byNordic Acquisition Corp 10-K for FY2023
byNordic Acquisition Corp (BYNO)
About this 10-K
byNordic Acquisition Corp filed this 10-K on April 2, 2024, covering the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 (FY2023).
Headline figures
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as reported in this filing, compared with the same period a year earlier where the filing states it.
- Net income
- $3.41M
- up 193.5% from net income of $1.16M a year earlier
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
(Mark One)
For the fiscal year ended
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from to
Commission file number:
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| | | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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| 211 13 | |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including
area code:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of Each Class: | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered: | ||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer,
as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Yes ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter
period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically
every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§ 232.405 of this chapter) during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See definition of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
| ☒ | Smaller reporting company | ||
| Emerging growth company |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant
has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant
to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on
and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section
404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act,
indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to
previously issued financial statements.
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as
defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes
As of June 30, 2023 (the last business day of the Registrant’s
second fiscal quarter), the aggregate market value of the Registrant’s voting and non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates
was $
As of March 26, 2024, there were (i)
| Auditor Firm ID: | Auditor Name: | Auditor Location: |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
i
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Report (as defined below), including, without limitation, statements under “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act (as defined below) and Section 21E of the Exchange Act (as defined below). These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words “believes,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “potential,” “projects,” “predicts,” “continue,” or “should,” or, in each case, their negative or other variations or comparable terminology. There can be no assurance that actual results will not materially differ from expectations. Such statements include, but are not limited to, any statements relating to our ability to consummate any acquisition or other business combination and any other statements that are not statements of current or historical facts. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various factors, including, but not limited to:
| ● | we are a newly formed company without an operating history; |
| ● | our public stockholders may experience delay in receiving distributions from our trust account; |
| ● | our public stockholders may have a lack of opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination; |
| ● | the lack of protections afforded to investors of blank check companies; |
| ● | any deviation from our acquisition criteria; |
| ● | our issuance of equity and/or debt securities to complete a business combination; |
| ● | our lack of working capital; |
| ● | third-party claims reducing the per-share redemption price; |
| ● | any potential negative interest rate for securities in which we invest the funds held in our trust account; |
| ● | our stockholders being held liable for claims by third parties against us; |
| ● | any failure to enforce our sponsor’s indemnification obligations; |
| ● | warrant holders limited to exercising warrants only on a “cashless basis;” |
| ● | the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company; |
| ● | our dependence on key personnel; |
| ● | conflicts of interest of our sponsor, officers and directors; |
| ● | any potential delisting of our securities by Nasdaq; |
| ● | our dependence on a single target business with a limited number of products or services; |
| ● | our stockholders’ inability to vote or redeem their shares in connection with our extensions; |
| ● | shares of Class A common stock being redeemed and warrants becoming worthless; |
ii
| ● | our competitors with advantages over us in seeking business combinations; |
| ● | our ability to obtain additional financing; |
| ● | our initial stockholders controlling a substantial interest in us; |
| ● | the warrants’ adverse effect on the market price of our common stock; |
| ● | disadvantageous timing for redeeming warrants; |
| ● | registration rights’ adverse effect on the market price of our common stock; |
| ● | the impact of COVID-19 and related risks; |
| ● | a business combination with a company located in a foreign jurisdiction; |
| ● | changes in laws or regulations; |
| ● | tax consequences to business combinations; |
| ● | exclusive forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation; and |
| ● | the purchase of units by our anchor investors in our initial public offering reducing the public “float” of our securities and consequently affecting trading in our securities. |
The forward-looking statements contained in this Report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. Future developments affecting us may not be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
Unless otherwise stated in this Report, or the context otherwise requires, references to:
| ● | “anchor investors” are to certain qualified institutional buyers or institutional accredited investors (none of which are affiliated with any member of our management team, our sponsor or any other anchor investor); |
| ● | “byNordic Holdings” are to byNordic Holdings LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company formed in order to hold founder shares and private shares the return on which are allocated to the holders of the limited liability company interests therein; |
| ● | “byNordic Holdings II” are to byNordic Holdings II LLC, a newly formed Delaware limited liability company formed in order to hold founder shares and private shares the return on which are allocated to the holders of the limited liability company interests therein; |
| ● | “board of directors” or “board” are to the board of directors of the Company; |
| ● | “Class A common stock” are to the shares of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | “Class B common stock” are to the shares of Class B common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share; |
| ● | “common stock” are to the Class A common stock and the Class B common stock; |
iii
| ● | “Continental” are to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, trustee of our trust account (as defined below) and warrant agent of our public warrants (as defined below); |
| ● | “DGCL” are to the Delaware General Corporation Law; |
| ● | “DWAC System” are to the Depository Trust Company’s Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian System; |
| ● | “Exchange Act” are to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; |
| ● | “forward purchase agreement” are to the agreement providing for the sale of forward purchase shares to Rothesay in a private placement that will close concurrently with the closing of our initial business combination; |
| ● | “forward purchase shares” are to the shares of Class A common stock to be issued pursuant to the forward purchase agreement; |
| ● | “forward transferee” are to any third party to which Rothesay, as a forward purchaser, transfers any portion of its rights and obligations to purchase the forward purchase shares under the forward purchase agreement; |
| ● | “founder shares” are to shares of our Class B common stock initially purchased by our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and certain of our executive officers and directors in a private placement prior to our initial public offering, a portion of which were forfeited by byNordic Holdings followed by the issuance of an equal number of founder shares by us to byNordic Holdings II simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, and the shares of our Class A common stock issued upon the conversion thereof as provided herein; |
| ● | “GAAP” are to the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America; |
| ● | “IFRS” are to the International Financial Reporting Standards, as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; |
| ● | “initial business combination” are to a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses; |
| ● | “initial public offering” are to the initial public offering that was consummated by the Company on February 11, 2022; |
| ● | “initial stockholders” are to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and certain of our executive officers and directors as the holders of our founder shares prior to our initial public offering and byNordic Holdings II as the holder of the founder shares issued by us in an amount equal to the number of founder shares forfeited to us by byNordic Holdings simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering of our securities; |
| ● | “Investment Company Act” are to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; |
| ● | “JOBS Act” are to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012; |
| ● | “management” or our “management team” are to our officers and directors; |
iv
| ● | “Marcum” are to Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm; |
| ● | “Nasdaq” are to the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC; |
| ● | “PCAOB” are to the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States); |
| ● | “private shares” are to the shares of our Class A common stock issued to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering; |
| ● | “public shares” are to shares of our Class A common stock sold as part of the units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our initial public offering or thereafter in the open market); |
| ● | “public stockholders” are to the holders of our public shares, including our initial stockholders and management team to the extent our initial stockholders and/or members of our management team purchase public shares, provided that each initial stockholder’s and member of our management team’s status as a “public stockholder” shall only exist with respect to such public shares; |
| ● | “Registration Statement” are to the Form S-1 filed with the SEC January 18, 2022 (File No. 333-248488), as amended; |
| ● | “Report” are to this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023; |
| ● | “Rothesay” are to Rothesay Investment SARL SPF (and/or its affiliates), a member of our sponsor and with which we have entered into the forward purchase agreement; |
| ● | “Sarbanes-Oxley Act” are to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002; |
| ● | “SEC” are to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; |
| ● | “Securities Act” are to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended; |
| ● | “sponsor” are to Water by Nordic AB, a Swedish limited liability company controlled by certain of our officers and directors; |
| ● | “trust account” are to the U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental, acting as trustee, at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. in which an amount of $175,950,000 from the net proceeds of the sale of the units (as defined below) in the initial public offering and private shares was placed following the closing of the initial public offering and the closing of the exercise in full of the over-allotment option by the underwriters; |
| ● | “units” are to the units sold in our initial public offering, which consist of one public share and one-half of one public warrant; |
| ● | “warrants” are to our redeemable warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering (whether they were purchased in our initial public offering or thereafter in the open market); and |
| ● | “we,” “us,” “Company” or “our Company” are to byNordic Acquisition Corporation. |
v
PART I
Item 1. Business.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation formed for the purpose of effecting our business combination.
While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business, industry, sector or geographical location, we have focused and will continue to focus on industries that complement our management team’s background, and to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify and acquire a business focusing on technology growth companies in the northern part of Europe, including the Nordic and Scandinavian countries, the Baltic states, United Kingdom and Ireland, Germany, France and the Benelux countries, where our management team has extensive experience. In particular, we have prioritized and will continue to prioritize companies in the financial technology (“FinTech”) sector and within the northern part of Europe where we believe there to be many potential targets, along with a secondary focus on other high-performing technology companies in the northern part of Europe.
Initial Public Offering
On February 11, 2022, we consummated our initial public offering of 15,000,000 units. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the Company, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock for $11.50 per whole share. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to us of $150,000,000.
Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we completed the private sale of an aggregate of 850,000 shares of Class A common stock to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II at a purchase price of $10.00 per private share, generating gross proceeds of $8,500,000.
We granted the underwriters in the initial public offering a 45-day option to purchase up to 2,250,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any, in connection with the initial public offering. On February 18, 2022, the underwriters exercised the over-allotment option in full by purchasing an additional 2,250,000 units, generating an additional $22,500,000 of gross proceeds to us from the initial public offering. On February 18, 2022, in connection with the exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option in full, we completed the private sale of an additional 90,000 shares of Class A common stock to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II at a purchase price of $10.00 per private share, generating an additional $900,000 of gross proceeds.
Of the gross proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering and the simultaneous private placement of Class A common stock on the initial closing date that occurred on February 11, 2022 and the gross proceeds received from the consummation of the fully exercised over-allotment option and the simultaneous private sale of private shares on February 18, 2022, $175,950,000 was placed in the trust account maintained by Continental, acting as trustee, at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. It is the job of our sponsor and management team to complete our initial business combination. Our management team is led by Michael Hermansson, our Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Fairfield, our Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Mats Karlsson, our Director of Acquisitions, Alexander Lidgren, our Director of Marketing, and Christian Merheim, our Director of Technology. We were required to complete our initial business combination by May 11, 2023, 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (the “First Termination Date”), or (x) by August 11, 2023, 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (the “Second Termination Date”), provided that (i) our sponsor (or its affiliates or permitted designees) upon at least five (5) business days prior written notice, deposited into the trust account on or prior to such First Termination Date, an additional $0.10 per unit offered in our initial public offering ($1,725,000) in exchange for a non-interest bearing, unsecured promissory note and (ii) we complied with the procedures relating to any such extension, as set forth in Section 1(m) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated February 8, 2022, between us and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Trustee, or (y) by such further extended deadline (the “Amended Termination Date,” and each of the Amended Termination Date, the First Termination Date and the Second Termination Date, being referred to as a “Termination Date”) that we may have to consummate an initial business combination beyond 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering as a result of a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (in connection with which our stockholders will have a right to redeem their public shares as described herein). Such additional three-month extension period from the First Termination Date to the Second Termination Date, as the same may be further extended to the Amended Termination Date as a result of the stockholder vote, will be referred to herein as an extension period.
1
During May 2023, our Board of Directors elected to extend the Termination Date to August 11, 2023 and in August 2023 our stockholders approved amendments to our certificate of incorporation to extend the Termination Date from August 11, 2023 to February 12, 2024 and to allow the Company by resolution of the board without another stockholder vote, to extend the Termination Date by one additional month, for a total of up to six additional months, from February 12, 2024 until August 12, 2024, provided that the sponsor or its designee deposits into the trust account the lesser of (i) $105,000 or (ii) $0.04 per outstanding public share with respect to each such extension. In February 2024 and March 2024, the Company’s board exercised one-month extensions to March 12, 2024 and April 12, 2024, respectively and $105,000 was deposited into the trust account in connection with each such extension. If our initial business combination is not consummated by April 12, 2024 or the end of any further extension period, then our existence will terminate, and we will distribute all amounts in the trust account.
Industry Opportunity
While we may acquire a business in any industry or geographic location, our focus has been and will continue to be on the FinTech and other technology sectors in the northern part of Europe. We believe the technology industry, is attractive for a number of reasons. The European technology industry represents a large target market, with approximately $45 billion of private capital invested in 2023, according to the State of European Tech 2023 report by Atomico, Orrick, HSBC, Affinity and Slush.
We believe that there are many potential targets within the technology industry that could become attractive public companies. These potential targets exhibit a broad range of business models and financial characteristics that range from very high growth innovative companies to more mature businesses with established franchises, recurring revenues and strong cash flows. These market dynamics are espoused in the European market in particular.
Our management team has extensive experience and knowledge in FinTech and several other high-performing technology sectors, including enterprise software, health technology, energy technology (Renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage), transport technology (e-mobility, logistics software & services, autonomous driving, Transport as a Service) and food technology. These subsectors were included among the most highly ranked by amount of private investment in 2023, according to the State of European Tech 2023 report. By focusing our search for potential targets in the northern part of Europe, we leverage our existing business and investor network and knowledge of regional business philosophies and traditions, to identify and execute a business combination.
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Acquisition Strategy
Our management team, with the assistance of our board of directors, has been working to identify opportunities that are best positioned for our initial business combination within the FinTech and other high-performing technology markets. Certain members of our management team have spent significant portions of their careers working with businesses in the technology industry, and have developed a wide network of professional services contacts and business relationships in that industry. Utilizing the relationships of the management team and board of directors as well as unaffiliated sources, our search process includes communications with private and public companies, investment bankers, venture capitalists and private equity firms, as well other professional services firms.
Despite greater macroeconomic risks arising over the past year, including higher interest rates, inflation, geopolitical factors and capital markets volatility, we believe our structure as a public company makes us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses by offering a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination.
Acquisition Criteria
The sourcing focus has been and will continue to be on technology and FinTech companies known to our management and board of directors and proprietary in nature. Our focus has been and will continue to be companies with enterprise valuations below $750 million, primarily those with enterprise values between $250 million to $750 million with the goal of identifying and completing a business combination with an enterprise that will be successful as a public company. We have identified the following criteria to evaluate prospective target businesses. We may however, decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet these criteria or is outside of our sourcing focus. We currently seek to acquire companies that we believe:
| ● | have developed or are developing differentiated products or services that address unmet needs and therefore represent significant growth opportunities serving the markets in which they operate or intend to operate; |
| ● | have developed or are developing products or services that have achieved a level of maturity such that the investment has been relatively de-risked and can be adequately evaluated; |
| ● | exhibit unrecognized value or other characteristics that we believe have been misevaluated by the market based on the expertise of our directors and officers and our rigorous sourcing and due diligence processes; |
| ● | will offer attractive risk-adjusted equity returns for our stockholders; |
| ● | can benefit from access to public investors for additional capital as well as our industry relationships and expertise; |
| ● | are ready to be public, with strong management, corporate governance and reporting policies in place; and |
| ● | will likely be well received by public investors and are expected to have good access to the public capital markets. |
We may use other criteria as well. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors and criteria that from time to time our management team may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combination with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Report, would be in the form of tender offer documents or proxy solicitation materials that we would file with the SEC.
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Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders, or for other reasons. However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.
Our Business Combination Process
We believe that conducting comprehensive due diligence on prospective investments is particularly important within the technology industries, including FinTech. In evaluating a prospective acquisition candidate, we conduct a thorough due diligence review which encompasses, among other things, meetings with incumbent management, investors and employees, document reviews, inspection of facilities, as well as a review of scientific, regulatory, operational, financial, legal and other information which will be made available to us. We have utilized and will continue to utilize the diligence, rigor, and expertise of our officers and directors to evaluate potential targets’ strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities to identify the relative risk and return profile of any potential target for our initial business combination. Given our management team’s extensive tenure investing in northern European companies and in the technology and-in particular-the FinTech industry, we are often familiar with a prospective target’s end-market, competitive landscape and business model.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Members of our management team directly or indirectly own our founder shares, common stock and/or private shares following our initial public offering, and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
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Certain members of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations to present the opportunity to such entity, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such opportunity to such entity. We believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will not materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination, as we believe any such opportunities presented would be smaller than what we are interested in, in different fields than what we would be interested in, or that our obligations are to entities that are not themselves in the business of engaging in business combinations. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.
Our officers have agreed not to become an officer or director of any other special purpose acquisition company with a class of securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Thomas Fairfield, our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary, may become an officer or director of another special purpose acquisition company which does not have a focus on acquiring a technology growth company in the northern part of Europe.
Status as a Public Company
We believe our structure as a public company makes us an attractive business combination partner to target businesses. As an existing public company, we offer a target business an alternative to the traditional initial public offering through a merger or other business combination. In this situation, the owners of the target business would exchange their shares of stock in the target business for shares of our stock or for a combination of shares of our stock and cash, allowing us to tailor the consideration to the specific needs of the sellers. Although there are various costs and obligations associated with being a public company, we believe target businesses will find this method a more certain and cost effective method to becoming a public company than the typical initial public offering. In a typical initial public offering, there are additional expenses incurred in marketing, road show and public reporting efforts that may not be present to the same extent in connection with a business combination with us.
Furthermore, once a proposed business combination is completed, the target business will have effectively become public, whereas a traditional initial public offering is always subject to the underwriters’ ability to complete the offering, as well as general market conditions, which could delay or prevent the offering from occurring or could have negative valuation consequences. Once public, we believe the target business would then have greater access to capital and an additional means of providing management incentives consistent with stockholders’ interests. It can offer further benefits by augmenting a company’s profile among potential new customers and vendors and aid in attracting talented employees.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act. As such, we are eligible to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not “emerging growth companies” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a non-binding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the prices of our securities may be more volatile.
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In addition, Section 107 of the JOBS Act also provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies. We intend to take advantage of the benefits of this extended transition period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (or February 11, 2022), (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.235 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our Class A common stock that is held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the prior three-year period.
Financial Position
With funds available for a business combination in the amount of $39,516,637 as of December 31, 2023, before payment of $6,037,500 of deferred underwriting fees and $175,000 of deferred legal fees and up to $10,000,000 in gross proceeds from the sale of the forward purchase shares, in each case before fees and expenses associated with our initial business combination and cash on deposit in the trust account that may be applied to the redemption of our Class A common stock at the election of our stockholders, we offer a target business a variety of options such as creating a liquidity event for its owners, providing capital for the potential growth and expansion of its operations or strengthening its balance sheet by reducing its debt or leverage ratio. Because we are able to complete our business combination using our cash, debt or equity securities, or a combination of the foregoing, we have the flexibility to use the most efficient combination that will allow us to tailor the consideration to be paid to the target business to fit its needs and desires. However, we have not taken any steps to secure third party financing and there can be no assurance such third party financing will be available to us.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations until we consummate our initial business combination. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering, the private placement of the private shares, the private placement of the forward purchase shares, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the closing of our initial public offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A common stock, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
We may seek to raise additional funds through a private offering of debt or equity securities in connection with the completion of our initial business combination, and we may effectuate our initial business combination using the proceeds of such offering rather than, or in addition to, using the amounts held in the trust account. We intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with solely the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private shares, and may as a result be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, we would expect to complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our initial business combination. In the case of an initial business combination funded with assets other than the trust account assets, our proxy materials or tender offer documents disclosing the initial business combination would disclose the terms of the financing and, only if required by law or the applicable rules of a national securities exchange, we would seek stockholder approval of such financing. There are no prohibitions on our ability to raise funds privately or through loans in connection with our initial business combination. At this time, other than the forward purchase agreement, we are not a party to any arrangement or understanding with any third party with respect to raising any additional funds through the sale of securities or otherwise.
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Although our management will assess the risks inherent in a particular target business with which we may combine, we cannot assure you that this assessment will result in our identifying all risks that a target business may encounter. Furthermore, some of those risks may be outside of our control, meaning that we can do nothing to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.
Sources of Target Businesses
Target business candidates may be brought to our attention from various unaffiliated sources, including investment bankers and investment professionals. Target businesses may be brought to our attention by such unaffiliated sources as a result of being solicited by us by calls or mailings. These sources may also introduce us to target businesses in which they think we may be interested on an unsolicited basis, since many of these sources will have read our prospectus in connection with our initial public offering or this Report and know what types of businesses we are targeting. Our officers and directors, as well as our sponsor and its affiliates, may also bring to our attention target business candidates that they become aware of through their business contacts as a result of formal or informal inquiries or discussions they may have, as well as attending trade shows or conventions. In addition, we expect to receive a number of proprietary deal flow opportunities that would not otherwise necessarily be available to us as a result of the business relationships of our officers and directors and our sponsor and their respective industry and business contacts as well as their affiliates. We may engage the services of professional firms or other individuals that specialize in business acquisitions, in which event we may pay a finder’s fee, consulting fee, advisory fee or other compensation to be determined in an arm’s length negotiation based on the terms of the transaction. In addition, the underwriters may provide these services without additional compensation. We will formally engage a finder only to the extent our management determines that the use of a finder may bring opportunities to us that may not otherwise be available to us or if finders approach us on an unsolicited basis with a potential transaction that our management determines is in our best interest to pursue. Payment of finder’s fees is customarily tied to completion of a transaction, in which case any such fee will be paid out of the funds held in the trust account. In no event, however, will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any entity with which our sponsor or officers are affiliated, be paid any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation by the company prior to, or in connection with any services they render in order to effectuate the completion of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). Although none of our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, will be allowed to receive any compensation, finder’s fees or consulting fees from a prospective business combination target in connection with a contemplated initial business combination, we do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. We pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for administrative support services and will reimburse our sponsor for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination. Some of our officers and directors may enter into employment or consulting agreements with the post-transaction company following our initial business combination. The presence or absence of any such fees or arrangements will not be used as a criterion in our selection process of an initial business combination candidate.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors or making the initial business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with an initial business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she may be required to present such business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such business combination opportunity to us.
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Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination
Nasdaq rules require that we must complete one or more business combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. The fair market value of our initial business combination will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as discounted cash flow valuation, a valuation based on trading multiples of comparable public businesses or a valuation based on the financial metrics of M&A transactions of comparable businesses. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors. We do not intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial business combination. Subject to this requirement, our management will have virtually unrestricted flexibility in identifying and selecting one or more prospective target businesses, although we will not be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or a similar company with nominal operations.
We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses, or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders. However, we will only complete an initial business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the issued and outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our issued and outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% fair market value test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% fair market value test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.
The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
Lack of Business Diversification
For an indefinite period of time after the completion of our initial business combination, the prospects for our success may depend entirely on the future performance of a single business. Unlike other entities that have the resources to complete business combinations with multiple entities in one or several industries, it is probable that we will not have the resources to diversify our operations and mitigate the risks of being in a single line of business. In addition, we have focused and will continue to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may:
| ● | subject us to negative economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact on the particular industry in which we operate after our initial business combination, and |
| ● | cause us to depend on the marketing and sale of a single product or limited number of products or services. |
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Limited Ability to Evaluate the Target’s Management Team
Although we closely scrutinize the management of a prospective target business when evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with that business, our assessment of the target business’ management may not prove to be correct. In addition, the future management may not have the necessary skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company. Furthermore, the future role of members of our management team, if any, in the target business cannot presently be stated with any certainty. The determination as to whether any of the members of our management team will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination. While it is possible that one or more of our directors will remain associated in some capacity with us following our initial business combination, it is unlikely that any of them will devote their full efforts to our affairs subsequent to our initial business combination. Moreover, we cannot assure you that members of our management team will have significant experience or knowledge relating to the operations of the particular target business.
We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with the combined company. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with the combined company will be made at the time of our initial business combination.
Following an initial business combination, we may seek to recruit additional managers to supplement the incumbent management of the target business. We cannot assure you that we will have the ability to recruit additional managers, or that additional managers will have the requisite skills, knowledge or experience necessary to enhance the incumbent management.
Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination
We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC. However, we will seek stockholder approval if it is required by law or applicable stock exchange rule, or we may decide to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. Presented in the table below is a graphic explanation of the types of initial business combinations we may consider and whether stockholder approval is currently required under Delaware law for each such transaction.
| Type of Transaction | Whether Stockholder Approval is Required | |
| Purchase of assets | No | |
| Purchase of stock of target not involving a merger with the company | No | |
| Merger of target into a subsidiary of the company | No | |
| Merger of the company with a target | Yes |
Under Nasdaq’s listing rules, stockholder approval would be required for our initial business combination if, for example:
| ● | we issue shares of Class A common stock that will be equal to or in excess of 20% of the number of shares of our Class A common stock then issued and outstanding; |
| ● | any of our directors, officers or substantial stockholders (as defined by Nasdaq rules) has a 5% or greater interest (or such persons collectively have a 10% or greater interest), directly or indirectly, in the target business or assets to be acquired or otherwise and the present or potential issuance of common stock could result in an increase in issued and outstanding common shares or voting power of 5% or more; or |
| ● | the issuance or potential issuance of common stock will result in our undergoing a change of control. |
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Permitted Purchases of our Securities
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial stockholders, directors, executive officers or their affiliates may purchase shares or warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial stockholders, directors, officers or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and Nasdaq rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will not make any such purchases if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or warrants in such transactions prior to completion of our initial business combination.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of warrants could be to reduce the number of warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrantholders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our shares of Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates anticipate that they may identify the stockholders with whom our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates may pursue privately negotiated purchases by either the stockholders contacting us directly or by our receipt of redemption requests submitted by stockholders following our mailing of proxy materials in connection with our initial business combination. To the extent that our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates enter into a private purchase, they would identify and contact only potential selling stockholders who have expressed their election to redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the trust account or vote against our initial business combination, whether or not such stockholder has already submitted a proxy with respect to our initial business combination. Our sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates will only purchase shares if such purchases comply with Regulation M under the Exchange Act and the other federal securities laws.
Any purchases by our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates who are affiliated purchasers under Rule 10b-18 under the Exchange Act will only be made to the extent such purchases are able to be made in compliance with Rule 10b-18, which is a safe harbor from liability for manipulation under Section 9(a)(2) and Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Rule 10b-18 has certain technical requirements that must be complied with in order for the safe harbor to be available to the purchaser. Our sponsor, officers, directors and/or their affiliates will not make purchases of common stock if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchases are subject to such reporting requirements.
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Redemption Rights for Public Stockholders upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock in connection with the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account was initially anticipated to be approximately $10.20 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriters. Our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II and our executive officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares, the private shares and any public shares they may acquire during or after our initial public offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or otherwise.
Manner of Conducting Redemptions
We will provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock in connection with the completion of our initial business combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the initial business combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require us to seek stockholder approval under the law or stock exchange listing requirement. Under Nasdaq rules, asset acquisitions and stock purchases would not typically require stockholder approval while direct mergers with our company where we do not survive and any transactions where we issue more than 20% of our issued and outstanding common stock or seek to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would require stockholder approval. If we structure an initial business combination with a target company in a manner that requires stockholder approval, we will not have discretion as to whether to seek a stockholder vote to approve the proposed initial business combination. We may conduct redemptions without a stockholder vote pursuant to the tender offer rules of the SEC unless stockholder approval is required by law or stock exchange listing requirements or we choose to seek stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons. So long as we obtain and maintain a listing for our securities on Nasdaq, we will be required to comply with such rules.
Our anchor investors purchased approximately 84.9% of the units offered for sale in our initial public offering. If our anchor investors vote their public shares in favor of our initial business combination, no affirmative votes from other public stockholders would be required to approve our initial business combination. The anchor investors will potentially have different interests than our other public stockholders in approving our initial business combination and otherwise exercising their rights as public stockholders because of their ownership of our Class B common stock as further discussed in this Report. In particular, the anchor investors would have an incentive to approve an initial business combination before the deadline for us to complete an initial business combination because otherwise their Class B common stock will expire worthless. Since our sponsor and byNordic Holdings either transferred or forfeited shares of our Class B common stock held by themselves without the issuance of additional shares of Class B common stock by us, there was no additional dilutive impact on the other investors in our initial public offering from the sale of the Class B common stock to the anchor investors. However, because our anchor investors are not obligated to continue owning any public shares following the closing of our initial public offering and are not obligated to vote any public shares in favor of our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that any of these anchor investors will be stockholders at the time our stockholders vote on our initial business combination, and, if they are stockholders, we cannot assure you as to how such anchor investors will vote on any business combination.
If a stockholder vote is not required and we do not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
| ● | conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers, and |
| ● | file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies. |
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Upon the public announcement of our initial business combination, we or our sponsor will terminate any plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 to purchase shares of our Class A common stock in the open market if we elect to redeem our public shares through a tender offer, to comply with Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act.
In the event we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, our offer to redeem will remain open for at least 20 business days, in accordance with Rule 14e-1(a) under the Exchange Act, and we will not be permitted to complete our initial business combination until the expiration of the tender offer period. In addition, the tender offer will be conditioned on public stockholders not tendering more than a specified number of public shares which are not purchased by our sponsor, which number will be based on any net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. If public stockholders tender more shares than we have offered to purchase, we will withdraw the tender offer and not complete the initial business combination.
If, however, stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law or stock exchange listing requirement, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, we will, pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation:
| ● | conduct the redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and |
| ● | file proxy materials with the SEC. |
In the event that we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public stockholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the initial business combination.
If we seek stockholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if in addition to any other vote required by applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of issued and outstanding capital stock of the company representing a majority of the voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial stockholders will count toward this quorum and pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II and our executive officers and directors have agreed to vote the founder shares held by them and any public shares purchased by them during or after our initial public offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. Subject to the requirements of applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements which may require a higher vote threshold, in addition to our initial stockholders’ founder shares and private shares and the anchor investors’ founder shares, we would not need any of the 3,586,272 public shares sold in our initial public offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination (assuming all issued and outstanding shares are voted and assuming our sponsor, officers and directors do not purchase any public shares) in order to have our initial business combination approved. We intend to give approximately 30 days (but not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days) prior written notice of any such meeting, if required, at which a vote shall be taken to approve our initial business combination. These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial stockholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public stockholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction. For example, the proposed initial business combination may require: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash to be transferred to the target for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions in accordance with the terms of the proposed initial business combination. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, and all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof.
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Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of our Initial Business Combination if we Seek Stockholder Approval
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” Such restriction shall also be applicable to our affiliates with respect to public shares they acquire in or after our initial public offering. We believe this restriction will discourage stockholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed initial business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public stockholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our stockholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of the shares sold in our initial public offering without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of stockholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with an initial business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with Redemption Rights
We may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the meeting held to approve a proposed initial business combination by a date set forth in the proxy materials mailed to such holders or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically using the DWAC System, at the holder’s option. The proxy materials that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will indicate whether we are requiring public stockholders to satisfy such delivery requirements. Accordingly, a public stockholder would have from the time we send out our proxy materials until the date set forth in such proxy materials to tender its shares if it wishes to seek to exercise its redemption rights. Given the relatively short exercise period, it is advisable for stockholders to use electronic delivery of their public shares.
There is a nominal cost associated with the above-referenced tendering process and the act of certificating the shares or delivering them through the DWAC System. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $80.00 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the redeeming holder. However, this fee would be incurred regardless of whether or not we require holders seeking to exercise redemption rights to tender their shares. The need to deliver shares is a requirement of exercising redemption rights regardless of the timing of when such delivery must be effectuated.
The foregoing may be different from the procedures used by other blank check companies. In order to perfect redemption rights in connection with their business combinations, many blank check companies would distribute proxy materials for the stockholders’ vote on an initial business combination, and a holder could simply vote against a proposed initial business combination and check a box on the proxy card indicating such holder was seeking to exercise his or her redemption rights. After the initial business combination was approved, the company would contact such stockholder to arrange for him or her to deliver his or her certificate to verify ownership. As a result, the stockholder then had an “option window” after the completion of the initial business combination during which he or she could monitor the price of the company’s stock in the market. If the price rose above the redemption price, he or she could sell his or her shares in the open market before actually delivering his or her shares to the company for cancellation. As a result, the redemption rights, to which stockholders were aware they needed to commit before the stockholder meeting, would become “option” rights surviving past the completion of the initial business combination until the redeeming holder delivered its certificate.
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Any request to redeem such shares, once made, may be withdrawn at any time up to the date set forth in the proxy materials. Furthermore, if a holder of a public share delivered its certificate in connection with an election of redemption rights and subsequently decides prior to the applicable date not to elect to exercise such rights, such holder may simply request that the transfer agent return the certificate (physically or electronically). It is anticipated that the funds to be distributed to holders of our public shares electing to redeem their shares will be distributed promptly after the completion of our initial business combination.
If our initial business combination is not approved or completed for any reason, then our public stockholders who elected to exercise their redemption rights would not be entitled to redeem their shares for the applicable pro rata share of the trust account. In such case, we will promptly return any certificates delivered by public holders who elected to redeem their shares.
Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination
Following amendments approved by stockholders in August 2023, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, provides that we will have until February 12, 2024, to complete our initial business combination as such deadline may be extended by resolution of the board without a stockholder vote for an additional month for a total of 6 months, or until August 12, 2024, to complete our initial business combination in connection with our sponsor or any of its affiliates or designees, paying the lesser of (i) $105,000 or (ii) $0.04 per outstanding public share with respect to each such extension into the trust account in respect of such extension period. on or prior to the date of the deadline (in connection with which our stockholders will have no right to redeem their public shares), or by such other further extended deadline that we may have to consummate an initial business combination as a result of a stockholder vote to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (in connection with which our stockholders will have a right to redeem their public shares as described herein) (such additional month period as the same may be further extended as a result of the stockholder vote being referred to herein as an extension period). The deadline to complete a business combination has been extended to April 12, 2024. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period.
Our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II and our executive officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have waived their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to the founder shares and the private shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination by the current deadline of April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period. However, if they acquire public shares in or after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II and our executive officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a letter agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by the current deadline of April 12, 2024 or during any extension period or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares.
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If we do not consummate our initial business combination by the deadline set forth in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, we expect that all costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, as well as payments to any creditors, will be funded from amounts remaining out of the approximately $1,880,000 of cash held outside the trust account, although we cannot assure you that there will be sufficient funds for such purpose. We will depend on sufficient interest being earned on the proceeds held in the trust account to pay any tax obligations we may owe. However, if those funds are not sufficient to cover the costs and expenses associated with implementing our plan of dissolution, to the extent that there is any interest accrued in the trust account not required to pay taxes, we may request the trustee to release to us an additional amount of up to $100,000 of such accrued interest to pay those costs and expenses.
If we were to expend all of the cash held by the Company other than the amounts on deposit in the trust account, and without taking into account interest, if any, earned on the trust account, the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders upon our dissolution would be approximately $10.30 per share. The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to the claims of our creditors which would have higher priority than the claims of our public stockholders. We cannot assure you that the actual per-share redemption amount received by stockholders will not be substantially less than $10.30, if applicable. Under Section 281(b) of the DGCL, our plan of dissolution must provide for all claims against us to be paid in full or make provision for payments to be made in full, as applicable, if there are sufficient assets. These claims must be paid or provided for before we make any distribution of our remaining assets to our stockholders. While we intend to pay such amounts, if any, we cannot assure you that we will have funds sufficient to pay or provide for all creditors’ claims.
Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, there is no guarantee that they will execute such agreements or even if they execute such agreements that they would be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account including but not limited to fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain an advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative. Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third-party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. Marcum, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of our initial public offering will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.30 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.30 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
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In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below (i) $10.30 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its indemnification obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations and we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that due to claims of creditors the actual value of the per-share redemption price will not be less than $10.30 per public share.
As of March 27, 2024, we had approximately $1,880,000 of cash held outside the trust account. We have used or will use these funds for (i) legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses related to identifying, evaluating, negotiating and completing an initial business combination, (ii) legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements, (iv) administrative support services, and (v) working capital used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves.
Any potential claims (including costs and expenses incurred in connection with our liquidation, currently estimated to be no more than approximately $100,000, which amount will be available from interest earned on the funds held in the trust account) may only be paid from funds held outside of the trust account.
Under the DGCL, our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties with priority claims over our stockholders in the event that we do not complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 (as such deadline may be further extended by the extension period as described herein) to the extent of distributions received by our stockholders in a dissolution resulting from our failure to complete our initial business combination by such deadline. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. In the event that we liquidate and it is subsequently determined that the reserve for claims and liabilities is insufficient, stockholders who received funds from our trust account could be liable for claims made by creditors. If the corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution.
Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful (potentially due to the imposition of legal proceedings that a party may bring or due to other circumstances that are currently unknown), then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. Accordingly, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with those procedures. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of such date.
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Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time, that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the subsequent 10 years. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. As described above, pursuant to the obligation contained in our underwriting agreement, we will seek to have all vendors, service providers, prospective target businesses or other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account. As a result of this obligation, the claims that could be made against us are significantly limited and the likelihood that any claim that would result in any liability extending to the trust account is remote. Further, our sponsor may be liable only to the extent necessary to ensure that the amounts in the trust account are not reduced below $10.30 per public share or (ii) such lesser amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, due to reductions in value of the trust assets, in each case net of the amount of interest withdrawn to pay taxes and will not be liable as to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In the event that an executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against a third party, our sponsor will not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third-party claims.
If we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we cannot assure you we will be able to return $10.30 per share to our public stockholders. Additionally, if we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a stockholder vote to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to allow redemption in connection with our initial business combination or to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of all of our public shares if we are unable to complete our business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period, subject to applicable law. Stockholders who do not exercise their redemption rights in connection with an amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation would still be able to exercise their redemption rights in connection with a subsequent business combination. In no other circumstances will a stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account. In the event we seek stockholder approval in connection with our initial business combination, a stockholder’s voting in connection with the initial business combination alone will not result in a stockholder’s redeeming its shares to us for an applicable pro rata share of the trust account. Such stockholder must have also exercised its redemption rights as described above. These provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, may be amended with a stockholder vote.
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic business combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the initial business combination of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Employees
We currently have five officers. These individuals are not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time they devote in any time period varies based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the initial business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
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Periodic Reporting and Financial Information
Our units, Class A common stock, and warrants are registered under the Exchange Act, and as a result, we have reporting obligations, including the requirement that we file annual, quarterly and current reports with the SEC. In accordance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, our annual reports, including this Report, contain financial statements audited and reported on by our independent registered public accountants.
We will provide stockholders with audited financial statements of the prospective target business as part of the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials sent to stockholders to assist them in assessing the target business. In all likelihood, these financial statements will need to be prepared in accordance with, or reconciled to, GAAP, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential targets we may conduct an initial business combination with because some targets may be unable to provide such statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. We cannot assure you that any particular target business identified by us as a potential business combination candidate will have financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP or that the potential target business will be able to prepare its financial statements in accordance with the requirements outlined above. To the extent that these requirements cannot be met, we may not be able to acquire the proposed target business. While this may limit the pool of potential business combination candidates, we do not believe that this limitation will be material.
We are required to evaluate our internal control procedures for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 as required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to have our internal control procedures audited. A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination. We have filed a Registration Statement on Form 8-A with the SEC to voluntarily register our securities under Section 12 of the Exchange Act. As a result, we will be subject to the rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act. We have no current intention of filing a Form 15 to suspend our reporting or other obligations under the Exchange Act prior or subsequent to the consummation of our initial business combination unless we are unable to complete our initial business combination by April 12, 2024 or during any further extension period.
We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering (February 11, 2022), (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our shares of Class A common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30th, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to include risk factors in this Report. However, below is a partial list of material risks, uncertainties and other factors that could have a material effect on the Company and its operations:
| ● | we are a blank check company with no revenue or basis to evaluate our ability to select a suitable business target; |
| ● | we may not be able to select an appropriate target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination in the prescribed time frame; |
| ● | our expectations around the performance of a prospective target business or businesses may not be realized; |
| ● | we may not be successful in retaining or recruiting required officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
| ● | our officers and directors may have difficulties allocating their time between the Company and other businesses and may potentially have conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
| ● | we may not be able to obtain additional financing to (i) fund an extension of the deadline to complete our initial business combination, (ii) provide the funds required to consummate an initial business combination that we identify, or (iii) reduce the number of stockholders requesting redemption; |
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| ● | we may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time; |
| ● | you may not be given the opportunity to choose the initial business target or to vote on the initial business combination; |
| ● | trust account funds may not be protected against third party claims or bankruptcy; |
| ● | an active market for our public securities’ may not develop and you will have limited liquidity and trading; |
| ● | the availability to us of funds from interest income on the trust account balance may be insufficient to operate our business prior to the business combination; |
| ● | our financial performance following a business combination with an entity may be negatively affected by their lack an established record of revenue, cash flows and experienced management; |
| ● | there may be more competition to find an attractive target for an initial business combination, which could increase the costs associated with completing our initial business combination and may result in our inability to find a suitable target; |
| ● | the military action in Ukraine may continue to adversely affect the business and prospects of potential targets for our business combination. This could reduce the number of attractive targets for our business combination, increase the cost of our business combination and could result in our inability to find a suitable target or to consummate a business combination; | |
| ● | adverse market conditions resulting from default or failure of one or more financial institutions could adversely affect the business, value or viability of companies in the European FinTech sector, which we have prioritized in our search for potential targets for a business combination; |
| ● | changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination; |
| ● | we may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability; |
| ● | we may engage one or more of our underwriters or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the initial public offering, which may include acting as a financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriters are entitled to receive deferred underwriting commissions that will be released from the trust account only upon a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us after the initial public offering, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination; |
| ● | we may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all; |
| ● | since our initial stockholders will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed (other than with respect to any public shares they may acquire during or after our initial public offering), and because our sponsor, officers and directors may profit substantially even under circumstances in which our public stockholders would experience losses in connection with their investment, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination; |
| ● | changes in laws or regulations or how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws or regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations; |
| ● | the value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our common stock at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share; and |
| ● | resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we have not completed our initial business combination within the required time period, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.30 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. |
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The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had an immediate and material adverse effect on financial and business conditions in Europe in a manner that could materially and adversely affect the business and prospects of potential targets for our initial business combination. These circumstances could reduce the number of attractive targets for our initial business combination, increase the cost of our initial business combination and delay or prevent us from completing our initial business combination.
On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched an invasion of Ukraine that has continued to escalate without any resolution of the invasion foreseeable in the near future with the short and long-term impact on financial and business conditions in Europe remaining highly uncertain. The United States has been joined by the European Union, Canada and other countries across the globe in imposing new and stricter sanctions against the Russian Federation in a manner that has resulted in higher energy prices and higher prices for raw materials and goods and services and disruptions to supply and distribution chains in a manner that has contributed to higher inflation. The United States, the European Union, Canada and other countries across the globe may impose additional sanctions against the Russian Federation as the conflict continues to escalate. The impact of the sanctions also includes disruptions to financial markets, an inability to complete financial or banking transactions, restrictions on travel and an inability to service existing or new customers in a timely manner in the affected areas of Europe. Many multinational corporations have exceeded what is required by the newer and stricter sanctions in reducing or terminating their business ties to the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation could resort to cyberattacks and other action that impact businesses across Europe including those without any direct business ties to the Russian Federation. These circumstances could have a material and adverse effect on the business and prospects of technology companies in northern Europe which are the focus of our search for our initial business combination. The number of attractive targets for our initial business combination could be reduced, the cost of our initial business combination may be increased and we could experience a delay of, or inability to complete, our initial business combination.
We depend on a variety of U.S. and multi-national financial institutions to provide us with banking services. The default or failure of one or more of the financial institutions that we rely on may adversely affect our business and financial condition, including our ability to successfully consummate a business combination.
We maintain the majority of our cash and cash equivalents in accounts with major U.S. and multi-national financial institutions, and our deposits at certain of these institutions exceed insured limits. Market conditions can impact the viability of these institutions. In the event of the failure of any of the financial institutions where we maintain our cash and cash equivalents, there can be no assurance that we would be able to access uninsured funds in a timely manner or at all. Any inability to access or delay in accessing these funds could adversely affect our liquidity, business and financial condition.
In addition, although we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business, industry, sector or geographical location, we have prioritized and will continue to prioritize companies in the European FinTech sector. Any such FinTech acquisition target may also be adversely affected by market conditions that impact the value or viability of such institutions, which may impede our ability to successfully consummate a business combination.
We may be subject to the 1% excise tax included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which may decrease the value of our securities following our initial business combination and hinder our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases (including redemptions and economically similar transactions) of stock by publicly traded U.S. corporations on or after January 1, 2023. Because we are a Delaware corporation and our securities are trading on Nasdaq, we are a “covered corporation” within the meaning of the IR Act. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its stockholders from which shares are repurchased (although it may reduce the amount of cash distributable in a current or subsequent redemption). The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased, determined at the time of the repurchase. Corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances by such corporation against the fair market value of stock repurchases (or deemed repurchases) during the same taxable year to reduce or eliminate the amount of excise tax that would otherwise apply. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of, the excise tax.
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On December 27, 2022, the Treasury published Notice 2023-2 as interim guidance until the publication of forthcoming proposed regulations on the excise tax. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether, and/or to what extent, the excise tax could apply to redemptions of our stock, including any redemptions in connection with a business combination, or in the event we do not consummate a business combination.
Because the application of the excise tax is not entirely clear, any share redemption or other share repurchase may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent we would be subject to the excise tax will depend on a number of factors, including (i) whether the redemption is treated as a repurchase of stock for purposes of the excise tax, (ii) the fair market value of the redemptions treated as repurchases in connection with a business combination, (iii) the structure of a business combination and whether any such transaction closes, (iv) the nature and amount of any private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) or other equity issuances in connection with a business combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a business combination but issued within the same taxable year of a business combination), (v) whether we consummate a business combination, and (vi) the content of regulations and other guidance issued by the Treasury. Because the excise tax would be payable by us and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could reduce the cash available to complete a business combination and inhibit our ability to complete a business combination.
We may not be able to complete an initial business combination with a U.S. target company since such initial business combination may be subject to U.S. foreign investment regulations and review by a U.S. government entity such as the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), or ultimately prohibited.
The Sponsor would likely be considered by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) to be “controlled” (as defined in 31 CFR 800.208) by a foreign person, such that the Sponsor’s involvement in the Business Combination would likely be a “covered transaction” (as defined in 31 CFR800.213). In addition, it is possible that non-U.S. persons could be involved in the Business Combination, which may increase the risk that the Business Combination becomes subject to regulatory review, including review by the CFIUS, and that restrictions, limitations or conditions will be imposed by CFIUS. If the Business Combination with a U.S. business is subject to CFIUS review, the scope of which was expanded by the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (“FIRRMA”), to include certain non-passive, non-controlling investments in sensitive U.S. businesses and certain acquisitions of real estate even with no underlying U.S. business. FIRRMA, and subsequent implementing regulations that are now in force, also subjects certain categories of investments to mandatory filings. If the Business Combination with a U.S. business falls within CFIUS’s jurisdiction, the Company may determine that it is required to make a mandatory filing or that it will submit a voluntary notice to CFIUS, or to proceed with the Business Combination without notifying CFIUS and risk CFIUS intervention, before or after closing the Business Combination. CFIUS may decide to block or delay the Business Combination, impose conditions to mitigate national security concerns with respect to the Business Combination or order the Company to divest all or a portion of a U.S. business of the combined company without first obtaining CFIUS clearance, which may limit the attractiveness of or prevent the Company from pursuing certain initial Business Combination opportunities that it believes would otherwise be beneficial to it and its stockholders. As a result, the pool of potential targets with which the Company could complete the Business Combination may be limited and the Company may be adversely affected in terms of competing with other special purpose acquisition companies which do not have similar foreign ownership issues. A failure to notify CFIUS of a transaction where such notification was required or otherwise warranted based on the national security considerations presented by an investment target may expose the Sponsor and/or the combined company to legal penalties, costs, and/or other adverse reputational and financial effects, thus potentially diminishing the value of the combined company. In addition, CFIUS is actively pursuing transactions that were not notified to it and may ask questions regarding, or impose restrictions or mitigation on, an initial Business Combination post-closing.
Moreover, the process of government review, whether by the CFIUS or otherwise, could be lengthy and the Company has limited time to complete the Business Combination. If the Company cannot complete the Business Combination because the transaction is still under review or because the Business Combination is ultimately prohibited by CFIUS or another U.S. government entity, the Company may be required to liquidate. If the Company liquidates, the Company’s public stockholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the Trust Account that are available for distribution to public stockholders. This would cause public stockholders to lose the investment opportunity in a target company and the chance of realizing future gains on their investment through any price appreciation in the combined company.
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If we are deemed to be an investment company under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “Investment Company Act”), our activities would be severely restricted.
The funds in the Trust Account have, since our IPO, been held only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act. Even prior to the 24-month anniversary of the effective date of the registration statement in connection with our IPO, we may be deemed to be an investment company. The longer that the funds in the Trust Account are held in short-term U.S. government treasury obligations or in money market funds invested exclusively in such securities, following and even prior to the 24-month anniversary, the greater the risk that we may be considered an unregistered investment company under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, in which case we may be required to liquidate the Company. The risk of being deemed subject to the Investment Company Act may increase the longer the Company holds securities (i.e., the longer past two years the securities are held), and also may increase to the extent the funds in the Trust Account are not held in cash. Accordingly, we may determine, in our discretion, to transfer the investments held in the Trust Account at any time and instead hold all funds in the Trust Account in interest-bearing accounts, which would further reduce the dollar amount our public stockholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation of the Company.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities would be severely restricted. In addition, we would be subject to burdensome compliance requirements. We do not believe that our principal activities will subject us to regulation as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. However, if we are deemed to be an investment company and subject to compliance with and regulation under the Investment Company Act, we would be subject to additional regulatory burdens and expenses for which we have not allotted funds. As a result, unless we are able to modify our activities so that we would not be deemed an investment company, we may abandon our efforts to complete a Business Combination and instead liquidate the Company. If we are required to liquidate, our stockholders will miss the opportunity to benefit from an investment in a target company and the appreciation in value of such investment through a Business Combination. Additionally, if we are required to liquidate, there will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless in the event of our winding up.
For the complete list of risks relating to our operations, see the section titled “Risk Factors” contained in our Registration Statement.
Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.
Not applicable.
Item 1C. Cybersecurity
We are a special purpose acquisition company with no business operations. Since our IPO, our sole business activity has been identifying and evaluating suitable acquisition transaction candidates. Therefore, we do not consider that we face significant cybersecurity risk.
We have not adopted any cybersecurity risk management program or formal processes for assessing cybersecurity risk. Our management is generally responsible for assessing and managing any cybersecurity threats. If and when any reportable cybersecurity incident arises, our management shall promptly report such matters to our board of directors for further actions, including regarding the appropriate disclosure, mitigation, or other response or actions that the board deems appropriate to take.
As of the date of this report, we have not encountered any cybersecurity incidents since our IPO.
Item 2. Properties.
We do not own or lease any offices or physical properties but our sponsor permits us to use its offices at c/o Pir 29, Einar Hansens Esplanad 29, 211 13 Malmo, Sweden from time to time at no charge, which is adequate for our current operations. Our telephone number is +46 707 29 41.
Item 3. Legal Proceedings.
To the knowledge of our management team, there is no litigation currently pending or contemplated against us, any of our officers or directors in their capacity as such or against any of our property.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.
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PART II
Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters, and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
| (a) | Market Information |
Our units, public shares and public warrants are each traded on the Nasdaq under the symbols BYNOU, BYNO and BYNOW, respectively. Our units commenced public trading on February 9, 2022, and our public shares and public warrants commenced separate public trading on April 1, 2022.
| (b) | Holders |
On March 26, 2024, there was one (1) holder of record of our units, four (4) holders of record of our Class A common stock, twenty-eight (28) holders of record of our Class B common stock and one (1) holder of record of our warrants.
| (c) | Dividends |
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
| (d) | Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans |
None.
| (e) | Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities |
None.
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| (f) | Use of Proceeds from the Initial Public Offering |
On February 11, 2022, we consummated our initial public offering of 15,000,000 units. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the Company, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock for $11.50 per whole share. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds to us of $150,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we completed the private sale of an aggregate of 850,000 shares of Class A common stock to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II at a purchase price of $10.00 per private share, generating gross proceeds of $8,500,000.
We granted the underwriters in the initial public offering a 45-day option to purchase up to 2,250,000 additional units to cover over-allotments, if any, in connection with the initial public offering. On February 18, 2022, the underwriters exercised the over-allotment option in full by purchasing an additional 2,250,000 units, generating an additional $22,500,000 of gross proceeds to us from the initial public offering. On February 18, 2022, in connection with the exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option in full, we completed the private sale of an additional 90,000 shares of Class A common stock to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II at a purchase price of $10.00 per private share, generating an additional $900,000 of gross proceeds.
Of the gross proceeds received from the consummation of the initial public offering and the simultaneous private placement of Class A common stock on the initial closing date that occurred on February 11, 2022 and the gross proceeds received from the consummation of the fully exercised over-allotment option and the simultaneous private sale of private shares on February 18, 2022, $175,950,000 was placed in the trust account maintained by Continental, acting as trustee, at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.. The proceeds held in the trust account may be invested by the trustee only in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. government treasury obligations and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act.
| (g) | Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers |
None.
Item 6. Reserved.
Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our audited financial statements and the notes related thereto which are included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Overview
We are a blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations until we consummate our business combination. We intend to effectuate our business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering, the private placement of the private shares, the private placement of the forward purchase shares, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the closing of our initial public offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing. We have not selected any specific business combination target.
The issuance of additional shares in connection with a business combination to the owners of the target or other investors, including the forward purchase shares:
| ● | may significantly dilute the equity interest of our public stockholders, which dilution would increase if the anti-dilution provisions in the Class B common stock resulted in the issuance of shares of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the Class B common stock; |
| ● | may subordinate the rights of holders of our common stock if preferred stock is issued with rights senior to those afforded our common stock; |
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| ● | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of our common stock is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; |
| ● | may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change of control of us by diluting the stock ownership or voting rights of a person seeking to obtain control of us; and |
| ● | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our Class A common stock and/or warrants. |
Similarly, if we issue debt securities or otherwise incur significant debt to bank or other lenders or the owners of a target, it could result in:
| ● | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after a business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
| ● | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
| ● | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; |
| ● | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding; |
| ● | our inability to pay dividends on our common stock; |
| ● | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our common stock if declared, our ability to pay expenses, make capital expenditures and acquisitions, and fund other general corporate purposes; |
| ● | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
| ● | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; |
| ● | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, and execution of our strategy; and |
| ● | other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
Results of Operations
We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities from December 27, 2019 (inception) through December 31, 2023 were organizational activities, those necessary to prepare for the Initial Public Offering, described below, and identifying a target company for a Business Combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our Business Combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on marketable securities held in the Trust Account. We incur expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we had net income of $3,406,689 which consisted of interest earned on investments held in trust account and cash of $6,153,996, partially offset by operating costs of $1,494,067 and federal income taxes of $1,253,240.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had net income of $1,160,817 which consisted of a refund of income tax penalty of $52,170 and interest earned on investments held in trust account and cash of $2,749,881, partially offset by formation and operating costs of $1,107,889 and federal income taxes of $533,345.
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Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
On February 11, 2022, we completed our Initial Public Offering of 15,000,000 Units at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $150,000,000. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we completed the sale of 850,000 Private Shares at a price of $10.00 per Private Share in a private placement to our sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $8,500,000.
On February 18, 2022, in connection with the underwriters’ exercise of their over-allotment option in full, we consummated the sale of an additional 2,250,000 Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating an additional $22,500,000 of gross proceeds. In addition, we also consummated the sale of an additional 90,000 Private Shares at a price of $10.00 per Private Share, generating an additional $900,000 of gross proceeds.
Following the Initial Public Offering, the full exercise of the over-allotment option, and the sale of the Private Shares, a total of $175,950,000 was placed in the Trust Account. We incurred $16,724,021 in Initial Public Offering related costs, with $16,343,583 reported in temporary equity and $380,438 in equity.
For the year ended December 31, 2023, cash used in operating activities was $3,294,146. Net income of $3,406,689 was affected by interest earned on investments in the Trust Account of $6,573,440 and unrealized gain on investments in the Trust Account of $428,980. Changes in operating assets and liabilities used $556,375 of cash for operating activities. Cash provided by investing activities includes $145,584,637 withdrawn in connection with redemption and $2,079,820 withdrawn from the Trust Account to pay taxes partially offset by $2,350,000 of funding for the Trust Account. Cash used in financing activities includes $145,584,637 of redemption of common stock partially offset by $4,935,000 of proceeds from promissory notes to related party.
As of December 31, 2023, we had marketable securities held in the Trust Account of $39,516,637 consisting of money market funds which are invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities. Interest income on the balance in the Trust Account may be used by us to pay taxes. For the year ended December 31, 2023, we have withdrawn $2,079,820 of interest earned on the Trust Account for the payment of franchise or income taxes.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the Trust Account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the Trust Account (less taxes payable), to complete our Business Combination. To the extent that our capital stock or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our Business Combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had cash of $2,306,735 not held in the Trust Account and available for working capital purposes. On May 8, 2023, the Company announced that its Board of Directors elected to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination from May 11, 2023 to August 11, 2023 and the Company’s sponsor subsequently deposited $1,725,000 to the Trust Account with respect to the extension. On May 9, 2023, the Company received the Initial Extension Loan from the sponsor and on May 12, 2023, the Company received the Initial Working Capital Loan from the sponsor. In connection with certain amendments to the Certificate of Incorporation approved by stockholders on August 10, 2023, (i) the deadline for the Company to complete a business combination was extended, (ii) the Company’s sponsor funded a $625,000 deposit into the Trust Account, and (iii) the Company issued to the sponsor a convertible promissory note in the amount of $625,000 in connection with the sponsor’s funding of the extension (the “Additional Extension Loan” and collectively with the Initial Extension Loan, the “Extension Loans”) and a convertible promissory note to the sponsor in the amount of $710,000 in connection with the sponsor’s funding of the Company’s working capital needs, of which $110,000 was funded on August 10, 2023 and $600,000 is available for future borrowings (the “Additional Working Capital Loan”). The amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation extend the Combination Period to February 12, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Company’s Board of Directors, and allow the Company to further extend the Combination Period by one month up to a total of six months, until August 12, 2024, unless the closing of a business combination shall have occurred prior thereto, provided that the Company’s sponsor or its designee deposits the lesser of $105,000 or $0.04 per outstanding Public Share into the Trust Account with respect to each such one-month extension.
Additionally, on December 15, 2023, the Company issued a promissory note in the principal amount of $1,700,000 to DDM Debt AB (the “December Note”), an affiliate of the sponsor. The proceeds of the Note will be used to provide the Company with general working capital. In February 2024 the Company’s board elected to exercise a one-month extension of the Combination Period to March 12, 2024 and in March 2024, the board subsequently elected to exercise a one-month extension of the Combination Period to April 12, 2024. In connection with each one-month extension, $105,000 was deposited in the Trust Account in connection with such extension.
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If the Company completes a Business Combination, the Company would expect to repay the Extension Loans, the Initial Working Capital Loan and the Additional Working Capital Loan from funds that are released to the Company from the Trust Account or, at the option of the Sponsor, convert all or a portion of the Extension Loans, the Initial Working Capital Loan and the Additional Working Capital Loan into Private Shares at a price of $10.00 per private share, which Private Shares will be identical to the Private Shares described herein. If the Company does not complete a Business Combination, the Company will repay the Extension Loans, the Initial Working Capital Loan and the Additional Working Capital Loan only from funds held outside of the Trust Account. Following receipt of (i) the Initial Working Capital Loan from the Sponsor in the amount of $775,000 on May 12, 2023, (ii) the Additional Working Capital Loan from the Sponsor in the amount of $710,000, of which $110,000 was funded on August 10, 2023 and $600,000 is available for future borrowings, and (iii) the $1,700,000 loan from the Lender on December 15, 2023, the Company believes that the funds held outside the Trust Account will be sufficient to meet the expenditures required for operating its business through April 12, 2024 (the current expiration date of the business combination period), and that it will be able to borrow sufficient funds from the Sponsor or Sponsor’s affiliates to meet its needs for cash through August 12, 2024 in the event the Company elects to extend the business combination period to that date. However, if the estimate of the costs of (i) legal, accounting, due diligence, travel and other expenses related to identifying, negotiating and closing a business combination, (ii) legal and accounting fees related to regulatory reporting requirements, (iii) administrative expenses, and (iv) working capital used for miscellaneous expenses and reserves, are less than the actual amount of such costs, the Company may have insufficient funds available to operate its business prior to a business combination. Moreover, if the Combination Period is extended beyond August 12, 2024, the Company would need to obtain additional financing to fund its cash needs during any such further extension period, including the amount required to be deposited in the Trust Account to fund the cost of any further extension and working capital to pay its operating costs during any such further extension period, including expenses relating to its business acquisition activities, and ongoing corporate and administrative expenses. If the Company is unable to raise sufficient funds to continue its operations until completion of a business combination, the Company would be forced to cease operations and liquidate. In addition, the Company may need to obtain additional financing either to complete a business combination or because it becomes obligated to redeem a significant number of the Public Shares in connection with a further extension of the Combination Period beyond August 12, 2024 or upon consummation of a business combination, in which case the Company may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination. Subject to compliance with applicable securities laws, the Company would only complete such financing simultaneously with the completion of our business combination. If the Company is unable to complete the business combination because it does not have sufficient funds available, the Company will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the Trust Account. In addition, following the business combination, if cash on hand is insufficient, the Company may need to obtain additional financing in order to meet its obligations.
The Company has until April 12, 2024 (or August 12, 2024 if it elects to extend the business combination period to that date and makes required deposits to the Trust Account) or the end of any further extension period to consummate a business combination beyond August 12, 2024 pursuant to an amendment of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a business combination by August 12, 2024 or such later date to which the business combination period may be extended. If a business combination is not consummated by April 12, 2024 (or August 12, 2024 if the Company elects to extend the business combination period and makes required deposits to the Trust Account) or during any further extension period, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that (i) uncertainty with respect to the Company’s ability to obtain the cash needed to fund professional fees and other expenses related to its target search activities, SEC reports, tax returns, Nasdaq listing, trust and stock transfer administration and other business and corporate activities, and trust deposits required for further extensions to the business combination period, and (ii) the mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution, should the Company be unable to complete a business combination by the end of the business combination period, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after April 12, 2024 or at the end of any further extension period.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no obligations, assets or liabilities, which would be considered off-balance sheet arrangements as of December 31, 2023. We do not participate in transactions that create relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, often referred to as variable interest entities, which would have been established for the purpose of facilitating off-balance sheet arrangements. We have not entered into any off-balance sheet financing arrangements, established any special purpose entities, guaranteed any debt or commitments of other entities, or purchased any non-financial assets.
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Contractual Obligations
We do not have any long-term debt, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations or long-term liabilities, other than an agreement pay the Sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for administrative support services and the Initial Extension Loan, the Initial Working Capital Loan, the Additional Extension Loan, the Additional Working Capital Loan and the December Note. We began incurring the administrative support services fees on February 8, 2022 and will continue to incur these fees monthly until the earlier of the completion of the Business Combination and our liquidation.
The underwriters are entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO and exercise of the over-allotment option, or $6,037,500, upon the completion of the Company’s business combination. The Company’s former legal counsel agreed to defer legal fees in the amount of $175,000, which is payable (without interest) upon and concurrently with the completion of a business combination.
Critical Accounting Policies
We describe our significant accounting policies in Note 2 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, of the Notes to Financial Statements included in this report. Our audited financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Certain of our accounting policies require that the Company’s management apply significant judgments in defining the appropriate assumptions integral to financial estimates. On an ongoing basis, the Company’s management reviews the accounting policies, assumptions, estimates and judgments to ensure that our financial statements are presented fairly and in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Judgments are based on historical experience, terms of existing contracts, industry trends and information available from outside sources, as appropriate. However, by their nature, judgments are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty, and, therefore, actual results could differ from our estimates.
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk.
Not required for smaller reporting companies.
Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
This information appears following Item 15 of this Annual Report and is included herein by reference.
Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.
None.
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.
Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
As required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2023. Based upon their evaluations, our management officers concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15 (e) and 15d-15 (e) under the Exchange Act) were not effective due to the material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting related to the Company’s accounting for certain deferred contingent transaction costs. As a result we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that the financial statements included in this Form 10-K were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. Accordingly, management believes that the financial statements in this Form 10-K present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.
Our management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives, and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Management has implemented remediation steps to improve our internal control over financial reporting. Specifically, we expanded and improved our review process for accrued, deferred or contingent expenses and related accounting standards. We plan to further improve this process by enhancing access to accounting literature, working with third-party professionals with whom to consult on complex questions regarding accounting for accrued, deferred or contingent expenses, and improving the processes for sharing, approving and evaluating contractual arrangements and invoices related to accrued, deferred or contingent expenses.
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Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
As required by SEC rules and regulations implementing Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of our financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP. Our internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that:
| (1) | pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of our company, |
| (2) | provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP, and that our receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our management and directors, and |
| (3) | provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements. |
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect errors or misstatements in our financial statements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree or compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting at December 31, 2023. In making these assessments, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) in Internal Control — Integrated Framework (2013). Based on our assessments and those criteria, management determined that our internal controls over financial reporting were not effective as of December 31, 2023.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K does not include an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to our status as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.
Not applicable.
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PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.
Directors and Executive Officers
As of the date of this Report, our directors and officers are as follows:
| Name | Age | Position | ||
| Jonas Olsson | 63 | Chairman of the Board | ||
| Michael Hermansson | 64 | Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Thomas Fairfield | 65 | Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary | ||
| Mats Karlsson | 59 | Director of Acquisition | ||
| Alexander “Bigge” Lidgren | 52 | Director of Marketing | ||
| Christian Merheim | 51 | Director of Technology | ||
| Anna Yukiko Bickenbach | 39 | Independent Director | ||
| Anders Norlin | 58 | Independent Director | ||
| Fredrik Elmberg | 63 | Independent Director | ||
| Steven Wasserman | 63 | Independent Director |
The experience of our directors and executive officers is as follows:
Jonas Olsson has served as our Chairman of the Board since inception. Mr. Olsson has more than 30 years of global operating experience stemming from his various roles with fashion conglomerate Hennes & Mauritz AB (“H&M”). Currently, Mr. Olsson is a global controller of H&M. Mr. Olsson began his career in 1988 at H&M in Sweden as an operative controller. Within one year, Mr. Olsson rose to become financial manager of H&M Germany, a position he held for nine years. In 1994, he also became the chief financial officer of H&M Austria. Over the course of the next twenty years, he served as a member of H&M’s expansion team, leading efforts in management, finance, and controlling in twelve different countries across four continents. Working in Austria, Japan, South Korea, the Baltics, United States, and Chile, Mr. Olsson built out infrastructure to support growth along with financial stability. Mr. Olsson was also responsible for management and operational planning in some of H&M’s most profitable and fastest-growing national businesses such as Germany, Denmark, and Poland. In 2014, he joined the global controlling group of H&M, where he helps lead oversight of all ten H&M brands. Mr. Olsson attended an MBA program in International Business at Lund University from 1981 to 1985. Mr. Olsson is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive industry and management experience.
Michael Hermansson has served as our Chief Executive Officer since March 2020. Mr. Hermansson has a 35-year long career with top management positions in international corporations. Mr. Hermansson has been chief executive officer of numerous growth and turn-around companies owned by private equity firms such as Triton Investments Advisers LLP and Nordic Capital and their related funds. Mr. Hermansson started his career in the 1980’s with several director positions with Sandvik AB in Latin America as well as in several European countries. Mr. Hermansson has been the chairman of the board of Learning 2 Sleep L2S AB from June 2019 until its liquidation in February 2024, the chairman of the board of Vevios AB from November 2019 to 2023, and a board member of Framtix Holding AB since June 2019. He was also the chief executive officer of AdderaCare AB from January 2016 to September 2019. From 2014 to 2015, Mr. Hermansson served as chief executive officer of Saferoad Group, a European market leader in road safety infrastructure products. At Saferoad Group, he led several acquisitions, refinanced the company and initiated the exit process which later led to the 2017 IPO of the company. From 2004 to 2013, he served as the chief executive officer of GCE Group, a global leader in gas control technologies for medical equipment, industrial applications, semiconductor manufacturing and other applications. At GCE Group, he managed the divestiture process for private equity owner Triton Equity Partners, ultimately delivering a very favorable cash return. Mr. Hermansson remained with the company under its new primary owner, Argan Capital, as chief executive officer of the group until 2013. Mr. Hermansson received a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from University of Gothenburg.
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Thomas Fairfield, our Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary, has been providing strategic business consulting services through Cambio Group LLC (“Cambio”) that he founded and has owned since July 2018 and Deucalion Partners, LLC, a recently formed advisory services company for which Mr. Fairfield serves as Chief Operating Officer. In connection with recent Cambio engagements, Mr. Fairfield served as Chief Restructuring Officer of Rhino Resource Partners LP (“Rhino”), an energy company, from May 2020 through the effective date of the plan of liquidation in Rhino’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2021 and as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of managers of Journey Group Acquisition Co., LLC, a death care services company, from October 2018 to December 2023. Mr. Fairfield served as a member of the board of managers of Casablanca Holdings GP LLC, a holding company for Apple Leisure Group, a hospitality and travel services company, from May 2020 to December 2020 and has been a member of the board of managers of Family Services Holdings, LLC, a death care services company, since June 2021. Prior to starting Cambio, Mr. Fairfield served as chief operating officer of WMIH Corp. from May 2015 to July 2018 and as a director from May 2015 to June 2017. WMIH Corp., which is now known as Mr. Cooper Group Inc. (NASDAQ: COOP), focused on identifying and consummating an accretive acquisition transaction across a broad array of industries, with a primary focus on the financial institutions sector. During his tenure at WMIH Corp., Mr. Fairfield was involved in leading the company’s efforts to acquire Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc. which provides quality servicing, origination and transaction-based services related principally to single-family residences throughout the United States. Prior to joining WMIH Corp., from March 2006 to May 2015, Mr. Fairfield held various officer positions with Capmark Financial Group Inc. (“Capmark”), a commercial real estate finance and services company. While at Capmark, he held the positions of chief operating officer, general counsel, secretary, and, most recently, served as executive vice president from November 2014 to May 2015. In addition, Mr. Fairfield served as a director of Capmark from September 2011 to June 2017. He also served as a director of various privately-owned subsidiaries of Capmark from September 2011 to February 2020. During his tenure at Capmark, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2009 and emerged in September 2011. In addition to taking a leading role in guiding Capmark out of bankruptcy, Mr. Fairfield assisted in Capmark’s acquisition of Bluestem Brands, Inc. (“Bluestem”), a company operating multiple direct to consumer multi-channel retail brands offering a broad selection of merchandise and credit options to consumers, after which the company was renamed. From January 2020 to August 2020, he returned to serve on the board of Bluestem, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March 2020. Prior to 2006, Mr. Fairfield practiced law for more than twenty years at several prominent international law firms, where his practice focused on general corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and financial services. He also served as a director and a member of the audit committee of Courtagen Life Sciences Inc., a privately-held company focused on genetic testing from April 2015 to July 2017 and The Cash Store Financial Services Inc., a retail loan products and services provider, from August 2013 to April 2014. Mr. Fairfield has a Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center and a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University. He is admitted to the bar of the states of Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, and the District of Columbia, and is a member of the American Bar Association.
Mats Karlsson has served as our Director of Acquisition since March 2020. Mr. Karlsson is a serial entrepreneur from Sweden with more than 25 years of management experience and a number of successful investments and exits. Mr. Karlsson is the owner and has been the chief executive officer of Vendere AB, a family office, since January 2005. From August 2012 to February 2019, he was the chief executive officer and a board member of Wattguard Holding AB, a university spin-off that later became a portfolio company of the Swedish Energy Agency. Wattguard Holdling AB was liquidated in an orderly manner pursuant to a voluntary bankruptcy petition filed with the relevant governmental authority in Sweden on February 28, 2019. The bankruptcy liquidator/trustee completed the administration of the bankruptcy and liquidation proceedings for Wattguard Holding AB on December 16, 2019. He served as the chief marketing officer of IT Assign AB from August 2001 to April 2002, and as the chief executive officer of Bluewave AB, both of which companies were Swedish subsidiaries of Maersk Data, AP Möller, a large Danish business conglomerate with activities in the transport, logistics and energy sectors. After helping to lead Maersk’s sale of Maersk Data to the International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) in 2004, Mr. Karlsson became the chief marketing officer and co-owner of Tactel, a mobile technology software development company that was later sold in 2009 to private equity fund FSN Capital III. Mr. Karlsson received his Executive MBA from M-Gruppen.
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Alexander “Bigge” Lidgren has served as our Director of Marketing since March 2020. Mr. Lidgren, is a serial entrepreneur from Sweden with a strong track record also of investing. Since February 2023 Mr. Lidgren has been a director of Cleantech for Nordics, a coalition of Nordic investors seeking to engage policymakers in efforts to advance cleantech innovation and growth in the Nordic region. Since December 2020 Mr. Lidgren has been a member of the board of Almi Invest Greenetch AB which is the greentech arm of Almi Invest, a Swedish Venture Capital company. Mr. Lidgren most recently was a managing director of Loudspring Oyj (HSLE: LOUD), a publicly-listed venture capital accelerator. During his tenure at Loudspring, the company invested into, among others, Plugsurfing GmbH, an electric car charging network aggregator. Plugsurfing was later acquired by Fortum Oyj in 2018, and delivered a favorable return on investment. Mr. Lidgren also managed the partial sales of Loudspring’s investment into Enersize Oyj (OM: ENERS), a Finnish industrial energy efficiency firm. Prior to Loudspring, he was a portfolio manager from 2012 to 2014 at the Swedish Energy Agency. Before his time at the SEA, Mr. Lidgren was a co-founder and managing director of an investor membership network, Cleantech Scandinavia, from 2006 to 2012, where he sourced more than 700 investments within the Nordic cleantech industry on behalf of more than 100 global venture capital investors. In 2004, Mr. Lidgren co-founded Bokks AB, a digital signage systems company, which was later sold to MultiQ International AB in 2007. Mr. Lidgren received a Bachelor of Science in Business administration in 1997 and a Master of Science in Environmental Management and Policy from Lund University in 2005.
Christian Merheim has served as our Director of Technology since March 2020. Mr. Merheim has a broad and extensive experience in FinTech, technology, communications, and business development. Mr. Merheim started his career in the technology industry, founding a number of high-tech start-ups covering video over IP (Bokks AB), parallel computing (Mitrionics AB), and advanced image processing (Westpot AB). Mr. Merheim has been serving on the board of Enersize Oyj from July 2016 to December 2019, where he managed the IPO of Enersize Oyj, a Finnish industrial energy efficiency firm using IoT. He has been the co-owner of Grimer Holding AB since April 2015 and a board member of Troberg Trading Heavy Equipment AB since January 2015. He was a deputy board member of Airdev AB, a subsidiary of Enersize Qyj, from December 2018 to September 2019. He was the chairman of the board of Enersize Advanced Research AB, a subsidiary of Enersize Qyj, from November 2017 to April 2019. He also served as a board member of Nuuka Oyj from June 2017 to July 2018. Since 2015 he has served as a consultant in technology development, financing and business development for various start-up and growth companies. He entered into FinTech and blockchain technology in 2012 when he co-founded Cryex Group AB and raised a seed financing for the company. He was the chief strategy officer of Cryex Group AB from January to June 2015. Mr. Merheim’s work at Cryex involved preparation of regulatory filings for PSD payments and MIFID settlement permits with SWE-FSA as well as designing integration with international legacy banking systems such as SWIFT and SEPA. Mr. Merheim received his M.Sc in Engineering from Lund University in 1998.
Anna Yukiko Bickenbach has served as our Director since inception. Ms. Bickenbach has a wide network within the German tech and FinTech community which will bring in deal flow opportunities through the main German tech hubs as well as directly from her network of German and international tech entrepreneurs and investors. Ms. Bickenbach served as Field Marketing Manager at Planet Labs Inc., a satellite data and insight provider with the world’s largest fleet of earth image satellites (currently merging with NYSE:DMYQ) from September 2021 and currently serves as Regional & Partner Marketing Manager. She has previously been serving as the event and program manager for the “Worldchangers in Tech” and “Proptech Innovation Summit” at the GERMANTECH Foundation from October 2019 to September 2021. From February 2012 to August 2019, she worked as an impact manager for Mobile Economy GmbH, one of Europe’s leading green innovation network for investors, entrepreneurs and large corporations. From May 2018 to May 2019 she was also the marketing project manager for Avesu GmbH, a producer of vegan shoes where she has coordinated their European market strategy as well as facilitate partnership networks, including partners such as Peta, BKK-BVita, Provita. She was also country manager for fast growing foodtech start-up ResQ Club Oy during their German market introduction from July 2016 to January 2017. In 2013 she co-founded Ecotastic GmbH and was its chief sales and brand officer until February 2016, the company behind the eco loyalty reward Ecotastic mobile app. Between 2009 to 2011, she worked for the assisting chair of the agricultural economics faculty and the assisting chair in economics of horticultural production at Humboldt Univerität. From 2009 to 2010, she acted as an editor for Öko-Institute e.V, Institute for Applied Ecology with publications in 2010 in the areas of impact evaluation and climate change at Copenhagen Talks 2010. She earned a double bachelor’s degree in political science and in international studies with a minor in German from the University of Washington, Seattle, in 2008. She also has a master’s degree in Integrated Natural Resource Management from the Humboldt Univerität in Berlin in 2011. Ms. Bickenbach is well qualified to serve as a director due to her entrepreneurship and extensive experience in a wide range of European tech sectors.
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Anders Norlin has served as our Director since inception. Mr. Norlin is currently head of the Nordics & Baltics operations of Tenity, a global innovation ecosystem and early-stage investor focused on Fintech. In addition to his role at Tenity, Mr. Norlin serves as a senior adviser to early-stage Nordic tech and Fintech companies. Mr. Norlin was the chief executive officer of a Swedish FinTech hub, Findec from April 2019 to August 2021. Mr. Norlin is currently advising Nordic tech and fintech scale-ups as a senior advisor. Findec is a membership organization for FinTech growth companies and arranges accelerator and growth programs, networking events, and facilitates collaborations within the Nordic FinTech, regtech, insuretech and blockchain industries. The organization works in partnership with, among others, Nordea and PricewaterhouseCoopers (“PwC”), as well as other international FinTech hubs. Through his work and position within the FinTech industry, Mr. Norlin has an extensive network with FinTech investors, entrepreneurs, and companies as well as with legacy financial institutions through which the company with be able to access deal flow opportunities. From August 2017 to August 2019, Mr. Norlin was a partner of Embassy House, a co-working space housing 70 companies focused on FinTech, property technology (“proptech”), Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”), gaming and blockchain technology. Mr. Norlin has been a partner at Coach & Capital, a venture capital fund with a focus on cleantech and information and communications technologies (ICT) since January 2008. Between January 2013 and December 2016, Mr. Norlin served as an investment manager at Frame Invest, a private equity investor with a focus on B2B companies primarily within IT. From January 2002 to December 2007, Mr. Norlin served as investment manager at Traction, a Swedish private equity investment company listed on the Nasdaq Stockholm. In his role as investment manager at Traction, he served as a member of the board at several portfolio companies. Mr. Norlin holds a master of science in industrial management & mechanical engineering from Chalmers University of Technology and a degree in advanced marketing communication from Berghs School of Communication. Our management team believes that Mr. Norlin is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive experience within private equity technology investments as well as his deep knowledge of, and central position within, Nordic FinTech.
Fredrik Elmberg has served as one of our directors since February 2022. Since 2009 he owns and operates, Lejonet Invest GMBH, his own German based Investment company with investments in food&beverage, Sport-Tech, consumer goods and entertainment. Mr. Elmberg co-founded Boda Borg Germany in 2022 and has been serving as its CEO until March 2024. From September 2016 to 2022, he served as a board member in Snow making equipment manufacturer SnowHow GMBH. From December 2014 until its sale in September 2019, he was chairman of the board in consumer loyalty program provider Ventum GMBH. From January 2014, he has been board member of European Convenience food GMBH providing deep frozen snacks. From August 2013 until its sale in May 2015 he was chairman of the board of water purification company, Aquavital GMBH. From April 2015 to 2017 he has been board member in CoXa Carry, a sports utility company. From July 2009 he has been Chairman of Boda Borg Europe AB and board member of Boda Borg Corp., and since Nov 2018 board member of Boda Borg Zürich AG. Boda Borg is an international group of owned and franchise based experience centers. From March 2008 he has been chairman of the board Ängeln premium Products GMBH, a frozen delicacy provider on the German market, until the company was sold in Feb 2022. All the companies above are portfolio holdings of his own investment company Lejonet Invest GMBH. From 2010 to its sale in 2013 he was board member in leading German roller shutter and doors manufacturer Alukon GMBH. From 2010 to its sale to Sulzer AG in 2012, he was board member of Geka Brush GMBH, a cosmetic brush manufacturer, and from 2007 to its sale to in 2010 he was board member in Lysell GMBH & Co, KG, a German chilled food producer. From 2003 to 2007 he was CEO and co-owner of home automation company Rademacher Geräte which was successfully divested to Nord Holding Group. From 2001 to 2003 he acted as Senior partner for private Equity fund Arcadia. From 1997 to 2001 he was CEO of Swiss Chocolate maker Lindt & Sprüngli (SWX:LISN) in Austria and part of Eastern Europe. From 1994 to 1997 he was CEO for Mövenpick Global Branded Consumer Goods. Mr. Elmberg received a diploma in International Business Administration from Lund University in 1985 and was awarded a MBA with three major scholarships from Harvard Business School in June 1987. Mr. Elmberg is well qualified to serve as a director due to his extensive experience from company management as well as his experience from investments and acquisitions.
Steven M. Wasserman has served as one of our directors since February 2022. Mr. Wasserman has been a principal in MSP Sports Capital, LP., an investment fund specializing in professional sports businesses, since 2019. He served as Vice Chairman of The Roosevelt Investment Group, Inc. an investment advisory firm, from 2018 to 2021 and was previously Chief Executive Officer of Seaport Investment Management, LLC, an investment management firm, from 2014 to 2018 and helped Seaport develop new investment strategies during his tenure. Since 2017, Mr. Wasserman has been a senior advisor to a New York based hedge fund with respect to special situations/credit opportunity investments and has also been an advisor to BlockWorks Group, LLC, a blockchain/cryptocurrency communications company. From 2011 to 2014 he was Senior Managing Director of the Beige Group, LLC, a family office where he was responsible for identifying, analyzing and executing investment opportunities. Mr. Wasserman has been an advisor to our company since 2019 and previously was Chief Executive Officer of Alpha Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company, from 2008 to 2010. He has also served as an advisor to various other special purpose acquisition companies including, but not limited to, Energy Infrastructure Acquisition Corp., Seanergy Acquisition Corp., and Starbulk Acquisition Corp. From 2004 to 2008, Mr. Wasserman also served as the managing partner of AMT Ventures LLC, an entity primarily engaged in public and private equity and debt investments on a principal basis. During his tenure AMT portfolio investments included: Ktech Corporation, a provider of technical support services, scientific and engineering services and management expertise to a variety of government defense and industry clients; Nanodetex Corporation, a leader in lab-on-chip (LOC) platform technologies for gas phase chemical analysis and explosive detection; Agent Science Technologies Incorporated, a provider of neural information management software solutions to the defense industry; and Link One, LLC, a technology transfer advisory group to Los Alamos National Laboratory. Mr. Wasserman is also a licensed attorney.
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Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
We currently have five directors. Our board of directors is divided into two classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a two-year term. In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Anders Norlin and Anna Yukiko Bickenbach, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Jonas Olsson, Fredrik Elmberg and Steven Wasserman, will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our bylaws as it deems appropriate. Our bylaws provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries and such other officers as may be determined by the board of directors.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors has two standing committees: an audit committee and a compensation committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and Nasdaq rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. Fredrik Elmberg, Anders Norlin and Steven Wasserman serve as members of our audit committee, and Fredrik Elmberg chairs the audit committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Fredrik Elmberg, Anders Norlin and Steven Wasserman meets the independent director standard under Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Fredrick Elmberg qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules.
We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
| ● | the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
| ● | pre-approving all audit and permitted non-audit services to be provided by the independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; |
| ● | setting clear hiring policies for employees or former employees of the independent registered public accounting firm, including but not limited to, as required by applicable laws and regulations; |
| ● | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; |
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| ● | obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (i) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures, (ii) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues and (iii) all relationships between the independent registered public accounting firm and us to assess the independent registered public accounting firm’s independence; |
| ● | reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
| ● | reviewing with management, the independent registered public accounting firm, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
We have established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Fredrik Elmberg, Steven Wasserman and Anna Yukiko Bickenbach serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Fredrik Elmberg, Steven Wasserman and Anna Yukiko Bickenbach are independent and Fredrik Elmberg chairs the compensation committee.
We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
| ● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation, if any is paid by us, evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluations; |
| ● | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the compensation, if any is paid by us, of all of our other officers; |
| ● | reviewing on an annual basis our executive compensation policies and plans; |
| ● | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
| ● | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
| ● | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
| ● | if required, producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
| ● | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, other than the payment to our sponsor of $10,000 per month for administrative support services and reimbursement of expenses, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that, prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.
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Director Nominations
We do not have a standing nominating committee though we intend to form a corporate governance and nominating committee as and when required to do so by law or Nasdaq rules. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, a majority of the independent directors may recommend a director nominee for selection by the board of directors. The board of directors believes that the independent directors can satisfactorily carry out the responsibility of properly selecting or approving director nominees without the formation of a standing nominating committee. The directors who will participate in the consideration and recommendation of director nominees are Fredrik Elmberg, Anders Norlin, Anna Yukiko Bickenbach and Steven Wasserman. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, all such directors are independent. As there is no standing nominating committee, we do not have a nominating committee charter in place.
The board of directors will also consider director candidates recommended for nomination by our stockholders during such times as they are seeking proposed nominees to stand for election at the next annual meeting of stockholders (or, if applicable, a special meeting of stockholders). Our stockholders that wish to nominate a director for election to our board of directors should follow the procedures set forth in our bylaws.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more officers serving on our board of directors.
Code of Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We have filed a copy of our Code of Ethics and our audit and compensation committee charters as exhibits to the Registration Statement. You can review these documents by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided without charge upon request from us. We intend to disclose any amendments to or waivers of certain provisions of our Code of Ethics in a Current Report on Form 8-K.
Compliance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our executive officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock and other equity securities. These executive officers, directors, and greater than 10% beneficial owners are required by SEC regulation to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms filed by such reporting persons. Based solely on our review of such forms furnished to us and written representations from certain reporting persons, we believe that during the year ended December 31, 2023, all reports applicable to our executive officers, directors and greater than 10% beneficial owners were filed in a timely manner in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.
Item 11. Executive Compensation.
None of our officers has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. We pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for administrative support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. No compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, advisory fee, reimbursement or consulting fee, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. Our audit committee reviews on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
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We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of February 29, 2024 based on information obtained from the persons named below, with respect to the beneficial ownership of common stock, by:
| ● | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding common stock; |
| ● | each of our executive officers and directors that beneficially owns our common stock; and |
| ● | all our executive officers and directors as a group. |
In the table below, percentage ownership is based on 10,276,272 shares of our common stock, consisting of (i) 4,526,272 shares of our Class A common stock and (ii) 5,750,000 shares of our Class B common stock, issued and outstanding as of February 29, 2024. On all matters to be voted upon, holders of the shares of Class A common stock and shares of Class B common stock vote together as a single class. Currently, all of the shares of Class B common stock are convertible into Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis.
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them.
| Class A Common Stock | Class B Common Stock | Approximate | ||||||||||||||||||
| Name and Address of Beneficial Owner (1) | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | Approximate Percentage of Class | Number of Shares Beneficially Owned | Approximate Percentage of Class | Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock | |||||||||||||||
| Water by Nordic AB (2) | 470,000 | 10.4 | % | 2,273,743 | 39.5 | % | 26.7 | % | ||||||||||||
| byNordic Holdings LLC | 275,000 | 6.1 | % | 1,267,912 | 22.1 | % | 15.0 | % | ||||||||||||
| byNordic Holdings II LLC | 195,000 | 4.3 | % | 899,065 | 15.6 | % | 10.6 | % | ||||||||||||
| Jonas Olsson (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Michael Hermansson (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Christian Merheim (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Mats Karlsson (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Alexander “Bigge” Lidgren (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Anders Norlin (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Fredrik Elmberg (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Anna Yukiko Bickenbach (3) | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| Thomas Fairfield | - | - | 66,729 | 1.2 | % | 0.7 | % | |||||||||||||
| Steven Wasserman | - | - | 133,460 | 2.3 | % | 1.3 | % | |||||||||||||
| All executive officers and directors as a group (10 individuals) | - | - | 200,189 | 3.5 | % | 2.0 | % | |||||||||||||
| Other 5% Stockholders | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Periscope Capital Inc. (4) | 300,000 | 6.6 | % | - | - | 2.9 | % | |||||||||||||
| Rivernorth Capital Management, LLC (5) | 742,500 | 16.39 | % | - | - | 7.2 | % | |||||||||||||
| Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (6) | 316,000 | 6.98 | % | - | - | 3.1 | % | |||||||||||||
| (1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following entities or individuals is c/o Pir 29, Einar Hansens Esplanad 29, 211 13 Malmö, Sweden. |
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| (2) | Includes shares for which our sponsor is the record holder together with shares held of record by byNordic Holdings, which our sponsor may be deemed to beneficially own as the sole member of byNordic Manager LLC, the manager of byNordic Holdings together with shares held of record by byNordic Holdings II, which our sponsor may be deemed to beneficially own as the sole member of byNordic Manager LLC, the manager of byNordic Holdings II. Each of Jonas Olsson, Michael Hermansson, Mats Karlsson and Joachim Cato are the managing members of our sponsor, and as such, each have voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held of record by our sponsor and may be deemed to have shared beneficial ownership of the common stock held directly by our sponsor. Each such person disclaims any beneficial ownership of the reported shares other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest they may have therein, directly or indirectly. |
| (3) | Each of these individuals holds a direct or indirect interest in our sponsor. Each such person disclaims any beneficial ownership of the reported shares other than to the extent of any pecuniary interest they may have therein, directly or indirectly. |
| (4) | According to a Schedule 13G filed on February 9, 2024, Periscope Capital Inc., which is the beneficial owner of 133,200 shares of Common Stock, acts as investment manager of, and exercises investment discretion with respect to, certain private investment funds that collectively directly own 166,800 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting person is 333 Bay Street, Suite 1240, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5H 2R2. |
| (5) | According to a Schedule 13G filed on February 14, 2024, RiverNorth Capital Management, LLC is the beneficial owner of 742,500 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting person is 360 S. Rosemary Avenue, Ste. 1420, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401. |
| (6) | According to a Schedule 13G filed on February 13, 2024, Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. is the beneficial owner of 316,000 shares of Class A common stock. The business address for the reporting person is 1–5–5, Otemachi, Chiyoda–ku, Tokyo 100–8176, Japan. |
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans
None.
Changes in Control
None.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.
In February 2020, our sponsor paid an aggregate of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share, to cover certain of our offering costs in consideration of 2,875,000 founder shares. In February 2021, we effected a stock dividend of 0.5 shares for each share of Class B common stock outstanding, resulting in our sponsor holding an aggregate of 4,312,500 founder shares (up to an aggregate of 562,500 of which were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised). On November 17, 2021, we effected a stock dividend of 1/3 of a share for each share of Class B common stock outstanding, resulting in our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and certain of our executive officers and directors holding an aggregate of 5,750,000 Founder Shares. Simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, byNordic Holdings forfeited 899,065 founder shares, and byNordic Holdings II purchased 899,065 founder shares from us, at a purchase price of approximately $0.0043 per share. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, we had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the aggregate number of founder shares issued. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the founder shares would represent 25% of the outstanding shares after our initial public offering (including in such calculation any forward purchase shares issued pursuant to the forward purchase agreement but excluding from such calculation the private shares, any shares of Class A common stock issued to our sponsor or its affiliates upon the conversion of working capital loans, any securities issued or issuable to any seller in an initial business combination and any shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants (referred to herein as the excluded shares)). As such, our initial stockholders collectively owned 25% of our issued and outstanding shares after our initial public offering through ownership of the founder shares (assuming they did not purchase any units in our initial public offering and including in such calculation any forward purchase shares issued pursuant to the forward purchase agreement but excluding from such calculation the excluded shares). Up to 750,000 founder shares were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment option was exercised so that our initial stockholders will maintain ownership of 25% of our common stock (including in such calculation any forward purchase shares issued pursuant to the forward purchase agreement but excluding from such calculation the excluded shares). The founder shares (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder. Our initial stockholders collectively own approximately 23.3% of our common stock after giving effect to our initial public offering on February 11, 2022 and the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option in full on February 18, 2022, in each case through ownership of the founder shares and private shares (assuming they did not purchase any units in our initial public offering and including in such calculation the private shares and any forward purchase shares issued pursuant to the forward purchase agreement but excluding from such calculation the excluded shares other than the private shares). As a result of the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, none of the 5,750,000 outstanding founder shares are subject to forfeiture.
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The anchor investors (none of which are affiliated with any member of our management team, our sponsor or any other anchor investor) purchased approximately $146.4 million of the units which was approximately 84.9% of the units in our initial public offering at the public offering price after giving effect to the exercise by the underwriters in full of the over-allotment option. Further, the anchor investors entered into a separate letter agreement with us and our sponsor and byNordic Holdings pursuant to which, the anchor investors purchased, simultaneously with the completion of our initial public offering on February 11, 2022, an aggregate of 1,109,091 founder shares held by our sponsor and byNordic Holdings on a pro rata basis according to the number of founder shares held by each of our sponsor (after deducting certain shares held for the benefit of officers and directors) and byNordic Holdings (or, in the alternative, our sponsor and byNordic Holdings forfeited the relevant number of founder shares to us in order for us to issue the same number of founder shares to the anchor investor). The negotiations between us, our sponsor and byNordic Holdings and each anchor investor were separate and there are no arrangements or understandings among the anchor investors with regard to voting, including voting with respect to our initial business combination other than with respect to the voting of their founder shares as described below.
Rothesay, which is a member of our sponsor, has agreed, pursuant to a forward purchase agreement entered into with us, to purchase up to 1,000,000 forward purchase shares at $10.00 per share for gross proceeds up to $10,000,000 in a private placement that will occur concurrently with the consummation of our initial business combination. Rothesay’s purchase of forward purchase shares pursuant to the forward purchase agreement will be subject to the approval of Rothesay’s investment committee or other committee with decision-making authority to purchase the number of forward purchase shares approved by such committee and the other closing conditions set forth in the forward purchase agreement. Rothesay has the right to transfer all or a portion of its rights and obligation to purchase the forward purchase shares to forward transferees, subject to compliance with applicable securities laws. Any such forward transferee will be subject to the same terms and conditions under the forward purchase agreement. The forward purchase shares will be identical to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the units being sold in our initial public offering, except that they will be subject to certain registration rights and transfer restrictions. The funds from the sale of the forward purchase shares will be used as part of the consideration to the sellers in the initial business combination and any excess funds will be used for working capital in the post-transaction company. This commitment is independent of the percentage of stockholders electing to redeem their public shares and is intended to provide us with a minimum funding level for the initial business combination.
On February 11, 2022, our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II purchased, pursuant to their respective securities purchase agreements entered into with us, 850,000 private shares in the aggregate at $10.00 per share for gross proceeds of $8,500,000 in the aggregate in a private placement that occurred concurrently with the consummation of our initial public offering. On February 18, 2022, in connection with the exercise by the underwriters of the over-allotment option in full in the initial public offering of the units, we completed the private sale of an additional 90,000 shares of Class A common stock to our sponsor, byNordic Holdings and byNordic Holdings II at a purchase price of $10.00 per private share, generating an additional $900,000 of gross proceeds. The proceeds from the sale of the private shares were added to the net proceeds from the closing of our initial public offering to the extent necessary to be held in the trust account. The holders of the private shares will not have any right to amounts held in the trust account as holders of the private shares. The private shares may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
If any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.
We pay our sponsor a total of $10,000 per month for administrative support services. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
39
Other than the foregoing, no compensation of any kind, including any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee or monies in respect of any payment of a loan, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any affiliate of our sponsor or officers, prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. We do not have a policy that prohibits our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, from negotiating for the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses by a target business. Our audit committee reviews on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.
A portion of the offering expenses have been paid from the proceeds of loans from our sponsor of up to $500,000 as described in the Registration Statement. As of December 31, 2021, we had borrowed $443,094 under the promissory note evidencing the loans, which have been applied to pay a portion of the expenses of our initial public offering. The promissory note was repaid in full upon the closing of our initial public offering.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds on a non-interest bearing basis as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of our Class A common stock at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
We have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our officers and directors a form of which was filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. These agreements require us to indemnify these individuals to the fullest extent permitted under Delaware law against liabilities that may arise by reason of their service to us, and to advance expenses incurred as a result of any proceeding against them as to which they could be indemnified.
We have entered into registration rights agreements with respect to the founder shares, the private shares, the shares of our Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any), the forward purchase shares and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the foregoing and upon conversion of the founder shares.
On May 8, 2023, the Company announced that its Board of Directors elected to extend the date by which the Company has to consummate a Business Combination from May 11, 2023 to August 11, 2023 (the “Initial Extension”) and the Company’s sponsor subsequently deposited $1,725,000 to the Trust Account with respect to the Initial Extension. On May 9, 2023, the Company issued a convertible promissory note to the sponsor for $1,725,000 in connection with the sponsor’s funding of the Initial Extension (the “Initial Extension Loan”), and on May 12, 2023, the Company issued a convertible promissory note to the sponsor for $775,000 in connection with the sponsor’s funding of the Company’s working capital needs (the “Initial Working Capital Loan”). If the Company completes a business Combination, the Company would expect to repay the Initial Extension Loan and the Initial Working Capital Loan from funds that are released to the Company from the Trust Account or, at the option of the sponsor, convert all or a portion of the Initial Extension Loan and the Initial Working Capital Loan into Private Shares at a price of $10.00 per Private Share, which Private Shares will be identical to the Private Shares described herein. If the Company does not complete a business combination, the Company will repay the Initial Extension Loan and the Initial Working Capital Loan only from funds held outside of the Trust Account.
40
At a special meeting on August 10, 2023, the stockholders of the Company approved amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) to eliminate the requirement that the Company retain at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets following the redemption of Public Shares in connection with a Business Combination, and (ii) to extend the Combination Period from August 11, 2023 to February 12, 2024, or such earlier date as determined by the Company’s board of directors, in its sole discretion, and to allow the Company by resolution of the board without another stockholder vote, to elect to extend the Combination Period by one additional month, for a total of six additional months, until August 12, 2024, unless the closing of a Business Combination shall have occurred prior thereto. In connection with the amendments to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company notified stockholders that the Company’s sponsor funded a deposit of $625,000 into the Trust Account and that the Company will only exercise any monthly extension after February 12, 2024 if the sponsor or one of its affiliates or designees deposits into the Trust Account the lesser of $105,000 or $0.04 per outstanding Public Share with respect to each such extension. The Company issued to the Sponsor a convertible promissory note in the amount of $625,000 in connection with the sponsor’s funding of the $625,000 extension deposit (the “Additional Extension Loan”). On August 10, 2023 the Company issued a convertible promissory note in the principal amount of $710,000 to the sponsor to provide the Company with additional working capital, of which $110,000 was funded on August 10, 2023 and $600,000 is available for future borrowings (the “Additional Working Capital Loan”).
Additionally, on December 15, 2023, the Company issued a promissory note in the principal amount of $1,700,000 (the “December Note”) to DDM Debt AB (the “Lender”), an affiliate of the sponsor. The proceeds of the Note will be used to provide the Company with general working capital. In February 2024 the Company’s board of directors elected to exercise a one-month extension of the Combination Period to March 12, 2024 and $105,000 was deposited in the Trust Account in connection with such extension. In March 2024 the Company’s board of directors elected to exercise a second one-month extension of the Combination Period to April 12, 2024 and $105,000 was deposited in the Trust Account in connection with such extension.
If the Company completes a business combination, the Company would expect to repay the Additional Extension Loan, the Additional Working Capital Loan and the December Note from funds that are released to the Company from the Trust Account, or at the option of the sponsor, convert all or a portion of the Additional Extension Loan and the Additional Working Capital Loan and up to $1,500,000 of the Initial Working Capital Loan into Private Shares at a price of $10.00 per Private Share, which Private Shares will be identical to the Private Shares described above. If the Company does not complete a business combination, the Company will repay these sponsor loans only from funds held outside of the Trust Account.
Related Party Policy
We have adopted a code of ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our code of ethics, conflict of interest situations include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company. A form of the code of ethics was filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to a written charter, is responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present is required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee constitutes a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee is required to approve a related party transaction. A form of the audit committee charter was filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.
41
These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.
To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed, in a letter agreement, not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II or our officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from independent investment banking firm or from another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Furthermore, no finder’s fees, reimbursements, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate, the consummation of our initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is). However, the following payments have been or will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of our initial public offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:
| ● | Repayment of up to an aggregate of up to $500,000 in loans made to us by our sponsor to cover offering-related and organizational expenses; |
| ● | Payment to our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for up to 15 months plus the three-month extension period if applicable plus any additional extension period, for administrative support services; |
| ● | Reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial business combination; and |
| ● | Repayment of non-interest bearing loans which may be made by our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into shares of our Class A common stock, at a price of $10.00 per share at the option of the lender. |
Our audit committee reviews on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.
Director Independence
Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our board of directors has determined that Anders Norlin, Anna Yukiko Bickenbach, Fredrik Elmberg and Steven Wasserman are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services.
The following is a summary of fees paid or to be paid to Marcum, for services rendered.
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees for professional services rendered for the audit of our year-end financial statements and services that are normally provided by Marcum in connection with regulatory filings. The aggregate fees billed by Marcum for professional services rendered for the audit of our annual financial statements totaled approximately $136,475 and $102,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. The above amounts include interim procedures and audit fees, as well as attendance at audit committee meetings.
Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related fees consist of fees billed for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. During the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, we did not incur any audit-related fees payable to Marcum.
Tax Fees. We paid Marcum $13,854 and $9,909, for tax services, planning or advice for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
All Other Fees. We did not pay Marcum for any other services for the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the pricing of our initial public offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
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PART IV
Item 15. Exhibit and Financial Statement Schedules.
| (a) | The following documents are filed as part of this Form 10-K: |
| (1) | Financial Statements |
| Page No. | |
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID Number 688) | F-2 |
| Financial Statements: | |
| Balance Sheets | F-3 |
| Statements of Operations | F-4 |
| Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit | F-5 |
| Statements of Cash Flows | F-6 |
| Notes to Financial Statements | F-7 - F-24 |
| (2) | Financial Statement Schedules |
None.
| (3) | Exhibits |
We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index. Exhibits which are incorporated herein by reference can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such material can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates or on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary.
Not applicable.
43
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
| Page | |
| Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | F-2 |
| Financial Statements: | |
| Balance Sheets | F-3 |
| Statements of Operations | F-4 |
| Statements of Changes in Stockholders’ Deficit | F-5 |
| Statements of Cash Flows | F-6 |
| Notes to Financial Statements | F-7 - F-24 |
F-1
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
byNordic
Acquisition Corporation
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying balance sheets of byNordic Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the related statements of operations, stockholders’ deficit and cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Explanatory Paragraph – Going Concern
The accompanying financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As described in Note 1 to the financial statements, the Company is a Special Purpose Acquisition Corporation that was formed for the purpose of completing a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses on or before August 12, 2024. There is no assurance that the Company will obtain the necessary approvals or raise the additional capital it needs to fund its business operations and complete any business combination prior to August 12, 2024, if at all. The Company also has no approved plan in place to extend the business combination deadline beyond that date and lacks the capital resources needed to fund operations and complete any business combination, even if the deadline to complete a business combination is extended to a later date. These matters raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans with regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that may be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Marcum LLP
Marcum LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2021.
New York, NY
April 2, 2024
F-2
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
BALANCE SHEETS
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Current assets: | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | $ | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| Marketable securities held in Trust Account | ||||||||
| Total assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| Liabilities, Commitments and Contingencies and Stockholders’ Deficit | ||||||||
| Current liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accrued offering costs | ||||||||
| Excise tax payable | ||||||||
| Taxes payable | ||||||||
| Deferred tax liability | ||||||||
| Promissory note – related party | ||||||||
| Due to related party | ||||||||
| Total current liabilities | ||||||||
| Deferred legal fee | ||||||||
| Deferred underwriters’ discount | ||||||||
| Total liabilities | ||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies (Note 6) | ||||||||
| Class A common stock subject to possible redemption, | ||||||||
| Stockholders’ Deficit | ||||||||
| Preferred stock, $ | ||||||||
| Class A common stock, $ | ||||||||
| Class B common stock, $ | ||||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | ||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Total stockholders’ deficit | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Total Liabilities, Commitments and Contingencies and Stockholders’ Deficit | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-3
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| General and administrative support fees | $ | $ | ||||||
| Franchise taxes | ||||||||
| Insurance | ||||||||
| Listing and filing fees | ||||||||
| Other operating costs | ||||||||
| Total loss from operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Other income: | ||||||||
| Refund of income tax penalty | ||||||||
| Interest earned on investments held in Trust Account and cash | ||||||||
| Income before provision for income taxes | ||||||||
| Provision for income taxes | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Net income | $ | $ | ||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
| $ | $ | |||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-4
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022
| Class A Common Stock | Class B Common Stock | Additional Paid-in | Accumulated | Total Stockholders’ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Deficit | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance as of December 31, 2021 | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Proceeds allocated to public warrants | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of private placement shares | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Excess of fair value of anchor investor | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sale of Class B founder shares | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Offering costs allocated to public warrants and private placement shares | — | — | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Remeasurement of redeemable shares under ASC 480-10-S99 | — | — | ( | ) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Reclassification adjustment | — | — | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance – December 31, 2022 | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Remeasurement of redeemable shares under ASC 480-10-S99 | — | — | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Excise tax payable attributable to redemption of common stock | — | — | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance – December 31, 2023 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements.
F-5
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Cash Flows from Operating Activities: | ||||||||
| Net income | $ | $ | ||||||
| Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
| Unrealized loss (gain) on marketable securities held in Trust Account | ( | ) | ||||||
| Interest earned on cash and marketable securities held in Trust Account | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred taxes | ( | ) | ||||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | ( | ) | ||||||
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | ( | ) | ||||||
| Taxes payable | ( | ) | ||||||
| Due to related party | ||||||||
| Net cash used in operating activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Cash Flows from Investing Activities: | ||||||||
| Withdrawal from Trust Account | ||||||||
| Cash withdrawn from Trust Account in connection with redemptions | ||||||||
| Investment of cash in Trust Account | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | ( | ) | ||||||
| Cash Flows from Financing Activities: | ||||||||
| Redemption of Common Stock | ( | ) | ||||||
| Proceeds from initial public offering, net of cost | ||||||||
| Proceeds from private placement | ||||||||
| Proceeds from sale of common stock to initial stockholders | ||||||||
| Proceeds from promissory note – related party | ||||||||
| Payment of promissory note to related party | ( | ) | ||||||
| Payment of offering costs | ( | ) | ||||||
| Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities | ( | ) | ||||||
| Net Change in Cash | ||||||||
| Cash – Beginning of year | ||||||||
| Cash – End of year | $ | $ | ||||||
| Non-Cash investing and financing activities: | ||||||||
| Deferred underwriting commission | $ | $ | ||||||
| Remeasurement of Class A common stock subject to redemption | $ | $ | ||||||
| Other offering costs in temporary equity | $ | $ | ||||||
| Deferred offering costs charged to Additional paid-in capital | $ | $ | ||||||
| Deferred legal fee | $ | $ | ||||||
| Excess fair value of anchor investor | $ | $ | ||||||
| Payment of federal income taxes | $ | $ | ||||||
| Excise tax payable | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of the financial statements
F-6
NOTE 1. DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION AND BUSINESS OPERATIONS
byNordic Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) was incorporated in Delaware on December 27, 2019. The Company was formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).
The Company is not limited to a particular industry or sector for purposes of consummating a Business Combination. The Company is an early stage and emerging growth company and, as such, the Company is subject to all of the risks associated with early stage and emerging growth companies.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from December 27, 2019 (inception) through December 31, 2023, relates to the Company’s formation, the Initial Public Offering (as defined below), and subsequent to the Initial Public Offering, identifying a target company for a Business Combination. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering (as defined below).
The registration statement for the Company’s
IPO was declared effective on February 8, 2022 (the “Effective Date”). On February 11, 2022, the Company consummated its Initial
Public Offering (“IPO”) of
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the
Company completed the sale of
The Company granted the underwriters a
Following the closing of the IPO on February 11,
2022 and the exercise of the over-allotment option, an amount of $
With the full exercise of the over-allotment option,
transaction costs amounted to $
F-7
The Company’s management has broad discretion
with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the IPO and the sale of the Private Shares, although substantially all
of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. The Company must complete its Business
Combination with one or more target companies having an aggregate fair market value of at least
The Company will provide its holders of the outstanding Public Shares
(the “public stockholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of
a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means
of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender
offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion. The public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for
a pro rata portion of the amount then in the Trust Account (initially anticipated to be $
The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company seeks stockholder approval and a majority of the shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination. If a stockholder vote is not required by law and the Company does not decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons, the Company will, pursuant to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”), conduct the redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing a Business Combination. If, however, stockholder approval of the transactions is required by law, or the Company decides to obtain stockholder approval for business or legal reasons, the Company will offer to redeem shares in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to the proxy rules and not pursuant to the tender offer rules. If the Company seeks stockholder approval in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II, officers and directors and certain Anchor Investors (as defined herein) that purchased Founder Shares in connection with the IPO (see Note 6) have agreed to vote their Founder Shares (as defined in Note 5) in favor of approving a Business Combination. Additionally, each public stockholder may elect to redeem their Public Shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction.
Notwithstanding the above, if the Company seeks
stockholder approval of a Business Combination and it does not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, the Amended and
Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other
person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate
of
F-8
Each of the Sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic
Holdings II, and officers and directors of the Company that hold Founder Shares have agreed (a) to waive its redemption rights with respect
to any Founder Shares and Public Shares held by it in connection with the completion of a Business Combination and (b) not to propose
an amendment to the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation
to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s Business Combination or to redeem
The Company had 15 months from the closing of the IPO to complete a
Business Combination as such deadline may be extended for an additional three month period for a total of up to 18 months to complete
a Business Combination if the Company’s Sponsor or any of its affiliates or designees, upon five business days’ advance notice
prior to the date of the deadline for completing the Company’s business combination, paid an additional $
At a special meeting of the Company on August 10, 2023, the stockholders
of the Company approved amendments to the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (i) to eliminate the requirement
that the Company retain at least $
F-9
If the Company completes a Business Combination,
the Company would expect to repay the Additional Extension Loan, the Additional Working Capital Loan and the December Note from funds
that are released to the Company from the Trust Account, or at the option of the Sponsor, convert all or a portion of the Additional Extension
Loan and the Additional Working Capital Loan and up to $
In connection with the amendments to the Company’s
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
Along with the redemptions of the Company’s
Public Shares, the Company recorded a
If the Company is unable to complete a Business
Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly
as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash,
equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and
not previously released to the Company to pay its tax obligations (less up to $
The Sponsor has agreed to waive its liquidation
rights with respect to the Founder Shares if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. However,
if the Sponsor or any of its respective affiliates acquire Public Shares after the IPO, such Public Shares will be entitled to liquidating
distributions from the Trust Account if the Company fails to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period. The underwriters
have agreed to waive their rights to their deferred underwriting commission (see Note 6) held in the Trust Account in the event the Company
does not complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period, and, in such event, such amounts will be included with the other
funds held in the Trust Account that will be available to fund the redemption of the Public Shares. In the event of such distribution,
it is possible that the per share value of the assets remaining available for distribution will be less than the redemption price per
Unit ($
In order to protect the amounts held in the Trust
Account, the Sponsor has agreed to be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or
products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement,
reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below the lesser of (i) $
F-10
Risks and Uncertainties
Recent geopolitical events, including the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war, have had a material adverse effect on financial and business conditions in Europe in a manner that could materially and adversely affect the business and prospects of potential targets for our initial business combination. These circumstances could reduce the number of attractive targets for our initial business combination, increase the cost of our initial business combination and delay or prevent us from completing our initial business combination.
On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched an invasion of Ukraine, and on October 7, 2023, Israel declared war against Hamas. These conflicts have continued to escalate without any resolution foreseeable in the near future with the short and long-term impact on financial and business conditions in Europe remaining highly uncertain. As a result of the invasion of Ukraine, the United States, the European Union, Canada and other countries have imposed sanctions against the Russian Federation contributing to higher inflation and disruptions to supply and distribution chains. The impact of the sanctions also includes disruptions to financial markets, an inability to complete financial or banking transactions, restrictions on travel and an inability to service existing or new customers in a timely manner in the affected areas of Europe. Many multinational corporations have exceeded what is required by the newer and stricter sanctions in reducing or terminating their business ties to the Russian Federation. The Russian Federation could resort to cyberattacks and other action that impact businesses across Europe including those without any direct business ties to the Russian Federation. The continuing geopolitical uncertainty relating to the Israel-Hamas war, terrorist attacks or other hostile acts, civil unrest, including demonstrations and protests, regionally, in Europe or the United States, could cause further damage or disruption to international commerce and the global economy, and thus have a material adverse effect on the business, the cost and availability of capital and prospects of technology companies in northern Europe which are the focus of the Company’s search for a Business Combination. The number of attractive targets for the Company’s Business Combination could be reduced, the cost of a Business Combination may be increased, and the Company could experience a delay of, or inability to complete a Business Combination. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Inflation Reduction Act of 2022
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act
of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal
The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out, and prevent the abuse or avoidance of, the excise tax; however, only limited guidance has been issued to date. On December 27, 2022, the Treasury published Notice 2023-2 as interim guidance until the publication of forthcoming proposed regulations on the excise tax. Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether, and/or to what extent, the excise tax could apply to redemptions of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, including any redemptions in connection with a Business Combination, or in the event the Company does not consummate a Business Combination.
Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the Excise Tax will depend on a number of factors, including (i) whether the redemption is treated as a repurchase of stock for purposes of the Excise Tax, (ii) the fair market value of the redemptions treated as repurchases in connection with a Business Combination, (iii) the structure of a Business Combination and whether any such transaction closes, (iv) the nature and amount of any private investment in public equity (“PIPE”) or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination), (v) whether we consummate a Business Combination, and (vi) the content of regulations and other guidance issued by the Treasury. It is possible that the Company will be subject to the Excise Tax with respect to any subsequent redemptions, including redemptions in connection with the Business Combination, that are treated as repurchases for this purpose (other than, pursuant to recently issued guidance from the Treasury, redemptions in complete liquidation of the Company). As mentioned, the Excise Tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not the stockholders from which stock is repurchased. The imposition of the Excise Tax (including as a result of public stockholders electing to exercise their redemption rights in connection with an Business Combination) could, however, reduce the amount of cash available to the Company to pay redemptions (or the cash contribution to the target business in connection with our Business Combination, which could hinder the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination or cause the other stockholders of the combined company to economically bear the impact of such Excise Tax).
F-11
Liquidity, Capital Resources and Going Concern
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had cash
of $
If the Company completes a Business Combination,
the Company would expect to repay the Extension Loans, the Initial Working Capital Loan, the Additional Working Capital Loan and the December
Note from funds that are released to the Company from the Trust Account or, at the option of the Sponsor, convert all or a portion of
the Extension Loans and the Additional Working Capital Loan and up to $
The Company has until April 12, 2024 (or August 12, 2024 if it elects to extend the business combination period to that date and makes required deposits to the Trust Account) or the end of any further extension period to consummate a business combination beyond August 12, 2024 pursuant to an amendment of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a business combination by August 12, 2024 or such later date to which the business combination period may be extended. If a business combination is not consummated by April 12, 2024 (or August 12, 2024 if the Company elects to extend the business combination period and makes required deposits to the Trust Account) or during any further extension period, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution.
In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosures of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” management has determined that (i) uncertainty with respect to the Company’s ability to obtain the cash needed to fund professional fees and other expenses related to its target search activities, SEC reports, tax returns, Nasdaq listing, trust and stock transfer administration and other business and corporate activities, and trust deposits required for further extensions to the business combination period, and (ii) the mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution, should the Company be unable to complete a business combination by the end of the business combination period, raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after April 12, 2024 or at the end of any further extension period.
F-12
NOTE 2. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying financial statement is presented in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC.
Emerging Growth Company
The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.
Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statement. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject
the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of a cash account in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal
Depository Insurance Coverage of $
Marketable Securities Held in Trust Account
At December 31, 2023, substantially all of the assets held in the Trust Account were held in money market funds which are invested primarily in U.S. Treasury securities. All of the Company’s investments held in the Trust Account are classified as trading securities. Trading securities are presented on the balance sheet at fair value at the end of each reporting period. Gains and losses resulting from the change in fair value of investments held in the Trust Account are included in interest earned on marketable securities held in Trust Account in the accompanying statements of operations. The estimated fair values of investments held in Trust Account are determined using available market information. Fair values of these investments are determined by Level 1 inputs utilizing quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets.
F-13
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all short-term investments
with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company did not have any cash equivalents
as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Company held $
Offering Costs associated with the Initial Public Offering
The Company complies with the requirements of
ASC 340-10-S99-1, SEC Staff Accounting bulletin Topic 5A – “Expenses of Offering”, and SEC Staff Accounting bulletin
Topic 5T – “Accounting for Expenses or Liabilities Paid by Principal Stockholder(s)”. Offering costs consist principally
of professional and registration fees incurred through the balance sheet date that are related to the IPO. Offering costs directly attributable
to the issuance of an equity contract to be classified in equity are recorded as a reduction of equity. Offering costs for equity contracts
that are classified as assets and liabilities are expensed immediately. The Company incurred offering costs amounting to $
Anchor Investors
The Company complies with SAB Topic 5.A to account
for the valuation of the Founder Shares acquired by the Anchor Investors. The Founder Shares purchased by the Anchor Investors represent
a capital contribution for the benefit of the Company and are recorded as offering costs and reflected as a reduction in the proceeds
from the offering and offering expenses in accordance with ASC 470 and Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A. As such, upon sale of the Founder
Shares to the Anchor Investors the valuation of these shares were recognized as a deferred offering cost and charged to temporary equity
and stockholders’ equity. At February 11, 2022, the fair value of the Founder Shares to the Anchor Investors in excess of the amount
paid was $
Stock Based Compensation
The Company complies with ASC 718 Compensation — Stock Compensation regarding Founder Shares acquired by a director and officer of the Company at the same price acquired by the Sponsor. The acquired shares shall vest upon the Company consummating a Business Combination (the “Vesting Date”). If prior to the Vesting Date, the director of officer is removed from office or ceases to be a director or officer, the Company will have the right to repurchase the individual’s Founder Shares at the price paid by the individual. The Founder Shares owned by the director or officer (1) may not be sold or transferred, until six months after the consummation of a Business Combination, (2) not be entitled to redemption from the funds held in the Trust Account, or any liquidating distributions.
The shares were issued on March 31, 2021, and
the shares vest, not upon a fixed date, but upon consummation of a Business Combination. Since the approach in ASC 718 is to determine
the fair value without regard to the vesting date, the Company has determined the valuation of the Class B shares as of March 31, 2021.
The valuation resulted in a fair value of $
F-14
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under the FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheets, primarily due to its short-term nature.
Fair value is defined as the price that would be received for sale of an asset or paid for transfer of a liability, in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. GAAP establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurements). The Company’s financial instruments are classified as either Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3. These tiers include:
| ● | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
| ● | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
| ● | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
Derivative Financial Instruments
The Company evaluates its financial instruments
to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives
and Hedging”. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instruments are initially
recorded at fair value on the grant date and re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statements
of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as
equity is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative assets and liabilities are classified in the balance sheets as current
or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance
sheet date. The Company has determined the warrants to be issued in the IPO meet the requirements for equity classification. The Company
granted the underwriters a 45-day option from February 8, 2022 to purchase up to
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” ASC 740, Income Taxes, requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company’s deferred tax asset had a full valuation allowance recorded against it.
ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.
The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of December 31, 2023 and 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.
The Company has identified the United States as its only “major” tax jurisdiction. The Company is subject to income taxation by major taxing authorities since inception. These examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.
F-15
Net Income per Common Share
The Company has two classes of shares, which are
referred to as Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of stock.
For purposes of computing diluted earnings per share, the weighted-average shares outstanding of common stock reflects the dilutive effect
that could occur if convertible securities or other contracts to issue common stock were converted into or exercised for common stock
as of the beginning of the period in which the conditions were satisfied (or as of the date of the contingent stock agreement, if later).
The calculation of diluted net income per share does not consider the effect of the warrants issued in connection with the IPO or exercise
of over-allotment since the exercise of the warrants would be anti-dilutive. The warrants are exercisable to purchase
| For the Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||||||||||
| Class A | Class B | Class A | Class B | |||||||||||||
| Basic and diluted net income per common share | ||||||||||||||||
| Numerator: | ||||||||||||||||
| Allocation of net income | $ | $ | $ | $ | ||||||||||||
| Denominator: | ||||||||||||||||
| $ | $ | $ | $ | |||||||||||||
Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption
The Company accounts for its shares of Class A Common Stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in FASB ASC Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Shares of Class A Common Stock subject to mandatory redemption (if any) is classified as a liability instrument and is measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable shares of Class A Common Stock (including shares of Class A Common Stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) is classified as temporary equity. At all other times, shares of Class A Common Stock are classified as stockholders’ equity. The Company’s shares of Class A Common Stock feature certain redemption rights that is considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, common stock subject to possible redemption is presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets.
The Company recognizes changes in redemption
value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable common stock to equal the redemption value at the end
of each reporting period. Increases or decreases in the carrying amount of redeemable common stock are affected by charges against
additional paid-in-capital (to the extent available) and accumulated deficit. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company
recorded an increase in the redemption value of $
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption
| Shares | Amount | |||||||
| Allocated proceeds upon IPO | $ | |||||||
| Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants | — | ( | ) | |||||
| Less: | ||||||||
| Common stock issuance costs | — | ( | ) | |||||
| Add: | ||||||||
| Remeasurement adjustment on redeemable common stock | — | |||||||
| December 31, 2022 | ||||||||
| Less: | ||||||||
| Redemptions | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Add: | ||||||||
| Remeasurement adjustment on redeemable common stock | — | |||||||
| December 31, 2023 | $ | |||||||
F-16
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (ASU 2023-09), which requires disclosure of incremental income tax information within the rate reconciliation and expanded disclosures of income taxes paid, among other disclosure requirements. ASU 2023-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Early adoption is permitted. The Company’s management does not believe the adoption of ASU 2023-09 will have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures.
The Company’s management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying financial statements.
NOTE 3. PUBLIC OFFERING
Units
On February 11, 2022, the Company sold
The Company granted the underwriters a 45-day
option to purchase up to
Following the completion of the IPO and the simultaneous
private placement of the Private Shares on the initial closing date that occurred on February 11, 2022 and the underwriters full exercise
of the over-allotment option and the simultaneous private placement of additional Private Shares on February 18, 2022, an amount of $
Warrants
As of December 31, 2023, there were
The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to issue any shares of Class A Common Stock pursuant to such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A Common Stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to the Company satisfying its obligations with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable, and the Company will not be obligated to issue any shares of Class A Common Stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A Common Stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants.
F-17
The Company has agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 days, after the closing of a Business Combination, it will use its best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following the Business Combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. If a registration statement covering the shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of a Business Combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when the Company will have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.
Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may redeem the warrants:
| ● | in whole and not in part; |
| ● | at a price of $ |
| ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder; and |
| ● | if, and only if, the last reported sale price of the Company’s Class A common stock equals or exceeds $ |
If the Company calls the warrants for redemption for cash, management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise the warrants to do so on a “cashless basis,” as described in the warrant agreement. The exercise price and number of shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances including in the event of a stock dividend, or recapitalization, reorganization, merger or consolidation. However, except as described below, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuance of Class A Common Stock at a price below its exercise price. Additionally, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the warrants. If the Company is unable to complete a Business Combination within the Combination Period and the Company liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of warrants will not receive any of such funds with respect to their warrants, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the Trust Account with respect to such warrants. Accordingly, the warrants may expire worthless.
In addition, if (x) the Company issues additional
Class A Common Stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of a Business Combination
at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $
F-18
NOTE 4. PRIVATE PLACEMENT
As of December 31, 2023 the Sponsor, byNordic
Holdings and byNordic Holdings II have purchased
The proceeds from the sale of the Private Shares
were added to the net proceeds from the IPO held in the Trust Account to the extent necessary to maintain an amount on deposit in the
Trust Account equal to $
NOTE 5. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
Founder Shares
On February 4, 2020, the Sponsor paid $
On November 17, 2021, the Company effected a stock
dividend of 1/3 of a share for each Founder Share outstanding, resulting in the Sponsor, byNordic Holdings and certain of the Company’s
executive officers and directors holding an aggregate of
The Founder Shares included an aggregate of up
The Sponsor has agreed, subject to limited exceptions,
not to transfer, assign or sell any of its Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) one year after the completion of a Business
Combination or (B) subsequent to our Business Combination, (x) the date on which the last sale price of our Class A Common Stock equals
or exceeds $
Advances from Related Party
As of December 31, 2019, the Sponsor advanced
the Company an aggregate of $
F-19
Promissory Note — Related Party
On February 26, 2020, the Company issued the Promissory
Note to the Sponsor, pursuant to which the Company may borrow up to an aggregate amount of $
On May 24, 2021, the Sponsor amended and restated
the Promissory Note to increase the principal amount that may be loaned under the promissory note from $
In order to facilitate payments for the Company, the Sponsor could elect to make payments on behalf of the Company that will be loaned under the Promissory Note. The Promissory Note was repaid in full at the closing of the IPO.
On May 9, 2023, the Company received the Initial
Extension Loan from the Sponsor and on May 12, 2023, the Company received the Initial Working Capital Loan from the Sponsor. Additionally,
on August 10, 2023, the Company issued two promissory notes to the Sponsor in the aggregate amount of $
Additionally, on December
15, 2023, the Company issued the December Note in the principal amount of $
The December Note bears no interest and is payable in full upon the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (the “Maturity Date”). A failure to pay the principal on the Maturity Date shall be deemed an event of default, in which case the December Note may be accelerated. If the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, the December Note will be repaid solely to the extent the Company has funds available outside its Trust Account.
As of December 31, 2023, the Company had a $
Administrative Services Agreement
Commencing on the effective date of the IPO, the
Company has agreed to pay the Sponsor a total of $
F-20
Due to related party
In order to facilitate payments for the Company,
parties related to the Company may make payments on behalf of the Company. These amounts due to the related party are non-interest bearing
and are due on demand. At December 31, 2023 and 2022, excluding the promissory notes to the Sponsor or its affiliates that were outstanding
at December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company owed related parties $
Related party loans
In order to finance transaction costs in connection
with a Business Combination, the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor, or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may,
but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). Such Working Capital Loans
would be evidenced by promissory notes. The Working Capital Loans may be repaid upon completion of a Business Combination, without interest,
or, at the lender’s discretion, the Working Capital Loans may be converted upon completion of a Business Combination into shares
of the Class A Common Stock at a price of $
In 2023, the Company entered into multiple loans
with the Sponsor or its affiliates. At December 31, 2023, there was $
NOTE 6. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Registration Rights
The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Shares and shares of the Class A Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans (and any shares of Class A Common Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Founder Shares) will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of the IPO, requiring the Company to register such securities for resale (in the case of the Founder Shares, only after conversion to the Company’s Class A Common Stock). The holders of the majority of these securities will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that the Company register such securities pursuant to a registration rights agreement entered into with the Company.
The holders of the majority of the forward purchase shares (as defined below) will be entitled to make a single demand that the Company register such forward purchase shares pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of February 11, 2022, by and between the Company and Rothesay Investment SARL SPF (see below).
Forward Purchase Agreement
Rothesay Investment SARL SPF, a member of the
Sponsor, has agreed, pursuant to a forward purchase agreement entered into with us, to purchase up to
F-21
Underwriter’s Agreement
The Company granted the underwriters a
The underwriters received a cash underwriting
discount of approximately
Additionally, the underwriters are entitled to
a deferred underwriting discount of
Anchor Investors
Certain qualified institutional buyers or institutional
accredited investors (“Anchor Investors,” none of which are affiliated with any member of the Company’s management team,
the Sponsor or any other anchor investor) purchased in the aggregate approximately $
The Anchor Investors have not been granted any stockholder or other rights that are in addition to those granted to the Company’s other public stockholders and purchased the Founder Shares for nominal consideration. Each Anchor Investor has agreed in its individually negotiated letter agreement entered into with the Company and the Sponsor and byNordic Holdings to vote its Founder Shares to approve the Company’s Business Combination except to the extent that such Anchor Investor has notified the Company that its internal compliance procedures prevents it from entering into an agreement controlling the manner in which it will vote its Founder Shares in any manner including, without limitation, voting to approve the Company’s Business Combination. Further, unlike some anchor investor arrangements of other blank check companies, the Anchor Investors are not required to (i) hold any units, Class A Common Stock or warrants that they purchased in the IPO or thereafter in the open market for any amount of time or (ii) refrain from exercising their right to redeem their public shares at the time of the Company’s Business Combination. The Anchor Investors will have no rights to the funds held in the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares held by them. The Anchor Investors will have the same rights to the funds held in the Trust Account with respect to the Class A Common Stock underlying the units they purchased in the IPO as the rights afforded to the Company’s other public stockholders.
Deferred Legal Fees
The Company’s legal counsel relating to
the IPO has agreed to defer legal fees in the amount of $
NOTE 7. STOCKHOLDERS’ DEFICIT
Preferred Stock — The Company
is authorized to issue
Class A Common Stock — The
Company is authorized to issue
F-22
Class B Common Stock — The
Company is authorized to issue
Holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B common stock will be entitled to one vote for each share. Holders of Class A Common Stock and Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, except as required by law.
The shares of Class B common stock will automatically
convert into shares of Class A Common Stock at the time of a Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment. In the
case that additional shares of Class A Common Stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts
offered in the IPO and related to the closing of a Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert
into shares of Class A Common Stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock
agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A Common Stock
issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis,
NOTE 8. INCOME TAX
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Deferred tax assets (liability) | ||||||||
| Organizational costs/Startup expenses | $ | $ | ||||||
| Unrealized gain – Trust Account | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Federal net operating loss | ||||||||
| Total deferred tax assets (liability) | ||||||||
| Valuation Allowance | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Deferred tax assets (liability), net of allowance | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | ||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Federal | ||||||||
| Current | $ | $ | ||||||
| Deferred | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| State and Local | ||||||||
| Current | ||||||||
| Deferred | ||||||||
| Change in valuation allowance | ||||||||
| Income tax provision | $ | $ | ||||||
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company had no U.S. federal or state net operating loss carryovers available to offset future taxable income.
F-23
In assessing the realization of the
deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion of all of the deferred tax assets will
not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the
periods in which temporary differences representing net future deductible amounts become deductible. Management considers the scheduled
reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment. After consideration
of all of the information available, management believes that significant uncertainty exists with respect to future realization of the
deferred tax assets and has therefore established a full valuation allowance. For the year ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the change
in the valuation allowance was $
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2023 | 2022 | |||||||
| Statutory federal income tax rate | % | % | ||||||
| State taxes, net of federal tax benefit | % | % | ||||||
| Permanent Book/Tax Differences | % | % | ||||||
| Other | % | % | ||||||
| Change in valuation allowance | % | % | ||||||
| Income tax provision | % | % | ||||||
Our effective tax rates were
NOTE 9. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
The Company evaluated subsequent events and transactions that occurred after the balance sheet date up to the date that the financial statements were issued. Based upon this review, the Company did not identify any subsequent events, other than noted below, that would have required adjustment or disclosure in the financial statements.
In February 2024 and in March 2024, the Company’s board of directors
elected to exercise a one-month extension of the Combination Period to March 12, 2024 and April 12, 2024, respectively, and $
F-24
EXHIBIT INDEX
| * | Filed herewith. |
| ** | Furnished herewith |
44
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
| April 2, 2024 | BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION | |
| By: | /s/ Michael Hermansson | |
| Name: | Michael Hermansson | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| (Principal Executive Officer) | ||
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this Report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Name | Position | Date | ||
| /s/ Jonas Olsson | Chairman of the Board | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Jonas Olsson | ||||
| /s/ Michael Hermansson | Chief Executive Officer | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Michael Hermansson | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
| /s/ Thomas Fairfield | Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Thomas Fairfield | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | |||
| /s/ Anna Yukiko Bickenbach | Director | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Anna Yukiko Bickenbach | ||||
| /s/ Anders Norlin | Director | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Anders Norlin | ||||
| /s/ Fredrik Elmberg | Director | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Fredrik Elmberg | ||||
| /s/ Steven Wasserman | Director | April 2, 2024 | ||
| Steven Wasserman |
45
Exhibit 4.1
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED
The Company has the following three classes of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”): (i) its Units, consisting of one share of Class A common stock (as defined below) and one-half of one redeemable warrant (as defined below), with each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock (the “Units”), (ii) its Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Class A common stock”), and (iii) its public warrants, with each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A common stock for $11.50 per share (the “warrants”).
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our authorized capital stock consists of 110,000,000 shares of common stock, including 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value and 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value, and 1,000,000 shares of undesignated preferred stock, $0.0001 par value. The following description summarizes the material terms of our capital stock and does not purport to be complete. It is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our bylaws and our warrant agreement, each of which is incorporated by reference as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “Report”) of which this Exhibit 4.5 is a part.
Defined terms used herein but not otherwise defined shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Report.
Units
Each Unit consists of one whole share of Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrantholder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares of Class A common stock.
Common Stock
Common stockholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. Holders of the Class A common stock and holders of the Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, except as required by law. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors. Our stockholders are entitled to receive ratable dividends when, as and if declared by the board of directors out of funds legally available therefor.
We will provide our stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of our initial business combination including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our taxes, divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. Our sponsor, byNordic Holdings, byNordic Holdings II and our executive officers and directors (referred to herein as the insiders) have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to any founder shares, the private shares and any public shares they may acquire during or after our initial public offering in connection with the completion of our initial business combination or otherwise. The anchor investors have agreed in the letter agreements entered into with us and our sponsor and byNordic Holdings for the purchase of their founder shares that they have no rights to amounts on deposit in the trust account with respect to the founder shares purchased by them. In addition, the insiders and the anchor investors have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any founder shares held by them if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame. However, if they acquire public shares in or after our initial public offering, they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such public shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder, together with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from redeeming its shares with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares of common stock sold in our initial public offering, which we refer to as the Excess Shares. However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Our stockholders’ inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce their influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination, and such stockholders could suffer a material loss in their investment if they sell such Excess Shares on the open market. Additionally, such stockholders will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete the initial business combination. And, as a result, such stockholders will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares would be required to sell their stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
In the event of a liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the company after an initial business combination, our stockholders are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining available for distribution to them after payment of liabilities and after provision is made for each class of stock, if any, having preference over the common stock. Our stockholders have no preemptive or other subscription rights. There are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock, except that we will provide our stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, upon the completion of our initial business combination, subject to the limitations described in the Report.
Redeemable Warrants
Each whole warrant entitles the registered holder to purchase one whole share of our Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as discussed below, at any time commencing on the later of February 11, 2023 or 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, a warrantholder may exercise its warrants only for a whole number of shares of Class A common stock.
The warrants will expire five years after the completion of our initial business combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.
We will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus relating thereto is current, subject to our satisfying our obligations described below with respect to registration. No warrant will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A common stock issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the registered holder of the warrants. In the event that the conditions in the two immediately preceding sentences are not satisfied with respect to a warrant, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant. In the event that a registration statement is not effective for the exercised warrants, the purchaser of a Unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price for the Unit solely for the share of Class A common stock underlying such Unit.
We have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, to cause such registration statement to become effective and to maintain a current prospectus relating to those shares of Class A common stock until the warrants expire or are redeemed, as specified in the warrant agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis.
Once the warrants become exercisable, we may call the warrants for redemption:
| ● | in whole and not in part; |
| ● | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
| ● | upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption (the “30-day redemption period”) to each warrantholder; and |
| ● | if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like and for certain issuances of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities as described above) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption to the warrantholders. |
If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may not exercise our redemption right if the issuance of shares of common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not exempt from registration or qualification under applicable state blue sky laws or we are unable to effect such registration or qualification. If necessary, we will use our best efforts to register or qualify such shares of common stock under the blue sky laws of the state of residence in those states in which the warrants were offered by us in our initial public offering.
If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” In determining whether to require all holders to exercise their warrants on a “cashless basis,” our management will consider, among other factors, our cash position, the number of warrants that are outstanding and the dilutive effect on our stockholders of issuing the maximum number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon the exercise of our warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value” (defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. If our management takes advantage of this option, the notice of redemption will contain the information necessary to calculate the number of shares of Class A common stock to be received upon exercise of the warrants, including the “fair market value” in such case. Requiring a cashless exercise in this manner will reduce the number of shares to be issued and thereby lessen the dilutive effect of a warrant redemption. We believe this feature is an attractive option to us if we do not need the cash from the exercise of the warrants after our initial business combination.
A holder of a warrant may notify us in writing in the event it elects to be subject to a requirement that such holder will not have the right to exercise such warrant, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such person (together with such person’s affiliates), to the warrant agent’s actual knowledge, would beneficially own in excess of 4.9% or 9.8% (or such other amount as a holder may specify) of the shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise.
The warrants have certain anti-dilution and adjustments rights upon certain events.
The warrants were issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental, as warrant agent, and us. You should review a copy of the warrant agreement, which was filed with the Registration Statement, for a complete description of the terms and conditions applicable to the warrants. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision, but requires the approval by the holders of at least a majority of the then outstanding warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of warrants.
The warrants may be exercised upon surrender of the warrant certificate on or prior to the expiration date at the offices of the warrant agent, with the exercise form on the reverse side of the warrant certificate completed and executed as indicated, accompanied by full payment of the exercise price (or on a cashless basis, if applicable), by certified or official bank check payable to us, for the number of warrants being exercised. The warrantholders do not have the rights or privileges of holders of Class A common stock and any voting rights until they exercise their warrants and receive shares of Class A common stock. After the issuance of shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of the warrants, each holder will be entitled to one (1) vote for each share held of record on all matters to be voted on by stockholders.
In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at a Newly Issued Price of less than $9.20 per share of Class A common stock (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors and, in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by our sponsor or such affiliates, as applicable, prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and (z) the Market Value is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described above will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market Value and the Newly Issued Price. No fractional shares will be issued upon exercise of the warrants. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number of shares of Class A common stock to be issued to the warrantholder.
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION OF THE
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
RULE 13a-14(a) AND RULE 15d-14(a)
UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Michael Hermansson, certify that:
| 1. | I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of byNordic Acquisition Corporation; |
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
| 4. | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
| a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
| b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under my supervision, 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; |
| c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
| d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; |
| 5. | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
| b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| Date: April 2, 2024 | By: | /s/ Michael Hermansson |
| Michael Hermansson | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION OF THE
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
RULE 13a-14(a) AND RULE 15d-14(a)
UNDER THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Thomas Fairfield, certify that:
| 1. | I have reviewed this Annual Report on Form 10-K of byNordic Acquisition Corporation; |
| 2. | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; |
| 3. | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; |
| 4. | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
| a) | Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; |
| b) | Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under my supervision, 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; |
| c) | Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and |
| d) | Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; |
| 5. | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and |
| b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| Date: April 2, 2024 | By: | /s/ Thomas Fairfield |
| Thomas Fairfield | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
| (Principal Financial Officer) |
Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION OF THE
PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report on Form 10-K of byNordic Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Michael Hermansson, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
| 1. | The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and |
| 2. | To my knowledge, the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the period covered by the Report. |
| Date: April 2, 2024 | By: | /s/ Michael Hermansson |
| Michael Hermansson | ||
| Chief Executive Officer | ||
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATION OF THE
PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER
PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report on Form 10-K of byNordic Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2023, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), I, Thomas Fairfield, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
| 1. | The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and |
| 2. | To my knowledge, the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of and for the period covered by the report. |
| Date: April 2, 2024 | By: | /s/ Thomas Fairfield |
| Thomas Fairfield | ||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||
| (Principal Executive Officer) |
Exhibit 97
CLAWBACK POLICY
BYNORDIC ACQUISITION CORPORATION
PURPOSE
byNordic Acquisition Corporation (the “Company”) believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to create and maintain a culture that emphasizes integrity and accountability and that reinforces the Company’s pay-for-performance compensation philosophy. The Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) has therefore adopted this policy, which provides for the recoupment of certain executive compensation in the event that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the federal securities laws (this “Policy”). This Policy is designed to comply with Section 10D of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the rules promulgated thereunder, and the listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed.
ADMINISTRATION
This Policy shall be administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”). Any determinations made by the Compensation Committee shall be final and binding on all affected individuals.
COVERED EXECUTIVES
This Policy applies to the Company’s current and former executive officers (as determined by the Compensation Committee in accordance with Section 10D of the Exchange Act, the rules promulgated thereunder, and the listing standards of the national securities exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed) and such other senior executives or employees who may from time to time be deemed subject to this Policy by the Compensation Committee (collectively, the “Covered Executives”). This Policy shall be binding and enforceable against all Covered Executives.
Each Covered Executive shall be required to sign and return to the Company the Acknowledgement and Acceptance Form attached hereto as Exhibit A pursuant to which such Covered Executive will acknowledge that he or she is bound by the terms of this Policy; provided, however, that this Policy shall apply to, and be enforceable against, any Covered Executive and his or her successors (as specified in this Policy) regardless of whether or not such Covered Executive properly signs and returns to the Company such Acknowledgement and Acceptance Form and regardless of whether or not such Covered Executive is aware of his or her status as such.
RECOUPMENT; ACCOUNTING RESTATEMENT
In the event that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement of its financial statements due to the Company’s material noncompliance with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, including any required accounting restatement (i) to correct an error in previously issued financial statements that is material to the previously issued financial statements, or (ii) that would result in a material misstatement if the error were corrected in the current period or left uncorrected in the current period (each an “Accounting Restatement”), the Compensation Committee will reasonably promptly require reimbursement or forfeiture of the Overpayment (as defined below) received by any Covered Executive (x) after beginning service as a Covered Executive, (y) who served as a Covered Executive at any time during the performance period for the applicable Incentive-Based Compensation (as defined below), and (z) during the three (3) completed fiscal years immediately preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an Accounting Restatement and any transition period (that results from a change in the Company’s fiscal year) within or immediately following those three (3) completed fiscal years.
INCENTIVE-BASED COMPENSATION
For purposes of this Policy, “Incentive-Based Compensation” means any compensation that is granted, earned, or vested based wholly or in part upon the attainment of a financial reporting measure, including, but not limited to: (i) non-equity incentive plan awards that are earned solely or in part by satisfying a financial reporting measure performance goal; (ii) bonuses paid from a bonus pool, where the size of the pool is determined solely or in part by satisfying a financial reporting measure performance goal; (iii) other cash awards based on satisfaction of a financial reporting measure performance goal; (iv) restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock options, stock appreciation rights, and performance share units that are granted or vest solely or in part based on satisfaction of a financial reporting measure performance goal; and (v) proceeds from the sale of shares acquired through an incentive plan that were granted or vested solely or in part based on satisfaction of a financial reporting measure performance goal.
Compensation that would not be considered Incentive-Based Compensation includes, but is not limited to: (i) salaries; (ii) bonuses paid solely based on satisfaction of subjective standards, such as demonstrating leadership, and/or completion of a specified employment period; (iii) non-equity incentive plan awards earned solely based on satisfaction of strategic or operational measures; (iv) wholly time-based equity awards; and (v) discretionary bonuses or other compensation that is not paid from a bonus pool that is determined by satisfying a financial reporting measure performance goal.
A financial reporting measure is: (i) any measure that is determined and presented in accordance with the accounting principles used in preparing financial statements, or any measure derived wholly or in part from such measure, such as revenues, EBITDA, or net income or (ii) stock price and total shareholder return. Financial reporting measures include, but are not limited to: revenues; net income; operating income; profitability of one or more reportable segments; financial ratios (e.g., accounts receivable turnover and inventory turnover rates); net assets or net asset value per share; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization; funds from operations and adjusted funds from operations; liquidity measures (e.g., working capital, operating cash flow); return measures (e.g., return on invested capital, return on assets); earnings measures (e.g., earnings per share); sales per square foot or same store sales, where sales is subject to an accounting restatement; revenue per user, or average revenue per user, where revenue is subject to an accounting restatement; cost per employee, where cost is subject to an accounting restatement; any of such financial reporting measures relative to a peer group, where the Company’s financial reporting measure is subject to an accounting restatement; and tax basis income.
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OVERPAYMENT: AMOUNT SUBJECT TO RECOVERY
The amount to be recovered will be the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation received that exceeds the amount of Incentive-Based Compensation that otherwise would have been received had it been determined based on the restated amounts, and must be computed without regard to any taxes paid (the “Overpayment”). Incentive-Based Compensation is deemed “received” in the Company’s fiscal period during which the financial reporting measure specified in the incentive-based compensation award is attained, even if the vesting, payment or grant of the incentive-based compensation occurs after the end of that period.
For Incentive-Based Compensation based on stock price or total shareholder return, where the amount of erroneously awarded compensation is not subject to mathematical recalculation directly from the information in the Accounting Restatement, the amount must be based on a reasonable estimate of the effect of the Accounting Restatement on the stock price or total shareholder return upon which the Incentive-Based Compensation was received, and the Company must maintain documentation of the determination of that reasonable estimate and provide such documentation to the exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed.
METHOD OF RECOUPMENT
The Compensation Committee will determine, in its sole discretion, the method or methods for recouping any Overpayment hereunder which may include, without limitation:
| ● | requiring reimbursement of cash Incentive-Based Compensation previously paid; |
| ● | seeking recovery of any gain realized on the vesting, exercise, settlement, sale, transfer, or other disposition of any equity-based awards granted as Incentive-Based Compensation; |
| ● | offsetting any or all of the Overpayment from any compensation otherwise owed by the Company to the Covered Executive; |
| ● | cancelling outstanding vested or unvested equity awards; and/or |
| ● | taking any other remedial or recovery action permitted by law, as determined by the Compensation Committee. |
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LIMITATION ON RECOVERY; NO ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS
The right to recovery will be limited to Overpayments received during the three (3) completed fiscal years prior to the date on which the Company is required to prepare an Accounting Restatement and any transition period (that results from a change in the Company’s fiscal year) within or immediately following those three (3) completed fiscal years. In no event shall the Company be required to award Covered Executives an additional payment if the restated or accurate financial results would have resulted in a higher Incentive-Based Compensation payment.
NO INDEMNIFICATION
The Company shall not indemnify any Covered Executives against the loss of any incorrectly awarded Incentive-Based Compensation.
INTERPRETATION
The Compensation Committee is authorized to interpret and construe this Policy and to make all determinations necessary, appropriate, or advisable for the administration of this Policy. It is intended that this Policy be interpreted in a manner that is consistent with the requirements of Section 10D of the Exchange Act and the applicable rules or standards adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any national securities exchange on which the Company’s securities are listed.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Policy shall be effective as of the date it is adopted by the Board (the “Effective Date”) and shall apply to Incentive-Based Compensation (including Incentive-Based Compensation granted pursuant to arrangements existing prior to the Effective Date). Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Policy shall only apply to Incentive-Based Compensation received (as determined pursuant to this Policy) on or after October 2, 2023.
AMENDMENT; TERMINATION
The Board may amend this Policy from time to time in its discretion. The Board may terminate this Policy at any time.
OTHER RECOUPMENT RIGHTS
The Board intends that this Policy will be applied to the fullest extent of the law. The Compensation Committee may require that any employment or service agreement, cash-based bonus plan or program, equity award agreement, or similar agreement entered into on or after the adoption of this Policy shall, as a condition to the grant of any benefit thereunder, require a Covered Executive to agree to abide by the terms of this Policy. Any right of recoupment under this Policy is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other remedies or rights of recoupment that may be available to the Company pursuant to the terms of any similar policy in any employment agreement, equity award agreement, cash-based bonus plan or program, or similar agreement and any other legal remedies available to the Company.
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IMPRACTICABILITY
The Compensation Committee shall recover any Overpayment in accordance with this Policy except to the extent that the Compensation Committee determines such recovery would be impracticable because:
(A) The direct expense paid to a third party to assist in enforcing this Policy would exceed the amount to be recovered;
(B) Recovery would violate home country law of the Company where that law was adopted prior to November 28, 2022; or
(C) Recovery would likely cause an otherwise tax-qualified retirement plan, under which benefits are broadly available to employees of the Company, to fail to meet the requirements of 26 U.S.C. 401(a)(13) or 26 U.S.C. 411(a) and regulations thereunder.
SUCCESSORS
This Policy shall be binding and enforceable against all Covered Executives and their beneficiaries, heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives.
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