospectus is subject to restrictions on transferability and must be effected only in compliance with the Israeli securities laws and regulations.
Italy
The offering of the securities in the Republic of Italy has not been authorized by the Italian Securities and Exchange Commission (Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa, or “CONSOB”) pursuant to the Italian securities legislation and, accordingly, no offering material relating to the securities may be distributed in Italy and such securities may not be offered or sold in Italy in a public offer within the meaning of Article 1.1(t) of Legislative Decree No. 58 of 24 February 1998 (“Decree No. 58”), other than:
● | to Italian qualified investors, as defined in Article 100 of Decree no.58 by reference to Article 34-ter of CONSOB Regulation no. 11971 of 14 May 1999 (“Regulation no. 1197l”) as amended (“Qualified Investors”); and | |
● | in other circumstances that are exempt from the rules on public offer pursuant to Article 100 of Decree No. 58 and Article 34-ter of Regulation No. 11971 as amended. | |
● | Any offer, sale or delivery of the securities or distribution of any offer document relating to the securities in Italy (excluding placements where a Qualified Investor solicits an offer from the issuer) under the paragraphs above must be: | |
● | made by investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with Legislative Decree No. 385 of 1 September 1993 (as amended), Decree No. 58, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of 29 October 2007 and any other applicable laws; and | |
● | in compliance with all relevant Italian securities, tax and exchange controls and any other applicable laws. |
64
Any subsequent distribution of the securities in Italy must be made in compliance with the public offer and prospectus requirement rules provided under Decree No. 58 and the Regulation No. 11971 as amended, unless an exception from those rules applies. Failure to comply with such rules may result in the sale of such securities being declared null and void and in the liability of the entity transferring the securities for any damages suffered by the investors.
Japan
The securities have not been and will not be registered under Article 4, paragraph 1 of the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (Law No. 25 of 1948), as amended (the “FIEL”) pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements applicable to a private placement of securities to Qualified Institutional Investors (as defined in and in accordance with Article 2, paragraph 3 of the FIEL and the regulations promulgated thereunder). Accordingly, the securities may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan other than Qualified Institutional Investors. Any Qualified Institutional Investor who acquires securities may not resell them to any person in Japan that is not a Qualified Institutional Investor, and acquisition by any such person of securities is conditional upon the execution of an agreement to that effect.
Portugal
This document is not being distributed in the context of a public offer of financial securities (oferta pública de valores mobiliários) in Portugal, within the meaning of Article 109 of the Portuguese Securities Code (Código dos Valores Mobiliários). The securities have not been offered or sold and will not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, to the public in Portugal. This document and any other offering material relating to the securities have not been, and will not be, submitted to the Portuguese Securities Market Commission (Comissăo do Mercado de Valores Mobiliários) for approval in Portugal and, accordingly, may not be distributed or caused to distributed, directly or indirectly, to the public in Portugal, other than under circumstances that are deemed not to qualify as a public offer under the Portuguese Securities Code. Such offers, sales and distributions of securities in Portugal are limited to persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Portuguese Securities Code). Only such investors may receive this document and they may not distribute it or the information contained in it to any other person.
Sweden
This document has not been, and will not be, registered with or approved by Finansinspektionen (the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority). Accordingly, this document may not be made available, nor may the securities be offered for sale in Sweden, other than under circumstances that are deemed not to require a prospectus under the Swedish Financial Instruments Trading Act (1991:980) (Sw. lag (1991:980) om handel med finansiella instrument). Any offering of securities in Sweden is limited to persons who are “qualified investors” (as defined in the Financial Instruments Trading Act). Only such investors may receive this document and they may not distribute it or the information contained in it to any other person.
Switzerland
The securities may not be publicly offered in Switzerland and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (“SIX”) or on any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. This document has been prepared without regard to the disclosure standards for issuance prospectuses under art. 652a or art. 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or the disclosure standards for listing prospectuses under art. 27 ff. of the SIX Listing Rules or the listing rules of any other stock exchange or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Neither this document nor any other offering material relating to the securities may be publicly distributed or otherwise made publicly available in Switzerland.
Neither this document nor any other offering material relating to the securities have been or will be filed with or approved by any Swiss regulatory authority. In particular, this document will not be filed with, and the offer of securities will not be supervised by, the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority (FINMA).
This document is personal to the recipient only and not for general circulation in Switzerland.
65
United Arab Emirates
Neither this document nor the securities have been approved, disapproved or passed on in any way by the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates or any other governmental authority in the United Arab Emirates, nor have we received authorization or licensing from the Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates or any other governmental authority in the United Arab Emirates to market or sell the securities within the United Arab Emirates. This document does not constitute and may not be used for the purpose of an offer or invitation. No services relating to the securities, including the receipt of applications and/or the allotment or redemption of such shares, may be rendered within the United Arab Emirates by us.
United Kingdom
Neither the information in this document nor any other document relating to the offer has been delivered for approval to the Financial Services Authority in the United Kingdom and no prospectus (within the meaning of section 85 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended (“FSMA”) has been published or is intended to be published in respect of the securities. This document is issued on a confidential basis to “qualified investors” (within the meaning of section 86(7) of FSMA) in the United Kingdom, and the securities may not be offered or sold in the United Kingdom by means of this document, any accompanying letter or any other document, except in circumstances which do not require the publication of a prospectus pursuant to section 86(1) FSMA. This document should not be distributed, published or reproduced, in whole or in part, nor may its contents be disclosed by recipients to any other person in the United Kingdom.
Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of FSMA) received in connection with the issue or sale of the securities has only been communicated or caused to be communicated and will only be communicated or caused to be communicated in the United Kingdom in circumstances in which section 21(1) of FSMA does not apply to the Company.
In the United Kingdom, this document is being distributed only to, and is directed at, persons (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) (investment professionals) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotions) Order 2005 (“FPO”), (ii) who fall within the categories of persons referred to in Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.) of the FPO or (iii) to whom it may otherwise be lawfully communicated (together “relevant persons”). The investments to which this document relates are available only to, and any invitation, offer or agreement to purchase will be engaged in only with, relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this document or any of its contents.
Pursuant to section 3A.3 of National Instrument 33-105 Underwriting Conflicts, or NI 33-105, the underwriters are not required to comply with the disclosure requirements of NI 33-105 regarding underwriter conflicts of interest in connection with this offering.
Stabilization
In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in stabilizing transactions, over-allotment transactions, syndicate-covering transactions, penalty bids and purchases to cover positions created by short sales.
Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase shares so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum, and are engaged in for the purpose of preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of the shares while the offering is in progress.
Over-allotment transactions involve sales by the underwriters of shares in excess of the number of shares that the underwriters are obligated to purchase. This creates a syndicate short position which may be either a covered short position or a naked short position. In a covered short position, the number of shares over-allotted by the underwriters is not greater than the number of shares that the underwriters purchase in the over-allotment option. In a naked short position, the number of shares involved is greater than the number of shares that the underwriters purchase in the over-allotment option. The underwriters may close out any short position by exercising their over-allotment option and/or purchasing shares in the open market.
Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of shares in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. In determining the source of shares to close out the short position, the underwriters will consider, among other things, the price of shares available for purchase in the open market as compared with the price at which they may purchase shares through exercise of the over-allotment option. If the underwriters sell more shares than could be covered by exercise of the over-allotment option and, therefore, have a naked short position, the position can be closed out only by buying shares in the open market. A naked short position is more likely to be created if the underwriters are concerned that after pricing there could be downward pressure on the price of the shares in the open market that could adversely affect investors who purchase in the offering.
Penalty bids permit the representative to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the shares originally sold by that syndicate member are purchased in stabilizing or syndicate covering transactions to cover syndicate short positions.
These stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of raising or maintaining the market price of our shares of common stock or preventing or retarding a decline in the market price of our shares of common stock. As a result, the price of our common stock in the open market may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of these transactions. Neither we nor the underwriters make any representation or prediction as to the effect that the transactions described above may have on the price of our common stock. These transactions may be effected in the over-the-counter market or otherwise and, if commenced, may be discontinued at any time.
Passive market making
In connection with this offering, underwriters and selling group members may engage in passive market making transactions in our common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market in accordance with Rule 103 of Regulation M under the Exchange Act, during a period before the commencement of offers or sales of the shares and extending through the completion of the distribution. A passive market maker must display its bid at a price not in excess of the highest independent bid of that security. However, if all independent bids are lowered below the passive market maker’s bid, then that bid must then be lowered when specified purchase limits are exceeded.
Other Relationships
The underwriters and their affiliates have in the past provided, and may in the future provide, various advisory, investment banking, commercial banking, financial advisory, brokerage or other services to us and our affiliates, for which services they have received, and may in the future receive, customary fees and expense reimbursement. We have no present arrangements with any of the underwriters for any further services.
The underwriters and their affiliates may, from time to time, engage in transactions with and perform services for us in the ordinary course of its business for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursements of expenses. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own accounts and for the accounts of their customers and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of the Company. The underwriters and their affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.
66
LEGAL MATTERS
The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus and certain legal matters as to Utah law will be passed upon by Codelaw LLC. We have been advised on U.S. securities matters by Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, New York, New York. Sullivan & Worcester LLP, New York, New York, is acting as counsel to the underwriters.
EXPERTS
Our consolidated financial statements for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, appearing herein, have been audited by Fruci & Associates II, PLLC, an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its report thereon appearing elsewhere herein, and are included in reliance upon such report given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus, which constitutes a part of that registration statement, does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the accompanying exhibits and schedules. Some items included in the registration statement are omitted from this prospectus in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered in this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules. Statements contained in this prospectus regarding the contents of any contract, agreement or any other document are summaries of the material terms of these contracts, agreements or other documents. With respect to each of these contracts, agreements or other documents filed as an exhibit to the registration statement, reference is made to such exhibit for a more complete description of the matter involved.
A copy of the registration statement and the accompanying exhibits and schedules and our annual reports, quarterly reports, current reports, and proxy and information statements any other document we file may be obtained on the website the SEC maintains that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding registrants that file electronically with the SEC. The address of the SEC’s website is http://www.sec.gov. Such filings are also available at our website at http://www.netcapitalinc.com. Website materials are not a part of this prospectus.
67
NETCAPITAL INC. |
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS |
Audited Consolidated Financial Statements | Page No. | ||
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-3 | ||
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 30, 2021 and 2020 | F-4 | ||
Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 | F-5 | ||
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Deficit for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 | F-6 | ||
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 | F-7 | ||
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-8 | ||
Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements | |||
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 31, 2022 and 2021 | F-18 | ||
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the Three and Nine Months Ended January 31, 2022 and 2021 | F-19 | ||
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Nine Months Ended January 31, 2022 and 2021 | F-21 | ||
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity Nine Months Ended January 31, 2022 and 2021 | F-20 | ||
Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements | F-22 |
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of NetCapital Inc. (f/k/a Valuesetters, Inc.) and Subsidiaries
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of NetCapital Inc. and Subsidiaries (“the Company”) as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of 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 April 30, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the each of the years in the two-year period ended April 30, 2021, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
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 audits. 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 audits 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 audits, 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 audits 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 audits 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 audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matters
The critical audit matters communicated below are matters arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that were communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relate to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication of critical audit matters does not alter in any way our opinion on the financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matters below, providing separate opinions on the critical audit matters or on the accounts or disclosures to which they relate.
Valuation of Investments
Description of the Critical Audit Matter
As discussed in Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has investments in several entities which require the Company to initially value based on offering prices that are not considered observable and to periodically evaluate potential impairment by assessing whether the carrying value of the investments exceeds the estimated fair value, or by monitoring observable price changes from orderly transactions to measure estimated fair value. Auditing management's analysis includes tests that are complex and highly judgmental due to the estimation required to determine the fair value of each of the underlying investees. In particular, fair value estimates are sensitive to significant assumptions and factors such as expectations about future market and economic conditions, revenue growth rates, strategic plans, and historical operating results, among others.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our principal audit procedures to evaluate management’s valuation of investments consisted of the following, among others:
1. | Obtain and test management assumptions and analysis. |
2. | Obtain and review third-party market data, public filings, and funding activities of the investee entities. |
3. | Assess management’s key indicators of the investee operations, including analysis of operational growth, public filings, and future strategic and funding plans. |
Valuation of Intangibles
Description of the Critical Audit Matter
As discussed in Note 11 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company recognized $14.8 million of intangibles during November 2020, related to consideration paid for the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.
Management's intangible valuation was complex and highly judgmental due to the significant estimation required to determine the fair value of the identifiable intangible assets acquired within the underlying business unit. In particular, the fair value estimate was sensitive to significant assumptions, such as the Company’s financial forecast, revenue growth rate, and operating costs, which are impacted by expectations about future market and economic conditions, along with the Company’s historical operating results.
How the Critical Audit Matter Was Addressed in the Audit
Our principal audit procedures to evaluate management’s valuation of intangibles consisted of the following, among others:
1. | Obtain and review management’s analysis and projections of future growth rates, including assessing methodologies and testing significant assumptions underlying the data. |
2. | Obtain and review data used in management’s analysis from third-party and public sources. |
3. | Assess the historical basis for estimates of future operating results, including data based on our audit results and knowledge of the Company’s historical activity. |
4. | Test the fair value of consideration exchanged and overall valuation of business combination. |
/s/ Fruci & Associates II, PLLC
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2017.
Spokane, Washington | |
August 31, 2021 |
F-1 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 2021 AND 2020
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONTENTS
Page | ||
Consolidated Financial Statements | ||
Consolidated Balance Sheets | F-3 | |
Consolidated Statements of Operations | F-4 | |
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity | F-5 | |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows | F-6 | |
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements | F-7 – F-15 |
F-2 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
Assets: | April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 2,473,959 | $ | 11,206 | ||||
Accounts receivable net | 1,356,932 | |||||||
Prepaid expenses | 653,861 | 465,555 | ||||||
Total current assets | 4,484,752 | 476,761 | ||||||
Deposits | 6,300 | 6,300 | ||||||
Deferred tax assets | 180,000 | |||||||
Purchased technology | 14,803,954 | 143,455 | ||||||
Investment in affiliate | 122,914 | |||||||
Equity securities at fair value | 6,298,008 | 1,406,982 | ||||||
Total assets | $ | 25,715,928 | $ | 2,213,498 | ||||
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity | ||||||||
Current liabilities: | ||||||||
Accounts payable | ||||||||
Trade | $ | 308,506 | $ | 278,752 | ||||
Related party | 3,843,686 | 16,680 | ||||||
Accrued expenses | 306,308 | 149,835 | ||||||
Stock subscription payable | 1,199,996 | |||||||
Deferred revenue | 622 | 656 | ||||||
Interest payable | 116,483 | 31,235 | ||||||
Deferred tax liability | 433,000 | |||||||
Related party debt | 22,860 | 15,000 | ||||||
Secured note payable | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | ||||||
Current portion of SBA loans | 1,885,800 | |||||||
Loan payable - bank | 34,324 | 34,324 | ||||||
Demand notes payable | 7,860 | |||||||
Total current liabilities | 9,151,585 | 1,534,342 | ||||||
Long-term liabilities: | ||||||||
Long-term SBA loans, less current portion | 2,385,800 | |||||||
Total Liabilities | 11,537,385 | 1,534,342 | ||||||
Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
Stockholders' equity: | ||||||||
Common stock, $ par value; shares authorized, and shares issued and outstanding | 2,178 | 417 | ||||||
Capital in excess of par value | 15,168,987 | 3,141,021 | ||||||
Accumulated deficit | (992,622 | ) | (2,462,282 | ) | ||||
Total stockholders' equity | 14,178,543 | 679,156 | ||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 25,715,928 | $ | 2,213,498 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Financial Statements
F-3 |
NETCAPITAL INC. |
Consolidated Statements of Operations |
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | |||||||
Revenues | $ | 4,721,003 | $ | 1,753,558 | ||||
Costs of services | 759,158 | 11,105 | ||||||
Gross profit | 3,961,845 | 1,742,453 | ||||||
Costs and expenses: | ||||||||
Stock-based compensation | 680,611 | 356,252 | ||||||
Consulting expense | 6,580 | 102,600 | ||||||
Marketing | 44,929 | 12,863 | ||||||
Rent | 49,196 | 50,769 | ||||||
Payroll and payroll related expenses | 3,117,075 | |||||||
General and administrative costs | 464,955 | 72,747 | ||||||
Total costs and expenses | 4,363,346 | 595,231 | ||||||
Operating income (loss) | (401,501 | ) | 1,147,222 | |||||
Other income (expense): | ||||||||
Interest expense | (87,333 | ) | (18,879 | ) | ||||
Realized loss on sale of investments | (527,540 | ) | ||||||
Unrealized gain on equity securities | 2,571,494 | (185,952 | ) | |||||
Other income | 10,000 | |||||||
Total other income (expense) | 2,484,161 | (722,371 | ) | |||||
Net income before taxes | 2,082,660 | 424,851 | ||||||
Net income tax (expense) benefit: | ||||||||
Income taxes | (613,000 | ) | (129,000 | ) | ||||
Change in deferred tax assets | 309,000 | |||||||
Net income tax (expense) benefit | (613,000 | ) | 180,000 | |||||
Net income | $ | 1,469,660 | $ | 604,851 | ||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | 1.18 | $ | 1.50 | ||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | 0.89 | $ | 1.50 | ||||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: | ||||||||
Basic | 1,250,002 | 402,284 | ||||||
Diluted | 1,647,295 | 402,284 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Financial Statements
F-4 |
NETCAPITAL INC. |
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity |
For the Years Ended April 30, 2021 and 2020
|
Capial in | ||||||||||||||||||||
Common Stock | Excess of | Accumulated | Total | |||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Par Value | Deficit | Equity | ||||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2019 | 377,685 | $ | 378 | $ | 2,201,497 | $ | (3,067,133 | ) | $ | (865,258 | ) | |||||||||
Q1 stock-based compensation | 1,406 | 1 | 19,687 | 19,688 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, July 31, 2019 | — | 24,475 | 24,475 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, July 31, 2019 | 379,091 | 379 | 2,221,184 | (3,042,658 | ) | (821,095 | ) | |||||||||||||
Q2 stock-based compensation | 37,656 | 38 | 917,305 | 917,343 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, October 31, 2019 | — | 542,451 | 542,451 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, October 31, 2019 | 416,747 | 417 | 3,138,489 | (2,500,207 | ) | 638,699 | ||||||||||||||
Q3 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,500 | 1,500 | |||||||||||||||||
Net income, January 31, 2020 | — | 595,174 | 595,174 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 31, 2020 | 416,903 | 417 | 3,139,989 | (1,905,033 | ) | 1,235,373 | ||||||||||||||
Q4 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,032 | 1,032 | |||||||||||||||||
Net loss, April 30, 2020 | — | (557,249 | ) | (557,249 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2020 | 417,059 | 417 | 3,141,021 | (2,462,282 | ) | 679,156 | ||||||||||||||
Q1 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,406 | 1,406 | |||||||||||||||||
Net income, July 31, 2020 | — | 30,871 | 30,871 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, July 31, 2020 | 417,215 | 417 | 3,142,427 | (2,431,411 | ) | 711,433 | ||||||||||||||
Q2 stock-based compensation | 2,240 | 2 | 18,555 | 18,557 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, October 31, 2020 | — | 30,022 | 30,022 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, October 31, 2020 | 419,455 | 419 | 3,160,982 | (2,401,389 | ) | 760,012 | ||||||||||||||
Shares issued to acquire funding portal | 1,666,360 | 1,666 | 11,329,582 | 11,331,248 | ||||||||||||||||
Return of shares of common stock | (5,000 | ) | (5 | ) | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Q3 stock-based compensation | 937 | 1 | 6,239 | 6,240 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, January 31, 2021 | — | 42,642 | 42,642 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 31, 2021 | 2,081,752 | 2,081 | 14,496,808 | (2,358,747 | ) | 12,140,142 | ||||||||||||||
Q4 stock-based compensation | 95,937 | 96 | 657,180 | 657,276 | ||||||||||||||||
Shares issued for debt settlement | 1,077 | 1 | 14,999 | 15,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, April 30, 2021 | 1,366,125 | 1,366,125 | ||||||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2021 | 2,178,766 | $ | 2,178 | $ | 15,168,987 | $ | (992,622 | ) | $ | 14,178,543 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Financial Statements
F-5 |
NETCAPITAL INC. |
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
|
April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | |||||||
OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 1,469,660 | $ | 604,851 | ||||
Adjustment to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Stock-based compensation | 680,611 | 356,252 | ||||||
Non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity | (2,319,532 | ) | (1,538,980 | ) | ||||
Provision for bad debts | 60,325 | |||||||
Impairment of assets | 185,952 | |||||||
Unrealized gain on equity securities | (2,571,494 | ) | 527,540 | |||||
Changes in deferred taxes | 613,000 | (180,000 | ) | |||||
Changes in non-cash working capital balances: | ||||||||
Accounts receivable | (1,417,257 | ) | 6,000 | |||||
Contract receivable | 15,000 | |||||||
Prepaid expenses | (35,913 | ) | ||||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 172,204 | 18,680 | ||||||
Deferred revenue | (34 | ) | (15,055 | ) | ||||
Accrued interest payable | 85,248 | |||||||
Related party payable | 12,314 | 16,156 | ||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (3,250,868 | ) | (3,604 | ) | ||||
INVESTING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Proceeds from purchase of funding portal subsidiary | 364,939 | |||||||
Investment in affiliate | (122,914 | ) | ||||||
Net cash provided by investing activities | 242,025 | |||||||
FINANCING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Proceeds from SBA loans | 4,271,600 | |||||||
Proceeds from stock subscriptions | 1,199,996 | |||||||
Payment on related party note | (4,300 | ) | ||||||
Cash flow provided by (used in) financing activities | 5,471,596 | (4,300 | ) | |||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash | 2,462,753 | (7,904 | ) | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period | 11,206 | 19,110 | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period | $ | 2,473,959 | $ | 11,206 | ||||
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | ||||||||
Cash paid for taxes | $ | 4,988 | $ | |||||
Cash paid for interest | $ | 2,067 | $ | 2,723 | ||||
Supplemental Non-Cash Investing and Financing Information: | ||||||||
Common stock issued as prepaid compensation | $ | 646,500 | $ | |||||
Common stock issued to purchase subsidiary | $ | 11,331,248 | $ |
See Accompanying Notes to the Financial Statements
F-6 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
AS OF AND FOR THE YEARS ENDED APRIL 30, 2021 AND 2020
1. Description of Business and Summary of Accounting Principles
Description of Business and Concentrations
Netcapital Inc. (“Netcapital,” “we,” “our,” or the “Company”) is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online and provides private equity investment opportunities to investors. The company's consulting group, Netcapital Advisors, provides marketing and strategic advice and takes equity positions in select companies with disruptive technologies. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), a registered national securities association.
The consolidated financial statements are presented in United States dollars and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America. The Company’s fiscal year end is April 30.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries after elimination of significant intercompany balances and transactions. The wholly owned subsidiaries are Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., an equity-based funding portal registered with the SEC, Netcapital Advisors Inc., which provides marketing and strategic advice to select companies, and AthenaSoft Corp., which has been inactive for the past two years.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method in accordance with ASC 740. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income and the reversal of deferred tax liabilities during the period in which related temporary differences become deductible.
The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon settlement with the tax authorities. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in income tax expense. The Company has determined that it had no significant uncertain tax positions requiring recognition or disclosure.
Revenue Recognition under ASC 606
The Company recognizes service revenue from its consulting contracts, funding portal and game website using the five-step model as prescribed by ASC 606:
• Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;
• Identification of the performance obligations in the contract;
• Determination of the transaction price;
• Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and
• Recognition of revenue when or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
The Company identifies performance obligations in contracts with customers, which primarily are professional services, listing fees on our funding portal, and a portal fee of 4.9% of the money raised on the funding portal. The transaction price is determined based on the amount the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring the promised services to the customer. The transaction price in the contract is allocated to each distinct performance obligation in an amount that represents the relative amount of consideration expected to be received in exchange for satisfying each performance obligation. Revenue is recognized when performance obligations are satisfied. The Company usually bills its customers before it provides any services and begins performing services after the first payment is received. Contracts are typically one year or less. For larger contracts, in addition to the initial payment, the Company may allow for progress payments throughout the term of the contract.
Judgments and Estimates
The estimation of variable consideration for each performance obligation requires the Company to make subjective judgments. The Company enters into contracts with customers that regularly include promises to transfer multiple services, such as digital marketing, web-based videos, offering statements, and professional services. For arrangements with multiple services, the Company evaluates whether the individual services qualify as distinct performance obligations. In its assessment of whether a service is a distinct performance obligation, the Company determines whether the customer can benefit from the service on its own or with other readily available resources, and whether the service is separately identifiable from other services in the contract. This evaluation requires the Company to assess the nature of each individual service offering and how the services are provided in the context of the contract, including whether the services are significantly integrated, highly interrelated, or significantly modify each other, which may require judgment based on the facts and circumstances of the contract.
F-7 |
When agreements involve multiple distinct performance obligations, the Company allocates arrangement consideration to all performance obligations at the inception of an arrangement based on the relative standalone selling prices (SSP) of each performance obligation. Where the Company has standalone sales data for its performance obligations which are indicative of the price at which the Company sells a promised service separately to a customer, such data is used to establish SSP. In instances where standalone sales data is not available for a particular performance obligation, the Company estimates SSP by the use of observable market and cost-based inputs. The Company continues to review the factors used to establish list price and will adjust standalone selling price methodologies as necessary on a prospective basis.
Service Revenue
Service revenue from subscriptions to the Company's game website is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the contractual subscription term beginning on the date that the platform is made available to the customer. Payments received in advance of subscription services being rendered are recorded as a deferred revenue. Professional services revenue is recognized over time as the services are rendered.
When a contract with a customer is signed, the Company assesses whether collection of the fees under the arrangement is probable. The Company estimates the amount to reserve for uncollectible amounts based on the aging of the contract balance, current and historical customer trends, and communications with its customers. These reserves are recorded as operating expenses against the contract asset (Accounts Receivable).
Contract Assets
Contract assets are recorded for those parts of the contract consideration not yet invoiced but for which the performance obligations are completed. The revenue is recognized when the customer receives services. Contract assets are included in other current assets in the consolidated balance sheets and will be recognized during the succeeding twelve-month period.
Deferred Revenue
Deferred revenues represent billings or payments received in advance of revenue recognition and is recognized upon transfer of control. Balances consist primarily of annual plan subscription services and professional services not yet provided as of the balance sheet date. Deferred revenues that will be recognized during the succeeding twelve-month period are recorded as current deferred revenues in the consolidated balance sheets, with the remainder recorded as other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
Costs to Obtain a Customer Contract
Sales commissions and related expenses are considered incremental and recoverable costs of acquiring customer contracts. These costs are capitalized as other current or non-current assets and amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the contract, which approximates the benefit period. The benefit period was estimated by taking into consideration the length of customer contracts, technology lifecycle, and other factors.
All sales commissions are recorded as consulting fees within the Company's consolidated statement of operations.
Remaining Performance Obligations
The Company's subscription terms are typically less than one year. All of the Company’s revenues in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, which amounted to $4,721,003 and $1,753,558, respectively, are considered contract revenues. Contract revenue as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, which has not yet been recognized, amounted to $622 and $656, respectively, and is recorded on the balance sheet as deferred revenue. The Company expects to recognize revenue on all of its remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months.
Costs of Services
Costs of services consist of direct costs that we pay to third parties in order to provide the services that generate revenue.
Earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares outstanding. The Company has no stock options, warrants or convertible debt, but has a contingent consideration liability that requires it to issue up to 397,293 shares of common stock, and is dilutive.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents during fiscal 2021 and 2020. The Company uses three financial institutions for its cash balances and has maintained cash balances that exceed federally insured limits.
Accounts Receivable
The Company extends credit to its customers in the normal course of business and performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers, maintaining an allowance for potential credit losses. Accounts receivable is reported net of the allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is based on management’s estimate of the amount of receivables that will be collected. The Company recorded an allowance for doubtful accounts of $60,325 and $0 as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company accounts for employee stock-based compensation in accordance with the guidance of FASB ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation which requires all share-based payments to employees, including the vesting of restricted stock grants to employees, to be recognized in the financial statements based on their fair values. The fair value of the equity instrument is charged directly to compensation expense and credited to common stock and capital in excess of par value during the period during which services are rendered.
The Company follows ASC Topic 505-50, formerly EITF 96-18, “Accounting for Equity Instruments that are Issued to Other than Employees for Acquiring, or in Conjunction with Selling Goods and Services,” for common stock issued to consultants and other non-employees. These shares of common stock are issued as compensation for services provided to the Company and are accounted for based upon the fair market value of the common stock. The fair value of the equity instrument is charged directly to compensation expense, or to prepaid expenses in instances where stock was issued under a contractual arrangement to a consultant who agreed to provide services over a period of time.
F-8 |
Advertising Expenses
Advertising and marketing expenses are recorded separately in the Statements of Operations and are expensed as incurred.
Equity Securities
All investments in equity securities are initially measured at cost. Cost is based upon either the cost of the investment, the fair value of the services provided or the estimated market value of the investment at the time it was acquired, whichever can be more clearly determined. If the Company identifies an observable price change in an orderly transaction for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer, the Company measures the equity security at fair value as of the date that the observable transaction occurred.
Use of Estimates
In preparing financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The most significant estimate relates to investments, the allowance for doubtful accounts and the income tax valuation allowance. On a continual basis, management reviews its estimates, utilizing currently available information, changes in facts and circumstances, historical experience and reasonable assumptions. After such reviews, and if deemed appropriate, those estimates are adjusted accordingly. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Determination of Fair Value
Cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable
In general, carrying amounts approximate fair value because of the short maturity of these instruments.
Deferred Revenue
Deferred Revenue represents revenues collected but not earned as of the year end. The Company renders services, or rights to use its software, over a specific time period and revenues are recognized as earned as time passes.
Debt
At April 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company’s secured and unsecured debt was carried at its face value plus accrued interest.
The Company has no instruments with significant off balance sheet risk.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments-Credit Losses. The new guidance provides better representation about expected credit losses on financial instruments. This update requires the use of a methodology that reflects expected losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportive information to inform credit loss estimates. This ASU is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The company is studying the impact of adopting the ASU in fiscal year 2023, and what effect it could have. The Company believes the accounting change would not have a material effect on the financial statements.
In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Improvement to Nonemployee Share-based Payment Accounting, which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments. The company elected early adoption of this ASU, using the modified retrospective approach, so that all stock compensation to employees and nonemployees is treated under the same guidance as in ASC 718.
In December 2019, the 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 us in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 on a prospective basis, and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards could have a material effect on the accompanying financial statements. As new accounting pronouncements are issued, we will adopt those that are applicable under the circumstances.
2. Concentrations
For the year ended April 30, 2021, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 15% of its revenues, a third customer that constituted 14% of its revenues and a fourth customer that accounted for 11% of its revenues. For the year ended April 30, 2020, the Company had one customer that constituted 47% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 31% of its revenues and a third customer that accounted for 13% of its revenues.
F-9 |
3. Debt
The following table summarizes components debt as of April 30, 2021 and 2020:
Schedule of Debt | ||||||||||||
2021 | 2020 | Interest Rate | ||||||||||
Secured lender | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,000,000 | 8.00 | % | ||||||
Notes payable – related parties | 22,860 | 15,000 | 0.0 | % | ||||||||
Demand notes payable | 7,860 | 0.0 | % | |||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 1,885,800 | 1.0 | % | |||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 500,000 | 3.75 | % | |||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 1,885,800 | 1.0 | % | |||||||||
Loan payable – bank | 34,324 | 34,324 | 5.5 | % | ||||||||
Total debt | 5,328,784 | 1,057,184 | ||||||||||
Less: current portion of long-term debt | 2,942,984 | 1,057,184 | ||||||||||
Total long-term debt | $ | 2,385,800 | $ |
As of April 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company owed its principal lender (“Lender”) $1,000,000 under a loan and security agreement (“Loan”) dated April 28, 2011, that was amended on July 26, 2014 and again on October 31, 2017, October 31, 2020, January 31, 2021 and April 30, 2021. The Lender was the largest shareholder of the Company owning 32.6% of the shares issued and outstanding as of April 30, 2020. However, with the purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., the Lender owns less than 10% of the Company and is no longer considered a related party.
The Loan was amended on October 31, 2020 to change the maturity date to January 31, 2021, and increase the interest rate from 1.25% to 8% per annum. The Loan has been further amended to change the maturity date to April 30, 2023.
In connection with the financing, the Company has agreed to certain restrictive covenants, including, among others, that the Company may not convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any part of its business or property, except as permitted in the agreement, dissolve, liquidate or merge with any other party unless, in the case of a merger, the Company is the surviving entity, incur any indebtedness except as defined in the agreement, create or allow a lien on any of its assets or collateral that has been pledged to the Lender, make any loans to any person, except for prepaid items or deposits incurred in the ordinary course of business, or make any material capital expenditures. To secure the payment of all obligations to the Lender, the Company granted to the Lender a continuing security interest and first lien on all of the assets of the Company.
As of April 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company’s related-party unsecured notes payable totaled $22,860 and $15,000, respectively. Demand notes payable totaled $0 and $7,860 as of April 30, 2021 and 2020. The demand notes totaling $7,860 were determined to be related party notes as of the date of the acquisition of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. (“Funding Portal”) because the notes are from a board member of the Funding Portal and the former parent of the Funding Portal, which is now the Company’s largest shareholder, owning shares of common stock of the Company, or 76.7% as of April 30, 2021.
The Company also owes $34,324 as of April 30, 2021 and 2020 to Chase Bank. For the loan from Chase Bank, the Company pays interest only on a monthly basis, which is calculated at a rate of 5.5% per annum.
On May 6, 2020, the Company borrowed $1,885,800 (the “May Loan”), on June 17, 2020 the Company borrowed $500,000 (the “June Loan”), and on February 2, 2021, the Company borrowed $1,885,800 (the “February Loan”) from an SBA loan program.
The May loan bears interest at a rate of 1% per annum and the SBA has postponed any installment payments until September 6, 2021. The Company is applying for forgiveness of the May Loan and believes it will be forgiven in its entirety.
The June Loan requires installment payments of $2,437 monthly, beginning on June 17, 2021, over a term of thirty years. However, the SBA has postponed the first installment payment for 12 months. Interest accrues at a rate of 3.75% per annum. The Company agreed to grant a continuing security interest in its assets to secure payment and performance of all debts, liabilities, and obligations to the SBA. The June Loan was personally guaranteed by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.
The February loan bears interest at a rate of 1% per annum and the due date of the first payment is May 22, 2022. The Company plans to apply for forgiveness of the February Loan and believes will be forgiven in its entirety.
In fiscal 2020, the Company received a $10,000 advance from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) in conjunction with an Economic Injury Disaster Loan application. Based upon SBA information regarding the advance payments that were made to U.S. businesses, the Company considers the $10,000 received as a grant and recorded the $10,000 as other income.
As of April 30, 2021 future payments under debt obligations over each of the next five years and thereafter were as follows:
Schedule of future payments under short-and long-term debt agreements | ||||||
Twelve months ended April 30: | ||||||
2022 | $ | 2,942,984 | ||||
2023 | 1,895,950 | |||||
2024 | 11,478 | |||||
2025 | 11,916 | |||||
2026 | 12,370 | |||||
Thereafter | 454,086 | |||||
Minimum future payments of principal | $ | 5,328,800 | ||||
F-10 |
4. Fair Value Measurements
The Company uses fair value measurements to record fair value adjustments to certain assets and liabilities and to determine fair value disclosures of financial instruments on a recurring basis.
Fair Value Hierarchy
The Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.
Level 2 inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.
Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below as of April 30, 2021 and 2020:
Schedule of Financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis | ||||||||||||||||
Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Total | |||||||||||||
April 30, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||
Equity securities at fair value | $ | $ | 6,298,008 | $ | $ | 6,298,008 | ||||||||||
April 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||
Equity securities at fair value | $ | $ | 1,406,982 | $ | $ | 1,406,982 |
Determination of Fair Value
Under the Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, the Company bases its fair value on 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. It is the Company’s policy to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when developing fair value measurements, in accordance with the fair value hierarchy. Fair value measurements for assets and liabilities where there exists limited or no observable market data and, therefore, are based primarily upon management’s own estimates, are often calculated based on current pricing policy, the economic and competitive environment, the characteristics of the asset or liability and other such factors. Therefore, the results cannot be determined with precision and may not be realized in an actual sale or immediate settlement of the asset or liability. Additionally, there may be inherent weaknesses in any calculation technique, and changes in the underlying assumptions used, including discount rates and estimates of future cash flows, that could significantly affect the results of current or future value.
See Note 1 for a description of valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities recorded at fair value and for estimating fair value where it is practicable to do so for financial instruments not recorded at fair value (disclosures required by the Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification).
5. Income Taxes
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("Tax Act") was enacted on December 22, 2017. Among numerous provisions, the Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, requires companies to pay a one-time transition tax on earnings of certain foreign subsidiaries that were previously tax deferred, and creates new taxes on certain foreign sourced earnings. As a result of the Tax Act, the Company re-measured certain deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the rates at which they are expected to reverse in the future, which is generally 21%.
As of April 30, 2021, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards for Federal income tax purposes of approximately $890,000 expiring in the years of 2022 through 2035. Utilization of the net operating losses may be subject to annual limitations provided by Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code and similar state provisions.
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of April 30, 2021 and 2020 were as follows:
Schedule of Income Taxes | ||||||||
2021 | 2020 | |||||||
Deferred tax assets, net: | ||||||||
Net operating loss carryforwards | $ | 141,000 | $ | 140,000 | ||||
Bad debt expense | 17,000 | — | ||||||
Stock-based compensation | 155,000 | |||||||
Asset impairment loss | — | 40,000 | ||||||
Deferred tax assets | 313,000 | 180,000 | ||||||
Deferred tax liability | ||||||||
Unrealized gain | 746,000 | |||||||
Total deferred tax liability | 746,000 | |||||||
Total net deferred tax assets (liabilities) | $ | (433,000 | ) | $ | 180,000 |
F-11 |
The valuation allowance is $0 as of April 30, 2021 and April 30, 2020. . Company management believes that historical, current and expected earnings are sufficient to meet the more likely than not standard to enable the Company to utilize the deferred tax asset.
The Company did not have any material unrecognized tax benefits as of April 30, 2021 and 2020. The Company does not expect the unrecognized tax benefits to significantly increase or decrease within the next twelve months. The Company recorded no interest and penalties relating to unrecognized tax benefits as of and during the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020. The Company is subject to U.S. federal income tax, as well as taxes by various state jurisdictions. The Company is currently open to audit under the statute of limitations by the federal and state jurisdictions for the years ending April 30, 2019 through 2021.
6. Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation
The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims that arise in the ordinary course of its business. In the opinion of management, the amount of ultimate liability, if any, is not likely to have a material effect on the financial condition, results of operations or liquidity of the Company. However, as the outcome of litigation or legal claims is difficult to predict, significant changes in the estimated exposures could occur. There are no known legal complaints or claims against the Company.
The Company utilizes office space in Boston, Massachusetts, at a cost of approximately $3,600 per month, one-year membership agreement that ends on March 31, 2022. The membership agreement includes a deposit of $6,300.
A novel strain of coronavirus, or COVID-19, has spread throughout the world and has been declared to be a pandemic by the World Health Organization. As of the date this report was issued, our operations have not been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The number of people establishing accounts on our website Netcapital.com has more than doubled during the pandemic. Most of our employees work remotely from a home office to access our technology, which runs 24 hours a day on the internet. However, we cannot at this time predict the specific extent, duration, or full impact that the COVID-19 outbreak will have on our financial condition, operations, and business plans for fiscal year 2022. Our operations have adapted social distancing practices, and the next expected milestones of our product may be impacted, and we may experience delays in anticipated timelines and milestones.
7. Stockholders’ Equity
The Company is authorized to issue 900,000,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001. 2,178,766 and 417,059 shares were outstanding as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. In August 2020, the board of directors authorized a reverse split of the common stock on a 1-for-2,000 basis, whereby the Company issued to each of its stockholders one share of Common Stock for every 2,000 shares of common stock held by such stockholder. The reverse split was effective on November 5, 2020. The financial statements for the year ended April 30, 2020 have been adjusted to give effect to the reverse split. As of April 30, 2020, the balance sheet accounts for capital in excess of par value and for common stock were increased and decreased by $830,852, respectively.
In fiscal 2021, 99,270 shares of common stock were issued for stock-based compensation, 1,666,360 shares of common stock were issued to purchase Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., and 5,000 shares of common stock were returned to the Company in exchange for a 20% ownership of AthenaSoft Corp. that was acquired by the Company during fiscal 2018. The book value of the AthenaSoft Corp. shares surrendered by the Company was zero dollars, as the Company had recognized an impairment loss in a prior year. The Company also issued 1,077 shares of common stock, valued at $15,000, to pay a $15,000 liability.
In fiscal 2020, 39,375 shares of common stock were issued for stock-based compensation.
For the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded $and $, respectively, in stock-based compensation expense. As of April 30, 2021 and 2020, there was $631,878 and $609,010 of prepaid stock-based compensation expense.
The table below presents the components of stock-based compensation expense for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020.
The table below presents the shares issued as compensation for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020:
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
Description | April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | ||||||
Chief Executive Officer | 13,125 | |||||||
Chief Financial Officer | 13,125 | |||||||
Chief Marketing Officer | 3,646 | 625 | ||||||
Related party consultant | 6,250 | |||||||
Business consultant | 6,250 | |||||||
Marketing consultant | 625 | |||||||
Marketing consultant | 20,000 | |||||||
Marketing consultant | 75,000 | |||||||
Total | 99,270 | 39,375 |
The table below presents the prepaid stock-based compensation expense as of April 30, 2021 and 2020:
Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
Description | April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | ||||||
Chief Executive Officer | $ | 40,608 | $ | 201,715 | ||||
Chief Financial Officer | 40,608 | 201,715 | ||||||
Related party consultant | 25,908 | 102,790 | ||||||
Business consultant | 25,908 | 102,790 | ||||||
Marketing consultant | 380,441 | |||||||
Marketing consultant | 118,405 | |||||||
Total | $ | 631,878 | $ | 609,010 |
F-12 |
Earnings per common share data was computed as follows:
Schedule of earnings per share | ||||||||
2021 | 2020 | |||||||
Net income (loss) | $ | 1,469,660 | $ | 604,851 | ||||
Weighted average common shares outstanding | 1,250,002 | 402,284 | ||||||
Effect of dilutive securities | 397,293 | |||||||
Weighted average dilutive common shares outstanding | 1,647,295 | 402,284 | ||||||
Earnings per common share – basic | $ | 1.18 | $ | 1.50 | ||||
Earnings per common share – diluted | $ | 0.89 | $ | 1.50 |
397,293 shares that are issuable to satisfy a supplemental consideration liability were included for the calculation of earnings per share for the year ended April 30, 2021 because their effect is dilutive. No dilutive securities existed as of April 30, 2020.
9. Related Party Transactions
The Company’s majority shareholder, Netcapital DE LLC, owns 1,671,360 shares of common stock, or 76.7% of the Company as of April 30, 2021. The Company has a demand note payable to Netcapital DE LLC of $4,600 and a demand note payable to one of its managers of $3,200. In addition, the Company has accrued a payable of $3,817,516 for supplemental consideration owed in conjunction with its purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. See Note 12 for details of an issuance of common stock to pay off $3,461,462 of this liability. In total the Company owed its largest shareholder $3,822,116 as of April 30, 2021. The company paid its majority shareholder $100,000 in fiscal 2021 for use of the software that runs the website www.netcapital.com.
Compensation to officers in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of common stock valued at $353,907 and $231,131, respectively, and cash compensation of $332,724 and $72,000, respectively.
Compensation to a related party consultant in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 consisted of common stock valued at $76,882 and $49,711, respectively, and cash compensation of $81,431 and $26,200, respectively. This consultant is also the controlling shareholder of Zelgor Inc. and the Company earned revenues from Zelgor Inc. of $1,400,000 in the year ended April 30, 2021.
Compensation to two board members of Netcapital DE LLC amounted to $162,123 and $0 in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. One of these board members also received stock-based compensation of $76,882 and $49,711 for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
We owe Steven Geary, a director, $31,680 as of April 30, 2021 and 2020. This obligation is not interest bearing. $16,680 is recorded as a related party trade accounts payable and $15,000 as a related party note payable. We have no signed agreements for the indebtedness to Mr. Geary.
The Company made an investment of $122,914 in an affiliate, 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc., in conjunction with a land lease in an airport in Alaska. Our Chief Executive Officer is also the Chief Executive Officer of 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc. As a result of the investment, the Company is a 10% owner of 6A Aviation Consortium Inc.
As of April 30, 2021 and 2020, we owed $9,490 and $0 to a company controlled by one of our directors. We paid cash compensation of $29,738 and $0 to this director for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. On April 30, 2020, we sold 722 membership interest units (the "Units") of Netcapital Systems LLC ("Netcapital") to the company controlled by this related party at a price of $91.15 per Unit for a total of $65,823, which paid off all debt and accrued interest payable to the related party as of that date. The price per Unit was similar to an offer to purchase Units directly from Netcapital.
The carrying amount of the 722 Units was $659,186, and the sale resulted in a realized loss of $593,363. Based upon the price of $91.15 per Unit, for the year ended April 30, 2020, the Company recorded an impairment loss of $185,952, which is not tax deductible, on the remaining Units in its possession.
10. Investments
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with Watch Party LLC (“WP”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 110,000 membership interest units of WP in return for consulting services. The WP units are valued at $2.14 per unit based on a sales price of $2.14 per unit on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $235,400 for the year ended April 30, 2021.
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with ChipBrain LLC (“ChipBrain”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 710,200 membership interest units of ChipBrain in return for consulting services. The ChipBrain units are valued at $0.93 per unit based on a sales price of $0.93 per unit on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $660,486 for the year ended April 30, 2021. ChipBrain subsequently sold identical ChipBrain units for $2.40 per unit on an online funding portal.
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with a related party, Zelgor Inc. (“Zelgor”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 1,400,000 shares of common stock of Zelgor in return for consulting services. The Company earned 1,050,000 shares in the quarter ended July 31, 2020 and 350,000 shares in the quarter ending October 31, 2020. The Zelgor shares are valued at $1.00 per share based on a sales price of $1.00 per share on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $1,400,000 for the year ended April 30, 2021. The $1.00 per share valuation was derived based on a combination of multiple transactions on a secondary trading platform in which shares were purchased at $1.00 per share, and two private offerings of shares, one at a selling price of $0.50 per share and the other at $2.00 per share.
On January 2, 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with Deuce Drone LLC (“Drone”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 2,350,000 membership interest units of Drone in return for consulting services. The Company earned all 2,350,000 membership interest units in fiscal 2020. The Drone units are valued at $0.35 per unit based on a sales price of $0.35 per unit when the units were earned, or $822,500. Drone subsequently sold identical Drone units for $1.00 per unit on an online funding portal.
In August 2019, the Company entered a consulting contract with KingsCrowd LLC (“KingsCrowd”), which allowed the Company to receive 300,000 membership interest units of KingsCrowd in return for consulting services. The KingsCrowd units were valued at $1.80 per unit based on a sales price of $1.80 per unit when the units were earned, or $540,000. In December 2020, KingsCrowd converted from a limited liability company to a corporation to facilitate raising capital under Regulation A. KingsCrowd filed a Form 1-A Offering Statement under the Securities Act of 1933. In connection with the conversion to a corporation, each membership interest unit converted into 12.71915 shares of common stock. As of April 30, 2021, the Company owns 3,815,745 shares of KingsCrowd Inc. The selling price of the stock is set at $1.00 per share in the preliminary offering circular.
During fiscal 2019, the Company entered a consulting contract with Netcapital DE LLC (“Netcapital”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 1,000 membership interest units of Netcapital in return for consulting services. The Company earned 40 units in the quarter ended July 31, 2020, at a value of $91.15 per unit, or $3,646. The Company earned all 1,000 Netcapital units but sold a portion of the units in fiscal 2020 at a sales price of $91.15 per unit. As of April 30, 2021, the Company owns 528 Netcapital units, at a value of $48,128.
On July 20, 2020 the Company entered a consulting agreement with Vymedic, Inc. for a $40,000 fee over a 5-month period. Half the fee is payable in stock and half is payable in cash. As of April 30, 2021, the Company earned $20,000 worth of stock.
F-13 |
The following table summarizes the components of equity securities as of April 30, 2021 and 2020:
Schedule of investments | ||||||||
April 30, 2021 | April 30, 2020 | |||||||
Netcapital DE LLC | $ | 48,128 | $ | 44,482 | ||||
Watch Party LLC | 235,400 | |||||||
Zelgor Inc. | 1,400,000 | |||||||
ChipBrain LLC | 1,704,480 | |||||||
Vymedic, Inc. | 20,000 | |||||||
Deuce Drone LLC | 2,350,000 | 822,500 | ||||||
KingsCrowd LLC | 540,000 | 540,000 | ||||||
Total Investments at cost | $ | 6,298,008 | $ | 1,406,982 |
The above investments in equity securities are within the scope of ASC 321. The Company monitors the investments for any changes in observable prices from orderly transactions. All investments are initially measured at cost and evaluated for impairment. Impairment expense of $0 and $185,952 was recognized in the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company identified that two securities, ChipBrain LLC and Deuce Drone LLC, that had an observable price change. The result of these price changes was an increase in the fair value of the equity securities totaling $2,571,494 in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021, which was recorded in the income statement as an unrealized gain on equity securities.
11. Business Acquisition
On August 23, 2020, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (“Agreement”) whereby Netcapital DE LLC (“Systems”) would become an 80% owner of the Company. Pursuant to the requirements of this agreement, the Company filed a definitive information statement on September 21, 2020 to change the Company’s corporate name from ValueSetters, Inc. to Netcapital Inc and to amend the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to effect a stock combination, or reverse stock split, pursuant to which 2,000 shares of the Company’s common stock would be exchanged for one new share of common stock. In conjunction with the merger agreement, the Company issued 1,666,360 to Systems on November 5, 2020.
The Agreement is a tax-free merger of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. (“FP”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Systems, with Netcapital Acquisition Vehicle Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, wherein FP was the surviving corporation. This transaction is designed to enhance the Company’s revenues and ability to provide services to democratize the private capital markets while helping companies at all stages to build, grow and fund their businesses with a full range of services from strategic advice to raising capital. As a result of the transaction, the company is expected to be a leading provider of private capital transactions for entrepreneurs seeking to raise money under the exemption provided by section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933, which allows private companies to raise up to $5 million every 12 months.
ASC 805-10-25-4 requires the identification of one of the combining entities in each business combination as the acquirer. Upon evaluation of the components of the business combination, including the relative voting rights in the combined entity, the composition of the governing body and senior management of the combined entity, the relative size of each entity and the terms of the exchange of equity interests, the Company recorded the transaction in the third quarter of fiscal 2021 as a purchase. In conjunction with the purchase, Systems agreed to vote all of its shares of common stock to support the resolutions of the existing board of directors of the Company.
The following table summarizes the value of the consideration for FP and the amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in conjunction with the Agreement.
Schedule of Merger agreement | ||||
Consideration:
1,666,360 shares of common stock of the Company | $ | 11,331,248 | ||
Payment of promissory notes and interest | 3,817,516 | |||
Total consideration | $ | 15,148,764 | ||
Recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed: | ||||
Cash | $ | 358,634 | ||
Current assets | 8,894 | |||
Accounts payable | (29,023 | ) | ||
Platform users | 7,080,319 | |||
Platform investors | 6,288,392 | |||
Platform issuers | 903,125 | |||
Unpatented technology | 532,118 | |||
Total identifiable net assets | $ | 15,148,764 |
The fair value of the common shares issued as the consideration for FP was determined by the most recent (the prior day’s) closing price of the Company’s common shares at the time the shares were issued. The fair value of the assets and the liabilities of FP equaled their book value. Four identifiable intangible assets were valued; platform users, platform investors, platform issuers and unpatented technology (collectively the “Intangible Assets”). The estimated market value of the Intangible Assets is approximately $27,800,000. This amount is derived from valuing the IP functionality, brand, and license of FP at $1,000,000; valuing current issuers and pipeline issuers at approximately $14,000 each; valuing platform users at $382 each; and valuing investors at $1,025 each. These values are derived from comparing the FP Intangible Assets to the values recorded by funding portal offerings of FP’s competitors in public filings via Regulations CF and Regulation A.
The excess of purchase price over the total identifiable tangible net assets of $344,810, leaves an aggregate value of $14,803,954 to be assigned to the Intangible Assets. The estimated value of the $27,800,000 of Intangible Assets is allocated on a percentage basis in the above table to equal $14,803,954.
None of FP’s revenues and earnings are included in the Company’s consolidated income statements through the day of closing of November 5, 2020. The consolidated income statements for the year ended April 30, 2021 include $834,981 in revenues from FP. If the entities had been combined for the two reporting periods, the supplemental pro forma revenues and earnings are as follows:
F-14 |
Schedule of Pro forma revenue and earnings | ||||||||||||
Revenues | Earnings | |||||||||||
Supplemental pro forma for 4/1/20 – 11/04/20 | $ | 2,866,063 | $ | 282,264 | ||||||||
Supplemental pro forma for 4/1/19 – 11/04/19 | $ | 1,018,200 | $ | 680,212 |
Included in the supplemental pro forma information above is revenue earned by the Company from Netcapital DE LLC of $18,646 and $152,864 in the periods ended November 4, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
12. Subsequent Events
The Company evaluated subsequent events through the date these financial statements were available to be issued.
On June 2, 2021, the Company loaned $50,000 to a related party. The unpaid principal balance on the note is subject to an interest rate of 5% per annum and matures on June 2, 2022.
On June 30, 2021, the Company loaned $50,000 to a related party. The unpaid principal balance on the note is subject to an interest rate of 8% per annum and matures on June 30, 2022.
In July 2021, the Company issued 361,736 shares of its common stock as payment of $3,523,462 of supplemental consideration that was owed to its affiliate, Netcapital Systems Inc. The 361,736 shares of common stock include an aggregate of 32,458 shares of common stock, that paid off liabilities totaling $316,130, that were made to a company controlled by a member of the board of managers of Netcapital DE LLC and to an individual manager.
In July 2021, the Company completed an offering for gross proceeds of $1,592,400 in conjunction with the sale of restricted shares of common stock at a price of $9.00 per share. A total of 176,934 shares of common stock were issued.
F-15 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Unaudited | Audited | |||||||
Assets: | January 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 477,134 | $ | 2,473,959 | ||||
Accounts receivable net | 2,257,174 | 1,356,932 | ||||||
Prepaid expenses | 9,987 | 653,861 | ||||||
Total current assets | 2,744,295 | 4,484,752 | ||||||
Deposits | 6,300 | 6,300 | ||||||
Notes receivable - related parties | 202,000 | |||||||
Purchased technology | 15,536,704 | 14,803,954 | ||||||
Investment in affiliate | 240,080 | 122,914 | ||||||
Equity securities at fair value | 11,261,253 | 6,298,008 | ||||||
Total assets | $ | 29,990,632 | $ | 25,715,928 | ||||
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity | ||||||||
Current liabilities: | ||||||||
Accounts payable | ||||||||
Trade | $ | 437,326 | $ | 308,506 | ||||
Related party | 320,224 | 3,843,686 | ||||||
Accrued expenses | 253,285 | 306,308 | ||||||
Stock subscription payable | 277,650 | 1,199,996 | ||||||
Deferred revenue | 25,613 | 622 | ||||||
Interest payable | 187,239 | 116,483 | ||||||
Deferred tax liability, net | 981,000 | 433,000 | ||||||
Related party debt | 22,860 | 22,860 | ||||||
Secured note payable | 1,000,000 | |||||||
Current portion of SBA loans | 951,417 | 1,885,800 | ||||||
Loan payable - bank | 34,324 | 34,324 | ||||||
Total current liabilities | 3,490,938 | 9,151,585 | ||||||
Long-term liabilities: | ||||||||
Secured note payable | 1,000,000 | |||||||
Long-term SBA loans, less current portion | 1,434,383 | 2,385,800 | ||||||
Total Liabilities | 5,925,321 | 11,537,385 | ||||||
Commitments and contingencies | ||||||||
Stockholders' equity: | ||||||||
Common stock, $par value; shares authorized, and shares issued and outstanding | 2,896 | 2,178 | ||||||
Capital in excess of par value | 22,050,777 | 15,168,987 | ||||||
Retained earnings (deficit) | 2,011,638 | (992,622 | ) | |||||
Total stockholders' equity | 24,065,311 | 14,178,543 | ||||||
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity | $ | 29,990,632 | $ | 25,715,928 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
F-16 |
NETCAPITAL INC. |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations |
(Unaudited) |
Nine Months Ended | Nine Months Ended | Three Months Ended | Three Months Ended | |||||||||||||
January 31, 2022 | January 31, 2021 | January 31, 2022 | January 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||
Revenues | $ | 3,636,050 | $ | 3,770,813 | $ | 1,811,041 | $ | 1,277,327 | ||||||||
Costs of services | 85,429 | 730,343 | 39,349 | 16,119 | ||||||||||||
Gross profit | 3,550,621 | 3,040,470 | 1,771,692 | 1,261,208 | ||||||||||||
Costs and expenses: | ||||||||||||||||
Consulting expense | 675,180 | 391,206 | 309,545 | 126,212 | ||||||||||||
Marketing | 67,771 | 21,620 | 23,945 | 12,838 | ||||||||||||
Rent | 34,480 | 39,516 | 11,869 | 12,718 | ||||||||||||
Payroll and payroll related expenses | 3,032,987 | 2,153,561 | 1,241,332 | 857,228 | ||||||||||||
General and administrative costs | 1,277,146 | 235,054 | 320,724 | 159,554 | ||||||||||||
Total costs and expenses | 5,087,564 | 2,840,957 | 1,907,415 | 1,168,550 | ||||||||||||
Operating income (loss) | (1,536,943 | ) | 199,513 | (135,723 | ) | 92,658 | ||||||||||
Other income (expense): | ||||||||||||||||
Interest expense | (90,844 | ) | (53,690 | ) | (20,573 | ) | (30,126 | ) | ||||||||
Debt forgiveness | 1,904,302 | 1,904,302 | ||||||||||||||
Unrealized gain on equity securities | 3,275,745 | |||||||||||||||
Total other income (expense) | 5,089,203 | (53,690 | ) | 1,883,729 | (30,126 | ) | ||||||||||
Net income before taxes | 3,552,260 | 145,823 | 1,748,006 | 62,532 | ||||||||||||
Income tax provision (benefit) | 548,000 | 42,288 | (73,000 | ) | 19,890 | |||||||||||
Net income | $ | 3,004,260 | $ | 103,535 | $ | 1,821,006 | $ | 42,642 | ||||||||
Basic earnings per share | $ | 1.16 | $ | 0.11 | $ | 0.64 | $ | 0.02 | ||||||||
Diluted earnings per share | $ | 1.14 | $ | 0.11 | $ | 0.63 | $ | 0.02 | ||||||||
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: | ||||||||||||||||
Basic | 2,589,142 | 948,058 | 2,842,924 | 2,012,723 | ||||||||||||
Diluted | 2,629,043 | 948,058 | 2,882,825 | 2,012,729 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
F-17 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Equity (Unaudited)
Common Stock | Capital in Excess of | Retained Earnings | Total | |||||||||||||||||
Shares | Amount | Par Value | (Deficit) | Equity | ||||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2019 | 377,685 | $ | 378 | $ | 2,201,497 | $ | (3,067,133 | ) | $ | (865,258 | ) | |||||||||
Q1 stock-based compensation | 1,406 | 1 | 19,687 | 19,688 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, July 31, 2019 | — | 24,475 | 24,475 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, July 31, 2019 | 379,091 | 379 | 2,221,184 | (3,042,658 | ) | (821,095 | ) | |||||||||||||
Q2 stock-based compensation | 37,656 | 38 | 917,305 | 917,343 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, October 31, 2019 | — | 542,451 | 542,451 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, October 31, 2019 | 416,747 | 417 | 3,138,489 | (2,500,207 | ) | 638,699 | ||||||||||||||
Q3 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,500 | 1,500 | |||||||||||||||||
Net income, January 31, 2020 | — | 595,174 | 595,174 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 31, 2020 | 416,903 | 417 | 3,139,989 | (1,905,033 | ) | 1,235,373 | ||||||||||||||
Q4 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,032 | 1,032 | |||||||||||||||||
Net loss, April 30, 2020 | — | (557,249 | ) | (557,249 | ) | |||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2020 | 417,059 | 417 | 3,141,021 | (2,462,282 | ) | 679,156 | ||||||||||||||
Q1 stock-based compensation | 156 | 1,406 | 1,406 | |||||||||||||||||
Net income, July 31, 2020 | — | 30,871 | 30,871 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, July 31, 2020 | 417,215 | 417 | 3,142,427 | (2,431,411 | ) | 711,433 | ||||||||||||||
Q2 stock-based compensation | 2,240 | 2 | 18,555 | 18,557 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, October 31, 2020 | — | 30,022 | 30,022 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, October 31, 2020 | 419,455 | 419 | 3,160,982 | (2,401,389 | ) | 760,012 | ||||||||||||||
Shares issued to acquire funding portal | 1,666,360 | 1,666 | 11,329,582 | 11,331,248 | ||||||||||||||||
Return of shares of common stock | (5,000 | ) | (5 | ) | 5 | |||||||||||||||
Q3 stock-based compensation | 937 | 1 | 6,239 | 6,240 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, January 31, 2021 | — | 42,642 | 42,642 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 31, 2021 | 2,081,752 | 2,081 | 14,496,808 | (2,358,747 | ) | 12,140,142 | ||||||||||||||
Q4 stock-based compensation | 95,937 | 96 | 657,180 | 657,276 | ||||||||||||||||
Shares issued for debt settlement | 1,077 | 1 | 14,999 | 15,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, April 30, 2021 | 1,366,125 | 1,366,125 | ||||||||||||||||||
Balance, April 30, 2021 | 2,178,766 | 2,178 | 15,168,987 | (992,622 | ) | 14,178,543 | ||||||||||||||
Q1 stock-based compensation | 937 | 2 | 14,054 | 14,056 | ||||||||||||||||
Sale of common stock | 176,934 | 176 | 1,592,219 | 1,592,395 | ||||||||||||||||
Shares issued to settle related party accounts payable | 361,736 | 362 | 3,523,100 | 3,523,462 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, July 31, 2021 | — | 1,457,410 | 1,457,410 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, July 31, 2021 | 2,718,373 | 2,718 | 20,298,360 | 464,788 | 20,765,866 | |||||||||||||||
Q2 stock-based compensation | 937 | 1 | 10,072 | 10,073 | ||||||||||||||||
Net loss, October 31, 2021 | (274,156 | ) | (274,156 | ) | ||||||||||||||||
Balance, October 31, 2021 | 2,719,310 | 2,719 | 20,308,432 | 190,632 | 20,501,783 | |||||||||||||||
Q3 stock-based compensation | 55,312 | 55 | 553,967 | 554,022 | ||||||||||||||||
Purchase of equity interest | 50,000 | 50 | 499,950 | 500,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Purchase of MSG Development Corp. | 50,000 | 50 | 488,450 | 488,500 | ||||||||||||||||
Sale of common stock | 22,222 | 22 | 199,978 | 200,000 | ||||||||||||||||
Net income, January 31, 2022 | — | 1,821,006 | 1,821,006 | |||||||||||||||||
Balance, January 31, 2022 | 2,896,844 | $ | 2,896 | $ | 22,050,777 | $ | 2,011,638 | $ | 24,065,311 |
See Accompanying Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
F-18 |
NETCAPITAL INC. |
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows |
(Unaudited)
January 31, 2022 | January 31, 2021 | |||||||
OPERATING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Net income | $ | 3,004,260 | $ | 103,535 | ||||
Adjustment to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
Stock-based compensation | 1,137,042 | 386,121 | ||||||
Non-cash revenue from the receipt of equity | (1,187,500 | ) | (2,319,532 | ) | ||||
Unrealized gain on equity securities | (3,275,745 | ) | ||||||
Debt forgiveness | (1,904,302 | ) | ||||||
Provision for bad debts | 29,000 | |||||||
Changes in deferred taxes | 548,000 | 42,288 | ||||||
Changes in non-cash working capital balances: | ||||||||
Accounts receivable | (900,242 | ) | (1,001,586 | ) | ||||
Prepaid expenses | 21,983 | (3,144 | ) | |||||
Accounts payable and accrued expenses | 138,797 | 250,587 | ||||||
Accounts payable - related party | 37,314 | |||||||
Deferred revenue | 24,991 | (67 | ) | |||||
Accrued interest payable | 89,258 | |||||||
Net cash used in operating activities | (2,303,458 | ) | (2,475,484 | ) | ||||
INVESTING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Proceeds from purchase of funding portal | 364,939 | |||||||
Loans to affiliates | (202,000 | ) | ||||||
Investment in affiliate | (117,166 | ) | ||||||
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | (319,166 | ) | 364,939 | |||||
FINANCING ACTIVITIES | ||||||||
Proceeds from SBA loans | 2,385,800 | |||||||
Proceeds from stock subscriptions | 625,799 | |||||||
Net cash provided by financing activities | 625,799 | 2,385,800 | ||||||
Net increase (decrease) in cash | (1,996,825 | ) | 275,255 | |||||
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of the period | 2,473,959 | 11,206 | ||||||
Cash and cash equivalents, end of the period | $ | 477,134 | $ | 286,461 | ||||
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: | ||||||||
Cash paid for taxes | $ | $ | ||||||
Cash paid for interest | $ | 1,592 | $ | 1,595 | ||||
Supplemental Non-Cash Financing Information: | ||||||||
Common stock issued to purchase subsidiary | $ | 488,500 | $ | |||||
Common stock issued to purchase 10% interest in Caesar Media Group Inc. | $ | 500,000 | $ | |||||
Common stock issued to reduce related party payable | $ | 3,523,462 | $ |
See Accompanying Notes to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements
F-19 |
NETCAPITAL INC.
Notes To Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements (Unaudited)
Note 1– Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements of Netcapital Inc. (the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022. For further information, refer to the audited financial statements and footnotes thereto in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2021.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments-Credit Losses. The new guidance provides better representation about expected credit losses on financial instruments. This update requires the use of a methodology that reflects expected losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportive information to inform credit loss estimates. This ASU is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2022, with early adoption permitted. The company is studying the impact of adopting the ASU in fiscal year 2023, and what effect it could have. The Company believes the accounting change would not have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
In December 2019, the 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 had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.
Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards could have a material effect on the accompanying financial statements. As new accounting pronouncements are issued, we will adopt those that are applicable under the circumstances.
Note 2 – Concentrations
For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, the Company had one customer that constituted 30% and 33% of revenues and a second customer that constituted 28% and 33% of revenues, respectively. For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, the Company had one related party customer that constituted 37% and 0% of its revenues, a second customer that constituted 18% and 0% of its revenues, a third customer that constituted 13% and 37% of its revenues, and a fourth customer that constituted 9% and 28% of its revenues, respectively.
Note 3 – Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition under ASC 606
The Company recognizes service revenue from its consulting contracts and its game website using the five-step model as prescribed by ASC 606:
• Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;
• Identification of the performance obligations in the contract;
• Determination of the transaction price;
• Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and
• Recognition of revenue when or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
F-20 |
The Company identifies performance obligations in contracts with customers, which primarily are professional services, listing fees on our funding portal, and a success fee of 4.9% of the money raised on the funding portal. The transaction price is determined based on the amount the Company expects to be entitled to receive in exchange for transferring the promised services to the customer. The transaction price in the contract is allocated to each distinct performance obligation in an amount that represents the relative amount of consideration expected to be received in exchange for satisfying each performance obligation. Revenue is recognized when performance obligations are satisfied. The Company usually bills its customers before it provides any services and begins performing services after the first payment is received. Contracts are typically one year or less. For larger contracts, in addition to the initial payment, the Company may allow for progress payments throughout the term of the contract.
Judgments and Estimates
The estimation of variable consideration for each performance obligation requires the Company to make subjective judgments. The Company enters into contracts with customers that regularly include promises to transfer multiple services, such as digital marketing, web-based videos, offering statements, and professional services. For arrangements with multiple services, the Company evaluates whether the individual services qualify as distinct performance obligations. In its assessment of whether a service is a distinct performance obligation, the Company determines whether the customer can benefit from the service on its own or with other readily available resources, and whether the service is separately identifiable from other services in the contract. This evaluation requires the Company to assess the nature of each individual service offering and how the services are provided in the context of the contract, including whether the services are significantly integrated, highly interrelated, or significantly modify each other, which may require judgment based on the facts and circumstances of the contract.
When agreements involve multiple distinct performance obligations, the Company allocates arrangement consideration to all performance obligations at the inception of an arrangement based on the relative standalone selling prices (SSP) of each performance obligation. Where the Company has standalone sales data for its performance obligations which are indicative of the price at which the Company sells a promised service separately to a customer, such data is used to establish SSP. In instances where standalone sales data is not available for a particular performance obligation, the Company estimates SSP by the use of observable market and cost-based inputs. The Company continues to review the factors used to establish list price and will adjust standalone selling price methodologies as necessary on a prospective basis.
Service Revenue
Service revenue from subscriptions to the Company's game website is recognized over time on a ratable basis over the contractual subscription term beginning on the date that the platform is made available to the customer. Payments received in advance of subscription services being rendered are recorded as a deferred revenue. Professional services revenue is recognized over time as the services are rendered.
When a contract with a customer is signed, the Company assesses whether collection of the fees under the arrangement is probable. The Company estimates the amount to reserve for uncollectible amounts based on the aging of the contract balance, current and historical customer trends, and communications with its customers. These reserves are recorded as operating expenses against the contract asset (Accounts Receivable).
Contract Assets
Contract assets are recorded for those parts of the contract consideration not yet invoiced but for which the performance obligations are completed. The revenue is recognized when the customer receives services. Contract assets are included in other current assets in the consolidated balance sheets and will be recognized during the succeeding twelve-month period.
Deferred Revenue
Deferred revenues represent billings or payments received in advance of revenue recognition and are recognized upon transfer of control. Balances consist primarily of annual plan subscription services and professional services not yet provided as of the balance sheet date. Deferred revenues that will be recognized during the succeeding twelve-month period are recorded as current deferred revenues in the consolidated balance sheets, with the remainder recorded as other non-current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.
F-21 |
Costs to Obtain a Customer Contract
Sales commissions and related expenses are considered incremental and recoverable costs of acquiring customer contracts. These costs are capitalized as other current or non-current assets and amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the contract, which approximates the benefit period. The benefit period was estimated by taking into consideration the length of customer contracts, technology lifecycle, and other factors. All sales commissions are recorded as consulting fees within the Company's consolidated statement of operations.
Remaining Performance Obligations
The Company's subscription terms are typically less than one year. All of the Company’s revenues in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, which amounted to $3,636,050 and $1,811,041, respectively, and for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, which amounted to $3,770,813 and $1,277,327, respectively are considered contract revenues. Contract revenue as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, which has not yet been recognized, amounted to $25,613 and $622, respectively, and is recorded on the balance sheet as deferred revenue. The Company expects to recognize revenue on all of its remaining performance obligations over the next 12 months.
Disaggregation of Revenue
Our revenue is from U.S.-based companies with no notable geographical concentrations in any area. A distinction exists in revenue source; our revenues are either generated online or from consulting services.
Revenues disaggregated by revenue source consist of the following:
Nine Months Ended Jan. 31, 2022 | Nine Months Ended Jan. 31, 2021 | Three Months Ended Jan. 31, 2022 | Three Months Ended Jan. 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||
Consulting services | $ | 2,395,395 | $ | 3,416,802 | $ | 1,389,200 | $ | 924,286 | ||||||||
Fees from online services | 1,240,655 | 354,011 | 421,841 | 353,041 | ||||||||||||
Total revenues | $ | 3,636,050 | $ | 3,770,813 | $ | 1,811,041 | $ | 1,277,327 |
Net income per common and diluted share share were calculated as follows for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 and 2021:
Nine Months Ended January 31, 2022 | Nine Months Ended January 31, 2021 | Three Months Ended January 31, 2022 | Three Months Ended January 31, 2021 | |||||||||||||
Net income attributable to common stockholders – basic | $ | 3,004,260 | $ | 103,535 | $ | 1,821,006 | $ | 42,642 | ||||||||
Adjustments to net income | ||||||||||||||||
Net income attributable to common stockholders – diluted | $ | 3,004,260 | $ | 103,535 | $ | 1,821,006 | $ | 42,642 | ||||||||
Weighted average common shares outstanding - basic | 2,589,142 | 948,058 | 2,842,924 | 2,012,723 | ||||||||||||
Effect of dilutive securities | 39,901 | 39,901 | ||||||||||||||
Weighted average common shares outstanding – diluted | 2,629,043 | 948,058 | 2,882,825 | 2,012,723 | ||||||||||||
Earnings per common share - basic | $ | 1.16 | $ | 0.11 | $ | 0.64 | $ | 0.02 | ||||||||
Earnings per common share - diluted | $ | 1.14 | $ | 0.11 | $ | 0.63 | $ | 0.02 |
F-22 |
39,901 shares that are issuable to satisfy a supplemental consideration liability were included for the calculation of earnings per share for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 because their effect is dilutive. No dilutive securities existed for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021.
Note 5 – Principal Financing Arrangements
The following table summarizes components debt as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021:
January 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | Interest Rate | ||||||||||
Secured lender | $ | 1,000,000 | $ | 1,000,000 | 8.0 | % | ||||||
Notes payable – related parties | 22,860 | 22,860 | 0.0 | % | ||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 1,885,800 | 1.0 | % | |||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 500,000 | 500,000 | 3.75 | % | ||||||||
U.S. SBA loan | 1,885,800 | 1,885,800 | 1.0 | % | ||||||||
Loan payable – bank | 34,324 | 34,324 | 5.5 | % | ||||||||
Total Debt | 3,442,984 | 5,328,784 | ||||||||||
Less: current portion of long-term debt | 1,008,601 | 2,942,984 | ||||||||||
Total long-term debt | $ | 2,434,383 | $ | 2,385,800 |
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company owed its principal lender (“Lender”) $1,000,000 under an amended loan and security agreement (“Loan”) dated July 26, 2014 and amended on October 31, 2017, October 31, 2020, January 31, 2021, April 30, 2021, January 28, 2022 and February 3, 2022. The Lender was the largest shareholder of the Company owning 32.6% of the shares issued and outstanding until the Company purchased Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. on November 5, 2020. With the purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., the Lender owns less than 10% of the Company and is no longer considered a related party. The interest rate is 8% per annum and the maturity date is April 30, 2023.
In connection with the financing, the Company has agreed to certain restrictive covenants, including, among others, that the Company may not convey, sell, lease, transfer or otherwise dispose of any part of its business or property, except as permitted in the agreement, dissolve, liquidate or merge with any other party unless, in the case of a merger, the Company is the surviving entity, incur any indebtedness except as defined in the agreement, create or allow a lien on any of its assets or collateral that has been pledged to the Lender, make any loans to any person, except for prepaid items or deposits incurred in the ordinary course of business, or make any material capital expenditures. To secure the payment of all obligations to the Lender, the Company granted to the Lender a continuing security interest and first lien on all of the assets of the Company.
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company’s related-party unsecured notes payable totaled $22,860.
The Company also owes $34,324 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021 to Chase Bank. The Company pays interest expense to Chase Bank, which is calculated at a rate of 5.5% per annum.
On May 6, 2020, the Company borrowed $1,885,800 (the “May Loan”), on June 17, 2020 the Company borrowed $500,000 (the “June Loan”), and on February 2, 2021, the Company borrowed $1,885,800 (the “February Loan”) from a U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) loan program.
The May loan bore interest at a rate of 1% per annum and the SBA postponed any installment payments until September 6, 2021. In November 2021 the May Loan was forgiven in its entirety, including accrued interest of $18,502. As a result, the Company recognized debt forgiveness of $1,904,302 in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022.
F-23 |
The June Loan required installment payments of $2,594 monthly, beginning on June 17, 2021, over a term of thirty years. However, the SBA has postponed the first installment payment for 12 months. Interest accrues at a rate of 3.75% per annum. The Company agreed to grant a continuing security interest in its assets to secure payment and performance of all debts, liabilities, and obligations to the SBA. The June Loan was personally guaranteed by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer.
The February loan bears interest at a rate of 1% per annum and the due date of the first payment is May 22, 2022. The Company intends to apply for forgiveness of the February Loan and believes it will be forgiven in its entirety.
Note 6 – Income Taxes
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company had net operating loss carryforwards for Federal income tax purposes of approximately $1,675,000 and $890,000, respectively, expiring in the years of 2022 through 2041.
For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, the Company recorded income tax expense of $548,000 and a tax benefit of $73,000, respectively. For the nine- and three- month periods ended January 31, 2021, the Company recorded income tax expense of $42,288 and $19,890, respectively.
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company had net deferred tax assets calculated at an expected federal rate of 21%, and a state rate of 8%, when applicable, or approximately $715,000 and $313,000, respectively. As a result of unrealized book gains on equity securities, the Company also has a deferred tax liability of $1,696,000 and $746,000 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, respectively. Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effects of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Significant components of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021 were as follows:
January 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | |||||||
Deferred tax assets, net: | ||||||||
Net operating loss carryforwards | $ | 352,000 | $ | 141,000 | ||||
Bad debt allowance | 27,000 | 17,000 | ||||||
Stock-based compensation | 336,000 | 155,000 | ||||||
Deferred tax assets | 715,000 | 313,000 | ||||||
Deferred tax liability | ||||||||
Unrealized gain | 1,696,000 | 746,000 | ||||||
Net deferred tax liability | $ | (981,000 | ) | $ | (433,000 | ) |
Note 7 – Related Party Transactions
The Company’s majority shareholder, Netcapital DE LLC, owns 1,671,360 shares of common stock, or 57.7% of the Company’s 2,896,844 outstanding shares as of January 31, 2022. The Company has a demand note payable to Netcapital DE LLC of $4,660 and a demand note payable to one of its former managers of $3,200. In addition, as of April 30, 2021, the Company accrued a payable of $3,817,516 for supplemental consideration owed in conjunction with its purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., which was reduced to $294,054 as of January 31, 2022, because of the issuance to 361,736 shares of common stock, valued at $3,523,462. Of the 361,736 shares that were issued, a total of 32,458 shares, representing a reduction in the payable amount of $346,821, were issued to managers of Netcapital DE LLC, and 3,151 shares, representing a reduction in the payable amount of $30,691, were issued to our Chief Executive Officer.
In total, the Company owed its largest shareholder $298,714 and $3,822,116 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, respectively. The company paid its majority shareholder $257,429 and $100,000 in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, respectively, for use of the software that runs the website www.netcapital.com. The Company also had a sale of $15,000 for consulting services to its largest shareholder during the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022.
F-24 |
Compensation to officers in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $190,763 and $89,436, respectively, and cash salary of $217,688 and $73,688, respectively. Compensation to officers in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 consisted of common stock valued at $301,783 and $86,417 respectively, and cash wages of $210,462 and $72,000, respectively.
Compensation to a related party consultant in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $25,908 and $0 respectively, and cash wages of $45,000 and $15,000, respectively. Compensation to a related party consultant in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 consisted of common stock valued at $38,757 and $19,378 respectively, and cash wages of $46,154 and $24,000, respectively. This consultant is also the controlling shareholder of Zelgor Inc. and $1,400,000 and $0 of the Company’s revenues in the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 were from Zelgor Inc.
Compensation to employees who are also managers of Netcapital DE LLC in the nine and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 consisted of common stock valued at $19,378 and $0, respectively, and cash wages of $96,000 and $24,000, respectively. Compensation to managers of Netcapital DE LLC in the nine and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 consisted of common stock valued at $58,135 and $19,378, respectively, and cash wages of $141,308 and $48,000, respectively.
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company has invested $240,080 and $122,914 in an affiliate, 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc., in conjunction with a land lease in an airport in Alaska. Our Chief Executive Officer is also the Chief Executive Officer of 6A Aviation Alaska Consortium, Inc.
In November 2021 we issued a member of our board of directors 10,000 shares of common stock, for board and audit committee services, valued at $100,000.
The Company owes a director $16,680 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, which is recorded as accounts payable, plus $15,000 in a non-interest-bearing note payable.
Note 8 – Stockholders’ Equity
The Company is authorized to issue 900,000,000 shares of its common stock, par value $0.001. 2,896,844 and 2,178,766 shares were outstanding as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, respectively. In August 2020, the board of directors authorized a reverse split of the common stock on a 1-for-2,000 basis, whereby the Company issued to each of its stockholders one share of Common Stock for every 2,000 shares of common stock held by such stockholder. The reverse split was effective on November 5, 2020. The financial statements for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021 have been adjusted to give effect to the reverse split.
On January 27, 2022, the Company filed a Form S-8 registration statement for securities to be offered in employee benefit plans, to register 300,000 shares of common stock from the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. Stock options were granted under this plan in February 2022, see Note 14.
On July 26, 2021, the Company issued 361,736 shares of its common stock as payment of $3,523,462 of supplemental consideration that was owed to its affiliate, Netcapital DE LLC. The 361,736 shares of common stock include an aggregate of 35,609 shares of common stock, that paid off liabilities totaling $346,821, that were made to our Chief Executive Officer, a company controlled by a member of the board of managers of Netcapital DE LLC and to an individual manager.
On July 27, 2021, the Company completed a private placement for gross proceeds of $1,592,395 in conjunction with the sale of restricted shares of common stock at a price of $9.00 per share. A total of 176,934 shares of common stock were issued.
Effective October 31, 2021 and July 31, 2021, the Company issued an aggregate of 937 shares of restricted stock to two employees. The shares were valued at $10,073 and $14,056, respectively.
F-25 |
During the quarter ended January 31, 2022, the Company issued a total of 55,312 shares of common stock to personnel, valued at $554,022, for services rendered. The Company also issued 22,222 shares in conjunction with a private placement at $9.00 for a $200,000 stock subscription ; 50,000 shares in conjunction with the purchase of a business, MSG Development Corp.; and 50,000 shares to purchase a 10% interest in a marketing firm, Caesar Media Group Inc.
Note 9 – Fair Value
The Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to measurements involving significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows:
• | Level 1: inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the company has the ability to access at the measurement date. |
• | Level 2: inputs are inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. |
• | Level 3: inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability. |
Under the Fair Value Measurements Topic of the FASB Accounting Standards Codification, we base fair value on 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. It is our policy to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when developing fair value measurements, in accordance with the fair value hierarchy. Fair value measurements for assets and liabilities where there exists limited or no observable market data and, therefore, are based primarily upon management’s own estimates, are often calculated based on current pricing policy, the economic and competitive environment, the characteristics of the asset or liability and other such factors. Therefore, the results cannot be determined with precision and may not be realized in an actual sale or immediate settlement of the asset or liability. Additionally, there may be inherent weaknesses in any calculation technique, and changes in the underlying assumptions used.
Note 10 – Stock-Based Compensation Plans
In addition to cash payments, the Company enters agreements to issue common stock and records the applicable non-cash expense in accordance with the authoritative guidance of the Financial Accounting Standards Board. For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, the Company recorded $1,137,042 and $653,975, respectively, in stock-based compensation expense and for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, the Company recorded $386,121 and $126,212, respectively, in stock-based compensation expense.
As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, there was $9,987 and $631,878, respectively of prepaid stock-based compensation expense for services. As of January 31, 2022, two consulting agreements are effective, which expire in February 2022.
As of January 31, 2022, an aggregate of 157 shares of common stock can be earned by one Company employee from an unvested stock grant. The 157 shares vest on April 30, 2022.
The table below presents the components of stock-based compensation expense for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022 and 2021.
The components of the stock-based compensation expense are presented in the following table:
F-26 |
Stock-based compensation expense | Nine Months Ended Jan. 31, 2022 | Nine Months Ended Jan. 31, 2021 | Three Months Ended Jan. 31, 2022 | Three Months Ended Jan. 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||
Chief Executive Officer | $ | 40,608 | $ | 121,824 | $ | $ | 40,608 | |||||||||
Chief Financial Officer | 40,608 | 121,824 | 40,608 | |||||||||||||
Chief Marketing Officer | 109,547 | 3,492 | 89,436 | 5,201 | ||||||||||||
Related party consultant | 25,908 | 58,135 | 19,378 | |||||||||||||
VP of Digital Strategy | 5,603 | 22,711 | 1,586 | 1,039 | ||||||||||||
Marketing consultant | 111,156 | 37,052 | ||||||||||||||
Marketing consultant | 377,704 | 125,901 | ||||||||||||||
Member of board of directors | 100,000 | 100,000 | ||||||||||||||
Director of Business Development | 300,000 | 300,000 | ||||||||||||||
Business consultant | 25,908 | 58,135 | 19,378 | |||||||||||||
Total stock-based compensation expense | $ | 1,137,042 | $ | 386,121 | $ | 653,975 | $ | 126,212 |
The table below presents the prepaid compensation expense as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021:
Description | Jan. 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | ||||||
Chief Executive Officer | $ | $ | 40,608 | |||||
Chief Financial Officer | 40,608 | |||||||
Related party consultant | 25,908 | |||||||
Business consultant | 25,908 | |||||||
Marketing consultant | 7,249 | 380,441 | ||||||
Marketing consultant | 2,738 | 118,405 | ||||||
Total | $ | 9,987 | $ | 631,878 |
For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022, $488,860 and $162,953 of stock-based compensation was recorded as consulting expense, respectively, and $648,182 and $491,022 was recorded as payroll and payroll related expenses. For the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021, all the stock-based compensation was recorded as a component of payroll and payroll related expenses.
Note 11 – Deposits and Commitments
The Company utilizes office space in Boston, Massachusetts, under a month-to-month lease agreement that allows to company to end its lease by providing 30-day written notice. The lease agreement includes a deposit of $6,300.
Note 12 – Business Acquisitions
On November 2, 2021, the owners of ValuCorp Inc. (“ValuCorp”), a business valuation firm, formed a new company MSG Development Corp. (“MSG”) and transferred most of the assets of ValuCorp to MSG. The Company entered into an exchange agreement (“Agreement”) whereby the Company received 100% of the outstanding shares of MSG in exchange for 75,000 shares of common stock of the Company. 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock were issued in December 2021 and four annual installments of 6,250 shares are due over the next four years. As a result, the Company has recorded $244,250 in stock subscriptions payable as of January 31, 2022.
MSG’s assets were less than 20% of the value of the Company’s assets and the Company’s investment in MSG is less than 20% of the Company’s market value. Furthermore, the revenue and operating income of MSG’s predecessor, ValuCorp, for the prior two years, is less than 20% of the revenue and operating income of the Company. Upon evaluation of the components of the business combination, including the relative voting rights in the combined entity, the composition of the governing body and senior management of the combined entity, the relative size of each entity and the terms of the exchange of equity interests, the Company recorded the transaction in the third quarter of fiscal 2022 as a purchase.
F-27 |
The following table summarizes the value of the consideration for MSG and the amounts of the assets acquired in conjunction with the Agreement. MSG had no liabilities.
Total consideration: 75,000 shares of common stock of the Company | $ | 732,750 | ||
Recognized amounts of identifiable assets acquired: | ||||
Professional practice intangible | $ | 556,830 | ||
Technology-related intangibles | 36,650 | |||
Marketing-related intangibles | 14,660 | |||
Computer-related intangibles | 49,111 | |||
Customer-related intangibles | 16,859 | |||
Contract-related intangibles | 36,650 | |||
Human capital and artistic-related intangibles | 21,990 | |||
Total identifiable net assets | $ | 732,750 |
The fair value of the common shares issued as the consideration for MSG was determined by the most recent closing price of the Company’s common shares at the time the shares were issued. Seven identifiable intangible assets were valued, as noted in the above table (the “Intangible Assets”). The estimated market value of the Intangible Assets on the date of purchase was $1,000,000, and the value of the 75,000 shares of common stock of the Company, payable as consideration was $9.77 per share, or $732,750. The value of the Intangible Assets has been recorded at an aggregate value of $732,750. The Company has not finished its evaluation of the Intangible Assets. The fair value of the acquired Intangible Assets is provisional pending receipt of the final valuation of those assets.
On August 23, 2020, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (“Agreement”) whereby Netcapital DE LLC (“Systems”) would become an 80% owner of the Company. Pursuant to the requirements of this agreement, the Company filed a definitive information statement on Form 14C on September 21, 2020 to change the Company’s corporate name from ValueSetters, Inc. to Netcapital Inc. and to amend the Company’s Articles of Incorporation to effect a stock combination, or reverse stock split, pursuant to which 2,000 shares of the Company’s common stock would be exchanged for one new share of common stock. In conjunction with the merger agreement, the Company issued 1,666,360 shares of common stock to Systems on November 5, 2020.
The Agreement was a tax-free merger of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. (“FP”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Systems, with Netcapital Acquisition Vehicle Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, wherein FP was the surviving corporation. This transaction was designed to enhance the Company’s revenues and ability to provide services to democratize the private capital markets while helping companies at all stages to build, grow and fund their businesses with a full range of services from strategic advice to raising capital. As a result of the transaction, the Company is expected to be a leading provider of private capital transactions for entrepreneurs seeking to raise money under the exemption provided by section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933, which allows private companies to raise up to $5 million every 12 months.
ASC 805-10-25-4 requires the identification of one of the combining entities in each business combination as the acquirer. Upon evaluation of the components of the business combination, including the relative voting rights in the combined entity, the composition of the governing body and senior management of the combined entity, the relative size of each entity and the terms of the exchange of equity interests, the Company recorded the transaction in the third quarter of fiscal 2021 as a purchase. In conjunction with the purchase, Systems agreed to vote all of its shares of common stock to support the resolutions of the existing board of directors of the Company.
The following table summarizes the value of the consideration for FP and the amounts of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed in conjunction with the Agreement.
Schedule of merger agreement
Consideration: 1,666,360 shares of common stock of the Company | $ | 11,331,248 | ||
Payment of promissory notes and interest | 3,817,516 | |||
Total consideration | $ | 15,148,764 |
F-28 |
The fair value of the common shares issued as the consideration for FP was determined by the most recent (the prior day’s) closing price of the Company’s common shares at the time the shares were issued. The fair value of the assets and the liabilities of FP equaled their book value. Four identifiable intangible assets were valued; platform users, platform investors, platform issuers and unpatented technology (collectively the “Intangible Assets”). The estimated market value of the Intangible Assets is approximately $27,800,000. This amount is derived from valuing the IP functionality, brand, and license of FP at $1,000,000; valuing current issuers and pipeline issuers at approximately $14,000 each; valuing platform users at $382 each; and valuing investors at $1,025 each. These values are derived from comparing the FP Intangible Assets to the values recorded by funding portal offerings of FP’s competitors in public filings via Regulations CF and Regulation A.
The excess of purchase price over the total identifiable tangible net assets of $344,810, leaves an aggregate value of $14,803,954 to be assigned to the Intangible Assets. The estimated value of the $27,800,000 of Intangible Assets is allocated on a percentage basis in the above table to equal $14,803,954.
None of FP’s revenues and earnings are included in the Company’s consolidated income statements through the day of closing of November 5, 2020. The consolidated income statements for the year ended April 30, 2021 include $834,981 in revenues from FP. If the entities had been combined for the two reporting periods, the supplemental pro forma revenues and earnings are as follows:
Revenues | Earnings | |||||||
Supplemental pro forma for 4/1/20 – 11/04/20 | $ | 2,866,063 | $ | 282,264 | ||||
Supplemental pro forma for 4/1/19 – 11/04/19 | $ | 1,018,200 | $ | 680,212 |
Included in the supplemental pro forma information above is revenue earned by the Company from Netcapital DE LLC of $18,646 and $152,864 in the periods ended November 4, 2020 and 2019, respectively.
Note 13 – Investments
In January 2022, the Company received 1,700,000 units of ScanHash LLC as a payment for services rendered in conjunction with a crowdfunding offering. The units are valued at $0.25 per unit based on a sales price of $0.25 per unit on an online funding portal. The receipt of the units satisfied $425,000 of an accounts receivable balance. As of January 31, 2022, the Company owns 1,700,000 units which are valued at $425,000.
In January 2022, the Company received 2,850,000 units of Hiveskill LLC as a payment for services rendered in conjunction with a crowdfunding offering. The units are valued at $0.25 per unit based on a sales price of $0.25 per unit on an online funding portal. The receipt of the units satisfied an accounts receivable balance of $712,500. As of January 31, 2022, the Company owns 2,850,000 units which are valued at $712,500.
In November 2021, the Company purchased a 10% interest, or 400 shares of common stock, in Caesar Media Group Inc. (“Caesar”) for an initial purchase price of 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, valued at $500,000. Caesar is a marketing and technology solutions provider. The purchase agreement includes additional contractual requirements for the Company and Caesar, including the issuance of an additional 150,000 shares of common stock of the Company over a two-year period. As of January 31, 2022, there have been no observable price changes in the value of the Caesar’s common stock and the Company has valued its ownership in Caesar at cost, which is $500,000.
F-29 |
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with Watch Party LLC (“WP”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 110,000 membership interest units of WP in return for consulting services. The Company earned 97,500 membership interest units in the quarter ended July 31, 2020. The WP units are valued at $2.14 per unit based on a sales price of $2.14 per unit on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $235,400 and $0 for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021. As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company owns 110,000 WP units, which are valued at $235,400.
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with ChipBrain LLC (“Chip”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 710,200 membership interest units of Chip in return for consulting services. The Company earned 500,000 membership interest units in the quarter ended July 31, 2020 and earned the remaining units in the quarter ending October 31, 2020. The Chip units were initially valued at $0.93 per unit based on a sales price of $0.93 per unit on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $660,486 and $0 for the nine and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021. Subsequently, Chip sold identical units for $2.40 per unit, and as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the units owned by the Company are valued at $1,704,480. In fiscal 2022 the Company received additional revenues from Chip, amounting to $39,360 and $20,000 for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2022.
In May 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with Zelgor Inc. (“Zelgor”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 1,400,000 shares of common stock of Zelgor in return for consulting services. The Company earned 1,050,000 shares in the quarter ended July 31, 2020 and earned the remaining shares in the quarter ending October 31, 2020. The Zelgor shares are valued at $1.00 per share based on a sales price of $1.00 per share on an online funding portal, resulting in revenues of $1,400,000 and $0 for the nine- and three-month periods ended January 31, 2021. The $1.00 per share valuation continues to be the observable price at which the shares trade and the Zelgor shares are valued at $1,400,000 as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021.
On January 2, 2020, the Company entered a consulting contract with Deuce Drone LLC (“Drone”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 2,350,000 membership interest units of Drone in return for consulting services. The Company earned all 2,350,000 membership interest units in fiscal 2020. The Drone units were initially valued at $0.35 per unit based on a sales price of $0.35 per unit when the units were earned, or $822,500. Drone subsequently sold identical Drone units for $1.00 per unit on an online funding portal and as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the units owned by the Company are valued at $2,350,000.
In August 2019, the Company entered a consulting contract with KingsCrowd LLC (“KingsCrowd”), which allowed the Company to receive 300,000 membership interest units of KingsCrowd in return for consulting services. The KingsCrowd units were initially valued at $1.80 per unit based on a sales price of $1.80 per unit when the units were earned, or $540,000. In December 2020, KingsCrowd converted from a limited liability company to a corporation to facilitate raising capital under Regulation A. KingsCrowd filed a Form 1-A Offering Statement under the Securities Act of 1933. In connection with the conversion to a corporation, each membership interest unit converted into 12.71915 shares of common stock. As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company owns 3,815,745 shares of KingsCrowd Inc. In July 2021, KingsCrowd subsequently sold identical shares of common stock for $1.00 per share, and as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the shares owned by the Company are valued at $3,815,745 and $540,000, respectively.
During fiscal 2019, the Company entered a consulting contract with Netcapital DE LLC (“NetCapital”), which allowed the Company to receive up to 1,000 membership interest units of NetCapital in return for consulting services. The Company earned 40 units in the quarter ended July 31, 2020, at a value of $91.15 per unit, or $3,646. The Company earned all 1,000 Netcapital units but sold a portion of the units in fiscal 2020 at a sales price of $91.15 per unit. As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company owns 528 Netcapital units, at a value of $48,128.
In July 2020 the Company entered a consulting agreement with Vymedic, Inc. for a $40,000 fee over a 5-month period. Half the fee was payable in stock and half was payable in cash. As of April 30, 2021, the Company earned $20,000 worth of stock. As of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021, the Company owns 4,000 units, at a value of $20,000.
In August 2020 the Company entered a consulting agreement with C-Reveal Therapeutics LLC (“CRT”). for a $120,000 fee over a 12-month period. $50,000 of the fee is payable in CRT units. The Company earned the units in fiscal 2021 and received them in the first quarter of fiscal 2022. As of January 31, 2022 the Company owns 5,000 units, at a value of $50,000.
F-30 |
The following table summarizes the components of investments as of January 31, 2022 and April 30, 2021:
Jan. 31, 2022 | April 30, 2021 | |||||||
Netcapital DE LLC | $ | 48,128 | $ | 48,128 | ||||
Watch Party LLC | 235,400 | 235,400 | ||||||
Zelgor Inc. | 1,400,000 | 1,400,000 | ||||||
ChipBrain LLC | 1,704,480 | 1,704,480 | ||||||
Vymedic Inc. | 20,000 | 20,000 | ||||||
C-Reveal Therapeutics LLC | 50,000 | |||||||
Deuce Drone LLC | 2,350,000 | 2,350,000 | ||||||
Hiveskill LLC | 712,500 | |||||||
ScanHash LLC | 425,000 | |||||||
Caesar Media Group Inc. | 500,000 | |||||||
Kingscrowd Inc | 3,815,745 | 540,000 | ||||||
Total Investments at cost | $ | 11,261,253 | $ | 6,298,008 |
The above investments in equity securities are within the scope of ASC 321. The Company monitors the investments for any changes in observable prices from orderly transactions. All investments are initially measured at cost and evaluated for changes in estimated fair value. During the nine months ended January 31, 2022, the Company identified that one security, KingsCrowd Inc., had an observable price change. The result of the price change was an increase in the fair value of the equity securities totaling $3,275,745 in the nine months ended January 31, 2022, which is recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as an unrealized gain on equity securities.
Note 14 – Subsequent Events
On February 2, 2022, the Company granted an aggregate of 272,000 options to purchase shares of common stock of the company at a price of $10.50 per share. The options were granted to employees, consultants, and members of the board of directors under the Company’s 2021 Equity Incentive Plan. The options vest monthly on a straight-line basis over a 4-year period and expire in 10 years.
On February 9, 2022, the Company sold two convertible promissory notes to accredited investors for total proceeds of $300,000. The notes accrue interest at a rate of 8% per annum and have a maturity date of February 9, 2023. The notes automatically convert into shares of common stock at a price per share that is the lesser of $10.00 or the 80% of the price paid per share for a subsequent round of securities sold, as defined in the promissory note. The promissory notes also convert automatically with a change in control.
The Company evaluated subsequent events through the date these financial statements were available to be issued. There were no material subsequent events that required recognition or additional disclosure in these financial statements.
F-31 |
Up to 784,314 Shares of Common Stock
784,314 Warrants for Common Stock
Up to 784,314 Pre-Funded Warrants for Common Stock
Netcapital Inc.
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS | ||
ThinkEquity
, 2022
Through and including , 2022 (the 25th day after the date of this offering), all dealers effecting transactions in these securities, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to a dealer’s obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as an underwriter and with respect to an unsold allotment or subscription.
PART II — INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution*
The following table sets forth all expenses to be paid by the Registrant in connection with this offering, other than the underwriting discounts and commissions. All amounts shown are estimates except for the SEC registration fee and the FINRA filing fee. All expenses below are payable by the Registrant and not by the selling stockholders.
SEC registration fee | $ | 1,479.15 | |
FINRA filing fee | 3,157.98 | ||
Nasdaq filing fee | 50,000 | ||
Legal fees* | 365,000 | ||
Accounting fees and expense* | 10,000 | ||
Transfer agent fee* | 6,000 | ||
Miscellaneous* | 112,362.87 | ||
Total* | $ | 548,000 |
_______
* Indicates expenses that have been estimated for filing purposes.
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Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers
The registrant is incorporated under the laws of the State of Utah. Section 16-10a-902 of the Utah Business Corporation Act (“UBCA”) provides that a Utah corporation shall indemnify a director who was wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in the defense of any proceeding to which the director was a party because he or she was a director of the corporation against reasonable expenses incurred by the director in connection with the proceeding. may indemnify. Section 15-10-902 of the UBCA provides that a corporation may indemnify an individual who is a party to a proceeding because the individual is a director against liability incurred in the proceeding if:(i) the director conducted himself or herself in good faith; and, (ii) he or she reasonably believed that his or her conduct was in or at least not opposed to the corporation's best interests; and (iii) In the case of any criminal proceeding, the director had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. In addition, a corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation who is a party to a proceeding because he or she is an officer of the corporation: (i) to the same extent as a director; and (ii) if he or she is an officer but not a director, to such further extent as may be provided by the articles of incorporation, the bylaws, a resolution of the board of directors or contract, except for: (A) liability in connection with a proceeding by or in the right of the corporation other than for expenses incurred in connection with the proceeding; or (B) liability arising out of conduct that constitutes: (I) receipt by the officer of a financial benefit to which he is not entitled; (II) an intentional infliction of harm on the corporation or the shareholders; or (III) An intentional violation of criminal law.
The registrant’s articles of incorporation and bylaws include provisions requiring the registrant to 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 that he or she, or his or her testator or intestate, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation, or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Corporation.
Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
The following sets forth information regarding all unregistered securities sold since May 1, 2016. The registrant believes that the transactions were exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (and Regulation D promulgated thereunder). The recipients of the securities in each of these transactions represented their intentions to acquire the securities for investment only and not with a view to or for sale in connection with any distribution thereof, and appropriate legends were placed on the share certificates issued in these transactions. All recipients had adequate access, through their relationships with the registrant, to information about the registrant. The sales of these securities were made without any general solicitation or advertising. Except as otherwise specified, none of the transactions involved any underwriters, underwriting discounts or commissions.
_____________________
In fiscal 2017, 12,000,000 shares were issued for consulting services and 10,000,000 shares were issued to purchase shares and membership units in a total of seven early-stage companies.
In fiscal 2018, 38,416,668 shares were issued for stock-based compensation, 153,277,542 shares were issued for debt settlement transactions and 10,000,000 shares were issued to purchase a 20% interest in software development company.
In fiscal 2019, 17,825,002 shares were issued for stock-based compensation, 2,800,000 shares were issued in conjunction with a private placement memorandum for the private sale of common stock, and 200,000 shares were issued for the purchase of an Internet game company.
In fiscal 2020, 39,375 shares of common stock were issued for stock-based compensation.
In fiscal 2021, 99,270 shares of common stock were issued for stock-based compensation, 1,666,360 shares of common stock were issued to purchase Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., and the Company also issued 1,077 shares of common stock, valued at $15,000, to pay a $15,000 liability.
In fiscal 2022, 57,186 shares of common stock were issued for stock-based compensation, 50,000 shares of common stock were issued to purchase MSG Development Corp., 87,500 shares of common stock were issued in conjunction with an agreement to purchase a 10% equity interest in Caesar Media Group, Inc. 199,156 shares were issued in conjunction with a private placement sale of shares of common stock at a price of $9.00 per share and 361,942 shares were issued as supplemental consideration in conjunction with the purchase of Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. Included in the 57,186 shares of common stock issued as stock-based compensation were 10,000 shares that we issued Avi Liss in November 2021 in consideration of his services as a director of the company
On February 9, 2022, we completed a private placement of $300,000 of unsecured convertible promissory notes. These notes bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum and have a maturity date of February 9, 2023.
The foregoing are all issuances of securities by the registrant during the past three years which were not registered under the Securities Act. We claim an exemption from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder in connection with the sales and issuances described below since the foregoing issuances and sales did not involve a public offering, the recipients (a) were “accredited investors” and/or had access to similar documentation and information as would be required in a Registration Statement under the Securities Act and (b) represented that they were acquiring the securities for investment purposes only, and not with a view towards distribution or resale except in compliance with applicable securities laws. The securities sold are subject to transfer restrictions, and the certificates evidencing the securities are imprinted with an appropriate legend stating that such securities have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold absent registration or pursuant to an exemption therefrom. No general solicitation or advertising was used in connection with any transaction. No underwriter participated in the transaction and no commissions were paid in connection with the transactions.
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Item 16. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a) | Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed as part of this registration statement: |
*To be filed by amendment.
**Previously filed.
+ Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement |
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Item 17. Undertakings
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
(1) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement: |
(i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
(ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement; and |
(iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement. |
(2) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
(3) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
(1) that, 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; and |
(2) that, for the purpose 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. |
(3) to deliver or cause to be delivered with the prospectus, to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest annual report to security holders that is incorporated by reference in the prospectus and furnished pursuant to and meeting the requirements of Rule 14a-3 or Rule 14c-3 under the Securities Exchange Act; and, where interim financial information required to be presented by Article 3 of Regulation S-X are not set forth in the prospectus, to deliver, or cause to be delivered to each person to whom the prospectus is sent or given, the latest quarterly report that is specifically incorporated by reference in the prospectus to provide such interim financial information. |
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 Commission 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 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant has duly caused this Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the Undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Boston, Massachusetts on the 28th day of June, 2022.
NETCAPITAL INC. | |||
By: | /s/ Cecilia Lenk | ||
Name: Cecilia Lenk Title: Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) |
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Amendment No. 2 to Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
Signature | Capacity | Date | |||
/s/ Cecilia Lenk | Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | June 28, 2022 | |||
Cecilia Lenk | |||||
/s/ Coreen Kraysler | Chief Financial Officer | June 28, 2022 | |||
Coreen Kraysler | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | ||||
Director | June 28, 2022 | ||||
Martin Kay | |||||
* | Director | June 28, 2022 | |||
Avi Liss | |||||
* | Director | June 28, 2022 | |||
Steven Geary |
*By: | /s/ Cecilia Lenk | June 28, 2022 | |
Cecilia Lenk | |||
Attorney-in-fact |
6
Exhibit 1.1
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
between
NETCAPITAL INC.
and
THINKEQUITY LLC
as Representative of the Several Underwriters
NETCAPITAL INC.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New
York, New York
[•], 2022
ThinkEquity LLC
As
Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached hereto
17 State Street, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10004
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, Netcapital Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Utah (collectively with its subsidiaries and affiliates, including, without limitation, all entities disclosed or described in the Registration Statement (as hereinafter defined) as being subsidiaries or affiliates of Netcapital Inc., the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement (this “Agreement”) with ThinkEquity 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 set forth below.
1. | Purchase and Sale of Securities. |
1.1 Firm Securities.
1.1.1. Nature and Purchase of Securities.
(i) On the basis of the representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company
(ii) The Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agree to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Shares, Firm Pre-Funded Warrants and Firm Warrants set forth opposite their respective names on Schedule 1 attached hereto and made a part hereof at a purchase price of $[•] per Firm Share and accompanying Firm Warrant (92.5% of the per Firm Share and Firm Warrant public offering price, allocated as $[•] per Firm Share and $0.00001 per Firm Warrant). The Firm Securities are to be offered initially to the public at the offering price set forth on the cover page of the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof).
1.1.2. Shares Payment and Delivery.
(i) Delivery and payment for the Firm Securities shall be made at 10:00 a.m., Eastern time, on the second (2nd) Business Day following the effective date (“Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below) (or the third (3rd) Business Day following the date hereof 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 Sullivan & Worcester LLP, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019 (“Representative 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 Securities is called the “Closing Date.”
(ii) Payment for the Firm Securities shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (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 Securities (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Firm Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for all of the Firm Securities. 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.
1.2 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 Securities, the Company hereby grants to the Underwriters an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase, in the aggregate, up to [•] additional shares of Common Stock and/or Pre-Funded Warrants (the “Option Shares” or “Option Pre-Funded Warrants,” as applicable, and the Option Pre-Funded Warrants together with the Firm Pre-Funded Warrants, the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), representing up to fifteen percent (15%) of the Firm Securities sold in the offering and/or up to [•] additional Warrants to purchase an aggregate of an additional [•] shares of Common Stock, representing 15% of the Firm Warrants sold in the offering (the “Option Warrants” and together with the Firm Warrants, the “Warrants”). The purchase price to be paid per Option Share or Option Pre-Funded Warrant shall be equal to the price per Firm Share or Firm Pre-Funded Warrant set forth in Section 1.1.1(ii) hereof and the purchase price to be paid per Option Warrant shall be equal to the price per Firm Warrant set forth in Section 1.1.1(ii) hereof. The Over-allotment Option is, at the Underwriters’ sole discretion, for Option Shares and Option Warrants together, Option Pre-Funded Warrants and Option Warrants together, solely Option Shares, Solely Option Pre-Funded Warrants, solely Option Warrants, or any combination thereof (each, an “Option Security” and collectively, the “Option Securities”). The Firm Securities and the Option Securities are collectively referred to as the “Securities.” The Securities and the Underlying Shares (as defined below), are collectively referred to as the “Public Securities.” The Public Securities 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. The Firm Warrants and the Option Warrants, if any, shall be issued pursuant to, and shall have the rights and privileges set forth in, a warrant agreement, dated on or before the Closing Date, between the Company and Equity Stock Transfer LLC as warrant agent (the “Warrant Agreement”). The certificate (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Certificate”) evidencing the Firm Pre-Funded Warrants and the Option Pre-Funded Warrants, if any, will be in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. The offering and sale of the Public Securities is hereinafter referred to as the “Offering.”
1.2.2. Exercise of Over-allotment 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 Securities within 45 days after the Effective Date. The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Securities prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company from the Representative, which must be confirmed in writing by overnight mail, email or facsimile or other electronic transmission setting forth the number of Option Securities to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Securities (the “Option Closing Date”), which shall not be later than one (1) full Business Day 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 Counsel or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile, email or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representative. If such delivery and payment for the Option Securities 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 Securities, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (i) the Company shall become obligated to sell to the Underwriters the number of Option Securities specified in such notice and (ii) each of the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, shall purchase that portion of the total number of Option Securities 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 Securities shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in U.S. dollars (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 Securities (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Underwriters). The Option Securities shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representative may request in writing at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Option Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Securities except upon tender of payment by the Representative for applicable Option Securities. An Option Closing Date may be simultaneous with, but not earlier than, the Closing Date; and in the event that such time and date are simultaneous with the Closing Date, the term “Closing Date” shall refer to the time and date of the delivery of the Firm Securities and Option Securities.
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 a warrant (“Representative’s Warrant”) to purchase up to an aggregate of [•] shares of Common Stock, representing 5% of the Public Securities sold on such date, for an aggregate purchase price of $100.00, to be issued pursuant to a Representative’s Warrant Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Representative’s Warrant Agreement”), which Representative’s Warrant shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date which is one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date and expiring on the five-year anniversary of the Effective Date at an initial exercise price per share of Common Stock of $[•], which is equal to one hundred twenty five percent (125%) of the public offering price of the Firm Shares and Firm Warrants. The Representative’s Warrant Agreement and the shares of Common Stock 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 Warrant Agreement and the underlying shares of Common Stock 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 Warrant Agreement, 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 to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the Offering, (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of the Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer, or (iii) as otherwise expressly permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(g); and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.
1.3.2. Delivery. Delivery of the Representative’s Warrant Agreement shall be made on the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as applicable, 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. 333-262688), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Public Securities 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”) contains 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 or incorporated therein 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 [•], 2022, 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 [TIME] [a.m./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 Public Securities 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 Public Securities 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.
For the purposes of this Agreement “Knowledge” means, when referring to the ‘knowledge’ of the Company, or any similar phrase or qualification based on knowledge, the actual knowledge of Company’s officers and/or directors, and the knowledge that each such person would have obtained after making due and appropriate inquiry with respect to the particular matter in question.
2.1.2. Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Form 8-A (File Number 000-[•]) providing for the registration pursuant to Section 12(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants, which registration statement complies in all material respects with the Exchange Act. The registration of such shares of Common Stock and Warrants and related Form 8-A under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission 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 shares of Common Stock and the Warrants under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration.
2.2 Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Common Stock and the 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 the shares of Common Stock or Warrants from the Exchange, nor has the Company received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such listing.
2.3 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any 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)
(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. No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, 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 any 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 any 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; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Representative expressly for use in the Registration Statement, 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 following disclosure contained in the “Underwriting” section of the Prospectus: (i) the second sentence of the subsection entitled “Discounts, Commissions and Reimbursements” related to concessions; (ii) the first three paragraphs under the subsection entitled “Stabilization”; (iii) the subsection entitled “Electronic Offer, Sale and Distribution of Shares”; and (iv) the subsection entitled “Other Relationships” (the “Underwriters’ Information”).
(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; provided, however, 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 or any Subsidiary (as defined in Section 2.7 below) 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 or any Subsidiary’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 or any Subsidiary, and none of the Company, its Subsidiaries 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. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, performance by the Company or any Subsidiary of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, ordinance, judgment, order or decree of any governmental or regulatory agency, body, authority or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any Subsidiary or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
2.4.3. Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the 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 accurate, correct and complete 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.
2.4.5. No Other Distribution of Offering Materials. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, distributed and will not distribute any offering material in connection with the Offering other than any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and other materials, if any, permitted under the Securities Act and consistent with Section 3.2 below.
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 (including in the financial position or results of operations of the Company or its Subsidiaries), nor any change or development in the business of the Company which, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse change, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, business, assets, properties or prospects of the Company and any Subsidiary, 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; (iii) no officer (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Exchange Act) or director of the Company or its Subsidiaries has resigned from any position with the Company; and (iv) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with its business or properties from fire, explosion, flood, earthquake, hurricane, accident or other calamity. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Public Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one Trading Day (as defined below) prior to the date that this representation is made.
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.
2.6 Independent Accountants. Fruci & Associates II, PLLC (the “Auditor”), who has certified the financial statements and supporting schedules and information of the Company that are included in 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 (“PCAOB”). 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 included in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with 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 the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly 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 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 direct and indirect subsidiaries, including each entity disclosed or described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being a subsidiary of the Company (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 capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock 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.
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 stock 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 stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
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 or similar rights with respect thereto or put rights, 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, rights of first refusal or rights of participation of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock 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 shares of 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 securities, exempt from such registration requirements.
2.9.2. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities 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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities 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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities has been duly and validly taken. The shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants, the Warrants and the Representative’s Warrant (the “Underlying Shares”) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement, as the case may be, such Underlying Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders and such shares of Common Stock 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. The Public Securities and Representative’s Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Pre-Funded Warrant, the Warrant and the Representative’s Warrant has been duly and validly taken.
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, the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement 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, the Pre-Funded Warrant Agreement, the Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant 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, as the case may be, 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 Articles of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the bylaws of the Company or the charter, bylaws or other organizational documents of its Subsidiaries; or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.13 No Defaults; Violations. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its charter, bylaws, or other organizational documents, (ii) in material default under, and no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien upon any property or assets of the Company or such Subsidiary pursuant to any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, lease, loan or credit agreement, or other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement to which it is a party or by which it is bound or to which any of its properties or assets, or (iii) in violation of any statute, law, rule, regulation, ordinance, directive, judgment or decree, write, decree or order of any court or judicial, regulatory or other legal or Governmental Entity.
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.
2.14.2. Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof and thereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Public Securities or Representative’s Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificate, the Warrant Agreement and the Representative’s Warrant Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal, state and foreign securities laws, the rules and regulations of the Exchange Act 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, officers and principal stockholders immediately prior to the Offering (the “Insiders”) as supplemented by all information concerning the Company’s directors, officers and principal stockholders 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 any Subsidiary, 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 or in connection with the Company’s listing application for the listing of the Public Securities on the Exchange, or which adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificates, the Warrant Agreement, the Representative’s Warrant Agreement or the Public Securities.
2.17 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its state of organization 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 be so qualified or in good standing, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
2.18 Insurance. The Company and its Subsidiaries carry or are entitled to the benefits of insurance, with reputable insurers, in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are adequate, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to $3,000,000 and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company and its Subsidiaries have 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 Public Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, its stockholders that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation as determined by FINRA.
2.19.2. Payments Within Twelve (12) 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 twelve (12) months prior to the date hereof, 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. 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). Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure and the Prospectus, the Company (i) does not have any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter and (ii) does not intend to use any of the proceeds from the sale of the Public Securities to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
2.19.5. Information. All information provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries in its, and to the knowledge of the Company, all information provided by their officers, directors and principal stockholders in their, FINRA questionnaire to Representative Counsel specifically for use by Representative 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. The Company’s 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, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “FCPA”). 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; (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business, operations or prospects of the Company; (iv) violated or is in violation of any provision of the FCPA or any applicable non-U.S. anti-bribery statute or regulation; (v) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment; or (vi) received notice of any investigation, proceeding or inquiry by any Governmental Entity regarding any of the matters in clauses (i)-(v) above; and the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the Company’s affiliates have conducted their respective businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith.
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 or business with any person, or in any country or territory that currently is the subject or target of to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2.22 Money Laundering Laws. The 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.
2.23 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Representative 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 at least 5% or more of the Company’s outstanding shares of Common Stock (or securities convertible into or exercisable for shares of 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, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.
2.25 Subsidiaries. All Subsidiaries are duly organized and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization or incorporation, and each Subsidiary is qualified to do business and 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 effect on the assets, business or operations of the Company taken as a whole. 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.
2.26.1. Business Relationships. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person (within the scope of Item 404 of Regulation S-K) required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.
2.26.2. No Unconsolidated Entities. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, 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) 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 liquidity or the availability of or requirements for its capital resources required to be described in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
2.26.3. No Loans or Advances to Affiliates. 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 to or for the benefit of (i) any of the officers or directors of the Company, (ii) any other affiliates of the Company or (iii) any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, which are, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
2.27 Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company is, and on the Closing Date will be, 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 and the rules and regulations of the Commission under 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. 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 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. The Company and its Subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their 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 (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) in its internal controls. 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 (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act) 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. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
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 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..
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. 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. 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 whatsoever, 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 and its Subsidiaries, and any “employee benefit plan” (as defined under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (collectively, “ERISA”)) established or maintained by the Company, its Subsidiaries or its “ERISA Affiliates” (as defined below) are in compliance in all material respects with ERISA. “ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company, any member of any group of organizations described in Sections 414(b),(c),(m) or (o) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder (the “Code”) of which the Company or any Subsidiary is a member. No “reportable event” (as defined under ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates. No “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates, if such “employee benefit plan” were terminated, would have any “amount of unfunded benefit liabilities” (as defined under ERISA). None of the Company, any Subsidiary nor any of its ERISA Affiliates has incurred or reasonably expects to incur any material liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to termination of, or withdrawal from, any “employee benefit plan” or (ii) Sections 412, 4971, 4975 or 4980B of the Code. Each “employee benefit plan” established or maintained by the Company, any Subsidiary or any of its ERISA Affiliates that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified and, to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred, whether by action or failure to act, which would cause the loss of such qualification.
2.35 Compliance with Laws. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries: (A) is and at all times has been in material compliance with all statutes, rules, or regulations applicable to its business, including crowdfunding, payment processing, servicing, consumer finance, consumer protection or other regulations applicable to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries as currently conducted (including, but not limited to, applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, FINRA, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform) (“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 written notices, warning letter, untitled letter, statements 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 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 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; (E) has not received 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 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, “dear doctor” letter, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy 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 Compliance with Securities Laws. Except as set forth on Schedule 2.36[1], the Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, and the regulations promulgated thereunder, each as amended, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the five years preceding the date hereof (“SEC Reports”). As of the respective dates they were filed (except if amended, updated or superseded by a filing made by the Company with the Commission prior to the Effective Date, then on the date of such filing), the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
2.37 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 Public Securities 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.
2.38 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 each of 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 any of 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 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.
2.39 Contracts Affecting Capital. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, 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.
2.40 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.
2.41 Smaller Reporting Company. As of the time of filing of the Registration Statement and as of the date of this Agreement, the Company was a “smaller reporting company,” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act Regulations.
2.42 Industry Data. 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.
2.43 Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not (i) alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the written consent of the Representative and with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) authorized anyone other than the Representative to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company confirms that the Representative has been authorized to act on its behalf in undertaking Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications other than those listed on Schedule 2-C hereto. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act.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 shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.
2.45 Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all foreign, federal, state, local and foreign legally-binding rules, laws and regulations relating to the use, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous or toxic substances or waste and protection of health and safety (to the extent relating to exposure to hazardous or toxic substances) or the environment which are applicable to their businesses (“Environmental Laws”). There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, or other release of any kind of toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances by, due to, or caused by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may otherwise be liable) upon any of the property now or previously owned or leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or upon any other property, in violation of any Environmental Law or which would, under any Environmental Law, give rise to any liability; and there has been no disposal, discharge, emission or other release of any kind onto such property or into the environment surrounding such property of any toxic or other wastes or other hazardous substances. In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its Subsidiaries conduct periodic reviews of the effect of Environmental Laws on their business and assets, in the course of which they identify and evaluate any associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or governmental permits issued thereunder, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such reviews, the Company and its Subsidiaries have reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not reasonably be expected to result, singularly or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Change.
2.46 Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.
2.47 Software. The Company, through its indirect subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., is in possession of all proprietary technology necessary to continue following the Offering its normal business operations, including an operable copy of the Jobs Software (as defined in that certain License Agreement, dated June 24, 2022, between Netcapital Systems LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Netcapital Funding Portal Inc.) and the source code thereto, related documentation, technical tools and other materials.
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 and when any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement shall become effective; (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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities 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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities. 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 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 Public Securities as contemplated in this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificates, the Warrant Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If at any time when a prospectus relating to the Public Securities 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 Public Securities, 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 counsel for the Underwriters 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.
3.2.3. Exchange Act Registration. Until the later of (i) three (3) years from after the date of this Agreement and (ii) the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier), the Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants under the Exchange Act. The Company shall not deregister the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representative.
3.2.4. Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representative, it shall not make any offer relating to the Public Securities 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 hereto and any “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) that has been reviewed by the Representative. 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 counsel for the Representative , 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 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 Public Securities 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.
3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representative. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus through and including the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier), and shall notify the Representative immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event during the period described in 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 five (5) 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 Listing. The Company shall use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the shares of Common Stock and Warrants on the Exchange until the later of (i) three (3) years after the date of this Agreement and (ii) the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier).
3.8 Financial Public Relations Firm. As of the Effective Date, the Company shall have retained a financial public relations firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative and the Company, which shall initially be IRTH Communications LLC, which firm shall be experienced in assisting issuers in initial public offerings of securities and in their relations with their security holders, and shall retain such firm or another firm reasonably acceptable to the Representative for a period of not less than two (2) years after the Effective Date.
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 promptly furnish 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) five copies of each registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act; (v) a copy of each report or other communication furnished to stockholders; and (vi) 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 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. Until the later of (i) three (3) years after the date of this Agreement and (ii) the expiration date of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants (or the date that all of the Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants have been exercised, if earlier), 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. Equity Stock Transfer LLC is acceptable to the Representative to act as Transfer Agent for the shares of Common Stock and the Warrants.
3.9.3. Trading Reports. During such time as the Public Securities are listed on the Exchange, the Company shall provide to the Representative, at the Company’s expense, such reports published by Exchange relating to price trading of the Public Securities, as the Representative shall reasonably request.
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 Public Securities to be sold in the Offering (including the Option Securities) with the Commission; (b) all Public Filing System filing fees associated with the review of the Offering by FINRA; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of such Public Securities on the Exchange and such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Representative together determine, including any fees charged by the DTC for new securities; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to background checks of the Company’s officers and directors in an amount not to exceed $15,000 in the aggregate; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Public Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (f) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Public Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as the Representative may reasonably designate; (g) the costs of all mailing and printing of the underwriting documents (including, without limitation, the Underwriting Agreement, any Blue Sky Surveys and, if appropriate, any Agreement Among Underwriters, Selected Dealers’ Agreement, Underwriters’ Questionnaire and Power of Attorney), Registration Statements, Prospectuses and all amendments, supplements and exhibits thereto and as many preliminary and final Prospectuses as the Representative may reasonably deem necessary; (h) the costs and expenses of a public relations firm; (i) the costs of preparing, printing and delivering certificates representing the Public Securities; (j) fees and expenses of the transfer agent for the Public Securities; (k) stock transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of securities from the Company to the Underwriters; (l) to the extent approved by the Company in writing, the costs associated with post-Closing advertising the Offering in the national editions of the Wall Street Journal and New York Times; (m) the costs associated with one set of bound volumes of the public offering materials as well as commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones, each of which the Company or its designee shall provide within a reasonable time after the Closing Date in such quantities as the Representative may reasonably request, in an amount not to exceed $3,000; (n) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; (o) the fees and expenses of the Company’s legal counsel and other agents and representatives; (p) fees and expenses of the Representative’s legal counsel not to exceed $125,000; (q) the $29,500 cost associated with the Representative’s use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the Offering; (r) $10,000 for data services and communications expenses; (s) up to $10,000 of the Representative’s actual accountable “road show” expenses; and (t) up to $10,000 of the Representative’s market making and trading, and clearing firm settlement expenses for the Offering. 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.
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%) of the gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Firm Securities presuming exercise of any Pre-Funded Warrants issued; excluding the Option Securities, less the Advance (as such term is defined in Section 8.3 hereof), provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8.3 hereof.
3.11 Application of Net Proceeds. The 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 Stabilization. Neither the Company nor, to its knowledge, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representative) 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 Public Securities.
3.14 Internal Controls. The Company shall continue to 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 shall retain 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.
3.16 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representative (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) and Representative Counsel 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 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 Agreements.
3.18.1. Restriction on Sales of Securities. 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 three (3) months after the date of this Agreement (the “Lock-Up Period”), (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant 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; (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 a registration statement for Form S-8); (iii) complete any offering of debt securities of the Company, other than entering into a line of credit with a traditional bank that is approved by the Representative, or (iv) 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), (iii) or (iv) 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 3.18.1 shall not apply to (i) the Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities to be sold hereunder, (ii) the issuance by the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of a stock option or warrant or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof, which is disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus, provided that such options, warrants, and securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities or to extend the term of such securities, or (iii) the issuance by the Company of stock options or shares of capital stock of the Company under any equity compensation plan of the Company, provided that in each of (ii) and (iii) above, the underlying shares shall be restricted from sale during the entire Lock-Up Period.
3.18.2. Restriction on Continuous Offerings. Notwithstanding the restrictions contained in Section 3.18.1, 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 24 months after the date of this Agreement, directly or indirectly in any “at-the-market” or continuous equity transaction, offer to sell, sell, contract to sell, grant any option to sell or otherwise dispose of shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company.
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 provide 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 B 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 Public Securities 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 Public Securities; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not 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 Public Securities 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 Public Securities as may be required under Rule 463 under the Securities Act Regulations.
4. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Public Securities, 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 Stock Market Clearance. On the Closing Date, the Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Firm Shares and the Underlying Shares, and the Warrants, 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 Company’s shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares and the Underlying Shares, and the Option Warrants, 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. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion and negative assurance letter of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP, counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, substantially in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Representative.
4.2.2. Closing Date Opinion of Utah Counsel. On the Closing Date, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinion of Codelaw LLC, special Utah counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representative, substantially in a form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Representative.
4.2.3. [Reserved].
4.2.4. Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received the favorable opinions of each counsel listed in Sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2, dated the Option Closing Date, addressed to the Representative and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, confirming as of the Option Closing Date, the statements made by such counsels in their respective 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/or 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 Counsel if requested. The opinion of Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP and any opinion relied upon by Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP shall include a statement to the effect that it may be relied upon by Representative Counsel in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.
4.3 Comfort Letters.
4.3.1. Cold Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed you shall have received a cold/long form 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 and to not have the Auditor cutoff date more than two (2) Business Days prior to 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, 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 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, any material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change or a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as set forth in the Prospectus.
4.4.2. Chief Executive Officer’s’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 Chief Executive Officer of the Company, or such corporate officer equivalent, 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 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.
4.4.3. Chief Financial Officer’s Certificate. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representative shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, dated as of the date of this Agreement, the Closing Date or the Option Date, respectively, certifying as to the accuracy of certain financial information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
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 or development involving a prospective 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 materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, 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; (iv) no action shall have been taken and no law, statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any Governmental Entity which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Public Securities or the Representative’s Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; (v) no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal, state or foreign court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Public Securities or Representative’s Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and (vi) 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 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form and validity of each of this Agreement, The Representative’s Warrant Agreement, the Public Securities, the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Underwriters, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.
4.7 Delivery of Agreements.
4.7.1. 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.
4.7.2. Warrant Agreement. On or before the Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative an executed copy of the Warrant Agreement.
4.7.3. Pre-Funded Warrant Certificates. On or before each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Pre-Funded Warrant Certificates, if any Pre-Funded Warrants are sold.
4.7.4. Representative’s Warrant Agreement. On or before each of the Closing Date and any Option Closing Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representative executed copies of the Representative’s Warrant Agreement.
4.8 Additional Documents. At the Closing Date and at each Option Closing Date (if any) Representative Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of enabling Representative 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 Public Securities and the Representative’s Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representative and Representative 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 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”), 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”), (i) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained 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 Public Securities and Representative’s Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, the Exchange or any other national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Underwriters’ Information or (ii) otherwise arising in connection with or allegedly in connection with the Offering. The Company also agrees that it will reimburse each Underwriter Indemnified Party for all 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.
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) 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, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company, and shall be advanced by the Company. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Underwriters, 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 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 strict 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 Public Securities 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.
5.3 Contribution.
5.3.1. Contribution Rights. If 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 loss, claim, damage or liability, or any action in respect thereof, 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 loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, (i) in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, from the Offering of the Public Securities, 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, with respect to the statements or omissions that resulted in such loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, 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 from the Offering of the Public Securities purchased under this Agreement (before deducting expenses) received by the Company, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the one hand, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the shares of the Common Stock purchased under this Agreement, as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus, on the other hand. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.3.1 were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.3.1 shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this Section 5.3.1, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.3.1 in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Offering of the Public Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.
5.3.2. Contribution Procedure. Within fifteen (15) days after receipt by any party to this Agreement (or its representative) of notice of the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, such party will, if a claim for contribution in respect thereof is to be made against another party (“contributing party”), notify the contributing party of the commencement thereof, but the failure to so notify the contributing party will not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any other party other than for contribution hereunder. In case any such action, suit or proceeding is brought against any party, and such party notifies a contributing party or its representative of the commencement thereof within the aforesaid 15 days, the contributing party will be entitled to participate therein with the notifying party and any other contributing party similarly notified. Any such contributing party shall not be liable to any party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution on account of any settlement of any claim, action or proceeding affected by such party seeking contribution without the written consent of such contributing party. The contribution provisions contained in this Section 5.3.2 are intended to supersede, to the extent permitted by law, any right to contribution under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise available. Each Underwriter’s obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 5.3 are several and not joint.
6. | Default by an Underwriter. |
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or Option Securities. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default on its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Securities or the Option Securities, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised hereunder, and if the number of the Firm Securities or Option Securities with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Securities or Option Securities that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Securities or Option Securities to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Securities or Option Securities. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 relates to more than 10% of the Firm Securities or Option Securities, you may in your discretion arrange for yourself or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Securities or Option Securities to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If, within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Securities or Option Securities, you do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Securities or Option Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to you to purchase said Firm Securities or Option Securities on such terms. In the event that neither you nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement will automatically be terminated by you or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.9 and 5 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided, however, that if such default occurs with respect to the Option Securities, this Agreement will not terminate as to the Firm Securities; and provided, further, that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Securities or Option Securities to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date or Option Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus that in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriter may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
7. | Additional Covenants. |
7.1 Board Composition and Board Designations. The Company shall ensure that: (i) the qualifications of the persons serving as members of the Board of Directors and the overall composition of the Board comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, with the Exchange Act and with the listing rules of the Exchange or any other national securities exchange, as the case may be, in the event the Company seeks to have its Public Securities listed on another exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system, and (ii) if applicable, at least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange.
7.2 Prohibition on Press Releases and Public Announcements. The Company shall not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representative’s prior written consent, for a period ending at 5:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the first (1st) Business Day following the forty-fifth (45th) day after the Closing Date, other than normal and customary releases issued in the ordinary course of the Company’s business.
7.3 Right of First Refusal. Provided that the Firm Shares are sold in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Representative shall have an irrevocable right of first refusal (the “Right of First Refusal”), for a period of twenty-four (24) months after the date the Offering is completed, to act as sole and exclusive investment banker, sole and exclusive book-runner, sole and exclusive financial advisor, sole and exclusive underwriter and/or sole and exclusive placement agent, at the Representative’s sole and exclusive discretion, for each and every future public and private equity and debt offering, including all equity linked financings (each, a “Subject Transaction”), during such twenty-four (24) month period, of the Company, or any successor to or subsidiary of the Company, on terms and conditions customary to the Representative for such Subject Transactions. For the avoidance of any doubt, the Company shall not retain, engage or solicit any additional investment banker, book-runner, financial advisor, underwriter and/or placement agent in a Subject Transaction during such twenty-four (24) months period without the express written consent of the Representative.
The Company shall notify the Representative of its intention to pursue a Subject Transaction, including the material terms thereof, by providing written notice thereof by registered mail or overnight courier service addressed to the Representative. If the Representative fails to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction within ten (10) Business Days after the mailing of such written notice, then the Representative shall have no further claim or right with respect to the Subject Transaction. The Representative may elect, in its sole and absolute discretion, not to exercise its Right of First Refusal with respect to any Subject Transaction; provided that any such election by the Representative shall not adversely affect the Representative’s Right of First Refusal with respect to any other Subject Transaction during the twenty-four (24) month period agreed to above.
8. | Effective Date of this Agreement and Termination Thereof. |
8.1 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.
8.2 Termination. The Representative shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to any Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in your opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock 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 Securities or Option Securities; 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 in the conditions or prospects of the Company, 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 Public Securities or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities.
8.3 Expenses. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, except in the case of a default by the Underwriters, pursuant to Section 6.2 above, 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 (including the fees and disbursements of Representative Counsel) up to $200,000, inclusive of the $50,000 advance for accountable expenses previously paid by the Company to the Representative (the “Advance”) and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Representative on behalf of the Underwriters; provided, however, 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).
8.4 Survival of 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.
8.5 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 Public Securities.
9. | Miscellaneous. |
9.1 Notices. All 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 e-mail and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so delivered or e-mailed and confirmed or if mailed, two (2) days after such mailing.
If to the Representative:
ThinkEquity LLC
17 State Street, 22nd Floor
New
York, NY 10004
Attention: Head of Investment Banking
E-mail: notices@think-equity.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10004
Attn: Oded Har-Even, Esq.
E-mail: ohareven@sullivanlaw.com
If to the Company:
Netcapital Inc.
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
Attention: Cecilia Lenk
E-mail: cecilia.lenk@netcapital.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Address: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
Attention: Richard Friedman, Esq.
Email: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com
9.2 Research Analyst Independence. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter’s research analysts and research departments are required to be independent from its investment banking division and are subject to certain regulations and internal policies, and that such Underwriter’s research analysts may hold views and make statements or investment recommendations and/or publish research reports with respect to the Company and/or the Offering that differ from the views of their investment banking division. The Company acknowledges that each Underwriter is a full service securities firm and as such from time to time, subject to applicable securities laws, rules and regulations, may effect transactions for its own account or the account of its customers and hold long or short positions in debt or equity securities of the Company; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9.2 shall relieve the Underwriter of any responsibility or liability it may otherwise bear in connection with activities in violation of applicable securities laws, rules or regulations.
9.3 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.
9.4 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
9.5 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 that certain engagement letter between the Company and ThinkEquity LLC dated August 11, 2021, shall remain in full force and effect.
9.6 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.
9.7 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 9.1 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 stockholders 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.
9.8 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.
9.9 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]
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,
NETCAPITAL INC.
By: ___________
Name:
Title:
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:
THINKEQUITY LLC
By: _________________
Name: Eric Lord
Title: Head of Investment Banking
SCHEDULE
1
Underwriter | Total Number of Firm Securities to be Purchased (Firm Shares, Firm Pre-Funded Warrants, Firm Warrants) |
Number of Option Securities to be Purchased if the Over-Allotment Option is Fully Exercised (Option Shares, Option Pre-Funded Warrants, Option Warrants) |
ThinkEquity LLC . | ||
TOTAL |
SCHEDULE
2-A
Pricing Information
Number of Firm Shares: [•]
Number of Firm Pre-Funded Warrants: [•]
Number of Firm Warrants: [•]
Number of Option Shares: Up to [•]
Number of Option Pre-Funded Warrants: Up to [•]
Number of Option Warrants: Up to [•]
Public Offering Price per Firm Share: $[•]
Public Offering Price per Firm Pre-Funded Warrant: $[•]
Public Offering Price per Firm Warrant: $0.00001
Underwriting Discount per Firm Share: $[•]
Underwriting Discount per Firm Pre-Funded Warrant; $[•]
Underwriting Discount per Firm Warrant: $[•]
Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Firm Share: $[•]
Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Firm Pre-Funded Warrant: $[•]
Underwriting Non-accountable expense allowance per Firm Warrant: $0.0000001
Proceeds to Company per Firm Share (before expenses): $[•]
Proceeds to Company per Firm Pre-Funded Warrant (before expenses): $[ ]
Proceeds to Company per Firm Warrant (before expenses): $[ ]
SCHEDULE 2-B
Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses
[None]
SCHEDULE 2-C
Written Testing-the-Waters Communications
[None]
SCHEDULE 3
List of Lock-Up Parties
EXHIBIT A
Form of Pre-Funded Warrant
(See attached)—See Exhibit 4.6
EXHIBIT B
Form of Representative’s Warrant Agreement
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 THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN (I) THINKEQUITY LLC, OR AN UNDERWRITER OR A SELECTED DEALER IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING, OR (II) A BONA FIDE OFFICER OR PARTNER OF THINKEQUITY LLC OR OF ANY SUCH UNDERWRITER OR SELECTED DEALER.
THIS PURCHASE WARRANT IS NOT EXERCISABLE PRIOR TO [________________] [DATE THAT IS 180 DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE OFFERING]. VOID AFTER 5:00 P.M., EASTERN TIME, [___________________] [DATE THAT IS FIVE YEARS FROM THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT].
WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK
NETCAPITAL INC.
Warrant Shares: _______
Initial Exercise Date: ______, 2022
THIS WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, ThinkEquity LLC or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after ____, 2022 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(A), prior to at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the date that is five (5) years following the Effective Date (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Netcapital Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Utah (the “Company”), up to ______ shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Warrant Shares”), as subject to adjustment hereunder. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).
Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 per share.
“Effective Date” means the effective date of the registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-262688), including any related prospectus or prospectuses, for the registration of the Common Stock, pre-funded warrants, warrants and shares of Common Stock underlying the pre-funded warrants and warrants, this Purchase Warrant and the Warrant Shares under the Securities Act, that the Company has filed with the Commission.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Nasdaq Capital Market is open for trading.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading 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)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of a share of Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for 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 most recent bid price per share of Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of the Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holder and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
Section 2. Exercise.
a) Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company (or such other office or agency of the Company as it may designate by notice in writing to the registered Holder at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company) of a duly executed facsimile copy (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise Form annexed hereto. Within two (2) Trading Days following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within five (5) Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise Form within two (2) Business Days of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $[•][2], subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).
c) Cashless Exercise. In lieu of exercising this Warrant by delivering the aggregate Exercise Price by wire transfer or cashier’s check, at the election of the Holder this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;
(B) = the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and
(X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.
If Warrant Shares are issued in such a “cashless exercise,” the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised, and the holding period of the Warrants being exercised may be tacked on to the holding period of the Warrant Shares. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).
d) Mechanics of Exercise.
i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by its transfer agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder, or (B) the Warrant Shares are eligible for resale by the Holder without volume or manner-of-sale limitations pursuant to Rule 144 and, in either case, the Warrant Shares have been sold by the Holder prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date (as defined below), and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). If the Warrant Shares can be delivered via DWAC, the transfer agent shall have received from the Company, at the expense of the Company, any legal opinions or other documentation required by it to deliver such Warrant Shares without legend (subject to receipt by the Company of reasonable back up documentation from the Holder, including with respect to affiliate status) and, if applicable and requested by the Company prior to the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the transfer agent shall have received from the Holder a confirmation of sale of the Warrant Shares (provided the requirement of the Holder to provide a confirmation as to the sale of Warrant Shares shall not be applicable to the issuance of unlegended Warrant Shares upon a cashless exercise of this Warrant if the Warrant Shares are then eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144(b)(1)). The Warrant Shares shall be deemed to have been issued, and Holder or any other person so designated to be named therein shall be deemed to have become a holder of record of such shares for all purposes, as of the date the Warrant has been exercised, with payment to the Company of the Exercise Price (or by cashless exercise, if permitted) and all taxes required to be paid by the Holder, if any, pursuant to Section 2(d)(vi) prior to the issuance of such shares, having been paid. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the second Trading Day following the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after the second Trading Day following such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise.
ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise; provided, however, that the Holder shall be required to return any Warrant Shares or Common Stock subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently with the return to Holder of the aggregate Exercise Price paid to the Company for such Warrant Shares and the restoration of Holder’s right to acquire such Warrant Shares pursuant to this Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).
iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause its transfer agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. 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 Company’s failure to timely deliver Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all transfer agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.
vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.
viii. Signature. This Section 2 and the exercise form attached hereto set forth the totality of the procedures required of the Holder in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original exercise form shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any exercise form be required in order to exercise this Purchase Warrant. No additional legal opinion, other information or instructions shall be required of the Holder to exercise this Purchase Warrant. The Company shall honor exercises of this Purchase Warrant and shall deliver Warrant Shares underlying this Purchase Warrant in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth herein.
e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates shall include the number of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock , a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Company’s transfer agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 9.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
Section 3. Certain Adjustments.
a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on its shares of Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification. For the purposes of clarification, the Exercise Price of this Warrant will not be adjusted in the event that the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, as applicable, sells or grants any option to purchase, or sell or grant any right to reprice, or otherwise dispose of or issue (or announce any offer, sale, grant or any option to purchase or other disposition) any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, at an effective price per share less than the Exercise Price then in effect.
b) [RESERVED]
c) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
d) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend (other than cash dividends) or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock , by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of shares or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a "Distribution"), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock is to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder's right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Warrant.
e) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock , (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable by holders of Common Stock as a result of such Fundamental Transaction for each Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(e) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
f) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
g) Notice to Holder.
i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly mail to the Holder a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be mailed a notice to the Holder at its last address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to provide such notice or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.
a) Transferability. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), neither this Warrant nor any Warrant Shares issued upon exercise of this Warrant shall 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 the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of effectiveness or commencement of sales of the offering pursuant to which this Warrant is being issued, except the transfer of any security:
i. by operation of law or by reason of reorganization of the Company;
ii. to any FINRA member firm participating in the offering and the officers or partners thereof, if all securities so transferred remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period;
iii. if the aggregate amount of securities of the Company held by the Holder or related person do not exceed 1% of the securities being offered;
iv. that is beneficially owned on a pro-rata basis by all equity owners of an investment fund, provided that no participating member manages or otherwise directs investments by the fund, and participating members in the aggregate do not own more than 10% of the equity in the fund; or
v. the exercise or conversion of any security, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in this Section 4(a) for the remainder of the time period.
Subject to the foregoing restriction, any applicable securities laws and the conditions set forth in Section 4(d), this Warrant and all rights hereunder (including, without limitation, any registration rights) are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.
b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the initial issuance date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.
c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
d) Representation by the Holder. The Holder, by the acceptance hereof, represents and warrants that it is acquiring this Warrant and, upon any exercise hereof, will acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon such exercise, for its own account and not with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Warrant Shares or any part thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act.
Section 5. Registration Rights.
5.1. Demand Registration.
5.1.1 Grant of Right. The Company, upon written demand (a “Demand Notice”) of the Holder(s) of at least 51% of the Warrants and/or the underlying Warrant Shares (“Majority Holders”), agrees to register, on one occasion, all or any portion of the Warrant Shares underlying the Warrants (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”). On such occasion, the Company will file a registration statement with the Commission covering the Registrable Securities within sixty (60) days after receipt of a Demand Notice and use its reasonable best efforts to have the registration statement declared effective promptly thereafter, subject to compliance with review by the Commission; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to comply with a Demand Notice if the Company has filed a registration statement with respect to which the Holder is entitled to piggyback registration rights pursuant to Section 5.2 hereof and either: (i) the Holder has elected to participate in the offering covered by such registration statement or (ii) if such registration statement relates to an underwritten primary offering of securities of the Company, until the offering covered by such registration statement has been withdrawn or until thirty (30) days after such offering is consummated. The demand for registration may be made at any time beginning on the Initial Exercise Date and expiring on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date. The Company covenants and agrees to give written notice of its receipt of any Demand Notice by any Holder(s) to all other registered Holders of the Warrants and/or the Registrable Securities within ten (10) days after the date of the receipt of any such Demand Notice.
5.1.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to the registration of the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 5.1.1, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to cause the filing required herein to become effective promptly and to qualify or register the Registrable Securities in such States as are reasonably requested by the Holder(s); provided, however, that in no event shall the Company be required to register the Registrable Securities in a State in which such registration would cause: (i) the Company to be obligated to register or license to do business in such State or submit to general service of process in such State, or (ii) the principal shareholders of the Company to be obligated to escrow their shares of capital stock of the Company. The Company shall cause any registration statement filed pursuant to the demand right granted under Section 5.1.1 to remain effective for a period of at least twelve (12) consecutive months after the date that the Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement are first given the opportunity to sell all of such securities. The Holders shall only use the prospectuses provided by the Company to sell the Warrant Shares covered by such registration statement, and will immediately cease to use any prospectus furnished by the Company if the Company advises the Holder that such prospectus may no longer be used due to a material misstatement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5.1.2, the Holder shall be entitled to a demand registration under this Section 5.1.2 on only one (1) occasion and such demand registration right shall terminate on the fifth anniversary of the date of the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below) in accordance with FINRA Rules 5110(g)(8)(B) and 5110(g)(8)(C).
5.2 | “Piggy-Back” Registration. |
5.2.1 Grant of Right. In addition to the demand right of registration described in Section 5.1 hereof, the Holder shall have the right, for a period of no more than two (2) years from the Initial Exercise Date in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(D), to include the Registrable Securities as part of any other registration of securities filed by the Company (other than in connection with a transaction contemplated by Rule 145(a) promulgated under the Securities Act or pursuant to Form S-8 or any equivalent form); provided, however, that if, solely in connection with any primary underwritten public offering for the account of the Company, the managing underwriter(s) thereof shall, in its reasonable discretion, impose a limitation on the number of Shares which may be included in the Registration Statement because, in such underwriter(s)’ judgment, marketing or other factors dictate such limitation is necessary to facilitate public distribution, then the Company shall be obligated to include in such Registration Statement only such limited portion of the Registrable Securities with respect to which the Holder requested inclusion hereunder as the underwriter shall reasonably permit. Any exclusion of Registrable Securities shall be made pro rata among the Holders seeking to include Registrable Securities in proportion to the number of Registrable Securities sought to be included by such Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not exclude any Registrable Securities unless the Company has first excluded all outstanding securities, the holders of which are not entitled to inclusion of such securities in such Registration Statement or are not entitled to pro rata inclusion with the Registrable Securities.
5.2.2 Terms. The Company shall bear all fees and expenses attendant to registering the Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 5.2.1 hereof, but the Holders shall pay any and all underwriting commissions and the expenses of any legal counsel selected by the Holders to represent them in connection with the sale of the Registrable Securities. In the event of such a proposed registration, the Company shall furnish the then Holders of outstanding Registrable Securities with not less than thirty (30) days written notice prior to the proposed date of filing of such registration statement. Such notice to the Holders shall continue to be given for each registration statement filed by the Company during the two (2) year period following the Initial Exercise Date until such time as all of the Registrable Securities have been sold by the Holder. The holders of the Registrable Securities shall exercise the “piggy-back” rights provided for herein by giving written notice within ten (10) days of the receipt of the Company’s notice of its intention to file a registration statement. Except as otherwise provided in this Warrant, there shall be no limit on the number of times the Holder may request registration under this Section 5.2.2; provided, however, that such registration rights shall terminate on the second anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date.
5.3 | General Terms |
5.3.1 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 Securities Act or Section 20 (a) of the Exchange Act 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 any of them may become subject under the Securities 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 the Underwriters contained in Section 5.1 of the Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriters and the Company, dated as of [•], 2022. 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 Securities 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 Section 5.2 of the Underwriting Agreement pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to indemnify the Company.
5.3.2 Exercise of Warrants. Nothing contained in this Warrant shall be construed as requiring the Holder(s) to exercise their Warrants prior to or after the initial filing of any registration statement or the effectiveness thereof.
5.3.3 Documents Delivered to Holders. The Company shall furnish to each Holder participating in any of the foregoing offerings and to each underwriter of any such offering, if any, a signed counterpart, addressed to such Holder or underwriter, of: (i) an opinion of counsel to the Company, dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, an opinion dated the date of the closing under any underwriting agreement related thereto), and (ii) a “cold comfort”/long form comfort letter dated the effective date of such registration statement (and, if such registration includes an underwritten public offering, a letter dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement) signed by the independent registered public accounting firm which has issued a report on the Company’s financial statements included in such registration statement, in each case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements, as are customarily covered in opinions of issuer’s counsel and in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities. The Company shall also deliver promptly to each Holder participating in the offering requesting the correspondence and memoranda described below and to the managing underwriter, if any, 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 as any such Holder shall reasonably request.
5.3.4 Underwriting Agreement. The Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with the managing underwriter(s), if any, selected by any Holders whose Registrable Securities are being registered pursuant to this Section 5, which managing underwriter shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Company. Such agreement shall be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Company, each Holder and such managing underwriters, and shall contain such representations, warranties and covenants by the Company and such other terms as are customarily contained in agreements of that type used by the managing underwriter. The Holders shall be parties to any underwriting agreement relating to an underwritten sale of their Registrable Securities and may, at their option, require that any or all the representations, warranties and covenants of the Company to or for the benefit of such underwriters shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Holders. 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 Warrant Shares and their intended methods of distribution.
5.3.5 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.
5.3.6 Damages. Should the registration or the effectiveness thereof required by Sections 5.1 and 5.2 hereof be delayed by the Company or the Company otherwise fails 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.
Section 6. Miscellaneous.
a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i).
b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.
d) Authorized Shares.
The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, 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 Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
e) Jurisdiction. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of the underwriting agreement, dated __________, 2022, by and between the Company and ThinkEquity LLC as representatives of the underwriters set forth therein (the “Underwriting Agreement”).
f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, or otherwise able to be resold or transferred without restriction pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant or the Underwriting Agreement, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
h) Notices. Any notice, request or other document required or permitted to be given or delivered to the Holder by the Company shall be delivered in accordance with the notice provisions of the Underwriting Agreement.
i) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.
l) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.
m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
********************
(Signature Page Follows)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.
NETCAPITAL INC. | |
By:__________________________________________ Name: Title: |
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
TO: NETCAPITAL INC.
_________________________
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
[ ] in lawful money of the United States; or
[ ] if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).
(3) Please register and issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
_______________________________
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number or by physical delivery of a certificate to:
_______________________________
_______________________________
_______________________________
(4) Accredited Investor. If the Warrant is being exercised via cash exercise, the undersigned is an “accredited investor” as defined in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: _______________________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________
Date: ________________________________________________________________________________
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To
assign the foregoing warrant, execute
this form and supply required information.
Do not use this form to exercise the warrant.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, [____] all of or [_______] shares of the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to
_______________________________________________ whose address is
_______________________________________________________________.
_______________________________________________________________
Dated: ______________, _______
Holder’s Signature: _____________________________
Holder’s Address: _____________________________
_____________________________
NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it appears on the face of the Warrant, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever. Officers of corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Warrant.
EXHIBIT B
Form
of Lock-Up Agreement
[•], 2022
ThinkEquity LLC
17 State Street, 22nd Floor
New York, NY 10004
As
Representative of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 to the Underwriting Agreement referenced below
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned understands that ThinkEquity LLC (the “Representative”), proposes to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with Netcapital Inc., a corporation formed under the laws of the State of Utah (the “Company”), providing for the public offering (the “Public Offering”) of securities, including shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”) and warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock.
To induce the Representative to continue its efforts in connection with the Public Offering, the undersigned hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of the Representative, the undersigned will not, during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending [six (6)][three (3)] months after the date of the Underwriting Agreement relating to the Public Offering (the “Lock-Up Period”), (1) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, grant, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the “Lock-Up Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Lock-Up Securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any Lock-Up Securities; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to make any offer, sale, pledge or disposition, or to enter into any transaction, swap, hedge or other arrangement relating to any Lock-Up Securities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of the Representative in connection with (a) transactions relating to Lock-Up Securities acquired in the Public Offering or in open market transactions after the completion of the Public Offering; provided that no filing pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made in connection with subsequent sales of Lock-Up Securities acquired in such transactions; (b) transfers of Lock-Up Securities as a bona fide gift, by will or intestacy or to a family member or trust for the benefit of the undersigned or a family member (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, “family member” means any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); (c) transfers of Lock-Up Securities to a charity or educational institution; (d) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other business entity, (i) any transfers of Lock-Up Securities to another corporation, partnership or other business entity that controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the undersigned or (ii) distributions of Lock-Up Securities to members, partners, stockholders, subsidiaries or affiliates (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of the undersigned; (e) if the undersigned is a trust, to a trustee or beneficiary of the trust; provided that in the case of any transfer pursuant to the foregoing clauses (b), (c) (d) or (e), (i) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (ii) each transferee shall sign and deliver to the Representative a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement and (iii) no filing pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made; (f) the receipt by the undersigned from the Company of shares of Common Stock upon the vesting of restricted stock awards or stock units or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s shares of Common Stock issued under an equity incentive plan of the Company or an employment arrangement described in the Pricing Prospectus (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (the “Plan Shares”) or the transfer of shares of Common Stock or any securities convertible into shares of Common Stock to the Company upon a vesting event of the Company’s securities or upon the exercise of options to purchase the Company’s securities, in each case on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise, but only to the extent such right expires during the Lock-up Period, provided that no filing pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act or other public announcement shall be required or shall be voluntarily made within [six (6)][three (3)] month after the date of the Underwriting Agreement, and after such [six (6)][three (3)] month period, if the undersigned is required to file a report pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report to the effect that the purpose of such transfer was to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise and, provided further, that the Plan Shares shall be subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement; (g) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to agreements described in the Pricing Prospectus under which the Company has the option to repurchase such securities or a right of first refusal with respect to the transfer of such securities, provided that if the undersigned is required to file a report pursuant to Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act reporting a reduction in beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock during the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned shall include a statement in such schedule or report describing the purpose of the transaction; (h) the establishment of a trading plan pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities, provided that (i) such plan does not provide for the transfer of Lock-Up Securities during the Lock-Up Period and (ii) to the extent a public announcement or filing under the Exchange Act, if any, is required of or voluntarily made by or on behalf of the undersigned or the Company regarding the establishment of such plan, such public announcement or filing shall include a statement to the effect that no transfer of Lock-Up Securities may be made under such plan during the Lock-Up Period; (i) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities that occurs by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order or in connection with a divorce settlement, provided that the transferee agrees to sign and deliver a lock-up agreement substantially in the form of this lock-up agreement for the balance of the Lock-Up Period, and provided further, that any filing under Section 13 or Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act that is required to be made during the Lock-Up Period as a result of such transfer shall include a statement that such transfer has occurred by operation of law; and (j) the transfer of Lock-Up Securities pursuant to a bona fide third party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction made to all holders of shares of Common Stock involving a change of control (as defined below) of the Company after the closing of the Public Offering and approved by the Company’s board of directors; provided that in the event that the tender offer, merger, consolidation or other such transaction is not completed, the Lock-Up Securities owned by the undersigned shall remain subject to the restrictions contained in this lock-up agreement. For purposes of clause (j) above, “change of control” shall mean the consummation of any bona fide third party tender offer, merger, amalgamation, consolidation or other similar transaction the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of a majority of total voting power of the voting stock of the Company. The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the undersigned’s Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with this lock-up agreement.
If (i) during the last 17 days of the Lock-Up Period, the Company issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Company occurs, or (ii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Company announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, the restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of such material news or material event, as applicable, unless the Representative waives, in writing, such extension.
The undersigned agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date hereof to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the undersigned will give notice thereof to the Company and will not consummate any such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Company that the Lock-Up Period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, (i) the undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed or “friends and family” securities that the undersigned may purchase in the Public Offering; (ii) the Representative agrees that, at least three (3) business days before the effective date of any release or waiver of the foregoing restrictions in connection with a transfer of Lock-Up Securities, the Representative will notify the Company of the impending release or waiver; and (iii) the Company has agreed in the Underwriting Agreement to announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two (2) business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted by the Representative hereunder to any such officer or director shall only be effective two (2) business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if (a) the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer of Lock-Up Securities not for consideration and (b) the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this lock-up agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of such transfer.
The undersigned understands that the Company and the Representative are relying upon this lock-up agreement in proceeding toward consummation of the Public Offering. The undersigned further understands that this lock-up agreement is irrevocable and shall be binding upon the undersigned’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns.
The
undersigned understands that, if the Underwriting Agreement is not executed by August 31, 2022, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other
than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of shares of
Common Stock to be sold thereunder, then this lock-up agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.
Whether or not the Public Offering actually occurs depends on a number of factors, including market conditions. Any Public Offering will only be made pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, the terms of which are subject to negotiation between the Company and the Representative.
Very truly yours,
(Name - Please Print)
(Signature)
(Name of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print)
(Title of Signatory, in the case of entities - Please Print)
Address: ____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
EXHIBIT C
Form of Press Release
NETCAPITAL INC.
[Date]
Netcapital Inc. (the “Company”) announced today that ThinkEquity LLC, acting as representative of the underwriters in the Company’s recent public offering of _______ shares of the Company’s common stock, is [waiving] [releasing] a lock-up restriction with respect to _________ shares of the Company’s common stock held by [certain officers or directors] [an officer or director] of the Company. The [waiver] [release] will take effect on _________, 20___, and the shares may be sold on or after such date.
This press release is not an offer or sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer or sale is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
[1] NTD: Please provide the schedule for review.
[2] 125% of the public offering price per share of Common Stock and warrant in the offering.
Exhibit 4.4
FORM OF WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT
WARRANT AGENT AGREEMENT (this “Warrant Agreement”) dated as of _________, 2022 (the “Issuance Date”) between Netcapital Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Utah (the “Company”), and Equity Stock Transfer LLC (the “Warrant Agent”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of that certain Underwriting Agreement (“Underwriting Agreement”), dated ____________, 2022, by and among the Company and ThinkEquity LLC, , as representative of the underwriters set forth therein, the Company is engaged in a public offering (the “Offering”) of up to _________ shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company, up to _________ pre-funded warrants (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) to purchase up to _________ shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrant Shares”) and warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase up to _________ shares of Common Stock (the “Warrant Shares”), including Shares, Pre-Funded Warrants and Warrants issuable pursuant to the underwriters’ over-allotment option;
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-262688) (as the same may be amended from time to time, the “Registration Statement”) for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of among others, the Shares, Pre-Funded Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares, and such Registration Statement was declared effective on _______, 2022;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Warrant Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Warrant Agent is willing to so act, in accordance with the terms set forth in this Warrant Agreement, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer, exchange and exercise of the Warrants;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the provisions of the Warrants, the terms upon which they shall be issued and exercised, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Warrant Agent, and the holders of the Warrants; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Warrants the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Warrant Agreement.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Appointment of Warrant Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Warrant Agent to act as agent for the Company with respect to the Warrants, and the Warrant Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the express terms and conditions set forth in this Warrant Agreement (and no implied terms or conditions).
2. Warrants.
2.1. Form of Warrants. The Warrants shall be registered securities and shall be initially evidenced by a global Warrant certificate (“Global Certificate”) substantially in the form of Annex A to this Warrant Agreement, which shall be deposited on behalf of the Company with a custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC. If DTC subsequently ceases to make its settlement system available for the Warrants, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent regarding making arrangements for book-entry settlement. In the event that the Warrants are not eligible for, or it is no longer necessary to have the Warrants available in, registration in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC, the Company may instruct the Warrant Agent to provide written instructions to DTC to deliver to the Warrant Agent for cancellation the Global Certificate, and the Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent to deliver to each Holder (as defined below) separate certificates evidencing Warrants (“Definitive Certificates” and, together with the Global Certificate, “Warrant Certificates”), in the form of Annex C to this Warrant Agreement. The Warrants represented by the Global Certificate are referred to as “Global Warrants”.
2.2. Issuance and Registration of Warrants.
2.2.1. Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall maintain books (“Warrant Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Warrants. Any Person in whose name ownership of a beneficial interest in the Warrants evidenced by a Global Certificate is recorded in the records maintained by DTC or its nominee shall be deemed the “beneficial owner” thereof, provided that all such beneficial interests shall be held through a Participant (as defined below), which shall be the registered holder of such Warrants.
2.2.2. Issuance of Warrants. Upon the initial issuance of the Warrants, the Warrant Agent shall issue the Global Certificate and deliver the Warrants in the DTC settlement system in accordance with written instructions delivered to the Warrant Agent by the Company. Ownership of beneficial interests in the Warrants shall be shown on, and the transfer of such ownership shall be effected through, records maintained (i) by DTC and (ii) by institutions that have accounts with DTC (each, a “Participant”), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form in the form of Annex C to this Warrant Agreement. Any Holder desiring to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent pursuant to Section 2.2.8, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the interest of the Holder on the books of the Participant evidencing the Warrants which are to be represented by a Definitive Certificate through the DTC settlement system. Thereupon, the Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested.
2.2.3. Beneficial Owner; Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Warrant, the Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the Person in whose name that Warrant shall be registered on the Warrant Register (the “Holder,” which term shall include a Holder’s transferees, successors and assigns and a “Holder” shall include, if the Warrants are held in “street name,” a Participant or a designee appointed by such Participant) as the absolute owner of such Warrant for purposes of any exercise thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Warrant Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Warrant Agent or any agent of the Company or the Warrant Agent from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Warrant. The rights of beneficial owners in a Warrant evidenced by the Global Certificate shall be exercised by the Holder or a Participant through the DTC system, except to the extent set forth herein or in the Global Certificate.
2.2.4. Execution. The Warrant Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any authorized officer of the Company (an “Authorized Officer”), which need not be the same authorized signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Warrant Certificates shall be countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent, which need not be the same signatory for all of the Warrant Certificates, and no Warrant Certificate shall be valid for any purpose unless so countersigned. In case any Authorized Officer of the Company that signed any of the Warrant Certificates ceases to be an Authorized Officer of the Company before countersignature by the Warrant Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Warrant Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Warrant Agent, issued and delivered with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Warrant Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Warrant Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Warrant Certificate, shall be an Authorized Officer of the Company authorized to sign such Warrant Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Warrant Agreement any such person was not such an Authorized Officer.
2.2.5. Registration of Transfer. At any time at or prior to the Expiration Date (as defined below), a transfer of any Warrants may be registered and any Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates may be split up, combined or exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. Any Holder desiring to register the transfer of Warrants or to split up, combine or exchange any Warrant Certificate shall make such request in writing delivered to the Warrant Agent, and shall surrender to the Warrant Agent the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the Warrants the transfer of which is to be registered or that is or are to be split up, combined or exchanged. Thereupon, the Warrant Agent shall countersign and deliver to the Person entitled thereto a Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Warrant Agent may require reasonable and customary payment with respect to a registration of transfer of Warrants or a split-up, combination or exchange of a Warrant Certificate (but, for purposes of clarity, not upon the exercise of the Warrants and issuance of Warrant Shares to the Holder), of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with such registration of transfer, split-up, combination or exchange, together with reimbursement to the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto. All such fees and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and not by the Holder.
2.2.6. Loss, Theft and Mutilation of Warrant Certificates. Upon receipt by the Company and the Warrant Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Warrant Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security in customary form and amount, and reimbursement to the Company and the Warrant Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Warrant Agent and cancellation of the Warrant Certificate if mutilated, the Warrant Agent shall, on behalf of the Company, countersign and deliver a new Warrant Certificate of like tenor to the Holder in lieu of the Warrant Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated. The Warrant Agent may charge the Holder an administrative fee for processing the replacement of lost Warrant Certificates, which shall be charged only once in instances where a single surety bond obtained covers multiple certificates. The Warrant Agent may receive compensation from the surety companies or surety bond agents for administrative services provided to them.
2.2.7. Proxies. The Holder of a Warrant may grant proxies or otherwise authorize any Person, including the Participants and beneficial holders that may own interests through the Participants, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Warrant Agreement or the Warrants; provided, however, that at all times that Warrants are evidenced by a Global Certificate, exercise of those Warrants shall be effected on their behalf by Participants through DTC in accordance the procedures administered by DTC.
2.2.8. Warrant Certificate Request. A Holder has the right to elect at any time or from time to time a Warrant Exchange (as defined below) pursuant to a Warrant Certificate Request Notice (as defined below). Upon written notice by a Holder to the Warrant Agent for the exchange of some or all of such Holder’s Global Warrants for a Definitive Certificate evidencing the same number of Warrants, which request shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex E (a “Warrant Certificate Request Notice” and the date of delivery of such Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Holder, the “Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date” and the deemed surrender upon delivery by the Holder of a number of Global Warrants for the same number of Warrants evidenced by a Definitive Certificate, a “Warrant Exchange”), the Warrant Agent shall promptly effect the Warrant Exchange and shall promptly issue and deliver to the Holder a Definitive Certificate for such number of Warrants in the name set forth in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice. Such Definitive Certificate shall be dated the original issue date of the Warrants, shall be manually executed by an authorized signatory of the Company, shall be in the form attached hereto as Annex C, and shall be reasonably acceptable in all respects to such Holder. In connection with a Warrant Exchange, the Company agrees to deliver, or to direct the Warrant Agent to deliver, the Definitive Certificate to the Holder within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined below) of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice pursuant to the delivery instructions in the Warrant Certificate Request Notice (“Warrant Certificate Delivery Date”). If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Definitive Certificate subject to the Warrant Certificate Request Notice by the Warrant Certificate Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares evidenced by such Definitive Certificate (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the Warrant Certificate Request Notice Date), $10 per Business Day for each Business Day after such Warrant Certificate Delivery Date until such Definitive Certificate is delivered or, prior to delivery of such Warrant Certificate, the Holder rescinds such Warrant Exchange. The Company covenants and agrees that, upon the date of delivery of the Warrant Certificate Request Notice, the Holder shall be deemed to be the holder of the Definitive Certificate and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Definitive Certificate shall be deemed for all purposes to contain all of the terms and conditions of the Warrants evidenced by such Warrant Certificate and the terms of this Warrant Agreement, other than Sections 3.3 and 8 herein, which shall not apply to the Warrants evidenced by the Definitive Certificate. For purposes of clarity, if there is a conflict between the express terms of this Warrant Agreement and the Warrant Certificate in the form of Annex C hereto with respect to terms of the Warrants, the terms of the Warrant Certificate shall govern and control.
3. Terms and Exercise of Warrants.
3.1. Exercise Price. Each Warrant shall entitle the Holder, subject to the provisions of the applicable Warrant Certificate and of this Warrant Agreement, to purchase from the Company the number of shares of Common Stock stated therein, at the price of $____ per whole share, subject to the subsequent adjustments provided in Section 4 hereof. The term “Exercise Price” as used in this Warrant Agreement refers to the price per share at which shares of Common Stock may be purchased at the time a Warrant is exercised.
3.2. Duration of Warrants. Warrants may be exercised only during the period (“Exercise Period”) commencing on the Issuance Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time (the “close of business”) on ______, 2027 (“Expiration Date”)[1]. Each Warrant not exercised on or before the Expiration Date shall become void, and all rights thereunder and all rights in respect thereof under this Warrant Agreement shall cease at the close of business on the Expiration Date.
3.3. Exercise of Warrants.
3.3.1. Exercise and Payment.
(a) Exercise of the purchase rights represented by a Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times during the Exercise Period by delivery to the Company or the Warrant Agent of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed as Annex B hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following the date the Holder delivers the Notice of Exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 3.3.6 below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender a Warrant Certificate to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available thereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender such Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of a Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available thereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Business Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of a Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face thereof.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 3.3.1, a Holder whose interest in a Warrant is a beneficial interest in certificate(s) representing such Warrant held in registered form through DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), shall effect exercises made pursuant to this Section 3.3.1 by delivering to DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable) the appropriate instruction form for exercise, complying with the procedures to effect exercise that are required by DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply. Upon giving irrevocable instructions to its Participant to exercise Warrants, solely for purposes of Regulation SHO, the holder whose interest in the Warrant is a beneficial interest shall be deemed to have exercised such Warrant, regardless of when the applicable Warrant Shares are delivered to such holder.
3.3.2. Issuance of Warrant Shares.
(a) The Warrant Agent shall, on the Trading Day following the date of exercise of any Warrant, advise the Company, and the transfer agent and registrar for the Company’s Common Stock (the “Transfer Agent”), in respect of (i) the number of Warrant Shares indicated on the Notice of Exercise as issuable upon such exercise with respect to such exercised Warrants, (ii) the instructions of the Holder or Participant, as the case may be, provided to the Warrant Agent with respect to the delivery of the Warrant Shares and the number of Warrants that remain outstanding after such exercise and (iii) such other information as the Company or the Transfer Agent shall reasonably request.
(b) The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) the Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days of, and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after, the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which the Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days of and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as the Warrants remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.
3.3.3. Valid Issuance. All Warrant Shares issued by the Company upon the proper exercise of a Warrant in conformity with this Warrant Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
3.3.4. No Fractional Exercise. No fractional Warrant Shares will be issued upon the exercise of the Warrant. If, by reason of any adjustment made pursuant to Section 4, a Holder would be entitled, upon the exercise of such Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
3.3.5. No Transfer Taxes. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, the Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.
3.3.6. Restrictive Legend Events; Cashless Exercise Under Certain Circumstances.
(a) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and the current status of the prospectus included therein or to file and maintain the effectiveness of another registration statement and another current prospectus covering the Warrants and the Warrant Shares at any time that the Warrants are exercisable. The Company shall provide to the Warrant Agent and each Holder prompt written notice of any time that the Company is unable to deliver the Warrant Shares via DTC transfer or otherwise without restrictive legend because (A) the Commission has issued a stop order with respect to the Registration Statement, (B) the Commission otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (C) the Company has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, (D) the prospectus contained in the Registration Statement is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder or (E) otherwise (each a “Restrictive Legend Event”). To the extent that the Warrants cannot be exercised as a result of a Restrictive Legend Event, the Company shall, at the election of the Holder, which shall be given within five (5) days of receipt of such notice of the Restrictive Legend Event, either (A) rescind the previously submitted Notice of Exercise and the Company shall return all consideration paid by registered holder for such shares upon such rescission or (B) treat the attempted exercise as a cashless exercise as described in paragraph (ii) below and refund the cash portion of the exercise price to the Holder.
(b) If a Restrictive Legend Event has occurred, the Warrant may also be exercisable on a cashless basis. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, but without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to this Section 3.3.6(b) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 3.3.2(b) and Section 3.3.8 herein, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant Shares. Upon a “cashless exercise”, the Holder shall be entitled to receive the number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient (if such quotient would be a positive number) obtained by dividing (A-B) (X) by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 3.3.1(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 3.3.1(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 3.3.1(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 3.3.1(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of the Warrant, as adjusted as set forth herein; and |
(X) = | the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of the Warrant in accordance with the terms of the Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
(c) If the Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that, in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised and the Company agrees not to take any position contrary thereto. Upon receipt of a Notice of Exercise for a cashless exercise, the Warrant Agent will promptly deliver a copy of the Notice of Exercise to the Company to confirm the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with the cashless exercise. The Company shall calculate and transmit to the Warrant Agent in a written notice, and the Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation under this Section 3.3.6 to calculate, the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with any cashless exercise. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on any such written notice provided by the Company, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with such written instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, the Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 3.3.6.
3.3.7. Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the number of Warrant Shares issuable in connection with any exercise, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder the number of Warrant Shares that are not disputed.
3.3.8. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.3.2(b) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. 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 Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
3.3.9. Beneficial Ownership Limitation. The Company shall not effect any exercise of a Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of a Warrant, pursuant to Section 3 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of such Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, non-exercised portion of such Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or non-converted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other securities of the Company which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time shares of Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, shares of Common Stock (“Common Stock Equivalents”)) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 3.3.9, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 3.3.9 applies, the determination of whether a Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of a Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether a Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of a Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 3.3.9, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including such Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of a Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 3.3.9, provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 3.3.9 shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.3.9 to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of a Warrant.
4. Adjustments.
4.1. Adjustment upon Subdivisions or Combinations. If the Company, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of the Warrants), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of each Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of such Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 4.1 shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
4.2. Adjustment for Other Distributions.
4.2.1. Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 4.1 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of a Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
4.2.2. Dividends. If the Company, at any time during the Exercise Period, shall pay a dividend in cash, securities or other assets to all holders of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible), other than a transaction described in Sections 4.1, 4.2.1 or 4.3 (any such non-excluded event being referred to herein as a “Dividend”), then the Exercise Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Dividend, by the quotient of (i) the gross amount of cash and/or fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith) of all securities or other assets paid to the holders of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible) in respect of such Dividend divided by (ii) the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible) outstanding at the time of the Dividend plus the number of shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Warrants, provided, that the Exercise Price shall not be reduced below zero.
4.3. Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while the Warrants are outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which all holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which all outstanding shares of Common Stock are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of a Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 3.3.9 on the exercise of a Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which the Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 3.3.9 on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase the Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value of the remaining unexercised portion of the Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company's control, including not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, the Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity, as of the date of consummation of such Fundamental Transaction, the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of the Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction; provided, further, that if holders of Common Stock of the Company are not offered or paid any consideration in such Fundamental Transaction, such holders of Common Stock will be deemed to have received common stock of the Successor Entity (which Successor Entity may be the Company following such Fundamental Transaction) in such Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black and Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the greater of (x) the last VWAP immediately prior to the public announcement of such contemplated Fundamental Transaction and (y) the last VWAP immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds within five Business Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the effective date of the Fundamental Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under the Warrants in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.3 pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for the Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to the Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of the Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of the Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of the Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of the Warrants referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under the Warrants with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company therein. The Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent in writing to mail by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder, written notice of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement with the Successor Entity. Any supplemented or amended agreement entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall provide for adjustments, which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 4.3. The Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such agreement or such notice, including but not limited to any provisions relating either to the kind or amount of securities or other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments, and shall be entitled to rely conclusively for all purposes upon the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 4.3 shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, sales and conveyances of the kind described above.
4.4. Calculations. All calculations under this Section 4 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 4, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
4.5. Notices to Holder.
4.5.1. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 4, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
4.5.2. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant Agreement constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. Provided such notice occurs within the Exercise Period, the Holder shall remain entitled to exercise its Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
4.6. Voluntary Adjustment by Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Trading Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant, subject to the prior written consent of the Holder reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
4.7. Other Events. If any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of Sections 4.1 or 4.2 but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights, Adjustment Rights, phantom stock rights or other rights with equity features to all holders of Common Stock for no consideration), then the Company’s Board of Directors will, at its discretion and in good faith, make an adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares or designate such additional consideration to be deemed issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, so as to protect the rights of the registered Holder. No adjustment to the Exercise Price will be made pursuant to more than one sub-section of this Section 4 in connection with a single issuance.
4.8. Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Exercise Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of Warrant Shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of a Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 4.1 or 4.2, then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to each Holder, at the last address set forth for such holder in the Warrant Register, as of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, any certificate, notice or instructions provided by the Company with respect to any adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, or any related matter, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with any such certificate, notice or instructions or pursuant to this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received written notice thereof from the Company.
5. Restrictive Legends; Fractional Warrants. In the event that a Warrant Certificate surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Warrant Agent shall not register that transfer until the Warrant Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the Warrants must also bear a restrictive legend upon that transfer. The Warrant Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the transfer of or delivery of a Warrant Certificate for a fraction of a Warrant.
6. Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Warrants.
6.1. No Rights as Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, a Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of Warrants, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this Warrant Agreement be construed to confer upon a Holder, solely in its capacity as the registered holder of Warrants, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of share capital, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights or rights to participate in new issues of shares, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Warrant Shares which it is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of Warrants.
6.2. Reservation of Common Stock. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to this Warrant Agreement.
7. Concerning the Warrant Agent.
7.1. Any instructions given to the Warrant Agent orally, as permitted by any provision of this Warrant Agreement, shall be confirmed in writing by the Company as soon as practicable. The Warrant Agent shall not be liable or responsible and shall be fully authorized and protected for acting, or failing to act, in accordance with any oral instructions which do not conform with the written confirmation received in accordance with this Section 7.1.
7.2. Whether or not any Warrants are exercised, for the Warrant Agent’s services as agent for the Company hereunder, the Company shall pay to the Warrant Agent such fees as may be separately agreed between the Company and Warrant Agent and the Warrant Agent’s out of pocket expenses in connection with this Warrant Agreement, including, without limitation, the fees and expenses of the Warrant Agent’s counsel. While the Warrant Agent endeavors to maintain out-of-pocket charges (both internal and external) at competitive rates, these charges may not reflect actual out-of-pocket costs, and may include handling charges to cover internal processing and use of the Warrant Agent’s billing systems. All amounts owed by the Company to the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement are due within 30 days of the Company’s receipt of an invoice. Delinquent payments are subject to a late payment charge of one and one-half percent (1.5%) per month commencing 45 days from the invoice date. The Company agrees to reimburse the Warrant Agent for any attorney’s fees and any other costs associated with collecting delinquent payments. No provision of this Warrant Agreement shall require Warrant Agent to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties under this Warrant Agreement or in the exercise of its rights.
7.3. As agent for the Company hereunder, the Warrant Agent:
(a) shall have no duties or obligations other than those specifically set forth herein or as may subsequently be agreed to in writing by the Warrant Agent and the Company;
(b) shall be regarded as making no representations and having no responsibilities as to the validity, sufficiency, value, or genuineness of the Warrants or any Warrant Shares;
(c) shall not be obligated to take any legal action hereunder; if, however, the Warrant Agent determines to take any legal action hereunder, and where the taking of such action might, in its judgment, subject or expose it to any expense or liability it shall not be required to act unless it has been furnished with an indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it;
(d) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon any certificate, instrument, opinion, notice, letter, telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or other document or security delivered to the Warrant Agent and believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed by the proper party or parties;
(e) shall not be liable or responsible for any recital or statement contained in the Registration Statement or any other documents relating thereto;
(f) shall not be liable or responsible for any failure on the part of the Company to comply with any of its covenants and obligations relating to the Warrants, including without limitation obligations under applicable securities laws;
(g) may rely on and shall be fully authorized and protected in acting or failing to act upon the written, telephonic or oral instructions with respect to any matter relating to its duties as Warrant Agent covered by this Warrant Agreement (or supplementing or qualifying any such actions) of officers of the Company, and is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from the Company or counsel to the Company, and may apply to the Company, for advice or instructions in connection with the Warrant Agent’s duties hereunder, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions; any applications by the Warrant Agent for written instructions from the Company may, at the option of the Warrant Agent, set forth in writing any action proposed to be taken or omitted by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement and the date on or after which such action shall be taken or such omission shall be effective; the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken by, or omission of, the Warrant Agent in accordance with a proposal included in such application on or after the date specified in such application (which date shall not be less than five (5) Business Days after the date such application is sent to the Company, unless the Company shall have consented in writing to any earlier date) unless prior to taking any such action, the Warrant Agent shall have received written instructions in response to such application specifying the action to be taken or omitted;
(h) may consult with counsel satisfactory to the Warrant Agent, including its in-house counsel, and the advice of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice of such counsel;
(i) may perform any of its duties hereunder either directly or by or through nominees, correspondents, designees, or subagents, and it shall not be liable or responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any nominee, correspondent, designee, or subagent appointed with reasonable care by it in connection with this Warrant Agreement;
(j) is not authorized, and shall have no obligation, to pay any brokers, dealers, or soliciting fees to any Person; and
(k) shall not be required hereunder to comply with the laws or regulations of any country other than the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof.
7.4. In the absence of gross negligence or willful or illegal misconduct on its part, the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted by it or for any error of judgment made by it in the performance of its duties under this Warrant Agreement. Anything in this Warrant Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in no event shall Warrant Agent be liable for special, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive losses or damages of any kind whatsoever (including but not limited to lost profits), even if the Warrant Agent has been advised of the possibility of such losses or damages and regardless of the form of action. Any liability of the Warrant Agent will be limited in the aggregate to the amount of fees paid by the Company hereunder. The Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any failures, delays or losses, arising directly or indirectly out of conditions beyond its reasonable control including, but not limited to, acts of government, exchange or market ruling, suspension of trading, work stoppages or labor disputes, fires, civil disobedience, riots, rebellions, storms, electrical or mechanical failure, computer hardware or software failure, communications facilities failures including telephone failure, war, terrorism, insurrection, earthquakes, floods, acts of God or similar occurrences.
7.5. In the event any question or dispute arises with respect to the proper interpretation of the Warrants or the Warrant Agent’s duties under this Warrant Agreement or the rights of the Company or of any Holder, the Warrant Agent shall not be required to act and shall not be held liable or responsible for its refusal to act until the question or dispute has been judicially settled (and, if appropriate, it may file a suit in interpleader or for a declaratory judgment for such purpose) by final judgment rendered by a court of competent jurisdiction, binding on all Persons interested in the matter which is no longer subject to review or appeal, or settled by a written document in form and substance satisfactory to Warrant Agent and executed by the Company and each such Holder. In addition, the Warrant Agent may require for such purpose, but shall not be obligated to require, the execution of such written settlement by all the Holders and all other Persons that may have an interest in the settlement.
7.6. The Company covenants to indemnify the Warrant Agent and hold it harmless from and against any loss, liability, claim or expense (“Loss”) arising out of or in connection with the Warrant Agent’s duties under this Warrant Agreement, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any Loss, unless such Loss shall have been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be a result of the Warrant Agent’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.
7.7. The Company represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated and validly existing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, (b) the offer and sale of the Warrants and the execution, delivery and performance of all transactions contemplated thereby (including this Warrant Agreement) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action and will not result in a breach of or constitute a default under the articles of association, bylaws or any similar document of the Company or any indenture, agreement or instrument to which it is a party or is bound, (c) this Warrant Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company, (d) the Warrants will comply in all material respects with all applicable requirements of law and (e) to the best of its knowledge, there is no litigation pending or threatened as of the date hereof in connection with the offering of the Warrants.
7.8. Set forth in Annex D hereto is a list of the names and specimen signatures of the persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement. The Company shall, from time to time, certify to you the names and signatures of any other persons authorized to act for the Company under this Warrant Agreement.
7.9. The Warrant Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Company, or such shorter period of time agreed to by the Company. The Company may terminate the services of the Warrant Agent, or any successor Warrant Agent, after giving thirty (30) days’ notice in writing to the Warrant Agent or successor Warrant Agent, or such shorter period of time as agreed. If the office of the Warrant Agent becomes vacant by resignation, termination or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Warrant Agent in place of the Warrant Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of thirty (30) days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Warrant Agent, then the Warrant Agent or any Holder may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Warrant Agent at the Company’s cost. Pending appointment of a successor to such Warrant Agent, either by the Company or by such a court, the duties of the Warrant Agent shall be carried out by the Company. Any successor Warrant Agent (but not including the initial Warrant Agent), whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of any state of the United States of America, in good standing, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Warrant Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Warrant Agent with like effect as if originally named as Warrant Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed, and except for executing and delivering documents as provided in the sentence that follows, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall have no further duties, obligations, responsibilities or liabilities hereunder, but shall be entitled to all rights that survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement and the resignation or removal of the Warrant Agent, including but not limited to its right to indemnity hereunder. If for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate or at the request of the Company, the predecessor Warrant Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Warrant Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Warrant Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Warrant Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Warrant Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
7.10. In the event a successor Warrant Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Warrant Agent and the Transfer Agent not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
7.11. Any Person into which the Warrant Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Warrant Agent shall be a party or any Person succeeding to the shareowner services business of the Warrant Agent or any successor Warrant Agent shall be the successor Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement, without any further act or deed.
8. Miscellaneous Provisions.
8.1. Unless terminated earlier by the parties hereto, this Warrant Agreement shall terminate 90 days after the earlier of the Expiration Date and the date on which no Warrants remain outstanding (the “Termination Date”). On the Business Day following the Termination Date, the Warrant Agent shall deliver to the Company any entitlements, if any, held by the Warrant Agent under this Warrant Agreement. The Warrant Agent’s right to be reimbursed for fees, charges and out-of-pocket expenses as provided in Section 7 shall survive the termination of this Warrant Agreement.
8.2. If any provision of this Warrant Agreement shall be held illegal, invalid, or unenforceable by any court, this Warrant Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been contained herein and shall be deemed an Agreement among the parties to it to the full extent permitted by applicable law.
8.3. In the event of inconsistency between this Warrant Agreement and the descriptions in the Registration Statement, as they may from time to time be amended, the terms of this Warrant Agreement shall control.
8.4. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Warrant Agreement to be given or made by the Company, the Warrant Agent or by the holder of any Warrant to or on the Company or the Warrant Agent including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered by e-mail, hand or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company or the Warrant Agent) as set forth below and if to any holder any notice, statement or demand shall be given to the last address set forth for such holder (if any) in the Warrant Register:
If to the Company, to:
Netcapital, Inc.
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
Attention: Coreen Kraysler, Chief Financial Officer
Email: coreen.kraysler@netcapital.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
Attention: Richard Friedman, Esq.
E-mail: rafriedman@sheppardmullin.com
If to the Warrant Agent, to:
Attention:
With a copy to:
Attention:
Email:
8.5. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth above prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth above on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Warrant Agreement, where this Warrant Agreement provides for notice of any event to the Holder, if this Warrant Agreement is held in global form by DTC (or any successor depositary), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC (or any successor depositary) pursuant to the procedures of DTC (or such successor depositary), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of this Warrant Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.
8.6. This Warrant Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. All actions and proceedings relating to or arising from, directly or indirectly, this Warrant Agreement may be litigated in courts located within the Borough of Manhattan in the City and State of New York. The Company hereby submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and consents that any service of process may be made by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, directed to the Company at its address last specified for notices hereunder.
8.7. This Warrant Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of the parties hereto. This Warrant Agreement may not be assigned, or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part, by either party without the prior written consent of the other party, which the other party will not unreasonably withhold, condition or delay; except that (i) consent is not required for an assignment or delegation of duties by the Warrant Agent to any affiliate of the Warrant Agent and (ii) any reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of assets or other form of business combination by the Warrant Agent or the Company shall not be deemed to constitute an assignment of this Warrant Agreement.
8.8. No provision of this Warrant Agreement may be amended, modified or waived, except in a written document signed by both parties. The Company and the Warrant Agent may amend or supplement this Warrant Agreement without the consent of any Holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Warrant Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable so long as such amendment or supplement shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders. All other amendments and supplements shall require the vote or written consent of Holders of at least 50.1% of the then outstanding Warrants; provided that adjustments may be made to the Warrant terms and rights in accordance with Section 4 without the consent of the Holders; provided further, however that if any such amendment or supplement disproportionately and adversely affects the rights of a Holder compared to other Holders, the prior written consent of such Holder shall also be required.
8.9. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Warrant Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Warrant Shares upon the exercise of Warrants, but the Company may require the Holders to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Warrants or such shares. The Warrant Agent may refrain from registering any transfer of Warrants or any delivery of any Warrant Shares unless or until the Persons requesting the registration or issuance shall have paid to the Warrant Agent for the account of the Company the amount of such tax or charge, if any, or shall have established to the reasonable satisfaction of the Company and the Warrant Agent that such tax or charge, if any, has been paid.
8.10. Nothing in this Warrant Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any Person other than the parties hereto and the Holders any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Warrant Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof.
8.11. A copy of this Warrant Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Warrant Agent designated for such purpose for inspection by any Holder. Prior to such inspection, the Warrant Agent may require any such holder to provide reasonable evidence of its interest in the Warrants.
8.12. This Warrant Agreement may be executed in any number of original, facsimile or electronic counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
8.13. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Warrant Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
8.14. If a Warrant is held in global form through DTC (or any successor depositary), such Warrant is issued subject to this Warrant Agent Agreement. To the extent any provision of a Warrant conflicts with the express provisions of this Warrant Agent Agreement, the provisions of such Warrant shall govern and be controlling.
9. Certain Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
“Adjustment Right” means any right granted with respect to any securities issued in connection with, or with respect to, any issuance, sale or delivery (or deemed issuance, sale or delivery in accordance with Section 4) of Common Stock (other than rights of the type described in Section 4.2 and 4.3 hereof) that could result in a decrease in the net consideration received by the Company in connection with, or with respect to, such securities (including, without limitation, any cash settlement rights, cash adjustment or other similar rights) but excluding anti-dilution and other similar rights.
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Bid Price” 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 Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX 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 on The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 Holders of a majority of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Trading Market, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal trading market for the Common Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market in the United States on which the Common Stock is then traded, provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is are scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00 P.M., New York City time).
“Trading Market” means the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“VWAP” 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 Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading 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)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX 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 Open Market” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Warrant Agent Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
NETCAPITAL INC.
By: _______________________________________
Name:
Title:
EQUITY STOCK TRANSFER LLC
By: _______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Annex A Form of Global Certificate
Annex B Notice of Exercise
Annex C Form of Certificated Warrant
Annex D Authorized Representatives
Annex E Form of Warrant Certificate Request Notice
ANNEX A
FORM OF GLOBAL CERTIFICATE
UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE, OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
NETCAPITAL
INC.
WARRANT CERTIFICATE
NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER ______, 2027
This certifies that the person whose name and address appears below, or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Warrants set forth below. Each Warrant entitles its registered holder to purchase from Netcapital Inc., a company incorporated under the laws of the State of Utah (the “Company”), at any time prior to 5:00 P.M. (New York City time) on ________, 2027, one share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share” and collectively, the “Warrant Shares”), at an exercise price of $___ per share, subject to possible adjustments as provided in the Warrant Agreement (as defined below).
This Warrant Certificate, with or without other Warrant Certificates, upon surrender at the designated office of the Warrant Agent, may be exchanged for another Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates evidencing the same number of Warrants as the Warrant Certificate or Warrant Certificates surrendered. A transfer of the Warrants evidenced hereby may be registered upon surrender of this Warrant Certificate at the designated office of the Warrant Agent by the registered holder in person or by a duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed or accompanied by proper instruments of transfer, a signature guarantee, and such other and further documentation as the Warrant Agent may reasonably request and duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States of America.
The terms and conditions of the Warrants and the rights and obligations of the holder of this Warrant Certificate are set forth in the Warrant Agent Agreement dated as of _______, 2022 (the “Warrant Agreement”) between the Company and [WARRANT AGENT] (the “Warrant Agent”). A copy of the Warrant Agreement is available for inspection during business hours at the office of the Warrant Agent.
This Warrant Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by an authorized signatory of the Warrant Agent.
WITNESS the facsimile signature of a proper officer of the Company.
NETCAPITAL INC.
By: _______________________________________
Name:
Title:
Dated: _________________
Countersigned:
EQUITY STOCK TRANSFER LLC,
As Warrant Agent
By: _______________________________________
Name:
Title:
PLEASE
DETACH HERE
——————————————————————————————————————
Certificate No.:_________ Number of Warrants:__________
WARRANT CUSIP NO.: ___________
[ISSUER]
[Name & Address of Holder] _______________________, Warrant Agent
By Mail:
___________________________________________
By hand or overnight courier:
___________________________________________
ANNEX B
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
TO: NETCAPITAL INC.
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant Certificate (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
¨ in lawful money of the United States; or
¨ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in Section 3.3.6(b) of the Warrant Agreement (as defined in the Warrant Certificate), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in Section 3.3.6(b) of the Warrant Agreement.
(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:
Name of Holder: ________________________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: __________________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________________________________
Date: _______________
ANNEX C
FORM OF CERTIFICATED WARRANT
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
NETCAPITAL INC.
Warrant Shares: _______ | Initial Exercise Date: __________, 2022 |
Issue Date: __________, 2022 | |
CUSIP: ______________ | |
ISIN: _______________ |
THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after ___________, 2022 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and on or prior to the 5:00 P.M., New York City time on ______, 2027 [2] (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Netcapital Inc., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant shall initially be issued and maintained in the form of a security held in book-entry form and The Depository Trust Company or its nominee (“DTC”) shall initially be the sole registered holder of this Warrant, subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agent Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.
Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Adjustment Right” means any right granted with respect to any securities issued in connection with, or with respect to, any issuance, sale or delivery (or deemed issuance, sale or delivery in accordance with Section 3) of Common Stock (other than rights of the type described in Section 3(b) and 3(c) hereof) that could result in a decrease in the net consideration received by the Company in connection with, or with respect to, such securities (including, without limitation, any cash settlement rights, cash adjustment or other similar rights) but excluding anti-dilution and other similar rights.
“Bid Price” 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 Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX 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 on The Pink Open Market (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 Holders of a majority of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
“Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-262688).
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“Transfer Agent” means Equity Stock Transfer LLC, with a mailing address of 237 W 37th St. Suite 602. New York, NY 100018, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“Warrant Agent Agreement” means that certain Warrant Agent Agreement, dated as of the Initial Exercise Date, between the Company and the Warrant Agent.
“Warrant Agent” means the Transfer Agent and any successor warrant agent of the Company.
“Warrants” means this Warrant and other Common Stock Purchase Warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.
“VWAP” 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 Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading 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)), (b) if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX 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 Open Market” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, 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 holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
Section 2. Exercise of Warrant.
(a) Exercise and Payment. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times during the period commencing on the Initial Exercise Date and terminating at 5:00 P.M., New York City time on the Termination Date (“Exercise Period”) by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined below) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 2(a), a holder whose interest in this Warrant is a beneficial interest in certificate(s) representing this Warrant held in book-entry form through DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), shall effect exercises made pursuant to this Section 2(a) by delivering to DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable) the appropriate instruction form for exercise, complying with the procedures to effect exercise that are required by DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agent Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.
(b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $_____, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).
(c) Cashless Exercise. If at the time of exercise hereof there is no effective registration statement registering, or the prospectus contained therein is not available for the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained (if such quotient would be a positive number) by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and |
(X) = | the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, but without limiting the rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to this Section 2(c) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 3(d)(i) and Section 3(d)(iv) herein, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant Shares. If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).
(d) Mechanics of Exercise.
(i) Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days of and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following the delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise
(ii) Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
(iii) Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
(iv) Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. 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 Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
(v) No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional Warrant Shares will be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. If a Holder would be entitled, upon the exercise of this Warrant, to receive a fractional interest in a share, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
(vi) Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.
(vii) Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.
(e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, non-exercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or non-converted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
Section 3. Certain Adjustments.
(a) Adjustment upon Subdivisions or Combinations. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock and such other capital stock of the Company (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
(b) Adjustment for Other Distributions.
(i) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
(ii) Dividends. If the Company, at any time during the Exercise Period, shall pay a dividend in cash, securities or other assets to all holders of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible), other than a transaction described in Section 3(a), Section 3(b) or Section 3(d) (any such non-excluded event being referred to herein as a “Dividend”), then the Exercise Price shall be decreased, effective immediately after the effective date of such Dividend, by the quotient of (i) the gross amount of cash and/or fair market value (as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, in good faith) of all securities or other assets paid to the holders of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible) in respect of such Dividend divided by (ii) the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (or other shares of the Company’s capital stock into which the Warrants are convertible) outstanding at the time of the Dividend plus the number of shares of Common Stock then issuable upon exercise of all outstanding Warrants, provided, that the Exercise Price shall not be reduced below zero.
(c) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which all holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which all outstanding shares of Common Stock are effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction (or, if later, the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction), purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying to the Holder an amount of cash equal to the Black Scholes Value of the remaining unexercised portion of this Warrant on the date of the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction; provided, however, if the Fundamental Transaction is not within the Company's control, including not approved by the Company's Board of Directors, the Holder shall only be entitled to receive from the Company or any Successor Entity, as of the date of consummation of such Fundamental Transaction, the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction; provided, further, that if holders of Common Stock of the Company are not offered or paid any consideration in such Fundamental Transaction, such holders of Common Stock will be deemed to have received common stock of the Successor Entity (which Successor Entity may be the Company following such Fundamental Transaction) in such Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black and Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the greater of 100% and the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the greater of (x) the last VWAP immediately prior to the public announcement of such contemplated Fundamental Transaction and (y) the last VWAP immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable contemplated Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds within five Business Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the effective date of the Fundamental Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of the Warrants referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under the Warrants with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. The Company shall instruct the Warrant Agent in writing to mail by first class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holder, written notice of the execution of any such amendment, supplement or agreement with the Successor Entity. Any supplemented or amended agreement entered into by the successor corporation or transferee shall provide for adjustments, which shall be as nearly equivalent as may be practicable to the adjustments provided for in this Section 3(d). The Warrant Agent shall have no duty, responsibility or obligation to determine the correctness of any provisions contained in such agreement or such notice, including but not limited to any provisions relating either to the kind or amount of securities or other property receivable upon exercise of warrants or with respect to the method employed and provided therein for any adjustments, and shall be entitled to rely conclusively for all purposes upon the provisions contained in any such agreement. The provisions of this Section 3(d) shall similarly apply to successive reclassifications, changes, consolidations, mergers, sales and conveyances of the kind described above.
(d) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
(e) Notices to Holder.
(i) Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
(ii) Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register (as defined below), at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. Provided such notice occurs within the Exercise Period, the Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
(f) Voluntary Adjustment by Company. Subject to the rules and regulations of the Trading Market, the Company may at any time during the term of this Warrant, subject to the prior written consent of the Holder reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.
(g) Other Events. If any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of Sections 3(a) or 3(b) but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights, Adjustment Rights, phantom stock rights or other rights with equity features to all holders of Common Stock for no consideration), then the Company’s Board of Directors will, at its discretion and in good faith, make an adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of Warrant Shares or designate such additional consideration to be deemed issuable upon exercise of this Warrant, so as to protect the rights of the registered Holder. No adjustment to the Exercise Price will be made pursuant to more than one sub-section of this Section 3 in connection with a single issuance.
(h) Notices of Changes in Warrant. Upon every adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant, the Company shall give written notice thereof to the Warrant Agent, which notice shall state the Exercise Price resulting from such adjustment and the increase or decrease, if any, in the number of Warrant Shares purchasable at such price upon the exercise of this Warrant, setting forth in reasonable detail the method of calculation and the facts upon which such calculation is based. Upon the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 3(a) or 3(b), then, in any such event, the Company shall give written notice to the Holder, at the last address set forth for the Holder in the Warrant Register, as of the record date or the effective date of the event. Failure to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of such event. The Warrant Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on, and shall be fully protected in relying on, any certificate, notice or instructions provided by the Company with respect to any adjustment of the Exercise Price or the number of shares issuable upon exercise of a Warrant, or any related matter, and the Warrant Agent shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in accordance with any such certificate, notice or instructions or pursuant to this Warrant. The Warrant Agent shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any such adjustment unless and until it shall have received written notice thereof from the Company.
Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.
(a) Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.
(b) New Warrants. If this Warrant is not held in global form through DTC (or any successor depository), this Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the original Issuance Date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.
(c) Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Warrant Agent for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company and the Warrant Agent may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
Section 5. Miscellaneous.
(a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3.
(b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
(c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.
(d) Authorized Shares.
(i) The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
(ii) Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, 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 Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (A) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (B) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (C) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
(iii) Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
(e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of this Warrant shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan (the “New York Courts”). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any provision hereunder), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such New York Courts, or such New York Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. If any party shall commence an action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, then the prevailing party in such action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or Proceeding.
(f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
(g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate Proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
(h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 1 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, Attention: Coreen Kraysler, Chief Financial Officer, email address: Coreen coreen.kraysler@netcapital.com, or such other email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Warrant Agent. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Warrant, where this Warrant provides for notice of any event to the Holder, if this Warrant is held in global form by DTC (or any successor depositary), such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to DTC (or any successor depositary) pursuant to the procedures of DTC (or such successor depositary), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agent Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.
(i) Warrant Agent Agreement. If this Warrant is held in global form through DTC (or any successor depositary), this Warrant is issued subject to the Warrant Agent Agreement. To the extent any provision of this Warrant conflicts with the express provisions of the Warrant Agent Agreement, the provisions of this Warrant shall govern and be controlling.
(j) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
(k) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(l) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.
9.1. | Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and either: (i) the Holder or the beneficial owner of this Warrant, on the other hand, or (ii) the vote or written consent of the Holders of at least 50.1% of the then outstanding Warrants issued pursuant to the Warrant Agent Agreement, on the other hand; provided that adjustments may be made to the Warrant terms and rights in accordance with Section 4 without the consent of the Holders; provided further, however, that if any such modification, amendment or waiver disproportionately and adversely affects the rights of a Holder compared to other Holders, the prior written consent of such Holder shall also be required. |
(m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
(n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
(Signature Page Follows)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.
NETCAPITAL INC. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
TO: NETCAPITAL INC.
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
¨ in lawful money of the United States; or
¨ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).
(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:
Name of Holder: ________________________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: __________________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________________________________
Date: _______________
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to
Name: | ||||
(Please Print) | ||||
Address: | ||||
(Please Print) | ||||
Phone Number: | ||||
Email Address: | ||||
Dated: _____________________ __, ______ | ||||
Holder’s Signature: | ||||
Holder’s Address: |
ANNEX D
AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES
Name | Title | Signature | ||
[NAME] | [TITLE] | |||
[NAME] | [TITLE] |
ANNEX E
[FORM OF WARRANT CERTIFICATE REQUEST NOTICE]
WARRANT CERTIFICATE REQUEST NOTICE
To: | EQUITY STOCK TRANSFER LLC, |
as Warrant Agent for Netcapital Inc. (the “Company”)
The undersigned Holder of Common Stock Purchase Warrants (“Warrants”) in the form of Global Warrants issued by the Company hereby elects to receive a Definitive Certificate evidencing the Warrants held by the Holder as specified below:
(1) | Name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants: |
(2) | Name of Holder in Definitive Certificate (if different from name of Holder of Warrants in form of Global Warrants): |
(3) | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants: |
(4) | Number of Warrants for which Definitive Certificate shall be issued: |
(5) | Number of Warrants in name of Holder in form of Global Warrants after issuance: |
The Definitive Certificate shall be delivered to the following address:
The undersigned hereby acknowledges and agrees that, in connection with this Warrant Exchange and the issuance of the Definitive Certificate, the Holder is deemed to have surrendered the number of Warrants in form of Global Warrants in the name of the Holder equal to the number of Warrants evidenced by the Definitive Certificate.
Name of Holder: ________________________________________________________________
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Holder: __________________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: _____________________________________________________________
Date: _______________
[1] Insert the date that is the five-year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date; provided, however, if such date is not a Trading Day, insert the immediately following Trading Day.
[2] Insert the date that is the five-year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date; provided, however, if such date is not a Trading Day, insert the immediately following Trading Day.
Exhibit 4.6
FORM OF PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT
NETCAPITAL INC.
Warrant Shares: _______ |
|
Issue Date: ___, 2022 |
THIS PRE-FUNDED COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after the Issue Date and until this Warrant is exercised in full (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Netcaptial Inc., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares of Common Stock (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”). The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b).
Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $.001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Liens” means a lien, charge pledge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction.
“Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.
“Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened.
“Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-262688).
“Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.
“Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the OTCQB, OTCQX or Pink Open Market operated by OTC Markets Group, the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, or the New York Stock Exchange (or any successors to any of the foregoing).
“Transfer Agent” means Equity Stock Transfer LLC, 237 W 37th Street, Suite 602, New York, NY 10018, telephone number of (212) 575-5757, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.
“Warrants” means this Warrant and other Pre-Funded Common Stock Purchase Warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.
Section 2. Exercise.
a) Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Issue Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver to the Company the aggregate Exercise Price for the Warrant Shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.
b) Exercise Price. The aggregate exercise price of this Warrant, except for a nominal exercise price of $0.01 per Warrant Share, was pre-funded to the Company on or prior to the Issue Date and, consequently, no additional consideration (other than the nominal exercise price of $0.01 per Warrant Share) shall be required to be paid by the Holder to any Person to effect any exercise of this Warrant. The Holder shall not be entitled to the return or refund of all, or any portion, of such pre-paid aggregate exercise price under any circumstance or for any reason whatsoever, including in the event this Warrant shall not have been exercised prior to the Termination Date. The remaining unpaid exercise price per share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $0.01, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).
c) Cashless Exercise. This Warrant may also be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares for the deemed surrender of the Warrant in whole or in part equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:
(A) = | as applicable: (i) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(68) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (x) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (y) the Bid Price of the Common Stock as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day), or (iii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day; |
(B) = | the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and |
(X) = | the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise. |
The issue price for each such Warrant Share to be issued pursuant to the cashless exercise of a Warrant will be equal to (B), as defined above, and the total issue price for the aggregate number of Warrant Shares issued pursuant to the cashless exercise of a Warrant will be deemed paid and satisfied in full by the deemed surrender to the Company of the portion of such Warrant being exercised in accordance with this Section 1(c). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company shall not be required to make any cash payments or net cash settlement to the Holder in lieu of delivery of the Warrant Shares. If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised. The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).
“Bid Price” means, for any security as of the particular time of determination, the bid price for such security on the Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg as of such time of determination, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal securities exchange or trading market for such security, the bid price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded as reported by Bloomberg as of such time of determination, or if the foregoing does not apply, the bid price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security as reported by Bloomberg as of such time of determination, or, if no bid price is reported for such security by Bloomberg as of such time of determination, the average of the bid prices of any market makers for such security as reported on the Pink Open Market as of such time of determination. If the Bid Price cannot be calculated for a security as of the particular time of determination on any of the foregoing bases, the Bid Price of such security as of such time of determination shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such fair market value shall be determined pursuant to the provisions set forth in clause (d) of the definition of VWAP. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, share split, share consolidation, reclassification or other similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.
“Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing trade price for such security on the Trading Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Trading Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price, then the last trade price of such security prior to 4:00:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Trading Market is not the principal securities exchange or trading market for such security, the last trade price of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded as reported by Bloomberg, or if the foregoing do not apply, the last trade price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no last trade price is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the average of the ask prices of any market makers for such security as reported on the in the OTC Link or on the Pink Open Market. If the Closing Sale Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, Closing Sale Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such fair market value shall be determined pursuant to the provisions set forth in clause (d) of the definition of VWAP. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, share split, share consolidation, reclassification or other similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.
“VWAP” 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 for trading on a Trading Market other than the OTCQB, OTCQX or Pink Open Market operated by OTC Markets Group, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading 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)), (b) if the Common Stock is then quoted for trading on the OTCQB or OTCQX operated by OTC Markets Group, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is then quoted for trading on the Pink Open Market operated by OTC Markets Group (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of Common Stock reported on the Pink Open Market, 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 holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.
d) Mechanics of Exercise.
i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (the “DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by the Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the Holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered to said Holder or the Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the Fast Automated Securities Transfer or FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any Notice(s) of Exercise delivered on or prior to 12:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Issue Date, which may be delivered at any time after the time of execution of the Underwriting Agreement, dated [•], 2022 between the Company and ThinkEquity LLC, the Company agrees to deliver the Warrant Shares subject to such notice(s) by 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Issue Date.
ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.
iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.
iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, share of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue by (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. 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 Company’s failure to timely deliver Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.
v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.
vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.
vii. Closing of Books. The Company shall not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.
e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below). For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, non-exercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or non-converted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Share Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within two Trading Days confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of any Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.
Section 3. Certain Adjustments.
a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse share split or consolidation) outstanding Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, or (iv) issues by reclassification of Common Stock any shares of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.
b) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
c) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).
d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or amalgamation or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation or is otherwise the continuing corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one shares of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares or other securities of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of or other securities (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares or securities, such number of shares or securities and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction). Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.
e) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.
f) Notice to Holder.
i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.
ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of the Company or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger, amalgamation or arrangement to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, amalgamation, arrangement, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, amalgamation, arrangement sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of its subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”), the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.
Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.
a) Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer.
Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. This Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.
b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the original Issue Date of this Warrant and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.
c) Warrant Register. The Company shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.
Section 5. Miscellaneous.
a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3. Without limiting any rights of a Holder to receive Warrant Shares on a “cashless exercise” pursuant to Section 2(c) or to receive cash payments pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) and Section 2(d)(iv) herein, in no event, including if the Company is for any reason unable to issue and deliver Warrant Shares upon exercise of this Warrant as required pursuant to the terms thereof, shall the Company be required to net cash settle an exercise of this Warrant.
b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which shall in no event include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company shall make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.
c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.
d) Authorized Shares.
The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company shall take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed or quoted for trading. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).
Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, amalgamation, 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 Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company shall (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and non-assessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.
Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.
e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflict of laws thereof. Each party agrees that all legal Proceedings concerning the interpretation, enforcement and defense of this Warrant shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan (the “New York Courts”). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the New York Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any provision hereunder), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or Proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such New York Courts, or such New York Courts are improper or inconvenient venue for such Proceeding. If any party shall commence an action or Proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, then the prevailing party in such action or Proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred in the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or Proceeding.
f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered, and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.
g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate Proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.
h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or by e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 1 Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, Attention: Coreen Kraysler, Chief Financial Officer, email address: coreen.kraysler@netcapital.com, or such other email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, email or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, email address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given.
i) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.
j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.
l) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company, on the one hand, and the Holder on the other hand.
m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.
n) No Expense Reimbursement. The Holder shall no way be required the pay, or to reimburse the Company for, any fees or expenses of the Company’s transfer agent in connection with the issuance or holding or sale of the Common Stock, Warrant and/or Warrant Shares. The Company shall solely be responsible for any and all such fees and expenses.
o) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.
********************
(Signature Page Follows)
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.
NETCAPITAL INC. | ||
By: |
||
Name: | ||
Title: |
NOTICE OF EXERCISE
To: |
NETCAPITAL INC.
|
(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.
(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):
☐ in lawful money of the United States; or
☐ the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).
(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:
The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:
[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]
Name of Investing Entity: |
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: |
Name of Authorized Signatory: |
Title of Authorized Signatory: |
Date: |
ASSIGNMENT FORM
(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to
Name: | ||||
(Please Print) | ||||
Address: |
||||
(Please Print) | ||||
Phone Number: |
||||
Email Address: |
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Dated: _____________________ __, ______ |
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Holder’s Signature: |
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Holder’s Address: |
Exhibit 5.1
CodeLaw, LLC
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
www.codelaw.com
June 28, 2022
Netcapital Inc.
1 Lincoln Street
Boston, MA 02111
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special Utah counsel for Netcapital Inc., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the preparation and filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-262688) (the “Registration Statement”), including a related prospectus filed with the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), covering: (i) a public offering of up to $6.9 million maximum aggregate amount of securities of the Company comprised of shares(the “Shares”) of common stock par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “Warrants”) and pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”), including securities to be issued pursuant to the exercise of the overallotment option of the underwriters; (ii) warrants to be issued to the representative of the underwriters to purchase shares of Common Stock, including if the overallotment option of the underwriter is exercised (the “Representative Warrants”); and (iii) the shares of Common Stock issuable on exercise of the Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrants and Representative Warrants. Each of Warrant, Pre-Funded Warrant and Representative Warrant is exercisable for one share of Common Stock. The Shares, Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrants and Representative Warrants are to be issued and sold by the Company to investors or the representative, as applicable, pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into between the Company and the representative of the several underwriters named therein and in the Prospectus. This opinion is being rendered in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission.
In connection with this opinion, we have examined originals or copies (certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction) of (i) the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation as currently in effect, (ii) the Company’s Bylaws as currently in effect, (iii) the Registration Statement and related Prospectus, (iv) the form of Underwriting Agreement, (v) the form of Warrant, (vi) the form of Pre-Funded Warrant, (vii) the form of Representative Warrant, and (viii) such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments, and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials or of officers and representatives of the Company, as we have deemed relevant and necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter set forth.
In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We have also assumed that the authorization of the board of directors of the Company is not changed from its authorization of June 28, 2022. We also assume that each of the Underwriting Agreement, Warrant, Pre-Funded Warrant and Representative Warrant are duly executed by each of the parties thereto other that the Company. As to certain questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of officers and representatives of the Company and have not sought to independently verify such facts.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, (i) we are of the opinion that the Shares when issued and sold as contemplated in the Registration Statement and the related Prospectus, and upon payment and delivery in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) we are of the opinion that the Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrants and Representative Warrants are the binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, and (iii) we are of the opinion that the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants, Pre-Funded Warrants, and Representative Warrants, when issued in accordance with the terms of their governing instruments and upon payment therefore, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The opinion expressed herein is limited to the corporation laws of the State of Utah, and we express no opinion as to the effect on the matters covered by this letter of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus which is a part of the Registration Statement. In giving such consents, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
Very truly yours, | |
/s/ CodeLaw LLC | |
CodeLaw, LLC |
Exhibit 10.14
Technology License Agreement
This Technology License Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made as of June 24, 2022 (the “Execution Date”), by and between NetCapital Systems LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Licensor”), and Netcapital Funding Portal Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Licensee”), (hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Parties” and individually as a “Party”).
Recitals
Whereas, Licensor is a software development company that has developed and owns all the right, title and interest in and to the Jobs Software (defined below), but is neither a funding portal nor a broker-dealer, and operates the website at netcapital.com (“Website”) other than the Funding Portal.
WHEREAS, Licensee operates sections of the Website to conduct securities offerings under applicable exceptions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended as a funding portal (“Funding Portal”);
Whereas, the Parties wish to confirm the terms under which Licensee is licensed to use the Jobs Software to operate the Funding Portal.
Now, Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and obligations of the Parties contained herein, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:
Agreement
1. | Definitions. |
For the purposes of this Agreement, the following terms will have the meanings ascribed to them as follows
1.1. “JOBS Software” means the software used on the Website to enable issuers and investors to transact via the Funding Portal and the associated Third Party Tools.
1.2. “Third Party Tools” means the third party tools and services (e.g., payment services, cloud hosting, etc.) used with the JOBS Software to enable the functionality of the Funding Portal.
2. | Limited License to Licensee. |
2.1. License. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, Licensor hereby grants to Licensee, effective beginning the Execution Date, a worldwide, perpetual, personal license to use the JOBS Software to operate the Funding Portal.
2.2. Use Restrictions. Licensee will not, and will not permit any person to, (i) except as permitted under this Agreement, distribute, disclose, or otherwise transfer any JOBS Software (whether in object code or source code) to any third party; (ii) remove or alter any copyright, patent, trademark, trade name or other proprietary notices, legends, symbols or labels appearing on or in copies of any JOBS Software; or (iii) incorporate the JOBS Software or any portion thereof into any other program or product offered outside of the Funding Portal, except as expressly permitted under this Agreement.
2.3. Ownership. As between the Parties, Licensor owns and will retain all right, title and interest, including all intellectual property rights, in and to the JOBS Software and any portion thereof, including, without limitation, any copy of the JOBS Software (or any portion thereof) and any updates, modifications, or enhancements thereto, except as otherwise provided below. Licensee agrees to take any action reasonably requested by Licensor to assign, evidence, maintain, enforce or defend the foregoing. Licensee will not take any action to jeopardize, limit or interfere in any manner with Licensor’s ownership of and rights with respect to the JOBS Software. Licensee will have only those rights in or to the JOBS Software expressly granted to it in Section 2, and no other rights or licenses are granted to Licensee, by implication or otherwise, under this Agreement.
2.4. Exclusivity. Licensor agrees, represents and warrants that it will not, and has not effected the grant of any license or other right to any third party that would allow use of the JOBS Software or Funding Portal in a manner that could reasonably be expected to compete with Licensee’s intended use of the JOBS Software and Funding Portal as contemplated herein. Licensor also agrees, represents and warrants that it will not use, or permit the use of, the JOBS Software or Funding Portal in a manner that could reasonably be expected to compete with Licensee’s intended use of the JOBS Software or Funding Portal as contemplated herein.
3. | Support, Updates And Fees. |
3.1. The annual fee will be $380,000 per year payable quarterly beginning on August 15, 2022 and on the 15th day of each subsequent quarter (November 15, February 15, May 15 and August 15). The Parties acknowledge and agree that all fees due to Licensor prior to the Execution Date hereof, including for use of the JOBS Software and Third Party Tools, have been fully paid by Licensee. The annual fee includes the license fee, Licensee’s share of fees for any Third Party Tools arranged by Licensor and technical support. The annual fee may be adjusted on the mutual agreement of the Parties in connection with the renewal of this Agreement to take into account any change in annual fees for necessary Third Party Tools.
3.2. Licensor shall provide technical support sufficient to ensure the operability of the Website and Funding Portal for their intended purpose. In the event that the Website or Funding Portal are not operable on any day due to an issue with either the Website, the JOBS Software or the Third Party Tools, Licensee shall not be required to pay for such days and shall be entitled to a refund of any fee paid to Licensor, calculated on a prorated daily basis.
3.3. To the extent that Licensee may request additional technical support or software development work, such will be provided by Licensor subject to the parties executing a mutually agreeable agreement, including a statement of work ("SOW").
4. | Confidentiality. |
“Confidential Information” means all technical, business, client or proprietary information disclosed by a Party (“Disclosing Party”) to the other party (“Receiving Party”), whether orally or in writing, that is designated as confidential or that reasonably should be understood to be confidential given the nature of the information and the circumstances of disclosure. Confidential Information shall include, but is not limited to, information regarding the Disclosing Party’s business strategies and practices, methodologies, trade secrets, know-how, technology, software, product plans, services, relationships with any third party, client lists and information regarding the Disclosing Party’s employees, clients, vendors, consultants and affiliates. Confidential Information shall not, however, include any portion of information which the Receiving Party can demonstrate by documented evidence is: (i) or becomes known or available by publication, commercial use or otherwise, through no fault of the Receiving Party; (ii) known and has been reduced to tangible form by the Receiving Party at the time of disclosure by the Disclosing Party and is not subject to restriction; (iii) independently developed by an employee of the Receiving Party who neither had access to nor in any manner benefited from the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information; (iv) lawfully obtained by the Receiving Party from a third party who has the right to make such disclosure to the Receiving Party; or (v) released, in writing, for public disclosure by the owner of the Confidential Information. The Receiving Party shall have the right to disclose Confidential Information of the other Party only pursuant to the order or requirement of a court, administrative agency, or other governmental body and only provided that the Receiving Party provides prompt, advance written notice thereof to enable the Disclosing Party to seek a protective order or otherwise prevent such disclosure. In the event such a protective order is not obtained by the Disclosing Party, the Receiving Party shall disclose only that portion of the Confidential Information which its legal counsel advises that it is legally required to disclose. Confidential Information so disclosed shall continue to be deemed Confidential Information. If a Party breaches any of its obligations with respect to confidentiality or use or disclosure of Confidential Information hereunder, the other Party is entitled to obtain equitable and injunctive relief in addition to all other remedies that may be available to protect its interest. Upon the Disclosing Party’s written request, the Receiving Party shall promptly return or destroy, at the Disclosing Party’s option, all tangible copies of the Disclosing Party’s Confidential Information.
Receiving Party will secure and protect the Confidential Information with at least the same degree of care that Receiving Party uses to protect its own confidential information of similar importance (and, in any event, with no less than a reasonable degree of care) to prevent the unauthorized use, dissemination or disclosure of such Confidential Information. Receiving Party will not disclose Confidential Information to any third party other than to its employees who have a bona fide “need to know” and have executed confidentiality agreements no less restrictive than the terms herein. Receiving Party will not use any Confidential Information for any purpose other than to perform its obligations or exercise its rights under this Agreement.
5. | Indemnification. |
5.1. General Indemnification. Licensee and Licensor (“Indemnifying Party”) each agrees to and will, at its own cost and expense, indemnify, reimburse, defend and hold the other Party, its Affiliates, and their officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives (“Indemnified Parties”), harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, damages (i.e., expenses, losses, personal injuries (including death), property damage of any kind by whomsoever owned and/or loss of or damage to data, information and other such intangibles), and other liabilities of any nature whatsoever including, without limitation, litigation expenses and reasonable attorney’s fees (“General Claims”) arising from, connected with or otherwise stemming directly or indirectly, from (i) any material breach by the Indemnifying Party of any representation, warranty or obligations under this Agreement or any SOW (including a breach of this Agreement’s Confidentiality Provision); (ii) the death of or injury to any individual or damage to property due to the gross negligence of the Indemnifying Party; or (iii) gross negligence and/or willful acts or omissions of the Indemnifying Party.
5.2. Infringement Indemnification. Licensor agrees to and will, at its own cost and expense, indemnify, reimburse, defend and hold Licensee and the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any and all losses, liabilities, costs, expenses or damages, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by reason of any claim, allegation, demand, lawsuit, action or proceeding by a third party (“IP Claims”) alleging that the JOBS Software or any deliverables or services pursuant to an SOW; or the creation, reproduction, deployment or use of the JOBS Software or any deliverables or services based on an SOW, Licensor IP or any third party IP included therein (including use thereof in combination with other products that is either contemplated or intended by the parties or reasonably foreseeable based on the functionality of the JOBS Software, any deliverables or services pursuant to an SOW, Licensor IP or Third Party IP), infringes, violates or misappropriates the patent, copyright, trade secret, intellectual property or other protected or legal rights of any third party (each an “Infringing Deliverable” or an “Infringing Service” as appropriate.)
5.3. Disposition of Claims. The Indemnified Parties will notify the Indemnifying Party of General Claims and IP Claims (collectively, “Claims”) in a timely manner after receiving notice thereof. At the Indemnifying Party’s expense, the Indemnified Parties will exercise commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the Indemnifying Party in the defense or settlement of Claims. the Indemnifying Party will have the sole authority, at its expense, to defend, compromise, negotiate, settle or otherwise dispose of Claims; provided that it may not dispose of any such Claim in any manner, or enter into any settlement, in connection with which an admission, affirmative obligation (including without limitation any duty of performance or payment), or other adverse effect is imposed on/required of the Indemnified Parties, without the Indemnified Parties’ prior written consent.
5.4. Infringing Service or Deliverable. Without abrogating or otherwise limiting Licensor’s indemnity obligations set forth in this Section 5, or any other obligations of Licensor set forth in this Agreement, if an IP Claim has been or may be asserted against Licensor and/or Licensee due to an Infringing Service or Infringing Deliverable, Licensor must, at Licensor’s expense:
5.4.1. | procure the right for Licensee to continue using the Infringing Services and/or Infringing Deliverable; or |
5.4.2. | replace or modify the Infringing Deliverable to eliminate the alleged infringement while providing substantially equivalent quality and functionality; or |
5.4.3. | if the performance under subsections (5.4.1) and (5.4.2) are not possible, terminate that part of the agreement or any SOW specifically dependent on the Infringing Deliverables and/or Infringing Services and refund any prepaid fees on a pro rata basis. |
6. | Disclaimer of Warranties; Limitations of Liability. |
6.1. Disclaimer of Warranties. The JOBS Software is provided “as is,” with no warranties, express, statutory or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title or non-infringement, and any warranties that may arise from usage of trade or course of dealing.
6.2. Limitation of Liability. To the fullest extent allowed by applicable law and notwithstanding any failure of essential purpose of any limited remedy or limitation of liability: (a) in no event will either party be liable for any lost profits, lost savings, business interruption, lost business information, or other special, indirect, incidental, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement, even if the party has been advised of the possibility of such damages and (b) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, except for claims arising out of a party’s indemnification obligations under section 5 or confidentiality obligations under section 4, each party’s entire liability arising from or relating to this agreement or the subject hereof, under any legal theory (whether in contract, tort or otherwise), if any, will not exceed the fees paid by licensee under this agreement in the past 12 months.
7. | Termination. |
7.1. Term. Unless sooner terminated in accordance the termination provisions of this Agreement, the term of this Agreement will extend one year from the Execution Date and will renew for successive one year terms unless Licensee provides Licensor ninety day written notice prior to the end of the term of any extension thereof (“Term”).
7.2. Termination.
7.2.1. | Licensor may terminate this Agreement upon thirty days written notice in the event that Licensee fails to pay the license fee pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and such breach is not cured within thirty days. |
7.2.2. | Licensee may terminate this Agreement with thirty days written notice in the event that Licensor breaches any of the provisions of this Agreement and such breach is not cured within thirty days. |
7.3. Effect of Termination. Upon expiration or termination of this Agreement (i) all licenses granted to Licensee will immediately terminate and Licensee will immediately cease all use of and access to the JOBS Software, and (ii) each Party will return to the other Party or destroy (as directed by a Party), any Confidential Information. Sections 1, Definitions, 2.4, Use Restrictions, 2.5, Ownership, 2.6, Work Product, 4, Confidentiality, 5, Indemnification, 6.2, Limitation of Liability, 7.3, Effect of Termination, 8, Source Code Escrow, and 9, General, will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.
8. Deposit and License Modification
8.1. | Licensor Responsibilities |
8.1.1. | Licensor represents, warrants and covenants that: (i) it has previously deposited all proprietary technology, including the JOBS Software, related documentation, technical tools and other materials covered under this Agreement (“Deposit Material”) to Licensee’s account with GitHub; (ii) it will make any required updates to the Deposit Material solely on GitHub; (iii) it will ensure that a minimum of one (1) copy of Deposit Material is deposited in Licensee’s account with GitHub at all times; (iv) the Deposit Material is complete and includes all software and other necessary tools and documentation to build the JOBS Software and for Licensee to continue to operate the JOBS Software in its normal business operations; (v) Licensee will not modify or attempt to modify the Deposit Material in a manner that negates the value or operation thereof; (vi) Licensee will not disturb or attempt to disturb Licensee’s access to the Deposit Material. |
8.1.2. | To the extent that Licensor creates updates or modifications to the Jobs Software outside of Licensee’s account with GitHub, Licensor shall submit those updates to Licensee’s account with GitHub within thirty (30) days and simultaneously notify Licensee of this submission. |
8.1.3. | Licensor represents that it lawfully possesses all Deposit Material provided to Licensee under this Agreement and that any current or future Deposit Material liens or encumbrances will not prohibit, limit, or alter the rights and obligations of Licensee under this Agreement. Licensor warrants that with respect to the Deposit Material, Licensee’s proper administration of this Agreement, including the maintenance of the Deposit Material in Licensee’s account with GitHub, will not violate the rights of any third parties. |
8.1.4. | Upon request by Licensee for verification of the Deposit Material, Licensor shall promptly complete and return any questionnaire from Licensee and reasonably cooperate with Licensee by providing reasonable access to its technical personnel. |
8.1.5. | Upon request by Licensee, Licensor will perform an Entry Level Verification (“ELV”) of source code and other material that Licensor has submitted as Deposit Material. During the ELV, Licensor will demonstrate the completeness and functionality of the source code by compiling the code while being observed by Licensee at a mutually agreeable time. The ELV consists of three phases. Phase One – Licensee reviews the requirements for the build including hardware and tools, examination of the structure and attributes of the source code and relevant associated files submitted as Deposit Material. Phase Two - the Licensor will compile the source code into a working application while under observation by Licensee. Phase Three – Licensor and Licensee will verify that the build is successful and working as expected. If Licensee determines that the build was unsuccessful the test shall have been failed. Licensor’s inability to correct the failure within ten days shall be considered a breach of this Agreement. |
8.2. | License Modification |
8.2.1. | Modification Conditions. Licensor and Licensee agree that the modification of the license shall be based solely on one or more of the following conditions (defined as “Modification Conditions”): |
8.2.2. | (i) Licensor’s breach of this Agreement or other agreement between the Licensor and Licensee regulating the use of the Deposit Material covered under this Agreement; |
8.2.3. | (ii) Failure of the Licensor or any of its successors or assigns to function as a going concern or operate in the ordinary course; |
8.2.4. | (iii) Licensor or any of its successors or assigns makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or admits in writing that it is unable to pay its debts as they mature; |
8.2.5. | (iv) Licensor is or becomes subject to voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, dissolution, liquidation, or similar proceedings are instituted by or against Licensor or all or any substantial part of Licensor’s property under any federal or state law; |
8.2.6. | (v) Licensor ceases to offer support and maintenance as set forth in Section 3 hereof for the version of the JOBS Software then in use by Licensee; and/or |
8.2.7. | (vi) Licensor otherwise refuses to or is unable to maintain the Website for any reason. |
8.2.8. | Upon occurrence of a Modification Condition, Licensor shall automatically grant and shall be deemed to have granted Licensee an irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, royalty free, fully-transferable, fully paid-up license to use, access, copy, modify, install, enhance, compile, execute, publicly perform, distribute, display, and create derivative works of the Deposit Material in connection with the operation of the Funding Portal including the development of updates, patches, upgrades, enhancements and other modifications thereto including, without limitation, its permitted use and exploitation of the JOBS Software, and to authorize others to do any of the foregoing. Licensee shall be obligated to maintain the confidentiality of the Deposit Material in accordance with Section 4 of this Agreement. The foregoing license will survive termination or expiration of this Agreement for any reason. |
8.2.9. | Access to Depositor Personnel. Following the modification condition, Licensor will provide Licensee, at no cost, with access to Licensor’s technical personnel and programmers with sufficient skill to enable Licensee to exercise its rights hereunder, so that Licensee can use, modify or support the JOBS Software without any adverse consequences to its normal operations. |
9. General.
9.1. Submission to Jurisdiction. Each Party to this Agreement: (i) expressly and irrevocably consents and submits to the jurisdiction of each state and federal court located in the County of New York, State of New York (and each appellate court located in the County of New York, State of New York) in connection with any such Legal Proceeding; (ii) agrees that each state and federal court located in the County of New York, State of New York shall be deemed to be a convenient forum; and (iii) agrees not to assert (by way of motion, as a defense or otherwise), in any such Legal Proceeding commenced in any state or federal court located in the County of New York, State of New York, any claim that such Party is not subject personally to the jurisdiction of such court, that such Legal Proceeding has been brought in an inconvenient forum, that the venue of such proceeding is improper or that this Agreement or the subject matter of this Agreement may not be enforced in or by such court. Each of the Parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient.
9.2. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, (ii) if by facsimile, upon electronic confirmation of receipt by facsimile, provided that a copy of such notice or other communication is promptly mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, following the transmission of such facsimile, and sent by email, with the subject line “Funding Portal Technology License Notice,” (iii) on the first (1st) business day following the date of dispatch if delivered utilizing a next-day service by a nationally recognized next-day courier or (iv) on the earlier of confirmed receipt or the fifth (5th) business day following the date of mailing if delivered by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. All notices hereunder shall be delivered to the addresses set forth below:
If to Licensor:
Jason Frishman, President
jason@netcapital.com
If to Licensee:
Paul Riss, Chief Compliance Officer
paul@netcapital.com
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Cecilia Lenk, CEO Netcapital Inc.
cecilia.lenk@netcapital.com
or to such other address as the Person to whom notice is given may have previously furnished to the others in writing in the manner set forth above.
9.3. Amendments and Modification; Waivers.
9.3.1. | This Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented in any manner, whether by course of conduct or otherwise, except by an instrument in writing specifically designated as an amendment hereto, signed by each of the Parties. |
9.3.2. | No failure or delay of a Party in exercising any right or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right or power, or any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce such right or power, or any course of conduct, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or power. The rights and remedies of the Parties hereunder are cumulative and are not exclusive of any rights or remedies which they would otherwise have hereunder. Any agreement on the part of any Party to any such waiver shall be valid only if set forth in a written instrument executed and delivered by such Party. |
9.4. Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect, so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any Party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, 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 by this Agreement shall be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
9.5. Entire Agreement; Assignment; Successors. This Agreement (i) constitutes the entire agreement among the Parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all other prior and contemporaneous agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and (ii) may not be assigned by operation of law or otherwise without the written consent of the other Party; provided, however, that either Party may assign any or all of its rights and obligations under this Agreement to (1) any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Party, and (2) any successor of the assets or business to which this Agreement relates, but no such assignment shall relieve a Party of its obligations hereunder if such assignee does not perform such obligations. Any purported assignment of this Agreement in contravention of this Section shall be null and void and of no force or effect. Subject to the preceding sentences of this Section, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the Parties and their respective successors and assigns.
9.6. No Third-Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each Party hereto and its successors and permitted assigns and nothing in this Agreement is intended to or shall confer upon any other Person any legal or equitable rights, benefits or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement.
9.7. Attorneys’ Fees. In the event a Legal Proceeding is brought to enforce or interpret any provision of this Agreement, the prevailing Party shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs in an amount to be fixed by the court.
9.8. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be deemed to be made and in all respects shall be interpreted, construed and governed by and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
9.9. Interpretation; Article and Section References. The descriptive headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. All references in this Agreement to Articles, Sections and Exhibits are references to Articles, Sections and Exhibits, respectively, in and to this Agreement, unless otherwise specified. All words used in this Agreement will be construed to be of such gender or number as the circumstances require. The words “include” or “including” mean “include, without limitation,” or “including, without limitation,” as the case may be, and the language following “include” or “including” shall not be deemed to set forth an exhaustive list. The word “or” shall not be limiting or exclusive. References to days are to calendar days; provided that any action otherwise required to be taken on a day that is not a business day shall instead be take on the next business day. Unless otherwise specifically provided or the context otherwise requires, all references in this Agreement to Licensee mean and shall refer to Licensee and its successors, assigns and (if applicable) predecessors-in-interest. As used in this Agreement, the singular or plural number shall be deemed to include the other whenever the context so requires. Any capitalized terms used in any Exhibit but not otherwise defined therein shall have the meaning as defined in this Agreement. All Exhibits annexed hereto or referred to herein are hereby incorporated in and made a part of this Agreement as if set forth herein.
9.10. Counterparts; Electronic Signature. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement may be executed by facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature and a facsimile or electronic (.pdf) signature shall constitute an original for all purposes.
9.11. Captions. The captions herein are included for convenience of reference only and shall be ignored in the construction or interpretation hereof.
9.12. Specific Performance. Each Party hereby acknowledges and agrees that it may cause irreparable injury to the other Party if any of the provisions of this Agreement are not performed in accordance with their specific terms or otherwise are breached, for which damages, even if available, may not be an adequate remedy. Accordingly, each Party agrees that the other Party shall have the right to seek injunctive relief by any court of competent jurisdiction to prevent breaches of the provisions of this Agreement and to enforce specifically this Agreement and the terms and provisions hereof in any Legal Proceeding, in addition to any other remedy to which it may be entitled, at law or in equity.
9.13. Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein, all fees and expenses incurred in connection with or related to this Agreement shall be paid by the Party incurring such fees or expenses; provided, that in the event of termination of this Agreement, the obligation of each Party to pay its own expenses will be subject to any rights of such Party arising from a breach of this Agreement by any other Party.
9.14. No Presumption Against Drafting Party. The Parties agree that they have been represented by counsel during the negotiation and execution of this Agreement and, therefore, waive the application of any laws or rule of construction providing that ambiguities in an agreement or other document will be construed against the Party drafting such agreement or document.
9.15. No Partnership. The relationship between the Parties is that of independent contractors and nothing in this Agreement shall constitute a partnership between Licensor and Licensee.
Signatures on the following page
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Licensor and Licensee have caused this Agreement to be executed on the date first written above by their respective duly authorized officers.
Netcapital systems llc a Delaware limited liability company
By: /s/ Jason Frishman Name: Jason Frishman Title: President
|
Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. a Delaware corporation
By: /s/ Paul Riss Name: Paul Riss Title: Chief Compliance Officer
|
Exhibit 10.15
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 23, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between NETCAPITAL INC., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), and CECILIA LENK, an individual having an address at 81 Boyd Street, Watertown, MA 02472 (the “Employee”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ the Employee as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and wishes to acquire and be assured of Employee’s services on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Employee desires to be employed by the Company and to perform and to serve the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms, covenants, agreements and conditions hereinafter set forth, the Company and the Employee hereby agree as follows:
1. Employment. (a) The Company hereby employs the Employee to serve as a full-time employee of the Company, and the Employee hereby accepts such employment with the Company, for the period set forth in Section 2 hereof. The Employee’s principal place of employment shall be at the offices at 1 Lincoln Street, Boston MA, 02111, or such other location as determined by the Company, provided however, that the Employee’s principal place of employment shall not be relocated more than 25 miles from its current location without the prior written consent of the Employee.
(b) The Employee affirms and represents that (i) the Employee is under no obligation to any former employer or other party that is in any way inconsistent with, or that imposes any restriction upon, the Employee’s acceptance of employment hereunder with the Company, the employment of the Employee by the Company, or the Employee’s undertakings under this Agreement and (ii) her performance of all the terms of this Agreement and her employment by the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information acquired by her in confidence or in trust prior to her employment by the Company.
2. Term. Unless earlier terminated as provided in this Agreement, the term of the Employee’s employment under this Agreement shall be for a three year period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the three year anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Term”).
3. Duties.
(a) The Employee shall be employed as President and Chief Executive Officer and shall perform such employment duties as are usual and customary for such position. The Employee shall faithfully and competently perform such duties at such times and places and in such manner as the Company may from time to time reasonably direct or such other duties appropriate to a senior executive managerial position as the Board of Directors of the Company shall from time to time determine.
(b) The Employee shall use her best efforts, judgment and energy to improve and advance the business and interests of the Company and its Affiliates in a manner consistent with the duties of Employee’s position.
4. Salary and Bonus.
(a) Base Salary. In consideration for the services of the Employee rendered hereunder, the Company shall pay the Employee a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at an annual rate of $96,000 during the Employment Term, plus additional compensation of $54,000 per annum upon the completion of the Company’s next public offering.
(b) Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for periodic bonuses throughout the year, or for additional salary in excess of the Base Salary, in each case, as may be granted by the Board of Directors or its Compensation Committee.
(c) Withholding, Etc. The payment of any salary or bonus hereunder shall be subject to income tax, social security and other applicable withholdings, as well as such deductions as may be required under the Company’s employee benefit plans.
5. Benefits. (a) During the Employment Term, the Employee shall be:
(i) eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit sharing plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(ii) eligible to participate in any medical and health plans or other employee welfare benefit plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(iii) entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits in accordance with any Company policy that may be applicable on and after the date hereof to key executive employees; and
(iv) entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by the Employee in the performance of the Employee’s duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s policies applicable (on and after the date hereof) thereto.
(b) Employee shall cooperate with the Company in the event the Company wishes to obtain key-woman insurance on the Employee. Such cooperation shall include, but not be limited to taking any physical examinations that may be requested by the insurance company.
6. Inventions and Confidential Information. The Employee hereby covenants, agrees and acknowledges as follows:
(a) The Company is engaged in a continuous program of research, design, development, production, marketing and servicing with respect to its businesses.
(b) The Employee’s employment hereunder creates a relationship of confidence and trust between the Employee and the Company with respect to certain information pertaining to the business of the Company and its Affiliates (as hereinafter defined) or pertaining to the business of any client or customer of the Company or its Affiliates which may be made known to the Employee by the Company or any of its Affiliates or by any client or customer of the Company or any of its Affiliates or learned by the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company.
(c) The Company possesses and will continue to possess information that has been created, discovered or developed by, or otherwise become known to it (including, without limitation, information created, discovered or developed by, or made known to, the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment or arising out of Employee’s employment) or in which property rights have been or may be assigned or otherwise conveyed to the Company, which information has commercial value in the business in which the Company is engaged and is treated by the Company as confidential.
(d) Any and all inventions, products, discoveries, improvements, processes, manufacturing, marketing and services methods or techniques, formulae, designs, styles, specifications, data bases, computer programs (whether in source code or object code), know-how, strategies and data, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar statutes, made, developed or created by the Employee (whether at the request or suggestion of the Company, any of its Affiliates, or otherwise, whether alone or in conjunction with others, and whether during regular hours of work or otherwise) during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company which may pertain to the business, products, or processes of the Company or any of its Affiliates (collectively hereinafter referred to as “Inventions”), will be promptly and fully disclosed by the Employee to an appropriate executive officer of the Company (other than the Employee) without any additional compensation therefor, all papers, drawings, models, data, documents and other material pertaining to or in any way relating to any Inventions made, developed or created by Employee as aforesaid. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “Affiliate” or “Affiliates” shall mean any person, corporation or other entity directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any person, corporation or other entity means the power to direct the management and policies of such person or entity, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
(e) The Employee will keep confidential and will hold for the Company’s sole benefit any Invention which is to be the exclusive property of the Company under this Section 6 for which no patent, copyright, trademark or other right or protection is issued.
(f) The Employee also agrees that the Employee will not without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company (i) use for Employee’s benefit or disclose at any time during Employee’s employment by the Company, or thereafter, except to the extent required by the performance by the Employee of the Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, any information obtained or developed by Employee while in the employ of the Company with respect to any Inventions or with respect to any customers, clients, suppliers, products, employees, financial affairs, or methods of design, distribution, marketing, service, procurement or manufacture of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or any confidential matter, except information which at the time is generally known to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Employee not permitted hereunder, or (ii) take with the Employee upon leaving the employ of the Company any document or paper relating to any of the foregoing or any physical property of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(g) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 6 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in case of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
(h) The Employee agrees that upon termination of Employee’s employment by the Company for any reason, the Employee shall immediately return to the Company all documents, records and other property in Employee’s possession belonging to the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(i) Without limiting the generality of Section 9 hereof, the Employee hereby expressly agrees that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6 shall be binding upon the Employee’s heirs, successors and legal representatives.
7. Termination. (a) The Employee’s employment hereunder shall be terminated upon the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) death of the Employee;
(ii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Employee at any time for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, resignation or retirement) other than for “good reason” as contemplated by clause (v)(B) below;
(iii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company because of the Employee’s inability to perform Employee’s duties on account of disability or incapacity for a period of ninety (90) or more days, whether or not consecutive, occurring within any period of twelve (12) consecutive months;
(iv) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company at any time for “cause” (as hereinafter defined), such termination to take effect immediately upon written notice from the Company to the Employee; and
(v) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder (A) by the Company at any time, other than termination by reason of disability or incapacity as contemplated by clause (iii) above or termination by the Company for “cause” as contemplated by clause (iv) above and (B) by the Employee for “good reason” (as hereinafter defined).
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “cause” for termination within the meaning of clause (iv) above: (i) the Employee’s conviction of, admission of guilt to or plea of nolo contendere or similar plea (which, through lapse of time or otherwise, is not subject to appeal) with respect to any crime or offense that constitutes a felony in the jurisdiction involved; (2) acts of dishonesty or moral turpitude which are materially detrimental to the Company and/or its Affiliates; (3) failure by the Employee to obey the reasonable and lawful orders of the Board of Directors of the Company following written notice of such failure from the Board of Directors of the Company; (4) any act by the Employee in violation of Section 8 hereof, any statement or disclosure by the Employee in violation of Section 6 hereof, or any material breach by the Employee of a representation or warranty contained in Section 1(b) hereof; (5) following written notice from the Board of Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive absenteeism (other than by reason of disability); (6) following written notice from the Board or Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive alcoholism or addiction to drugs not prescribed by a qualified physician or (7) gross negligence by the Employee in the performance of, or willful disregard by the Employee of, the Employee’s obligations hereunder.
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “good reason” within the meaning of clause (V)(B) above: a material breach by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or a Change of Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” means (i) a transaction or series of related transactions in which any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company having the right to vote for the election of members of the Company’s board of directors, (ii) any reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company, other than a transaction or series of related transactions in which the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction or series of related transactions retain, immediately after such transaction or series of related transactions, at least a majority of the total voting power represented by the outstanding voting securities of the Company or such other surviving or resulting entity or (iii) a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company
(a) In the event that the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company for any reason other than “cause” or by Employee for “good reason,” then the Company shall have no claims to the 20,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to the Employee in February 2022 (the “Stock Option Grant”), and the Company agrees to not hinder and to cooperate with the Employee in exercising the Stock Option Grant and depositing those shares in a brokerage account, or selling those shares to a third party.
(b) In the event Employee resigns, without “good reason,” or retires before all of the stock options from the Stock Option Grant are fully vested, the vested portion of the Stock Option Grant shall remain vested and may be exercised for shares of the company’s common stock in accordance with its terms and unvested portion shares shall not vest and will be immediately forfeited effective as of the date of such resignation or retirement.
(c) No interest shall accrue on or be paid with respect to any portion of any payments hereunder.
8. Non-Competition. (a) The term “Non-Compete Term” shall mean the period during which Employee is employed hereunder and the six month period following the termination of Employee’s employment for any or no reason whatsoever, with or without cause.
During the Non-Compete Term:
(i) the Employee will not make any statement or perform any act intended to advance an interest of any existing or prospective competitor of the Company or any of its Affiliates in any way that will or may injure an interest of the Company or any of its Affiliates in its relationship and dealings with existing or potential customers or clients, or solicit or encourage any other employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates to do any act that is disloyal to the Company or any of its Affiliates or inconsistent with the interest of the Company or any of its Affiliate’s interests or in violation of any provision of this Agreement;
(ii) the Employee will not discuss with any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates the present or future availability of services or products of a business, if the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest in such business or is or expects to be an employee, officer or director of such business, where such services or products are competitive with services or products which the Company or any of its Affiliates provides;
(iii) the Employee will not make any statement or do any act intended to cause any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates to make use of the services or purchase the products of any competitive business in which the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest or in which the Employee is or expects to be made an employee, officer or director, if such services or products in any way compete with the services or products sold or provided or expected to be sold or provided by the Company or any of its Affiliates to any existing or potential customer or client; and
(iv) the Employee will not directly or indirectly (as a director, officer, employee, manager, consultant, independent contractor, advisor or otherwise) engage in competition with, or own any interest in, perform any services for, participate in or be connected with (i) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business is presently carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business shall be hereafter, during the period of the Employee’s employment by the Company, carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, if such business is then being carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates in such geographical area; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 8(a) shall not be deemed to prohibit the Employee’s ownership of not more than one percent (1%) of the total shares of all classes of stock outstanding of any publicly held company.
(b) During the Non-Compete Term, the Employee will not directly or indirectly hire, engage, send any work to, place orders with, or in any manner be associated with any supplier, contractor, subcontractor or other person or firm which rendered manufacturing or other services, or sold any products, to the Company or any of its Affiliates if such action by Employee would have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or financial condition of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(c) In connection with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8, the Employee represents that Employee’s experience, capabilities and circumstances are such that such provisions will not prevent Employee from earning a livelihood. The Employee further agrees that the limitations set forth in this Section 8 (including, without limitation, any time or territorial limitations) are reasonable and properly required for the adequate protection of the businesses of the Company and its Affiliates. It is understood and agreed that the covenants made by the Employee in this Section 8 (and in Section 6 hereof) shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
(d) For purposes of this Section 8, proprietary interest in a business is ownership, whether through direct or indirect stock holdings or otherwise, of one percent (1%) or more of such business. The Employee shall be deemed to expect to acquire a proprietary interest in a business or to be made an officer or director of such business if such possibility has been discussed with any officer, director, employee, agent, or promoter of such business.
(e) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 8 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and any of its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in cases of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
9. Non-Assignability. (a) Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable by the Employee, Employee’s beneficiaries, or legal representatives without the Company’s prior written consent; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9(a) shall preclude the Employee from designating a beneficiary to receive any benefit payable hereunder upon Employee’s death or incapacity.
(b) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation or to exclusion, attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any such action shall be null, void and of no effect.
10. Binding Effect. Without limiting or diminishing the effect of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and assigns.
11. Notice. Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing and either delivered in person or sent by first class certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, if to the Company, at the Company’s principal place of business, and if to the Employee, at Employee’s home address, or, in the case of either party, to such other address or addresses as such party shall have designated in writing to the other party hereto.
12. Severability. The Employee agrees that in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall finally hold that any provision of Section 6 or 8 hereof is void or constitutes an unreasonable restriction against the Employee, such provision shall not be rendered void but shall apply with respect to such extent as such court may judicially determine constitutes a reasonable restriction under the circumstances. If any part of this Agreement other than Section 6 or 8 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegible or incapable of being enforced in whole or in part by reason of any rule of law or public policy, such part shall be deemed to be severed from the remainder of this Agreement for the purpose only of the particular legal proceedings in question and all other covenants and provisions of this Agreement shall in every other respect continue in full force and effect and no covenant or provision shall be deemed dependent upon any other covenant or provision.
13. Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times.
14. Entire Agreement; Modifications. This Agreement constitutes the entire and final expression of the agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, oral and written, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by an instrument in writing signed by both parties hereto.
15. Relevant Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealthof Massachusetts without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Survival. The termination of Employee’s employment hereunder shall not affect the enforceability of Sections 6 or 8.
18. Further Assurances. The parties agree to execute and deliver all such further instruments and take such other and further action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.
19. Headings. The Section headings appearing in this Agreement are for purposes of easy reference and shall not be considered a part of this Agreement or in any way modify, amend or affect its provisions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Employee have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
NETCAPITAL INC.
By_/s/ Coreen Kraysler_
Name: COREEN KRAYSLER
Title: Chief Financial Officer
CECILIA LENK
/s/ Cecilia Lenk
Exhibit 10.16
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 23, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between NETCAPITAL INC., a Utah corporation (the “Company”), and COREEN KRAYSLER, an individual having an address at 2 Summit Ave. Hull, MA 02045. (the “Employee”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ the Employee as Chief Financial Officer of the Company and wishes to acquire and be assured of Employee’s services on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Employee desires to be employed by the Company and to perform and to serve the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms, covenants, agreements and conditions hereinafter set forth, the Company and the Employee hereby agree as follows:
1. Employment. (a) The Company hereby employs the Employee to serve as a full-time employee of the Company, and the Employee hereby accepts such employment with the Company, for the period set forth in Section 2 hereof. The Employee’s principal place of employment shall be at the offices at 1 Lincoln Street, Boston MA, 02111, or such other location as determined by the Company, provided however, that the Employee’s principal place of employment shall not be relocated more than 25 miles from its current location without the prior written consent of the Employee.
(b) The Employee affirms and represents that (i) the Employee is under no obligation to any former employer or other party that is in any way inconsistent with, or that imposes any restriction upon, the Employee’s acceptance of employment hereunder with the Company, the employment of the Employee by the Company, or the Employee’s undertakings under this Agreement and (ii) her performance of all the terms of this Agreement and her employment by the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information acquired by her in confidence or in trust prior to her employment by the Company.
2. Term. Unless earlier terminated as provided in this Agreement, the term of the Employee’s employment under this Agreement shall be for a three year period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the three year anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Term”).
3. Duties.
(a) The Employee shall be employed as Chief Financial Officer and shall perform such employment duties as are usual and customary for such position. The Employee shall faithfully and competently perform such duties at such times and places and in such manner as the Company may from time to time reasonably direct or such other duties appropriate to a senior executive managerial position as the Board of Directors of the Company shall from time to time determine.
(b) The Employee shall use her best efforts, judgment and energy to improve and advance the business and interests of the Company and its Affiliates in a manner consistent with the duties of Employee’s position.
4. Salary and Bonus.
(a) Base Salary. In consideration for the services of the Employee rendered hereunder, the Company shall pay the Employee a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at an annual rate of $96,000 during the Employment Term, plus additional compensation of $54,000 per annum upon the completion of the Company’s next public offering.
(b) Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for periodic bonuses throughout the year, or for additional salary in excess of the Base Salary, in each case, as may be granted by the Board of Directors or its Compensation Committee.
(c) Withholding, Etc. The payment of any salary or bonus hereunder shall be subject to income tax, social security and other applicable withholdings, as well as such deductions as may be required under the Company’s employee benefit plans.
5. Benefits. (a) During the Employment Term, the Employee shall be:
(i) eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit sharing plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(ii) eligible to participate in any medical and health plans or other employee welfare benefit plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(iii) entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits in accordance with any Company policy that may be applicable on and after the date hereof to key executive employees; and
(iv) entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by the Employee in the performance of the Employee’s duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s policies applicable (on and after the date hereof) thereto.
(b) Employee shall cooperate with the Company in the event the Company wishes to obtain key-woman insurance on the Employee. Such cooperation shall include, but not be limited to taking any physical examinations that may be requested by the insurance company.
6. Inventions and Confidential Information. The Employee hereby covenants, agrees and acknowledges as follows:
(a) The Company is engaged in a continuous program of research, design, development, production, marketing and servicing with respect to its businesses.
(b) The Employee’s employment hereunder creates a relationship of confidence and trust between the Employee and the Company with respect to certain information pertaining to the business of the Company and its Affiliates (as hereinafter defined) or pertaining to the business of any client or customer of the Company or its Affiliates which may be made known to the Employee by the Company or any of its Affiliates or by any client or customer of the Company or any of its Affiliates or learned by the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company.
(c) The Company possesses and will continue to possess information that has been created, discovered or developed by, or otherwise become known to it (including, without limitation, information created, discovered or developed by, or made known to, the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment or arising out of Employee’s employment) or in which property rights have been or may be assigned or otherwise conveyed to the Company, which information has commercial value in the business in which the Company is engaged and is treated by the Company as confidential.
(d) Any and all inventions, products, discoveries, improvements, processes, manufacturing, marketing and services methods or techniques, formulae, designs, styles, specifications, data bases, computer programs (whether in source code or object code), know-how, strategies and data, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar statutes, made, developed or created by the Employee (whether at the request or suggestion of the Company, any of its Affiliates, or otherwise, whether alone or in conjunction with others, and whether during regular hours of work or otherwise) during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company which may pertain to the business, products, or processes of the Company or any of its Affiliates (collectively hereinafter referred to as “Inventions”), will be promptly and fully disclosed by the Employee to an appropriate executive officer of the Company (other than the Employee) without any additional compensation therefor, all papers, drawings, models, data, documents and other material pertaining to or in any way relating to any Inventions made, developed or created by Employee as aforesaid. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “Affiliate” or “Affiliates” shall mean any person, corporation or other entity directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any person, corporation or other entity means the power to direct the management and policies of such person or entity, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
(e) The Employee will keep confidential and will hold for the Company’s sole benefit any Invention which is to be the exclusive property of the Company under this Section 6 for which no patent, copyright, trademark or other right or protection is issued.
(f) The Employee also agrees that the Employee will not without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company (i) use for Employee’s benefit or disclose at any time during Employee’s employment by the Company, or thereafter, except to the extent required by the performance by the Employee of the Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, any information obtained or developed by Employee while in the employ of the Company with respect to any Inventions or with respect to any customers, clients, suppliers, products, employees, financial affairs, or methods of design, distribution, marketing, service, procurement or manufacture of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or any confidential matter, except information which at the time is generally known to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Employee not permitted hereunder, or (ii) take with the Employee upon leaving the employ of the Company any document or paper relating to any of the foregoing or any physical property of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(g) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 6 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in case of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
(h) The Employee agrees that upon termination of Employee’s employment by the Company for any reason, the Employee shall immediately return to the Company all documents, records and other property in Employee’s possession belonging to the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(i) Without limiting the generality of Section 9 hereof, the Employee hereby expressly agrees that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6 shall be binding upon the Employee’s heirs, successors and legal representatives.
7. Termination. (a) The Employee’s employment hereunder shall be terminated upon the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) death of the Employee;
(ii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Employee at any time for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, resignation or retirement) other than for “good reason” as contemplated by clause (v)(B) below;
(iii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company because of the Employee’s inability to perform Employee’s duties on account of disability or incapacity for a period of ninety (90) or more days, whether or not consecutive, occurring within any period of twelve (12) consecutive months;
(iv) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company at any time for “cause” (as hereinafter defined), such termination to take effect immediately upon written notice from the Company to the Employee; and
(v) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder (A) by the Company at any time, other than termination by reason of disability or incapacity as contemplated by clause (iii) above or termination by the Company for “cause” as contemplated by clause (iv) above and (B) by the Employee for “good reason” (as hereinafter defined).
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “cause” for termination within the meaning of clause (iv) above: (i) the Employee’s conviction of, admission of guilt to or plea of nolo contendere or similar plea (which, through lapse of time or otherwise, is not subject to appeal) with respect to any crime or offense that constitutes a felony in the jurisdiction involved; (2) acts of dishonesty or moral turpitude which are materially detrimental to the Company and/or its Affiliates; (3) failure by the Employee to obey the reasonable and lawful orders of the Board of Directors of the Company following written notice of such failure from the Board of Directors of the Company; (4) any act by the Employee in violation of Section 8 hereof, any statement or disclosure by the Employee in violation of Section 6 hereof, or any material breach by the Employee of a representation or warranty contained in Section 1(b) hereof; (5) following written notice from the Board of Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive absenteeism (other than by reason of disability); (6) following written notice from the Board or Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive alcoholism or addiction to drugs not prescribed by a qualified physician or (7) gross negligence by the Employee in the performance of, or willful disregard by the Employee of, the Employee’s obligations hereunder.
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “good reason” within the meaning of clause (V)(B) above: a material breach by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or a Change of Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” means (i) a transaction or series of related transactions in which any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company having the right to vote for the election of members of the Company’s board of directors, (ii) any reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company, other than a transaction or series of related transactions in which the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction or series of related transactions retain, immediately after such transaction or series of related transactions, at least a majority of the total voting power represented by the outstanding voting securities of the Company or such other surviving or resulting entity or (iii) a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
(a) In the event that the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company for any reason other than “cause” or by Employee for “good reason,” then the Company shall have no claims to the 20,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to the Employee in February 2022 (the “Stock Option Grant”), and the Company agrees to not hinder and to cooperate with the Employee in exercising the Stock Option Grant and depositing those shares in a brokerage account, or selling those shares to a third party.
(b) In the event Employee resigns, without “good reason,” or retires before all of the stock options from the Stock Option Grant are fully vested, the vested portion of the Stock Option Grant shall remain vested and may be exercised for shares of the company’s common stock in accordance with its terms and unvested portion shall not vest and will be immediately forfeited effective as of the date of such resignation or retirement.
(c) No interest shall accrue on or be paid with respect to any portion of any payments hereunder.
8. Non-Competition. (a) The term “Non-Compete Term” shall mean the period during which Employee is employed hereunder and the six-month period following the termination of Employee’s employment for any or no reason whatsoever, with or without cause.
During the Non-Compete Term:
(i) the Employee will not make any statement or perform any act intended to advance an interest of any existing or prospective competitor of the Company or any of its Affiliates in any way that will or may injure an interest of the Company or any of its Affiliates in its relationship and dealings with existing or potential customers or clients, or solicit or encourage any other employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates to do any act that is disloyal to the Company or any of its Affiliates or inconsistent with the interest of the Company or any of its Affiliate’s interests or in violation of any provision of this Agreement;
(ii) the Employee will not discuss with any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates the present or future availability of services or products of a business, if the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest in such business or is or expects to be an employee, officer or director of such business, where such services or products are competitive with services or products which the Company or any of its Affiliates provides;
(iii) the Employee will not make any statement or do any act intended to cause any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates to make use of the services or purchase the products of any competitive business in which the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest or in which the Employee is or expects to be made an employee, officer or director, if such services or products in any way compete with the services or products sold or provided or expected to be sold or provided by the Company or any of its Affiliates to any existing or potential customer or client; and
(iv) the Employee will not directly or indirectly (as a director, officer, employee, manager, consultant, independent contractor, advisor or otherwise) engage in competition with, or own any interest in, perform any services for, participate in or be connected with (i) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business is presently carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business shall be hereafter, during the period of the Employee’s employment by the Company, carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, if such business is then being carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates in such geographical area; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 8(a) shall not be deemed to prohibit the Employee’s ownership of not more than one percent (1%) of the total shares of all classes of stock outstanding of any publicly held company.
(b) During the Non-Compete Term, the Employee will not directly or indirectly hire, engage, send any work to, place orders with, or in any manner be associated with any supplier, contractor, subcontractor or other person or firm which rendered manufacturing or other services, or sold any products, to the Company or any of its Affiliates if such action by Employee would have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or financial condition of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(c) In connection with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8, the Employee represents that Employee’s experience, capabilities and circumstances are such that such provisions will not prevent Employee from earning a livelihood. The Employee further agrees that the limitations set forth in this Section 8 (including, without limitation, any time or territorial limitations) are reasonable and properly required for the adequate protection of the businesses of the Company and its Affiliates. It is understood and agreed that the covenants made by the Employee in this Section 8 (and in Section 6 hereof) shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
(d) For purposes of this Section 8, proprietary interest in a business is ownership, whether through direct or indirect stock holdings or otherwise, of one percent (1%) or more of such business. The Employee shall be deemed to expect to acquire a proprietary interest in a business or to be made an officer or director of such business if such possibility has been discussed with any officer, director, employee, agent, or promoter of such business.
(e) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 8 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and any of its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in cases of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
9. Non-Assignability. (a) Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable by the Employee, Employee’s beneficiaries, or legal representatives without the Company’s prior written consent; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9(a) shall preclude the Employee from designating a beneficiary to receive any benefit payable hereunder upon Employee’s death or incapacity.
(b) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation or to exclusion, attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any such action shall be null, void and of no effect.
10. Binding Effect. Without limiting or diminishing the effect of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and assigns.
11. Notice. Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing and either delivered in person or sent by first class certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, if to the Company, at the Company’s principal place of business, and if to the Employee, at Employee’s home address, or, in the case of either party, to such other address or addresses as such party shall have designated in writing to the other party hereto.
12. Severability. The Employee agrees that in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall finally hold that any provision of Section 6 or 8 hereof is void or constitutes an unreasonable restriction against the Employee, such provision shall not be rendered void but shall apply with respect to such extent as such court may judicially determine constitutes a reasonable restriction under the circumstances. If any part of this Agreement other than Section 6 or 8 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegible or incapable of being enforced in whole or in part by reason of any rule of law or public policy, such part shall be deemed to be severed from the remainder of this Agreement for the purpose only of the particular legal proceedings in question and all other covenants and provisions of this Agreement shall in every other respect continue in full force and effect and no covenant or provision shall be deemed dependent upon any other covenant or provision.
13. Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times.
14. Entire Agreement; Modifications. This Agreement constitutes the entire and final expression of the agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, oral and written, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by an instrument in writing signed by both parties hereto.
15. Relevant Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealthof Massachusetts without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Survival. The termination of Employee’s employment hereunder shall not affect the enforceability of Sections 6 or 8.
18. Further Assurances. The parties agree to execute and deliver all such further instruments and take such other and further action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.
19. Headings. The Section headings appearing in this Agreement are for purposes of easy reference and shall not be considered a part of this Agreement or in any way modify, amend or affect its provisions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Employee have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
NETCAPITAL INC.
By: /s/ Cecilia Lenk
Name: CECILIA LENK
Title: Chief Executive Officer
COREEN KRAYSLER
/s/ Coreen Kraysler
Exhibit 10.17
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of June 23, 2022 (the “Effective Date”) by and between NETCAPITAL INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and JASON FRISHMAN, an individual having an address at 1 N Ocean Blvd Pompano Beach, FL 33062 (the “Employee”).
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ the Employee as Chief Executive Officer of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. and wishes to acquire and be assured of Employee’s services on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Employee desires to be employed by the Company and to perform and to serve the Company on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual terms, covenants, agreements and conditions hereinafter set forth, the Company and the Employee hereby agree as follows:
1. Employment. (a) The Company hereby employs the Employee to serve as a full-time employee of the Company, and the Employee hereby accepts such employment with the Company, for the period set forth in Section 2 hereof. The Employee’s principal place of employment shall be at the offices at 1 Lincoln Street, Boston MA, 02111, or such other location as determined by the Company, provided however, that the Employee’s principal place of employment shall not be relocated more than 25 miles from its current location without the prior written consent of the Employee.
(b) The Employee affirms and represents that (i) the Employee is under no obligation to any former employer or other party that is in any way inconsistent with, or that imposes any restriction upon, the Employee’s acceptance of employment hereunder with the Company, the employment of the Employee by the Company, or the Employee’s undertakings under this Agreement and (ii) his performance of all the terms of this Agreement and his employment by the Company does not and will not breach any agreement to keep in confidence proprietary information acquired by his in confidence or in trust prior to his employment by the Company.
2. Term. Unless earlier terminated as provided in this Agreement, the term of the Employee’s employment under this Agreement shall be for a three year period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the three year anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Term”).
3. Duties.
(a) The Employee shall be employed as Chief Executive Officer of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc., and shall perform such employment duties as are usual and customary for such position. The Employee shall faithfully and competently perform such duties at such times and places and in such manner as the Company may from time to time reasonably direct or such other duties appropriate to a senior executive managerial position as the Board of Directors of the Company and Netcapital Inc., the Company’s indirect parent corporation, shall from time to time determine.
(b) The Employee shall use his best efforts, judgment and energy to improve and advance the business and interests of the Company and its Affiliates in a manner consistent with the duties of Employee’s position.
4. Salary and Bonus.
(a) Base Salary. In consideration for the services of the Employee rendered hereunder, the Company shall pay the Employee a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at an annual rate of $96,000 during the Employment Term, plus additional compensation of $54,000 per annum upon the completion of the Company’s next public offering.
(b) Bonus. Employee shall be eligible for periodic bonuses throughout the year, or for additional salary in excess of the Base Salary, in each case, as may be granted by the Board of Directors or its Compensation Committee.
(c) Withholding, Etc. The payment of any salary or bonus hereunder shall be subject to income tax, social security and other applicable withholdings, as well as such deductions as may be required under the Company’s employee benefit plans.
5. Benefits. (a) During the Employment Term, the Employee shall be:
(i) eligible to participate in all employee fringe benefits and any pension and/or profit sharing plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(ii) eligible to participate in any medical and health plans or other employee welfare benefit plans that may be provided by the Company for its key executive employees in accordance with the provisions of any such plans, as the same may be in effect on and after the date hereof;
(iii) entitled to sick leave, sick pay and disability benefits in accordance with any Company policy that may be applicable on and after the date hereof to key executive employees; and
(iv) entitled to reimbursement for all reasonable and necessary out-of-pocket business expenses incurred by the Employee in the performance of the Employee’s duties hereunder in accordance with the Company’s policies applicable (on and after the date hereof) thereto.
(b) Employee shall cooperate with the Company in the event the Company wishes to obtain key-man insurance on the Employee. Such cooperation shall include, but not be limited to taking any physical examinations that may be requested by the insurance company.
6. Inventions and Confidential Information. The Employee hereby covenants, agrees and acknowledges as follows:
(a) The Company is engaged in a continuous program of research, design, development, production, marketing and servicing with respect to its businesses.
(b) The Employee’s employment hereunder creates a relationship of confidence and trust between the Employee and the Company with respect to certain information pertaining to the business of the Company and its Affiliates (as hereinafter defined) or pertaining to the business of any client or customer of the Company or its Affiliates which may be made known to the Employee by the Company or any of its Affiliates or by any client or customer of the Company or any of its Affiliates or learned by the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company.
(c) The Company possesses and will continue to possess information that has been created, discovered or developed by, or otherwise become known to it (including, without limitation, information created, discovered or developed by, or made known to, the Employee during the period of Employee’s employment or arising out of Employee’s employment) or in which property rights have been or may be assigned or otherwise conveyed to the Company, which information has commercial value in the business in which the Company is engaged and is treated by the Company as confidential.
(d) Any and all inventions, products, discoveries, improvements, processes, manufacturing, marketing and services methods or techniques, formulae, designs, styles, specifications, data bases, computer programs (whether in source code or object code), know-how, strategies and data, whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar statutes, made, developed or created by the Employee (whether at the request or suggestion of the Company, any of its Affiliates, or otherwise, whether alone or in conjunction with others, and whether during regular hours of work or otherwise) during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company which may pertain to the business, products, or processes of the Company or any of its Affiliates (collectively hereinafter referred to as “Inventions”), will be promptly and fully disclosed by the Employee to an appropriate executive officer of the Company (other than the Employee) without any additional compensation therefor, all papers, drawings, models, data, documents and other material pertaining to or in any way relating to any Inventions made, developed or created by Employee as aforesaid. For the purposes of this Agreement, the term “Affiliate” or “Affiliates” shall mean any person, corporation or other entity directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any person, corporation or other entity means the power to direct the management and policies of such person or entity, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
(e) The Employee will keep confidential and will hold for the Company’s sole benefit any Invention which is to be the exclusive property of the Company under this Section 6 for which no patent, copyright, trademark or other right or protection is issued.
(f) The Employee also agrees that the Employee will not without the prior written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company (i) use for Employee’s benefit or disclose at any time during Employee’s employment by the Company, or thereafter, except to the extent required by the performance by the Employee of the Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, any information obtained or developed by Employee while in the employ of the Company with respect to any Inventions or with respect to any customers, clients, suppliers, products, employees, financial affairs, or methods of design, distribution, marketing, service, procurement or manufacture of the Company or any of its Affiliates, or any confidential matter, except information which at the time is generally known to the public other than as a result of disclosure by the Employee not permitted hereunder, or (ii) take with the Employee upon leaving the employ of the Company any document or paper relating to any of the foregoing or any physical property of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(g) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 6 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in case of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
(h) The Employee agrees that upon termination of Employee’s employment by the Company for any reason, the Employee shall immediately return to the Company all documents, records and other property in Employee’s possession belonging to the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(i) Without limiting the generality of Section 9 hereof, the Employee hereby expressly agrees that the foregoing provisions of this Section 6 shall be binding upon the Employee’s heirs, successors and legal representatives.
7. Termination. (a) The Employee’s employment hereunder shall be terminated upon the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) death of the Employee;
(ii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Employee at any time for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation, resignation or retirement) other than for “good reason” as contemplated by clause (v)(B) below;
(iii) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company because of the Employee’s inability to perform Employee’s duties on account of disability or incapacity for a period of ninety (90) or more days, whether or not consecutive, occurring within any period of twelve (12) consecutive months;
(iv) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder by the Company at any time for “cause” (as hereinafter defined), such termination to take effect immediately upon written notice from the Company to the Employee; and
(v) termination of the Employee’s employment hereunder (A) by the Company at any time, other than termination by reason of disability or incapacity as contemplated by clause (iii) above or termination by the Company for “cause” as contemplated by clause (iv) above and (B) by the Employee for “good reason” (as hereinafter defined).
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “cause” for termination within the meaning of clause (iv) above: (i) the Employee’s conviction of, admission of guilt to or plea of nolo contendere or similar plea (which, through lapse of time or otherwise, is not subject to appeal) with respect to any crime or offense that constitutes a felony in the jurisdiction involved; (2) acts of dishonesty or moral turpitude which are materially detrimental to the Company and/or its Affiliates; (3) failure by the Employee to obey the reasonable and lawful orders of the Board of Directors of the Company following written notice of such failure from the Board of Directors of the Company; (4) any act by the Employee in violation of Section 8 hereof, any statement or disclosure by the Employee in violation of Section 6 hereof, or any material breach by the Employee of a representation or warranty contained in Section 1(b) hereof; (5) following written notice from the Board of Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive absenteeism (other than by reason of disability); (6) following written notice from the Board or Directors of the Company of prior similar actions by Employee, excessive alcoholism or addiction to drugs not prescribed by a qualified physician or (7) gross negligence by the Employee in the performance of, or willful disregard by the Employee of, the Employee’s duties and obligations hereunder.
The following actions, failures or events shall constitute “good reason” within the meaning of clause (V)(B) above: a material breach by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or a Change of Control. For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” means (i) a transaction or series of related transactions in which any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company having the right to vote for the election of members of the Company’s board of directors, (ii) any reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company, other than a transaction or series of related transactions in which the holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction or series of related transactions retain, immediately after such transaction or series of related transactions, at least a majority of the total voting power represented by the outstanding voting securities of the Company or such other surviving or resulting entity or (iii) a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
(a) In the event that the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company for any reason other than “cause” or by Employee for “good reason,” then the Company shall have no claims to the 20,000 shares of common stock underlying the stock option grant (and all unvested options under such grant shall immediately and fully vest) issued to the Employee in February 2022 (the “Stock Option Grant”), and the Company agrees to not hinder and to cooperate with the Employee in exercising the Stock Option Grant and depositing those shares in a brokerage account, or selling those shares to a third party.
(b) In the event Employee resigns, without “good reason,” or retires before all of the stock options from the Stock Option Grant are fully vested, the vested portion of the Stock Option Grant shall remain vested and may be exercised for shares of the company’s common stock in accordance with its terms and unvested portion shall not vest and will be immediately forfeited effective as of the date of such resignation or retirement.
(c) No interest shall accrue on or be paid with respect to any portion of any payments hereunder.
8. Non-Competition. (a) The term “Non-Compete Term” shall mean the period during which Employee is employed hereunder and the six month period following the termination of Employee’s employment for any or no reason whatsoever, with or without cause.
During the Non-Compete Term:
(i) the Employee will not make any statement or perform any act intended to advance an interest of any existing or prospective competitor of the Company or any of its Affiliates in any way that will or may injure an interest of the Company or any of its Affiliates in its relationship and dealings with existing or potential customers or clients, or solicit or encourage any other employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates to do any act that is disloyal to the Company or any of its Affiliates or inconsistent with the interest of the Company or any of its Affiliate’s interests or in violation of any provision of this Agreement;
(ii) the Employee will not discuss with any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates the present or future availability of services or products of a business, if the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest in such business or is or expects to be an employee, officer or director of such business, where such services or products are competitive with services or products which the Company or any of its Affiliates provides;
(iii) the Employee will not make any statement or do any act intended to cause any existing or potential customers or clients of the Company or any of its Affiliates to make use of the services or purchase the products of any competitive business in which the Employee has or expects to acquire a proprietary interest or in which the Employee is or expects to be made an employee, officer or director, if such services or products in any way compete with the services or products sold or provided or expected to be sold or provided by the Company or any of its Affiliates to any existing or potential customer or client; and
(iv) the Employee will not directly or indirectly (as a director, officer, employee, manager, consultant, independent contractor, advisor or otherwise) engage in competition with, or own any interest in, perform any services for, participate in or be connected with (i) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business is presently carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or (ii) any business or organization which engages in competition with the Company or any of its Affiliates in any geographical area where any business shall be hereafter, during the period of the Employee’s employment by the Company, carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates, if such business is then being carried on by the Company or any of its Affiliates in such geographical area; provided, however, that the provisions of this Section 8(a) shall not be deemed to prohibit the Employee’s ownership of not more than one percent (1%) of the total shares of all classes of stock outstanding of any publicly held company.
(b) During the Non-Compete Term, the Employee will not directly or indirectly hire, engage, send any work to, place orders with, or in any manner be associated with any supplier, contractor, subcontractor or other person or firm which rendered manufacturing or other services, or sold any products, to the Company or any of its Affiliates if such action by Employee would have a material adverse effect on the business, assets or financial condition of the Company or any of its Affiliates.
(c) In connection with the foregoing provisions of this Section 8, the Employee represents that Employee’s experience, capabilities and circumstances are such that such provisions will not prevent Employee from earning a livelihood. The Employee further agrees that the limitations set forth in this Section 8 (including, without limitation, any time or territorial limitations) are reasonable and properly required for the adequate protection of the businesses of the Company and its Affiliates. It is understood and agreed that the covenants made by the Employee in this Section 8 (and in Section 6 hereof) shall survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
(d) For purposes of this Section 8, proprietary interest in a business is ownership, whether through direct or indirect stock holdings or otherwise, of one percent (1%) or more of such business. The Employee shall be deemed to expect to acquire a proprietary interest in a business or to be made an officer or director of such business if such possibility has been discussed with any officer, director, employee, agent, or promoter of such business.
(e) The Employee acknowledges and agrees that a remedy at law for any breach or threatened breach of the provisions of this Section 8 would be inadequate and, therefore, agrees that the Company and any of its Affiliates shall be entitled to injunctive relief in addition to any other available rights and remedies in cases of any such breach or threatened breach; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be construed as prohibiting the Company or any of its Affiliates from pursuing any other rights and remedies available for any such breach or threatened breach.
9. Non-Assignability. (a) Neither this Agreement nor any right or interest hereunder shall be assignable by the Employee, Employee’s beneficiaries, or legal representatives without the Company’s prior written consent; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 9(a) shall preclude the Employee from designating a beneficiary to receive any benefit payable hereunder upon Employee’s death or incapacity.
(b) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation or to exclusion, attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any such action shall be null, void and of no effect.
10. Binding Effect. Without limiting or diminishing the effect of Section 9 hereof, this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective heirs, successors, legal representatives and assigns.
11. Notice. Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be sufficient if in writing and either delivered in person or sent by first class certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, if to the Company, at the Company’s principal place of business, and if to the Employee, at Employee’s home address, or, in the case of either party, to such other address or addresses as such party shall have designated in writing to the other party hereto.
12. Severability. The Employee agrees that in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall finally hold that any provision of Section 6 or 8 hereof is void or constitutes an unreasonable restriction against the Employee, such provision shall not be rendered void but shall apply with respect to such extent as such court may judicially determine constitutes a reasonable restriction under the circumstances. If any part of this Agreement other than Section 6 or 8 is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegible or incapable of being enforced in whole or in part by reason of any rule of law or public policy, such part shall be deemed to be severed from the remainder of this Agreement for the purpose only of the particular legal proceedings in question and all other covenants and provisions of this Agreement shall in every other respect continue in full force and effect and no covenant or provision shall be deemed dependent upon any other covenant or provision.
13. Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any of the terms, covenants or conditions hereof shall not be deemed a waiver of such term, covenant or condition, nor shall any waiver or relinquishment of any right or power hereunder at any one or more times be deemed a waiver or relinquishment of such right or power at any other time or times.
14. Entire Agreement; Modifications. This Agreement constitutes the entire and final expression of the agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements, oral and written, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by an instrument in writing signed by both parties hereto.
15. Relevant Law. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof.
16. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
17. Survival. The termination of Employee’s employment hereunder shall not affect the enforceability of Sections 6 or 8.
18. Further Assurances. The parties agree to execute and deliver all such further instruments and take such other and further action as may be reasonably necessary or appropriate to carry out the provisions of this Agreement.
19. Headings. The Section headings appearing in this Agreement are for purposes of easy reference and shall not be considered a part of this Agreement or in any way modify, amend or affect its provisions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and the Employee have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
NETCAPITAL INC.
By: /s/ Coreen Kraysler
Name: COREEN KRAYSLER
Title: Chief Financial Officer
JASON FRISHMAN
/s/ Jason Frishman
Exhibit 21.1
LIST OF SUBSIDIARIES
As of the date of this Registration Statement on Form S-1, Netcapital, Inc. has the following subsidiaries:
Subsidiary | Jurisdiction | |
1. Netcapital Advisors, Inc. | Delaware | |
2. MSG Development Corp. | Arizona | |
3. Netcapital Systems LLC | Utah | |
4. Netcapital Funding Portal Inc. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Netcapital Systems LLC, a Utah limited liability company) | Delaware |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Amendment #2 to Form S-1 of our audit report dated August 31, 2021, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of Netcapital Inc. and Subsidiaries as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity, and cash flows for each of the years then ended, and the related notes to the financial statements. We also consent to the reference to our Firm under the heading “Experts” in the Registration Statement.
/s/ Fruci & Associates II, PLLC
Fruci & Associates II, PLLC
June 27, 2022
Calculation of Filing Fee Tables
S-1
(Form Type)
NETCAPITAL INC.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities
Title of each Class of Securities To be Registered |
Amount to be registered(1) |
Proposed maximum Offering price per share(2) (3)(4) |
Proposed maximum aggregate Offering price(1)(2) |
Amount of registration fee(3) |
|||||||||||||
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, to be offered by the issuer(4) | $ | $ | 6.900.000 | $ | 639.63 | ||||||||||||
Warrants to Purchase Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share(5) | $ | - | $ | - | |||||||||||||
Pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (5) | $ | - | $ | - | |||||||||||||
Shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share underlying the warrants(6) | $ | 8,625,000 | $ | 799.54 | |||||||||||||
Shares of Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share underlying the pre-funded warrants(5) | $ | - | $ | - | |||||||||||||
Representative’s Warrants(5) | $ | - | $ | - | |||||||||||||
Shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representative’s Warrants (7) | $ | $ | 431,250 | $ | 39.98 | ||||||||||||
Total | — | $ | 15,956,250 | $ | 1,479.15 |
Registration Fee Previously Paid | $ | 1,333.62 | ||||||||||||||
Registration Fee Paid Herewith | $ | 145.53 |
(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) | Pursuant to Rule 416, the securities being registered hereunder include such indeterminate number of additional securities as may be issuable to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions. |
(3) | Calculated under Section 6(b) of the Securities Act as .0000927 times the proposed maximum aggregate offering price. |
(4) | Includes the aggregate offering price of additional shares that the underwriters have the right to purchase from the Registrant, if any. |
(5) | No additional registration fee is payable pursuant to Rule 457(g) or Rule 457(i) under the Securities Act. |
(6) | The warrants are exercisable at a price per share of common stock equal to 125% of the offering price |
(7) | 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 up to the number of shares of common stock equal to 5% of the aggregate number of shares sold in this offering at a per share exercise price equal to 125% of the public offering price of the shares. 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 is $431,250, which is equal to 125% of $345,000 (5% of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of $6,900,000). |