8-K
GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (GSRF)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):September 2, 2025
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in itscharter)
| Cayman Islands | 001-42821 | N/A |
|---|---|---|
| (State or other jurisdiction<br><br> <br>of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer<br><br> <br>Identification No.) |
| 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100<br><br> <br>Austin, TX 78731 | 78731 | |
| --- | --- | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) |
(914-369-4400)
(Registrant’s telephone number, includingarea code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| ☐ | Written communication pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
|---|---|
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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| ☐ | Pre-commencements communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
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Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered |
|---|---|---|
| Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-seventh of one right | GSRFU | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
| Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share | GSRF | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
| Rights, each whole right entitling the holder to receive one Class A ordinary share | GSRFR | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☒
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On September 5, 2025, GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) consummated its initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 20,000,000 units (the “Units”). In connection with the closing, the underwriter fully exercised its over-allotment option to purchase 3,000,000 additional Units (the “OA Option”) for an aggregate of 23,000,000 Units sold. Each Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share (“Class A Ordinary Share”), of the Company and one-seventh of one right (the “Rights”), with each whole right entitling the holder thereof to receive one whole Class A Ordinary Share. The Units were sold at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of $230,000,000.
In connection with the IPO, the Company entered into the following agreements, forms of which were previously filed as exhibits to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-289061) (the “Registration Statement”):
| ● | an Underwriting Agreement,<br>dated September 3, 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC and The<br>Benchmark Company, LLC, as representatives of the underwriter named therein (the “Underwriter”), attached hereto as Exhibit<br>1.1 and incorporated herein by reference; |
|---|---|
| ● | Amended and Restated Memorandum<br>and Articles of Association of the Company, attached hereto as Exhibit 3.1 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | a Rights Agreement, dated September<br>3, 2025, between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as Rights agent, attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated<br>by reference herein |
| --- | --- |
| ● | a Letter Agreement, dated September<br>3, 2025, among the Company, its officers and directors, GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) and Polaris Advisory Partners<br>LLC attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | an Investment Management Trust<br>Agreement, dated September 3, 2025, between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as trustee, attached hereto as Exhibit<br>10.2 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | a Registration Rights Agreement,<br>dated September 3, 2025, among the Company and certain security holders named therein, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and incorporated<br>herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | a Private Placement Unit Purchase<br>Agreement, dated September 3, 2025, between the Company and the Sponsor (the “Sponsor Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement”),<br>attached hereto as Exhibit 10.4 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | a Private Placement Unit Purchase<br>Agreement, dated September 3, 2025, between the Company and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC (the “Underwriter Private Placement<br>Unit Purchase Agreement”), attached hereto as Exhibit 10.5 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Administrative Services Agreement,<br>dated September 2, 2025, between the Company and the Sponsor, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.6 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Gus Garcia attached hereto as Exhibit 10.7 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Lewis Silberman, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.8 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Anantha Ramamurti, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.9 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
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| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Yuya Orime, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.10 and incorporated herein by reference; |
|---|---|
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Jody Sitkoski, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.11 and incorporated herein by reference; |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Susie Kuan, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.12 and incorporated herein by reference; and |
| --- | --- |
| ● | Indemnity Agreement, dated<br>September 2, 2025, between the Company and Jonathan Cole, attached hereto as Exhibit 10.13 and incorporated herein by reference. |
| --- | --- |
Item 3.02. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities.
Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, pursuant to the Sponsor Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement and the Underwriter Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, the Company completed the private sale of an aggregate of 655,500 private placement units (the “Private Placement Units”) to the Sponsor and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC at a purchase price of $10.00 per Private Placement Unit, generating gross proceeds to the Company of approximately $6,555,000. The Private Placement Units are identical to the Units sold in the IPO and OA Option, subject to certain limited exceptions, and will be subject to transfer restrictions until 30 days following the consummation of the Company’s initial business combination. The Private Placement Units were issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as the transactions did not involve a public offering.
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or CertainOfficers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On September 2, 2025, in connection with the IPO, Jonathan Cole, Jody Sitkoski, and Susie Kuan (together with Gus Garcia, Lewis Silberman and Anantha Ramamurti, the “Directors”) were appointed to the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”). Effective September 2, 2025, each of Mr. Cole, Mr. Sitkoski and Ms. Kuan was also appointed to the audit committee of the Board, with Ms. Kuan serving as the chair of the audit committee. Effective September 2, 2025, each of each of Mr. Cole, Mr. Sitkoski and Ms. Kuan was also appointed to the compensation committee of the Board, with Mr. Sitkoski serving as the chair of the compensation committee.
On August 18, 2025, the Sponsor transferred 20,000 of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, to each of Mr. Cole, Mr. Sitkoski and Ms. Kuan. The Company will reimburse the Directors for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with fulfilling their roles as directors.
Following the appointments of Mr. Cole, Mr. Sitkoski and Ms. Kuan, the Board is comprised of three classes. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Mr. Sitkoski and Ms. Kuan, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Mr. Cole and Mr. Ramamurti, will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Mr. Garcia and Mr. Silberman, will expire at the third annual meeting of stockholders.
The Company has entered into indemnity agreements with the Directors, Co-Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Business Development Officer of the Company, each dated September 2, 2025. Other than the foregoing, none of the Directors are party to any arrangement or understanding with any person pursuant to which they were appointed as directors, nor are they party to any transactions required to be disclosed under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K involving the Company.
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Item 5.03. Amendments to Certificate of Incorporationor Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year.
On September 2, 2025, the Company filed its Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association in the Cayman Islands. The terms of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association are set forth in the Registration Statement and are incorporated herein by reference. A copy of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association is attached as Exhibit 3.1 hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On September 5, 2025, a total of $230,000,000, comprised of $224,707,094 of the net proceeds from the IPO and $5,292,906 of the net proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units, were placed into a segregated trust account located in the United States with Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company acting as trustee. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us for permitted withdrawals, if any, the funds held in the trust account will not be released from the trust account until the earliest to occur of: (1) our completion of an initial business combination; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (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 within 18 (or up to 21 months at the discretion of the Sponsor) from the closing of the IPO or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; and (3) the redemption of our public shares if we have not completed an initial business combination within 18 months (or up to 21 months at the discretion of the Sponsor), from the closing of the IPO, subject to applicable law.
On September 3, 2025, the Company issued a press release, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, announcing the pricing of the IPO, which occurred on September 3, 2025. On September 5, 2025, the Company issued a press release, a copy of which is attached as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, announcing the closing of the IPO.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date: September 5, 2025 | By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia | |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
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Exhibit 1.1
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
New York, New York
September 3, 2025
Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC,
a division of Kingswood Capital Partners LLC
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 E. 58th Street, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
As Representatives of the Underwriters
named on Schedule A hereto
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned, GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), hereby confirms its agreement with Polaris Advisory Partners LLC, a division of Kingswood Capital Partners LLC (“Polaris”) and The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark” together with Polaris, the “Representatives”) and with the underwriters named on Schedule A hereto (if any), for which the Representatives are acting as representatives (the Representatives and such other underwriters being collectively referred to herein as the “Underwriters” or, each underwriter individually, an “Underwriter,” provided that if only the Representatives are listed on Schedule A, any references to Underwriters shall refer exclusively to the Representatives), as follows:
- Purchase and Sale of Securities.
1.1 Firm Securities.
1.1.1 Purchase of Firm Units. On the basis of the representations and warranties contained herein, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the several Underwriters, severally and not jointly, and the Underwriters agree to purchase from the Company, severally and not jointly, an aggregate of 20,000,000 units (the “Firm Units”) of the Company, as set forth opposite the respective names of the Underwriters on Schedule A hereto, at a purchase price of $9.85 per Firm Unit. The Firm Units are to be offered initially to the public (the “Offering”) at the offering price of $10.00 per Firm Unit. Each Firm Unit consists of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”) and one right to receive one-seventh (1/7) of one Ordinary Share (the “Rights”) upon the consummation by the Company of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “BusinessCombination”). The Ordinary Shares and the Rights included in the Firm Units will trade separately on the forty-fifth (45^th^) day following the date hereof unless the Representatives determine to allow earlier separate trading. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, in no event will the Ordinary Shares and the Rights included in the Firm Units trade separately until (i) the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a Current Report on Form 8-K that includes an audited balance sheet reflecting the Company’s receipt of the proceeds of the Offering and the Unit Private Placement (as defined in Section 1.3.2) and updated financial information with respect to any proceeds the Company receives from the exercise of the Over-allotment Option (defined below) if such option is exercised prior to the filing of the Form 8-K, and (ii) the Company has filed with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K and issued a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin.
1.1.2 Payment and Delivery. Delivery and payment for the Firm Units shall be made at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second (2nd) Business Day (as defined below) following the commencement of trading of the Units, or at such earlier time as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company, at the offices of Holland & Knight LLP, counsel to the Underwriters (“HK”), or at such other place as shall be agreed upon by the Representatives and the Company. The hour and date of delivery and payment for the Firm Units is called the “ClosingDate.” Payment for the Firm Units shall be made on the Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds. The Company shall receive an aggregate of approximately $206,105,000 net proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units and the Private Placement Units (as defined in Section 1.3.2) of which $200,000,000 shall be deposited in the trust account (“Trust Account”) established by the Company for the benefit of the Public Shareholders (as defined below), as described in the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1) pursuant to the terms of an Investment Management Trust Agreement (the “Trust Agreement”) between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (“Odyssey”). The remaining proceeds (less commissions and actual expense payments or other fees payable pursuant to this Agreement), if any, shall be paid to the order of the Company upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Firm Units (or through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”)) for the account of the Underwriters. The Firm Units shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request in writing at least two (2) full Business Days prior to the Closing Date. The Company will permit the Representatives to examine and package the Firm Units for delivery, at least one (1) full Business Day prior to the Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver any of the Firm Units except upon tender of payment by the Representatives for all the Firm Units. As used herein, the term “Public Shareholders” means the holders of Ordinary Shares sold as part of the Units in the Offering or acquired in the aftermarket, including the Initial Shareholders (defined below) to the extent it acquires such Ordinary Shares in the aftermarket (and solely with respect to such Ordinary Shares). “BusinessDay” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed; provided, however, for clarification, commercial banks shall not be deemed to be authorized or required by law to remain closed due to “stay at home”, “shelter-in-place”, “non-essential employee” or any other similar orders or restrictions or the closure of any physical branch locations at the direction of any governmental authority so long as the electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) of commercial banks in The City of New York are generally are open for use by customers on such day.
1.1.3. Deferred Discount. The Underwriters agree that 4.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Firm Units ($8,000,000) and 4.0% of the gross proceeds from the sale of the Option Units (defined below) (up to $1,200,000) (the “Deferred Discount”) will be deposited in and held in the Trust Account and payable directly from the Trust Account, without accrued interest, to Underwriters for their own account upon consummation of the Business Combination. The Underwriters hereby agree that if no Business Combination is consummated within the time period provided in the Trust Agreement and the funds held under the Trust Agreement are distributed to the holders of Ordinary Shares included in the Firm Units sold pursuant to this agreement, (i) the Underwriters will forfeit any rights or claims to the Deferred Discount and (ii) the trustee under the Trust Agreement is authorized to distribute the Deferred Discount to the Public Shareholders on a pro rata basis, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account (less permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses).
1.2 Over-Allotment Option.
1.2.1 Option Units. The Representatives are hereby granted an option (the “Over-allotment Option”) to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units (the “OptionUnits”), the gross proceeds of which will be deposited in the Trust Account, for the purposes of covering any over-allotments in connection with the distribution and sale of the Firm Units. Such Option Units shall be identical in all respects to the Firm Units. Such Option Units shall be purchased for each account of the several Underwriters in the same proportion as the number of Firm Units, set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name on Schedule A hereto, bears to the total number of Firm Units (subject to adjustment by the Representatives to eliminate fractions). The Firm Units and the Option Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Units,” and the Units, the Ordinary Shares, the Rights included in the Units, and the Ordinary Shares issuable upon the conversion of the Rights are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Public Securities.” No Option Units shall be sold or delivered unless the Firm Units previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered. The right to purchase the Option Units, or any portion thereof, may be exercised from time to time and to the extent not previously exercised may be surrendered and terminated at any time upon notice by the Representatives to the Company. The purchase price to be paid for each Option Unit will be the same price per Firm Unit set forth in Section 1.1.1 hereof.
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1.2.2 Exercise of Option. The Over-allotment Option granted pursuant to Section 1.2.1 hereof may be exercised by the Representatives as to all (at any time) or any part (from time to time) of the Option Units within 45 days after the effective date (“Effective Date”) of the Registration Statement (as defined in Section 2.1.1 hereof). The Underwriters will not be under any obligation to purchase any Option Units prior to the exercise of the Over-allotment Option. The Over-allotment Option granted hereby may be exercised by the giving of oral notice to the Company by the Representatives, which must be confirmed in accordance with Section 10.1 herein setting forth the number of Option Units to be purchased and the date and time for delivery of and payment for the Option Units (the “Option Closing Date”), which will not be later than five (5) full Business Days after the date of the notice or such other time and in such other manner as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives, at the offices of HK or at such other place (including remotely by facsimile or other electronic transmission) as shall be agreed upon by the Company and the Representatives. If such delivery and payment for the Option Units does not occur on the Closing Date, the Option Closing Date will be as set forth in the notice. Upon exercise of the Over-allotment Option, the Company will become obligated to convey to the Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Underwriters will become obligated to purchase, the number of Option Units specified in such notice.
1.2.3 Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Option Units shall be made on the Option Closing Date by wire transfer in Federal (same day) funds, payable upon delivery to the Representatives of certificates (in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives) representing the Option Units (or through the facilities of DTC) for the account of the Representatives. The amount to be deposited in the Trust Account for the Option Units on the Option Closing Date will be $10.00 per Unit, including: (i) the purchase price (net of discounts and commissions) of $9.45 per Option Unit, (ii) $0.40 per Option Unit, payable to the Underwriters, as Deferred Discount, in accordance with Section 1.1.3 hereof, and (iii) $0.15 per Option Unit as part of the proceeds from the Sponsor and Polaris in connection with the Additional Private Placement set forth in Section 1.3.3 The certificates representing the Option Units to be delivered will be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives request in writing not less than two full Business Days prior to the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and will be made available to the Representatives for inspection, checking and packaging at the aforesaid office of the Company’s transfer agent or correspondent not less than one full Business Day prior to such Closing Date. The Company shall not be obligated to sell or deliver the Option Units except upon tender of payment by the Underwriters for applicable Option Units.
1.3 Private Placements.
1.3.1 Founder Shares. On May 30, 2023, GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”) paid $25,000 to the Company to purchase 5,750,000 Class B ordinary shares of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Founder Shares”), in a private placement exempt from registration under Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”). No underwriting discounts, commissions, or placement fees have been or will be payable in connection with the purchase of Founder Shares. Except as described in the Registration Statement, none of the Founder Shares may be sold, assigned or transferred by the Initial Shareholders until the first earnings release that is at least 60 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at which point 25% of the Founder Shares will become transferable and thereafter an additional 25% will become transferable at each subsequent earnings release. Notwithstanding the above, 100% of any Founder Shares will become immediately transferable, subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, rights issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 10 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date following the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property. The Founder Shares shall be subject to restrictions on transfer as set forth in the Insider Letters (as defined in Section 2.21.1 herein). The holders of Founder Shares shall have no right to any liquidating distributions with respect to any portion of the Founder Shares in the event the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination. The holders of the Founder Shares shall not have redemption rights with respect to the Founder Shares.
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1.3.2 Unit Private Placement. Simultaneously with the Closing Date, (i) the Sponsor will purchase from the Company pursuant to a Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.2 below) an aggregate of 535,025 units of the Company, which units are identical to the Firm Units subject to certain exceptions (collectively, the “Private Placement Units”), and (ii) Polaris will purchase from the Company pursuant to a Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.6 below) 75,475 Private Placement Units (the “Unit Private Placement”) intended to be exempt from registration under the Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Act. The terms of the Private Placement Units are as described in the Prospectus (as defined in Section 2.1.1 below). None of the Private Placement Units (including any Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Placement Units (the “Private Placement Shares”), any Rights underlying the Private Placement Units (the “Private Placement Rights”) and any Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Placement Rights) may be sold, assigned or transferred by the Sponsor or its permitted transferees until thirty (30) days after consummation of a Business Combination. The proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units shall be deposited into the Trust Account pursuant to the terms of the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement and the Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement. The Private Placement Units shall not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of the securities for a period of at least 180 days beginning on the date of commencement of sales of the Offering pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e). In addition, the Private Placement Rights may not be exchanged for Ordinary Shares more than five (5) years from the Effective Date.
1.3.3 Additional Private Placement Units. Simultaneously with the closing of the Over-allotment Option, the Sponsor and Polaris shall purchase from the Company in a private placement (the “Additional Private Placement”) pursuant to the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement and Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement an additional number of Private Placement Units (up to a maximum of 45,000 Additional Private Placement Units) (the “Additional Private Placement Units”), at a purchase price of $10.00 per Additional Private Placement Unit. There will be no placement agent in the Additional Private Placement and no party shall be entitled to a placement fee or expense allowance from the sale of the Additional Private Placement Units.
1.3.4 The Private Placement Units, Private Placement Shares, Private Placement Rights, and any Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Placement Rights are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Placement Securities.” No underwriting discounts, commissions, or placement fees have been or will be payable in connection with the Placement Securities. Other than to a permitted transferee, none of the Placement Securities may be sold, assigned or transferred by the Sponsor until thirty (30) days after consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination. Further, the Placement Securities shall not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such Placement Securities for a period of at least 180 days beginning on the date of commencement of sales of the Offering pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(e). The Public Securities, the Placement Securities, and the Founder Shares are hereinafter referred to collectively as the “Securities.”
1.3.5 Qualified Independent Underwriter. The Company hereby confirms its engagement of Benchmark and Benchmark hereby confirms its agreement with the Company to render services as a “qualified independent underwriter” within the meaning of Rule 5121 of the Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) with respect to the Offering. Benchmark, solely in its capacity as the “qualified independent underwriter” with respect to the Offering, and not otherwise, is referred to herein as the “QIU.”
1.4 Working Capital. Upon consummation of the Offering, it is intended that approximately $2,350,000 of the Offering proceeds will be available to the Company and held outside of the Trust Account to fund the working capital requirements of the Company.
1.5 Interest Income. Prior to the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination or the Company’s liquidation, interest earned on the Trust Account may be released to the Company from the Trust Account in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement for permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 for liquidation expenses, all as more fully described in the Prospectus.
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- Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to the Underwriters as follows:
2.1 Filing of Registration Statement.
2.1.1 Pursuant to the Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement and any amendment thereto, on Form S-1 (File No. 333-289061), including any related preliminary prospectus (the “Preliminary Prospectus”, including any prospectus that is included in the registration statement immediately prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement), for the registration of the Units under the Act, which registration statement and amendment or amendments have been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Act, and the rules and regulations (the “Regulations”) of the Commission under the Act. The conditions for use of Form S-1 to register the Offering under the Act, as set forth in the General Instructions to such Form, have been satisfied. Except as the context may otherwise require, such registration statement, as amended, on file with the Commission at the time the registration statement became effective (including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and all other documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated therein and all information deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430A of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Registration Statement,” and the form of the final prospectus dated the Effective Date included in the Registration Statement (or, if applicable, the form of final prospectus containing information permitted to be omitted at the time of effectiveness by Rule 430A of the Regulations, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 of the Regulations), is hereinafter called the “Prospectus.” For purposes of this Agreement, “Applicable Time,” as used in the Act, means 10:00 p.m. New York City time, on the date of this Agreement. Prior to the Applicable Time, the Company prepared a Preliminary Prospectus, which was included in the Registration Statement filed on July 29, 2025, for distribution by the Underwriters (such Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Applicable Time, the “Statutory Prospectus”). If the Company has filed, or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file, a Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act registering additional securities of any type or an amendment to a Registration Statement (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which, if filed, becomes effective upon filing, together with any correspondence letters between the Company and/or counsel for the Company and the Commission, no other document with respect to the Registration Statement has been filed under the Act with the Commission. All of the Public Securities have been or will be registered for public sale under the Act pursuant to the Registration Statement and, if any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed, will be duly registered for public sale under the Act with the filing of such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The Registration Statement has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof. If, subsequent to the date of this Agreement, the Company or the Representatives determines that at the Applicable Time, the Statutory Prospectus included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted a statement of material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading and the Company and the Representatives agree to provide an opportunity to purchasers of the Units to terminate their old purchase contracts and enter into new purchase contracts, then the Statutory Prospectus will be deemed to include any additional information available to purchasers at the time of entry into the first such new purchase contract.
2.1.2 Pursuant to the Exchange Act. The Company has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form 8-A, providing for the registration under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), of the Public Securities. The registration of the Public Securities under the Exchange Act has been declared effective by the Commission on the date hereof and the Public Securities have been registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
2.1.3 No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any federal, state or other regulatory authority has issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus or Prospectus or any part thereof, or has instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
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2.2 Disclosures in Registration Statement.
2.2.1 10b-5 Representation. At the Effective Date (or at the time of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement) and at all times subsequent thereto up to the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus do and will contain all material statements that are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations, and did or will, in all material respects, conform to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations. The Registration Statement, as of the Effective Date and at the Applicable Time, did not, and the amendments and supplements thereto, as of their respective dates, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading. The Prospectus, as of its date and the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, did not, and the amendments and supplements thereto, as of their respective dates, will not, include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Statutory Prospectus, as of the Applicable Time (or such subsequent Applicable Time pursuant to Section 2.1.1), did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. When any Preliminary Prospectus or the Statutory Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the Registration Statement for the registration of the Public Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the Regulations) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Statutory Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied or will have been corrected in the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus to comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Act and the Regulations and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representation and warranty made in this Section 2.2.1 does not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Underwriters by the Underwriters expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of the Underwriters consists solely of the following: the information with respect to dealers’ concessions and reallowances contained in the first paragraph of the section entitled “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) – Pricing of the Offering” and the information with respect to short positions and stabilizing transactions contained in the section entitled “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest) – Stabilization and Other Transactions” (such information, collectively, the “Underwriters’ Information”).
2.2.2 Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus conform to the descriptions thereof contained therein in all material respects and there are no agreements or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which its property or business is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus or attached as an exhibit thereto, or (ii) that is material to the Company’s business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the foreign, federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought, and no such agreement or instrument has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any other party is in breach or default thereunder and, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a breach or default thereunder. To the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, the performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses, including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.
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2.2.3 Prior Securities Transactions. No securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company since the date of the Company’s formation, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.2.4 Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, foreign, state and local regulation on the Company’s business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.
2.3 Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.
2.3.1 No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein, (i) there has been no material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or business prospects of the Company, (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement, (iii) no member of the Company’s board of directors (the “Board of Directors”) or management has resigned from any position with the Company and (iv) no event or occurrence has taken place which materially impairs, or would likely materially impair, with the passage of time, the ability of the members of the Board of Directors or management to act in their capacities with the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.3.2 Recent Securities Transactions. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or therein, the Company has not (i) issued any securities or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.
2.4 Independent Accountants. MaloneBailey, LLP (“MaloneBailey”), whose report is filed with the Commission as part of, and is included in, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants as required by the Act, the Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”), including the rules and regulations promulgated by such entity. To the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, MaloneBailey is currently registered with the PCAOB and in good standing. MaloneBailey has not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.
2.5 Financial Statements; Statistical Data.
2.5.1 Financial Statements. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules (if any) included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus fairly present the financial position, the results of operations and the cash flows of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), consistently applied throughout the periods involved; and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the information required to be stated therein in conformity with the Regulations. No other financial statements or supporting schedules are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus or the Prospectus. The Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus disclose all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. There are no pro forma or as adjusted financial statements which are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus in accordance with Regulation S-X or Form S-1 that have not been included as so required.
2.5.2 Statistical Data. The statistical, industry-related and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and/or the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.
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2.6 Authorized Capital; Options. The Company had at the date or dates indicated in each of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the Prospectus, as the case may be, duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the Prospectus. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date or on the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there will be no options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares or any security convertible into Ordinary Shares, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell Ordinary Shares or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.
2.7 Valid Issuance of Securities.
2.7.1 Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized and outstanding securities of the Company conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. All offers, sales and any transfers of the outstanding securities of the Company were at all relevant times either registered under the Act and the applicable state securities or Blue Sky laws or exempt from such registration requirements (based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such securities).
2.7.2 Public Securities. The Public Securities have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance and when issued and paid for in accordance with this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non- assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Public Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Public Securities has been duly and validly taken. The form of certificates for the Public Securities conform to the corporate law of the jurisdiction of the Company’s incorporation and applicable securities laws. The Public Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, as the case may be. When paid for and issued, the Rights will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue the number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms thereof and such Rights are enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under foreign, federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of the Rights have been reserved for issuance and upon the conversion of the Rights, and when issued in accordance with the terms thereof, such Ordinary Shares will be duly and validly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders.
2.7.3 Placement Securities.
2.7.3.1 The Private Placement Units and Additional Private Placement Units constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company to issue the number and type of securities of the Company called for thereby in accordance with the terms thereof, and are, or will be, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. The Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion of the Private Placement Rights have been reserved for issuance and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Private Placement Rights, will be duly and validly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Placement Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company; and all corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Placement Securities has been duly and validly taken. The Private Placement Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, and the Prospectus, as the case may be.
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2.7.4 No Integration. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has, prior to the date hereof, made any offer or sale of any securities which are required to be or may be “integrated” pursuant to the Act or the Regulations with the offer and sale of the Public Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or the Placement Securities in the Unit Private Placement.
2.8 Registration Rights of Third Parties. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, no holders of any securities of the Company or any rights exercisable for or convertible or exchangeable into securities of the Company have the right to require the Company to register any such securities of the Company under the Act or to include any such securities in a registration statement to be filed by the Company.
2.9 Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement, the Insider Letters (as defined in Section 2.21.1), the Trust Agreement, the Services Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.3), the Registration Rights Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.4), the Rights Agreement (as defined in Section 2.23), the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.2), the Securities Subscription Agreement (as defined in Section 2.25) and the Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement (as defined in Section 2.21.6) (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto, will constitute the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the foreign, federal, and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.
2.10 No Conflicts, Etc. The execution, delivery, and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a breach or violation of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company is a party or bound or to which its property is subject except pursuant to the Trust Agreement (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company, as may be amended (the “Memorandumand Articles of Association”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties, assets or business constituted as of the date hereof.
2.11 No Defaults; Violations. No default or violation exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not in violation of any term or provision of its Memorandum and Articles of Association or in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties or businesses.
2.12 Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.
2.12.1 Conduct of Business. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business for the purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus concerning the effects of foreign, federal, state and local regulation on this Offering and the Company’s business purpose as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Since its formation, the Company has conducted no business and has incurred no liabilities other than in connection with its formation and in furtherance of this Offering.
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2.12.2 Transactions Contemplated Herein. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection herewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization, or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body, foreign or domestic, is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery, of the Public Securities and the Placement Securities and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by the Transaction Documents and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable foreign, federal and state securities laws and the rules of The Nasdaq Global Market (“Nasdaq”), and the rules and regulations promulgated by the FINRA.
2.13 D&O Questionnaires. To the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, all information contained in the questionnaires (“Questionnaires”) completed by each of the Company’s officers, directors and shareholders (“Insiders”) and provided to the Representatives and its counsel and the biographies of the Insiders contained in the Registration Statement, Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus (to the extent a biography is contained) is true and correct and the Company has not become aware of any information which would cause the information disclosed in the Questionnaires completed by each Insider to become inaccurate, incorrect or incomplete.
2.14 Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending, or to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, threatened against or involving the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any Insider or any shareholder or member of an Insider that has not been disclosed, that is required to be disclosed, in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Questionnaires.
2.15 Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation. The Company is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), earnings, assets, prospects, business, operations or properties of the Company, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”).
2.16 No Contemplation of a Business Combination. The Company has not identified any Business Combination target (each a “Target Business”) and it has not, nor has anyone on its behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any Business Combination target.
2.17 Transactions Requiring Disclosure to FINRA.
2.17.1 Finder’s Fees. There are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder’s, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any Insider with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any Insider that may affect the Underwriters’ compensation, as determined by FINRA.
2.17.2 Payments Within 180 Days. The Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder’s fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing of the Registration Statement, other than the prior payments to the Representatives in connection with the Offering. The Company has not issued any warrants or other securities, or granted any options, directly or indirectly, to anyone who is a potential underwriter in the Offering or a related person (as defined by FINRA rules) of such an underwriter within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement. No person to whom securities of the Company have been privately issued within the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement has any relationship or affiliation or association with any member of FINRA participating in the Offering. Except with respect to the Representatives in connection with the Offering, the Company has not entered into any agreement or arrangement (including, without limitation, any consulting agreement or any other type of agreement) during the 180-day period prior to the initial filing date of the Registration Statement with the Commission, which arrangement or agreement provides for the receipt of any item of value and/or the transfer or issuance of any warrants, options, or other securities from the Company to a FINRA member, any person associated with a member (as defined by FINRA rules), any potential underwriters in the Offering and/or any related persons.
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2.17.3 FINRA Affiliation. Other than as disclosed to the Representatives, no officer or director or any direct or indirect beneficial owner (including the Insiders) of any class of the Company’s unregistered securities (whether debt or equity, registered or unregistered, regardless of the time acquired or the source from which derived) has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA). The Company will advise the Representatives and HK if it learns that any officer or director or any direct or indirect beneficial owner (including the Insiders) is or becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering.
2.17.4 Share Ownership. No officer or director or any direct or indirect beneficial owner (including the Insiders) of any class of the Company’s unregistered securities is an owner of shares or other securities of any member of FINRA participating in the Offering (other than securities purchased on the open market).
2.17.5 Loans. No officer or director or any direct or indirect beneficial owner (including the Insiders) of any class of the Company’s unregistered securities has made a subordinated loan to any member of FINRA participating in the Offering.
2.17.6 Proceeds of the Offering. No proceeds from the sale of the Public Securities (excluding underwriting compensation) or the Placement Securities, will be paid to any FINRA member participating in the Offering, or any persons associated or affiliated with a member of FINRA participating in the Offering, except as specifically authorized herein.
2.17.7 Conflicts of Interest. Except as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and/or the Prospectus, no FINRA member intending to participate in the Offering has a conflict of interest with the Company. For this purpose, a “conflict of interest” exists when a member of FINRA and/or its associated persons, parent or affiliates in the aggregate beneficially own 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding subordinated debt or common equity, or 10% or more of the Company’s preferred equity. “Members participating in the Offering” include managing agents, syndicate group members and all dealers which are members of FINRA.
2.18 Taxes.
2.18.1 There are no transfer taxes or other similar fees or charges under U.S. federal law or the laws of any U.S. state or any political subdivision of the United States, required to be paid in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the issuance or sale by the Company of the Public Securities.
2.18.2 The Company has filed all U.S. federal, state and local tax returns required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof in a timely manner or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. The Company has paid all taxes shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on it and any other assessment, fine or penalty levied against it, to the extent that any of the foregoing is due and payable. The Company has made appropriate provisions in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 2.5.1 above in respect of all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise taxes for all current or prior periods as to which the tax liability of the Company has not been finally determined.
2.19 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act; Anti-Money Laundering; Patriot Act.
2.19.1 Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any of the Insiders or any other person acting on behalf of the Company has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any governmental agency or instrumentality of any government (domestic or foreign) or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that (i) might subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding, (ii) if not given in the past, might have had a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) if not continued in the future, might adversely affect the assets, business or operations of the Company. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.
2.19.2 Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with (i) the requirements of the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Asset Control and (ii) applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transaction Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, including the Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, as amended, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar money laundering statutes, rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Federal governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, threatened.
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2.19.3 Patriot Act. Neither the Company nor to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any Insider has violated the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, as amended, or Uniting and Strengthening of America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act of 2001, and/or the rules and regulations promulgated under any such law, or any successor law.
2.20 Officers’ Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company in connection with the Offering and delivered to the Representatives or to HK shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Underwriters as to the matters covered thereby.
2.21 Agreements With Insiders.
2.21.1 Insider Letter. On the date hereof, the Company has caused to be duly executed a legally binding and enforceable agreement (except (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification, contribution or non-compete provision may be limited under foreign, federal and state securities laws, and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought), a form of which is annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “InsiderLetter”), pursuant to which each of the Insiders of the Company agree to certain matters. The Insider Letter shall not be amended, modified or otherwise changed without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
2.21.2 Purchase Agreement. On the date hereof, the Sponsor has executed and delivered a Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which the Sponsor will, among other things, on the Closing Date, consummate the purchase of and deliver the purchase price for the Private Placement Units as provided for in such Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, (i) the Sponsor has waived any and all rights and claims it may have to any proceeds, and any interest thereon, held in the Trust Account in respect of the Private Placement Units, and (ii) a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units will be deposited by the Sponsor in the Trust Account in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as applicable, as provided for in the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement.
2.21.3 Administrative Services. On the date hereof, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into an Administrative Services and Indemnification Agreement (the “ServicesAgreement”) substantially in the form annexed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement pursuant to which the Sponsor will make available to the Company office space, administrative and support services for the Company’s use for $55,556 per month payable until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the liquidation of the Trust Account, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Services Agreement.
2.21.4 Registration Rights Agreement. On the date hereof, the Company, the Initial Shareholders and the Underwriters have entered into a Registration Rights Agreement (“RegistrationRights Agreement”) substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, whereby such parties will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to the securities they hold or may hold, as set forth in such Registration Rights Agreement and described more fully in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus.
2.21.5 Loans. The Sponsor has agreed to make loans to the Company in the aggregate amount of up to $300,000 (the “Insider Loans”) pursuant to a promissory note substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. The Insider Loans do not bear any interest and are repayable by the Company on the earlier of the consummation of the Offering or June 6, 2026.
2.21.6 Polaris Purchase Agreement. On the date hereof, Polaris has executed and delivered a Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, the form of which is filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (the “Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement”), pursuant to which Polaris will, among other things, on the Closing Date, consummate the purchase of and deliver the purchase price for the Private Placement Units as provided for in such Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement. Pursuant to the Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, (i) Polaris has waived any and all rights and claims it may have to any proceeds, and any interest thereon, held in the Trust Account in respect of the Private Placement Units, and (ii) a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the Private Placement Units will be deposited by Polaris in the Trust Account in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement on the Closing Date or any Option Closing Date, as applicable, as provided for in the Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement.
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2.22 Investment Management Trust Agreement. The Company has entered into the Trust Agreement with respect to certain proceeds of the Offering and the Unit Private Placement substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.
2.23 Rights Agreement. The Company has entered into a rights agreement with respect to the Rights underlying the Units and the Private Placement Units and certain other rights that may be issued by the Company with Odyssey substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement (“RightsAgreement”).
2.24 Securities Subscription Agreement. On May 30, 2023, the Sponsor paid $25,000 to the Company to purchase 5,750,000 Founder Shares pursuant to a certain securities subscription agreement by and between the Company and the Sponsor (the “Securities Subscription Agreement”).
2.25 No Existing Non-Competition Agreements. No Insider is subject to any non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer which could materially affect his ability to be an employee, officer and/or director of the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement.
2.26 Investments. No more than 45% of the “value” (as defined in Section 2(a)(41) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Company Act”)) of the Company’s total assets consist of, and no more than 45% of the Company’s net income after taxes is derived from, securities other than “Government Securities” (as defined in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act) or money market funds meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act.
2.27 Investment Company Act. The Company is not required, and upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated and the application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus will not be required, to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act.
2.28 Subsidiaries. The Company does not own an interest in any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other business entity.
2.29 Related Party Transactions. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company, on the one hand, and any Insider, on the other hand, which is required by the Act, the Exchange Act or the Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus which is not so described as required. There are no outstanding loans, advances (except normal advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business), or guarantees of indebtedness by the Company to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any of their respective family members, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and Prospectus. The Company has not extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or officer of the Company.
2.30 No Influence. The Company has not offered, or caused the Underwriters to offer, the Firm Units to any person or entity with the intention of unlawfully influencing: (a) a customer or supplier of the Company or any affiliate of the Company to alter the customer’s or supplier’s level or type of business with the Company or such affiliate or (b) a journalist or publication to write or publish favorable information about the Company or any such affiliate.
2.31 Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company is, or on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and related or similar rules or regulations promulgated by any governmental or self-regulatory entity or agency, that are applicable to it as of the date hereof.
2.32 Distribution of Offering Material by the Company. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the distribution of the Units, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Units other than the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, in each case as supplemented and amended.
2.33 Nasdaq Global Market. The Public Securities have been authorized for listing, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, on Nasdaq, and the Company knows of no reason or set of facts that is likely to adversely affect such authorization.
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2.34 Board of Directors. As of the Effective Date, the Board of Directors of the Company will be comprised of the persons set forth as “Directors” or “Director nominees” under the heading of the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus captioned “Management.” As of the Effective Date, the qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board will comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and the rules of Nasdaq that are, in each case, applicable to the Company. As of the Effective Date, the Company will have an Audit Committee that satisfies the applicable requirements under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder and the rules of Nasdaq.
2.35 Emerging Growth Company. From its formation through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”).
2.36 No Disqualification Events. Neither the Company, nor any of its predecessors or any affiliated issuer, nor any director, executive officer, or other officer of the Company participating in the Offering, nor any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the Applicable Time (each, a “Company Covered Person” and, together, “Company Covered Persons”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Act (a “DisqualificationEvent”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3). The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Company Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event. The Company has complied, to the extent applicable, with its disclosure obligations under Rule 506(e), and has furnished to the Underwriters a copy of any disclosures provided thereunder.
2.37 Other Covered Persons. The Company is not aware of any person (other than any Company Covered Person or Underwriter) that has been or will be paid (directly or indirectly) remuneration for solicitation of purchasers in connection with the sale of any Securities.
2.38 Free-Writing Prospectus and Testing-the-Waters. The Company has not made any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405. The Company: (a) has not engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communication other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Act and (b) has not authorized anyone to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications other than its officers and the Representatives and individuals engaged by the Representatives. The Company has not distributed any written Testing-the-Waters Communications. “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Act.
2.39 Ineligible Issuer. At the time of filing the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the earliest time thereafter that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) of the Regulations) of the Securities and at the date hereof, the Company was and is an “ineligible issuer,” as defined in Rule 405.
- Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees as follows:
3.1 Amendments to Registration Statement. The Company will deliver to the Representatives, prior to filing, any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus proposed to be filed after the Effective Date and the Company shall not file any such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object in writing.
3.2 Federal Securities Laws.
3.2.1 Compliance. During the time when a Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act, the Company will use its best efforts to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Act, the Regulations, and the Exchange Act, and by the regulations under the Exchange Act, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus. If at any time when a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act, any event shall have occurred as a result of which, in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act, the Company will notify the Representatives promptly and prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3.1 hereof, an appropriate amendment or supplement in accordance with Section 10 of the Act.
3.2.2 Filing of Final Prospectus. The Company will file the Prospectus (in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters) with the Commission pursuant to the requirements of Rule 424 of the Regulations.
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3.2.3 Exchange Act Registration. The Company will use its best efforts to maintain the registration of the Public Securities under the provisions of the Exchange Act (except in connection with a going-private transaction) for a period of five years from the Effective Date, or until the Company is required to be liquidated or is acquired, if earlier. The Company will not deregister the Public Securities under the Exchange Act without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
3.2.4 Exchange Act Filings. From the Effective Date until the earlier of the Company’s initial Business Combination, or its liquidation and dissolution, the Company shall timely file with the Commission via the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) such statements and reports as are required to be filed by a company registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act.
3.2.5 Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance. As soon as it is legally required to do so, the Company shall take all actions necessary to obtain and thereafter maintain material compliance with each applicable provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and related or similar rules and regulations promulgated by any other governmental or self-regulatory entity or agency with jurisdiction over the Company.
3.3 Free-Writing Prospectus. The Company agrees that it will not make any offer relating to the Public Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Act, or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 405, without the prior consent of the Underwriters.
3.4 Delivery to Underwriters of Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to the Underwriters, without charge and from time to time during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the Act or the Exchange Act, such number of copies of each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus as the Underwriters may reasonably request and, as soon as the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto becomes effective, deliver to the Underwriters, upon their request, two manually executed Registration Statements, including exhibits, and all post- effective amendments thereto and copies of all exhibits filed therewith or incorporated therein by reference and all manually executed consents of certified experts.
3.5 Effectiveness and Events Requiring Notice to the Representatives. The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective and will notify the Representatives immediately and confirm the notice in writing: (i) of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto; (ii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iii) of the issuance by any foreign or state securities commission of any proceedings for the suspension of the qualification of the Public Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceeding for that purpose; (iv) of the mailing and delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus; (v) of the receipt of any comments or request for any additional information from the Commission; and (vi) of the happening of any event that, in the reasonable judgment of the Company, makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus untrue or that requires the making of any changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein, and in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Commission or any foreign or state securities commission shall enter a stop order or suspend such qualification at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain promptly the lifting of such order.
3.6 Affiliated Transactions.
3.6.1 Business Combinations. The Company will not consummate a Business Combination with any entity that is affiliated with any Insider unless (i) the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm that commonly renders valuation opinions that the Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view and (ii) a majority of the Company’s disinterested and independent directors (if there are any) approve such transaction. No Insider, the Sponsor, any affiliate of the Company’s sponsor or officers shall receive any finder’s fee, consulting fee, monies in respect of any payment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or for any services it renders in order to effectuate, the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination; provided, however, that such officers, directors and affiliates (i) may receive reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on the Company’s behalf related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial Business Combination; (ii) may be repaid loans as described in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (iii) may be paid $55,556 per month for office space, administrative and support services pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement between the Company and an affiliate of the Sponsor, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the Trust Account prior to completion of the initial Business Combination.
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3.6.2 Compensation to Insiders. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company shall not pay any of the Insiders or any of their affiliates any fees or compensation from the Company, for services rendered to the Company prior to, or in connection with, the consummation of a Business Combination.
3.7 [Reserved]
3.8 Reports to the Representatives. For a period of five years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated or is no longer required to file reports under the Exchange Act, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and its counsel copies of such financial statements and other periodic and special reports as the Company from time to time furnishes generally to holders of any class of its securities, and promptly furnish to the Underwriters: (i) a copy of each periodic report the Company shall be required to file with the Commission, (ii) a copy of every press release and every news item and article with respect to the Company or its affairs that was released by the Company, (iii) a copy of each current Report on Form 8-K or Schedules 13D, 13G, 14D-1 or 13E-4 received or prepared by the Company, (iv) two (2) copies of each registration statement filed by the Company with the Commission under the Act, and (v) such additional documents and information with respect to the Company and the affairs of any future subsidiaries of the Company as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request; provided the Representatives shall sign, if requested by the Company, a Regulation FD compliant confidentiality agreement which is reasonably acceptable to the Representatives and its counsel in connection with the Representatives’ receipt of such information. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Representatives pursuant to this Section.
3.9 Transfer Agent. For a period of five years following the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain a transfer agent and rights agent acceptable to the Representatives. Odyssey is acceptable to the Underwriters.
3.10 Payment of Expenses. The Company hereby agrees to pay on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the extent not paid at the Closing Date, all Company expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, including but not limited to (i) the Company’s legal and accounting fees and disbursements, (ii) the preparation, printing, filing, mailing and delivery (including the payment of postage with respect to such mailing) of the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, including any pre or post effective amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and mailing of this Agreement and related documents, including the cost of all copies thereof and any amendments thereof or supplements thereto supplied to the Underwriters in quantities as may be required by the Underwriters, (iii) the preparation, printing, engraving, issuance and delivery of the Units, the Ordinary Shares and the Rights included in the Units, including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iv) filing fees incurred in registering the Offering with FINRA and the reasonable fees of counsel of the Underwriters in connection therewith, (v) fees, costs and expenses incurred in listing the Securities on Nasdaq or such other stock exchanges as the Company and the Underwriters together determine, (vi) all fees and disbursements of the transfer, rights and rights agent, (vii) all of the Company-only portion of expenses associated with “due diligence” and “road show” meetings arranged by the Representatives and any presentations made available by way of a net roadshow, including without limitation the Company-only portion of trips for the Company’s management to meet with prospective investors, all Company only travel, food and lodging expenses associated with such trips incurred by the Company or such management; and (viii) all other costs and expenses customarily borne by an issuer incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 3.10. If the Offering is consummated, the Representatives may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date the expenses set forth above (which shall be mutually agreed upon between the Company and the Representatives prior to Closing) to be paid by the Company to the Representatives and others. If the Offering is not consummated for any reason (other than a breach by the Representatives of any of its obligations hereunder), then the Company shall reimburse the Representatives in full for their out-of-pocket accountable expenses actually incurred through such date, including, without limitation, reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the Representatives.
3.11 Application of Net Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the Offering and the Unit Private Placement received by it in a manner consistent with the application described under the caption “Use of Proceeds” in the Prospectus.
3.12 Delivery of Earnings Statements to Security Holders. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but not later than the first day of the fifteenth full calendar month following the Effective Date, an earnings statement (which need not be certified by independent public or independent certified public accountants unless required by the Act or the Regulations, but which shall satisfy the provisions of Rule 158(a) under Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of at least twelve consecutive months beginning after the Effective Date.
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3.13 Notice to FINRA.
3.13.1 Notice to FINRA. For a period of ninety (90) days after the date of the Prospectus, in the event any person or entity (regardless of any FINRA affiliation or association) is engaged, in writing, to assist the Company in its search for a Target Business or to provide any other services in connection therewith, the Company will provide the following to FINRA and the Representatives prior to the consummation of the Business Combination: (i) complete details of all services and copies of agreements governing such services; and (ii) justification as to why the person or entity providing the merger and acquisition services should not be considered an “underwriter and related person” with respect to the Offering, as such term is defined in Rule 5110 of the FINRA Manual. The Company also agrees that, if required by law, proper disclosure of such arrangement or potential arrangement will be made in the tender offer documents or proxy statement which the Company will file with the Commission in connection with the Business Combination.
3.13.2 FINRA. The Company shall advise the Representatives (who shall make an appropriate filing with FINRA) if it is aware that any 10% or greater shareholder of the Company becomes an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the distribution of the Public Securities.
3.13.3 Broker/Dealer. In the event the Company intends to register as a broker/dealer, merge with or acquire a registered broker/dealer, or otherwise become a member of FINRA, it shall promptly notify FINRA.
3.14 Stabilization. Neither the Company, nor to its knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, any of its employees, directors or shareholders (without the consent of the Representatives) has taken and the Company will not take, and has directed its employees, directors and shareholders not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that has constituted or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act, or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
3.15 Existing Lock-Up Agreement. The Company will enforce all existing agreements between the Company and any of its security holders that prohibit the sale, transfer, assignment, pledge or hypothecation of any of the Securities in connection with the Offering. In addition, the Company will direct the Company’s transfer agent to place stop transfer restrictions upon any such Securities of the Company that are bound by such existing “lock-up” agreements for the duration of the periods contemplated in such agreements.
3.16 Payment of Deferred Underwriting Commission on Business Combination. Upon the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, the Company agrees that it will cause the trustee under the Trust Agreement to pay the Deferred Discount directly from the Trust Account to the Representatives, in accordance with Section 1.1.3.
3.17 Internal Controls. The Company will maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary in order to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.
3.18 Accountants. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective Date or until such earlier time upon which the Company is required to be liquidated, the Company shall retain MaloneBailey or another independent registered public accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Representatives.
3.19 Form 8-K. The Company shall, on or prior to the date hereof, retain its independent registered public accounting firm to audit the balance sheet of the Company as of the Closing Date (“Audited Financial Statements”) reflecting the receipt by the Company of the proceeds of the Offering and the Unit Private Placement. Within four (4) Business Days after the Closing Date, the Company shall file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Commission, which Report shall contain the Company’s Audited Financial Statements. Promptly after the Option Closing Date, if the Over-allotment Option is exercised after the Closing Date, the Company shall file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K or an amendment to the Form 8-K to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of such option.
3.20 Corporate Proceedings. All corporate proceedings and other legal matters necessary to carry out the provisions of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been effected, except where failure to do so would not individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
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3.21 Investment Company. The Company shall cause the proceeds of the Offering, Over-allotment Option, and the Unit Private Placement to be held in the Trust Account to be invested only as provided for in the Trust Agreement and disclosed in the Prospectus. The Company will otherwise conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act. Furthermore, once the Company consummates a Business Combination, it shall be engaged in a business other than that of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading securities.
3.22 Amendments to Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Company covenants and agrees, that prior to its initial Business Combination it will not seek to amend or modify its Memorandum and Articles of Association, except as set forth therein. The Company acknowledges that the purchasers of the Public Securities in the Offering shall be deemed to be third party beneficiaries of this Agreement and specifically this Section 3.22.
3.23 Press Releases. The Company agrees that it will not issue press releases or engage in any other publicity, without the Representatives’ prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), for a period of twenty-five (25) days after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Company be prohibited from issuing any press releases or engaging in any other publicity required by law, except that including the name of any Underwriter therein shall require the prior written consent of such Underwriter.
3.24 Insurance. The Company will maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance (including, without limitation, insurance covering the Company, its directors and officers for liabilities or losses arising in connection with this Offering, including, without limitation, liabilities or losses arising under the Act, the Exchange Act, the Regulations and any applicable foreign securities laws).
3.25 Electronic Prospectus. The Company shall cause to be prepared and delivered to the Underwriters, at the Company’s expense, promptly, but in no event later than two (2) Business Days from the effective date of this Agreement, an Electronic Prospectus to be used by the Underwriters in connection with the Offering. As used herein, the term “Electronic Prospectus” means a form of prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, that meets each of the following conditions: (i) it shall be encoded in an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that may be transmitted electronically by the Underwriters to offerees and purchasers of the Units for at least the period during which a prospectus relating to the Units is required to be delivered under the Act; (ii) it shall disclose the same information as the paper prospectus and prospectus filed pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent that graphic and image material cannot be disseminated electronically, in which case such graphic and image material shall be replaced in the electronic prospectus with a fair and accurate narrative description or tabular representation of such material, as appropriate; and (iii) it shall be in or convertible into a paper format or an electronic format, satisfactory to the Representatives, that will allow recipients thereof to store and have continuously ready access to the prospectus at any future time, without charge to such recipients (other than any fee charged for subscription to the Internet as a whole and for on-line time).
3.26 Private Placement Proceeds. On or prior to the Effective Date, a portion of the proceeds from the Unit Private Placement shall be deposited into the Trust Account in accordance with the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement and Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement.
3.27 Future Financings. The Company agrees that neither it, nor any successor or subsidiary of the Company, will consummate any public or private equity or debt financing prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, unless all investors in such financing expressly waive, in writing, any rights in or claims against the Trust Account.
3.28 Amendments to Agreements. The Company shall not amend, modify or otherwise change the Rights Agreement, Trust Agreement, Registration Rights Agreement, Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, the Services Agreement, or any Insider Letter without the prior written consent of the Representatives which will not be unreasonably withheld. Furthermore, the Trust Agreement shall provide that the trustee is required to obtain a joint written instruction signed by both the Company and the Representatives with respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account from the Trust Account, prior to commencing any liquidation of the assets of the Trust Account in connection with the consummation of any Business Combination, and such provision of the Trust Agreement shall not be permitted to be amended without the prior written consent of the Representatives.
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3.29 Nasdaq. Until the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will use its best efforts to maintain the listing of the Public Securities on Nasdaq or a national securities exchange acceptable to the Representatives.
3.30 Reservation of Shares. The Company will reserve and keep available that maximum number of its authorized but unissued securities which are issuable upon conversion of the Rights and the Private Placement Rights outstanding from time to time.
3.31 Notice of Disqualification Events. The Company will notify the Underwriters in writing, prior to the Closing Date, of (i) any Disqualification Event relating to any Company Covered Person and (ii) any event that would, with the passage of time, become a Disqualification Event relating to any Company Covered Person.
3.32 Emerging Growth Company Status. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the earlier of five years after the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, or the liquidation of the Trust Account if a Business Combination is not consummated as required by its Memorandum and Articles of Association (the “Termination Date”).
3.33 Review of Financial Statements. Until the earlier of five years from the Effective Date or until the liquidation of the Trust Account if a Business Combination is not consummated by the Termination Date, the Company, at its expense, shall cause its regularly engaged independent certified public accountants to review (but not audit) the Company’s financial statements for each of the first three fiscal quarters prior to the announcement of quarterly financial information and the filing of the Company’s Form10-Q quarterly report.
3.34 Right of First Refusal. The Company agrees that if the Firm Units are sold in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall grant Polaris (or any entity Polaris has assigned this right to that is controlled by the current partners of Polaris (the “Polaris Affiliate Assignee”)) the right of first refusal to act as lead financial advisor, capital markets advisor, underwriter, and/or private placement agent in connection with any initial Business Combination or in connection with any financing, at the Polaris’s or Polaris Affiliate Assignee’s, as applicable, sole discretion, of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company (each, a “Subject Transaction”). The right of first refusal shall commence as of the date of this Agreement and terminate on the earlier of (i) one (1) year after the closing of a Business Combination (or the liquidation of the Trust Account in the event that the Company fails to consummate an initial Business Combination within the prescribed time period) or (ii) thirty-six (36) month anniversary of the effective date of the Registration Statement. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not retain, engage or solicit any additional financial advisor, capital markets advisor, underwriter, or private placement agent in a Subject Transaction without the express written consent of Polaris or Polaris Affiliate Assignee, as applicable. Polaris’s or Polaris Affiliate Assignee’s, as applicable, failure to exercise its preferential right with respect to any particular proposal shall not affect its preferential rights relative to future proposals.
- Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Units, as provided herein, shall be subject to the continuing accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company as of the date hereof and as of each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, to the accuracy of the statements of officers of the Company made pursuant to the provisions hereof and to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following conditions:
4.1 Regulatory Matters.
4.1.1 Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 4:00 p.m., New York time, on the date of this Agreement or such later date and time as shall be consented to in writing by the Representatives, and, at each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for the purpose shall have been instituted or shall be pending or contemplated by the Commission and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.
4.1.2 FINRA Clearance. By the Effective Date, the Underwriters shall have received a letter of no objections from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Underwriters as described in the Registration Statement.
4.1.3 No Commission Stop Order. At the Closing Date and on each Option Closing Date, the Commission has not issued any order or threatened to issue any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any part thereof, and has not instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, threatened to institute any proceedings with respect to such an order.
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4.1.4 Nasdaq. The Public Securities shall have been approved for listing on Nasdaq, subject to official notice of issuance and evidence of satisfactory distribution, satisfactory evidence of which shall have been provided to the Representatives.
4.2 Company Counsel Matters.
4.2.1 Closing Date and Option Closing Date Opinions of Counsel. On the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinions and negative assurance statements of Latham & Watkins LLP and Appleby (Cayman) Ltd., dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the Representatives as representatives for the several Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives and HK.
4.2.2 Reliance. In rendering such opinions, such counsels may rely as to matters of fact, to the extent they deem proper, on certificates or other written statements of officers of the Company and officers of departments of various jurisdictions having custody of documents respecting the corporate existence or good standing of the Company, provided that copies of any such statements or certificates shall be delivered to the Representatives’ counsel if requested. The opinions of counsel for the Company shall include a statement to the effect that they may be relied upon by counsel for the Underwriters in its opinion delivered to the Underwriters.
4.3 Comfort Letter. At the time this Agreement is executed, and at the Closing Date and Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a letter, addressed to the Representatives as representatives for the several Underwriters and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects (including the non-material nature of the changes or decreases, if any, referred to in Section 4.3.3 below) to the Representatives from MaloneBailey dated, respectively, as of the date of this Agreement and as of the Closing Date and Option Closing Date, if any:
4.3.1 Confirming that they are independent accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder adopted by the Commission, and the rules of the PCAOB;
4.3.2 Stating that in their opinion the financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published Regulations thereunder;
4.3.3 Stating that, on the basis of their review, which included a reading of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements of the Company (with an indication of the date of the latest available unaudited interim financial statements), a reading of the latest available minutes of the shareholders and Board of Directors and the various committees of the Board of Directors, consultations with officers and other employees of the Company responsible for financial and accounting matters and other specified procedures and inquiries, nothing has come to their attention that would lead them to believe that (a) the unaudited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the Regulations or are not fairly presented in conformity with GAAP applied on a basis substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements of the Company included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, or (b) at a date immediately prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there was any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company, or any decrease in the stockholders’ equity of the Company as compared with amounts shown in the June 30, 2025 balance sheet included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, other than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus or, if there was any decrease, setting forth the amount of such decrease, and (c) during the period from January 1, 2024 to a specified date immediately prior to the Effective Date, Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be, there were any changes in revenues, net earnings (losses) or net earnings (losses) per Ordinary Share, in each case as compared with the Statement of Operations for the period from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 included in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus, or, if there was any such change, setting forth the amount of such change;
4.3.4 Stating that they have compared specific dollar amounts, numbers of shares, percentages of revenues and earnings, statements and other financial information pertaining to the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus in each case to the extent that such amounts, numbers, percentages, statements and information may be derived from the general accounting records, including work sheets, of the Company and excluding any questions requiring an interpretation by legal counsel, with the results obtained from the application of specified readings, inquiries and other appropriate procedures (which procedures do not constitute an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards) set forth in the letter and found them to be in agreement.
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4.4 Officers’ Certificates.
4.4.1 Officers’ Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Chief Financial Officer or the Chief Executive Officer and the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company (in their capacities as such), dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, respectively, to the effect that the Company has performed all covenants and complied with all conditions required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by the Company prior to and as of the Closing Date, or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, and that the conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof have been satisfied as of such date and that, as of Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Section 2 hereof are true and correct. In addition, the Representatives will have received such other and further certificates of officers of the Company (in their capacities as such) as the Representatives may reasonably request.
4.4.2 Secretary’s Certificate. At each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date or the Option Date, as the case may be, respectively, certifying (i) that the Memorandum and Articles of Association are true and complete, have not been modified and are in full force and effect, (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the public offering contemplated by this Agreement are in full force and effect and have not been modified, (iii) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and the Commission, (iv) as to the accuracy and completeness of all correspondence between the Company or its counsel and Nasdaq and (v) as to the incumbency of the officers of the Company. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.
4.5 No Material Changes. Prior to and on each of the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, if any, (i) there shall have been no material adverse change or development involving a prospective material adverse change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (ii) no action suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any Insider before or by any court or federal, foreign or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, assuming reasonable inquiry, threatened by the Commission, and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Act and the Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
4.6 Delivery of Agreements. On the Effective Date, the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Transaction Documents and all of the Insider Letters.
4.7 Private Placement Units. On the Closing Date and the Option Closing Date, as applicable, the Private Placement Units have been purchased as provided for in the Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement and Polaris Private Placement Unit Purchase Agreement, and the requisite portion of the purchase price for such securities specified herein and therein shall be deposited into the Trust Account.
- Indemnification and Contribution.
5.1 Indemnification.
5.1.1 Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates and their respective partners, members, directors, officers, employees and agents, and each person, if any, who controls each Underwriter or any affiliate (“Controlling Person”) within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act as follows:
(a) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any preliminary prospectus, Statutory Prospectus, any Testing-the-Waters Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing), or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
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(b) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as incurred, joint or several, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental authority, commenced or threatened, or of any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 5.1.5) any such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be delayed, conditioned or withheld; and
(c) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and disbursements of counsel), reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental authority, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue statement or omission (whether or not a party), to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (a) or (b) above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss, liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made solely in reliance upon and in conformity with the Underwriter Information (as defined below).
5.1.2 Indemnification of the Company, its Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and its directors, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense described in the indemnity contained in Section 5.1.1, as incurred, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions, made in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the Statutory Prospectus, any Testing-the-Waters Communication or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement to the foregoing), solely in reliance upon and in conformity with Underwriters’ Information.
5.1.3 Indemnification of the QIU. Without limitation and in addition to its obligation under the other subsections of this Section 5, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Benchmark, in its capacity as the QIU, its directors, officers, agents, partners, members and employees and each Controlling Person from and against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense, as incurred, arising out of or based upon the QIU’s acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” (within the meaning of Rule 5121 of the Rules of FINRA) in connection with the Offering contemplated by this agreement, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified person for any legal or other expense reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating, defending, settling, compromising or paying any such loss, claim, damage, liability, expense or action; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or expense results from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the QIU. Notwithstanding the indemnification set forth in this Section 5.1.3, Benchmark will undertake liability under Section 11 of the Exchange Act for acting as a qualified independent underwriter in connection with this Offering in compliance with FINRA Rule 5121(f)(12)(C).
5.1.4 Notifications and Other Indemnification Procedures. Any party that proposes to assert the right to be indemnified under this Section 5.1 will, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim is to be made against an indemnifying party or parties under this Section 5.1, notify each such indemnifying party of the commencement of such action, enclosing a copy of all papers served, but the omission so to notify such indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from (i) any liability that it might have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this Section 5.1 and (ii) any liability that it may have to any indemnified party under the foregoing provision of this Section 5.1 unless, and only to the extent that, such omission results in the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses by the indemnifying party. If any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of its commencement, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate in and, to the extent that it elects by delivering written notice to the indemnified party promptly after receiving notice of the commencement of the action from the indemnified party, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense of, the action, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified party of its election to assume the defense, the indemnifying party will not be liable to the indemnified party for any other legal expenses except as provided below and except for the reasonable costs of investigation subsequently incurred by the indemnified party in connection with the defense. The indemnified party will have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action, but the fees, expenses and other charges of such counsel will be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (A) the employment of counsel by the indemnified party has been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, (B) the indemnified party has reasonably concluded (based on advice of counsel) that there may be legal defenses available to it or other indemnified parties that are different from or in addition to those available to the indemnifying party, (C) a conflict or potential conflict exists (based on advice of counsel to the indemnified party) between the indemnified party and the indemnifying party (in which case the indemnifying party will not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of the indemnified party) or (D) the indemnifying party has not in fact employed counsel to assume the defense of such action or counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, in each case, within a reasonable time after receiving notice of the commencement of the action; in each of which cases the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of counsel will be at the expense of the indemnifying party or parties. It is understood that the indemnifying party or parties shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees, disbursements and other charges of more than one separate firm admitted to practice in such jurisdiction (plus local counsel) at any one time for all such indemnified party or parties. All such fees, disbursements and other charges will be reimbursed by the indemnifying party promptly as they are incurred. An indemnifying party will not, in any event, be liable for any settlement of any action or claim effected without its written consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of each indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding relating to the matters contemplated by this Section 5 (whether or not any indemnified party is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (x) includes an express and unconditional release of each indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party, from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim and (y) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
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5.1.5 Settlement Without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for reasonable fees and expenses of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature contemplated by Section 5.1.1(b) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
5.2 Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in the foregoing paragraphs of Section 5.1 is applicable in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unavailable or insufficient from the Company or the Underwriters, the Company and the Underwriters will contribute to the total losses, claims, liabilities, expenses and damages (including any investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amount paid in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted) to which any indemnified party may be subject in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters, as the case may be, on the other hand. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters, as the case may be, on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the sale of the Units (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total compensation received by the Underwriters (before deducting expenses) from the sale of Units on behalf of the Company. If, but only if, the allocation provided by the foregoing sentence is not permitted by applicable law, the allocation of contribution shall be made in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in the foregoing sentence but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, as the case may be, on the other hand, with respect to the statements or omission that resulted in such loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations with respect to such offering. Such relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters, as the case may be, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section 5.2 were to be determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to herein. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the loss, claim, liability, expense or damage, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this Section 5.2 shall be deemed to include, for the purpose of this Section 5.2, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim to the extent consistent with Section 5.1.4. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of Section 5.1 and this Section 5.2, the Underwriters shall not be required to contribute any amount in excess of the commissions actually received by it under this Agreement and no person found guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) will be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 5.2, any person who controls a party to this Agreement within the meaning of the Securities Act, any affiliates of the respective Underwriters and any officers, directors, partners, employees or agents of the Underwriters or their respective affiliates, will have the same rights to contribution as that party, and each director of the Company and each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement will have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the provisions hereof. Any party entitled to contribution, promptly after receipt of notice of commencement of any action against such party in respect of which a claim for contribution may be made under this Section 5.2, will notify any such party or parties from whom contribution may be sought, but the omission to so notify will not relieve that party or parties from whom contribution may be sought from any other obligation it or they may have under this Section 5.2 except to the extent that the failure to so notify such other party materially prejudiced the substantive rights or defenses of the party from whom contribution is sought. Except for a settlement entered into pursuant to the last sentence of Section 5.1.4, no party will be liable for contribution with respect to any action or claim settled without its written consent if such consent is required pursuant to Section 5.1.4.
- Default by an Underwriter.
6.1 Default Not Exceeding 10% of Firm Units. If any Underwriter or Underwriters shall default in its or their obligations to purchase the Firm Units and if the number of the Firm Units with respect to which such default relates does not exceed in the aggregate 10% of the number of Firm Units that all Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, then such Firm Units to which the default relates shall be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters in proportion to their respective commitments hereunder.
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6.2 Default Exceeding 10% of Firm Units. In the event that the default addressed in Section 6.1 above relates to more than 10% of the Firm Units, the Representatives may, in its discretion, arrange for it or for another party or parties to purchase such Firm Units to which such default relates on the terms contained herein. If within one (1) Business Day after such default relating to more than 10% of the Firm Units the Representatives do not arrange for the purchase of such Firm Units, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of one (1) Business Day within which to procure another party or parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase said Firm Units on such terms. In the event that neither the Representatives nor the Company arrange for the purchase of the Firm Units to which a default relates as provided in this Section 6, this Agreement may be terminated by the Representatives or the Company without liability on the part of the Company (except as provided in Sections 3.10, 5, and 9.3 hereof) or the several Underwriters (except as provided in Section 5 hereof); provided that nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the other several Underwriters and to the Company for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.
6.3 Postponement of Closing Date. In the event that the Firm Units to which the default relates are to be purchased by the non-defaulting Underwriters, or are to be purchased by another party or parties as aforesaid, the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone the Closing Date for a reasonable period, but not in any event exceeding five (5) Business Days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus, as the case may be, or in any other documents and arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendment to, or to supplement, the Registration Statement and/or the Prospectus, as the case may be, that in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters may thereby be made necessary. The term “Underwriter” as used in this Agreement shall include any party substituted under this Section 6 with like effect as if it had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such securities.
- Additional Covenants.
7.1 Additional Shares or Options. The Company hereby agrees that until the consummation of a Business Combination, it shall not issue any Ordinary Shares or any options or other securities convertible into Ordinary Shares, or any preference shares or other securities of the Company which participate in any manner in the Trust Account or which vote as a class with the Ordinary Shares on a Business Combination.
7.2 Trust Account Waiver Acknowledgments. The Company hereby agrees that it will use its reasonable best efforts prior to commencing its due diligence investigation of any prospective Target Business or obtaining the services of any vendor to have such Target Business and/or vendor acknowledge in writing whether through a letter of intent, memorandum of understanding or other similar document (and subsequently acknowledges the same in any definitive document replacing any of the foregoing), that (a) it has read the Prospectus and understands that the Company has established the Trust Account, initially in an amount of $200,000,000 (without giving effect to any exercise of the Over-allotment Option) for the benefit of the Public Shareholders and that, except for a portion of the interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, the Company may disburse monies from the Trust Account only (i) to the Public Shareholders in the event they elect to redeem Ordinary Shares contained in the Units in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, (ii) to the Public Shareholders if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within the time period set forth in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, or (iii) to the Company after or concurrently with the consummation of a Business Combination and (b) for and in consideration of the Company (i) agreeing to evaluate such Target Business for purposes of consummating a Business Combination with it or (ii) agreeing to engage the services of the vendor, as the case may be, such Target Business or vendor agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account (“Claim”) and waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
7.3 Insider Letters. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action which would cause a breach of any of the Insider Letters and will not allow any amendments to, or waivers of, such Insider Letters without the prior written consent of the Representatives, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
7.4 Rule 419. The Company agrees that it will use its best efforts to prevent the Company from becoming subject to Rule 419 under the Act prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, including but not limited to using its best efforts to prevent any of the Company’s outstanding securities from being deemed to be a “penny stock” as defined in Rule 3a-51-1 under the Exchange Act during such period.
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7.5 Tender Offer Documents, Proxy Materials and Other Information. The Company shall provide to the Representatives or their counsel (if so instructed by the Representatives) with 10 copies of all tender offer documents or proxy information and all related material filed with the Commission in connection with a Business Combination concurrently with such filing with the Commission. Documents filed with the Commission pursuant to its EDGAR system shall be deemed to have been provided to the Representatives pursuant to this Section 7.5. In addition, the Company shall furnish any other state in which its initial public offering was registered, such information as may be requested by such state.
7.6 Emerging Growth Company. The Company shall promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities within the meaning of the Act.
7.7 Target Fair Market Value. The Company agrees that the Target Business that it acquires must have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the balance in the Trust Account at the time of signing the definitive agreement for the Business Combination with such Target Business (net of permitted withdrawals and excluding deferred underwriting commissions). The fair market value of such business must be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company based upon standards generally accepted by the financial community, such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and book value. If the Board of Directors of the Company is not able to independently determine that the target business meets such fair market value requirement, the Company will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm that commonly renders valuation opinions with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. The Company is not required to obtain an opinion as to the fair market value if the Company’s Board of Directors independently determines that the Target Business does have sufficient fair market value.
7.8 Memorandum and Articles of Association. The Company shall not take any action or omit to take any action that would cause the Company to be in breach or violation of its Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. Except as the context otherwise requires, all representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be deemed to be representations, warranties and agreements as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, and such representations, warranties and agreements of the Underwriters and the Company, including the indemnity agreements contained in Section 5 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Underwriters, the Company or any Controlling Person, and shall survive termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Public Securities to the Underwriters until the earlier of the expiration of any applicable statute of limitations and the seventh (7th) anniversary of the later of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, if any, at which time the representations, warranties and agreements shall terminate and be of no further force and effect.
Effective Date of This Agreement and Termination Thereof.
9.1 Effective Date. This Agreement shall become effective on the Effective Date at the time the Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission.
9.2 Termination. The Representatives shall have the right to terminate this Agreement at any time prior to the Closing Date, (i) if any domestic or international event or act or occurrence has materially disrupted, or in the Representatives’ opinion will in the immediate future materially disrupt, general securities markets in the United States; or (ii) if trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, or the Nasdaq Capital Market or quoted on the OTCBB shall have been suspended, or minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required by FINRA or by order of the Commission or any other government authority having jurisdiction, or (iii) if the United States shall have become involved in a new war or an increase in existing major hostilities, or (iv) if a banking moratorium has been declared by a New York State or Federal authority, or (v) if a moratorium on foreign exchange trading has been declared which materially adversely impacts the United States securities market, or (vi) if the Company shall have sustained a material loss by fire, flood, accident, hurricane, earthquake, theft, sabotage or other calamity (including, without limitation, a calamity relating to a public health matter or natural disaster) or malicious act which, whether or not such loss shall have been insured, will, in the Representatives’ sole opinion, make it inadvisable to proceed with the delivery of the Units, or (vii) if the Company is in material breach of any of its representations, warranties or covenants hereunder, or (viii) if the Representatives shall have become aware after the date hereof of such a material adverse change in the conditions of the Company, or such adverse material change in general market conditions, including without limitation as a result of terrorist activities or any other calamity (including, without limitation, a calamity relating to a public health matter or natural disaster) or crisis either within or outside the United States after the date hereof, or an increase in any of the foregoing, as in the Representatives’ sole judgment would make it impracticable to proceed with the offering, sale and/or delivery of the Units or to enforce contracts made by the Underwriters for the sale of the Public Securities.
25
9.3 Expenses. In the event that this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (i) the obligations of the Company to pay the out-of-pocket expenses related to the transactions contemplated herein shall be governed by Section 3.10 hereof and (ii) the Company shall reimburse the Representatives for any costs and expenses incurred in connection with enforcing any provisions of this Agreement.
9.4 Indemnification. Notwithstanding any contrary provision contained in this Agreement, any election hereunder or any termination of this Agreement, and whether or not this Agreement is otherwise carried out, the provisions of Section 5 shall not be in any way affected by such election or termination or failure to carry out the terms of this Agreement or any part hereof.
- Miscellaneous.
10.1 Notices. All communications hereunder, except as herein otherwise specifically provided, shall be in writing and shall be mailed, delivered by hand or reputable overnight courier or delivered by facsimile transmission (with printed confirmation of receipt) and confirmed and shall be deemed given when so mailed, delivered or faxed or if mailed, two days after such mailing.
If to the Representatives:
Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC,
a division of Kingswood Capital Partners LLC
5900 Balcones Drive
Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
Attn: Lewis Silberman, Partner
Email: lew@polarisadp.com
The Benchmark Company, LLC
150 E. 58th Street, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10155
Attn: John J. Borer III
Email: jborer@benchmarkcompany.com
Copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Holland & Knight LLP
811 Main St. Suite 2500,
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 821-7000
Attn: James R. Brown and Douglas C. Lionberger
Email: james.brown@hklaw.com; doug.lionberger@hklaw.com
If to the Company:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive
Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
Attn: Lewis Silberman, Partner
Email: lew@polarisadp.com
Copy (which copy shall not constitute notice) to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Boulevard; Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven Stokdyk
Email: Steven.Stokdyk@lw.com
26
10.2 Headings. The headings contained herein are for the sole purpose of convenience of reference, and shall not in any way limit or affect the meaning or interpretation of any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement.
10.3 Amendment. This Agreement may only be amended by a written instrument executed by each of the parties hereto.
10.4 Entire Agreement. This Agreement (together with the other agreements and documents being delivered pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement) constitute the entire agreement of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof, and supersede all prior agreements and understandings of the parties, oral and written, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
10.5 Binding Effect. This Agreement shall inure solely to the benefit of and shall be binding upon the Representatives, the Underwriters, the selected dealers, the Company and the Controlling Persons, directors, agents, partners, members, employees and officers referred to in Section 5 hereof, and their respective successors, legal representatives and assigns, and no other person shall have or be construed to have any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of or by virtue of this Agreement or any provisions herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” shall not include a purchaser, in its capacity as such, of securities from the Underwriters.
10.6 Waiver of Immunity. To the extent that the Company may be entitled in any jurisdiction in which judicial proceedings may at any time be commenced hereunder, to claim for itself or its revenues or assets any immunity, including sovereign immunity, from suit, jurisdiction, attachment in aid of execution of a judgment or prior to a judgment, execution of a judgment or any other legal process with respect to its obligations hereunder and to the extent that in any such jurisdiction there may be attributed to the Company such an immunity (whether or not claimed), the Company hereby irrevocably agrees not to claim and irrevocably waives such immunity to the maximum extent permitted by law.
10.7 Submission to Jurisdiction. Each of the Company and the Representatives irrevocably submit to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of any New York State or United States Federal court sitting in The City of New York, Borough of Manhattan, over any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Statutory Prospectus and the Prospectus or the offering of the Securities. Each of the Company and the Representatives irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company or the Representatives may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 10.1 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company or the Representatives in any action, proceeding or claim. Each of the Company and the Representatives waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action based on this Agreement may be instituted by the Underwriters in any competent court. The Company agrees that the Underwriters shall be entitled to recover all of their reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses relating to any action or proceeding and/or incurred in connection with the preparation therefor if any of them are the prevailing party in such action or proceeding. EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
10.8 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction.
10.9 Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement, and shall become effective when one or more counterparts has been signed by each of the parties hereto and delivered to each of the other parties hereto. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or email/pdf transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
27
10.10 Waiver. The failure of any of the parties hereto to at any time enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be deemed or construed to be a waiver of any such provision, nor to in any way affect the validity of this Agreement or any provision hereof or the right of any of the parties hereto to thereafter enforce each and every provision of this Agreement. No waiver of any breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be effective unless set forth in a written instrument executed by the party or parties against whom or which enforcement of such waiver is sought; and no waiver of any such breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment shall be construed or deemed to be a waiver of any other or subsequent breach, non-compliance or non-fulfillment.
10.11 No Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that (i) the purchase and sale of the Units pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction pursuant to a contractual relationship between the Company and the Underwriters, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction, each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company, (iii) the Underwriters have not assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether the Underwriters have advised or are currently advising the Company on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement, (iv) in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, shareholders, creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of this offering of the Company’s securities, either before or after the date hereof and (v) the Company has consulted its own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgment with respect to any such transactions, and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including but not limited to any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Company’s securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]
28
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding between the Representatives and the Company, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
| Very truly yours, | ||
|---|---|---|
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | ||
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia | |
| Name: | Gus Garcia | |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
Accepted on the date first above written.
POLARIS ADVISORY PARTNERS LLC,
A DIVISION OF KINGSWOOD CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC
as Representative of the several underwriters
| By: | /s/ Lewis Silberman | |
|---|---|---|
| Name: | Lewis Silberman | |
| Title: | Partner | |
| KINGSWOOD CAPITAL PARTNERS LLC,<br><br> <br>as Broker Dealer | ||
| By: | /s/ Tyler Bashaw | |
| Name: | Tyler Bashaw | |
| Title: | Director of Compliance | |
| THE BENCHMARK COMPANY, LLC,<br><br> <br>as Representative of the several underwriters | ||
| --- | --- | --- |
| By: | /s/ John J Borer III | |
| Name: | John J Borer III | |
| Title: | Senior Managing Director |
[Signature page to Underwriting Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
20,000,000 Units
| Underwriter | Number of Firm<br> Units to be<br> Purchased | |
|---|---|---|
| Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC, a division of Kingswood Capital LLC | 9,950,000 | |
| The Benchmark Company, LLC | 9,950,000 | |
| B. Riley Securities, Inc. | 50,000 | |
| StoneX Financial Inc. | 50,000 | |
| TOTAL | 20,000,000 |
Schedule A-1
Exhibit 3.1
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS REVISED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED
MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
(ADOPTED BY WAY OF SPECIAL RESOLUTIONEFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2, 2025)
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS REVISED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION
OF
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
(ADOPTED BY WAY OF SPECIAL RESOLUTIONEFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2, 2025)
| 1. | The name of the Company is GSR IV Acquisition Corp. |
|---|---|
| 2. | The registered office of the Company will be situated at the<br>offices of Appleby Global Services (Cayman) Limited, 71 Fort Street, PO Box 500, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, KY1-1106 or at such other<br>place in the Cayman Islands as the Directors may from time to time decide. |
| --- | --- |
| 3. | The objects for which the Company is established are unrestricted<br>and the Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object that is not prohibited by the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
| --- | --- |
| 4. | The liability of each Member is limited to the amount, if any,<br>unpaid on such Member’s shares. |
| --- | --- |
| 5. | The share capital of the Company is US$22,100.00 divided into<br>200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares of a par value of US$0.0001<br>each and 1,000,000 preference shares of a par value of US$0.0001 each. |
| --- | --- |
| 6. | The Company has power to register by way of continuation as<br>a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman<br>Islands. |
| --- | --- |
| 7. | Capitalised terms that are not defined in this Amended and Restated<br>Memorandum of Association bear the respective meanings given to them in the Amended and Restated Articles of Association of the Company. |
| --- | --- |
2
THE COMPANIES ACT (AS REVISED)
OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
OF
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
(ADOPTED BY WAY OF SPECIAL RESOLUTIONEFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2, 2025)
| 1. | INTERPRETATION |
|---|---|
| 1.1 | In these Articles, Table A in the First Schedule to the Statute<br>does not apply and, unless there is something in the subject or context inconsistent therewith: |
| --- | --- |
Affiliate: means, with respect to a Person, any other person that, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such Person, and (a) in the case of a natural person, shall include such Person’s spouse, parents, children, siblings, mother-in-law and father-in-law and brothers and sisters-in-law, whether by blood, marriage or adoption or anyone residing in such person’s home, a trust for the benefit of any of the foregoing, or a corporation, a company, a partnership or other entity wholly or jointly owned by any of the foregoing and (b) in the case of an entity, shall include a corporation, a company, a partnership or other entity which directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls, is Controlled by, or is under common Control with, such entity. The term Affiliated has meaning correlative to the foregoing;
Applicable Law: means, with respect to any Person, all applicable provisions of all constitutions, treaties, statutes, laws (including the common law), codes, rules, regulations, ordinances or orders of any Governmental Authority, and any orders, decisions, injunctions, judgments, awards and decrees of or agreements with any Governmental Authority;
Articles: means these amended and restated articles of association of the Company;
Audit Committee: means the audit committee of the board of Directors of the Company formed pursuant to the Articles, or any successor committee;
Auditor: means the Person for the time being performing the duties of auditor of the Company (if any);
Business Combination: means a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganisation or similar business combination involving the Company, with one or more businesses or assets (the target business), which Business Combination: (a) as long as the securities of the Company are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange, must occur with one or more target businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80 per cent of the net assets held in the Trust Account (net of Permitted Withdrawals and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting discount held in trust) at the time of signing the definitive agreement to enter into such Business Combination; and (b) must not be effectuated solely with another blank cheque company or a similar company with nominal operations;
3
business day: means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorised or obligated by law to close in New York City;
Clearing House: means a clearing house recognised by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the Shares (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on a stock exchange or interdealer quotation system in such jurisdiction;
Class A Share: means a Class A ordinary share of a par value of US$0.0001 in the share capital of the Company;
Class B Share: means a Class B ordinary share of a par value of US$0.0001 in the share capital of the Company;
Class B Share Conversion: means the conversion of Class B Shares in accordance with Article 17;
Company: means the above named company;
Company’s Website: means the website of the Company and/or its web-address or domain name (if any);
Compensation Committee: means the compensation committee of the board of Directors of the Company established pursuant to the Articles, or any successor committee;
Control: means with respect to a Person, the power or authority, whether exercised or not, to direct the business, management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; provided that such power or authority shall conclusively be presumed to exist upon possession of beneficial ownership or power to direct the vote of more than fifty per cent (50%) of the votes entitled to be cast at a meeting of the members or shareholders of such Person or power to control the composition of a majority of the board of directors of such Person. The terms Controlled and Controlling have meanings correlative to the foregoing;
Designated Stock Exchange: means any national securities exchange or automated system on which the Company’s securities are listed for trading, including The Nasdaq Global Market;
Directors: means the directors for the time being of the Company;
Dividend: means any dividend (whether interim or final) resolved to be paid on Shares pursuant to the Articles;
Electronic Communication: means a communication sent by electronic means, including electronic posting to the Company’s Website, transmission to any number, address or internet website (including the website of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission) or other electronic delivery methods as otherwise decided and approved by the Directors;
Electronic Record: has the same meaning as in the Electronic Transactions Act;
Electronic Transactions Act: means the Electronic Transactions Act (2003 Revision) of the Cayman Islands;
Equity-linked Securities: means any debt or equity securities that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for Class A Shares issued in a financing transaction in connection with a Business Combination, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt;
Founders: means the Sponsor and all Members immediately prior to the consummation of the IPO;
4
Governmental Authority: means any nation or government or any province or state or any other political subdivision thereof, or any entity, authority or body exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government, including any court, tribunal, government authority, agency, department, board, commission or instrumentality or any political subdivision thereof, any court, tribunal or arbitrator, and any self-regulatory organization;
Indemnified Person: has the meaning ascribed to such term in Article 48.1;
Independent Director: has the same meaning as in the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange and/or the US Exchange Act, as the case may be;
Initial Conversion Ratio: has the meaning ascribed to such term in Article 17.1;
IPO: means the Company’s initial public offering of securities;
IPO Redemption: has the meaning given to it in Article 53.4;
Management: has the meaning given to it in Article 54.1;
Member: has the same meaning as in the Statute;
Memorandum: means the amended and restated memorandum of association of the Company;
Officer: means a person appointed to hold an office in the Company;
Ordinary Resolution: means a resolution:
| (a) | passed by a simple majority of the Members as, being entitled to do so, vote in person or, where proxies<br>are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of the Company and where a poll is taken regard shall be had in computing a majority to the<br>number of votes to which each Member is entitled; or |
|---|---|
| (b) | approved in writing by all of the Members entitled to vote at a general meeting of the Company in one<br>or more instruments each signed by one or more of the Members; |
| --- | --- |
Ordinary Shares: means together the Class A Shares and Class B Shares;
Over-Allotment Option: means the option of the Underwriter to purchase up to an additional 15 per cent of the units issued in the IPO;
Permitted Withdrawals means amounts withdrawn to fund the Company’s working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $500,000, and to pay the Company’s taxes, which shall exclude any 1% U.S. federal excise tax imposed on stock repurchases under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that is imposed on the Company, if any, all permitted withdrawals can only be made from interest and not from the principal held in the Trust Account;
Person: means any individual, corporation, company, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, exempted limited partnership, proprietorship, association, joint venture, institution, public benefit corporation, exempted company, firm, trust, estate or other enterprise or entity (whether or not having a separate legal personality) or Governmental Authority or any of them as the context so requires, other than in respect of a Director or Officer of the Company in which circumstances Person shall mean any individual or entity permitted to act as such in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands;
Preference Share: means a preference share of a par value of US$0.0001 in the share capital of the Company;
Public Share: means a Class A Share issued as part of the units issued in the IPO;
5
Redemption Notice: means a notice in a form approved by the Company by which a holder of Public Shares is entitled to require the Company to redeem its Public Shares, subject to any conditions contained therein;
Redemption Price: has the meaning given to it in Article 53.4;
Register of Members: means the register of Members maintained in accordance with the Statute and includes (except where otherwise stated) any branch or duplicate register of Members;
Registered Office: means the registered office for the time being of the Company;
Representative: means a representative of the Underwriter;
Rights Agreement: means the rights agreement between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company as rights agent;
Seal: means the common seal of the Company and includes every duplicate seal;
SEC: means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission;
Share: means a Class A Share, a Class B Share or a Preference Share and includes a fraction of a share in the Company;
Share Premium Account: means the share premium account established in accordance with the Articles and the Statute;
Special Resolution: subject to Article 30.4 and Article 50.4, has the same meaning in the Statute, and includes a unanimous written resolution;
Sponsor: GSR IV Sponsor LLC;
Statute: means the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands;
Treasury Share: means a Share held in the name of the Company as a treasury share in accordance with the Statute;
Trust Account: means the trust account established by the Company upon the consummation of its IPO and into which a certain amount of the net proceeds of the IPO, together with a certain amount of the proceeds of the private placement of the private placement units simultaneously with the closing date of the IPO or otherwise, will be deposited;
Underwriter: means an underwriter of the IPO from time to time and any successor underwriter; and
US Exchange Act: means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar U.S. federal statute and the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder, all as the same shall be in effect at the time.
| 1.2 | In these Articles: |
|---|---|
| (a) | words importing the singular number include the plural number<br>and vice versa; |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | words importing the masculine gender include the feminine gender; |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | words importing persons include corporations and any other legal<br>or natural persons; |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | “written” and “in writing” include all modes of representing or reproducing words<br>in visible form, including in the form of an Electronic Record; |
| --- | --- |
6
| (e) | “shall” shall be construed as imperative and “may”<br>shall be construed as permissive; |
|---|---|
| (f) | references to provisions of any law or regulation shall be construed as references to those provisions<br>as amended, modified, re-enacted or replaced; |
| --- | --- |
| (g) | any phrase introduced by the terms “including”, “include”, “in particular”<br>or any similar expression shall be construed as illustrative and shall not limit the sense of the words preceding those terms; |
| --- | --- |
| (h) | the term “and/or” is used herein to mean both “and” as well as “or.”<br>The use of “and/or” in certain contexts in no respects qualifies or modifies the use of the terms “and” or “or”<br>in others. The term “or” shall not be interpreted to be exclusive and the term “and” shall not be interpreted<br>to require the conjunctive (in each case, unless the context otherwise requires); |
| --- | --- |
| (i) | headings are inserted for reference only and shall be ignored<br>in construing the Articles; |
| --- | --- |
| (j) | any requirements as to delivery under the Articles include delivery in the form of an Electronic Record; |
| --- | --- |
| (k) | any requirements as to execution or signature under the Articles including the execution of the Articles<br>themselves can be satisfied in the form of an electronic signature as defined in the Electronic Transactions Act; |
| --- | --- |
| (l) | sections 8 and 19(3) of the Electronic Transactions Act shall<br>not apply; |
| --- | --- |
| (m) | the term “clear days” in relation to the period of a notice means that period excluding the<br>day when the notice is received or deemed to be received and the day for which it is given or on which it is to take effect; |
| --- | --- |
| (n) | the term “holder” in relation to a Share means a Person whose name is entered in the Register<br>of Members as the holder of such Share; |
| --- | --- |
| (o) | reference to any determination by the Directors shall be construed as a determination by the Directors<br>in their sole and absolute discretion and shall be applicable either generally or in any particular case; and |
| --- | --- |
| (p) | reference to a dollar or dollars or USD or US$ or $ and to a cent or cents is reference to dollars and<br>cents of the United States of America. |
| --- | --- |
| 2. | COMMENCEMENT OF BUSINESS |
| --- | --- |
| 2.1 | The business of the Company may be commenced as soon after incorporation of the Company as the Directors<br>shall see fit. |
| --- | --- |
| 2.2 | The Directors may pay, out of the capital or any other monies of the Company, all expenses incurred in<br>or about the formation and establishment of the Company, including the expenses of registration. |
| --- | --- |
| 3. | ISSUE OF SHARES AND OTHER SECURITIES |
| --- | --- |
| 3.1 | Subject to the provisions, if any, in the Memorandum (and to any direction that may be given by the Company<br>in general meeting) and, where applicable, the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent<br>regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law, and without prejudice to any rights attached to any existing Shares, the Directors<br>may allot, issue, grant options over or otherwise dispose of Shares (including fractions of a Share, but will not issue fractions of a<br>Share in respect to issues pursuant to the Rights Agreement) with or without preferred, deferred or other rights or restrictions, whether<br>in regard to Dividends or other distributions, voting, return of capital or otherwise and to such Persons, at such times and on such other<br>terms as they think proper, and may also (subject to the Statute and the Articles) vary such rights, save that the Directors shall not<br>allot, issue, grant options over or otherwise dispose of Shares (including fractions of a Share, but will not issue fractions of a Share<br>in respect to issues pursuant to the Rights Agreement) to the extent that it may affect the ability of the Company to carry out a Class<br>B Share Conversion set out in the Articles. |
| --- | --- |
7
| 3.2 | The Company may issue rights, options, warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar nature<br>conferring the right upon the holders thereof to subscribe for, purchase or receive any class of Shares or other securities in the Company,<br>upon such terms as the Directors may from time to time determine and for such purposes the Directors may reserve an appropriate number<br>of Shares for the time being unissued. |
|---|---|
| 3.3 | The Company may issue units of securities in the Company, which may be comprised of whole or fractional<br>Shares, rights, options, warrants or convertible securities or securities of similar nature conferring the right upon the holders thereof<br>to subscribe for, purchase or receive any class of Shares or other securities in the Company, upon such terms as the Directors may from<br>time to time determine and for such purposes the Directors may reserve an appropriate number of Shares for the time being unissued. The<br>securities comprising any such units which are issued pursuant to the IPO can only be traded separately from one another on the 52nd day<br>following the date of the prospectus relating to the IPO (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day) unless the<br>Representative(s) determines that an earlier date is acceptable, subject to the Company having filed a current report on Form 8-K with<br>the SEC and a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin. Prior to such date, the units can be traded, but the securities<br>comprising such units cannot be traded separately from one another. |
| --- | --- |
| 3.4 | The Company shall not issue Shares to bearer. |
| --- | --- |
| 4. | REGISTER OF MEMBERS |
| --- | --- |
| 4.1 | The Company shall maintain or cause to be maintained the Register of Members in accordance with the Statute. |
| --- | --- |
| 4.2 | The Directors may determine that the Company shall maintain one or more branch registers of Members in<br>accordance with the Statute. The Directors may also determine which register of Members shall constitute the principal register and which<br>shall constitute the branch register or registers, and to vary such determination from time to time. |
| --- | --- |
| 5. | CLOSING OF REGISTER OF MEMBERS OR FIXING RECORD DATE |
| --- | --- |
| 5.1 | For the purpose of determining Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of Members or<br>any adjournment thereof, or Members entitled to receive payment of any Dividend or other distribution, or in order to make a determination<br>of Members for any other purpose, the Directors may, by any means in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange,<br>the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law, provide that the Register of Members shall<br>be closed for transfers for a stated period which shall not in any case exceed forty days. |
| --- | --- |
| 5.2 | In lieu of, or apart from, closing the Register of Members, the Directors may fix in advance or arrears<br>a date as the record date for any such determination of Members entitled to notice of, or to vote at any meeting of the Members or any<br>adjournment thereof, or for the purpose of determining the Members entitled to receive payment of any Dividend or other distribution,<br>or in order to make a determination of Members for any other purpose. |
| --- | --- |
8
| 5.3 | If the Register of Members is not so closed and no record date is fixed for the determination of Members<br>entitled to notice of, or to vote at, a meeting of Members or Members entitled to receive payment of a Dividend or other distribution,<br>the date on which notice of the meeting is sent or the date on which the resolution of the Directors resolving to pay such Dividend or<br>other distribution is passed, as the case may be, shall be the record date for such determination of Members. When a determination of<br>Members entitled to vote at any meeting of Members has been made as provided in this Article, such determination shall apply to any adjournment<br>thereof. |
|---|---|
| 6. | CERTIFICATES FOR SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 6.1 | A Member shall only be entitled to a share certificate if the Directors resolve that share certificates<br>shall be issued. Share certificates representing Shares, if any, shall be in such form as the Directors may determine. Share certificates<br>shall be signed by one or more Directors or other Person authorised by the Directors. The Directors may authorise certificates to be issued<br>with the authorised signature(s) affixed by mechanical process. All certificates for Shares shall be consecutively numbered or otherwise<br>identified and shall specify the Shares to which they relate. All certificates surrendered to the Company for transfer shall be cancelled<br>and, subject to the Articles, no new certificate shall be issued until the former certificate representing a like number of relevant Shares<br>shall have been surrendered and cancelled. |
| --- | --- |
| 6.2 | The Company shall not be bound to issue more than one certificate for Shares held jointly by more than<br>one Person and delivery of a certificate to one joint holder shall be a sufficient delivery to all of them. |
| --- | --- |
| 6.3 | If a share certificate is defaced, worn out, lost or destroyed, it may be renewed on such terms (if any)<br>as to evidence and indemnity and on the payment of such expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in investigating evidence, as the<br>Directors may prescribe, and (in the case of defacement or wearing out) upon delivery of the old certificate. |
| --- | --- |
| 6.4 | Every share certificate sent in accordance with the Articles will be sent at the risk of the Member or<br>other Person entitled to the certificate. The Company will not be responsible for any share certificate lost or delayed in the course<br>of delivery. |
| --- | --- |
| 6.5 | Share certificates shall be issued within the relevant time limit as prescribed by the Statute, if applicable,<br>or as the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise<br>under Applicable Law may from time to time determine, whichever is shorter, after the allotment or, except in the case of a Share transfer<br>which the Company is for the time being entitled to refuse to register and does not register, after lodgement of a Share transfer with<br>the Company. |
| --- | --- |
| 7. | TRANSFER OF SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 7.1 | Subject to the terms of the Articles, any Member may transfer all or any of their Shares by an instrument<br>of transfer provided that such transfer complies with the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other<br>competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law. If the Shares in question were issued in conjunction with rights, options,<br>warrants or units, issued pursuant to the Articles on terms that one cannot be transferred without the other, the Directors shall refuse<br>to register the transfer of any such Share without evidence satisfactory to them of the like transfer of such right, option, warrant or<br>unit. |
| --- | --- |
| 7.2 | The instrument of transfer of any Share shall be in writing in the usual or common form or in a form prescribed<br>by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under<br>Applicable Law or in any other form approved by the Directors and shall be executed by or on behalf of the transferor (and if the Directors<br>so require, signed by or on behalf of the transferee) and may be under hand or, if the transferor or transferee is a Clearing House or<br>its nominee(s), by hand or by machine imprinted signature or by such other manner of execution as the Directors may approve from time<br>to time. The transferor shall be deemed to remain the holder of a Share until the name of the transferee is entered in the Register of<br>Members. |
| --- | --- |
9
| 8. | REDEMPTION, REPURCHASE AND SURRENDER OF SHARES |
|---|---|
| 8.1 | Subject to the provisions of the Statute and the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange,<br>the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law, the Company may: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | issue Shares that are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at the option of the Member or the Company.<br>The redemption of such Shares, except Public Shares, shall be effected in such manner and upon such other terms as the Directors or the<br>Company, by Ordinary Resolution, may determine before the issue of such Shares; and |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | purchase its own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) in such manner and on such other terms as the<br>Directors may determine and agree with the relevant Member. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.2 | The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner<br>permitted by the Statute, including out of capital. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.3 | With respect to redeeming or repurchasing the Shares: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | Members who hold Public Shares are entitled to request the redemption of such Shares in the circumstances<br>described in Article 53; and |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | Public Shares shall be repurchased by way of tender offer in the circumstances set out in Article 53. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.4 | Subject to the provisions of the Statute, and, where applicable, the rules and regulations of the Designated<br>Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law, the Company may purchase its<br>own Shares (including any redeemable Shares) in such manner and on such other terms as the Directors may agree with the relevant Member.<br>For the avoidance of doubt, redemptions, repurchases and surrenders of Shares in the circumstances described in the Article above shall<br>not require further approval of the Members. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.5 | Any Share in respect of which notice of redemption has been given shall not be entitled to participate<br>in the profits of the Company in respect of the period after the date specified as the date of redemption in the Redemption Notice. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.6 | The redemption, purchase or surrender of any Share shall not be deemed to give rise to the redemption,<br>purchase or surrender of any other Share. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.7 | The Company may make a payment in respect of the redemption or purchase of its own Shares in any manner<br>permitted by the Statute, including out of capital. |
| --- | --- |
| 8.8 | The Directors may accept the surrender for no consideration of any fully paid Share (including any redeemable<br>share). |
| --- | --- |
| 9. | TREASURY SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 9.1 | The Directors may, prior to the purchase, redemption or surrender of any Share, determine that such Share<br>shall be held as a Treasury Share. |
| --- | --- |
| 9.2 | The Directors may determine to cancel a Treasury Share or transfer a Treasury Share on such terms as they<br>think proper (including, without limitation, for nil consideration). |
| --- | --- |
10
| 10. | VARIATION OF SHARE RIGHTS |
|---|---|
| 10.1 | Subject to Article 3.1, if at any time the share capital of the Company is divided into different classes<br>of Shares, all or any of the rights attached to any class (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class)<br>may, whether or not the Company is being wound up, be varied without the consent of the holders of the issued Shares of that class where<br>such variation is considered by the Directors not to have a material adverse effect upon such rights; otherwise, any such variation shall<br>be made only with the consent in writing of the holders of not less than two-thirds of the issued Shares of that class, or with the approval<br>of a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the votes cast at a separate meeting of the holders of the Shares<br>of that class (other than with respect to a waiver of the provisions of the Article in respect of Class B Share Conversion hereof, which<br>as stated therein shall only require the consent in writing of the holders of a majority of the issued Shares of that class). For the<br>avoidance of doubt, the Directors reserve the right, notwithstanding that any such variation may not have a material adverse effect, to<br>obtain consent from the holders of Shares of the relevant class. To any such meeting all the provisions of the Articles relating to general<br>meetings shall apply mutatis mutandis, except that the necessary quorum shall be one or more Persons holding or representing by proxy<br>at least one-third of the issued Shares of the class (but so that if at any adjourned meeting of such holders a quorum as above defined<br>is not present, those Members who are present shall form a quorum) and that any holder of Shares of the class present in person or by<br>proxy may demand a poll. |
| --- | --- |
| 10.2 | For the purposes of a separate class meeting, the Directors may treat two or more or all the classes of<br>Shares as forming one class of Shares if the Directors consider that such class of Shares would be affected in the same way by the proposals<br>under consideration, but in any other case shall treat them as separate classes of Shares. |
| --- | --- |
| 10.3 | The rights conferred upon the holders of the Shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights<br>shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the Shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by: (i) the creation<br>or issue of further Shares ranking pari passu therewith or Shares issued with preferred or other rights; (ii) where the constitutional<br>documents of the Company are amended or new constitutional documents of the Company are adopted, in each case, as a result of the Company<br>registering by way of continuation as a body corporate under the laws of any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands; or (iii) the conversion<br>of any Class B Shares pursuant to the Class B Ordinary Share Conversion. |
| --- | --- |
| 11. | COMMISSION ON SALES OF SHARES |
| --- | --- |
The Company may, in so far as the Statute permits, pay a commission to any Person in consideration of that person subscribing or agreeing to subscribe (whether absolutely or conditionally) or procuring or agreeing to procure subscriptions (whether absolutely or conditionally) for any Shares. Such commissions may be satisfied by the payment of cash and/or the issue of fully or partly paid-up Shares. The Company may also on any issue of Shares pay such brokerage as may be lawful.
| 12. | NON-RECOGNITION OF TRUSTS |
|---|
The Company shall not be bound by or compelled to recognise in any way (even when notified) any equitable, contingent, future or partial interest in any Share, or (except only as is otherwise provided by the Articles or the Statute) any other rights in respect of any Share other than an absolute right to the entirety thereof in the holder.
11
| 13. | LIEN ON SHARES |
|---|---|
| 13.1 | The Company shall have a first and paramount lien on all Shares (whether fully paid-up or not) registered<br>in the name of a Member (whether solely or jointly with others) for all debts, liabilities or engagements to or with the Company (whether<br>presently payable or not) by such Member or their estate, either alone or jointly with any other Person, whether a Member or not, but<br>the Directors may at any time declare any Share to be wholly or in part exempt from the provisions of this Article. The registration of<br>a transfer of any such Share shall operate as a waiver of the Company's lien thereon. The Company's lien on a Share shall also extend<br>to any amount payable in respect of that Share. |
| --- | --- |
| 13.2 | The Company may sell, in such manner as the Directors think fit, any Shares on which the Company has a<br>lien, if a sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, and is not paid within fourteen clear days after notice has been<br>received or deemed to have been received by the holder of the Shares, or to the Person entitled to it in consequence of the death or bankruptcy<br>of the holder, demanding payment and stating that if the notice is not complied with the Shares may be sold. |
| --- | --- |
| 13.3 | To give effect to any such sale the Directors may authorise any Person to execute an instrument of transfer<br>of the Shares sold to, or in accordance with the directions of, the purchaser. The purchaser or their nominee shall be registered as the<br>holder of the Shares comprised in any such transfer, and he shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, nor shall<br>their title to the Shares be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the sale or the exercise of the Company's power of sale under<br>the Articles. |
| --- | --- |
| 13.4 | The net proceeds of such sale after payment of costs, shall be applied in payment of such part of the<br>amount in respect of which the lien exists as is presently payable and any balance shall (subject to a like lien for sums not presently<br>payable as existed upon the Shares before the sale) be paid to the Person entitled to the Shares at the date of the sale. |
| --- | --- |
| 14. | CALLS ON SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 14.1 | Subject to the terms of the allotment and issue of any Shares, the Directors may make calls upon the Members<br>in respect of any monies unpaid on their Shares (whether in respect of par value or premium), and each Member shall (subject to receiving<br>at least fourteen clear days' notice specifying the time or times of payment) pay to the Company at the time or times so specified the<br>amount called on the Shares. A call may be revoked or postponed, in whole or in part, as the Directors may determine. A call may be required<br>to be paid by instalments. A Person upon whom a call is made shall remain liable for calls made upon him notwithstanding the subsequent<br>transfer of the Shares in respect of which the call was made. |
| --- | --- |
| 14.2 | A call shall be deemed to have been made at the time when the resolution of the Directors authorising<br>such call was passed. |
| --- | --- |
| 14.3 | The joint holders of a Share shall be jointly and severally<br>liable to pay all calls in respect thereof. |
| --- | --- |
| 14.4 | If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable, the Person from whom it is due shall pay<br>interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due and payable until it is paid at such rate as the Directors may determine (and<br>in addition all expenses that have been incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment), but the Directors may waive payment of<br>the interest or expenses wholly or in part. |
| --- | --- |
| 14.5 | An amount payable in respect of a Share on issue or allotment or at any fixed date, whether on account<br>of the par value of the Share or premium or otherwise, shall be deemed to be a call and if it is not paid all the provisions of the Articles<br>shall apply as if that amount had become due and payable by virtue of a call. |
| --- | --- |
| 14.6 | The Directors may issue Shares with different terms as to the amount and times of payment of calls, or<br>the interest to be paid. |
| --- | --- |
12
| 14.7 | The Directors may, if they think fit, receive an amount from any Member willing to advance all or any<br>part of the monies uncalled and unpaid upon any Shares held by him, and may (until the amount would otherwise become payable) pay interest<br>at such rate as may be agreed upon between the Directors and the Member paying such amount in advance. |
|---|---|
| 14.8 | No such amount paid in advance of calls shall entitle the Member paying such amount to any portion of<br>a Dividend or other distribution payable in respect of any period prior to the date upon which such amount would, but for such payment,<br>become payable. |
| --- | --- |
| 15. | FORFEITURE OF SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 15.1 | If a call or instalment of a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the Directors may<br>give to the Person from whom it is due not less than fourteen clear days' notice requiring payment of the amount unpaid together with<br>any interest which may have accrued and any expenses incurred by the Company by reason of such non-payment. The notice shall specify where<br>payment is to be made and shall state that if the notice is not complied with the Shares in respect of which the call was made will be<br>liable to be forfeited. |
| --- | --- |
| 15.2 | If the notice is not complied with, any Share in respect of which it was given may, before the payment<br>required by the notice has been made, be forfeited by a resolution of the Directors. Such forfeiture shall include all Dividends, other<br>distributions or other monies payable in respect of the forfeited Share and not paid before the forfeiture. |
| --- | --- |
| 15.3 | A forfeited Share may be sold, re-allotted or otherwise disposed of on such terms and in such manner as<br>the Directors think fit and at any time before a sale, re-allotment or disposition the forfeiture may be cancelled on such terms as the<br>Directors think fit. Where for the purposes of its disposal a forfeited Share is to be transferred to any Person the Directors may authorise<br>some Person to execute an instrument of transfer of the Share in favour of that Person. |
| --- | --- |
| 15.4 | A Person any of whose Shares have been forfeited shall cease to be a Member in respect of them and shall<br>surrender to the Company for cancellation the certificate for the Shares forfeited and shall remain liable to pay to the Company all monies<br>which at the date of forfeiture were payable by him to the Company in respect of those Shares together with interest at such rate as the<br>Directors may determine, but their liability shall cease if and when the Company shall have received payment in full of all monies due<br>and payable by him in respect of those Shares. |
| --- | --- |
| 15.5 | A certificate in writing under the hand of one Director or Officer of the Company that a Share has been<br>forfeited on a specified date shall be conclusive evidence of the facts stated in it as against all Persons claiming to be entitled to<br>the Share. The certificate shall (subject to the execution of an instrument of transfer) constitute a good title to the Share and the<br>Person to whom the Share is sold or otherwise disposed of shall not be bound to see to the application of the purchase money, if any,<br>nor shall their title to the Share be affected by any irregularity or invalidity in the proceedings in reference to the forfeiture, sale<br>or disposal of the Share. |
| --- | --- |
| 15.6 | The provisions of the Articles as to forfeiture shall apply in the case of non-payment of any sum which,<br>by the terms of issue of a Share, becomes payable at a fixed time, whether on account of the par value of the Share or by way of premium<br>as if it had been payable by virtue of a call duly made and notified. |
| --- | --- |
| 16. | TRANSMISSION OF SHARES |
| --- | --- |
| 16.1 | If a Member dies, the survivor or survivors (where he or she was a joint holder), or their legal personal<br>representatives (where he or she was a sole holder), shall be the only Persons recognised by the Company as having any title to their<br>Shares. The estate of a deceased Member is not thereby released from any liability in respect of any Share, for which he or she was a<br>joint or sole holder. |
| --- | --- |
13
| 16.2 | Any Person becoming entitled to a Share in consequence of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution<br>of a Member (or in any other way than by transfer) may, upon such evidence being produced as may be required by the Directors, elect,<br>by a notice in writing sent by him or her to the Company, either to become the holder of such Share or to have some Person nominated by<br>him registered as the holder of such Share. If he or she elects to have another Person registered as the holder of such Share he shall<br>sign an instrument of transfer of that Share to that Person. The Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend<br>registration as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the relevant Member before their death or bankruptcy or<br>liquidation or dissolution or any other case than by transfer, as the case may be. |
|---|---|
| 16.3 | A Person becoming entitled to a Share by reason of the death or bankruptcy or liquidation or dissolution<br>of a Member (or in any other case than by transfer) shall be entitled to the same Dividends, other distributions and other advantages<br>to which he would be entitled if he were the holder of such Share. However, he shall not, before becoming a Member in respect of a Share,<br>be entitled in respect of it to exercise any right conferred by membership in relation to general meetings of the Company and the Directors<br>may at any time give notice requiring any such Person to elect either to be registered himself or to have some Person nominated by him<br>be registered as the holder of the Share (but the Directors shall, in either case, have the same right to decline or suspend registration<br>as they would have had in the case of a transfer of the Share by the relevant Member before their death or bankruptcy or liquidation or<br>dissolution or any other case than by transfer, as the case may be). If the notice is not complied with within ninety days of being received<br>or deemed to be received (as determined pursuant to the Articles) the Directors may thereafter withhold payment of all Dividends, other<br>distributions, bonuses or other monies payable in respect of the Share until the requirements of the notice have been complied with. |
| --- | --- |
| 17. | CLASS B SHARE CONVERSION |
| --- | --- |
| 17.1 | The rights attaching to the Class A Shares and Class B Shares shall rank pari passu in all respects, and<br>the Class A Shares and Class B Shares shall vote together as a single class on all matters (subject to Article 10 (Variation of Share<br>Rights), and Article 30 (Appointment and Removal of Directors)) with the exception that the holder of a Class B Share shall have the conversion<br>rights referred to in this Article 17. Class B Shares shall automatically convert into Class A Shares on a one-for-one basis (the InitialConversion Ratio): (a) at any time and from time to time at the option of the holder thereof; and (b) automatically at the time of<br>the consummation of the Business Combination. |
| --- | --- |
| 17.2 | The foregoing conversion ratio shall also be adjusted to account for any share capitalisations, subdivision<br>(by share split, subdivision, exchange, rights issue, reclassification, recapitalisation or otherwise) or combination (by reverse share<br>split, share consolidation, exchange, reclassification, recapitalisation or otherwise) or similar reclassification or recapitalisation<br>of the Shares in issue into a greater or lesser number of shares occurring after the original filing of the Articles without a proportionate<br>and corresponding share capitalisation, subdivision, combination or similar reclassification or recapitalisation of the Class B Shares<br>in issue. |
| --- | --- |
| 17.3 | Each Class B Share shall convert into its pro rata number of Class A Shares pursuant to this Article.<br>The pro rata share for each holder of Class B Shares will be determined as follows: each Class B Share shall convert into such number<br>of Class A Shares as is equal to the product of 1 multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total number of Class<br>A Shares into which all of the Class B Shares in issue shall be converted pursuant to this Article and the denominator of which shall<br>be the total number of Class B Shares in issue at the time of conversion. |
| --- | --- |
14
| 17.6 | References in this Article to “converted”, “conversion” or “exchange”<br>shall mean the compulsory redemption without notice of Class B Shares of any Member and, on behalf of such Members, automatic application<br>of such redemption proceeds in paying for such new Class A Shares into which the Class B Shares have been converted or exchanged at a<br>price per Class B Share necessary to give effect to a conversion or exchange calculated on the basis that the Class A Shares to be issued<br>as part of the conversion or exchange will be issued at par. The Class A Shares to be issued on an exchange or conversion shall be registered<br>in the name of such Member or in such name as the Member may direct. |
|---|---|
| 17.7 | Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article, in no event may any Class B Share convert into<br>Class A Shares at a ratio that is less than one-for-one. |
| --- | --- |
| 18. | AMENDMENTS OF MEMORANDUM AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND ALTERATION OF CAPITAL |
| --- | --- |
| 18.1 | The Company may by Ordinary Resolution: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | increase its share capital by such sum as the Ordinary Resolution shall prescribe and with such rights,<br>priorities and privileges annexed thereto; |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | consolidate and divide all or any of its share capital into Shares of larger amount than its existing<br>Shares; |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | convert all or any of its paid-up Shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into paid- up Shares of<br>any denomination; |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | by subdivision of its existing Shares or any of them divide the whole or any part of its share capital<br>into Shares of smaller amount than is fixed by the Memorandum or into Shares without par value; and |
| --- | --- |
| (e) | cancel any Shares that at the date of the passing of the Ordinary Resolution have not been taken or agreed<br>to be taken by any Person and diminish the amount of its share capital by the amount of the Shares so cancelled. |
| --- | --- |
| 18.2 | All new Shares created in accordance with the provisions of the preceding Article shall be subject to<br>the same provisions of the Articles with reference to the payment of calls, liens, transfer, transmission, forfeiture and otherwise as<br>the Shares in the original share capital. |
| --- | --- |
| 18.3 | Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the provisions of the Articles as regards the matters to be<br>dealt with by Ordinary Resolution and Article 30.4, the Company may by Special Resolution: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | change its name; |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | alter or add to the Articles; |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | alter or add to the Memorandum with respect to any objects, powers or other matters specified therein;<br>and |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | reduce its share capital or any capital redemption reserve fund. |
| --- | --- |
| 19. | OFFICES AND PLACE OF BUSINESS |
| --- | --- |
Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Company may by resolution of the Directors change the location of its Registered Office. The Company may, in addition to its Registered Office, maintain such other offices or places of business as the Directors determine.
15
| 20. | GENERAL MEETINGS |
|---|---|
| 20.1 | All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings. |
| --- | --- |
| 20.2 | The Company may, but shall not (unless required by the Statute or, for so long as any Shares are traded<br>on a Designated Stock Exchange) be obliged to, in each year hold a general meeting as its annual general meeting, and shall specify the<br>meeting as such in the notices calling it. Any annual general meeting shall be held at such time and place as the Directors shall appoint.<br>At these meetings the report of the Directors (if any) shall be presented. |
| --- | --- |
| 20.3 | The Directors, the chief executive officer or the chairperson of the board of Directors may call general<br>meetings, and, for the avoidance of doubt, Members shall not have the ability to call general meetings. |
| --- | --- |
| 20.4 | Members seeking to bring business before the annual general meeting or to nominate candidates for appointment<br>as Directors at the annual general meeting must deliver notice to the principal executive offices of the Company not less than one hundred<br>and twenty calendar days before the date of the Company’s proxy statement released to Members in connection with the previous year’s<br>annual general meeting or, if the Company did not hold an annual general meeting the previous year, or if the date of the current year's<br>annual general meeting has been changed by more than thirty days from the date of the previous year’s annual general meeting, then<br>the deadline shall be set by the Directors with such deadline being a reasonable time before the Company begins to print and send its<br>related proxy materials. |
| --- | --- |
| 21. | NOTICE OF GENERAL MEETINGS |
| --- | --- |
| 21.1 | At least five clear days' notice shall be given of any general meeting. Every notice shall specify the<br>place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of the business to be conducted at the general meeting and shall be<br>given in the manner hereinafter mentioned or in such other manner if any as may be prescribed by the Company by Ordinary Resolution to<br>such Persons as are, under the Articles, entitled to receive such notices from the Company , provided that a general meeting of the Company<br>shall, whether or not the notice specified in this Article has been given and whether or not the provisions of the Articles regarding<br>general meetings have been complied with, be deemed to have been duly convened if it is so agreed: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | in the case of an annual general meeting, by all of the Members entitled to attend and vote thereat; and |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | in the case of an extraordinary general meeting, by a majority in number of the Members having a right<br>to attend and vote at the meeting, together holding not less than ninety-five per cent in par value of the Shares giving that right. |
| --- | --- |
| 21.2 | The accidental omission to give notice of a general meeting to, or the non-receipt of notice of a general<br>meeting by, any Person entitled to receive such notice shall not invalidate the proceedings of that general meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 22. | PROCEEDINGS AT GENERAL MEETINGS |
| --- | --- |
| 22.1 | No business shall be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present. The holders of one-third<br>of the Shares being individuals present in person or by proxy or if a corporation or other non-natural person by its duly authorised representative<br>or proxy shall be a quorum. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.2 | A Person may participate at a general meeting by conference telephone, video, a virtual platform or other<br>communications equipment by means of which all the Persons participating in the meeting can communicate with each other. Participation<br>by a Person in a general meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting. |
| --- | --- |
16
| 22.3 | A resolution (including a Special Resolution) in writing (in one or more counterparts) signed by or on<br>behalf of all of the Members for the time being entitled to receive notice of and to attend and vote at general meetings (or, being corporations<br>or other non-natural persons, signed by their duly authorised representatives) shall be as valid and effective as if the resolution had<br>been passed at a general meeting of the Company duly convened and held. |
|---|---|
| 22.4 | If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the<br>meeting shall stand adjourned to the same day in the next week at the same time and/or place or to such other day, time and/or place as<br>the Directors may determine, and if at the adjourned meeting a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the<br>meeting to commence, the Members present shall be a quorum. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.5 | The Directors may, at any time prior to the time appointed for the meeting to commence, appoint any Person<br>to act as chairman of a general meeting of the Company or, if the Directors do not make any such appointment, the chairman, if any, of<br>the board of Directors shall preside as chairman at such general meeting. If there is no such chairman, or if he shall not be present<br>within fifteen minutes after the time appointed for the meeting to commence, or is unwilling to act, the Directors present shall elect<br>one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.6 | If no Director is willing to act as chairman or if no Director is present within fifteen minutes after<br>the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the Members present shall choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.7 | The chairman may, with the consent of a meeting at which a quorum is present (and shall if so directed<br>by the meeting) adjourn the meeting from time to time and from place to place, but no business shall be transacted at any adjourned meeting<br>other than the business left unfinished at the meeting from which the adjournment took place. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.8 | All proxy forms submitted for the original general meeting shall remain valid for the postponed meeting.<br>The Directors may postpone a general meeting which has already been postponed. |
| --- | --- |
22.9 A resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll.
| 22.10 | If, prior to a Business Combination, a notice is issued in respect of a general meeting and the Directors,<br>in their absolute discretion, consider that it is impractical or undesirable for any reason to hold that general meeting at the place,<br>the day and the hour specified in the notice calling such general meeting, the Directors may postpone the general meeting to another place,<br>day and/or hour provided that notice of the place, the day and the hour of the rearranged general meeting is promptly given to all Members.<br>No business shall be transacted at any postponed meeting other than the business specified in the notice of the original meeting. |
|---|---|
| 22.11 | A poll shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs, and the result of the poll shall be deemed<br>to be the resolution of the general meeting at which the poll was demanded. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.12 | In the case of an equality of votes the chairman of the general meeting shall be entitled to a second<br>or casting vote. |
| --- | --- |
| 22.13 | A poll on the election of a chairman or on a question of adjournment shall be taken forthwith. A poll<br>on any other question shall be taken at such date, time and place as the chairman of the general meeting directs, and any business other<br>than that upon which a poll has been demanded or is contingent thereon may proceed pending the taking of the poll. |
| --- | --- |
| 23. | VOTES OF MEMBERS |
| --- | --- |
| 23.1 | Subject to any rights or restrictions attached to any Shares (including as set out at Article 30.4), every<br>Member who being an individual is present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person is present by its duly<br>authorised representative or by proxy, shall have one vote for every Share of which he is the holder. |
| --- | --- |
17
| 23.2 | In the case of joint holders the vote of the senior holder who tenders a vote, whether in person or by<br>proxy (or, in the case of a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorised representative or proxy), shall be accepted<br>to the exclusion of the votes of the other joint holders, and seniority shall be determined by the order in which the names of the holders<br>stand in the Register of Members. |
|---|---|
| 23.3 | A Member of unsound mind, or in respect of whom an order has been made by any court, having jurisdiction<br>in lunacy, may vote, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, by his committee, receiver, curator bonis, or other Person on such Member’s<br>behalf appointed by that court, and any such committee, receiver, curator bonis or other Person may vote by proxy. |
| --- | --- |
| 23.4 | No Person shall be entitled to vote at any general meeting unless he is registered as a Member on the<br>record date for such meeting nor unless all calls or other monies then payable by him in respect of Shares have been paid. |
| --- | --- |
| 23.5 | No objection shall be raised as to the qualification of any voter except at the general meeting or adjourned<br>general meeting at which the vote objected to is given or tendered and every vote not disallowed at the meeting shall be valid. Any objection<br>made in due time in accordance with this Article shall be referred to the chairman whose decision shall be final and conclusive. |
| --- | --- |
| 23.6 | Votes may be cast either personally or by proxy (or in the case of a corporation or other non- natural<br>person by its duly authorised representative or proxy). A Member may appoint more than one proxy or the same proxy under one or more instruments<br>to attend and vote at a meeting. Where a Member appoints more than one proxy the instrument of proxy shall specify the number of Shares<br>in respect of which each proxy is entitled to exercise the related votes. |
| --- | --- |
| 23.7 | A Member holding more than one Share need not cast the votes in respect of their Shares in the same way<br>on any resolution and therefore may vote a Share or some or all such Shares either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from voting<br>a Share or some or all of the Shares and, subject to the terms of the instrument appointing him, a proxy appointed under one or more instruments<br>may vote a Share or some or all of the Shares in respect of which he is appointed either for or against a resolution and/or abstain from<br>voting a Share or some or all of the Shares in respect of which he is appointed. |
| --- | --- |
| 24. | PROXIES |
| --- | --- |
| 24.1 | The instrument appointing a proxy shall be in writing and shall be executed under the hand of the appointor<br>or of his attorney duly authorised in writing, or, if the appointor is a corporation or other non-natural person, under the hand of its<br>duly authorised representative. A proxy need not be a Member. |
| --- | --- |
| 24.2 | The Directors may, in the notice convening any meeting or adjourned meeting, or in an instrument of proxy<br>sent out by the Company, specify the manner by which the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited and the place and the time (being<br>not later than the time appointed for the commencement of the meeting or adjourned meeting to which the proxy relates) at which the instrument<br>appointing a proxy shall be deposited. In the absence of any such direction from the Directors in the notice convening any meeting or<br>adjourned meeting or in an instrument of proxy sent out by the Company, the instrument appointing a proxy shall be deposited physically<br>at the Registered Office not less than 48 hours before the time appointed for the meeting or adjourned meeting to commence at which the<br>Person named in the instrument proposes to vote. |
| --- | --- |
18
| 24.3 | The chairman may in any event at his discretion declare that an instrument of proxy shall be deemed to<br>have been duly deposited. An instrument of proxy that is not deposited in the manner permitted, or which has not been declared to have<br>been duly deposited by the chairman, shall be invalid. |
|---|---|
| 24.4 | The instrument appointing a proxy may be in any usual or common form (or such other form as the Directors<br>may approve) and may be expressed to be for a particular meeting or any adjournment thereof or generally until revoked. An instrument<br>appointing a proxy shall be deemed to include the power to demand or join or concur in demanding a poll. |
| --- | --- |
| 24.5 | Votes given in accordance with the terms of an instrument of proxy shall be valid notwithstanding the<br>previous death or insanity of the principal or revocation of the proxy or of the authority under which the proxy was executed, or the<br>transfer of the Share in respect of which the proxy is given unless notice in writing of such death, insanity, revocation or transfer<br>was received by the Company at the Registered Office before the commencement of the general meeting, or adjourned meeting at which it<br>is sought to use the proxy. |
| --- | --- |
| 25. | CORPORATE MEMBERS |
| --- | --- |
Any corporation or other non-natural person which is a Member may in accordance with its constitutional documents, or in the absence of such provision by resolution of its directors or other governing body, authorise such Person as it thinks fit to act as its representative at any meeting of the Company or of any class of Members, and the Person so authorised shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as the corporation could exercise if it were an individual Member.
| 26. | CLEARING HOUSES |
|---|
If a Clearing House (or its nominee(s)), being a corporation, is a Member it may authorise such Person or Persons as it thinks fit to act as its representative or representatives at any general meeting of the Company or at any meeting of any class of Members provided that, if more than one Person is so authorised, the authorisation shall specify the number and class of Shares in respect of which each such Person is so authorised. A Person so authorised pursuant to this Article shall be deemed to have been duly authorised without further evidence of the facts and be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the clearing house (or its nominee(s)) which he or she represents as if such Person was the registered holder of such Shares held by the Clearing House (or its nominee(s)).
| 27. | SHARES THAT MAY NOT BE VOTED |
|---|
Shares in the Company that are beneficially owned by the Company shall not be voted, directly or indirectly, at any meeting and shall not be counted in determining the total number of outstanding Shares at any given time.
| 28. | DIRECTORS |
|---|---|
| 28.1 | The Company may by Ordinary Resolution from time to time fix the maximum and minimum number of Directors<br>to be appointed but unless such numbers are fixed as aforesaid the minimum number of Directors shall be one (exclusive of alternate Directors)<br>and the maximum number of Directors shall be unlimited. |
| --- | --- |
19
| 28.2 | The Directors shall be divided into three classes: Class I, Class II and Class III. The number of Directors<br>in each class shall be as nearly equal as possible. Upon the adoption of the Articles, the existing Directors shall by resolution classify<br>themselves as Class I, Class II or Class III Directors. The Class I Directors shall stand appointed for a term expiring at the Company’s<br>first annual general meeting, the Class II Directors shall stand appointed for a term expiring at the Company’s second annual general<br>meeting and the Class III Directors shall stand appointed for a term expiring at the Company’s third annual general meeting. Commencing<br>at the Company’s first annual general meeting, and at each annual general meeting thereafter, Directors appointed to succeed those<br>Directors whose terms expire shall be appointed for a term of office to expire at the third succeeding annual general meeting after their<br>appointment. Except as the Statute or other Applicable Law may otherwise require, in the interim between annual general meetings or extraordinary<br>general meetings called for the appointment of Directors and/or the removal of one or more Directors and the filling of any vacancy in<br>that connection, additional Directors and any vacancies in the board of Directors, including unfilled vacancies resulting from the removal<br>of Directors for cause, may be filled by the vote of a majority of the remaining Directors then in office, although less than a quorum<br>(as defined in the Articles), or by the sole remaining Director. All Directors shall hold office until the expiration of their respective<br>terms of office and until their successors shall have been appointed and qualified. A Director appointed to fill a vacancy resulting from<br>the death, resignation or removal of a Director shall serve for the remainder of the full term of the Director whose death, resignation<br>or removal shall have created such vacancy and until his successor shall have been appointed and qualified. |
|---|---|
| 29. | POWERS OF DIRECTORS |
| --- | --- |
| 29.1 | Subject to the provisions of the Statute, the Memorandum and the Articles and to any directions given<br>by Special Resolution, the business of the Company shall be managed by the Directors who may exercise all the powers of the Company. No<br>alteration of the Memorandum or Articles and no such direction shall invalidate any prior act of the Directors which would have been valid<br>if that alteration had not been made or that direction had not been given. A duly convened meeting of the Directors at which a quorum<br>is present may exercise all powers exercisable by the Directors. |
| --- | --- |
| 29.2 | All cheques, promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange and other negotiable or transferable instruments<br>and all receipts for monies paid to the Company shall be signed, drawn, accepted, endorsed or otherwise executed, as the case may be,<br>in such manner as the Directors shall determine by resolution. |
| --- | --- |
| 29.3 | The Directors on behalf of the Company may pay a gratuity or pension or allowance on retirement to any<br>Director who has held any other salaried office or place of profit with the Company or to their surviving spouse, civil partner or dependants<br>and may make contributions to any fund and pay premiums for the purchase or provision of any such gratuity, pension or allowance. |
| --- | --- |
| 29.4 | The Directors may exercise all the powers of the Company to borrow money and to mortgage or charge its<br>undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital or any part thereof and to issue debentures, debenture stock,<br>mortgages, bonds and other such securities whether outright or as security for any debt, liability or obligation of the Company or of<br>any third party. |
| --- | --- |
| 29.5 | The Directors shall have the authority to present a winding up petition on behalf of the Company without<br>the sanction of a resolution passed by the Company in general meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 30. | APPOINTMENT AND REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS |
| --- | --- |
| 30.1 | Subject to Article 30.2, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution appoint any Person to be a Director or<br>may by Ordinary Resolution remove any Director. The Directors may appoint any Person to be a Director, either to fill a vacancy or as<br>an additional Director, provided that the appointment does not cause the number of Directors to exceed any number fixed by or in accordance<br>with the Articles as the maximum number of Directors. |
| --- | --- |
| 30.2 | Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, only holders of Class B Shares will have the right<br>to vote on the election and the removal of Directors pursuant to Article 30.1. For the avoidance of doubt, prior to the consummation of<br>a Business Combination, holders of Class A Shares shall have no right to vote on the appointment or removal of any Director. |
| --- | --- |
20
| 30.3 | At the time of or following the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company may by Ordinary Resolution<br>appoint any person to be a Director or may by Ordinary Resolution remove any Director. |
|---|---|
| 30.4 | Prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, Article 30.2 may only be amended by a Special Resolution<br>passed by holders of a majority of at least ninety per cent of the Shares which, being entitled to do so, are voted in person or, where<br>proxies are allowed, by proxy at a general meeting of which notice specifying the intention to propose the resolution as a Special Resolution<br>has been given, or by way of unanimous written resolution. |
| --- | --- |
| 31. | VACATION OF OFFICE OF DIRECTOR |
| --- | --- |
The office of a Director shall be vacated if:
| (a) | the Director gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns the office of Director; or |
|---|---|
| (b) | the Director absents himself or herself (for the avoidance of doubt, without being represented by proxy<br>or an alternate Director appointed by him) from three consecutive meetings of the board of Directors without special leave of absence<br>from the Directors, and the Directors pass a resolution that he has by reason of such absence vacated office; or |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | the Director dies, becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors generally;<br>or |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | the Director is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; or |
| --- | --- |
| (e) | all of the other Directors (being not less than two in number) determine that he should be removed as<br>a Director, either by a resolution passed by all of the other Directors at a meeting of the Directors duly convened and held in accordance<br>with the Articles or by a resolution in writing signed by all of the other Directors; or |
| --- | --- |
| (f) | the Director is removed from office pursuant to any other provision<br>of the Articles. |
| --- | --- |
| 32. | PROCEEDINGS OF DIRECTORS |
| --- | --- |
| 32.1 | The quorum for the transaction of the business of the Directors may be fixed by the Directors, and unless<br>so fixed shall be a majority of the Directors then in office. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.2 | Subject to the provisions of the Articles, the Directors may regulate their proceedings as they think<br>fit. Questions arising at any meeting of the Directors shall be decided by a majority of votes. In the case of an equality of votes, the<br>chairman shall have a second or casting vote. A Director who is also an alternate Director shall be entitled in the absence of his appointor<br>to a separate vote on behalf of his appointor in addition to his or her own vote. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.3 | A Person may participate in a meeting of the Directors or any committee of Directors by conference telephone,<br>video, a virtual platform or other communications equipment by means of which all the Persons participating in the meeting can communicate<br>with each other at the same time. Participation by a Person in a meeting in this manner is treated as presence in person at that meeting.<br>Unless otherwise determined by the Directors the meeting shall be deemed to be held at the place where the chairman is located at the<br>start of the meeting. |
| --- | --- |
21
| 32.4 | A resolution in writing (in one or more counterparts) signed by all the Directors or all the members of<br>a committee of the Directors or, in the case of a resolution in writing relating to the removal of any Director or the vacation of office<br>by any Director, all of the Directors other than the Director who is the subject of such resolution (an alternate Director being entitled<br>to sign such a resolution on behalf of his appointor and if such alternate Director is also a Director, being entitled to sign such resolution<br>both on behalf of his or her appointer and in his or her capacity as a Director) shall be as valid and effectual as if it had been passed<br>at a meeting of the Directors, or committee of Directors as the case may be, duly convened and held. |
|---|---|
| 32.5 | A Director may, or other Officer of the Company on the direction of a Director, shall call a meeting of<br>the Directors by at least two days' notice in writing to every Director and alternate Director which notice shall set forth the general<br>nature of the business to be considered unless notice is waived by all the Directors (or their alternates) either at, before or after<br>the meeting is held. To any such notice of a meeting of the Directors all the provisions of the Articles relating to the giving of notices<br>by the Company to the Members shall apply mutatis mutandis. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.6 | The continuing Directors (or a sole continuing Director, as the case may be) may act notwithstanding any<br>vacancy in their body, but if and so long as their number is reduced below the number fixed by or pursuant to the Articles as the necessary<br>quorum of Directors the continuing Directors or Director may act for the purpose of increasing the number of Directors to be equal to<br>such fixed number, or of summoning a general meeting of the Company, but for no other purpose. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.7 | The Directors may elect a chairman of their board and determine the period for which he or she is to hold<br>office, but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after the time appointed<br>for the meeting to commence, the Directors present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.8 | Subject to any regulations imposed on it by the Directors, including where the Directors have designated<br>a chairman of the committee, a committee appointed by the Directors may elect a chairman of its meetings and determine the period for<br>which he is to hold office; but if no such chairman is elected, or if at any meeting the chairman is not present within five minutes after<br>the time appointed for the meeting to commence, the committee members present may choose one of their number to be chairman of the meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.9 | A committee appointed by the Directors may meet and adjourn as it thinks proper. Subject to any regulations<br>imposed on it by the Directors, questions arising at any committee meeting shall be determined by a majority of votes of the committee<br>members present and in case of an equality of votes the chairman shall have a second or casting vote. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.10 | All acts done by any meeting of the Directors or of a committee of the Directors (including any Person<br>acting as an alternate Director) shall, notwithstanding that it is afterwards discovered that there was some defect in the appointment<br>of any Director or alternate Director, and/or that they or any of them were disqualified, and/or had vacated their office and/or were<br>not entitled to vote, be as valid as if every such Person had been duly appointed and/or not disqualified to be a Director or alternate<br>Director and/or had not vacated their office and/or had been entitled to vote, as the case may be. |
| --- | --- |
| 32.11 | A Director but not an alternate Director may be represented at any meetings of the board of Directors<br>by a proxy appointed in writing by him. The proxy shall count towards the quorum and the vote of the proxy shall for all purposes be deemed<br>to be that of the appointing Director. |
| --- | --- |
| 33. | PRESUMPTION OF ASSENT |
| --- | --- |
A Director or alternate Director who is present at a meeting of the board of Directors at which action on any Company matter is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless his or her dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting or unless he or she shall file his or her written dissent from such action with the Person acting as the chairman of the meeting before the adjournment thereof or shall forward such dissent by registered post to such Person immediately after the adjournment of the meeting. Such right to dissent shall not apply to a Director or alternate Director who voted in favour of such action.
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| 34. | DIRECTORS’ INTERESTS |
|---|---|
| 34.1 | A Director or alternate Director may hold any other office or place of profit under the Company (other<br>than the office of Auditor) in conjunction with his or her office of Director for such period and on such terms as to remuneration and<br>otherwise as the Directors may determine. |
| --- | --- |
| 34.2 | A Director or alternate Director may act by himself or by, through or on behalf of his firm, in a professional<br>capacity for the Company and he or his firm shall be entitled to remuneration for professional services as if he were not a Director or<br>alternate Director. |
| --- | --- |
| 34.3 | A Director or alternate Director may be or become a director or other Officer of or otherwise interested<br>in any company promoted by the Company or in which the Company may be interested as a shareholder, a contracting party or otherwise, and<br>no such Director or alternate Director shall be accountable to the Company for any remuneration or other benefits received by him as a<br>director or Officer of, or from his or her interest in, such other company. |
| --- | --- |
| 34.4 | No Person shall be disqualified from the office of Director or alternate Director or prevented by such<br>office from contracting with the Company, either as vendor, purchaser or otherwise, nor shall any such contract or any contract or transaction<br>entered into by or on behalf of the Company in which any Director or alternate Director shall be in any way interested be or be liable<br>to be avoided, nor shall any Director or alternate Director so contracting or being so interested be liable to account to the Company<br>for any profit realised by or arising in connection with any such contract or transaction by reason of such Director or alternate Director<br>holding office or of the fiduciary relationship thereby established. A Director (or his or her alternate Director in his or her absence)<br>shall be at liberty to vote in respect of any contract or transaction in which he is interested provided that the nature of the interest<br>of any Director or alternate Director in any such contract or transaction shall be disclosed by him at or prior to its consideration and<br>any vote thereon. |
| --- | --- |
| 34.5 | A general notice that a Director or alternate Director is a shareholder, director, Officer or employee<br>of any specified firm or company and is to be regarded as interested in any transaction with such firm or company shall be sufficient<br>disclosure for the purposes of voting on a resolution in respect of a contract or transaction in which he has an interest, and after such<br>general notice it shall not be necessary to give special notice relating to any particular transaction. |
| --- | --- |
| 35. | MINUTES |
| --- | --- |
| 35.1 | The Directors shall cause minutes to be made in books kept for the purpose of recording all appointments<br>of Officers made by the Directors, all proceedings at meetings of the Company or the holders of any class of Shares and of the Directors,<br>and of committees of the Directors, including the names of the Directors or alternate Directors present at each meeting. |
| --- | --- |
| 36. | DELEGATION OF DIRECTORS’ POWERS |
| --- | --- |
| 36.1 | The Directors may delegate any of their powers, authorities and discretions, including the power to sub-delegate,<br>to any committee consisting of one or more Directors (including, without limitation, the Audit Committee, and the Compensation Committee);<br>any committee so formed shall in the exercise of the powers so delegated conform to any conditions that may be imposed on it by the Directors.<br>The Directors may also delegate to any managing director or any Director holding any other executive office such of their powers, authorities<br>and discretions as they consider desirable to be exercised by him provided that an alternate Director may not act as managing director<br>and the appointment of a managing director shall be revoked forthwith if he ceases to be a Director. Any such delegation may be made subject<br>to any conditions the Directors may impose and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers and any such delegation<br>may be revoked or altered by the Directors. Subject to any such conditions that may be imposed by the Directors, the proceedings of a<br>committee of Directors shall be governed by the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors, so far as they are capable of applying. |
| --- | --- |
23
| 36.2 | The Directors may establish any committees, local boards or agencies or appoint any Person to be a manager<br>or agent for managing the affairs of the Company and may appoint any Person to be a member of such committees, local boards or agencies<br>and such Person need not be a Director or Officer of the Company. Any such appointment may be made subject to any conditions the Directors<br>may impose, and either collaterally with or to the exclusion of their own powers and any such appointment may be revoked or altered by<br>the Directors. Subject to any such conditions that may be imposed by the Directors, the proceedings of any such committee, local board<br>or agency shall be governed by the Articles regulating the proceedings of Directors, so far as they are capable of applying. |
|---|---|
| 36.3 | The Directors may adopt formal written charters for committees and, if so adopted, shall review and assess<br>the adequacy of such formal written charters on an annual basis, if required by law or the Designated Stock Exchange. Each of these committees<br>shall be empowered to do all things necessary to exercise the rights of such committee set forth in the Articles and shall have such powers<br>as the Directors may delegate pursuant to the Articles and as required by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange,<br>the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law. Each of the Audit Committee, and the Compensation<br>Committee, if established, shall consist of such number of Directors as the Directors shall from time to time determine (or such minimum<br>number as may be required from time to time by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent<br>regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law). For so long as any class of Shares is listed on the Designated Stock Exchange,<br>the Audit Committee, and the Compensation Committee shall be made up of such number of Independent Directors as is required from time<br>to time by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise<br>under Applicable Law. |
| --- | --- |
| 36.4 | The Directors may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any Person to be the agent of the Company<br>on such conditions as the Directors may determine, provided that the delegation is not to the exclusion of their own powers and may be<br>revoked by the Directors at any time. |
| --- | --- |
| 36.5 | The Directors may by power of attorney or otherwise appoint any company, firm, Person or body of Persons,<br>whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Directors, to be the attorney or authorised signatory of the Company for such purpose<br>and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Directors under the Articles) and<br>for such period and subject to such conditions as they may think fit, and any such powers of attorney or other appointment may contain<br>such provisions for the protection and convenience of Persons dealing with any such attorneys or authorised signatories as the Directors<br>may think fit and may also authorise any such attorney or authorised signatory to delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions<br>vested in him. |
| --- | --- |
| 36.6 | The Directors may from time to time appoint any Person, whether or not a Director, to hold such office<br>in the Company as the Directors may think necessary for the administration of the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt and without<br>limitation, a chairman, chief executive officer, president, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, vice-presidents, secretary,<br>assistant secretaries, treasurer or any other officers as may be determined by the Directors), for such term and at such remuneration<br>(whether by way of salary or commission or participation in profits or partly in one way and partly in another), and with such powers<br>and duties, subject to such provisions as to disqualification and removal, as the Directors may think fit and. Any Person so appointed<br>by the Directors may be removed by resolution of the Directors or by the Company by Ordinary Resolution. An Officer of the Company may<br>vacate his or her office at any time if he gives notice in writing to the Company that he resigns his or her office. |
| --- | --- |
24
| 37. | ALTERNATE DIRECTORS |
|---|---|
| 37.1 | Any Director (but not an alternate Director) may by writing appoint any other Director, or any other Person<br>willing to act, to be an alternate Director and by writing may remove from office an alternate Director so appointed by him. |
| --- | --- |
| 37.2 | An alternate Director shall be entitled to receive notice of all meetings of Directors and of all meetings<br>of committees of Directors of which his or her appointor is a member, to attend and vote at every such meeting at which the Director appointing<br>him is not personally present, to sign any written resolution of the Directors (except where such written resolution of the Directors<br>have been signed by the appointing Director), and generally to perform all the functions of his or her appointor as a Director in his<br>or her absence. |
| --- | --- |
| 37.3 | An alternate Director shall cease to be an alternate Director if his or her appointor ceases to be a Director. |
| --- | --- |
| 37.4 | Any appointment or removal of an alternate Director shall be by notice to the Company signed by the Director<br>making or revoking the appointment or in any other manner approved by the Directors. |
| --- | --- |
| 37.5 | Subject to the provisions of the Articles, an alternate Director shall be deemed for all purposes to be<br>a Director and shall alone be responsible for his or her own acts and defaults and shall not be deemed to be the agent of the Director<br>appointing him. |
| --- | --- |
| 38. | NO MINIMUM SHAREHOLDING |
| --- | --- |
The Company in general meeting may fix a minimum shareholding required to be held by a Director, but unless and until such a shareholding qualification is fixed, a Director is not required to hold Shares.
| 39. | REMUNERATION OF DIRECTORS |
|---|---|
| 39.1 | The remuneration to be paid to the Directors, if any, shall be such remuneration as the Directors shall<br>determine, provided that no cash remuneration shall be paid to any Director by the Company prior to the consummation of a Business Combination.<br>The Directors shall also whether prior to or after the consummation of a Business Combination be entitled to be paid all travelling, hotel<br>and other expenses properly incurred by them in connection with their attendance at meetings of Directors or committees of Directors,<br>or general meetings of the Company, or separate meetings of the holders of any class of Shares or debentures of the Company, or otherwise<br>in connection with the business of the Company or the discharge of their duties as a Director, or to receive a fixed allowance in respect<br>thereof as may be determined by the Directors, or a combination partly of one such method and partly the other. |
| --- | --- |
| 39.2 | The Directors may by resolution approve additional remuneration to any Director for any services which<br>in the opinion of the Directors go beyond his or her ordinary routine work as a Director. Any fees paid to a Director who is also counsel,<br>attorney or solicitor to the Company, or otherwise serves it in a professional capacity, shall be in addition to his or her remuneration<br>as a Director. |
| --- | --- |
| 40. | SEAL |
| --- | --- |
| 40.1 | The Company may, if the Directors so determine, have a Seal. The Seal shall only be used by the authority<br>of the Directors or of a committee of the Directors authorised by the Directors. Every instrument to which the Seal has been affixed shall<br>be signed by at least one Person who shall be either a Director or Officer of the Company or other Person appointed by the Directors for<br>the purpose. |
| --- | --- |
25
| 40.2 | The Company may have for use in any place or places outside the Cayman Islands a duplicate Seal or Seals<br>each of which shall be a facsimile of the common Seal of the Company and, if the Directors so determine, with the addition on its face<br>of the name of every place where it is to be used. |
|---|---|
| 40.3 | A Director or Officer, representative or attorney of the Company may without further authority of the<br>Directors affix the Seal over his or her signature alone to any document of the Company required to be authenticated by him under seal<br>or to be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere wheresoever. |
| --- | --- |
| 41. | DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS AND RESERVE |
| --- | --- |
| 41.1 | Subject to the Statute and this Article and except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any<br>Shares, the Directors may resolve to pay Dividends and other distributions on Shares in issue and authorise payment of the Dividends or<br>other distributions out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. A Dividend shall be deemed to be an interim Dividend<br>unless the terms of the resolution pursuant to which the Directors resolve to pay such Dividend specifically state that such Dividend<br>shall be a final Dividend. No Dividend or other distribution shall be paid except out of the realised or unrealised profits of the Company,<br>out of the Share Premium Account or as otherwise permitted by law. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.2 | Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any Shares, all Dividends and other distributions<br>shall be paid according to the par value of the Shares that a Member holds. If any Share is issued on terms providing that it shall rank<br>for Dividend as from a particular date, that Share shall rank for Dividend accordingly. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.3 | The Directors may deduct from any Dividend or other distribution payable to any Member all sums of money<br>(if any) then payable by him to the Company on account of calls or otherwise. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.4 | The Directors may resolve that any Dividend or other distribution be paid wholly or partly by the distribution<br>of specific assets and in particular (but without limitation) by the distribution of shares, debentures, or securities of any other company<br>or in any one or more of such ways and where any difficulty arises in regard to such distribution, the Directors may settle the same as<br>they think expedient and in particular may issue fractional Shares and may fix the value for distribution of such specific assets or any<br>part thereof and may determine that cash payments shall be made to any Members upon the basis of the value so fixed in order to adjust<br>the rights of all Members and may vest any such specific assets in trustees in such manner as may seem expedient to the Directors. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.5 | Except as otherwise provided by the rights attached to any Shares, Dividends and other distributions may<br>be paid in any currency. The Directors may determine the basis of conversion for any currency conversions that may be required and how<br>any costs involved are to be met. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.6 | The Directors may, before resolving to pay any Dividend or other distribution, set aside such sums as<br>they think proper as a reserve or reserves which shall, at the discretion of the Directors, be applicable for any purpose of the Company<br>and pending such application may, at the discretion of the Directors, be employed in the business of the Company. |
| --- | --- |
| 41.7 | Any Dividend, other distribution, interest or other monies payable in cash in respect of Shares may be<br>paid by wire transfer to the holder or by cheque or warrant sent through the post directed to the registered address of the holder or,<br>in the case of joint holders, to the registered address of the holder who is first named on the Register of Members or to such Person<br>and to such address as such holder or joint holders may in writing direct. Every such cheque or warrant shall be made payable to the order<br>of the Person to whom it is sent. Any one of two or more joint holders may give effectual receipts for any Dividends, other distributions,<br>bonuses, or other monies payable in respect of the Share held by them as joint holders. |
| --- | --- |
26
| 41.8 | No Dividend or other distribution shall bear interest against<br>the Company. |
|---|---|
| 41.9 | Any Dividend or other distribution which cannot be paid to a Member and/or which remains unclaimed after<br>six months from the date on which such Dividend or other distribution becomes payable may, in the discretion of the Directors, be paid<br>into a separate account in the Company's name, provided that the Company shall not be constituted as a trustee in respect of that account<br>and the Dividend or other distribution shall remain as a debt due to the Member. Any Dividend or other distribution which remains unclaimed<br>after a period of six years from the date on which such Dividend or other distribution becomes payable shall be forfeited and shall revert<br>to the Company. |
| --- | --- |
| 42. | CAPITALISATION |
| --- | --- |
The Directors may at any time capitalise any sum standing to the credit of any of the Company's reserve accounts or funds (including the Share Premium Account and capital redemption reserve fund) or any sum standing to the credit of the profit and loss account or otherwise available for distribution; appropriate such sum to Members in the proportions in which such sum would have been divisible amongst such Members had the same been a distribution of profits by way of Dividend or other distribution; and apply such sum on their behalf in paying up in full unissued Shares for allotment and distribution credited as fully paid-up to and amongst them in the proportion aforesaid. In such event the Directors shall do all acts and things required to give effect to such capitalisation, with full power given to the Directors to make such provisions as they think fit in the case of Shares becoming distributable in fractions (including provisions whereby the benefit of fractional entitlements accrue to the Company rather than to the Members concerned). The Directors may authorise any Person to enter on behalf of all of the Members interested into an agreement with the Company providing for such capitalisation and matters incidental or relating thereto and any agreement made under such authority shall be effective and binding on all such Members and the Company.
| 43. | SHARE PREMIUM ACCOUNT |
|---|---|
| 43.1 | The Directors shall in accordance with the Statute establish a Share Premium Account and shall carry to<br>the credit of such account from time to time a sum equal to the amount or value of the premium paid on the issue of any Share. |
| --- | --- |
| 43.2 | There shall be debited to any Share Premium Account on the redemption or purchase of a Share the difference<br>between the nominal value of such Share and the redemption or purchase price provided always that at the determination of the Directors<br>such sum may be paid out of the profits of the Company or, if permitted by the Statute, out of capital. |
| --- | --- |
| 44. | BOOKS OF ACCOUNT |
| --- | --- |
| 44.1 | The Directors shall cause proper books of account (including, where applicable, material underlying documentation<br>including contracts and invoices) to be kept with respect to all sums of money received and expended by the Company and the matters in<br>respect of which the receipt or expenditure takes place, all sales and purchases of goods by the Company and the assets and liabilities<br>of the Company. Such books of account must be retained for a minimum period of five years from the date on which they are prepared. Proper<br>books shall not be deemed to be kept if there are not kept such books of account as are necessary to give a true and fair view of the<br>state of the Company's affairs and to explain its transactions. |
| --- | --- |
27
| 44.2 | The Directors shall determine whether and to what extent and at what times and places and under what conditions<br>or regulations the accounts and books of the Company or any of them shall be open to the inspection of Members not being Directors and<br>no Member (not being a Director) shall have any right of inspecting any account or book or document of the Company except as conferred<br>by Statute or authorised by the Directors or by the Company in general meeting. |
|---|---|
| 44.3 | The Directors may cause to be prepared and to be laid before the Company in general meeting profit and<br>loss accounts, balance sheets, group accounts (if any) and such other reports and accounts as may be required by law. |
| --- | --- |
| 45. | AUDIT |
| --- | --- |
| 45.1 | The Directors may appoint an Auditor of the Company who shall hold office on such terms as the Directors<br>determine. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.2 | Without prejudice to the freedom of the Directors to establish any other committee, if the Shares (or<br>depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange, and if required by the rules and regulations of the<br>Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise under Applicable Law, the Directors shall<br>establish and maintain an Audit Committee as a committee of the Directors and shall adopt a formal written Audit Committee charter and<br>review and assess the adequacy of the formal written charter on an annual basis. The composition and responsibilities of the Audit Committee<br>shall comply with the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority<br>or otherwise under Applicable Law. The Audit Committee shall meet at least once every financial quarter, or more frequently as circumstances<br>dictate. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.3 | If the Shares (or depositary receipts therefor) are listed or quoted on the Designated Stock Exchange,<br>the Company shall conduct an appropriate review of all related party transactions on an ongoing basis and shall utilise the Audit Committee<br>for the review and approval of potential conflicts of interest. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.4 | The remuneration of the Auditor shall be fixed by the Audit Committee. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.5 | If the office of Auditor becomes vacant by resignation or death of the Auditor, or by their becoming incapable<br>of acting by reason of illness or other disability at a time when their services are required, the Directors shall fill the vacancy and<br>determine the remuneration of such Auditor. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.6 | Every Auditor of the Company shall have a right of access at all times to the books and accounts and vouchers<br>of the Company and shall be entitled to require from the Directors and Officers such information and explanation as may be necessary for<br>the performance of the duties of the Auditor. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.7 | Auditors shall, if so required by the Directors, make a report on the accounts of the Company during their<br>tenure of office at the next annual general meeting following their appointment in the case of a company which is registered with the<br>Registrar of Companies as an ordinary company, and at the next extraordinary general meeting following their appointment in the case of<br>a company which is registered with the Registrar of Companies as an exempted company, and at any other time during their term of office,<br>upon request of the Directors or any general meeting of the Members. |
| --- | --- |
| 45.8 | The Audit Committee shall monitor compliance with the terms of the IPO and, if any non-compliance is identified,<br>the Audit Committee shall be charged with the responsibility to take all action necessary to rectify such non-compliance or otherwise<br>cause compliance with the terms of the IPO. |
| --- | --- |
28
| 45.9 | At least one member of the Audit Committee shall be an "audit committee financial expert" as<br>determined by the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, SEC and/or any other competent regulatory authority or otherwise<br>under Applicable Law. The "audit committee financial expert" shall have such past employment experience in finance or accounting,<br>requisite professional certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or background which results in the individual’s<br>financial sophistication. |
|---|---|
| 46. | NOTICES |
| --- | --- |
| 46.1 | Notices shall be in writing and may be given by the Company to any Member either personally or by sending<br>it by courier, post, cable, telex, fax or e-mail to him or to his address as shown in the Register of Members (or where the notice is<br>given by e-mail by sending it to the e-mail address provided by such Member). For so long as any of the Shares are traded on a Designated<br>Stock Exchange, notice must also be served in accordance with the requirements of the Designated Stock Exchange. Notice may also be served<br>by Electronic Communication in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Designated Stock Exchange, the SEC and/or any other competent<br>regulatory authority or by placing it on the Company’s Website. |
| --- | --- |
| 46.2 | Where a notice is sent by: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | courier, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by delivery of the notice to a courier company,<br>and shall be deemed to have been received on the third day (not including Saturdays or Sundays or public holidays) following the day on<br>which the notice was delivered to the courier; |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | post, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing, pre paying and posting<br>a letter containing the notice, and shall be deemed to have been received on the fifth day (not including Saturdays or Sundays or public<br>holidays in the Cayman Islands) following the day on which the notice was posted; |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | cable, telex or fax, service of the notice shall be deemed to be effected by properly addressing and sending<br>such notice and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was transmitted; |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | e-mail service shall be deemed to be effected by transmitting the e-mail to the e-mail address provided<br>by the intended recipient and shall be deemed to have been received on the same day that it was sent, and it shall not be necessary for<br>the receipt of the e-mail to be acknowledged by the recipient; and |
| --- | --- |
| (e) | placing it on the Company’s Website, service of the notice shall be deemed to have been effected<br>one hour after the notice or document was placed on the Company’s Website. |
| --- | --- |
| 46.3 | A notice may be given by the Company to the Person or Persons which the Company has been advised are entitled<br>to a Share or Shares in consequence of the death or bankruptcy of a Member in the same manner as other notices which are required to be<br>given under the Articles and shall be addressed to them by name, or by the title of representatives of the deceased, or trustee of the<br>bankrupt, or by any like description at the address supplied for that purpose by the Persons claiming to be so entitled, or at the option<br>of the Company by giving the notice in any manner in which the same might have been given if the death or bankruptcy had not occurred. |
| --- | --- |
| 46.4 | Notice of every general meeting shall be given in any manner authorised by the Articles to every holder<br>of Shares carrying an entitlement to receive such notice on the record date for such meeting except that in the case of joint holders<br>the notice shall be sufficient if given to the joint holder first named in the Register of Members and every Person upon whom the ownership<br>of a Share devolves by reason of his being a legal personal representative or a trustee in bankruptcy of a Member where the Member but<br>for his death or bankruptcy would be entitled to receive notice of the meeting, and no other Person shall be entitled to receive notices<br>of general meetings. |
| --- | --- |
29
| 47. | WINDING UP |
|---|---|
| 47.1 | If the Company shall be wound up, the liquidator shall apply the assets of the Company in satisfaction<br>of creditors' claims in such manner and order as such liquidator thinks fit. Subject to the rights attaching to any Shares, in a winding<br>up: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | if the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be insufficient to repay the whole<br>of the Company's issued share capital, such assets shall be distributed so that, as nearly as may be, the losses shall be borne by the<br>Members in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them; or |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | if the assets available for distribution amongst the Members shall be more than sufficient to repay the<br>whole of the Company's issued share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst the Members<br>in proportion to the par value of the Shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up subject to a deduction from those Shares<br>in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to the Company for unpaid calls or otherwise. |
| --- | --- |
| 47.2 | If the Company shall be wound up the liquidator may, subject to the rights attaching to any Shares and<br>with the approval of a Special Resolution of the Company and any other approval required by the Statute, divide amongst the Members in<br>kind the whole or any part of the assets of the Company (whether such assets shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may<br>for that purpose value any assets and determine how the division shall be carried out as between the Members or different classes of Members.<br>The liquidator may, with the like approval, vest the whole or any part of such assets in trustees upon such trusts for the benefit of<br>the Members as the liquidator, with the like approval, shall think fit, but so that no Member shall be compelled to accept any asset upon<br>which there is a liability. |
| --- | --- |
| 48. | INDEMNITY AND INSURANCE |
| --- | --- |
| 48.1 | Every Director and Officer (which for the avoidance of doubt, shall not include auditors of the Company),<br>together with every former Director and former Officer (each an “Indemnified Person”) shall be indemnified out of the<br>assets of the Company against any liability, action, proceeding, claim, demand, costs, damages or expenses, including legal expenses,<br>whatsoever which they or any of them may incur as a result of any act or failure to act in carrying out their functions other than such<br>liability (if any) that they may incur by reason of their own actual fraud, wilful neglect or wilful default. No Indemnified Person shall<br>be liable to the Company for any loss or damage incurred by the Company as a result (whether direct or indirect) of the carrying out of<br>their functions unless that liability arises through the actual fraud, wilful neglect or wilful default of such Indemnified Person. No<br>person shall be found to have committed actual fraud, wilful neglect or wilful default under this Article unless or until a court of competent<br>jurisdiction shall have made a finding to that effect. |
| --- | --- |
| 48.2 | The Company shall advance to each Indemnified Person reasonable attorneys' fees and other costs and expenses<br>incurred in connection with the defence of any action, suit, proceeding or investigation involving such Indemnified Person for which indemnity<br>will or could be sought. In connection with any advance of any expenses hereunder, the Indemnified Person shall execute an undertaking<br>to repay the advanced amount to the Company if it shall be determined by final judgment or other final adjudication that such Indemnified<br>Person was not entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Article. If it shall be determined by a final judgment or other final adjudication<br>that such Indemnified Person was not entitled to indemnification with respect to such judgment, costs or expenses, then such party shall<br>not be indemnified with respect to such judgment, costs or expenses and any advancement shall be returned to the Company (without interest)<br>by the Indemnified Person. |
| --- | --- |
30
| 48.3 | The Directors, on behalf of the Company, may purchase and maintain insurance for the benefit of any Director<br>or Officer of the Company against any liability which, by virtue of any rule of law, would otherwise attach to such Person in respect<br>of any negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust of which such Person may be guilty in relation to the Company. |
|---|---|
| 49. | FINANCIAL YEAR |
| --- | --- |
Unless the Directors otherwise prescribe, the financial year of the Company shall end on 31st December in each year and, following the year of incorporation, shall begin on 1st January in each year.
| 50. | TRANSFER BY WAY OF CONTINUATION |
|---|---|
| 50.1 | If the Company is exempted as defined in the Statute, it shall, subject to the provisions of the Statute<br>and with the approval of a Special Resolution, have the power to register by way of continuation as a body corporate under the laws of<br>any jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman Islands. |
| --- | --- |
| 51. | MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATIONS |
| --- | --- |
The Company shall have the power to merge or consolidate with one or more other constituent companies (as defined in the Statute) upon such terms as the Directors may determine and (to the extent required by the Statute) with the approval of a Special Resolution.
| 52. | DISCLOSURE |
|---|
The Directors, Officers of the Company or any authorised service providers (including the registered office agent of the Company), shall be entitled to disclose to any regulatory or judicial authority, or to any Designated Stock Exchange on which the Shares may from time to time be listed, any information regarding the affairs of the Company including, without limitation, information contained in the Register of Members and books of the Company.
| 53. | BUSINESS COMBINATION |
|---|---|
| 53.1 | Notwithstanding any other provision of the Articles, this Article shall apply during the period commencing<br>upon the adoption of the Articles and terminating upon the first to occur of the consummation of a Business Combination and the full distribution<br>of the Trust Account pursuant to this Article. In the event of a conflict between this Article and any other Articles, the provisions<br>of this Article shall prevail. |
| --- | --- |
| 53.2 | Prior to the consummation of any Business Combination, the Company<br>shall either: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | submit such Business Combination to the Members for approval;<br>or |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | provide Members with the opportunity to have their Shares repurchased by means of a tender offer for a<br>per-Share repurchase price payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, calculated as of two business<br>days prior to the consummation of such Business Combination, including interest earned on the Trust Account (net of Permitted Withdrawals<br>and less up to US$100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued Public Shares, provided that<br>the Company shall not repurchase Public Shares in an amount that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than US$5,000,001<br>following such repurchases. |
| --- | --- |
31
| 53.3 | If the Company initiates any tender offer in accordance with Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the US Exchange<br>Act in connection with a proposed Business Combination, it shall file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing such Business<br>Combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about such Business Combination and the redemption rights<br>as is required under Regulation 14A of the US Exchange Act. If, alternatively, the Company holds a general meeting to approve a proposed<br>Business Combination, the Company will conduct any redemptions in conjunction with a proxy solicitation pursuant to Regulation 14A of<br>the US Exchange Act, and not pursuant to the tender offer rules, and file proxy materials with the SEC. |
|---|---|
| 53.4 | At a general meeting called for the purposes of approving a Business Combination pursuant to this Article,<br>in the event that such Business Combination is approved by Ordinary Resolution, the Company shall be authorised to consummate such Business<br>Combination, provided that the Company shall not consummate such Business Combination unless the Company has net tangible assets of at<br>least US$5,000,001 immediately prior to, or upon such consummation of, or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement that may<br>be contained in the agreement relating to, such Business Combination. |
| --- | --- |
| 53.5 | Any Member holding Public Shares who is not the Sponsor, a Founder, Officer or Director may, at least<br>two business day’s prior, in connection with any vote on a Business Combination, elect to have their Public Shares redeemed for<br>cash, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided for in the related proxy materials (the “IPO Redemption”),<br>provided that no such Member acting together with any Affiliate of his or her or any other person with whom he or she is acting in concert<br>or as a partnership, limited partnership, syndicate, or other group for the purposes of acquiring, holding, or disposing of Shares may<br>exercise this redemption right with respect to more than 15 per cent of the Public Shares in the aggregate without the prior consent of<br>the Company and provided further that any beneficial holder of Public Shares on whose behalf a redemption right is being exercised must<br>identify itself to the Company in connection with any redemption election in order to validly redeem such Public Shares. If so demanded,<br>the Company shall pay any such redeeming Member, regardless of whether he is voting for or against such proposed Business Combination,<br>a per-Share redemption price payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two<br>business days prior to the consummation of the Business Combination, including interest earned on the Trust Account (such interest shall<br>be net of Permitted Withdrawals and less up to US$100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses) and not previously released to the<br>Company to pay its taxes, divided by the number of then issued Public Shares (such redemption price being referred to herein as the “RedemptionPrice”), but only in the event that the applicable proposed Business Combination is approved and consummated. The Company shall<br>not redeem Public Shares that would cause the Company’s net tangible assets to be less than US$5,000,001 following such redemptions<br>(the “Redemption Limitation”). |
| --- | --- |
| 53.6 | A Member may not withdraw a Redemption Notice once submitted to the Company unless the Directors determine<br>(in their sole discretion) to permit the withdrawal of such redemption request (which they may do in whole or in part). |
| --- | --- |
| 53.7 | In the event that the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the consummation<br>of the IPO (or up to 21 months at the discretion of the Sponsor), or such later time as the Members may approve in accordance with the<br>Articles, the Company shall: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the Public Shares,<br>at a per-Share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on<br>the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company (less Permitted Withdrawals and up to US$100,000 of interest<br>to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then Public Shares in issue, which redemption will completely extinguish public<br>Members’ rights as Members (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any); and |
| --- | --- |
32
| (c) | as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company's<br>remaining Members and the Directors, liquidate and dissolve, |
|---|
subject in each case to its obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and in all cases subject to the other requirements of Applicable Law.
| 53.8 | In the event that any amendment is made to the Articles: |
|---|---|
| (a) | to modify the substance or timing of the Company's obligation to allow redemption in connection with a<br>Business Combination or redeem 100 per cent of the Public Shares if the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within 18 months<br>from the consummation of the IPO (or up to 21 months if such date is extended at the discretion of the Sponsor), or such later time as<br>the Members may approve in accordance with the Articles, or |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | with respect to any other provision relating to Members’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity,<br>of the Articles relating to the rights of holders of Class A Shares, |
| --- | --- |
each holder of Public Shares who is not the Sponsor, a Founder, Officer or Director shall be provided with the opportunity to redeem their Public Shares upon the approval or effectiveness 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 net of Permitted Withdrawals, divided by the number of then outstanding Public Shares. The Company’s ability to provide such redemption in this Article is subject to the Redemption Limitation.
| 53.9 | A holder of Public Shares shall be entitled to receive distributions from the Trust Account only in the<br>event of an IPO Redemption, a repurchase of Shares by means of a tender offer pursuant to this Article, or a distribution of the Trust<br>Account pursuant to this Article. In no other circumstance shall a holder of Public Shares have any right or interest of any kind in the<br>Trust Account. |
|---|---|
| 53.10 | Except in connection with the conversion of Class B Shares into Class A Shares pursuant to the Class B<br>Share Conversion Article hereof where the holder of such Shares have waived any right to receive funds from the Trust Account after the<br>issue of Public Shares, and prior to the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company shall not issue additional Shares or any<br>other securities that would entitle the holders thereof to: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | receive funds from the Trust Account; or |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | vote as a class with Public Shares on a Business Combination. |
| --- | --- |
| 53.11 | As long as the securities of the Company are listed on a Designated Stock Exchange, the Company must complete<br>one or more Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80 per cent of the assets held in the Trust Account<br>(net of Permitted Withdrawals and excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held in the Trust Account) at the time of the<br>Company’s signing a definitive agreement in connection with a Business Combination. A Business Combination must not be effectuated<br>with another blank cheque company or a similar company with nominal operations. |
| --- | --- |
33
| 53.12 | The uninterested Independent Directors shall approve any transaction or transactions between the Company<br>and any of the following parties: |
|---|---|
| (a) | any Member owning an interest in the voting power of the Company that gives such Member a significant<br>influence over the Company; and |
| --- | --- |
| (b) | any Director or Officer and any Affiliate of such Director or<br>Officer. |
| --- | --- |
| 53.13 | A Director may vote in respect of a Business Combination in which such Director has a conflict of interest<br>with respect to the evaluation of such Business Combination. Such Director must disclose such interest or conflict to the other Directors. |
| --- | --- |
| 53.14 | The Company may enter into a Business Combination with a target business that is Affiliated with the Sponsor,<br>a Founder, a Director or an Officer. In the event the Company seeks to consummate a Business Combination with a target that is Affiliated<br>with the Sponsor, a Founder, a Director or an Officer, the Company, or a committee of Independent Directors, will obtain an opinion from<br>an independent investment banking firm or another valuation or appraisal firm that regularly renders fairness opinions on the type of<br>target business the Company is seeking to acquire that is a member of the United States Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or an<br>independent accounting firm that such a Business Combination is fair to the Company from a financial point of view. |
| --- | --- |
| 54. | BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES |
| --- | --- |
| 54.1 | To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, no individual serving as a Director or an officer (“Management”)<br>shall have any duty, except and to the extent expressly assumed by contract, to refrain from engaging directly or indirectly in the same<br>or similar business activities or lines of business as the Company. To the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, the Company renounces<br>any interest or expectancy of the Company in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter<br>which may be a corporate opportunity for Management, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other. Except to the extent expressly assumed<br>by contract, to the fullest extent permitted by Applicable Law, Management shall have no duty to communicate or offer any such corporate<br>opportunity to the Company and shall not be liable to the Company or its Members for breach of any fiduciary duty as a Member, Director<br>and/or officer solely by reason of the fact that such party pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, himself or herself,<br>directs such corporate opportunity to another person, or does not communicate information regarding such corporate opportunity to the<br>Company. |
| --- | --- |
| 54.2 | Except as provided elsewhere in this Article, the Company hereby renounces any interest or expectancy<br>of the Company in, or in being offered an opportunity to participate in, any potential transaction or matter which may be a corporate<br>opportunity for both the Company and Management, about which a Director and/or officer who is also a member of Management acquires knowledge. |
| --- | --- |
| 54.3 | To the extent a court might hold that the conduct of any activity related to a corporate opportunity that<br>is renounced in this Article to be a breach of duty to the Company or its Members, the Company hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted<br>by Applicable Law, any and all claims and causes of action that the Company may have for such activities. To the fullest extent permitted<br>by Applicable Law, the provisions of this Article apply equally to activities conducted in the future and that have been conducted in<br>the past. |
| --- | --- |
| 55. | EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION AND FORUM |
| --- | --- |
| 55.1 | Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the courts of the Cayman<br>Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any claim or dispute arising out of or in connection with the Memorandum, the Articles<br>or otherwise related in any way to each Member’s shareholding in the Company, including but not limited to: |
| --- | --- |
| (a) | any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the<br>Company; |
| --- | --- |
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| (b) | any action asserting a claim of breach of any fiduciary or other duty owed by any current or former Director,<br>Officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Members; |
|---|---|
| (c) | any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Statute, the Memorandum or the Articles;<br>or |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | any action asserting a claim against the Company governed by<br>the “Internal Affairs Doctrine” (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the United States of America). |
| --- | --- |
| 55.2 | Each Member irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction<br>of the courts of the Cayman Islands over all such claims or disputes. |
| --- | --- |
| 55.3 | Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies that the Company may have, each Member acknowledges<br>that damages alone would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum<br>and that accordingly the Company shall be entitled, without proof of special damages, to the remedies of injunction, specific performance<br>or other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of the selection of the courts of the Cayman Islands as exclusive forum. |
| --- | --- |
| 55.4 | This Article 55 shall not apply to any action or suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created<br>by the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act, or any claim for which the federal district courts of the United<br>States of America are, as a matter of the laws of the United States, the sole and exclusive forum for determination of such a claim. |
| --- | --- |
35
Exhibit 4.1
RIGHTS AGREEMENT
RIGHTS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated September 3, 2025, between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”), a blank check company, a Cayman Islands exempted company, and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Rights Agent” or “Odyssey”), a trust company incorporated under the laws of Minnesota, as rights agent.
WHEREAS, the Company is engaged in a public offering (the “Public Offering”) of 20,000,000 units (or 23,000,000 units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) (each a “Unit”), comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) and one-seventh of one whole right to receive one Class A ordinary share upon the consummation of an initial business combination (the “Public Rights”), and, in connection therewith, will issue and allot up to 2,857,142 Public Rights (or 3,285,714 Public Rights if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) to the public investors;
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering, the Company will issue and allot up to an aggregate of 87,214 rights (up to a maximum of 93,642 rights if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) (the “Private Rights”) underlying private units to be sold in private placements that will close simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering;
WHEREAS, the Company may issue additional rights, which will be identical to the Private Rights, in consideration of certain working capital loans that may be made by the Company’s sponsor, officers, directors or their affiliates (together with the Public Rights and the Private Rights, and along with such other rights as the Company issues from time to time hereunder, the “Rights”);
WHEREAS, the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a Registration Statement on Form S-1, No. 333-289061 (the “Registration Statement”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Act”) of, among other securities, the Rights and the Ordinary Shares issuable to the holders of the Rights;
WHEREAS, the Company desires the Rights Agent to act on behalf of the Company, and the Rights Agent is willing to so act, in connection with the issuance, registration, transfer and exchange of the Rights;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide for the form and provisions of the Rights, the terms upon which they shall be issued, and the respective rights, limitation of rights, and immunities of the Company, the Rights Agent, and the holders of the Rights; and
WHEREAS, all acts and things have been done and performed which are necessary to make the Rights, when executed on behalf of the Company and countersigned by or on behalf of the Rights Agent, as provided herein, the valid, binding and legal obligations of the Company, and to authorize the execution and delivery of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
| 1. | Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the<br>Company for the Rights, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment and agrees to perform the same in accordance with the terms<br>and conditions set forth in this Agreement. |
|---|---|
| 2. | Rights. |
| --- | --- |
2.1. Form of Right. Each Right shall be issued in registered or book-entry form only, shall be in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto, the provisions of which are incorporated herein and shall be signed by, or bear the electronic signature of, a Co- Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Company. In the event the person whose electronic signature has been placed upon any Right shall have ceased to serve in the capacity in which such person signed the Right before such Right is issued, it may be issued with the same effect as if he or she had not ceased to be such at the date of issuance.
2.2. Effect of Countersignature. Except with respect to uncertificated Rights as described above, unless and until countersigned by the Rights Agent pursuant to this Agreement, a Right shall be invalid and of no effect and may not be exchanged for Ordinary Shares.
2.3. Registration.
2.3.1. Rights Register. The Rights Agent shall maintain books (“Rights Register”) for the registration of original issuance and the registration of transfer of the Rights. Upon the initial issuance of the Rights, the Rights Agent shall issue and register the Rights in the names of the respective holders thereof in such denominations and otherwise in accordance with instructions delivered to the Rights Agent by the Company.
2.3.2. Registered Holder. Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any Right, the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person or entity in whose name such Right shall be registered upon the Right Register (“registered holder”) as the absolute owner of such Right and of each Right represented thereby (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing on the Right Certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent), for the purpose of the exchange thereof, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
2.4. Detachability of Rights. Each of the securities comprising the Units shall begin separate trading on the forty-fifth (45th) day following the date of the Prospectus (or, if such date is not a business day, the following business day, or earlier, with the consent of The Benchmark Company, LLC and Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC) (the “Detachment Date”), but in no event will the securities comprising the Units be separately traded until (i) the Company has filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting the receipt by the Company of the gross proceeds of the Public Offering, including the proceeds received by the Company from the exercise by the underwriters of their right to purchase additional Units in the Public Offering (the “Over-Allotment Option”), if the Over-Allotment Option is exercised prior to the filing of such Form 8-K, and a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ Over-Allotment option, if the Over-Allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, and (ii) the Company issues a press release and files with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K announcing when such separate trading shall begin. Upon the Detachment Date, holders of Units will have the option to continue to hold Units or separate their Units into the component pieces.
| 3. | Terms and Exchange of Rights. |
|---|
3.1. Rights. Each whole Right shall entitle the holder thereof to receive one Ordinary Share upon the happening of the Exchange Event (described below). No additional consideration shall be paid by a holder of Rights in order to receive his, her or its Ordinary Shares upon the Exchange Event as the purchase price for such Ordinary Shares has been included in the purchase price for the Units. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Rights or issue fractional Ordinary Shares.
3.2. Exchange Event. The Exchange Event shall be the Company’s consummation of an initial Business Combination (as defined in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association).
3.3. Exchange of Rights.
3.3.1. Issuance of Ordinary Shares. As soon as practicable upon the occurrence of the Exchange Event, the Company shall direct holders of the Rights to return their Rights Certificates to the Rights Agent. If the Company is not the surviving entity in a Business Combination, the holder of Rights must affirmatively elect to such conversion. Upon receipt of a valid Rights Certificate, the Rights Agent shall issue to the registered holder of such Right(s) the number of full Ordinary Shares to which he, she or it is entitled, registered in such name or names as may be directed by him, her or it and issue to such registered holder a certificate or book-entry position for such shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, or any provision contained in this Agreement to the contrary, in no event will the Company be required to net cash settle the Rights. The Company shall not issue fractional Ordinary Shares upon exchange of Rights. At the time of the Exchange Event, the Company will instruct the Rights Agent to round down to the nearest whole Ordinary Share or otherwise inform it how fractional Ordinary Shares will be addressed in accordance with Cayman Islands law and the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association.
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3.3.2. Valid Issuance. All Ordinary Shares issued upon an Exchange Event in conformity with this Agreement shall be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
3.3.3. Date of Issuance. Each person in whose name any such certificate or book-entry position for Ordinary Shares is issued shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of such shares on the date of the Exchange Event, irrespective of the date of delivery of such certificate or book-entry position.
3.3.4. Company Not Surviving Following Exchange Event. Upon an Exchange Event in which the Company does not continue as the publicly held reporting entity, the definitive agreement will provide for the holders of Rights to receive the same per share consideration as the holders of Ordinary Shares will receive in such transaction, for the number of shares such holder is entitled to pursuant to Section 3.1 above, and each holder of a whole Right will be required to affirmatively convert his, her or its whole Rights in order to receive the one Ordinary Share underlying each Right (without paying any additional consideration) upon consummation of the Exchange Event. In such a case, each holder of a Right will be required to indicate his, her or its election to convert the Rights into underlying shares as well as to return the original certificates evidencing the Rights to the Company, if any.
3.4. Duration of Rights. If the Exchange Event does not occur within the time period set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, as the same may be amended from time to time, the Rights shall expire and shall be worthless.
| 4. | Transfer and Exchange of Rights. |
|---|
4.1. Registration of Transfer. The Rights Agent shall register the transfer, from time to time, of any outstanding Right upon the Right Register, upon surrender of such Right for transfer, properly endorsed with signatures properly guaranteed and accompanied by appropriate instructions for transfer. Upon any such transfer, a new Right representing an equal aggregate number of Rights shall be issued and the old Right shall be cancelled by the Rights Agent. The Rights so cancelled shall be delivered by the Rights Agent to the Company from time to time upon request.
4.2. Procedure for Surrender of Rights. Rights may be surrendered to the Rights Agent, together with a written request for exchange or transfer, and thereupon the Rights Agent shall issue in exchange therefor one or more new Rights as requested by the registered holder of the Rights so surrendered, representing an equal aggregate number of Rights; provided, however, that in the event that a Right surrendered for transfer bears a restrictive legend, the Rights Agent shall not cancel such Right and issue new Rights in exchange therefor until the Rights Agent has received an opinion of counsel for the Company stating that such transfer may be made and indicating whether the new Rights must also bear a restrictive legend.
4.3. Fractional Rights. The Rights Agent shall not be required to effect any registration of transfer or exchange which will result in the issuance of a Right Certificate for a fraction of a Right.
4.4. Service Charges. No service charge shall be made for any exchange or registration of transfer of Rights.
4.5. Adjustments to Conversion Ratios. The number of Ordinary Shares that the holders of Rights are entitled to receive as a result of the occurrence of an Exchange Event shall be equitably adjusted to reflect appropriately the effect of any subdividsion, consolidation, share dividend, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, combination, exchange of shares or other like change with respect to the Ordinary Shares occurring on or after the date hereof and prior to the Exchange Event.
4.6. Right Execution and Countersignature. The Rights Agent is hereby authorized to countersign and to deliver, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, the Rights required to be issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4, and the Company, whenever required by the Rights Agent, will supply the Rights Agent with Rights duly executed on behalf of the Company for such purpose.
3
| 5. | Other Provisions Relating to Rights of Holders of Rights. |
|---|
5.1. No Rights as Stockholder. Until exchange of a Right for Ordinary Shares as provided for herein, a Right does not entitle the registered holder thereof to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to receive dividends, or other distributions, exercise any preemptive rights to vote or to consent or to receive notice as stockholders in respect of the meetings of shareholders or the election of directors of the Company or any other matter.
5.2. Lost, Stolen, Mutilated, or Destroyed Rights. If any Right is lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed, the Company and the Rights Agent may on such terms as to indemnity or otherwise as they may in their discretion impose (which shall, in the case of a mutilated Right, include the surrender thereof), issue a new Right of like denomination, tenor, and date as the Right so lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed. Any such new Right shall constitute a substitute contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the allegedly lost, stolen, mutilated, or destroyed Right shall be at any time enforceable by anyone.
5.3. Reservation of Ordinary Shares. The Company shall at all times reserve and keep available a number of its authorized but unissued Ordinary Shares that will be sufficient to permit the exchange of all outstanding Rights issued pursuant to this Agreement.
| 6. | Concerning the Rights Agent and Other Matters. |
|---|
6.1. Payment of Taxes. The Company will from time to time promptly pay all taxes and charges that may be imposed upon the Company or the Rights Agent in respect of the issuance or delivery of Ordinary Shares upon the exchange of Rights, but the Company shall not be obligated to pay any transfer taxes in respect of the Rights or such shares.
6.2. Resignation, Consolidation, or Merger of Rights Agent.
6.2.1. Appointment of Successor Rights Agent. The Rights Agent, or any successor to it hereafter appointed, may resign its duties and be discharged from all further duties and liabilities hereunder after giving sixty (60) days’ notice in writing to the Company. If the office of the Rights Agent becomes vacant by resignation or incapacity to act or otherwise, the Company shall appoint in writing a successor Rights Agent in place of the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the Rights Agent or by the holder of the Right (who shall, with such notice, submit his, her or its Right for inspection by the Company), then the holder of any Right may apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the County of New York for the appointment of a successor Rights Agent at the Company’s cost. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such court, shall be a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of New York, in good standing and having its principal office in the Borough of Manhattan, City and State of New York, and authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. After appointment, any successor Rights Agent shall be vested with all the authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations of its predecessor Rights Agent with like effect as if originally named as Rights Agent hereunder, without any further act or deed; but if for any reason it becomes necessary or appropriate, the predecessor Rights Agent shall execute and deliver, at the expense of the Company, an instrument transferring to such successor Rights Agent all the authority, powers, and rights of such predecessor Rights Agent hereunder; and upon request of any successor Rights Agent the Company shall make, execute, acknowledge, and deliver any and all instruments in writing for more fully and effectually vesting in and confirming to such successor Rights Agent all such authority, powers, rights, immunities, duties, and obligations.
4
6.2.2. Notice of Successor Rights Agent. In the event a successor Rights Agent shall be appointed, the Company shall give notice thereof to the predecessor Rights Agent and the transfer agent for the Ordinary Shares not later than the effective date of any such appointment.
6.2.3. Merger or Consolidation of Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent shall be a party shall be the successor Rights Agent under this Agreement without any further act.
6.3. Fees and Expenses of Rights Agent.
6.3.1. Remuneration. The Company agrees to pay the Rights Agent reasonable remuneration for its services as such Rights Agent hereunder and will reimburse the Rights Agent upon demand for all expenditures that the Rights Agent may reasonably incur in the execution of its duties hereunder.
6.3.2. Further Assurances. The Company agrees to perform, execute, acknowledge, and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged, and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments, and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing of the provisions of this Agreement.
6.4. Liability of Rights Agent.
6.4.1. Reliance on Company Statement. Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement, the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a statement signed by one of the Co-Chief Executive Officers or Chief Financial Officer and delivered to the Rights Agent. The Rights Agent may rely upon such statement for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement.
6.4.2. Indemnity. The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder only for its own gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. Subject to Section 6.6, the Company agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent and save it harmless against any and all liabilities, including judgments, costs and reasonable counsel fees, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in the execution of this Agreement except as a result of the Rights Agent’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith.
6.4.3. Exclusions. The Rights Agent shall have no responsibility with respect to the validity of this Agreement or with respect to the validity or execution of any Right (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right; nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any Ordinary Shares to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right or as to whether any Ordinary Shares will, when issued, be valid and fully paid and nonassessable.
6.5. Acceptance of Agency. The Rights Agent hereby accepts the agency established by this Agreement and agrees to perform the same upon the terms and conditions herein set forth.
6.6. Waiver. The Rights Agent hereby waives any right of set-off or any other right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) in, or to any distribution of, the Trust Account (as defined in that certain Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of the date hereof, by and between the Company and the Rights Agent as trustee thereunder) and hereby agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction for any Claim against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
5
| 7. | Miscellaneous Provisions. |
|---|
7.1. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns.
7.2. Notices. Any notice, statement or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given when so delivered if by hand or overnight delivery or if sent by certified mail or private courier service within five days after deposit of such notice, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing by the Company with the Rights Agent), as follows:
if to Odyssey, to:
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Email: clientsus@odysseytrust.com
if to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
E-mail: gus@gsrspac.com; lew@gsrspac.com
in each case, with copies to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
E-mail: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
Appleby (Cayman) Ltd.
9th Floor, 60 Nexus Way
Camana Bay Grand Cayman,
KY1-1104
Cayman Islands
Attn: Simon Raftopoulos and Alexandra Low
E-mail: sraftopoulos@applebyglobal.com; ALow@applebyglobal.com
7.3. Applicable Law. The validity, interpretation, and performance of this Agreement and of the Rights shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The Company and the Rights Agent hereby agree that any action, proceeding or claim against either of them arising out of or relating in any way to this Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and irrevocably submits to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be exclusive. The Company and the Rights Agent hereby waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum or any compliant asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act against the Company or any of the Company’s directors, officers, other employees or agents. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Any such process or summons to be served upon the Company may be served by transmitting a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to it at the address set forth in Section 7.2 hereof. Such mailing shall be deemed personal service and shall be legal and binding upon the Company in any action, proceeding or claim.
6
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in the Rights shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in this Section. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions above, is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any Rights holder, such Rights holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such Rights holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such Rights holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such Rights holder.
7.4. Persons Having Rights under this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement expressed and nothing that may be implied from any of the provisions hereof is intended, or shall be construed, to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto and the registered holders of the Rights and any right, remedy, or claim under or by reason of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise, or agreement hereof.. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises, and agreements contained in this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns and of the registered holders of the Rights.
7.5. Examination of this Agreement. A copy of this Agreement shall be available at all reasonable times at the office of the Rights Agent for inspection by the registered holder of any Right. The Rights Agent may require any such holder to submit his, her or its Right for inspection by it.
7.6. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of original or electronic counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
7.7. Effect of Headings. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and are not part of this Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation thereof.
7.8. Amendments. This Agreement may be amended by the parties hereto without the consent of any registered holder for the purpose of curing any ambiguity, or of curing, correcting or supplementing any defective provision contained herein or adding or changing any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Agreement as the parties may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem shall not adversely affect rights interest of the registered holders in any material respect hereunder. All other modifications or amendments shall require the written consent or vote of the registered holders of a majority of the then outstanding Rights.
7.9. Severability. This Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
[Signature Page Follows]
7
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been duly executed by the parties hereto as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| ODYSSEY TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY | |
| By: | /s/ Rebecca Paulson |
| Name: | Rebecca Paulson |
| Title: | President |
[Signature Page to the Rights Agreement]
EXHIBIT A
Form of Right Certificate
NUMBER [•]
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF CAYMAN ISLANDS
RIGHT
SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN DEFINITIONS
CUSIP G4R12K 115
THIS CERTIFIES THAT, for value received ________________
is the registered holder of a right or rights (each, a “Right”) to automatically receive one Class A ordinary share, $0.0001 par value (“Ordinary Shares”), of GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) for each Right evidenced by this Rights Certificate on the Company’s completion of an initial business combination (as defined in the prospectus relating to the Company’s initial public offering (“Prospectus”)) upon surrender of this Right Certificate pursuant to the Rights Agreement between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as Rights Agent. In no event will the Company be required to net cash settle any Right or issue a fractional Ordinary Share.
Upon liquidation of the Company in the event an initial business combination is not consummated during the required period as identified in the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Right shall expire and be worthless. The holder of a Right shall have no right or interest of any kind in the Company’s trust account (as defined in the Prospectus).
Upon due presentment for registration of transfer of the Right Certificate at the office or agency of the Rights Agent, a new Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and evidencing in the aggregate a like number of Rights shall be issued to the transferee in exchange for this Right Certificate, without charge except for any applicable tax or other governmental charge. The Company shall not issue fractional Ordinary Shares upon exchange of Rights. The Company reserves the right to deal with any fractional entitlement at the relevant time in any manner (as provided in the Rights Agreement).
The Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the registered holder as the absolute owner of this Right Certificate (notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing hereon made by anyone), for the purpose of any conversion hereof, of any distribution to the registered holder, and for all other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Right Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.
This Right does not entitle the registered holder to any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company. This Right shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.
| Dated: |
|---|
| Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company |
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
| TEN COM | — | as tenants in common | UNIF GIFT MIN ACT | — | Custodian | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Cust) | (Minor) | |||||||
| TEN ENT | — | as tenants by the entireties | ||||||
| JT TEN | — | as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common | under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act | |||||
| (State) |
Additional Abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
The Company will furnish without charge to each security holder who so requests the powers, designations, preferences and relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of equity securities or series thereof of the Company and the qualifications, limitations, or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. This certificate and the rights represented thereby are issued and shall be held subject to all the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Company’s Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association, Bylaws and all amendments thereto and resolutions of the Board of Directors providing for the issuance of securities (copies of which may be obtained from the secretary of the Company), to all of which the holder of this certificate by acceptance hereof assents.
For value received, ___________________________hereby sell, assign and transfer unto
| PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER<br><br>IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE |
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| (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE) |
| --- |
rights represented by the within Certificate,and do hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint
____________________________________________________________________________Attorney to transfer said rights on the books of the within named Company will full power of substitution in the premises.
Dated _________________________________________
| **Notice:**The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. |
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Signature(s) Guaranteed:
| THE SIGNATURE(S) SHOULD BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION (BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-15). |
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The holder of this certificate shall have no right or interest of any kind in or to the funds held in the Company’s trust account (as defined in the Prospectus).
Exhibit 10.1
September 3, 2025
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
United States of America
| Re: | Initial Public Offering |
|---|
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter (this “LetterAgreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) entered into or proposed to be entered into by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”), and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC, a division of Kingwood Capital Partners LLC (“Polaris”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), of 20,000,000 of the Company’s units (“Units”) (including up to 3,000,000 Units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if any), each comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (each, an “Ordinary Share”), and one-seventh of one whole right to receive one Ordinary Share upon the consummation of an initial business combination (each, a “Right”). The Units shall be sold in the Public Offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 and a prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 10 hereof.
In order to induce the Company, Benchmark, and Polaris to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, GSR IV Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“GSR Sponsor”), Polaris, and the other undersigned persons (each, an “Insider” and collectively, the “Insiders”), hereby agrees with the Company as follows:
GSR Sponsor and each Insider agrees with the Company that if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a proposed Business Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, it, he or she shall (i) vote any Shares and Private Shares owned by it, him or her in favor of any proposed Business Combination (including any proposals recommended by the Company’s board of directors in connection with such Business Combination), including any Shares purchased during or after the Public Offering in open market and privately-negotiated transactions, aside from Shares they may purchase in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act, which would not be voted in favor of approving the Business Combination, and (ii) not redeem any Shares owned by it, him or her in connection with such shareholder approval.
GSR Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees with the Company that in the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months (or up to 21 months at the discretion of GSR Sponsor) from the closing of the Public Offering, or such later period approved by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as they may be amended from time to time, GSR Sponsor and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten (10) business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the Ordinary Shares sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”), at a per share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (less permitted withdrawals (as defined in the Prospectus) and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish all Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Cayman Islands law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. GSR Sponsor and each Insider agrees to not propose any amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete its initial Business Combination within 18 months (or up to 21 months at the discretion of GSR Sponsor) from the closing of the Public Offering, or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity, unless the Company provides its Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Offering Shares 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 (less permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding Offering Shares.
1
GSR Sponsor, Polaris and each Insider acknowledges that it, he or she has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares and as otherwise described in any agreement governing the Private Placement Units (as defined below), held by it. GSR Sponsor and each Insider hereby further waives, with respect to any Shares held by it, him or her, if any, any redemption rights it, he or she may have in connection with (x) the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context of a shareholder vote to approve such Business Combination or in the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase Ordinary Shares and (y) a shareholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (i) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete its initial Business Combination within 18 months (or up to 21 months at the discretion of GSR Sponsor) from the closing of the Public Offering, or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity (although GSR Sponsor and the Insiders shall be entitled to redemption and liquidation rights with respect to any Offering Shares it or they hold if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months (or up to 21 months at the discretion of GSR Sponsor) from the date of the closing of the Public Offering).
During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, Sponsor and each Insider shall not, without the prior written consent of Benchmark and Polaris, offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction that is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise)), directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 (“Section 16”) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any Units, Shares, Rights or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Ordinary Shares, or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction; provided, however, that the foregoing does not apply to any transfer of Founder Shares to any current officer or current or future independent director of the Company (as long as such current officer or current or future independent director transferee is subject to this Letter Agreement or executes an agreement substantially identical to the terms of this Letter Agreement, as applicable to directors and officers at the time of such transfer; and as long as, to the extent any Section 16 reporting obligation is triggered as a result of such transfer, any related Section 16 filing includes a practical explanation as to the nature of the transfer). Each of the Insiders and GSR Sponsor acknowledges and agrees that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver, of the restrictions set forth in this paragraph 3 or paragraph 6 below, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this paragraph will not apply if the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account, GSR Sponsor (which for purposes of clarification shall not extend to any other shareholders, members or managers of GSR Sponsor) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent registered auditors) or products sold to the Company or (ii) a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement (a “Target”); provided, however, that such indemnification of the Company by GSR Sponsor shall apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent registered auditors) or products sold to the Company or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) $10.00 per share of the Offering Shares or (ii) such lesser amount per share of the Offering Shares held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case, including interest (less permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), except as to any claims by a third party who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of Benchmark and Polaris against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against such third party, GSR Sponsor shall not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. GSR Sponsor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to GSR Sponsor, GSR Sponsor notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.
2
GSR Sponsor and each Insider hereby agrees and acknowledges that: (i) Benchmark, Polaris and the Company would be irreparably injured in the event of a breach by GSR Sponsor or Insider of its, his or her obligations under paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6(a), 6(b), and 8 of this Letter Agreement (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach and (iii) the non-breaching party shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law or in equity, in the event of such breach.
(a) GSR Sponsor and each Insider, subject to limited exceptions, agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer (as defined below) any Founder Shares (or Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion thereof) until the first earnings release that is at least 60 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at which point 25% of the Founder Shares will become transferable and thereafter an additional 25% will become transferable at each subsequent earnings release. Notwithstanding the above, 100% of any Founder Shares will become immediately transferable, subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share capitalizations, rights issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 10 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date following the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”).
(b) GSR Sponsor, Polaris and each Insider, subject to limited exceptions, agrees that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Private Placement Units (including any Private Shares, Private Rights and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Rights) until 30 days after the completion of a Business Combination (the “Private Placement Units Lock-up Period”, together with the Founder Shares Lock-up Period, the “Lock-upPeriods”).
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in paragraphs 3, 6(a) and (b), transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Units (including the Private Shares, Private Rights, and the Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Rights) and Ordinary Shares underlying the Private Rights or the Founder Shares, are permitted:
| i. | to (1) GSR Sponsor’s members, (2) the directors or<br>officers of the Company, GSR Sponsor, GSR Sponsor’s members or Polaris, (3) any affiliates or family members of the directors or<br>officers of the Company, GSR Sponsor, GSR Sponsor’s members or Polaris, (4) any members or partners of GSR Sponsor, GSR Sponsor’s<br>members, Polaris or their respective affiliates, or any affiliates of GSR Sponsor, GSR Sponsor’s members, Polaris, or any employees<br>of such affiliates; |
|---|---|
| ii. | in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the<br>individual’s immediate family, or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of the individual’s immediate family,<br>an affiliate of such person, or to a charitable organization; |
| --- | --- |
| iii. | in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent<br>and distribution upon death of the individual; |
| --- | --- |
| iv. | in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic<br>relations order; |
| --- | --- |
3
| v. | in the case of a trust by distribution to one or more permissible<br>beneficiaries of such trust; |
|---|---|
| vi. | by private sales or transfers made in connection with any<br>forward purchase agreement or similar arrangement or in connection with the consummation of the Company’s Business Combination<br>at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; |
| --- | --- |
| vii. | to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection<br>with the consummation of its initial Business Combination; |
| --- | --- |
| viii. | in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to<br>the Company’s completion of its initial Business Combination; |
| --- | --- |
| ix. | by virtue of the laws of the Delaware law, by virtue of GSR<br>Sponsor’s charter or other constitutional, organizational or formational documents, as amended, upon dissolution of GSR Sponsor,<br>or by virtue of the constitutional, organizational or formational documents of a subsidiary of GSR Sponsor that holds any Private Placement<br>Units (including any underlying securities) or any Ordinary Shares, as the case may be, upon liquidation or dissolution of such subsidiary,<br>or the organizational documents of Polaris upon dissolution of Polaris; and |
| --- | --- |
| x. | in the event of the Company’s completion of a liquidation,<br>merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the<br>right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the completion of the Company’s initial<br>Business Combination, |
| --- | --- |
provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (i) through (vi), these permitted transferees (the “Permitted Transferees”) must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions in this Agreement.
GSR Sponsor and each Insider represents and warrants that it, he or she has never been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked. Each Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company, if any (including any such information included in the Prospectus), is true and accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to such Insider’s background. Each Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company, if any, is true and accurate in all respects. Each Insider represents and warrants that: it is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; it has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and it is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding.
Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, none of GSR Sponsor, any Insider and any affiliate of GSR Sponsor or any Insider and any director or officer of the Company, shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is), other than the following, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the Trust Account prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination: (i) repayment of a loan and advances made to the Company by GSR Sponsor or an affiliate of GSR Sponsor; (ii) payment to an affiliate of GSR Sponsor of a total of $55,556 per month for office space, administrative and support services; (iii) payment of customary fees for financial advisory services; (iv) reimbursement for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and completing an initial Business Combination; and (v) repayment of loans, if any, and on such terms as to be determined by the Company from time to time, made by GSR Sponsor or an affiliate of GSR Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination; provided that if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds from the Trust Account are used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units at a price of $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender. Such units would be identical to the Private Placement Units.
4
GSR Sponsor and each Insider has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which it is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement and, as applicable, to serve as a director on the board of directors of the Company and hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus as a director of the Company.
As used herein, (i) “BusinessCombination” shall mean a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses; (ii) “Shares” shall mean, collectively, the Ordinary Shares and the Founder Shares; (iii) “Founder Shares” shall mean the 5,750,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, par value $0.0001 per share, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the consummation of the Public Offering; (iv) “Initial Shareholders” shall mean GSR Sponsor and any other person that holds Founder Shares; (v) “Private Placement Units” shall mean the 610,500 private placement units (or 655,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which GSR Sponsor has committed to purchase at a price of $10.00 per unit, or approximately $6,105,000 in the aggregate (or approximately $6,555,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering (“Sponsor Private Placement Units”) and the 150,000 private placement units (or 172,500 private placement units if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full), which Polaris has committed to purchase at a price of $10.00 per unit, or approximately $1,500,000 in the aggregate (or approximately $1,725,000 if the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) in a private placement that shall occur simultaneously with the closing of the Public Offering (“PolarisPrivate Placement Units”, and together with the Sponsor Private Placement Units the “Private Placement Units”), the terms of such private placement units are identical to the Units, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in the Prospectus; (vi) “Private Rights” shall mean the rights included as part of the Private Placement Units that allow the holder to receive Ordinary Shares; (vii) “Private Shares” shall mean the Ordinary Shares included as part of the Private Placement Units; (viii) “Public Shareholders” shall mean the holders of securities issued in the Public Offering; (ix) “TrustAccount” shall mean the trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds of the Public Offering shall be deposited; and (x) “Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).
This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby. This Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by (1) the Company, (2) each Insider that is the subject of any such change, amendment, modification or waiver, (3) Benchmark, (4) Polaris, and (5) GSR Sponsor.
No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter Agreement shall be binding on GSR Sponsor and each Insider and their respective successors, heirs and assigns and permitted transferees.
This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New York, and irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
5
Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile or other electronic transmission.
Each party hereto shall not be liable for any breaches or misrepresentations contained in this Letter Agreement by any other party to this Letter Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any Insider with respect to any other Insider), and no party shall be liable or responsible for the obligations of another party, including, without limitation, indemnification obligations and notice obligations.
This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up Periods and (ii) the liquidation of the Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that the Public Offering is not consummated and closed by December 31, 2028; provided further that paragraph 4 of this Letter Agreement shall survive such liquidation.
This Letter Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
[Signature page follows]
6
Sincerely,
GSR IV SPONSOR LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
POLARIS ADVISORY PARTNERS LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Partner |
| By: | /s/ Susie Kuan |
| Name: | Susie Kuan |
| By: | /s/ Jonathan Cole |
| Name: | Jonathan Cole |
| By: | /s/ Jody Sitkoski |
| Name:Jody Sitkoski | |
| By: | /s/ Anantha Ramamurti |
| Name: | Anantha Ramamurti |
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| By: | /s/ Lewis Silberman |
| Name: | Lewis Silberman |
[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]
Acknowledged and Agreed:
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Letter Agreement]
Exhibit 10.2
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT TRUST AGREEMENT
This Investment Management Trust Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made effective as of September 3, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, a Minnesota corporation (the “Trustee”).
WHEREAS, the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-289061) (the “Registration Statement”), and prospectus (the “Prospectus”) for the initial public offering of the Company’s units (the “Units”), each of which consists of one share of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (each, an “Ordinary Share”) and one-seventh of one whole right to receive one Ordinary Share upon the consummation of an initial business combination (such initial public offering hereinafter referred to as the “Offering”), has been declared effective as of the date hereof by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Registration Statement); and
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into an Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) with The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC ( “Polaris”, together with Benchmark the “Underwriters”), as representatives of the several underwriters named therein; and
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the Offering, the Company’s sponsor will be purchasing 535,025 private placement units (“Sponsor Private Placement Units”), the terms of such private placement units are identical to the Units, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in the Registration Statement, from the Company for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5,350,250 (and additional amounts of Private Placement Units from the Company if the Underwriters exercises the over-allotment option, up to 557,525 Private Placement Units for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $5,575,250 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full); and
WHEREAS, simultaneously with the Offering, Polaris will be purchasing 75,475 private placement units (“Polaris Private Placement Units”, and together with the Sponsor Private Placement Units, the “Private Placement Units”), the terms of such private placement units are identical to the Units, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in the Registration Statement, from the Company for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $754,750 (and additional amounts of Private Placement Units from the Company if the Underwriters exercise the over-allotment option, up to 97,975 Placement Units for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $979,750 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full); and
WHEREAS, as described in the Registration Statement, $200,000,000 of the gross proceeds of the Offering and sale of the Private Placement Units (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) (or $230,000,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full) will be delivered to the Trustee to be deposited and held in a segregated trust account located at all times in the United States (the “Trust Account”) for the benefit of the Company and the holders of Ordinary Shares included in the Units issued in the Offering as hereinafter provided (the amount to be delivered to the Trustee (and any interest subsequently earned thereon) is referred to herein as the “Property,” the shareholders for whose benefit the Trustee shall hold the Property will be referred to as the “Public Shareholders,” and the Public Shareholders and the Company will be referred to together as the “Beneficiaries”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, a portion of the Property equal to $8,000,000, or $9,200,000 if the Underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised in full, is attributable to deferred underwriting discounts and commissions that may be payable by the Company to the Underwriters upon and concurrently with the consummation of the Business Combination (as defined below) in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement (such discounts and commissions, the “Deferred Discount”); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee desire to enter into this Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions pursuant to which the Trustee shall hold the Property.
NOW THEREFORE, IT IS AGREED:
- Agreements and Covenants of Trustee. The Trustee hereby agrees and covenants to:
(a) Hold the Property in trust for the Beneficiaries in accordance with the terms of this Agreement in the Trust Account established by the Trustee located in the United States at Morgan Stanley (or at another U.S. chartered commercial bank with consolidated assets of $100 billion or more) and at a brokerage institution selected by the Trustee that is reasonably satisfactory to the Company;
(b) Manage, supervise and administer the Trust Account subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein;
(c) Promptly upon receipt of written instruction of the Company, (i) invest and reinvest the Property, initially solely in United States government securities within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, having a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting the conditions of paragraphs (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(3) and (d)(4) of Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (or any successor rule), which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, (ii) hold the Property as uninvested cash or (iii) hold the Property in an interest or non-interest bearing bank demand deposit account or other accounts at a bank, in each case as determined by the Company; the Trustee may not invest in any other securities or assets, it being understood that the Trust Account will earn no interest while account funds are uninvested awaiting the Company’s instructions hereunder and while invested or uninvested, the Trustee may earn bank credits or other consideration during such periods;
(d) Collect and receive, when due, all principal interest or other income arising from the Property, which shall become part of the “Property,” as such term is used herein;
(e) Promptly notify the Company and the Underwriters of all communications received by the Trustee with respect to any Property requiring action by the Company;
(f) Supply any necessary information or documents as may be requested by the Company (or its authorized agents) in connection with the Company’s preparation of tax returns relating to assets held in the Trust Account or in connection with the preparation or completion of the audit of the Company’s financial statements by the Company’s auditors;
(g) Participate in any plan or proceeding for protecting or enforcing any right or interest arising from the Property if, as and when instructed by the Company to do so;
(h) Render to the Company monthly written statements of the activities of, and amounts in, the Trust Account reflecting all receipts and disbursements of the Trust Account;
(i) Commence liquidation of the Trust Account only after and promptly after (x) receipt of, and only in accordance with, the terms of a letter from the Company (“Termination Letter”) in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as either Exhibit A or Exhibit B, jointly signed on behalf of the Company by its Co-Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer or other authorized officer of the Company and, in the case of Exhibit A, acknowledged and agreed to by the Underwriters, and complete the liquidation of the Trust Account and distribute the Property in the Trust Account, including interest earned on funds held in the Trust Account (less amounts previously released to the Company for permitted withdrawals (as defined below) and up to $100,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses), only as directed in the Termination Letter and the other documents referred to therein; or (y) upon the date which is the later of (A) eighteen (18) months (or up to twenty-one (21) months at the discretion of the Sponsor) after the closing of the Offering, and (B) such later date as may be approved by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as it may be amended from time to time, if a Termination Letter has not been received by the Trustee prior to such date, in which case the Trust Account shall be liquidated in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Termination Letter attached as Exhibit B and the Property in the Trust Account, including interest not previously released to the Company for permitted withdrawals and up to $100,000 of interest that may be released to the Company to pay dissolution expenses, shall be distributed to the Public Shareholders of record as of such date; provided, however, that the Trustee has no obligation to monitor or question the Company’s position that an allocation has been made for taxes payable;
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(j) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit C (a “Tax Payment Withdrawal Instruction”), withdraw from the Trust Account and distribute to the Company the amount of interest earned on the Property requested by the Company to cover any tax obligation (which shall exclude any 1% U.S. federal excise tax imposed on stock repurchases under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that is imposed on the Company) owed by the Company, which amount shall be delivered directly to the Company by electronic funds transfer or other method of prompt payment, and the Company shall forward such payment to the relevant taxing authority (a “tax permitted withdrawal”); provided, however, that to the extent there is not sufficient cash in the Trust Account to pay such tax obligation, the Trustee shall liquidate such assets held in the Trust Account as shall be designated by the Company in writing to make such distribution so long as there is no reduction in the principal amount per share initially deposited in the Trust Account; provided, further, however, that if the tax to be paid is a franchise tax, the written request by the Company to make such distribution shall be accompanied by a copy of the franchise tax bill for the Company and a written statement from the principal financial officer of the Company setting forth the actual amount payable (it being acknowledged and agreed that any such amount in excess of interest income earned on the Property shall not be payable from the Trust Account). The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request;
(k) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit D (a “Shareholder Redemption Withdrawal Instruction”), the Trustee shall distribute on behalf of the Company the amount requested by the Company to be used to redeem Ordinary Shares from Public Shareholders properly submitted in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”) or to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if it does not complete its initial Business Combination within eighteen (18) months (or up to twenty-one (21) months at the discretion of the Sponsor) from the closing of the Offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity. The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to distribute said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request;
(l) Upon written request from the Company, which may be given from time to time in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit E (a “Working CapitalWithdrawal Instruction”), the Trustee shall distribute on behalf of the Company the amount requested by the Company to fund the Company’s working capital requirements, subject to a lifetime limit of $500,000 and withdrawals shall not exceed $125,000 per calendar quarter (a “working capital permitted withdrawal”, and together with the tax permitted withdrawal, the “permittedwithdrawals”); all permitted withdrawals can only be made from interest and not from the principal held in the Trust Account. The written request of the Company referenced above shall constitute presumptive evidence that the Company is entitled to said funds, and the Trustee shall have no responsibility to look beyond said request; and
(m) Not make any withdrawals or distributions from the Trust Account other than pursuant to Sections 1(i), (j), (k), or (l) above.
- Agreements and Covenants of the Company. The Company hereby agrees and covenants to:
(a) Give all instructions to the Trustee hereunder in writing, signed by a Co-Chief Executive Officer, President or Chief Financial Officer. In addition, except with respect to its duties under Section 1(i), 1(j), 1(k), 1(l), and 1(m) hereof, the Trustee shall be entitled to rely on, and shall be protected in relying on, any verbal or telephonic advice or instruction which it, in good faith and with reasonable care, believes to be given by any one of the persons authorized above to give written instructions, provided that the Company shall promptly confirm such instructions in writing;
(b) Subject to Section 4 hereof, hold the Trustee harmless and indemnify the Trustee from and against any and all reasonable and documented expenses, including reasonable outside counsel fees and disbursements, or losses suffered by the Trustee in connection with any action taken by it hereunder and in connection with any action, suit or other proceeding brought against the Trustee involving any claim, or in connection with any claim or demand, which in any way arises out of or relates to this Agreement, the services of the Trustee hereunder, or the Property or any interest earned on the Property, except for expenses and losses resulting from the Trustee’s willful misconduct, fraud or gross negligence. Promptly after the receipt by the Trustee of notice of demand or claim or the commencement of any action, suit or proceeding, pursuant to which the Trustee intends to seek indemnification under this Section 2(b), it shall notify the Company in writing of such claim (hereinafter referred to as the “Indemnified Claim”). The Trustee shall have the right to conduct and manage the defense against such Indemnified Claim; provided that the Trustee shall obtain the consent of the Company with respect to the selection of counsel, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; provided, further that the Company may conduct and manage the defense against any Indemnified Claim if the Trustee does not promptly take reasonable steps to mount such a defense. The Trustee may not agree to settle any Indemnified Claim without the prior written consent of the Company, which such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. The Company may participate in such action with its own counsel;
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(c) Pay the Trustee the fees set forth on Schedule A hereto, which fees shall be subject to modification by the parties from time to time. It is expressly understood that the Property shall not be used to pay such fees unless and until it is distributed to the Company pursuant to Section 1(i) hereof. The Company shall pay the Trustee upon receipt of an invoice from the Trustee. The Company shall not be responsible for any other fees or charges of the Trustee except as set forth in this Section 2(c) and as may be provided in Section 2(b) hereof;
(d) In connection with any vote of the Company’s shareholders regarding a Business Combination, provide to the Trustee an affidavit or certificate of the inspector of elections for the shareholder meeting verifying the vote of such shareholders regarding such Business Combination;
(e) Provide the Underwriters with a copy of any Termination Letter(s) and/or any other correspondence that is sent to the Trustee with respect to any proposed withdrawal from the Trust Account promptly after it issues the same;
(f) Instruct the Trustee to make only those distributions that are permitted under this Agreement, and refrain from instructing the Trustee to make any distributions that are not permitted under this Agreement.
- Limitations of Liability. The Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability to:
(a) Imply obligations, perform duties, inquire or otherwise be subject to the provisions of any agreement or document other than this Agreement and that which is expressly set forth herein;
(b) Take any action with respect to the Property, other than as directed in Section 1 hereof, and the Trustee shall have no liability to any party except for liability arising out of the Trustee’s willful misconduct, fraud or gross negligence;
(c) Institute any proceeding for the collection of any principal and income arising from, or institute, appear in or defend any proceeding of any kind with respect to, any of the Property unless and until it shall have received written instructions from the Company given as provided herein to do so and the Company shall have advanced or guaranteed to it funds sufficient to pay any reasonably incurred expenses incident thereto;
(d) Refund any depreciation in principal of any Property;
(e) Assume that the authority of any person designated by the Company to give instructions hereunder shall not be continuing unless provided otherwise in such designation, or unless the Company shall have delivered a written revocation of such authority to the Trustee;
(f) The other parties hereto or to anyone else for any action taken or omitted by it, or any action suffered by it to be taken or omitted, in good faith and in the Trustee’s best judgment, except for the Trustee’s, or its representatives’, willful misconduct, fraud or gross negligence. The Trustee may rely conclusively and shall be protected in acting upon any order, notice, demand, certificate, opinion or advice of counsel (including counsel chosen by the Trustee with written notification to the Company, which counsel may be the Company’s counsel), statement, instrument, report or other paper or document (not only as to its due execution and the validity and effectiveness of its provisions, but also as to the truth and acceptability of any information therein contained) which the Trustee believes, in good faith and with reasonable care, to be genuine and to be signed or presented by the proper person or persons. The Trustee shall not be bound by any notice or demand, or any waiver, modification, termination or rescission of this Agreement or any of the terms hereof, unless evidenced by a written instrument delivered to the Trustee, signed by the proper party or parties and, if the duties or rights of the Trustee are affected, unless it shall give its prior written consent thereto;
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(g) Verify the accuracy of the information contained in the Registration Statement;
(h) Provide any assurance that any Business Combination entered into by the Company or any other action taken by the Company is as contemplated by the Registration Statement;
(i) File information returns with respect to the Trust Account with any local, state or federal taxing authority or provide periodic written statements to the Company documenting the taxes payable by the Company, if any, relating to any interest income earned on the Property;
(j) Prepare, execute and file tax reports, income or other tax returns and pay any taxes with respect to any income generated by, and activities relating to, the Trust Account, regardless of whether such tax is payable by the Trust Account or the Company, including, but not limited to, tax obligations, except pursuant to Section 1(j) hereof; or
(k) Verify calculations, qualify or otherwise approve the Company’s written requests for distributions pursuant to Sections 1(i), 1(j), 1(k), and 1(l) hereof.
Trust Account Waiver. The Trustee has no right of set-off or any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (“Claim”) to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account, and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim to, or to any monies in, the Trust Account that it may have now or in the future. In the event the Trustee has any Claim against the Company under this Agreement, including, without limitation, under Section 2(b) or Section 2(c) hereof, the Trustee shall pursue such Claim solely against the Company and its assets outside the Trust Account and not against the Property or any monies in the Trust Account.
Termination. This Agreement shall terminate as follows:
(a) If the Trustee gives written notice to the Company that it desires to resign under this Agreement, the Company shall use its reasonable efforts to locate a successor trustee, pending which the Trustee shall continue to act in accordance with this Agreement. At such time that the Company notifies the Trustee that a successor trustee has been appointed by the Company and has agreed to become subject to the terms of this Agreement (whether following the Trustee giving notice that it desires to resign under this Agreement or the Company otherwise electing to replace the Trustee under this Agreement), the Trustee shall transfer the management of the Trust Account to the successor trustee, including but not limited to the transfer of copies of the reports and statements relating to the Trust Account, whereupon this Agreement shall terminate; provided, however, that in the event that the Company does not locate a successor trustee within ninety (90) days of receipt of the resignation notice from the Trustee, the Trustee may submit an application to have the Property deposited with any court in the State of New York or with the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and upon such deposit, the Trustee shall be immune from any liability whatsoever;
(b) At such time that the Trustee has completed the liquidation of the Trust Account and its obligations in accordance with the provisions of Section 1(i) hereof and distributed the Property in accordance with the provisions of the Termination Letter, this Agreement shall terminate except with respect to Section 2(b); or
(c) If the Offering is not consummated within ten (10) business days of the date of this Agreement, in which case any funds received by the Trustee from the Company, GSR IV Sponsor LLC (“Sponsor”), or the Underwriters, for purposes of funding the Trust Account shall be promptly returned to the Company, Sponsor or the Underwriters, as applicable.
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- Miscellaneous.
(a) The Company and the Trustee each acknowledge that the Trustee will follow the security procedures set forth below with respect to funds transferred from the Trust Account. The Company and the Trustee will each restrict access to confidential information relating to such security procedures to authorized persons. Each party must notify the other party immediately if it has reason to believe unauthorized persons may have obtained access to such confidential information, or of any change in its authorized personnel. In executing funds transfers, the Trustee shall rely upon all information supplied to it by the Company, including, account names, account numbers, and all other identifying information relating to a Beneficiary, Beneficiary’s bank or intermediary bank. Except for any liability arising out of the Trustee’s or its representatives’ gross negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, the Trustee shall not be liable for any loss, liability or out-of-pocket expense resulting from any error in the information or transmission of the funds.
(b) This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflict of laws principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. This Agreement may be executed in several original or facsimile counterparts, each one of which shall constitute an original, and together shall constitute but one instrument.
(c) This Agreement contains the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof. Except for Sections 1(i), 1(j), 1(k), 1(l), and 1(m) hereof (which sections may not be modified, amended or deleted without the affirmative vote of sixty five percent (65%) or more of the then issued and outstanding Ordinary Shares and Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company voting together as a single class; provided that no such amendment will affect any Public Shareholder who has otherwise indicated his, her or its election to redeem his, her or its Ordinary Shares in connection with a shareholder vote sought to amend this Agreement that would affect the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s Business Combination or to redeem 100% of its Ordinary Shares if the Company does not complete its Business Combination within the time frame specified in the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association or with respect to any other provisions relating to the rights of holders of the Ordinary Shares or pre-initial business combination activity), this Agreement or any provision hereof may only be changed, amended or modified (other than to correct a typographical error) by a writing signed by each of the parties hereto.
(d) The parties hereto consent to the jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court located in the City of New York, State of New York, for purposes of resolving any disputes hereunder. AS TO ANY CLAIM, CROSS-CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM IN ANY WAY RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT, EACH PARTY WAIVES THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.
(e) Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery, by electronic mail or by facsimile transmission:
if to the Trustee, to:
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Email: clientsus@odysseytrust.com
6
if to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
E-mail: gus@gsrspac.com; lew@gsrspac.com
in each case, with copies to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
E-mail: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
****Appleby (Cayman) Ltd.
9th Floor, 60 Nexus Way
Camana Bay Grand Cayman,
KY1-1104
Cayman Islands
Attn: Simon Raftopoulos and Alexandra Low
E-mail: sraftopoulos@applebyglobal.com; ALow@applebyglobal.com
and
Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, Texas 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
E-mail: gus@polarisadp.com; lew@polarisadp.com
with a copy to:
Holland & Knight LLP
811 Main St. Suite 2500,
Houston, TX 77002
Attn: James Brown and Douglas C. Lionberger
E-mail: james.brown@hklaw.com; doug.lionberger@hklaw.com
(f) Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby represents that it has the full right and power and has been duly authorized to enter into this Agreement and to perform its respective obligations as contemplated hereunder. The Trustee acknowledges and agrees that it shall not make any claims or proceed against the Trust Account, including by way of set-off, and shall not be entitled to any funds in the Trust Account under any circumstance.
(g) This Agreement is the joint product of the Trustee and the Company and each provision hereof has been subject to the mutual consultation, negotiation and agreement of such parties and shall not be construed for or against any party hereto.
(h) This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery of a signed counterpart of this Agreement by facsimile or electronic transmission shall constitute valid and sufficient delivery thereof.
(i) Each of the Company and the Trustee hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are a third-party beneficiary of this Agreement.
(j) Except as specified herein, no party to this Agreement may assign its rights or delegate its obligations hereunder to any other person or entity without the prior written consent of the other party.
[Signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have duly executed this Investment Management Trust Agreement as of the date first written above.
| Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as Trustee | ||
|---|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Rebecca Paulson | |
| Name: | Rebecca Paulson | |
| Title: | President | |
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | ||
| --- | --- | --- |
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia | |
| Name: | Gus Garcia | |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Investment ManagementTrust Agreement]
SCHEDULE A
Fee Schedule
| Trust Agreement – one-time acceptance fee | $5,000 |
|---|---|
| Annual administrative fee | $7,500 |
| Disbursement/withdrawal processing fee (per payment) | $200 |
| Shareholder redemption processing fee (per redemption) | $250 |
| Liquidation of the trust | $10,000 |
| Asset management fee | As negotiated |
| Out of pocket expenses | As Incurred |
EXHIBIT A
[●]
[Insert date]
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Re: Trust Account - Termination Letter
Dear [•]:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between GSR IV Acquisition Corp (the “Company”) and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of September 3, 2025 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has entered into an agreement with [●] (the “Target Business”) to consummate a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share repurchase, reorganization or similar business combination with the Target Business (the “BusinessCombination”) on or about [insert date]. The Company shall notify you at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance of the actual date (or such shorter time period as you may agree) of the consummation of the Business Combination (“Consummation Date”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to commence to liquidate all of the assets of the Trust Account and to transfer the proceeds into the trust operating account to the effect that, on the Consummation Date, all of the funds held in the Trust Account will be immediately available for transfer to the account or accounts that the Underwriters (with respect to the Deferred Discount, as provided in the Underwriting Agreement) and the Company shall direct on the Consummation Date. It is acknowledged and agreed that while the funds are on deposit in the trust operating account awaiting distribution, the Company will not earn any interest.
On the Consummation Date (i) counsel for the Company shall deliver to you written notification that the Business Combination has been consummated (the “Notification”) and (ii) the Company shall deliver to you (a) a certificate by the Company’s Co-Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer, which verifies that the Business Combination has been approved by a vote of the Company’s shareholders, if a vote is held and (b) joint written instruction signed by the Company and the Underwriters with respect to the transfer of the funds held in the Trust Account, including payment of the Deferred Discount (as provided in the Underwriting Agreement) from the Trust Account (the “InstructionLetter”). You are hereby directed and authorized to transfer the funds held in the Trust Account immediately upon your receipt of the Notification and the Instruction Letter, in accordance with the terms of the Instruction Letter. In the event that certain deposits held in the Trust Account may not be liquidated by the Consummation Date without penalty, you will notify the Company in writing of the same and the Company shall direct you as to whether such funds should remain in the Trust Account and be distributed after the Consummation Date to the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds, net of any payments necessary for reasonable unreimbursed expenses related to liquidating the Trust Account, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated.
In the event that the Business Combination is not consummated on the Consummation Date described in the notice thereof and we have not notified you on or before the original Consummation Date of a new Consummation Date, then upon receipt by the Trustee of written instructions from the Company, the funds held in the Trust Account shall be reinvested as provided in Section 1(c) of the Trust Agreement on the business day immediately following the Consummation Date as set forth in the notice as soon thereafter as possible.
| Very truly yours, | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: | |
| Polaris Advisory Partners, LLC | |
| --- | --- |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: |
EXHIBIT B
[●]
[Insert date]
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Re: Trust Account - Termination Letter
Dear [•]:
Pursuant to Section 1(i) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of September 3, 2025 (the “Trust Agreement”), this is to advise you that the Company has been unable to effect a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with a Target Business (the “Business Combination”) within the time frame specified in the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, as described in the Company’s Prospectus relating to the Offering. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, we hereby authorize you to liquidate all of the assets in the Trust Account and to transfer the total proceeds into the trust operating account to await distribution to the Public Shareholders. The Company has selected [●] as the effective date for the purpose of determining when the Public Shareholders will be entitled to receive their share of the liquidation proceeds. You agree to be the Paying Agent of record and, in your separate capacity as Paying Agent, agree to distribute said funds directly to the Company’s Public Shareholders in accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement and the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company. Upon the distribution of all the funds, your obligations under the Trust Agreement shall be terminated, except to the extent otherwise provided in Section 1(i) of the Trust Agreement.
| Very truly yours, | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: |
EXHIBIT C
[●]
[Insert date]
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Re: Trust Account - Tax Payment Withdrawal Instruction (a “tax permitted withdrawal”)
Dear [•]:
Pursuant to Section 1(j) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of September 3, 2025 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the Company $[●] of the interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
The Company needs such funds to pay for the tax obligations as set forth on the attached tax return or tax statement. In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the Company’s operating account at:
[WIRE INSTRUCTION INFORMATION]
| Very truly yours, | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: |
EXHIBIT D
[●]
[Insert date]
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Re: Trust Account - Shareholder Redemption Withdrawal Instruction
Dear [•]:
Pursuant to Section 1(k) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of September 3, 2025 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the redeeming Public Shareholders on behalf of the Company $[●] of the principal and interest income earned on the Property as of the date hereof. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
The Company needs such funds to pay its Public Shareholders who have properly elected to have their Ordinary Shares redeemed by the Company in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to allow redemption in connection with the Company’s initial Business Combination or to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if it does not complete its initial Business Combination within such time as is described in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of memorandum and articles of association or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity. As such, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the redeeming Public Shareholders in accordance with your customary procedures.
| Very truly yours, | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: |
EXHIBIT E
[●]
[Insert date]
Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company
2155 Woodlane Drive, Suite 100
Woodbury, MN 55125
Attn: Client Services
Re: Trust Account – Working Capital Payment Instruction (a “working capital permitted withdrawal”)
Dear [•]:
Pursuant to Section 1(l) of the Investment Management Trust Agreement between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company (the “Trustee”), dated as of September 3, 2025 (the “Trust Agreement”), the Company hereby requests that you deliver to the Company $[●] from interest and not from the principal held in the Trust Account as of the date hereof. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Trust Agreement.
The Company needs such funds to pay to fund the Company’s working capital requirements, subject to an annual limit of $500,000 per calendar year with partial years subject to a prorated annual limit. In accordance with the terms of the Trust Agreement, you are hereby directed and authorized to transfer (via wire transfer) such funds promptly upon your receipt of this letter to the Company’s operating account at:
[WIRE INSTRUCTION INFORMATION]
| Very truly yours, | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV Acquisition Corp. | |
| By: | |
| Name: | |
| Title: |
Exhibit 10.3
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of September 3, 2025, is made and entered into by and among GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), GSR IV Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), Polaris Advisory Partners LLC (the “Polaris”), and the undersigned parties listed under Holder on the signature pages hereto (each such party, together with the Sponsor and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 5.02 of this Agreement, a “Holder” and collectively the “Holders”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into a Securities Subscription Agreement (as amended, the “Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company evidenced the issue to the Sponsor of an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares (the “Founder Shares”) of the Company’s Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share;
WHEREAS, the Company previously transferred shares to independent directors on August 18, 2025;
WHEREAS, the Founder Shares are convertible into the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Ordinary Shares”), on the terms and conditions provided in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation;
“WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor have entered into that certain Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 3, 2025, pursuant to which the Sponsor agreed to purchase up to 535,025 units (or up to 557,525 units to the extent that the over-allotment option in connection with the Company’s initial public offering is exercised) (the “Sponsor Private Placement Units”);
WHEREAS, the Company and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC have entered into that certain Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 3, 2025, pursuant to which Polaris agreed to purchase up to 75,475 units (or up to 97,975 units to the extent that the over-allotment option in connection with the Company’s initial public offering is exercised) (the “Polaris Private Placement Units” and together with the Sponsor Private Placement Units, the “Private Placement Units”);
WHEREAS, in order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance the Company’s transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination (as defined below), the Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers or directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as the Company may require, of which up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into an additional 150,000 Private Placement Units (the “Working Capital Units”); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Holders desire to enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01 Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or principal financial officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein (in the case of any prospectus and any preliminary prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
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“Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Business Combination” shall mean any merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, involving the Company.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Demand Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.01(a).
“Demanding Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.01(a).
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Form S-1” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.01(a).
“Form S-3” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.03.
“Founder Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto and shall be deemed to include the Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion thereof.
“Founder Shares Lock-up Period” shall mean, with respect to the Founder Shares (or Ordinary Shares issuable upon conversion thereof) until the first earning release that is at least 60 days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, at which point 25% of the founder Shares will become transferable and thereafter an additional 25% will become transferable at each subsequent earnings release. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 100% of any Founder Shares will become immediately transferable, subsequent to the Business Combination, (x) if the last reported sale price of the Ordinary Shares equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share sub-divisions, share dividends, rights issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any ten (10) trading days within any thirty (30)-trading day period (provided that the 30-trading day period must be completed prior to any such transfer, assignment or sale) commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction after the Company’s initial Business Combination that results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Ordinary Shares for cash, securities or other property.
“Holder” or “Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble.
“Insider Letter” shall mean that certain letter agreement, dated as of September 3, 2025, by and among the Company, the Sponsor, Polaris and each of the Company’s directors and executive officers.
“Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.01(d).
“Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading.
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“Ordinary Shares” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Permitted Transferees” shall mean any person or entity to whom a Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-up Period or Private Placement Lock-up Period, as the case may be, under the Insider Letter, the Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement and any other applicable agreement between such Holder and the Company, and to any transferee thereafter.
“Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.02(a).
“Private Placement Lock-up Period” shall mean, with respect to Private Placement Units that are held by the Sponsor or its Permitted Transferees (for the avoidance of doubt, including any Working Capital Units and its underlying securities), any Private Placement Shares and the Private Placement Rights included as part of the Private Placement Units and any Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the conversion of the Private Placement Rights and that are held by the Sponsor or its Permitted Transferees, the period ending thirty (30) days after the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination.
“Private Placement Rights” shall mean the rights included in the Private Placement Units.
“Private Placement Shares” shall mean the Ordinary Shares included in the Private Placement Units.
“Private Placement Units” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Private Placement Units Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
“Registrable Security” shall mean (a) the Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the conversion of any Founder Shares, (b) the Private Placement Units, the Private Placement Shares and the Private Placement Rights, and any Ordinary Shares issued upon the conversion of the Private Placement Rights upon the closing of the Business Combination, (c) any outstanding Ordinary Shares or any other equity security (including the Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the exercise of any other equity security) of the Company held by a Holder as of the date of this Agreement, (d) any equity securities (including the Ordinary Shares issued or issuable upon the exercise of any such equity security) of the Company issuable upon conversion of Working Capital Units, and (e) any other equity security of the Company issued or issuable with respect to any such Ordinary Shares by way of a share dividend or share sub-division or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off or reorganization; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities when: (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement; (B) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred, new certificates for such securities not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission) (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations); or (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
“Registration” shall mean a registration effected by preparing and filing a registration statement or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
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“Registration Expenses” shall mean the out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:
| (a) | all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any securities exchange on which the Ordinary Shares are then listed; |
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| (b) | fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable and customary fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities); |
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| (c) | printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses; |
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| (d) | reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; |
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| (e) | reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration; and |
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| (f) | reasonable fees and expenses of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration to be registered for offer and sale in the applicable Registration. |
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“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement under the Securities Act that covers the Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
“Requesting Holder” shall have the meaning given in subsection 2.01(a).
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“Underwritten Registration” or “Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.
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ARTICLE II.
REGISTRATIONS
Section 2.01 Demand Registration.
| (a) | Request for Registration. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.01(d) and Section 2.04 hereof, at any time and from time to time on or after the date the Company consummates the Business Combination, the Holders of at least a majority in interest of the then-outstanding number of Registrable Securities (the “Demanding Holders”) may make a written demand for Registration of all or part of their Registrable Securities, which written demand shall describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such Registration and the intended method(s) of distribution thereof (such written demand a “Demand Registration”). The Company shall, within ten (10) days of the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, notify, in writing, all other Holders of Registrable Securities of such demand, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration (each such Holder that includes all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration, a “Requesting Holder”) shall so notify the Company, in writing, within five (5) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company. Upon receipt by the Company of any such written notification from a Requesting Holder(s) to the Company, such Requesting Holder(s) shall be entitled to have their Registrable Securities included in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration and the Company shall effect, as soon thereafter as practicable, but not more than forty-five (45) days immediately after the Company’s receipt of the Demand Registration, the Registration of all Registrable Securities requested by the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders pursuant to such Demand Registration. Under no circumstances shall the Company be obligated to effect more than an aggregate of three (3) Registrations pursuant to a Demand Registration under this subsection 2.01(a) with respect to any or all Registrable Securities; provided, however, that a Registration shall not be counted for such purposes unless a Form S-1 or any similar long-form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-1”) has become effective and all of the Registrable Securities requested by the Requesting Holders to be registered on behalf of the Requesting Holders in such Form S-1 Registration have been sold, in accordance with Section 3.01 of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(B), in no event shall the Sponsor, Polaris Advisory Partners LLC or any of its affiliates or any other FINRA member be entitled to request more than one Demand Registration at the Company’s expense nor, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8)(C) shall it effect a Demand Registration more than five years after the commencement of the Company’s initial public offering. |
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| (b) | Effective Registration. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 2.01(a) above or any other part of this Agreement, a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration shall not count as a Registration unless and until (i) the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration has been declared effective by the Commission and (ii) the Company has complied with all of its obligations under this Agreement with respect thereto; provided, further, that if, after such Registration Statement has been declared effective, an offering of Registrable Securities in a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration is subsequently interfered with by any stop order or injunction of the Commission, federal or state court or any other governmental agency the Registration Statement with respect to such Registration shall be deemed not to have been declared effective, unless and until, (x) such stop order or injunction is removed, rescinded or otherwise terminated, and (y) a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Demand Registration thereafter affirmatively elect to continue with such Registration and accordingly notify the Company in writing, but in no event later than five (5) days, of such election; provided, further, that the Company shall not be obligated or required to file another Registration Statement until the Registration Statement that has been previously filed with respect to a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration becomes effective or is subsequently terminated. |
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| (c) | Underwritten Offering. Subject to the provisions of subsection 2.01(d) and Section 2.04 hereof, if a majority-in- interest of the Demanding Holders so advise the Company as part of their Demand Registration that the offering of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration shall be in the form of an Underwritten Offering, then the right of such Demanding Holder or Requesting Holder (if any) to include its Registrable Securities in such Registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such Underwritten Offering and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Underwritten Offering to the extent provided herein. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.01(c) shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating the Demand Registration. |
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| (d) | Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration, in good faith, advises the Company, the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) in writing that the dollar amount or number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) desire to sell, taken together with all other Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell and the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which a Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights held by any other shareholders who desire to sell, exceeds the maximum dollar amount or maximum number of equity securities that can be sold in the Underwritten Offering without adversely affecting the proposed offering price, the timing, the distribution method, or the probability of success of such offering (such maximum dollar amount or maximum number of such securities, as applicable, the “Maximum Number of Securities”), then the Company shall include in such Underwritten Offering, as follows: (i) first, the Registrable Securities of the Demanding Holders and the Requesting Holders (if any) (pro rata based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder and Requesting Holder (if any) has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Demanding Holders and Requesting Holders have requested be included in such Underwritten Registration (such proportion is referred to herein as “Pro Rata”)) that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (ii) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (i), Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (iii) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), Ordinary Shares or other equity securities of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register in a Registration pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons and that can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities. |
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| (e) | Demand Registration Withdrawal. A majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating a Demand Registration or a majority-in-interest of the Requesting Holders (if any), pursuant to a Registration under subsection 2.01(a) shall have the right to withdraw from a Registration pursuant to such Demand Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to the Registration of their Registrable Securities pursuant to such Demand Registration. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.01(e). |
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Section 2.02 Piggyback Registration.
| (a) | Piggyback Rights. If, at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination, the Company proposes to file a Registration Statement under the Securities Act with respect to an offering of equity securities, or securities or other obligations exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into equity securities, for its own account or for the account of shareholders of the Company (or by the Company and by the shareholders of the Company including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2.01 hereof), other than a Registration Statement (i) filed in connection with any employee stock option or other benefit plan, (ii) for an exchange offer or offering of securities solely to the Company’s existing shareholders, (iii) for an offering of debt that is convertible into equity securities of the Company or (iv) for a dividend reinvestment plan, then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed filing to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to register the sale of such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such Registration a “Piggyback Registration”). The Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and shall use its best efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of a proposed Underwritten Offering to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this subsection 2.02(a) to be included in a Piggyback Registration on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such Registration and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. All such Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through an Underwritten Offering under this subsection 2.02(a) shall enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in accordance with FINRA Rule 5110 (g)(8)(D), in no event shall the Sponsor, Polaris Advisory Partners LLC or any of its affiliates or any other FINRA member have the right to participate in a Piggyback Registration after seven (7) years from the commencement of the Company’s initial public offering. |
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| (b) | Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the managing Underwriter or Underwriters in an Underwritten Registration that is to be a Piggyback Registration, in good faith, advises the Company and the Holders of Registrable Securities participating in the Piggyback Registration in writing that the dollar amount or number of Ordinary Shares that the Company desires to sell, taken together with (i) the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been demanded pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities hereunder, (ii) the Registrable Securities as to which registration has been requested pursuant to Section 2.02 hereof, and (iii) the Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to separate written contractual piggy-back registration rights of other shareholders of the Company, exceeds the Maximum Number of Securities, then: |
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(i) If the Registration is undertaken for the Company’s account, the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.02(a) hereof, Pro Rata, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), Ordinary Shares, if any, as to which Registration has been requested pursuant to written contractual piggyback registration rights of other shareholders of the Company, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;
(ii) If the Registration is pursuant to a request by persons or entities other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, then the Company shall include in any such Registration (A) first, Ordinary Shares or other equity securities, if any, of such requesting persons or entities, other than the Holders of Registrable Securities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; (B) second, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clause (A), the Registrable Securities of Holders exercising their rights to register their Registrable Securities pursuant to subsection 2.02(a), pro rata based on the number of Registrable Securities that each Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Registration and the aggregate number of Registrable Securities that the Holders have requested to be included in such Underwritten Registration, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities;(C) third, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), Ordinary Shares or other equity securities that the Company desires to sell, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities; and (D) fourth, to the extent that the Maximum Number of Securities has not been reached under the foregoing clauses (A),(B) and (C), Ordinary Shares or other equity securities for the account of other persons or entities that the Company is obligated to register pursuant to separate written contractual arrangements with such persons or entities, which can be sold without exceeding the Maximum Number of Securities.
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| (c) | Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this subsection 2.02(c). |
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| (d) | Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, any Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.02 hereof shall not be counted as a Registration pursuant to a Demand Registration effected under Section 2.01 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Sponsor, Polaris Advisory Partners LLC or any other FINRA member have the right to participate in a Piggyback Registration after seven (7) years from the effective date of the Company’s registration statement with respect to its initial public offering. |
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Section 2.03 Registrations on Form S-3. The Holders of Registrable Securities may at any time, and from time to time, request in writing that the Company, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), register the resale of any or all of their Registrable Securities on Form S-3 or any similar short form registration statement that may be available at such time (“Form S-3”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect such request through an Underwritten Offering. Within five (5) days of the Company’s receipt of a written request from a Holder or Holders of Registrable Securities for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall promptly give written notice of the proposed Registration on Form S-3 to all other Holders of Registrable Securities, and each Holder of Registrable Securities who thereafter wishes to include all or a portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in such Registration on Form S-3 shall so notify the Company, in writing, within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Holder of the notice from the Company. As soon as practicable thereafter, but not more than twelve (12) days after the Company’s initial receipt of such written request for a Registration on Form S-3, the Company shall register all or such portion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities as are specified in such written request, together with all or such portion of Registrable Securities of any other Holder or Holders joining in such request as are specified in the written notification given by such Holder or Holders; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such Registration pursuant to Section 2.03 hereof if (i) a Form S-3 is not available for such offering; or (ii) the Holders of Registrable Securities, together with the Holders of any other equity securities of the Company entitled to inclusion in such Registration, propose to sell the Registrable Securities and such other equity securities (if any) at any aggregate price to the public of less than $10,000,000.
Section 2.04 Restrictions on Registration Rights. If (A) during the period starting with the date sixty (60) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date one hundred and twenty (120) days after the effective date of, a Company initiated Registration and provided that the Company has delivered written notice to the Holders prior to receipt of a Demand Registration pursuant to subsection 2.01(a) and it continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable efforts to cause the applicable Registration Statement to become effective; (B) the Holders have requested an Underwritten Registration and the Company and the Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite the offer; or (C) in the good faith judgment of the Board such Registration would be seriously detrimental to the Company and the Board concludes as a result that it is essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement at such time, then in each case the Company shall furnish to such Holders a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board stating that in the good faith judgment of the Board it would be seriously detrimental to the Company for such Registration Statement to be filed in the near future and that it is therefore essential to defer the filing of such Registration Statement. In such event, the Company shall have the right to defer such filing for a period of not more than thirty (30) days; provided, however, that the Company shall not defer its obligation in this manner more than once in any 12-month period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Registration shall be effected or permitted and no Registration Statement shall become effective, with respect to any Registrable Securities held by any Holder, until after the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-Up Period or the Private Placement Lock-Up Period, as the case may be.
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ARTICLE III.
COMPANY PROCEDURES
Section 3.01 General Procedures. If at any time on or after the date the Company consummates a Business Combination the Company is required to effect the Registration of Registrable Securities, the Company shall use its best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:
| (a) | prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold; |
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| (b) | prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be requested by the Holders or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus or are no longer outstanding; |
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| (c) | prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders; provided, that the Company will not have any obligation to provide any document pursuant to this clause that is available on the Commission’s EDGAR system; |
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| (d) | prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject; |
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| (e) | cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed; |
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| (f) | provide a transfer agent or rights agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement; |
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| (g) | advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued; |
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| (h) | at least five (5) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel; |
| --- | --- |
| (i) | notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.04 hereof; |
| --- | --- |
| (j) | permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters, if any, and any attorney or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives or Underwriters enter into a confidentiality agreement, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information; |
| --- | --- |
| (k) | obtain a “cold comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Registration, in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “cold comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders; |
| --- | --- |
| (l) | on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the Holders, the placement agent or sales agent, if any, and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the Holders, placement agent, sales agent, or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders; |
| --- | --- |
| (m) | in the event of any Underwritten Offering, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter of such Underwritten Offering; |
| --- | --- |
| (n) | make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission); |
| --- | --- |
| (o) | if the Registration involves the Registration of Registrable Securities involving gross proceeds in excess of $50,000,000, use its reasonable best efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in any Underwritten Offering; and |
| --- | --- |
| (p) | otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the Holders, in connection with such Registration. |
| --- | --- |
Section 3.02 Registration Expenses. The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all reasonable fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.
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Section 3.03 Requirements for Participation in Underwritten Offerings. No person may participate in any Underwritten Offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person (a) agrees to sell such person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Company and (b) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
Section 3.04 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure. Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until he, she or it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until he, she or it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure or would require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control, the Company may, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time, but in no event more than thirty (30) days, determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under the preceding sentence, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities. The Company shall immediately notify the Holders of the expiration of any period during which it exercised its rights under this Section 3.04.
Section 3.05 Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders with true and complete copies of all such filings. The Company further covenants that it shall take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Ordinary Shares held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission), including providing any legal opinions. Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
ARTICLE IV.
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
Section 4.01 Indemnification.
| (a) | The Company agrees to indemnify, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers and directors and each person who controls such Holder (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees) caused by any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder. |
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| (b) | In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors and officers and agents and each person who controls the Company (within the meaning of the Securities Act) against any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses (including without limitation reasonable attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue statement of material fact contained in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement or omission is contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Holders of Registrable Securities shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers, directors and each person who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to indemnification of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to indemnify under this Section 4.01(b) shall be several, not joint and several, among the Holders of Registrable Securities, and the total indemnification liability of a Holder under this Section 4.01(b) shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement. |
|---|---|
| (c) | Any person entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of any indemnified party a conflict of interest may exist between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director or controlling person of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities. |
| --- | --- |
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| (e) | If the indemnification provided under Section 4.01 hereof from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by, or relates to information supplied by, such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action; provided, however, that the liability of any Holder under this subsection 4.01(e) shall be limited to the amount of the net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in subsections 4.01(a), 4.01(b) and 4.01(c) above, any legal or other fees, charges or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. The parties hereto agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.01(e) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation, which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in this subsection 4.01(e). No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this subsection 4.01(e) from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. |
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ARTICLE V.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 5.01 Notices. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (a) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (b) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (c) transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or facsimile. Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail, telecopy, telegram or facsimile, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, to: 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731, Attention: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman, and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address or facsimile number as set forth in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 5.01.
Section 5.02 Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.
| (a) | This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part. |
|---|---|
| (b) | Prior to the expiration of the Founder Shares Lock-up Period or the Private Placement Lock-up Period, as the case may be, no Holder may assign or delegate such Holder’s rights, duties or obligations under this Agreement, in whole or in part, except in connection with a transfer of Registrable Securities by such Holder to a Permitted Transferee. |
| --- | --- |
| (c) | This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees. |
| --- | --- |
| (d) | This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any persons that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 5.02 hereof. |
| --- | --- |
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| (e) | No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 5.01 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 5.02 shall be null and void. |
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Section 5.03 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
Section 5.04 Governing Law; Venue. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AS APPLIED TO AGREEMENTS AMONG NEW YORK RESIDENTS ENTERED INTO AND TO BE PERFORMED ENTIRELY WITHIN NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS OF SUCH JURISDICTION AND THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THE AGREEMENT SHALL BE ANY STATE OR FEDERAL COURT IN NEW YORK COUNTY IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK.
EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT.
Section 5.05 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities at the time in question, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder, solely in his, her or its capacity as a holder of the ordinary shares of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.
Section 5.06 Other Registration Rights. The Company represents and warrants that no person, other than a Holder has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
Section 5.07 Term. This Agreement shall terminate upon the earlier of (a) the tenth anniversary of the date of this Agreement, (b) the date as of which (x) all of the Registrable Securities have been sold pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission)) or (y) the Holders of all Registrable Securities are permitted to sell the Registrable Securities under Rule 144 (or any similar provision) under the Securities Act without limitation on the amount of securities sold or the manner of sale or (c) with respect to a particular Holder, the date as of which all Registrable Securities held by such Holder have been sold (x) pursuant to a Registration Statement (but in no event prior to the applicable period referred to in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act and Rule 174 thereunder (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the Commission)) or (y) under Rule 144 (or any similar provision) or another exemption from registration under the Securities Act. The provisions of Section 3.05 and Article IV shall survive any termination.
[Signature Pages Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY:
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
SPONSOR:
GSR IV SPONSOR LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
POLARIS:
POLARIS ADVISORY PARTNERS LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Partner |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Lewis Silberman |
|---|---|
| Name: | Lewis Silberman |
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Anantha Ramamurti |
|---|---|
| Name: | Anantha Ramamurti |
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Susie Kuan |
|---|---|
| Name: | Susie Kuan |
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Jonathan Cole |
|---|---|
| Name: | Jonathan Cole |
HOLDER
| By: | /s/ Jody Sitkoski |
|---|---|
| Name: | Jody Sitkoski |
[Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement]
Exhibit 10.4
SPONSOR PRIVATE PLACEMENT UNITS PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This SPONSOR PRIVATE PLACEMENT UNITS PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of the day of September 3, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731, and GSR IV Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Subscriber”), having its principal place of business at 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731.
WHEREAS, the Company desires to sell to the Subscriber on a private placement basis (the “Placement”) an aggregate of 535,025, units (the “InitialSponsor Units”) of the Company, and up to an additional 22,500, (the “Additional Sponsor Units” and together with the Initial Sponsor Units, the “Sponsor Units”), each Sponsor Unit comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) and one-seventh of one whole right (the “Rights”) to receive one Ordinary Share, which Rights will be exchanged upon consummation of the Company’s initial business combination (the “Business Combination”), as such term is defined in the registration statement in connection with the initial public offering (“IPO”), as amended at the time it becomes effective (the “Registration Statement”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per Sponsor Unit. The Ordinary Shares received upon conversion of the Rights are hereinafter referred to as the “Right Shares.” The Ordinary Shares underlying the Sponsor Units (excluding the Rights Shares) are hereinafter referred to as the “Placement Shares.” The Rights underlying the Sponsor Units are hereinafter referred to as the “PlacementRights.” The Sponsor Units, Placement Shares, Placement Rights and Right Shares, collectively, are hereinafter referred to as the “Securities.” The Sponsor Units will be delivered to the Subscriber(s) on the Closing Date (as defined below).
WHEREAS, the Subscriber wishes to purchase 535,025 Initial Sponsor Units and up to 22,500 Additional Sponsor Units, and the Company wishes to accept such subscription from the Subscriber.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby, intending legally to be bound, agree as follows:
| 1. | Agreement to Subscribe. |
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1.1. Purchase and Issuance of the Sponsor Units.
(i) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Subscriber hereby agrees to purchase from the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to sell to the Subscriber, on the Closing Date (as defined below) the Initial Sponsor Units in consideration of the payment of the Initial Purchase Price (as defined below). On the Closing Date, the Company shall, at its option, deliver to the Subscriber the certificates representing the Securities purchased or effect such delivery in book-entry form.
(ii) The Subscriber hereby agrees to purchase up to an additional Additional Sponsor Units at $10.00 per Additional Sponsor Unit for a purchase price of up to approximately $225,000. The purchase and issuance of the Additional Sponsor Units shall occur only in the event that the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full or in part. The total number of Additional Sponsor Units to be purchased hereunder shall be in the same proportion as the proportion of the Over-Allotment Option that is exercised. Each purchase of Additional Sponsor Units shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option.
1.2. Purchase Price.
(i) As payment in full for the Initial Sponsor Units being purchased under this Agreement, the Subscriber shall pay an aggregate of approximately $5,350,250 (the “Initial Purchase Price”) by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by such other method as may be reasonably acceptable to the Company.
(ii) As payment in full for the Additional Sponsor Units being purchased under this Agreement, the Subscriber shall pay $10.00 per Additional Sponsor Unit being purchased by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by such other method as may be reasonably acceptable to (i) the Company, to the Trust Account at a financial institution to be chosen by the Company, maintained by Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company or (ii) to, or on behalf of, the Company in accordance with the Company’s wiring instructions, one (1) business day prior to the Closing Date of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option.
1.3. Closing. The closing of the purchase and sale of the Initial Sponsor Units shall take place simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, and the closing of the purchase and sale of the Sponsor Additional Sponsor Units shall take place simultaneously with the closing of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option (each a “Closing Date”). The closing of the purchase and sale of the Sponsor Units shall take place at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP 10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100. Los Angeles, CA 90067, or such other place as may be agreed upon by the parties hereto.
1.4. Termination. This Agreement and each of the obligations of the undersigned shall be null and void and without effect if a Closing does not occur prior to December 31, 2025.
| 2. | Representations and Warranties of the Subscriber. |
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The Subscriber represents and warrants (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:
2.1. No Government Recommendation or Approval. The Subscriber understands that no federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Company or the Placement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities by the Subscriber nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
2.2. Accredited Investor. The Subscriber represents that it is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and has not experienced a disqualifying event as enumerated pursuant to Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, and acknowledges that the sale contemplated hereby is being made in reliance, among other things, on a private placement exemption to “accredited investors” under the Securities Act and similar exemptions under state law.
2.3. Intent. The Subscriber is purchasing the Securities for solely for investment purposes only, for Subscriber’s own account (and/or for the account or benefit of its members or affiliates, as permitted, pursuant to the terms of an agreement (the “Insider Letter”) to be entered into with respect to the Securities between, among others, the Subscriber and the Company, as described in the Registration Statement), and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, any public sale or distribution thereof except as may be permitted under the Insider Letter.
2.4. Restrictions on Transfer. The Subscriber acknowledges and understands the Sponsor Units are being offered in a transaction not involving a public offering in the United States within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and, if in the future the Subscriber decides to offer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Securities, such Securities may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only (A) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, (B) pursuant to an exemption from registration under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, if available, or (C) pursuant to any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Subscriber acknowledges and understands the Securities are subject to transfer restrictions as described in Section 8 hereof. The Subscriber agrees that if any transfer of its Securities or any interest therein is proposed to be made, as a condition precedent to any such transfer, the Subscriber may be required to deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company with respect to such transfer. Absent registration or another available exemption from registration, the Subscriber agrees it will not resell the Securities (unless otherwise permitted pursuant to the Insider Letter, as described in the Registration Statement). The Subscriber further acknowledges that because the Company is a shell company, Rule 144 may not be available to the Subscriber for the resale of the Securities until the one year anniversary following consummation of the initial Business Combination of the Company, despite technical compliance with the requirements of Rule 144 and the release or waiver of any contractual transfer restrictions.
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2.5. Sophisticated Investor. The Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters, knowledge of the high degree of risk associated with investments in the securities of companies in the development stage such as the Company, is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities and is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities in the amount contemplated hereunder for an indefinite period of time. The Subscriber has adequate means of providing for its current financial needs and contingencies and will have no current or anticipated future needs for liquidity which would be jeopardized by the investment in the Securities. The Subscriber can afford a complete loss of its investments in the Securities.
2.6. Independent Investigation. The Subscriber, in making the decision to purchase the Sponsor Units, has relied upon an independent investigation of the Company and has not relied upon any information or representations made by any third parties or upon any oral or written representations or assurances from the Company, its officers, directors or employees or any other representatives or agents of the Company, other than as set forth in this Agreement. The Subscriber is familiar with the business, operations and financial condition of the Company and has had an opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from the Company’s officers and directors concerning the Company and the terms and conditions of the offering of the Sponsor Units and has had full access to such other information concerning the Company as the Subscriber has requested. The Subscriber confirms that all documents that it has requested have been made available and that the Subscriber has been supplied with all of the additional information concerning this investment which the Subscriber has requested.
2.7. Organization and Authority. The Subscriber is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and it possesses all requisite power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
2.8. Authority. This Agreement has been validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Subscriber and is a valid and binding agreement enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or law).
2.9. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Subscriber of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and shall not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach by the Subscriber of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Subscriber’s equity or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the Subscriber’s organizational documents (in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to the applicable Closing Date), or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Subscriber is subject, or any agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Subscriber is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.
2.10. No Legal Advice from Company. The Subscriber acknowledges it has had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto with the Subscriber’s own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. Except for any statements or representations of the Company made in this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto, the Subscriber is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
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2.11. Reliance on Representations and Warranties. The Subscriber understands the Sponsor Units are being offered and sold to the Subscriber in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, and analogous provisions in the laws and regulations of various states, and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Subscriber set forth in this Agreement in order to determine the applicability of such provisions.
2.12. No General Solicitation. The Subscriber is not subscribing for the Sponsor Units as a result of or subsequent to any general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act, including but not limited to any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, or presented at any seminar or meeting or in a registration statement with respect to the IPO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
2.13. Legend. The Subscriber acknowledges and agrees the certificates (if any) evidencing each of the Securities shall bear a restrictive legend (the “Legend”), in form and substance substantially as set forth in Section 4 hereof.
| 3. | Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. |
|---|
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Subscriber (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:
3.1. Valid Issuance of Shares. The total number of shares of all classes of capital which the Company has authority to issue is 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Ordinary Shares”), and 1,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value per share (“Preference Shares”). As of the date hereof, the Company has issued and outstanding 5,750,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, no Class A Ordinary Shares and no Preference Shares. All of the issued shares of the Company have been duly authorized, validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable.
3.2. Title to Securities. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and that certain rights agreement to be entered into between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”), as the case may be, each of the Sponsor Units, Placement Shares, Placement Rights and Right Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. On the date of issuance of the Sponsor Units, the Right Shares shall have been reserved for issuance. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and the Rights Agreement, as the case may be, the Subscriber will have or receive good title to the Sponsor Units, Placement Shares and Placement Rights, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind, other than (i) transfer restrictions hereunder and under the other agreements contemplated hereby including the Insider Letter, (ii) transfer restrictions under federal and state securities laws and (iii) liens, claims or encumbrances imposed due to the actions of the Subscriber.
3.3. Organization and Qualification. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands and has the requisite corporate power to own its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted.
3.4. Authorization; Enforcement. (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no further consent or authorization of the Company or its Board of Directors or shareholders is required, and (iii) this Agreement constitutes valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium, reorganization, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors’ rights and remedies or by equitable principles of general application and except as enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by federal and state securities laws or principles of public policy.
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3.5. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Company’s ordinary shares or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company (in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to the applicable Closing Date) or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject, or any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Company is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.
3.6 Governmental Consents. No permit, consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration to or filing with, any governmental authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of any other transactions contemplated hereby, except for applicable requirements of the Securities Act.
| 4. | Legends. |
|---|
4.1. Legend. The Company will issue the Sponsor Units, Placement Shares and Placement Rights, and when issued, the Right Shares, purchased by the Subscriber in the name of the Subscriber. The certificates (if any) evidencing Securities will bear the following Legend and appropriate “stop transfer” instructions :
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, SUBJECT TO ANY ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT (THE “LETTER AGREEMENT”) BY AND AMONG GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. (THE “COMPANY”), GSR IV SPONSOR LLC AND THE OTHER PARTIES THERETO, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE COMPANY COMPLETES ITS INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG THE COMPANY AND ODYSSEY TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY, AS RIGHTS AGENT (THE “RIGHTS AGREEMENT”) EXCEPT TO A PERMITTED TRANSFEREE (AS DEFINED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT) WHO AGREES IN WRITING WITH THE COMPANY TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH TRANSFER PROVISIONS.
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, OR HYPOTHECATED, OR BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF SUCH SECURITIES BY ANY PERSON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ENDING 180 DAYS (PURSUANT TO RULE 5110(E)(1) OF THE CONDUCT RULES OF FINRA) FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF SALES IN THE PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE COMPANY’S SECURITIES PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333- 289061, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINRA RULE 5110(E)(2).
SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY AND CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES OF THE COMPANY ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REGISTRATION AND SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS UNDER A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO BE EXECUTED BY THE COMPANY.”
4.2. Subscriber’s Compliance. Nothing in this Section 4 shall affect in any way the Subscriber’s obligations and agreements to comply with all applicable securities laws upon resale of the Securities.
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4.3. Company’s Refusal to Register Transfer of the Securities. The Company shall refuse to register any transfer of the Securities, if in the sole judgment of the Company such purported transfer would not be made (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (ii) in compliance herewith and with the Insider Letter.
4.4. Registration Rights. The Subscriber will be entitled to certain registration rights which will be governed by a registration rights agreement (“RegistrationRights Agreement”) to be entered into between, among others, the Subscriber and the Company, on or prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement. In compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8), registration rights granted to the Subscriber in connection with the purchase of Sponsor Units are limited to demand and “piggy back” rights for periods of five and seven years, respectively, from the effective date of the Registration Statement and such demand rights may be exercised on only one occasion.
| 5. | Terms of Placement Rights. Each Placement Right shall have the terms set forth in the Rights Agreement, provided that the Placement Rights may not be exchanged for shares more than five (5) years from the effective date of the Registration Statement. |
|---|---|
| 6. | Terms of the Sponsor Units and Placement Rights. |
| --- | --- |
6.1. The Sponsor Units and their component parts are substantially identical to the units to be offered in the IPO except that: (i) the Sponsor Units and component parts are subject to the transfer restrictions (1) described in the Insider Letter, (2) pursuant to FIRNA Rule 5110(e), be subject to lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the commencement of sales in the IPO, subject to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2), (3) the Sponsor Units and their component parts and the related registration rights may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated (except to any underwriter or selected dealer participating in the IPO and the officers or partners, registered persons or affiliates of the Subscribers), and any such Sponsor Units and their component parts and the related registration rights will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of such securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the commencement of sales in the IPO; and (ii) the Sponsor Units and component parts are being purchased pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will become freely tradable only after the expiration of the lockup described above in clause (i) and they are registered pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement to be signed on or before the date of the Prospectus or an exemption from registration is available.
6.2. The Subscriber agrees to vote the Placement Shares in accordance with the terms of the Insider Letter and as otherwise described in the Registration Statement.
| 7. | Conditions of the Subscriber’s Obligations. |
|---|
The obligations of the Subscriber to the Company under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date of this Section 7.
7.1. Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 3 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.
7.2. Performance. The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by it on or before such Closing Date.
7.3. No Injunction. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Rights Agreement.
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7.4. Rights Agreement. The Company shall have entered into the Rights Agreement on terms satisfactory to the Subscriber.
| 8. | Conditions of the Company’s Obligations. |
|---|
The obligations of the Company to the Subscriber under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date of this Section 8.
8.1. Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Subscriber contained in Section 2 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.
8.2. Performance. The Subscriber shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by the Subscriber on or before such Closing Date.
8.3. Corporate Consents. The Company shall have obtained the consent of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Rights Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder.
8.4 No Injunction. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Rights Agreement.
8.5. Rights Agreement. The Company shall have entered into the Rights Agreement.
| 10. | Waiver of Liquidation Distributions. |
|---|
In connection with the Securities purchased pursuant to this Agreement, the Subscriber hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distributions of the amounts in the Trust Account with respect to the Securities, whether (i) in connection with the exercise of redemption rights if the Company consummates the Business Combination, (ii) in connection with any tender offer conducted by the Company prior to a Business Combination, (iii) upon the Company’s redemption of Ordinary Shares sold in the Company’s IPO upon the Company’s failure to timely complete the Business Combination or (iv) in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if the Company does not timely complete the Business Combination or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity. In the event the Subscriber purchases Ordinary Shares in the IPO or in the aftermarket, any additional shares so purchased shall be eligible to receive the redemption value of such Ordinary Shares upon the same terms offered to all other purchasers of Ordinary Shares in the IPO in the event the Company fails to consummate the Business Combination.
| 11. | Governing Law. |
|---|
This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.
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| 12*.* | Assignment; Entire Agreement; Amendment. |
|---|
12.1. Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors of the parties hereto whether so expressed or not, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the waiver contained in Section 10 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, the parties may not assign this Agreement, other than assignments by the Subscriber to affiliates thereof (including, without limitation one or more of its members).
12.2. Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter thereof and merges and supersedes all prior discussions, agreements and understandings of any and every nature among them.
12.3. Amendment. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended, waived, discharged or terminated other than by a written instrument signed by all of the parties hereto.
| 13. | Notices. |
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13.1. Notices. Unless otherwise provided herein, any notice or other communication to a party hereunder shall be sufficiently given if in writing and personally delivered or sent by facsimile or other electronic transmission with copy sent in another manner herein provided or sent by courier (which for all purposes of this Agreement shall include Federal Express or other recognized overnight courier) or mailed to said party by certified mail, return receipt requested, at its address provided for herein or such other address as either may designate for itself in such notice to the other. Communications shall be deemed to have been received when delivered personally, on the scheduled arrival date when sent by next day or 2nd-day courier service, or if sent by facsimile upon receipt of confirmation of transmittal or, if sent by mail, then three days after deposit in the mail. If given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered (a) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the shareholder has consented to receive notice; (b) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the shareholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (1) such posting and (2) the giving of such separate notice; and (c) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the shareholder.
| 14. | Counterparts. |
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This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
| 15. | Survival; Severability. |
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15.1. Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto shall survive each Closing Date.
15.2. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but in the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that no such severability shall be effective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party.
| 16. | Headings; Interpretation. |
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The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement. The use of the word “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than by limitation.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the date first set forth above.
| COMPANY: | |
|---|---|
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| SUBSCRIBER: | |
| GSR IV SPONSOR LLC | |
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to PrivatePlacement Unit Purchase Agreement]
Exhibit 10.5
UNDERWRITER PRIVATE PLACEMENT UNITS PURCHASEAGREEMENT
This UNDERWRITER PRIVATE PLACEMENT UNITS PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of the day of September 3, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), having its principal place of business at 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731, and Polaris Advisory Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Subscriber”), having its principal place of business at 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731.
WHEREAS, the Company desires to sell to the Subscriber on a private placement basis (the “Placement”) an aggregate of up to 75,475, units (the “InitialUnderwriter Units”) of the Company, and up to an additional 22,500, (the “Additional Underwriter Units” and together with the Initial Underwriter Units, the “Underwriter Units”), each Underwriter Unit comprised of one Class A ordinary share of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (“Ordinary Shares”) and one-seventh of one whole right (the “Rights”) to receive one Ordinary Share, which Rights will be exchanged upon consummation of the Company’s initial business combination (the “Business Combination”), as such term is defined in the registration statement in connection with the initial public offering (“IPO”), as amended at the time it becomes effective (the “RegistrationStatement”), for a purchase price of $10.00 per Underwriter Unit. The Ordinary Shares received upon conversion of the Rights are hereinafter referred to as the “Right Shares.” The Ordinary Shares underlying the Underwriter Units (excluding the Rights Shares) are hereinafter referred to as the “Placement Shares.” The Rights underlying the Underwriter Units are hereinafter referred to as the “Placement Rights.” The Underwriter Units, Placement Shares, Placement Rights and Right Shares, collectively, are hereinafter referred to as the “Securities.” The Underwriter Units will be delivered to the Subscriber on the Closing Date (as defined below).
WHEREAS, the Subscriber wishes to purchase 75,475 Initial Underwriter Units and up to 22,500 Additional Underwriter Units, and the Company wishes to accept such subscription from the Subscriber.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby, intending legally to be bound, agree as follows:
| 1. | Agreement to Subscribe. |
|---|
1.1. Purchase and Issuance of the Underwriter Units.
(i) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, the Subscriber hereby agrees to purchase from the Company, and the Company hereby agrees to sell to the Subscriber, on the Closing Date (as defined below) the Initial Underwriter Units in consideration of the payment of the Initial Purchase Price (as defined below). On the Closing Date, the Company shall, at its option, deliver to the Subscriber the certificates representing the Securities purchased or effect such delivery in book-entry form.
(ii) The Subscriber hereby agrees to purchase up to an additional Additional Underwriter Units at $10.00 per Additional Underwriter Unit for a purchase price of up to approximately $225,000. The purchase and issuance of the Additional Underwriter Units shall occur only in the event that the Over-Allotment Option is exercised in full or in part. The total number of Additional Underwriter Units to be purchased hereunder shall be in the same proportion as the proportion of the Over-Allotment Option that is exercised. Each purchase of Additional Underwriter Units shall occur simultaneously with the consummation of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option.
1.2. Purchase Price.
(i) As payment in full for the Initial Underwriter Units being purchased under this Agreement, the Subscriber shall pay an aggregate of up to approximately $754,750 (the “Initial Purchase Price”) by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by such other method as may be reasonably acceptable to the Company.
(ii) As payment in full for the Additional Underwriter Units being purchased under this Agreement, the Subscriber shall pay $10.00 per Additional Underwriter Unit being purchased by wire transfer of immediately available funds or by such other method as may be reasonably acceptable to (i) the Company, to the Trust Account at a financial institution to be chosen by the Company, maintained by Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company or (ii) to, or on behalf of, the Company in accordance with the Company’s wiring instructions, one (1) business day prior to the Closing Date of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option.
1.3. Closing. The closing of the purchase and sale of the Initial Underwriter Units shall take place simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, and the closing of the purchase and sale of the Underwriter Additional Underwriter Units shall take place simultaneously with the closing of the applicable portion of the Over-Allotment Option (each a “Closing Date”). The closing of the purchase and sale of the Underwriter Units shall take place at the offices of Latham & Watkins LLP 10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100. Los Angeles, CA 90067, or such other place as may be agreed upon by the parties hereto.
1.4. Termination. This Agreement and each of the obligations of the undersigned shall be null and void and without effect if a Closing does not occur prior to December 31, 2025.
| 2. | Representations and Warranties of the Subscriber. |
|---|
The Subscriber represents and warrants (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:
2.1. No Government Recommendation or Approval. The Subscriber understands that no federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed upon or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Company or the Placement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities by the Subscriber nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
2.2. Accredited Investor. The Subscriber represents that it is an “accredited investor” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and has not experienced a disqualifying event as enumerated pursuant to Rule 506(d) of Regulation D under the Securities Act, and acknowledges that the sale contemplated hereby is being made in reliance, among other things, on a private placement exemption to “accredited investors” under the Securities Act and similar exemptions under state law.
2.3. Intent. The Subscriber is purchasing the Securities for solely for investment purposes only, for Subscriber’s own account (and/or for the account or benefit of its members or affiliates, as permitted, pursuant to the terms of an agreement (the “Insider Letter”) to be entered into with respect to the Securities between, among others, the Subscriber and the Company, as described in the Registration Statement), and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, any public sale or distribution thereof except as may be permitted under the Insider Letter.
2.4. Restrictions on Transfer. The Subscriber acknowledges and understands the Underwriter Units are being offered in a transaction not involving a public offering in the United States within the meaning of the Securities Act. The Securities have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and, if in the future the Subscriber decides to offer, resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Securities, such Securities may be offered, resold, pledged or otherwise transferred only (A) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, (B) pursuant to an exemption from registration under Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act, if available, or (C) pursuant to any other available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, and in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Subscriber acknowledges and understands the Securities are subject to transfer restrictions as described in Section 8 hereof. The Subscriber agrees that if any transfer of its Securities or any interest therein is proposed to be made, as a condition precedent to any such transfer, the Subscriber may be required to deliver to the Company an opinion of counsel satisfactory to the Company with respect to such transfer. Absent registration or another available exemption from registration, the Subscriber agrees it will not resell the Securities (unless otherwise permitted pursuant to the Insider Letter, as described in the Registration Statement). The Subscriber further acknowledges that because the Company is a shell company, Rule 144 may not be available to the Subscriber for the resale of the Securities until the one year anniversary following consummation of the initial Business Combination of the Company, despite technical compliance with the requirements of Rule 144 and the release or waiver of any contractual transfer restrictions.
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2.5. Sophisticated Investor. The Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters, knowledge of the high degree of risk associated with investments in the securities of companies in the development stage such as the Company, is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Securities and is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities in the amount contemplated hereunder for an indefinite period of time. The Subscriber has adequate means of providing for its current financial needs and contingencies and will have no current or anticipated future needs for liquidity which would be jeopardized by the investment in the Securities. The Subscriber can afford a complete loss of its investments in the Securities.
2.6. Independent Investigation. The Subscriber, in making the decision to purchase the Underwriter Units, has relied upon an independent investigation of the Company and has not relied upon any information or representations made by any third parties or upon any oral or written representations or assurances from the Company, its officers, directors or employees or any other representatives or agents of the Company, other than as set forth in this Agreement. The Subscriber is familiar with the business, operations and financial condition of the Company and has had an opportunity to ask questions of, and receive answers from the Company’s officers and directors concerning the Company and the terms and conditions of the offering of the Underwriter Units and has had full access to such other information concerning the Company as the Subscriber has requested. The Subscriber confirms that all documents that it has requested have been made available and that the Subscriber has been supplied with all of the additional information concerning this investment which the Subscriber has requested.
2.7. Organization and Authority. The Subscriber is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and it possesses all requisite power and authority necessary to carry out the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
2.8. Authority. This Agreement has been validly authorized, executed and delivered by the Subscriber and is a valid and binding agreement enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or law).
2.9. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Subscriber of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and shall not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach by the Subscriber of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Subscriber’s equity or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the Subscriber’s organizational documents (in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to the applicable Closing Date), or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Subscriber is subject, or any agreement, instrument, order, judgment or decree to which the Subscriber is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.
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2.10. No Legal Advice from Company. The Subscriber acknowledges it has had the opportunity to review this Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto with the Subscriber’s own legal counsel and investment and tax advisors. Except for any statements or representations of the Company made in this Agreement and the other agreements entered into between the parties hereto, the Subscriber is relying solely on such counsel and advisors and not on any statements or representations of the Company or any of its representatives or agents for legal, tax or investment advice with respect to this investment, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the securities laws of any jurisdiction.
2.11. Reliance on Representations and Warranties. The Subscriber understands the Underwriter Units are being offered and sold to the Subscriber in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act, and analogous provisions in the laws and regulations of various states, and that the Company is relying upon the truth and accuracy of the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Subscriber set forth in this Agreement in order to determine the applicability of such provisions.
2.12. No General Solicitation. The Subscriber is not subscribing for the Underwriter Units as a result of or subsequent to any general solicitation or general advertising within the meaning of Rule 502(c) under the Securities Act, including but not limited to any advertisement, article, notice or other communication published in any newspaper, magazine, or similar media or broadcast over television or radio, or presented at any seminar or meeting or in a registration statement with respect to the IPO filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”).
2.13. Legend. The Subscriber acknowledges and agrees the certificates (if any) evidencing each of the Securities shall bear a restrictive legend (the “Legend”), in form and substance substantially as set forth in Section 4 hereof.
| 3. | Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company. |
|---|
The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Subscriber (which representations and warranties shall survive each Closing Date) that:
3.1. Valid Issuance of Shares. The total number of shares of all classes of capital which the Company has authority to issue is 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares, 20,000,000 Class B ordinary shares, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Ordinary Shares”), and 1,000,000 preference shares, $0.0001 par value per share (“Preference Shares”). As of the date hereof, the Company has issued and outstanding 5,750,000 Class B Ordinary Shares, no Class A Ordinary Shares and no Preference Shares. All of the issued shares of the Company have been duly authorized, validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable.
3.2. Title to Securities. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and that certain rights agreement to be entered into between the Company and Odyssey Transfer and Trust Company, as rights agent (the “Rights Agreement”), as the case may be, each of the Underwriter Units, Placement Shares, Placement Rights and Right Shares will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. On the date of issuance of the Underwriter Units, the Right Shares shall have been reserved for issuance. Upon issuance in accordance with, and payment pursuant to, the terms hereof and the Rights Agreement, as the case may be, the Subscriber will have or receive good title to the Underwriter Units, Placement Shares and Placement Rights, free and clear of all liens, claims and encumbrances of any kind, other than (i) transfer restrictions hereunder and under the other agreements contemplated hereby including the Insider Letter, (ii) transfer restrictions under federal and state securities laws and (iii) liens, claims or encumbrances imposed due to the actions of the Subscriber.
3.3. Organization and Qualification. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands and has the requisite corporate power to own its properties and assets and to carry on its business as now being conducted.
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3.4. Authorization; Enforcement. (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, (ii) the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no further consent or authorization of the Company or its Board of Directors or shareholders is required, and (iii) this Agreement constitutes valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium, reorganization, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditors’ rights and remedies or by equitable principles of general application and except as enforcement of rights to indemnity and contribution may be limited by federal and state securities laws or principles of public policy.
3.5. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not as of each Closing Date (a) conflict with or result in a breach of the terms, conditions or provisions of, (b) constitute a default under, (c) result in the creation of any lien, security interest, charge or encumbrance upon the Company’s ordinary shares or assets under, (d) result in a violation of, or (e) require any authorization, consent, approval, exemption or other action by or notice or declaration to, or filing with, any court or administrative or governmental body or agency pursuant to the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the Company (in effect on the date hereof or as may be amended prior to the applicable Closing Date) or any material law, statute, rule or regulation to which the Company is subject, or any agreement, order, judgment or decree to which the Company is subject, except for any filings required after the date hereof under federal or state securities laws.
3.6 Governmental Consents. No permit, consent, approval or authorization of, or declaration to or filing with, any governmental authority is required in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement or the consummation by the Company of any other transactions contemplated hereby, except for applicable requirements of the Securities Act.
| 4. | Legends. |
|---|
4.1. Legend. The Company will issue the Underwriter Units, Placement Shares and Placement Rights, and when issued, the Right Shares, purchased by the Subscriber in the name of the Subscriber. The certificates (if any) evidencing Securities will bear the following Legend and appropriate “stop transfer” instructions :
“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS, AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND ANY APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. IN ADDITION, SUBJECT TO ANY ADDITIONAL LIMITATIONS ON TRANSFER DESCRIBED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT (THE “LETTER AGREEMENT”) BY AND AMONG GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. (THE “COMPANY”), GSR IV SPONSOR LLC AND THE OTHER PARTIES THERETO, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE MAY NOT BE SOLD OR TRANSFERRED PRIOR TO THE DATE THAT IS THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER THE DATE UPON WHICH THE COMPANY COMPLETES ITS INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION (AS DEFINED IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT BY AND AMONG THE COMPANY AND ODYSSEY TRANSFER AND TRUST COMPANY, AS RIGHTS AGENT (THE “RIGHTS AGREEMENT”) EXCEPT TO A PERMITTED TRANSFEREE (AS DEFINED IN THE LETTER AGREEMENT) WHO AGREES IN WRITING WITH THE COMPANY TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH TRANSFER PROVISIONS.
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED, OR HYPOTHECATED, OR BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF SUCH SECURITIES BY ANY PERSON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME ENDING 180 DAYS (PURSUANT TO RULE 5110(E)(1) OF THE CONDUCT RULES OF FINRA) FOLLOWING THE DATE OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF SALES IN THE PUBLIC OFFERING OF THE COMPANY’S SECURITIES PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333- 289061, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH FINRA RULE 5110(E)(2).
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SECURITIES EVIDENCED HEREBY AND CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES OF THE COMPANY ISSUED UPON EXERCISE OF SUCH SECURITIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO REGISTRATION AND SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS UNDER A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO BE EXECUTED BY THE COMPANY.”
4.2. Subscriber’s Compliance. Nothing in this Section 4 shall affect in any way the Subscriber’s obligations and agreements to comply with all applicable securities laws upon resale of the Securities.
4.3. Company’s Refusal to Register Transfer of the Securities. The Company shall refuse to register any transfer of the Securities, if in the sole judgment of the Company such purported transfer would not be made (i) pursuant to an effective registration statement filed under the Securities Act, or pursuant to an available exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and (ii) in compliance herewith and with the Insider Letter.
4.4. Registration Rights. The Subscriber will be entitled to certain registration rights which will be governed by a registration rights agreement (“RegistrationRights Agreement”) to be entered into between, among others, the Subscriber and the Company, on or prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement. In compliance with FINRA Rule 5110(g)(8), registration rights granted to the Subscriber in connection with the purchase of Underwriter Units are limited to demand and “piggy back” rights for periods of five and seven years, respectively, from the effective date of the Registration Statement and such demand rights may be exercised on only one occasion.
| 5. | Terms of Placement Rights. Each Placement Right shall have the terms set forth in the Rights Agreement, provided that the Placement Rights may not be exchanged for shares more than five (5) years from the effective date of the Registration Statement. |
|---|---|
| 6. | Terms of the Underwriter Units and Placement Rights. |
| --- | --- |
6.1. The Underwriter Units and their component parts are substantially identical to the units to be offered in the IPO except that: (i) the Underwriter Units and component parts are subject to the transfer restrictions (1) described in the Insider Letter, (2) pursuant to FIRNA Rule 5110(e), be subject to lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the commencement of sales in the IPO, subject to FINRA Rule 5110(e)(2), (3) the Underwriter Units and their component parts and the related registration rights may not be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated (except to any underwriter or selected dealer participating in the IPO and the officers or partners, registered persons or affiliates of the Subscribers), and any such Underwriter Units and their component parts and the related registration rights will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of such securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the commencement of sales in the IPO; and (ii) the Underwriter Units and component parts are being purchased pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and will become freely tradable only after the expiration of the lockup described above in clause (i) and they are registered pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement to be signed on or before the date of the Prospectus or an exemption from registration is available.
6.2. The Subscriber agrees to vote the Placement Shares in accordance with the terms of the Insider Letter and as otherwise described in the Registration Statement.
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| 7. | Conditions of the Subscriber’s Obligations. |
|---|
The obligations of the Subscriber to the Company under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date of this Section 7.
7.1. Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 3 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.
7.2. Performance. The Company shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by it on or before such Closing Date.
7.3. No Injunction. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Rights Agreement.
7.4. Rights Agreement. The Company shall have entered into the Rights Agreement on terms satisfactory to the Subscriber.
| 8. | Conditions of the Company’s Obligations. |
|---|
The obligations of the Company to the Subscriber under this Agreement are subject to the fulfillment, on or before each Closing Date of this Section 8.
8.1. Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Subscriber contained in Section 2 shall be true and correct at and as of such Closing Date as though then made.
8.2. Performance. The Subscriber shall have performed and complied with all agreements, obligations and conditions contained in this Agreement that are required to be performed or complied with by the Subscriber on or before such Closing Date.
8.3. Corporate Consents. The Company shall have obtained the consent of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Rights Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder.
8.4 No Injunction. No litigation, statute, rule, regulation, executive order, decree, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated or endorsed by or in any court or governmental authority of competent jurisdiction or any self-regulatory organization having authority over the matters contemplated hereby, which prohibits the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Rights Agreement.
8.5. Rights Agreement. The Company shall have entered into the Rights Agreement.
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| 10. | Waiver of Liquidation Distributions. |
|---|
In connection with the Securities purchased pursuant to this Agreement, the Subscriber hereby waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distributions of the amounts in the Trust Account with respect to the Securities, whether (i) in connection with the exercise of redemption rights if the Company consummates the Business Combination, (ii) in connection with any tender offer conducted by the Company prior to a Business Combination, (iii) upon the Company’s redemption of Ordinary Shares sold in the Company’s IPO upon the Company’s failure to timely complete the Business Combination or (iv) in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated memorandum and articles of association (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Company’s public shares if the Company does not timely complete the Business Combination or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-Business Combination activity. In the event the Subscriber purchases Ordinary Shares in the IPO or in the aftermarket, any additional shares so purchased shall be eligible to receive the redemption value of such Ordinary Shares upon the same terms offered to all other purchasers of Ordinary Shares in the IPO in the event the Company fails to consummate the Business Combination.
| 11. | Governing Law. |
|---|
This Agreement shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of New York and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the laws of another jurisdiction.
| 12*.* | Assignment; Entire Agreement; Amendment. |
|---|
12.1. Successors and Assigns. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement by or on behalf of any of the parties hereto shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective successors of the parties hereto whether so expressed or not, including, for the avoidance of doubt, the waiver contained in Section 10 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary herein, the parties may not assign this Agreement, other than assignments by the Subscriber to affiliates thereof (including, without limitation one or more of its members).
12.2. Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter thereof and merges and supersedes all prior discussions, agreements and understandings of any and every nature among them.
12.3. Amendment. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, neither this Agreement nor any term hereof may be amended, waived, discharged or terminated other than by a written instrument signed by all of the parties hereto.
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| 13. | Notices. |
|---|
13.1. Notices. Unless otherwise provided herein, any notice or other communication to a party hereunder shall be sufficiently given if in writing and personally delivered or sent by facsimile or other electronic transmission with copy sent in another manner herein provided or sent by courier (which for all purposes of this Agreement shall include Federal Express or other recognized overnight courier) or mailed to said party by certified mail, return receipt requested, at its address provided for herein or such other address as either may designate for itself in such notice to the other. Communications shall be deemed to have been received when delivered personally, on the scheduled arrival date when sent by next day or 2nd-day courier service, or if sent by facsimile upon receipt of confirmation of transmittal or, if sent by mail, then three days after deposit in the mail. If given by electronic transmission, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered (a) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the shareholder has consented to receive notice; (b) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the shareholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (1) such posting and (2) the giving of such separate notice; and (c) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the shareholder.
| 14. | Counterparts. |
|---|
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile transmission or by e-mail delivery of a “pdf” format data file, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such facsimile or “.pdf” signature page were an original thereof.
| 15. | Survival; Severability. |
|---|
15.1. Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties hereto shall survive each Closing Date.
15.2. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but in the event that any provision of this Agreement becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect without said provision; provided that no such severability shall be effective if it materially changes the economic benefit of this Agreement to any party.
| 16. | Headings; Interpretation. |
|---|
The titles and subtitles used in this Agreement are used for convenience only and are not to be considered in construing or interpreting this Agreement. The use of the word “including” in this Agreement shall be by way of example rather than by limitation.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be effective as of the date first set forth above.
COMPANY:
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
SUBSCRIBER:
POLARIS ADVISORY PARTNERS LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Partner |
[Signature Page to Underwriter Unit PurchaseAgreement]
Exhibit 10.6
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
September 2, 2025
GSR IV Sponsor LLC
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
| Re: | Administrative Services and Indemnification Agreement |
|---|
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter agreement (this “Agreement”) by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (the “Company”) and GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), dated as of the date hereof, will confirm our agreement that, commencing on the date the securities of the Company are first listed on the Nasdaq Global Market (the “Listing Date”), pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-1 and prospectus filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Registration Statement”) and continuing until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of an initial business combination or the Company’s liquidation (in each case as described in the Registration Statement) (such earlier date hereinafter referred to as the “Termination Date”):
The Sponsor shall make available, or cause to be made available, to the Company, at 5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78731 (or any successor location), office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative services as may be reasonably required by the Company. In exchange therefor, the Company shall pay the Sponsor $55,556 per month on the Listing Date and continuing monthly thereafter until the Termination Date; and
The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Sponsor, their directors, officers, employees, principals, managers, partners, members, shareholders, equityholders, control persons, affiliates, agents, advisors, consultants and representatives (the “Indemnitees”) from any claims, losses, liabilities, obligations, causes of action, proceedings (whether pending or threatened), investigations, damages, awards, settlements, judgments, decrees, fees, costs, penalties, amounts paid in settlement or expenses (including interest, assessments and other charges in connection therewith and reasonable fees and disbursements of attorneys and other professional advisors and costs of suit) arising out of or relating to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation against any of them or in which any of them may be a participant or may otherwise be involved (including as a witness) that arises out of or relates to (i) the Offering or the Company’s operations or conduct of its business (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a Business Combination), or (ii) any claim against the Sponsor alleging any expressed or implied management or endorsement by the Sponsor of any activities of the Company or any express or implied association between the Sponsor, on the one hand, and the Company or any of its affiliates, on the other hand. The Indemnitee will promptly notify the Company in writing of any indemnified claim, provided that failure or delay to give such notice shall not relieve the Company of its indemnification obligations hereunder. The Company will, at its expense, undertake the defense of such claim with attorneys of its own choosing reasonably satisfactory in all respects to such Indemnitee, subject to the right of such Indemnitee to undertake such defense as hereinafter provided. An Indemnitee may participate in such defense with counsel of such Indemnitee’s choosing at the expense of the Company. In the event that the Company does not undertake the defense of any claim within a reasonable time after such Indemnitee has given the notice thereof, or in the event that such Indemnitee shall in good faith determine that the defense of any claim by the Company is inadequate or may conflict with the interest of any Indemnitee, such Indemnitee may, at the expense of the Company and after giving notice to the Company of such action, undertake the defense of the claim and compromise or settle the claim, all for the account of and at the risk of the Company. The Company shall pay all costs and expenses (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and costs of experts) incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with Indemnitee’s defense of any such claim promptly (and in any event within 10 days) after receipt of any statement therefor. In the defense of any claim against an Indemnitee, the Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of such Indemnitee, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that includes any injunctive or other non-monetary relief or any payment of money by such Indemnitee, or that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the person or persons asserting such claim to such Indemnitee of an unconditional release from all liability on any of the matters that are the subject of such Claim and an acknowledgement that such Indemnitee denies all wrongdoing in connection with such matters. The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify an Indemnitee against amounts paid in settlement of a claim if such settlement is effected by such Indemnitee without the prior written consent of the Company, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If the indemnification provided for in this paragraph is for any reason not available to an Indemnitee as a matter of law in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to herein, then, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnitee therefor, the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnitee as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (and expenses relating thereto) (a) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits to the Indemnitee, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, of the subject matter of this Agreement or (b) if the allocation provided by clause (a) above is not available, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in such clause (a) but also the relative fault of each of such Indemnitee and the Company, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein or otherwise, the Company acknowledges and agrees that each Indemnitee shall be an express third-party beneficiary of the provisions of this paragraph 2 and any related provision hereof that is or may extend rights to such Indemnitee. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company’s indemnification obligations contained in this paragraph 2 shall survive the Company’s consummation of a Business Combination.
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The Sponsor hereby irrevocably waives any and all right, title, interest, causes of action and claims of any kind as a result of, or arising out of, this Agreement (each, a “Claim”) in or to, and any and all right to seek payment of any amounts due to it out of, the trust account established for the benefit of the public shareholders of the Company and into which substantially all of the proceeds of the Company’s initial public offering will be deposited (the “Trust Account”), and hereby irrevocably waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, this Agreement, which Claim would reduce, encumber or otherwise adversely affect the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account, and further agrees not to seek recourse, reimbursement, payment or satisfaction of any Claim against the Trust Account or any monies or other assets in the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of its subject matter and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby.
This Agreement may not be amended, modified or waived as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by the parties hereto.
No party hereto may assign either this Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written approval of the other party. Any purported assignment in violation of this paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York for agreements made and to be wholly performed within such state, without regards to the conflicts of laws principles thereof.
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Counterparts may be delivered via facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature covered by the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, the Electronic Signatures and Records Act or other applicable law, e.g., www.docusign.com) or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.
[Signature Page Follows]
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Very truly yours,
GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP.
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
AGREED AND ACCEPTED BY:
GSR IV SPONSOR LLC
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
|---|---|
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
[Signature Page to Administrative Services andIndemnification Agreement]
Exhibit 10.7
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Gus Garcia (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.SERVICES TO THE COMPANY
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2.DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
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(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
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(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3.INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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4.INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
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7.ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS
Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
8.CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9.EXCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
10.ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11.PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12.PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13.PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14.REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
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(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15.SECURITY
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
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16.NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
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(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
17.DURATION OF AGREEMENT
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18.SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19.ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20.MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21.NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
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22.APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
23.IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24.MISCELLANEOUS
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25.PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26.ADDITIONAL ACTS
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27.WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
28.MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Lewis Silberman |
| Name: | Lewis Silberman |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director |
[Signature Page to IndemnityAgreement]
Exhibit 10.8
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Lewis Silberman (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
| 1. | SERVICES TO THE COMPANY |
|---|
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
| 2. | DEFINITIONS |
|---|
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
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(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
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(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
| 3. | INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS |
|---|
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
| 4. | INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY |
|---|
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
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Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
| 5. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL |
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Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
| 6. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS |
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
| 7. | ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS |
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Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
| 8. | CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY |
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(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
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(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
| 9. | EXCLUSIONS |
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Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
| 10. | ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM |
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(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
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(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
| 11. | PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
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(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
| 12. | PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
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(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
| 13. | PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS. |
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(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
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| 14. | REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE |
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(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
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(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
| 15. | SECURITY |
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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
| 16. | NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS |
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(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
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(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
| 17. | DURATION OF AGREEMENT |
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All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
| 18. | SEVERABILITY |
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If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
| 19. | ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT |
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(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
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(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
| 20. | MODIFICATION AND WAIVER |
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No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
| 21. | NOTICES |
|---|
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
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With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
| 22. | APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION |
|---|
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
| 23. | IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS |
|---|
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
| 24. | MISCELLANEOUS |
|---|
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
| 25. | PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS |
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No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
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| 26. | ADDITIONAL ACTS |
|---|
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
| 27. | WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT |
|---|
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
| 28. | MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE |
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The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Lewis Silberman |
| Name: | Lewis Silberman |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer, Director |
[Signature Page to Indemnity Agreement]
Exhibit 10.9
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Anantha Ramamurti (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
| 1. | SERVICES TO THE COMPANY |
|---|
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
| 2. | DEFINITIONS |
|---|
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
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(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
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(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
| 3. | INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS |
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To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
| 4. | INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY |
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To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
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Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
| 5. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL |
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Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
| 6. | INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS |
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
| 7. | ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS |
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Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
| 8. | CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY |
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(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
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(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
| 9. | EXCLUSIONS |
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Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
| 10. | ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM |
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(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
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(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
| 11. | PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
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(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
| 12. | PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION |
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(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
| 13. | PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS. |
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(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
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| 14. | REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE |
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(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
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(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
| 15. | SECURITY |
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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
| 16. | NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS |
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(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
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(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
| 17. | DURATION OF AGREEMENT |
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All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
| 18. | SEVERABILITY |
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If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
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| 19. | ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT |
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(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
| 20. | MODIFICATION AND WAIVER |
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No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
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| 21. | NOTICES |
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All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
| 22. | APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION |
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This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
| 23. | IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS |
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This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
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| 24. | MISCELLANEOUS |
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The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
| 25. | PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS |
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No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
| 26. | ADDITIONAL ACTS |
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If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
| 27. | WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT |
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Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
| 28. | MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE |
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The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Anantha Ramamurti |
| Name: | Anantha Ramamurti |
| Title: | President, Chief Financial Officer, Director |
[Signature Page to Indemnity Agreement]
Exhibit 10.10
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Yuya Orime (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.SERVICES TO THE COMPANY
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2.DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
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(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3.INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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4.INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
7.ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS
Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
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8.CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9.EXCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
10.ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11.PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12.PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13.PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14.REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
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(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15.SECURITY
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
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16.NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
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17.DURATION OF AGREEMENT
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18.SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19.ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20.MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21.NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
22.APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
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23.IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24.MISCELLANEOUS
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25.PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26.ADDITIONAL ACTS
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27.WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
28.MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Yuya Orime |
| Name: | Yuya Orime |
| Title: | Chief Business Development Officer |
[Signature Page to IndemnityAgreement]
Exhibit 10.11
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Jody Sitkoski (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW,THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.SERVICES TO THE COMPANY
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2.DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
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(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3.INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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4.INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
7.ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS
Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
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8.CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9.EXCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
10.ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11.PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12.PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13.PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14.REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
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(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15.SECURITY
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
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16.NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
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17.DURATION OF AGREEMENT
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18.SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19.ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20.MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21.NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
22.APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
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23.IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24.MISCELLANEOUS
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25.PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26.ADDITIONAL ACTS
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27.WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
28.MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Jody Sitkoski |
| Name: | Jody Sitkoski |
| Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to IndemnityAgreement]
Exhibit 10.12
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Susie Kuan (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.SERVICES TO THE COMPANY
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2.DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
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(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3.INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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4.INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
7.ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS
Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
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8.CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9.EXCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
10.ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11.PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12.PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13.PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14.REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
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(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15.SECURITY
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
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16.NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
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17.DURATION OF AGREEMENT
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18.SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19.ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20.MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21.NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
22.APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
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23.IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24.MISCELLANEOUS
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25.PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26.ADDITIONAL ACTS
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27.WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
28.MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Susie Kuan |
| Name: | Susie Kuan |
| Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to IndemnityAgreement]
Exhibit 10.13
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNITY AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made as of September 2, 2025, by and between GSR IV Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the “Company”), and Jonathan Cole (the “Indemnitee”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, highly competent persons have become more reluctant to serve publicly-held corporations as directors, officers or in other capacities unless they are provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their service to and activities on behalf of such corporations;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) has determined that, in order to attract and retain qualified individuals, the Company will attempt to maintain on an ongoing basis, at its sole expense, liability insurance to protect persons serving the Company and its subsidiaries from certain liabilities. Although the furnishing of such insurance has been a customary and widespread practice among publicly traded companies and other business enterprises, the Company believes that, given current market conditions and trends, such insurance may be available to it in the future only at higher premiums and with more exclusions. At the same time, directors, officers and other persons in service to companies or business enterprises are being increasingly subjected to expensive and time-consuming litigation relating to, among other things, matters that traditionally would have been brought only against the Company or business enterprise itself. The amended and restated articles of association of the Company (the “Articles”) of the Company require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company. The Articles expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts may be entered into between the Company and members of the Board, officers, advisory board members and other persons with respect to indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement and reimbursement rights;
WHEREAS, the uncertainties relating to such insurance and to indemnification have increased the difficulty of attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board has determined that the increased difficulty in attracting and retaining such persons is detrimental to the best interests of the Company’s shareholders and that the Company should act to assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in the future;
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company contractually to obligate itself to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate and to advance expenses on behalf of, such persons to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles so that they will serve or continue to serve the Company free from undue concern that they will not be so protected against liabilities;
WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Articles and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee may not be willing to serve as an officer or director, advisor or in another capacity without adequate protection, and the Company desires Indemnitee to serve in such capacity. Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he or she be so indemnified.
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants contained herein and subject to the provisions of the letter agreement dated on or about September 2, 2025 between the Company and Indemnitee and other parties thereto, pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement among the Company and the underwriters party thereto, in connection with the Company’s initial public offering, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.SERVICES TO THE COMPANY
In consideration of the Company’s covenants and obligations hereunder, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as an officer, director, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as applicable, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or retained or until Indemnitee tenders Indemnitee’s resignation or until Indemnitee is removed. The foregoing notwithstanding, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect after Indemnitee has ceased to serve as a director, officer, advisor, key employee or in any other capacity of the Company, as provided in Section 17. This Agreement, however, shall not impose any obligation on Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
2.DEFINITIONS
As used in this Agreement:
(a) References to “agent” shall mean any person who is or was a director, officer or employee of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company or other person authorized by the Company to act for the Company, to include such person serving in such capacity as a director, officer, employee, advisor, fiduciary or other official of another company, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the interests of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.
(b) The terms “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meanings set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below) as in effect on the date hereof.
(c) A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Other than an affiliate of GSR IV Sponsor LLC (the “Sponsor”), any Person (as defined below) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifteen percent (15%) or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, unless (1) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, or (2) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors (as defined below) and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (iii) of this definition;
(ii) Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;
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(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses (a “Business Combination”), in each case, unless, following such Business Combination: (1) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 51% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a company or corporation which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries(as defined below)) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination, of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; (2) other than an affiliate of the Sponsor, no Person (excluding any company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 15% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the surviving company or corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination; and (3) at least a majority of the board of directors of the company or corporation resulting from such Business Combination were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination;
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation of the Company or an agreement or series of agreements for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than factoring the Company’s current receivables or escrows due (or, if such approval is not required, the decision by the Board to proceed with such a liquidation, sale, or disposition in one transaction or a series of related transactions); or
(v) Other Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or any successor rule) (or a response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act (as defined below), whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement.
(d) “Corporate Status” describes the status of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise (as defined below) which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(e) “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.
(f) “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding (as defined below) in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(g) “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other company or corporation, constituent corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.
(h) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(i) “Expenses” shall include all direct and indirect costs, fees and expenses of any type or nature whatsoever, including, without limitation, all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, fees of private investigators and professional advisors, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, fax transmission charges, secretarial services and all other disbursements, obligations or expenses in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settlement or appeal of, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding (as defined below), including reasonable compensation for time spent by Indemnitee for which he or she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party. Expenses also shall include Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding (as defined below), including without limitation the principal, premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedes a bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(j) References to “fines” shall include any excise tax assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan.
(k) References to “serving at therequest of the Company” shall include any service as a director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, advisory board member, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.
(l) “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm or a member of a law firm with significant experience in matters of corporate law and that neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding (as defined below) giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement.
(m) The term “Person” shall have the meaning as set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act as in effect on the date hereof; provided, however, that “Person” shall exclude: (i) the Company; (ii) any Subsidiaries (as defined below) of the Company; (iii) any employment benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company; and (iv) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary (as defined below) of the Company or of a company or corporation owned directly or indirectly by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(n) The term “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative or related nature, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company, by reason of any action (or failure to act) taken by Indemnitee or of any action (or failure to act) on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or by reason of the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer or advisory board member trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement, or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(o) The term “Subsidiary*,*” with respect to any Person, shall mean any company, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.
3.INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses, judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually, and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
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4.INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY
To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4 if Indemnitee was, is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a participant (as a witness, deponent or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status.
Pursuant to this Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration for Expenses shall be made under this Section 4 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that any court in which the Proceeding was brought or the Delaware Court shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification, to be held harmless or to exoneration.
5.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee was or is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, the Company also shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred in connection with a claim, issue or matter related to any claim, issue, or matter on which Indemnitee was successful. For purposes of this Section 5 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
6.INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement except for Section 27, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness or deponent in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party or threatened to be made a party, he or she shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.
7.ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS
Notwithstanding any limitation in Sections 3, 4, or 5, except for Section 27, the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee if Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights shall be available under this Section 7 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct which constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or which involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.
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8.CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY
(a) To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law and the Articles, if the indemnification, hold harmless and/or exoneration rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying, holding harmless or exonerating Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.
(b) The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.
(c) The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company other than Indemnitee who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee.
9.EXCLUSIONS
Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement (except section 27), the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification, advance Expenses, hold harmless or exoneration payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:
(a) for which payment has actually been received by or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy or other indemnity or advancement provision and which payment has not subsequently been returned, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount actually received under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity or advancement provision or otherwise;
(b) for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or
(c) except as otherwise provided in Sections 14(f) and (g) hereof, prior to a Change in Control, in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, advisory board members, employees or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law.
10.ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; DEFENSE OF CLAIM
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, and to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, the Company shall pay the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee (or reasonably expected by Indemnitee to be incurred by Indemnitee within three months) in connection with any Proceeding within ten (10) days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time, prior to the final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be unsecured and interest free. Advances shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be made without regard to Indemnitee’s ability to repay the Expenses and without regard to Indemnitee’s ultimate entitlement to be indemnified, held harmless or exonerated under the other provisions of this Agreement. Advances shall include any and all reasonable Expenses incurred pursuing a Proceeding to enforce this right of advancement, including Expenses incurred preparing and forwarding statements to the Company to support the advances claimed. To the fullest extent required by applicable law, such payments of Expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon the Company’s receipt of an undertaking, by or on behalf of Indemnitee, to repay the advanced amounts to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement, the Articles, applicable law or otherwise. This Section 10(a) shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payment is excluded pursuant to Section 9, but shall apply to any Proceeding referenced in Section 9(b) prior to a final determination that Indemnitee is liable therefor.
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(b) The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.
(c) The Company shall not settle any action, claim or Proceeding (in whole or in part) which would impose any Expense, judgment, fine, penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee’s prior written consent.
11.PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION AND APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) Indemnitee agrees to notify promptly the Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter therein which may be subject to indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights, or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to Indemnitee under this Agreement, or otherwise.
(b) Indemnitee may deliver to the Company a written application to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with this Agreement. Such application(s) may be delivered from time to time and at such time(s) as Indemnitee deems appropriate in Indemnitee’s sole discretion. Following such a written application for indemnification by Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be determined according to Section 12(a) of this Agreement.
12.PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION
(a) A determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification shall be made in the specific case by one of the following methods, which shall be at the election of Indemnitee: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of such directors designated by majority vote of such directors, (iii) if there are no Disinterested Directors or if such directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee or (iv) by vote of the shareholders. The Company promptly will advise Indemnitee in writing with respect to any determination that Indemnitee is or is not entitled to indemnification, including a description of any reason or basis for which indemnification has been denied. If it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after such determination. Indemnitee shall reasonably cooperate with the person, persons or entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or Expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby agrees to indemnify and to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(b) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 12(b). The Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. If the Independent Counsel is selected by the Board, the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected and certifying that the Independent Counsel so selected meets the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within ten (10) days after such written notice of selection shall have been received, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “IndependentCounsel” as defined in Section 2 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court of competent jurisdiction has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within twenty (20) days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 11(b) hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition the Delaware Court for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the Delaware Court, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 12(a) hereof. Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
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(c) The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify and hold harmless such Independent Counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
13.PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 11(b) of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of any determination contrary to that presumption. Neither the failure of the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by the Disinterested Directors or Independent Counsel) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
(b) If the person, persons or entity empowered or selected under Section 12 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law and the Articles, be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto.
(c) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.
(d) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors, manager, or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected by the Enterprise, its Board, any committee of the Board or any director, trustee, general partner, manager or managing member. The provisions of this Section 13(d) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
(e) The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
14.REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 12 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, is not timely made pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Sections 5, 6, 7 or the last sentence of Section 12(a) of this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (v) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Section 8 of this Agreement, (vi) payment of indemnification pursuant to Section 3 or 4 of this Agreement is not made within ten (10) days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, or (vii) payment to Indemnitee pursuant to any hold harmless or exoneration rights under this Agreement or otherwise is not made in accordance with this Agreement within ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by the Delaware Court to such indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or advancement rights. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at Indemnitee’s option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration.
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(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination.
(c) In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, held harmless, exonerated and to receive advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Section 14, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Section 10 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal have been exhausted or lapsed).
(d) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 12(a) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(e) The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 14 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.
(f) The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten (10) days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and the Articles, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee: (i) to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Articles now or hereafter in effect; or (ii) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration right, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).
(g) Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at a rate to be agreed between the Company and the Indemnitee for amounts which the Company indemnifies, holds harmless or exonerates, or advances, or is obliged to indemnify, hold harmless or exonerate or advance for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, to be held harmless, exonerated, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.
15.SECURITY
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, except for Section 27, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.
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16.NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; SUBROGATION; PRIORITY OF OBLIGATIONS
(a) The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Articles, any agreement, a vote of shareholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any Proceeding (regardless of when such Proceeding is first threatened, commenced or completed) or claim, issue or matter therein arising out of, or related to, any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration rights or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Articles or this Agreement, then this Agreement (without any further action by the parties hereto) shall automatically be deemed to be amended to require that the Company indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
(b) The Articles permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit, or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of Indemnitee’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment, and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.
(c) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, advisory board member, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees, or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, managers, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter use commercially reasonable efforts to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(d) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights. No such payment by the Company shall be deemed to relieve any insurer of its obligations.
(e) The Company’s obligation to indemnify, hold harmless, exonerate or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, advisory board member, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification, hold harmless or exoneration payments or advancement of expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary except for Section 27, (i) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (ii) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, hold harmless, exoneration, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.
(f) Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Company is the primary indemnitor, and any indemnification or advancement obligation of the Sponsor, its affiliates or any other Person is secondary.
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17.DURATION OF AGREEMENT
All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein shall continue during the period Indemnitee serves as a director, officer or advisory board member of the Company or as a director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other Enterprise which Indemnitee serves at the request of the Company and shall continue thereafter so long as Indemnitee shall be subject to any possible Proceeding (including any rights of appeal thereto and any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14 of this Agreement) by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, whether or not he or she is acting in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement can be provided under this Agreement.
18.SEVERABILITY
If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (b) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (c) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any Section, paragraph or sentence of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
19.ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT
(a) The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving as a director, officer, advisory board member or key employee of the Company.
(b) Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Articles as they may be amended from time to time, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(c) The indemnification, hold harmless, exoneration and advancement of expenses rights provided by or granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be binding upon and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company), shall continue as to an Indemnitee who has ceased to be a director, officer, advisory board member, employee or agent of the Company or a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise at the Company’s request, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s spouse, assigns, heirs, devisees, executors and administrators and other legal representatives.
(d) The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
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(e) The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult of proof, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he or she may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by a court of competent jurisdiction, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking to the fullest extent permitted by law.
20.MODIFICATION AND WAIVER
No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
21.NOTICES
All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) if delivered by hand and received for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed, on such delivery or (ii) if mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third (3rd) business day after the date on which it is so mailed:
(a) If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.
(b) If to the Company, to:
GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
5900 Balcones Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78731
Attn: Gus Garcia and Lewis Silberman
Email: gus@spac-advisory.com; lew@spac-advisory.com
With a copy, which shall not constitute notice, to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
10250 Constellation Blvd., Suite 1100
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Attn: Steven B. Stokdyk
Email: steven.stokdyk@lw.com
or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.
22.APPLICABLE LAW AND CONSENT TO JURISDICTION
This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 14(a) of this Agreement, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally: (a) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country; (b) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement; (c) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court; and (d) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum, or is subject (in whole or in part) to a jury trial.
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23.IDENTICAL COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
24.MISCELLANEOUS
The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
25.PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS
No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two (2) years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two (2) year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall govern.
26.ADDITIONAL ACTS
If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.
27.WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO TRUST ACCOUNT
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Indemnitee hereby agrees that it does not have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind (each, a “Claim”) in or to any monies in the trust account established in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “TrustAccount”) for the benefit of the Company and holders of shares issued in such offering, and hereby waives any Claim it may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any services provided to the Company and will not seek recourse against such Trust Account for any reason whatsoever.
Accordingly, Indemnitee acknowledges and agrees that any indemnification provided hereto will only be able to be satisfied by the Company if (i) the Company has sufficient funds outside of the Trust Account to satisfy its obligations hereunder or (ii) the Company completes a Business Combination.
28.MAINTENANCE OF INSURANCE
The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain and maintain in effect during the entire period for which the Company is obligated to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement, one or more policies of insurance with reputable insurance companies to provide the officers, directors and advisory board members of the Company with coverage for losses from wrongful acts and omissions and to ensure the Company’s performance of its indemnification obligations under this Agreement. Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer or advisory board member under such policy or policies. In all such insurance policies, Indemnitee shall be named as an insured in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee with the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company’s directors, officers and advisory board members.
[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indemnity Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.
| GSR IV ACQUISITION CORP. | |
|---|---|
| By: | /s/ Gus Garcia |
| Name: | Gus Garcia |
| Title: | Co-Chief Executive Officer |
| INDEMNITEE | |
| By: | /s/ Jonathan Cole |
| Name: | Jonathan Cole |
| Title: | Director |
[Signature Page to IndemnityAgreement]
Exhibit 99.1
GSR IV Acquisition Corp. Announces the Pricing of its $200.0 Million Initial Public Offering
New York, NY, Sept. 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GSRF) (“GSRF” or the “Company”) announced today the pricing of its initial public offering of 20,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $200,000,000.
The units will be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and begin trading tomorrow, September 4, 2025, under the ticker symbol “GSRFU.” Each unit consists of one of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) and one-seventh (1/7^th^) of one right (the “Rights”), with each whole right entitling the holder thereof to receive one Class A Ordinary Share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. No fractional rights will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole rights will trade. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A Ordinary Shares and Rights are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq under the symbols “GSRF” and “GSRFR,” respectively. The offering is expected to close September 5, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions. GSRF has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 3,000,000 units, at the initial public offering price to cover over-allotments, if any.
Polaris Advisory Partners LLC (formerly known as SPAC Advisory Partners, LLC), a division of Kingswood Capital Partners LLC (“Polaris”), and The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) are acting as joint bookrunners for the initial public offering. Polaris is a financial advisory firm wholly owned and controlled by the management of GSRF. Consequently, Benchmark acted as a Qualified Independent Underwriter on the transaction.
A registration statement related to these securities has been filed on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on September 2, 2025 (File No. 333- 289061). The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC, 126 East 56th Street, Suite 22S, New York, NY 10022, or by calling 212-487-1080 or emailing Syndicate@kingswoodUS.com. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About GSR IV Acquisition Corp.
GSRF is a newly incorporated, blank check company formed in the Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination target in any business or industry, it intends to identify companies with compelling public-market narratives, high visibility of growth prospects, and attractive cash flow dynamics now or in the near future, where a public listing, financing from an initial business combination and access to public capital markets will enable the target to build on its competitive advantages and allow the target company to further accelerate its growth profile.
The Company’s management team is comprised of co-CEOs Mr. Gus Garcia and Mr. Lewis Silberman, President & CFO Mr. Anantha Ramamurti, and CBDO Mr. Yuya Orime.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including the successful consummation of the Company’s initial public offering, are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC, any of which could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.
Company contact:
Anantha Ramamurti
President & CFO
anantha@gsrspac.com
Exhibit 99.2
GSR IV AcquisitionCorp. Announces the Closing of its $230 Million Initial Public Offering, Including Full-Exercise Of Over-Allotment Option
New York, NY, Sept. 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GSR IV Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: GSRF) (“GSRF” or the “Company”) announced today that it closed its initial public offering of 23,000,000 units at a price of $10.00 per unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of $230,000,000. The offering size reflects the full exercise of the underwriter’s over-allotment option. Each unit consists of one of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) and one-seventh (1/7^th^) of one right (the “Rights”), with each whole right entitling the holder thereof to receive one Class A Ordinary Share upon the consummation of an initial business combination. No fractional rights will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole rights will trade.
The units are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) and began trading under the ticker symbol “GSRFU” on September 4, 2025. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Class A Ordinary Shares and Rights are expected to be listed on the Nasdaq under the symbols “GSRF” and “GSRFR,” respectively.
Polaris Advisory Partners LLC (formerly known as SPAC Advisory Partners, LLC), a division of Kingswood Capital Partners LLC (“Polaris”), and The Benchmark Company, LLC (“Benchmark”) acted as joint bookrunners for the initial public offering. Polaris is a financial advisory firm wholly owned and controlled by the management of GSRF. Consequently, Benchmark acted as a Qualified Independent Underwriter on the transaction.
A registration statement related to these securities has been filed on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on September 2, 2025 (File No. 333- 289061). The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Kingswood Capital Partners, LLC, 126 East 56th Street, Suite 22S, New York, NY 10022, or by calling 212-487-1080 or emailing Syndicate@kingswoodUS.com. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
About GSR IV AcquisitionCorp.
GSRF is a newly incorporated, blank check company formed in the Cayman Islands for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue an initial business combination target in any business or industry, it intends to identify companies with compelling public-market narratives, high visibility of growth prospects, and attractive cash flow dynamics now or in the near future, where a public listing, financing from an initial business combination and access to public capital markets will enable the target to build on its competitive advantages and allow the target company to further accelerate its growth profile.
The Company’s management team is comprised of co-CEOs Mr. Gus Garcia and Mr. Lewis Silberman, President & CFO Mr. Anantha Ramamurti, and CBDO Mr. Yuya Orime.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements, including the successful consummation of the Company’s initial public offering, are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s registration statement and preliminary prospectus for the offering filed with the SEC, any of which could cause actual results to differ from such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based, except as required by law.
Company contact:
Anantha Ramamurti
President & CFO
anantha@gsrspac.com