UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligations of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
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has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant
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ITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.
Securities Purchase Agreement
On May 29, 2024, AEye, Inc. (the “Company”) entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with certain institutional investors (the “Investors”) pursuant to which the Company agreed to issue and sell, in a registered direct offering, an aggregate of 727,706 shares (the “Shares”) of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company at a per share purchase price of $3.4480 for gross proceeds of approximately $2.51 million, before deducting estimated offering expenses payable by the Company (the “Offering”).
Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, certain of the Company’s executive officers and directors agreed to enter into customary lock-up agreements (the “Lock-Up Agreement”) pursuant to which they agreed, for a period of thirty (30) days following the closing date of the Offering, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell or transfer any shares of common stock beneficially owned by them or securities that are convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, shares of common stock, subject to certain exceptions.
The Company is offering the Shares pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-274546) which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 26, 2023.
The foregoing descriptions of the Purchase Agreement and the Lock-Up Agreement do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of such agreements, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and Exhibit 10.2 and are incorporated herein by reference.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes.
The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and conditions to closing. This Offering is expected to close on or about May 30, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
This Current Report on Form 8-K does not constitute an offer to sell any securities or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there by any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state
| Item 9.01. |
Financial Statement and Exhibits.
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(d) Exhibits.
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Exhibit Number
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Description
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| 10.1 | Form of Securities Purchase Agreement, dated May 29, 2024, between AEye, Inc. and the Purchasers.* | ||
| 10.2 | Form of Lock-Up Agreement* | ||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
* Certain portions of this exhibit have been redacted pursuant to Item 601(b)(10)(iv) of Regulation S-K. The Company agrees to provide on a supplemental basis an unredacted copy of the exhibit to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| AEye, Inc. | |||
| Dated: May 29, 2024 | |||
| By: | /s/ Andrew S. Hughes | ||
| Andrew S. Hughes | |||
| Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary | |||
Exhibit 10.1
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of May 29, 2024, is by and among AEye, Inc., Delaware corporation with headquarters located at One Park Place, Dublin, CA 94568 (the “Company”), and each of the investors listed on the Schedule of Buyers attached hereto (individually, a “Buyer” and collectively, the “Buyers”).
RECITALS
A. The Company and each Buyer desire to enter into this transaction to purchase the Common Shares (as defined below) pursuant to a currently effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which has $200,000,000 of unallocated securities, including Common Stock (as defined below) registered thereunder (Registration No. 333-274546) (the “Registration Statement”), which Registration Statement has been declared effective in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).
B. Each Buyer wishes to purchase, and the Company wishes to sell, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, (i) such aggregate number of shares of Common Stock as set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) on the Schedule of Buyers (which aggregate amount for all Buyers shall be 727,706 shares of Common Stock and shall collectively be referred to herein as the “Common Shares” or the “Securities”).
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Buyer hereby agree as follows:
| 1. | PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON SHARES. |
(a) Purchase of Common Shares. Subject to the satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below, the Company shall issue and sell to each Buyer, and each Buyer severally, but not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company on the Closing Date (as defined below) such aggregate number of Common Shares as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) on the Schedule of Buyers.
(b) Closing. The closing (the “Closing”) of the purchase of the Common Shares by the Buyers shall occur at the offices of Allen Overy Shearman & Sterling LLP, 1460 El Camino Real, Floor 2, Menlo Park, CA 94025. The date and time of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the first (1st) Business Day (as defined below) on which the conditions to the Closing set forth in Sections 6 and 7 below are satisfied or waived (or such other date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and each Buyer). As used herein “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home,” “shelter-in-place,” “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York generally are open for use by customers on such day.
(c) Purchase Price. The aggregate purchase price for the Common Shares to be purchased by each Buyer (the “Purchase Price”) shall be the amount set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (4) on the Schedule of Buyers, which shall represent the lower of (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (“NOCP”) of the Common Stock on the trading day immediately preceding the signing of this Agreement as reported by NASDAQ or (ii) the average NOCP for the preceding five trading days immediately preceding the signing of this Agreement.
(d) Form of Payment; Deliveries. On the Closing Date, (i) each Buyer shall pay its respective Purchase Price to the Company for the Common Shares to be issued and sold to such Buyer at the Closing, by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Flow of Funds Letter (as defined below) (less, in the case of the lead Buyer, the amounts withheld pursuant to Section 4(i)) and (ii) the Company shall cause Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc. (together with any subsequent transfer agent, the “Transfer Agent”) through the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program, to credit such aggregate number of Common Shares that each Buyer is purchasing as is set forth opposite such Buyer’s name in column (3) of the Schedule of Buyers to such Buyer’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian system.
(e) Sales During Pre-Settlement Period. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time on or after the time of execution of this Agreement by the Company and an applicable Buyer, through, and including the time immediately prior to the Closing (the “Pre-Settlement Period”), such Buyer sells (excluding “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO) to any Person all, or any portion, of any Common Shares to be issued hereunder to such Buyer at the Closing (collectively, the “Pre-Settlement Common Shares”), such Buyer shall, automatically hereunder (without any additional required actions by such Buyer or the Company), be deemed to be unconditionally bound to purchase, and the Company shall be deemed unconditionally bound to sell, such Pre-Settlement Common Shares to such Buyer at the Closing; provided, that the Company shall not be required to deliver any Pre-Settlement Common Shares to such Buyer prior to the Company’s receipt of the purchase price of such Pre-Settlement Common Shares hereunder; and provided further that the Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that the forgoing shall not constitute a representation or covenant by such Buyer as to whether or not during the Pre-Settlement Period such Buyer shall sell any Common Shares to any Person and that any such decision to sell any Common Shares by such Buyer shall be made, in the sole discretion of such Buyer, at the time such Buyer elects to effect any such sale, if any.
| 2. | BUYER’S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. |
Each Buyer, severally and not jointly, represents and warrants to the Company with respect to only itself that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:
(a) Organization; Authority. Such Buyer is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with the requisite power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (as defined below) to which it is a party and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder.
(b) Validity; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of such Buyer and shall constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Buyer enforceable against such Buyer in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
(c) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by such Buyer of this Agreement and the consummation by such Buyer of the transactions contemplated hereby will not (i) result in a violation of the organizational documents of such Buyer, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which such Buyer is a party or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws) applicable to such Buyer, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such conflicts, defaults, rights or violations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of such Buyer to perform its obligations hereunder.
| 3. | REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY. |
The Company represents and warrants to each of the Buyers that, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date:
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(a) Organization and Qualification. The Company is duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the requisite power and authority to own its properties and to carry on its business as now being conducted. The Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below). As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on (i) the business, properties, assets, liabilities, operations (including results thereof) or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company, (ii) the transactions contemplated hereby or in any of the other Transaction Documents or any other agreements or instruments to be entered into in connection herewith or therewith or (iii) the authority or ability of the Company to perform any of their respective obligations under any of the Transaction Documents (as defined below). Except as disclosed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Company has no Subsidiaries. The term “Subsidiaries” means any Person in which the Company, directly or indirectly, (A) owns any of the outstanding capital stock or holds any equity or similar interest of such Person or (B) controls or operates all or any part of the business, operations or administration of such Person, and each of the foregoing, is individually referred to herein as a “Subsidiary.”
(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Validity. The Company has the requisite power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Common Shares) have been duly authorized by the Company’s board of directors and (other than the filing with the SEC of the prospectus supplement required by the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the 1933 Act (the “Prospectus Supplement”) supplementing the base prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement (the “Prospectus”) and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies and The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC, or any exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated for quotation (the “Principal Market”) no further filing, consent or authorization is required by the Company, its board of directors or its stockholders or other governing body. This Agreement has been, and the other Transaction Documents will be prior to the Closing, duly executed and delivered by the Company, and each constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies and except as rights to indemnification and to contribution may be limited by federal or state securities law. The term “Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement, the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions (as defined below) and each of the other agreements and instruments entered into or delivered by any of the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, as may be amended from time to time.
(c) Issuance of Securities; Registration Statement. The issuance of the Common Shares has been duly authorized and, upon issuance and payment in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, shall be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all preemptive or similar rights, mortgages, defects, claims, liens, pledges, charges, taxes, rights of first refusal, encumbrances, security interests and other encumbrances (collectively “Liens”) with respect to the issuance thereof. The issuance by the Company of the Securities has been registered under the 1933 Act; the Securities are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and, upon payment therefor, all of the Securities are freely transferable and freely tradable by each of the Buyers without restriction, whether by way of registration or some exemption therefrom. The Registration Statement is effective and available for the issuance of the Securities thereunder and the Company has not received any notice that the SEC has issued or intends to issue a stop-order with respect to the Registration Statement or that the SEC otherwise has suspended or withdrawn the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, either temporarily or permanently, or intends or has threatened in writing to do so. The “Plan of Distribution” section under the Registration Statement permits the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder and as contemplated by the other Transaction Documents. Upon receipt of the Securities, each of the Buyers will have good and marketable title to the Securities. The Registration Statement and any prospectus included therein, including the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”) and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder and all other applicable laws and regulations.
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At the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective, at the date of this Agreement and at each deemed effective date thereof pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) of the 1933 Act, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not and will not 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 not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto (including, without limitation, the Prospectus Supplement), at the time the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, complied, and will comply, in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and did not, and will not, contain any 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. The Company meets all of the requirements for the use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act for the offering and sale of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, and the SEC has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(1) under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x) under the 1933 Act. At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the 1933 Act) relating to any of the Securities, the Company was not and is not an “Ineligible Issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act). The Company (i) has not distributed any offering material in connection with the offer or sale of any of the Securities and (ii) until no Buyer holds any of the Securities, shall not distribute any offering material in connection with the offer or sale of any of the Securities to, or by, any of the Buyers (if required), in each case, other than the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement.
(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Common Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) (including, without limitation, any certificate of designation contained therein) or Bylaws (as defined below) of the Company, or any capital stock or other securities of the Company, (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) in any respect under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company is a party except for such conflicts, defaults, termination rights violations or similar events that would not reasonably be expected to constitute, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including, without limitation, foreign, federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Principal Market (as defined below) and including all applicable foreign, federal and state laws, rules and regulations) applicable to the Company or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected except for such violations that would not reasonably be expected to constitute, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. “Knowledge” or “knowledge” means, with respect to the Company, the actual knowledge of the Company’s executive officers and directors, after due inquiry. For purposes of this definition, “due inquiry” shall mean that the executive officers have made reasonable efforts to investigate the matter in question, including consulting with representatives and advisors of the Company who are reasonably believed to have knowledge or expertise relevant to the matter in question.
(e) Consents. The Company is not required to obtain any consent from, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with (other than the filing with the SEC of the Prospectus Supplement and any other filings as may be required by any state securities agencies and the Principal Market), any Governmental Entity (as defined below) or any regulatory or self-regulatory agency or any other Person in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its respective obligations under or contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in each case, in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof. All consents, authorizations, orders, filings and registrations which the Company is required to obtain pursuant to the preceding sentence have been or will be obtained or effected on or prior to the Closing Date, and the Company is not aware of any facts or circumstances which might prevent the Company from obtaining or effecting any of the registration, application or filings contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Company is not in violation of the requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances which could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock in the foreseeable future.
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The term “Governmental Entity” means any nation, state, county, city, town, village, district, or other political jurisdiction of any nature, federal, state, local, municipal, foreign, or other government, governmental or quasi-governmental authority of any nature (including any governmental agency, branch, department, official, or entity and any court or other tribunal), multi-national organization or body; or body exercising, or entitled to exercise, any administrative, executive, judicial, legislative, police, regulatory, or taxing authority or power of any nature or instrumentality of any of the foregoing, including any entity or enterprise owned or controlled by a government or a public international organization or any of the foregoing.
(f) Acknowledgment Regarding Buyer’s Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Buyer is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby and that no Buyer is (i) an officer or director of the Company, (ii) an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act (or a successor rule thereto) (collectively, “Rule 144”)) of the Company or (iii) to its knowledge, a “beneficial owner” of more than 10% of the shares of Common Stock (as defined for purposes of Rule 13d-3 of the 1934 Act). The Company further acknowledges that no Buyer is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, and any advice given by a Buyer or any of its representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby is merely incidental to such Buyer’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Buyer that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.
(g) Placement Agent’s Fees. The Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, or brokers’ commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer or its investment advisor) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay and hold each Buyer harmless against any liability, loss, or expense (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any such claim. The Company has not engaged any placement agent or other agent in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
(h) No Integrated Offering. None of the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person acting on its behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to require approval of stockholders of the Company under any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of the Principal Market. None of the Company, its affiliates nor any Person acting on its behalf will take any action or steps that would cause the offering of any of the Securities to be integrated with other offerings of securities of the Company.
(i) Application of Takeover Protections; Rights Agreement. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, interested stockholder, business combination, poison pill (including, without limitation, any distribution under a rights agreement), stockholder rights plan or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or other organizational documents or the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or otherwise which is or could become applicable to any Buyer as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and any Buyer’s ownership of the Securities. The Company and its board of directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any stockholder rights plan or similar arrangement relating to accumulations of beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock or a change in control of the Company.
(j) SEC Documents; Financial Statements. During the two (2) years prior to the date hereof, the Company has timely filed all reports, schedules, forms, proxy statements, statements and other documents required to be filed by it with the SEC pursuant to the reporting requirements of the 1934 Act (all of the foregoing filed prior to the date hereof and all exhibits and appendices included therein and financial statements, notes and schedules thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein being hereinafter referred to as the “SEC Documents”). The Company has delivered or has made available to the Buyers or their respective representatives true, correct and complete copies of each of the SEC Documents not available on the EDGAR system that has been requested in writing (including e-mails from any Buyer to the Company) by any Buyer.
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As of their respective dates, the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable to the SEC Documents, and none of the SEC Documents, at the time they were filed with the SEC, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. As of their respective dates, the financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Documents complied in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the published rules and regulations of the SEC with respect thereto as in effect as of the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied, during the periods involved (except (i) as may be otherwise indicated in such financial statements or the notes thereto, or (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of the dates thereof and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods then ended (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year-end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate). The reserves, if any, established by the Company or the lack of reserves, if applicable, are reasonable based upon facts and circumstances known by the Company on the date hereof and there are no loss contingencies that are required to be accrued by Accounting Series Codification (ASC) subtopic 450-20 of the Financial Accounting Standards Board which are not provided for by the Company in its financial statements or otherwise. No other information provided by or on behalf of the Company to any of the Buyers which is not included in the SEC Documents (including, without limitation, information in the disclosure schedules to this Agreement) contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, in the light of the circumstance under which they are or were made. The Company is not currently contemplating to amend or restate any of the financial statements (including, without limitation, any notes or any letter of the independent accountants of the Company with respect thereto) included in the SEC Documents (the “Financial Statements”), nor is the Company currently aware of facts or circumstances which would require the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements, in each case, in order for any of the Financials Statements to be in compliance with GAAP and the rules and regulations of the SEC. The Company has not been informed by its independent accountants that they recommend that the Company amend or restate any of the Financial Statements or that there is any need for the Company to amend or restate any of the Financial Statements.
(k) Absence of Certain Changes. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, assets, liabilities, properties, operations (including results thereof), condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, since the date of the Company’s most recent audited financial statements contained in a Form 10-K, the Company has not (i) declared or paid any dividends, (ii) sold any material assets, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business or (iii) made any material capital expenditures, individually or in the aggregate, outside of the ordinary course of business. The Company has not taken any steps to seek protection pursuant to any law or statute relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, liquidation or winding up, nor does the Company have any knowledge or reason to believe that any of its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any actual knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so. The Company is not as of the date hereof, and after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby to occur at the Closing, will not be Insolvent (as defined below). For purposes of this Section 3(k), the term “Insolvent” means (i) the present fair saleable value of the Company’s assets is less than the amount required to pay the Company’s total Indebtedness (as defined below), (ii) the Company is unable to pay its debts and liabilities, subordinated, contingent or otherwise, as such debts and liabilities become absolute and matured or (iii) the Company intends to incur or believes that it will incur debts that would be beyond their ability to pay as such debts mature. The Company has not engaged in any business or transaction and is not about to engage in any business or transaction for which the Company’s remaining assets constitute unreasonably small capital with which to conduct the business in which it is engaged as such business is now conducted and is proposed to be conducted.
(l) No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents, no event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists, or is reasonably expected to exist or occur with respect to the Company or any of its businesses, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or condition (financial or otherwise), that (i) would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly announced, (ii) could have a material adverse effect on any Buyer’s investment hereunder or (iii) could have a Material Adverse Effect.
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(m) Conduct of Business; Regulatory Permits. The Company is not in violation of any term of or in default under its Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) or Bylaws (as defined below). The Company is not in violation of any judgment, decree or order or any statute, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to the Company, and the Company will not conduct its business in violation of any of the foregoing, except in all cases for possible violations which could not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company is not in violation of any of the rules, regulations or requirements of the Principal Market and has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that could reasonably lead to delisting or suspension of the Common Stock by the Principal Market in the foreseeable future. Since the date of the Company’s last Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, (i) the Common Stock has been listed or designated for quotation on the Principal Market, (ii) trading in the Common Stock has not been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market and (iii) except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has received no communication, written or oral, from the SEC or the Principal Market regarding the suspension or delisting of the Common Stock from the Principal Market. The Company possesses all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to possess such certificates, authorizations or permits would not have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit. There is no agreement, commitment, judgment, injunction, order or decree binding upon the Company or to which the Company is a party which has or would reasonably be expected to have the effect of prohibiting or materially impairing any business practice of the Company, any acquisition of property by the Company or the conduct of business by the Company as currently conducted other than such effects, individually or in the aggregate, which have not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company.
(n) Foreign Corrupt Practices. Neither the Company, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any other person acting for or on behalf of the foregoing (individually and collectively, a “Company Affiliate”) have violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”) or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption laws, nor has any Company Affiliate offered, paid, promised to pay, or authorized the payment of any money, or offered, given, promised to give, or authorized the giving of anything of value, to any officer, employee or any other person acting in an official capacity for any Governmental Entity to any political party or official thereof or to any candidate for political office (individually and collectively, a “Government Official”) or to any person under circumstances where such Company Affiliate knew or was aware of a high probability that all or a portion of such money or thing of value would be offered, given or promised, directly or indirectly, to any Government Official, for the purpose of:
(i) (A) influencing any act or decision of such Government Official in his/her official capacity, (B) inducing such Government Official to do or omit to do any act in violation of his/her lawful duty, (C) securing any improper advantage, or (D) inducing such Government Official to influence or affect any act or decision of any Governmental Entity, or
(ii) assisting the Company in obtaining or retaining business for or with, or directing business to, the Company.
(o) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is in compliance with any and all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.
(p) Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(p), no current or former employee, partner, director, officer or stockholder (direct or indirect) of the Company, or any associate, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any affiliate of any thereof, or any relative with a relationship no more remote than first cousin of any of the foregoing, is presently, or within the last two fiscal years has ever been, (i) a party to any transaction with the Company (including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services by, or rental of real or tangible personal property from, or otherwise requiring payments to, any such director, officer or stockholder or such associate or affiliate (other than for ordinary course services as employees, officers or directors of the Company)) or (ii) the direct or indirect owner of an interest in any corporation, firm, association or business organization which is a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or its Subsidiaries (except for a passive investment (direct or indirect) in less than 5% of the common stock of a company whose securities are traded on or quoted through an Eligible Market (as defined below)), nor does any such Person receive income from any source other than the Company which relates to the business of the Company or should properly accrue to the Company.
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No employee, officer, stockholder or director of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, member of his or her immediate family is indebted to the Company nor is the Company indebted (or committed to make loans or extend or guarantee credit) to any of them, other than (i) for payment of salary for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the Company, and (iii) for other standard employee benefits made generally available to all employees or executives (including stock option agreements outstanding under any stock option plan approved by the Board of Directors of the Company).
(q) Equity Capitalization.
(i) Definitions:
(1) “Common Stock” means (x) the Company’s shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and (y) any capital stock into which such common stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such common stock.
(2) “Preferred Stock” means (x) the Company’s blank check preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share, the terms of which may be designated by the board of directors of the Company in a certificate of designations and (y) any capital stock into which such preferred stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such preferred stock (other than a conversion of such preferred stock into Common Stock in accordance with the terms of such certificate of designations).
(ii) Authorized and Outstanding Capital Stock. As of the date hereof, the authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (A) 600,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which 7,334,395 are issued and outstanding and 1,009,503 shares are reserved for issuance pursuant to Convertible Securities (as defined below) exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock and (B) 1,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock, none of which are issued and outstanding. No shares of Common Stock are held in the treasury of the Company.
(iii) Valid Issuance; Available Shares; Affiliates. All of such outstanding shares are duly authorized and have been validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable. Schedule 3(q)(iii) sets forth the number of shares of Common Stock that are (A) reserved for issuance pursuant to Convertible Securities (as defined below) and (B) that are, as of the date hereof, owned by Persons who are “affiliates” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act and calculated based on the assumption that only officers, directors and holders of at least 10% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock are “affiliates” without conceding that any such Persons are “affiliates” for purposes of federal securities laws) of the Company. Except as set forth on Schedule 3(q)(iii), to the Company’s knowledge, no Person owns 10% or more of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock (calculated based on the assumption that all Convertible Securities (as defined below), whether or not presently exercisable or convertible, have been fully exercised or converted (as the case may be) taking account of any limitations on exercise or conversion (including “blockers”) contained therein without conceding that such identified Person is a 10% stockholder for purposes of federal securities laws).
(iv) Existing Securities; Obligations. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents or Schedule 3(q)(iv) hereto: (A) none of the Company’s shares, interests or capital stock is subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or Liens suffered or permitted by the Company; (B) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional shares, interests or capital stock of the Company or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any shares, interests or capital stock of the Company;
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(C) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the 1933 Act (except pursuant to this Agreement); (D) there are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company; (E) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities; and (F) the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement.
(r) Organizational Documents. The Company has furnished to the Buyers true, correct and complete copies of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Certificate of Incorporation”), and the Company’s bylaws, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Bylaws”), and the SEC Documents set forth the terms of all Convertible Securities and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto, to the extent not available on EDGAR .
(s) Indebtedness and Other Contracts. Except as set forth in the SEC Documents and Schedule 3(s), the Company (i) has no outstanding debt securities, notes, credit agreements, credit facilities or other agreements, documents or instruments evidencing Indebtedness of the Company or by which the Company is bound, which individually or in the aggregate is equal to or exceed $100,000, (ii) is not a party to any contract, agreement or instrument, the violation of which, or default under which, by the other party(ies) to such contract, agreement or instrument could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (iii) has any financing statements securing obligations in any amounts filed in connection with the Company; (iv) is not in violation of any term of, or in default under, any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, except where such violations and defaults would not result, individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect, or (v) is not a party to any contract, agreement or instrument relating to any Indebtedness, the performance of which, in the judgment of the Company’s officers, has or is expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company does not have any liabilities or obligations required to be disclosed in the SEC Documents which are not so disclosed in the SEC Documents, other than those incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s businesses and which, individually or in the aggregate, do not or could not have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Agreement: (x) the term “Indebtedness” of any Person means, without duplication (A) all indebtedness for borrowed money, (B) all obligations issued, undertaken or assumed as the deferred purchase price of property or services (including, without limitation, “capital leases” in accordance with GAAP) (other than trade payables entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice), (C) all reimbursement or payment obligations with respect to letters of credit, surety bonds and other similar instruments, (D) all obligations evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, including obligations so evidenced incurred in connection with the acquisition of property, assets or businesses, (E) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, or incurred as financing, in either case with respect to any property or assets acquired with the proceeds of such indebtedness (even though the rights and remedies of the seller or bank under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), (F) all monetary obligations under any leasing or similar arrangement which, in connection with GAAP, consistently applied for the periods covered thereby, is classified as a capital lease, (G) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (A) through (F) above secured by (or for which the holder of such Indebtedness has an existing right, contingent or otherwise, to be secured by) any Lien upon or in any property or assets (including accounts and contract rights) owned by any Person, even though the Person which owns such assets or property has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such indebtedness, and (H) all Contingent Obligations in respect of indebtedness or obligations of others of the kinds referred to in clauses (A) through (G) above; (y) the term “Contingent Obligation” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any Indebtedness, lease, dividend or other obligation of another Person if the primary purpose or intent of the Person incurring such liability, or the primary effect thereof, is to provide assurance to the obligee of such liability that such liability will be paid or discharged, or that any agreements relating thereto will be complied with, or that the holders of such liability will be protected (in whole or in part) against loss with respect thereto; and (z) the term “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and any Governmental Entity or any department or agency thereof.
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(t) Litigation. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, there is no action, suit, arbitration, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by the Principal Market, any court, public board, other Governmental Entity, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s officers or directors, whether of a civil or criminal nature or otherwise, in their capacities as such, which is outside of the ordinary course of business or individually or in the aggregate material to the Company. No director, officer or employee of the Company has willfully violated 18 U.S.C. §1519 or engaged in spoliation in reasonable anticipation of litigation. Without limitation of the foregoing, during the past two years, there has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is no pending or contemplated, any investigation by the SEC involving the Company, or any current or former director or officer of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries. The SEC has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, including, without limitation, the Registration Statement. After reasonable inquiry of its employees, the Company is not aware of any fact which might result in or form the basis for any such action, suit, arbitration, investigation, inquiry or other proceeding. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company is not subject to any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Entity.
(u) Insurance. The Company is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the business in which the Company is engaged. The Company has not been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for, and the Company does not have any reason to believe that it will be unable to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.
(v) Employee Relations. The Company is not a party to any collective bargaining agreement or employs any member of a union. The Company believes that its relations with its employees are good. No executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) promulgated under the 1933 Act) or other key employee of the Company has notified the Company that such officer intends to leave the Company or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company. No executive officer or other key employee of the Company is, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement, non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer or other key employee (as the case may be), to the knowledge of the Company, does not subject the Company to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company is in compliance with all federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations respecting labor, employment and employment practices and benefits, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where failure to be in compliance would not, either individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(w) Title.
(i) Real Property. The Company does not own any real property. Any real property held under lease by the Company is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company.
(ii) Fixtures and Equipment. The Company has good title to, or a valid leasehold interest in, the tangible personal property, equipment, improvements, fixtures, and other personal property and appurtenances that are used by the Company and are material in connection with the conduct of its business (the “Fixtures and Equipment”). The Fixtures and Equipment are structurally sound, are in good operating condition and repair, are adequate for the uses to which they are being put, are not in need of maintenance or repairs except for ordinary, routine maintenance and repairs and are sufficient for the conduct of the Company’s business in the manner as conducted prior to the Closing.
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Except as set forth on Schedule 3(w)(ii), the Company owns all of its Fixtures and Equipment free and clear of all Liens except for (a) zoning laws and other land use restrictions that do not impair the present or anticipated use of the property subject thereto and (b) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company. Schedule 3(w)(ii) set forth Liens for current taxes not yet due or the validity or amount of which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been maintained in accordance with GAAP.
(iii) Intellectual Property Rights. Intellectual Property Rights. As of the date hereof, the Company owns or possesses adequate rights or licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, rights in original works of authorship, patents, patent rights, copyrights, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights and all applications and registrations therefor (“Intellectual Property Rights”) necessary to conduct its business as now conducted. Except as set forth in Schedule 3(w)(iii), the material registered Intellectual Property Rights owned by the Company are in full force and effect as of the date hereof. As of the date hereof, (A) the Company does not have any knowledge of any infringement by the Company of Intellectual Property Rights of third parties, (B) no claim, action or proceeding is pending, nor to the Company’s knowledge, is any such claim, action or proceeding being threatened against the Company regarding the infringement of any third party Intellectual Property Rights by the Company (provided that any claim, action or proceeding that has been initiated but with respect to which process or other comparable notice has not been served on or delivered to the Company shall be deemed to be “threatened” rather than “pending”), and (C) the Company is not aware of any existing facts or circumstances which would reasonably be expected to give rise to any of the foregoing claims, actions or proceedings described in Section 3(w)(iii)(B). The Company has taken commercially reasonable security measures designed to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of the confidential Intellectual Property Rights in the possession or control of the Company, except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Environmental Laws. (i) The Company (A) is in compliance with any and all Environmental Laws (as defined below), (B) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (C) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval where, in each of the foregoing clauses (A), (B) and (C), the failure to so comply could be reasonably expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. The term “Environmental Laws” means all federal, state, local or foreign laws relating to pollution or protection of human health or the environment (including, without limitation, ambient air, surface water, groundwater, land surface or subsurface strata), including, without limitation, laws relating to emissions, discharges, releases or threatened releases of chemicals, pollutants, contaminants, or toxic or hazardous substances or wastes (collectively, “Hazardous Materials”) into the environment, or otherwise relating to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transport or handling of Hazardous Materials, as well as all authorizations, codes, decrees, demands or demand letters, injunctions, judgments, licenses, notices or notice letters, orders, permits, plans or regulations issued, entered, promulgated or approved thereunder.
(i) No Hazardous Materials (A) have been disposed of or otherwise released into any Real Property (as defined below) in violation of any Environmental Laws; or (B) are present on, over, beneath, in or upon any Real Property or any portion thereof in quantities that would constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws. No prior use by the Company of any Real Property has occurred that violates any Environmental Laws, which violation would have a material adverse effect on the business of the Company.
(ii) The Company is not aware of any other person who or entity which has stored, treated, recycled, disposed of or otherwise located any Hazardous Materials on any Real Property, including, without limitation, such substances as asbestos and polychlorinated biphenyls.
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(iii) None of the Real Properties are on any federal or state “Superfund” list or Liability Information System (“CERCLIS”) list or any state environmental agency list of sites under consideration for CERCLIS, nor subject to any environmental related Liens.
(y) Tax Status. The Company (i) has timely made or filed all foreign, federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has timely paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim. The net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) for United States federal income tax purposes of the consolidated group of which the Company is the common parent, if any, may be effected by the transactions contemplated hereby.
(z) Internal Accounting and Disclosure Controls. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act) that is effective to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including 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 and liability accountability, (iii) access to assets or incurrence of liabilities is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets and liabilities is compared with the existing assets and liabilities at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any difference. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, the Company has not received any notice or correspondence from any accountant, Governmental Entity or other Person relating to any potential material weakness or significant deficiency in any part of the internal controls over financial reporting of the Company.
(aa) Off Balance Sheet Arrangements. There is no transaction, arrangement, or other relationship between the Company and an unconsolidated or other off balance sheet entity that is required to be disclosed by the Company in its 1934 Act filings and is not so disclosed or that otherwise could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(bb) Investment Company Status. The Company is not, and upon consummation of the sale of the Securities will not be, an “investment company,” an affiliate of an “investment company,” a company controlled by an “investment company” or an “affiliated person” of, or “promoter” or “principal underwriter” for, an “investment company” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
(cc) Regarding Buyers’ Trading Activity. It is understood and acknowledged by the Company that (i) following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, in accordance with the terms thereof, none of the Buyers have been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Buyer agreed with the Company, to desist from effecting any transactions in or with respect to (including, without limitation, purchasing or selling, long and/or short) any securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold any of the Securities for any specified term; (ii) any Buyer, and counterparties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Buyer is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock which was established prior to such Buyer’s knowledge of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents; and (iii) each Buyer shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counterparty in any “derivative” transaction.
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The Company further understands and acknowledges that following the public disclosure of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents pursuant to the 8-K Filing one or more Buyers may engage in hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock) at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding and such hedging and/or trading activities (including, without limitation, the location and/or reservation of borrowable shares of Common Stock), if any, can reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interest in the Company both at and after the time the hedging and/or trading activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging and/or trading activities do not constitute a breach of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document or any of the documents executed in connection herewith or therewith.
(dd) Manipulation of Price. The Company has not, and, to the knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company or (iv) paid or agreed to pay any Person for research services with respect to any securities of the Company.
(ee) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not, nor has it ever been, a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).
(ff) Registration Eligibility. The Company is eligible to register the issuance of the Securities by the Company using Form S-3 promulgated under the 1933 Act.
(gg) Transfer Taxes. On the Closing Date, all stock transfer or other taxes (other than income or similar taxes) which are required to be paid in connection with the issuance, sale and transfer of the Securities to be sold to each Buyer hereunder will be, or will have been, fully paid or provided for by the Company, and all laws imposing such taxes will be or will have been complied with.
(hh) Bank Holding Company Act. The Company is not subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.
(ii) Shell Company Status. The Company is not a shell company (as defined in Rule 405) and has not been a shell company for at least 12 calendar months previously and if it has been a shell company at any time previously, has filed current Form 10 information (as defined in Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3) with the SEC at least 12 calendar months previously reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company.
(jj) Illegal or Unauthorized Payments; Political Contributions. During the period since August 16, 2021, neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge (after reasonable inquiry of its officers and directors), any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or other representatives of the Company or any other business entity or enterprise with which the Company is or has been affiliated or associated, has, directly or indirectly, made or authorized any payment, contribution or gift of money, property, or services, whether or not in contravention of applicable law, (i) as a kickback or bribe to any Person or (ii) to any political organization, or the holder of or any aspirant to any elective or appointive public office except for personal political contributions not involving the direct or indirect use of funds of the Company.
(kk) Money Laundering. The Company is in compliance with, and have not previously violated, the USA Patriot Act of 2001 and all other applicable U.S. and non-U.S. anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including, but not limited to, the laws, regulations and Executive Orders and sanctions programs administered by the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control, including, without limitation, (i) Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001 entitled, “Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions With Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism” (66 Fed. Reg. 49079 (2001)); and (ii) any regulations contained in 31 CFR, Subtitle B, Chapter V.
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(ll) Management. Except as set forth in Schedule 3(ll) hereto, during the period since August 16, 2021, no current or former officer or director or, to the knowledge of the Company, no current ten percent (10%) or greater stockholder of the Company has been the subject of:
(i) a petition under bankruptcy laws or any other insolvency or moratorium law or the appointment by a court of a receiver, fiscal agent or similar officer for such Person, or any partnership in which such person was a general partner at or within two years before the filing of such petition or such appointment, or any corporation or business association of which such person was an executive officer at or within two years before the time of the filing of such petition or such appointment;
(ii) a conviction in a criminal proceeding or a named subject of a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations that do not relate to driving while intoxicated or driving under the influence);
(iii) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction, permanently or temporarily enjoining any such person from, or otherwise limiting, the following activities:
(1) Acting as a futures commission merchant, introducing broker, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, floor broker, leverage transaction merchant, any other person regulated by the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission or an associated person of any of the foregoing, or as an investment adviser, underwriter, broker or dealer in securities, or as an affiliated person, director or employee of any investment company, bank, savings and loan association or insurance company, or engaging in or continuing any conduct or practice in connection with such activity;
(2) Engaging in any particular type of business practice; or
(3) Engaging in any activity in connection with the purchase or sale of any security or commodity or in connection with any violation of securities laws or commodities laws;
(iv) any order, judgment or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any authority barring, suspending or otherwise limiting for more than sixty (60) days the right of any such person to engage in any activity described in the preceding sub paragraph, or to be associated with persons engaged in any such activity;
(v) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the SEC or other authority to have violated any securities law, regulation or decree and the judgment in such civil action or finding by the SEC or any other authority has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated; or
(vi) a finding by a court of competent jurisdiction in a civil action or by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated any federal commodities law, and the judgment in such civil action or finding has not been subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated.
(mm) Stock Option Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of the applicable stock option plan of the Company and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no policy or practice of the Company to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or their financial results or prospects.
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(nn) No Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers. There are no material disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated by the Company to arise, between the Company and the accountants and lawyers formerly or presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to any fees owed to its accountants and lawyers which could affect the Company’s ability to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents. In addition, on or prior to the date hereof, the Company had discussions with its accountants about its financial statements previously filed with the SEC. Based on those discussions, the Company has no reason to believe that it will need to restate any such financial statements or any part thereof.
(oo) No Additional Agreements. The Company does not have any agreement or understanding with any Buyer with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than as specified in the Transaction Documents.
(pp) Public Utility Holding Act. The Company is not a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a “holding company,” as such terms are defined in the Public Utility Holding Act of 2005.
(qq) Federal Power Act. The Company is not subject to regulation as a “public utility” under the Federal Power Act, as amended.
(rr) Registration Rights. Except as disclosed in the SEC Documents, no holder of securities of the Company has rights to the registration of any securities of the Company because of the filing of the Registration Statement or the issuance of the Securities hereunder that could expose the Company to material liability or any Buyer to any liability or that could impair the Company’s ability to consummate the issuance and sale of the Securities in the manner, and at the times, contemplated hereby, which rights have not been waived by the holder thereof as of the date hereof.
(ss) Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Buyers or their agents or counsel with any information that constitutes or could reasonably be expected to constitute material, non-public information concerning the Company, other than the existence of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. The Company understands and confirms that each of the Buyers will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All disclosure provided to the Buyers regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company is true and correct and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. All of the written information furnished after the date hereof and prior to the Closing by or on behalf of the Company to each Buyer pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, taken as a whole, will be true and correct in all material respects as of the date on which such information is so provided and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each press release issued by the Company during the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this Agreement did not at the time of release 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 the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. Except for the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, no event or circumstance has occurred or information exists with respect to the Company or its business, properties, liabilities, prospects, operations (including results thereof) or conditions (financial or otherwise), which, under applicable law, rule or regulation, requires public disclosure at or before the date hereof or announcement by the Company but which has not been so publicly disclosed. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 2.
| 4. | COVENANTS. |
(a) Best Efforts. Each Buyer shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 6 of this Agreement. The Company shall use its best efforts to timely satisfy each of the covenants hereunder and conditions to be satisfied by it as provided in Section 7 of this Agreement.
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(b) Amendments to the Registration Statement; Prospectus Supplements; Free Writing Prospectuses.
(i) Except as provided in this Agreement and other than periodic reports required to be filed pursuant to the 1934 Act, the Company shall not file with the SEC any amendment to the Registration Statement that relates to the Buyer, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or file with the SEC any Prospectus Supplement that relates to the Buyer, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby with respect to which (a) the Buyer shall not previously have been advised, (b) the Company shall not have given due consideration to any comments thereon received from the Buyer or its counsel, or (c) the Buyer shall reasonably object after being so advised, unless the Company reasonably has determined that it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or make any supplement to the Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act or any other applicable law or regulation, in which case the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) so inform the Buyer, the Buyer shall be provided with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon any disclosure relating to the Buyer and the Company shall expeditiously furnish to the Buyer an electronic copy thereof. In addition, for so long as, in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Buyer, the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) is required to be delivered in connection with any acquisition or sale of Securities by the Buyer, the Company shall not file any Prospectus Supplement with respect to the Securities without delivering or making available a copy of such Prospectus Supplement, together with the Prospectus, to the Buyer promptly.
(ii) The Company has not made, and agrees that unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Buyer it will not make, an offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433 promulgated under the 1933 Act (an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act (a “Free Writing Prospectus”) required to be filed by the Company or the Buyer with the SEC or retained by the Company or the Buyer under Rule 433 under the 1933 Act. The Buyer has not made, and agrees that unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company it will not make, an offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a Free Writing Prospectus required to be filed by the Company with the SEC or retained by the Company under Rule 433 under the 1933 Act. Any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other Free Writing Prospectus consented to by the Buyer or the Company is referred to in this Agreement as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 under the 1933 Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the SEC, legending and record keeping.
(c) Prospectus Delivery. Immediately prior to execution of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Buyer, and as soon as practicable after execution of this Agreement the Company shall file one or more Prospectus Supplements with respect to the Securities to be issued on the Closing Date, as required under, and in conformity with, the 1933 Act, including Rule 424(b) thereunder. The Company shall provide the Buyer a reasonable opportunity to comment on a draft of each Prospectus Supplement and any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, shall give due consideration to all such comments and, subject to the provisions of Section 4(b) hereof, shall deliver or make available to the Buyer, without charge, an electronic copy of each form of Prospectus Supplement, together with the Prospectus, and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus on the Closing Date. The Company consents to the use of the Prospectus (and of any Prospectus Supplements thereto) in accordance with the provisions of the 1933 Act and with the securities or “blue sky” laws of the jurisdictions in which the Securities may be sold by the Buyer, in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities and for such period of time thereafter as the Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the 1933 Act) is required by the 1933 Act to be delivered in connection with sales of the Securities. If during such period of time any event shall occur that in the judgment of the Company and its counsel is required to be set forth in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or should be set forth therein in order to make the statements made therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or if it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement or amend the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act or any other applicable law or regulation, the Company shall forthwith prepare and, subject to Section 4(b) above, file with the SEC an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or Prospectus Supplement to the Prospectus (or supplement to the Permitted Free Writing Prospectus) and shall expeditiously furnish or make available to the Buyer an electronic copy thereof.
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(d) Stop Orders. The Company shall advise the Buyer promptly (but in no event later than 24 hours) and shall confirm such advice in writing: (i) of the Company’s receipt of notice of any request by the SEC for amendment of or a supplement to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or for any additional information; (ii) of the Company’s receipt of notice of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, or of the suspension of qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (iii) of the Company becoming aware of the happening of any event, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in order to state a material fact required by the 1933 Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or of the necessity to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus to comply with the 1933 Act or any other law or (iv) if at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement is not effective or is not otherwise available for the issuance of the Securities or any Prospectus contained therein is not available for use for any other reason. Thereafter, the Company shall promptly notify such holders when the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and/or any amendment or supplement thereto, as applicable, is effective and available for the issuance of the Securities. If at any time the SEC shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, the Company shall use best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order at the earliest possible time.
(e) Blue Sky. The Company shall, on or before the Closing Date, take such action as the Company shall reasonably determine is necessary in order to obtain an exemption for, or to, qualify the Securities for sale to the Buyers at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement under applicable securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the states of the United States (or to obtain an exemption from such qualification), and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Buyers on or prior to the Closing Date. Without limiting any other obligation of the Company under this Agreement, the Company shall timely make all filings and reports relating to the offer and sale of the Securities required under all applicable securities laws (including, without limitation, all applicable federal securities laws and all applicable “Blue Sky” laws), and the Company shall comply with all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and the like relating to the offering and sale of the Securities to the Buyers.
(f) Reporting Status. Until the earlier of (i) the one year anniversary of this Agreement or (ii) until the date on which the Buyers shall have sold all of the Securities (the “Reporting Period”), the Company shall timely file (taking into account any permitted extension pursuant to Rule 12b-25 under the 1934 Act) all reports required to be filed with the SEC pursuant to the 1934 Act, and the Company shall not terminate its status as an issuer required to file reports under the 1934 Act even if the 1934 Act or the rules and regulations thereunder would no longer require or otherwise permit such termination.
(g) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Prospectus Supplement, but not, directly or indirectly, for (i) the satisfaction of any indebtedness of the Company, (ii) the redemption or repurchase of any securities of the Company, or (iii) the settlement of any outstanding litigation.
(h) Listing. The Company shall promptly secure the listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Common Shares upon each national securities exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which the Common Stock is then listed or designated for quotation (as the case may be) (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing or designation for quotation (as the case may be) of all of the Common Shares on such national securities exchange or automated quotation system. The Company shall maintain the Common Stock’s listing or authorization for quotation (as the case may be) on the Principal Market, The New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE American (each, an “Eligible Market”). The Company shall not take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on an Eligible Market. The Company shall pay all fees and expenses in connection with satisfying its obligations under this Section 4(h).
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(i) Fees. The Company shall reimburse the lead Buyer a non-accountable fee of $50,000 for all costs and expenses incurred by it or its affiliates in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, as applicable, all reasonable legal fees of outside counsel and disbursements of Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel, LLP, counsel to the lead Buyer, and any other reasonable fees and expenses in connection with the structuring, documentation, negotiation and closing of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and due diligence and regulatory filings in connection therewith) (the “Transaction Expenses”) and shall be withheld by the lead Buyer from its Purchase Price at the Closing; provided, that the Company shall promptly reimburse Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel, LLP on demand for all Transaction Expenses not so reimbursed through such withholding at the Closing. In addition to the Transaction Expenses, the Company shall be responsible for the payment of any placement agent’s fees, financial advisory fees, transfer agent fees, DTC fees or broker’s commissions (other than for Persons engaged by any Buyer) relating to or arising out of the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company shall pay, and hold each Buyer harmless against, any liability, loss or expense (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and out-of-pocket expenses) arising in connection with any claim relating to any such payment. Except as otherwise set forth herein, each party to this Agreement shall bear its own expenses in connection with the sale of the Securities to the Buyers.
(j) Disclosure of Transactions and Other Material Information.
(i) Disclosure of Transaction. The Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K prior to 5:30 p.m. (Eastern time) this Agreement is fully executed by the Company and Purchasers prior to 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), or file a Current Report on Form 8-K before 10:00 p.m. (Eastern time) if this Agreement is fully executed by the Company and Purchasers after 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time), describing all the material terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in the form required by the 1934 Act and attaching all the material Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, this Agreement (and all Schedules to this Agreement)) (including all attachments, the “8-K Filing”). From and after the filing of the 8-K Filing, the Company shall have disclosed all material, non-public information (if any) provided to any of the Buyers by the Company or any of their officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the filing of the 8-K Filing, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, or any of its officers, directors, affiliates, employees or agents, on the one hand, and any of the Buyers or any of their affiliates, on the other hand, shall terminate.
(ii) Limitations on Disclosure. The Company shall not, and the Company shall cause each of its officers, directors, employees and agents not to, provide any Buyer with any material, non-public information regarding the Company without the express prior written consent of such Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion). To the extent that the Company or any of its officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates, delivers any material, non-public information to a Buyer without such Buyer’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Buyer shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company or any of its officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates with respect to, or a duty to the Company or any of its officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Buyer shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes or contains material, non-public information regarding the Company, the Company shall simultaneously file such material non-public information with the SEC pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K or shall issue a press release containing such material non-public information. The Company understands and confirms that each Buyer shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.
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Subject to the foregoing, neither the Company nor any Buyer shall issue any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Buyer, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions (i) in substantial conformity with the 8-K Filing and contemporaneously therewith and (ii) as is required by applicable law and regulations including pursuant to the requirements of the 1933 Act or 1934 Act (provided that in the case of clause (i) each Buyer shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release). Without the prior written consent of the applicable Buyer (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion), the Company shall not disclose the name of such Buyer in any filing, announcement, release or otherwise. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary and without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that no Buyer shall have (unless expressly agreed to by a particular Buyer after the date hereof in a written definitive and binding agreement executed by the Company and such particular Buyer (it being understood and agreed that no Buyer may bind any other Buyer with respect thereto)), any duty of confidentiality with respect to, or a duty not to trade on the basis of, any material, non-public information regarding the Company.
(k) Additional Issuance of Securities. The Company agrees until the earlier of (i) the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the date immediately following the 30th calendar day after the Closing Date and (ii) upon written notice from the Required Holders (the “Restricted Period”), the Company shall not directly or indirectly:
(i) file a registration statement under the 1933 Act relating to securities that are not the Common Shares (other than a registration statement on Form S-8 or such supplements or amendments to registration statements that are outstanding and have been declared effective by the SEC as of the date hereof (solely to the extent necessary to keep such registration statements effective and available and not with respect to any Subsequent Placement);
(ii) amend or modify (whether by an amendment, waiver, exchange of securities, or otherwise) any of the Company’s warrants to purchase Common Stock that are outstanding as of the date hereof; or
(iii) issue, offer, sell, grant any option or right to purchase, or otherwise dispose of (or announce any issuance, offer, sale, grant of any option or right to purchase or other disposition of) any equity security or any equity-linked or related security (including, without limitation, any “equity security” (as that term is defined under Rule 405 promulgated under the 1933 Act)), any Convertible Securities (as defined below), any debt, any preferred stock or any purchase rights (any such issuance, offer, sale, grant, disposition or announcement (whether occurring during the Restricted Period or at any time thereafter) is referred to as a “Subsequent Placement”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4(k)(iii) shall not apply in respect of the issuance of (A) shares of Common Stock, restricted stock units pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan (“RSUs”) or standard options to purchase Common Stock to directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company in their capacity as such pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan (as defined below), provided that (x) all such issuances (taking into account the shares of Common Stock issuable upon vesting of RSUs or exercise of such options) after the date hereof pursuant to this clause (A) do not, in the aggregate, exceed more than 5% of the Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the date hereof and (y) the exercise price of any such options or RSUs is not lowered, none of such options are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such options or RSUs are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers; (B) shares of Common Stock issued upon the conversion or exercise of Convertible Securities (other than standard options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (A) above) issued prior to the date hereof, provided that the conversion, exercise or other method of issuance (as the case may be) of any such Convertible Security is made solely pursuant to the conversion, exercise or other method of issuance (as the case may be) provisions of such Convertible Security that were in effect on the date immediately prior to the date of this Agreement, the conversion, exercise or issuance price of any such Convertible Securities (other than standard options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (A) above) is not lowered, none of such Convertible Securities (other than standard options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (A) above) are amended to increase the number of shares issuable thereunder and none of the terms or conditions of any such Convertible Securities (other than standard options to purchase Common Stock issued pursuant to an Approved Stock Plan that are covered by clause (A) above) are otherwise materially changed in any manner that adversely affects any of the Buyers;
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(C) shares of Common Stock or Convertible Security issued in connection with strategic alliances, strategic mergers and acquisitions and strategic partnerships, provided, however, such shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of the Convertible Securities are or will be deemed “restricted” securities as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the 1933 Act, and not issued or issuable at or below the Purchase Price of the Securities; and provided, further, that the purchaser or acquirer of such shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities in such issuance solely consists of either (1) the actual participants in such strategic alliance or strategic partnership, (2) the actual owners of such assets or securities acquired in such merger or acquisition or (3) the stockholders, partners or members of the foregoing persons; (D) the Common Shares (each of the foregoing in clauses (A) through (D), collectively the “Excluded Securities”). “Approved Stock Plan” means any employee benefit plan that has been approved by the board of directors of the Company prior to or subsequent to the date hereof pursuant to which shares of Common Stock, RSUs and standard options to purchase Common Stock may be issued to any employee, officer, director or consultant for services provided to the Company in their capacity as such. “Convertible Securities” means any capital stock or other security of the Company that is at any time and under any circumstances directly or indirectly convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for, or which otherwise entitles the holder thereof to acquire, any capital stock or other security of the Company (including, without limitation, Common Stock).
(l) Conduct of Business. The business of the Company shall not be conducted in violation of any law, ordinance or regulation of any Governmental Entity, except where such violations would not reasonably be expected to result, either individually or in the aggregate, in a Material Adverse Effect.
(m) Variable Securities. Until the 30th calendar day after the date hereof, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any Subsequent Placement involving a Variable Rate Transaction. The term “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any Convertible Securities either (A) at a conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such Convertible Securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such Convertible Securities or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock, other than pursuant to a customary “weighted average” anti-dilution provision or (ii) enters into any agreement (including, without limitation, an equity line of credit or an “at-the-market” offering) whereby the Company may sell securities at a future determined price (other than standard and customary “preemptive” or “participation” rights). Each Buyer shall be entitled to obtain injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages.
(n) [Reserved]
(o) Regulation M. The Company will not take any action prohibited by Regulation M under the 1934 Act, in connection with the distribution of the Securities contemplated hereby.
(p) Closing Documents. On or prior to fourteen (14) calendar days after the Closing Date, the Company agrees to deliver, or cause to be delivered, to each Buyer and Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel, LLP a complete closing set of the executed Transaction Documents, Securities and any other document required to be delivered to any party pursuant to Section 7 hereof or otherwise.
| 5. | REGISTER; TRANSFER AGENT INSTRUCTIONS; LEGEND. |
(a) Transfer Agent Instructions. The Company shall issue irrevocable instructions to its Transfer Agent (the “Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) to credit shares to the applicable balance accounts at DTC, registered in the name of each Buyer or its respective nominee(s), for the Common Shares as specified by the Company prior to the Closing Date.
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The Company represents and warrants that no instruction other than the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions referred to in this Section 5(a) will be given by the Company to its Transfer Agent with respect to the Securities and that the Securities shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company, as applicable, to the extent provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents. The Company acknowledges that a breach by it of its obligations hereunder will cause irreparable harm to a Buyer. Accordingly, the Company acknowledges that the remedy at law for a breach of its obligations under this Section 5(a) will be inadequate and agrees, in the event of a breach or threatened breach by the Company of the provisions of this Section 5(a), that a Buyer shall be entitled, in addition to all other available remedies, to an order and/or injunction restraining any breach and requiring immediate issuance and transfer, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required. The Company shall cause its counsel to issue a legal opinion referred to in the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions to the Transfer Agent at the Closing. Any fees (with respect to the Transfer Agent, counsel to the Company or otherwise) associated with the issuance of such opinions on any of the Securities shall be borne by the Company.
(b) Legends. Certificates and any other instruments evidencing the Securities shall not bear any restrictive or other legend.
| 6. | CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL. |
The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Common Shares to each Buyer at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing each Buyer with prior written notice thereof:
(a) Each Buyer shall have executed each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and delivered the same to the Company.
(b) Each Buyer shall have delivered to the Company the Purchase Price for the Common Shares being purchased by such Buyer at the Closing by wire transfer of immediately available funds in accordance with the Flow of Funds Letter.
(c) The representations and warranties of each Buyer shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date), and each Buyer shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by such Buyer at or prior to the Closing Date.
| 7. | CONDITIONS TO EACH BUYER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE. |
The obligation of each Buyer hereunder to purchase its Common Shares at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at or before the Closing Date, of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for each Buyer’s sole benefit and may be waived by such Buyer at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company with prior written notice thereof:
(a) The Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer each of the Transaction Documents and the Company shall have duly executed and delivered to such Buyer (x) such aggregate number of Common Shares set forth across from such Buyer’s name in column (3) of the Schedule of Buyers as being purchased by such Buyer at the Closing pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) Such Buyer shall have received the opinion of Allen Overy Shearman & Sterling LLP, the Company’s counsel, dated as of the Closing Date, in the form acceptable to such Buyer.
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(c) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a copy of the Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions, in the form acceptable to such Buyer, which instructions shall have been delivered to and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s transfer agent.
(d) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate evidencing the formation and good standing of the
(e) Company issued by the Secretary of State of Delaware as of a date within ten (10) days of the Closing Date.
(f) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate evidencing the Company’s qualification as a foreign corporation and good standing issued by the Secretary of State (or comparable office) of each jurisdiction in which the Company conducts business and is required to so qualify, as of a date within ten (10) days of the Closing Date.
(g) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a certificate, in the form acceptable to such Buyer, executed by the Secretary of the Company and dated as of the Closing Date, as to (i) the resolutions consistent with Section 3(b) as adopted by the Company’s board of directors in a form reasonably acceptable to such Buyer, (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and (iii) the Bylaws of the Company, each as in effect at the Closing.
(h) Each and every representation and warranty of the Company shall be true and correct in all material respects (except for such representations and warranties that are qualified by materiality or material adverse effect, which shall be true and correct in all respects) as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though originally made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date, which shall be true and correct as of such specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all respects with the covenants, agreements and conditions required to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. Such Buyer shall have received a certificate, duly executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as may be reasonably requested by such Buyer in the form acceptable to such Buyer.
(i) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer a letter from the Company’s transfer agent certifying the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Closing Date immediately prior to the Closing.
(j) The Company shall have to delivered to the Buyers a duly executed lock-up agreement in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A from each of the officers and directors listed on Annex 1 attached hereto (the “Locked-Up Parties”).
(k) The Common Stock (A) shall be designated for quotation or listed (as applicable) on the Principal Market and (B) shall not have been suspended, as of the Closing Date, by the SEC or the Principal Market from trading on the Principal Market nor shall suspension by the SEC or the Principal Market have been threatened, as of the Closing Date, either (I) in writing by the SEC or the Principal Market or (II) by falling below the minimum maintenance requirements of the Principal Market.
(l) The Company shall have obtained all governmental, regulatory or third party consents and approvals, if any, necessary for the sale of the Securities, including without limitation, the approval of the Principal Market to list or designate for quotation (as the case may be) the Common Shares, if any.
(m) No statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by any court or Governmental Entity of competent jurisdiction that prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(n) Since the date of execution of this Agreement, no event or series of events shall have occurred that reasonably would have or result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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(o) Such Buyer shall have received a letter on the letterhead of the Company, duly executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, setting forth the wire amounts of each Buyer and the wire transfer instructions of the Company (the “Flow of Funds Letter”).
(p) From the date hereof to the Closing Date, (i) trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the SEC or the Principal Market (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, (ii) at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on the Principal Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of each Buyer, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing
(q) The Registration Statement shall be effective and available for the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder and the Company shall have delivered to such Buyer the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement as required thereunder.
(r) The Company shall have delivered to such Buyer such other documents, instruments or certificates relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement as such Buyer or its counsel may reasonably request.
| 8. | TERMINATION. |
In the event that the Closing shall not have occurred with respect to a Buyer within five (5) Business Days of the date hereof, then such Buyer shall have the right to terminate its obligations under this Agreement with respect to itself at any time on or after the close of business on such date without liability of such Buyer to any other party; provided, however, (i) the right to terminate this Agreement under this Section 8 shall not be available to such Buyer if the failure of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to have been consummated by such date is the result of such Buyer’s breach of this Agreement and (ii) the abandonment of the sale and purchase of the Common Shares shall be applicable only to such Buyer providing such written notice, provided further that no such termination shall affect any obligation of the Company under this Agreement to reimburse such Buyer for the expenses described in Section 4(i) above. Nothing contained in this Section 8 shall be deemed to release any party from any liability for any breach by such party of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents or to impair the right of any party to compel specific performance by any other party of its obligations under this Agreement or the other Transaction Documents.
| 9. | MISCELLANEOUS. |
(a) Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of New York or any other jurisdictions) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdictions other than the State of New York. The Company hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or under any of the other Transaction Documents or with any transaction contemplated hereby or thereby, 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 any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed or operate to preclude any Buyer from bringing suit or taking other legal action against the Company in any other jurisdiction to collect on the Company’s obligations to such Buyer or to enforce a judgment or other court ruling in favor of such Buyer. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR UNDER ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT, ANY OTHER TRANSACTION DOCUMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR THEREBY.
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(b) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by an e-mail that contains a portable document format (.pdf) file of an executed signature page, such signature page shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such signature page were an original thereof.
(c) Headings; Gender. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
(d) Severability; Maximum Payment Amounts. If any provision of this Agreement is prohibited by law or otherwise determined to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the provision that would otherwise be prohibited, invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed amended to apply to the broadest extent that it would be valid and enforceable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of this Agreement so long as this Agreement as so modified continues to express, without material change, the original intentions of the parties as to the subject matter hereof and the prohibited nature, invalidity or unenforceability of the provision(s) in question does not substantially impair the respective expectations or reciprocal obligations of the parties or the practical realization of the benefits that would otherwise be conferred upon the parties. The parties will endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s) with a valid provision(s), the effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the prohibited, invalid or unenforceable provision(s). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document (and without implication that the following is required or applicable), it is the intention of the parties that in no event shall amounts and value paid by the Company (as the case may be), or payable to or received by any of the Buyers, under the Transaction Documents (including without limitation, any amounts that would be characterized as “interest” under applicable law) exceed amounts permitted under any applicable law. Accordingly, if any obligation to pay, payment made to any Buyer, or collection by any Buyer pursuant the Transaction Documents is finally judicially determined to be contrary to any such applicable law, such obligation to pay, payment or collection shall be deemed to have been made by mutual mistake of such Buyer and the Company and such amount shall be deemed to have been adjusted with retroactive effect to the maximum amount or rate of interest, as the case may be, as would not be so prohibited by the applicable law. Such adjustment shall be effected, to the extent necessary, by reducing or refunding, at the option of such Buyer, the amount of interest or any other amounts which would constitute unlawful amounts required to be paid or actually paid to such Buyer under the Transaction Documents. For greater certainty, to the extent that any interest, charges, fees, expenses or other amounts required to be paid to or received by such Buyer under any of the Transaction Documents or related thereto are held to be within the meaning of “interest” or another applicable term to otherwise be violative of applicable law, such amounts shall be pro-rated over the period of time to which they relate.
(e) Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement, the other Transaction Documents and the Schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein supersede all other prior oral or written agreements between the Buyers, the Company, their affiliates and Persons acting on their behalf, including, without limitation, any transactions by any Buyer with respect to Common Stock or the Securities, and the other matters contained herein and therein, and this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the Schedules and exhibits attached hereto and thereto and the instruments referenced herein and therein contain the entire understanding of the parties solely with respect to the matters covered herein and therein; provided, however, nothing contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document shall (or shall be deemed to) (i) have any effect on any agreements any Buyer has entered into with, or any instruments any Buyer has received from, the Company prior to the date hereof with respect to any prior investment made by such Buyer in the Company or (ii) waive, alter, modify or amend in any respect any obligations of the Company, or any rights of or benefits to any Buyer or any other Person, in any agreement entered into prior to the date hereof between or among the Company and any Buyer, or any instruments any Buyer received from the Company prior to the date hereof, and all such agreements and instruments shall continue in full force and effect.
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Except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor any Buyer makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. For clarification purposes, the Recitals are part of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Required Holders (as defined below), and any amendment to any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on all Buyers and holders of Securities, as applicable, provided that no such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it (A) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding or (B) imposes any obligation or liability on any Buyer without such Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion). No waiver shall be effective unless it is in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the waiving party, provided that the Required Holders may waive any provision of this Agreement, and any waiver of any provision of this Agreement made in conformity with the provisions of this Section 9(e) shall be binding on all Buyers and holders of Securities, as applicable, provided that no such waiver shall be effective to the extent that it (1) applies to less than all of the holders of the Securities then outstanding (unless a party gives a waiver as to itself only) or (2) imposes any obligation or liability on any Buyer without such Buyer’s prior written consent (which may be granted or withheld in such Buyer’s sole discretion). No consideration (other than reimbursement of legal fees) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents or all holders of the Common Shares (as the case may be). The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with any Buyers relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents. Without limiting the foregoing, the Company confirms that, except as set forth in this Agreement, no Buyer has made any commitment or promise or has any other obligation to provide any financing to the Company or otherwise. As a material inducement for each Buyer to enter into this Agreement, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (x) no due diligence or other investigation or inquiry conducted by a Buyer, any of its advisors or any of its representatives shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document and (y) unless a provision of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document is expressly preceded by the phrase “except as disclosed in the SEC Documents,” nothing contained in any of the SEC Documents shall affect such Buyer’s right to rely on, or shall modify or qualify in any manner or be an exception to any of, the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any other Transaction Document. The term “Required Holders” means Buyers entitled to purchase, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the number of Common Shares at the Closing.
(f) Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered: (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party) or electronic mail (provided that such sent email is kept on file (whether electronically or otherwise) by the sending party and the sending party does not receive an automatically generated message from the recipient’s email server that such e-mail could not be delivered to such recipient); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with an overnight courier service with next day delivery specified, in each case, properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses, facsimile numbers and e-mail addresses for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
One Park Place, Suite 200
Dublin, CA 94568
Telephone: (925) 400-4366
Attn: General Counsel
Email: ahughes@aeye.ai
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With a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Allen Overy Shearman & Sterling LLP
1460 El Camino Real, Floor 2
Menlo Park, CA 94025
Telephone: 650 838 3772
Attn: Christopher M. Forrester
Email: chris.forrester@shearman.com
If to the Transfer Agent:
Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc.
51 Mercedes Way
Edgewood, NY 11717
Attn: BCIS IWS
If to a Buyer, to its address, e-mail address and facsimile number set forth on the Schedule of Buyers, with copies to such Buyer’s representatives as set forth on the Schedule of Buyers,
with a copy (for informational purposes only) to:
Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel
LLP
1185 Avenue of the Americas, 31st Floor
New York, NY 10036
Telephone: (212) 930-9700
Attention: Ross D. Carmel,
Esq.
Email: rcarmel@srfc.law
or to such other address, e-mail address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) days prior to the effectiveness of such change, provided that Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel, LLP shall only be provided copies of notices sent to the lead Buyer. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communication, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine or e-mail containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and, with respect to each facsimile transmission, an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by an overnight courier service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from an overnight courier service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
(g) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns (but excluding any purchasers of Common Shares, unless pursuant to a written assignment by such Buyer and agreed to by the Company). The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Required Holders. A Buyer may assign some or all of its rights hereunder in connection with any transfer of any of its Securities without the consent of the Company, in which event such assignee shall be deemed to be a Buyer hereunder with respect to such assigned rights.
(h) No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, other than the Indemnitees referred to in Section 9(k).
(i) Survival. The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants shall survive the Closing. Each Buyer shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.
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(j) Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as any other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(k) Indemnification.
(i) In consideration of each Buyer’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless each Buyer and each holder of any Securities (other than purchasers of such Securities in an open market transactions) and all of their stockholders, partners, members, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing Persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (i) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in any of the Transaction Documents, (ii) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in any of the Transaction Documents or (iii) any cause of action, suit, proceeding or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee by a third party (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) or which otherwise involves such Indemnitee that arises out of or results from (A) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents, (B) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities, (C) any disclosure properly made by such Buyer pursuant to Section 4(j), or (D) the status of such Buyer or holder of the Securities either as an investor in the Company pursuant to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or as a party to this Agreement (including, without limitation, as a party in interest or otherwise in any action or proceeding for injunctive or other equitable relief). To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law.
(ii) Promptly after receipt by an Indemnitee under this Section 9(k) of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including any governmental action or proceeding) involving an Indemnified Liability, such Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the Company under this Section 9(k), deliver to the Company a written notice of the commencement thereof, and the Company shall have the right to participate in, and, to the extent the Company so desires, to assume control of the defense thereof with counsel mutually satisfactory to the Company and the Indemnitee; provided, however, that an Indemnitee shall have the right to retain its own counsel with the fees and expenses of such counsel to be paid by the Company if: (A) the Company has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses; (B) the Company shall have failed promptly to assume the defense of such Indemnified Liability and to employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnitee in any such Indemnified Liability; or (C) the named parties to any such Indemnified Liability (including any impleaded parties) include both such Indemnitee and the Company, and such Indemnitee shall have been advised by counsel that a conflict of interest is likely to exist if the same counsel were to represent such Indemnitee and the Company (in which case, if such Indemnitee notifies the Company in writing that it elects to employ separate counsel at the expense of the Company, then the Company shall not have the right to assume the defense thereof and such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company), provided further, that in the case of clause (C) above the Company shall not be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one (1) separate legal counsel for the Indemnitees. The Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the Company in connection with any negotiation or defense of any such action or Indemnified Liability by the Company and shall furnish to the Company all information reasonably available to the Indemnitee which relates to such action or Indemnified Liability. The Company shall keep the Indemnitee reasonably apprised at all times as to the status of the defense or any settlement negotiations with respect thereto.
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The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action, claim or proceeding effected without its prior written consent, provided, however, that the Company shall not unreasonably withhold, delay or condition its consent. The Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Indemnitee, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement or other compromise which does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such Indemnitee of a release from all liability in respect to such Indemnified Liability or litigation, and such settlement shall not include any admission as to fault on the part of the Indemnitee. Following indemnification as provided for hereunder, the Company shall be subrogated to all rights of the Indemnitee with respect to all third parties, firms or corporations relating to the matter for which indemnification has been made. The failure to deliver written notice to the Company within a reasonable time of the commencement of any such action shall not relieve the Company of any liability to the Indemnitee under this Section 9(k), except to the extent that the Company is materially and adversely prejudiced in its ability to defend such action.
(iii) The indemnification required by this Section 9(k) shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense within ten (10) days after bills are received or Indemnified Liabilities are incurred.
(iv) The indemnity agreement contained herein shall be in addition to (A) any cause of action or similar right of the Indemnitee against the Company or others, and (B) any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to the law.
(l) Construction. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict construction will be applied against any party. No specific representation or warranty shall limit the generality or applicability of a more general representation or warranty. Each and every reference to share prices, shares of Common Stock and any other numbers in this Agreement that relate to the Common Stock shall be automatically adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions that occur with respect to the Common Stock after the date of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for such Buyer (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect short sales or similar transactions in the future.
(m) Remedies. Each Buyer and in the event of assignment by Buyer of its rights and obligations hereunder, each holder of Securities, shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law. Any Person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law. The Company therefore agrees that the Buyers shall be entitled to specific performance and/or temporary, preliminary and permanent injunctive or other equitable relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any such case without the necessity of proving actual damages and without posting a bond or other security. The remedies provided in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief).
(n) Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Buyer exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Buyer may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company (as the case may be), any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights.
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(o) Payment Set Aside; Currency. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Buyer hereunder or pursuant to any of the other Transaction Documents or any of the Buyers enforce or exercise their rights hereunder or thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, foreign, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred. Unless otherwise expressly indicated, all dollar amounts referred to in this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents are in United States Dollars (“U.S. Dollars”), and all amounts owing under this Agreement and all other Transaction Documents shall be paid in U.S. Dollars. All amounts denominated in other currencies (if any) shall be converted into the U.S. Dollar equivalent amount in accordance with the Exchange Rate on the date of calculation. “Exchange Rate” means, in relation to any amount of currency to be converted into U.S. Dollars pursuant to this Agreement, the U.S. Dollar exchange rate as published in the Wall Street Journal on the relevant date of calculation.
(p) Judgment Currency.
(i) If for the purpose of obtaining or enforcing judgment against the Company in connection with this Agreement or any other Transaction Document in any court in any jurisdiction it becomes necessary to convert into any other currency (such other currency being hereinafter in this Section 9(p) referred to as the “Judgment Currency”) an amount due in US Dollars under this Agreement, the conversion shall be made at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Business Day immediately preceding:
(1) the date actual payment of the amount due, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of New York or in the courts of any other jurisdiction that will give effect to such conversion being made on such date: or
(2) the date on which the foreign court determines, in the case of any proceeding in the courts of any other jurisdiction (the date as of which such conversion is made pursuant to this Section 9(p)(i)(1) being hereinafter referred to as the “Judgment Conversion Date”).
(ii) If in the case of any proceeding in the court of any jurisdiction referred to in Section 9(p)(i)(1) above, there is a change in the Exchange Rate prevailing between the Judgment Conversion Date and the date of actual payment of the amount due, the applicable party shall pay such adjusted amount as may be necessary to ensure that the amount paid in the Judgment Currency, when converted at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the date of payment, will produce the amount of US Dollars which could have been purchased with the amount of Judgment Currency stipulated in the judgment or judicial order at the Exchange Rate prevailing on the Judgment Conversion Date.
(iii) Any amount due from the Company under this provision shall be due as a separate debt and shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other amounts due under or in respect of this Agreement or any other Transaction Document.
(q) Independent Nature of Buyers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Buyer under the Transaction Documents are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Buyer, and no Buyer shall be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other Buyer under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Buyer pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Buyers as, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers do not so constitute, a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of group or entity, or create a presumption that the Buyers are in any way acting in concert or as a group or entity, and the Company shall not assert any such claim with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or any matters, and the Company acknowledges that the Buyers are not acting in concert or as a group, and the Company shall not assert any such claim, with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
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The decision of each Buyer to purchase Securities pursuant to the Transaction Documents has been made by such Buyer independently of any other Buyer. Each Buyer acknowledges that no other Buyer has acted as agent for such Buyer in connection with such Buyer making its investment hereunder and that no other Buyer will be acting as agent of such Buyer in connection with monitoring such Buyer’s investment in the Securities or enforcing its rights under the Transaction Documents. The Company and each Buyer confirms that each Buyer has independently participated with the Company in the negotiation of the transaction contemplated hereby with the advice of its own counsel and advisors. Each Buyer shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of any other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Buyer to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. The use of a single agreement to effectuate the purchase and sale of the Securities contemplated hereby was solely in the control of the Company, not the action or decision of any Buyer, and was done solely for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any Buyer. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Buyer, solely, and not between the Company and the Buyers collectively and not between and among the Buyers.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| COMPANY: | ||
| AEYE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Matthew Fisch | |
| Name: Matthew Fisch | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Buyer and the Company have caused their respective signature page to this Agreement to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| BUYER: | ||
| By: | /s/ [***] | |
| Name: *** | ||
| Title: Managing Partner | ||
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SCHEDULE OF BUYERS
| Buyer | Mailing Address and Email Address | Aggregate Number of Common Shares | Purchase Price | Purchase Price |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) |
| *** | *** | 727,706 | $3.4480 | $2,509,130.29 |
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EXHIBIT A
Form of Lock-Up Agreement
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ANNEX 1
Lock-Up Parties
| · | Matthew Fisch – Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Class II Director |
| · | Andrew S. Hughes – General Counsel and Secretary |
| · | Conor B. Tierney – Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer |
| · | Timothy J. Dunn – Class I Director |
| · | Sue E. Zeifman – Class I Director |
| · | Prof. Dr. Bernd Gottschalk – Class III Director |
| · | Jonathon B. Husby – Class III Director |
35
Exhibit 10.2
LOCK-UP AGREEMENT
May 29, 2024
[***]
| Re: | Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2024 (the “Purchase Agreement”), between AEye, Inc. (the “Company”) and the purchasers signatory thereto (each, a “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Purchasers”) |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Defined terms not otherwise defined in this letter agreement (the “Letter Agreement”) shall have the meanings set forth in the Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to Section 7(j) of the Purchase Agreement and in satisfaction of a condition of the Purchasers’ obligations under the Purchase Agreement, the undersigned irrevocably agrees with the Purchasers that, from the date hereof until thirty (30) days after the Closing Date (such period, the “Restriction Period”), the undersigned will not offer, sell, contract to sell, hypothecate, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the undersigned or any Affiliate of the undersigned or any person in privity with the undersigned or any Affiliate of the undersigned), directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), with respect to, any shares of Common Stock of the Company or securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable into, shares of Common Stock of the Company beneficially owned, held or hereafter acquired by the undersigned (the “Securities”). Beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Securities pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) below, provided that (1) in each transfer pursuant to clauses (i) through (vii) below, the Purchasers receive a signed lock-up letter agreement (in the form of this Letter Agreement) for the balance of the Restriction Period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, prior to such transfer, (2) in each transfer pursuant to clauses (i) through (vii) below, any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) in each transfer pursuant to clauses (ii), (iii), (v) and (vi) below, such transfer is not required to be reported during the Restriction Period with the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with the Exchange Act and no report of such transfer shall be made voluntarily during the Restriction Period, and (4) in each transfer pursuant to clauses (i), (iv) and (vii) below, neither the undersigned nor any donee, trustee, distributee or transferee, as the case may be, otherwise voluntarily effects any public filing or report regarding such transfers, with respect to transfer:
| (i) | as a bona fide gift or gifts; |
| (ii) | to any immediate family member or to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this Letter Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin); |
| (iii) | to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other business entity all of the equity holders of which consist of the undersigned and/or the immediate family of the undersigned; |
| (iv) | if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (a) to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is an Affiliate of the undersigned or (b) in the form of a distribution to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned; |
| (v) | if the undersigned is a trust, to the beneficiary of such trust; |
| (vi) | by will, other testamentary document or intestate succession to the legal representative, heir, beneficiary or a member of the immediate family of the undersigned; or |
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| (vii) | by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree or separation agreement, or related court order related to the distribution of assets in connection with the dissolution of a marriage or civil union; |
| (viii) | in a transaction upon a vesting event of the Securities or upon the exercise of restricted stock units, options or warrants to purchase or acquire Common Stock on a “cashless” or “net exercise” basis or to cover tax withholding obligations of the undersigned in connection with such vesting or exercise (including, for the avoidance of doubt, all manners of exercise that would involve a sale in the open market of any securities relating to such options or warrants to cover the applicable aggregate exercise price or withholding tax obligations); provided that any Securities issued upon such exercise shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Letter Agreement; or |
| (ix) | of Securities purchased in open market transactions after the Closing Date. |
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, this Letter Agreement shall not restrict the delivery of shares of Common Stock to the undersigned upon (i) exercise any options granted under any employee benefit plan of the Company; provided that any shares of Common Stock or Securities acquired in connection with any such exercise will be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Letter Agreement, or (ii) the exercise of warrants; provided that such shares of Common Stock delivered to the undersigned in connection with such exercise are subject to the restrictions set forth in this Letter Agreement.
Furthermore, the undersigned may enter into any new plan established in compliance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Exchange Act; provided that (i) such plan may only be established if no public announcement or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or other applicable regulatory authority, is made during the Restriction Period in connection with the establishment of such plan, other than in a quarterly report on Form 10-Q as required by the form and in which disclosure is made that no sale of shares of Common Stock may be made pursuant to such plan during the Restriction Period and (ii) no sale of shares of Common Stock is made pursuant to such plan during the Restriction Period.
The undersigned acknowledges that the execution, delivery and performance of this Letter Agreement is a material inducement to the Purchasers to complete the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement and the Purchasers shall be entitled to specific performance of the undersigned’s obligations hereunder. The undersigned hereby represents that the undersigned has the power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Letter Agreement, that the undersigned has received adequate consideration therefor and that the undersigned will indirectly benefit from the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement.
This Letter Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified in any respect without the written consent of the parties hereto. This Letter Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without regard to the principles of conflict of laws. The undersigned hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court sitting in the Southern District of New York and the courts of the State of New York located in Manhattan, for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Letter Agreement, and hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that (i) it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, (ii) the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, or (iii) the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. The undersigned hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by receiving a copy thereof sent to the undersigned at the address set forth on the signature page hereto and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. The undersigned hereby waives any right to a trial by jury. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. The undersigned agrees and understands that this Letter Agreement does not intend to create any relationship between the undersigned and any Purchaser and that no Purchaser is entitled to cast any votes on the matters herein contemplated and that no issuance or sale of the Securities is created or intended by virtue of this Letter Agreement.
The undersigned understands that if the Purchase Agreement (other than the provisions thereof that survive
termination) terminates prior to the Closing, then this Letter Agreement shall be void and of no further force or effect.
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This Letter Agreement shall be binding on successors and assigns of the undersigned with respect to the Securities and any such successor or assign shall enter into a similar agreement for the benefit of the Purchasers. This Letter Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
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This Letter Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together may be considered one and the same agreement.
| Signature: | |
| Print Name: | |
| Title with the Company, if any: | |
| Address for Notice: | |
| Email: |
Accepted and agreed to:
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By: ________________
Name:
Title:
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