8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 23, 2023

Appian Corporation

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code: (703) 442-8844

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emerging growth company ☐

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

Item 8.01 Other Events.

On January 23, 2023, Appian Corporation (the “Company”) sent its employees an e-mail regarding the lawsuit Appian Corp. v. Pegasystems Inc. & Youyong Zou. A copy of the e-mail is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this report and incorporated by reference into Item 8.01.

The information included in Item 8.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K (including the e-mail attached as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated by reference into Item 8.01) shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

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 thereunto duly authorized.

Document

Exhibit 99.1

Hello, All.

Appian hasn't said much in public about our win over Pega in last year's espionage trial. Pega, meanwhile, has talked a lot about it, mostly spin about how it's no big deal. ('[Companies] get sued all the time' says their CEO, as if everybody gets caught violating the VA Computer Crimes Act.) I think it's time we laid out the facts.

DETAILS

Pega doesn't come out of this looking good. They misappropriated our trade secrets -- and they did a really clumsy job of it. Some customers and partners already avoid working with Pega. Others may quit when they understand more about what happened.

To help people learn the truth, we've launched a website to explain it: www.appian.com/pega. I encourage you to share this link with anyone who might be interested in the case.

Pega has chosen to bring this case to the court of public opinion. It's our job to educate people on the facts of the matter and refute Pega's claims.

Matt