Sidus Space Inc 10-K for FY2021
Sidus Space Inc. (SIDU)
About this 10-K
Sidus Space Inc filed this 10-K on April 5, 2022, covering the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 (FY2021).
Headline figures
Fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, as reported in this filing, compared with the same period a year earlier where the filing states it.
- Revenue
- $1.41M
- down 22.0% from $1.81M a year earlier
- Net loss
- $3.75M
- compared with a net loss of $1.54M a year earlier
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
For
the fiscal year ended
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Number of common shares outstanding as of April 4, 2022 was
Documents
Incorporated by Reference:
Table of Contents
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CAUTIONARY NOTE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). These statements may be identified by such forward-looking terminology as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. Our forward-looking statements are based on a series of expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections about our company, are not guarantees of future results or performance and involve substantial risks and uncertainty. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements. Our business and our forward-looking statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties inherent in our statements regarding:
| ● | our projected financial position and estimated cash burn rate; |
| ● | our estimates regarding expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; |
| ● | our need to raise substantial additional capital to fund our operations; |
| ● | our ability to compete in the global space industry; |
| ● | our ability to obtain and maintain intellectual property protection for our current products and services; |
| ● | our ability to protect our intellectual property rights and the potential for us to incur substantial costs from lawsuits to enforce or protect our intellectual property rights; |
| ● | the possibility that a third party may claim we have infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated their intellectual property rights and that we may incur substantial costs and be required to devote substantial time defending against these claims; |
| ● | our reliance on third-party suppliers and manufacturers; |
| ● | the success of competing products or services that are or become available; |
| ● | our ability to expand our organization to accommodate potential growth and our ability to retain and attract key personnel; |
| ● | the potential for us to incur substantial costs resulting from lawsuits against us and the potential for these lawsuits to cause us to limit our commercialization of our products and services; |
All of our forward-looking statements are as of the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K only. In each case, actual results may differ materially from such forward-looking information. We can give no assurance that such expectations or forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. An occurrence of, or any material adverse change in, one or more of the risk factors or risks and uncertainties referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or included in our other public disclosures or our other periodic reports or other documents or filings filed with or furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. Except as required by law, we do not undertake or plan to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in plans, assumptions, estimates or projections or other circumstances affecting such forward-looking statements occurring after the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, even if such results, changes or circumstances make it clear that any forward-looking information will not be realized. Any public statements or disclosures by us following this Annual Report on Form 10-K that modify or impact any of the forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K will be deemed to modify or supersede such statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
This Annual Report on Form 10-K may contain estimates and other statistical data made by independent parties and by us relating to market size and growth and other data about our industry. We obtained the industry and market data in this annual report on Form 10-K from our own research as well as from industry and general publications, surveys and studies conducted by third parties. This data involves a number of assumptions and limitations and contains projections and estimates of the future performance of the industries in which we operate that are subject to a high degree of uncertainty, including those discussed in “Risk Factors.” We caution you not to give undue weight to such projections, assumptions, and estimates. Further, industry and general publications, studies and surveys generally state that they have been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, although they do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of such information. While we believe that these publications, studies, and surveys are reliable, we have not independently verified the data contained in them. In addition, while we believe that the results and estimates from our internal research are reliable, such results and estimates have not been verified by any independent source.
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RISK FACTOR SUMMARY
Our business is subject to significant risks and uncertainties that make an investment in us speculative and risky. Below we summarize what we believe are the principal risk factors but these risks are not the only ones we face, and you should carefully review and consider the full discussion of our risk factors in the section titled “Risk Factors,” together with the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. If any of the following risks actually occurs (or if any of those listed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K occur), our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business.
| ● | Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter. | |
| ● | We have incurred significant losses since inception, we expect to incur losses in the future, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability. | |
| ● | We may require substantial additional funding to finance our operations, but adequate additional financing may not be available when we need it, on acceptable terms or at all. | |
| ● | The success of our business will be highly dependent on our ability to effectively market and sell our commercial satellite manufacturing, launch, and data services for small LEO satellites | |
| ● | We have not yet delivered our 3D printed satellites into orbit, and any setbacks we may experience during our first commercial satellite launch planned for 2022 and other demonstration and commercial missions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation, and could harm our reputation. | |
| ● | The market for commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data services for small LEO satellites is not well established, is still emerging and may not achieve the growth potential we expect or may grow more slowly than expected. | |
| ● | Our ability to grow our business depends on the successful development of our satellites and related technology, which is subject to many uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control. | |
| ● | We routinely conduct hazardous operations in testing of our satellite subsystems, which could result in damage to property or persons. Unsatisfactory performance or failure of our satellites and related technology at launch or during operation could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation. | |
| ● | We may experience a total loss of our technology and products and our customers’ payloads if there is an accident on launch or during the journey into space, and any insurance we have may not be adequate to cover our loss. | |
| ● | Any delays in the development and manufacture of satellites and related technology may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations. | |
| ● | Our customized hardware and software may be difficult and expensive to service, upgrade or replace. | |
| ● | Our satellites may collide with space debris or another spacecraft, which could adversely affect our operations. | |
| ● | If we are unable to adapt to and satisfy customer demands in a timely and cost-effective manner, or if we are unable to manufacture our products at a quantity and quality that our customers demand, our ability to grow our business may suffer. |
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| ● | If we are unable to maintain relationships with our existing launch partners or enter into relationships with new launch partners, we may be unable to reach our targeted annual launch rate, which could have an adverse effect on our ability to grow our business. | |
| ● | Our business is subject to a wide variety of extensive and evolving government laws and regulations. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business. | |
| ● | Craig Technical Consulting, Inc., or CTC, controls the direction of our business, and the concentrated ownership of our common stock will prevent you and other stockholders from influencing significant decisions. | |
| ● | We may be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and, as a result, may qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to stockholders of other companies. | |
| ● | The dual-class structure of our common stock as contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, has the effect of concentrating voting control with those stockholders who held our capital stock prior to our initial public offering, comprised of our Chief Executive Officer. This ownership will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transactions requiring stockholder approval, and that may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A common stock. |
PART I
Throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K, references to “we,” “our,” “us,” the “Company,” “Sidus,” or “Sidus Space” refer to Sidus Space, Inc., individually, or as the context requires, collectively with its subsidiary.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Company Overview
Sidus Space is a space-as-a-service company focused on commercial satellite design, manufacture, launch, and data collection with a vision to demonstrate space operations for new technologies and deliver data and predictive analytics to both domestic and global customers. While our business has historically been centered on the design and manufacture of space hardware, our expansion into manufacturing of spacecraft as well as on-orbit constellation management services and space data applications has led us to innovating in the area of space data applications. Each of these areas and initiatives addresses a critical component of our cradle-to-grave solution and value proposition for the space economy as a Space-as-a-Service company. We have over a decade of commercial, military and government manufacturing experience combined with space qualification experience, existing customers and pipeline, and on-orbit International Space Station (ISS) heritage hardware. We support commercial space, aerospace, defense, underwater marine and other commercial and government customers. Our services include satellite manufacturing, satellite payload integration and operations support, satellite deployment and microgravity testing and research, multidisciplinary design engineering, precision Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining and fabrication, Swiss screw machining, American Welding Society (AWS) certified welding and fabrication, electrical and electronic assemblies, wire cable harness fabrication, and 3D composite and metal printing. We have designed and manufactured many flight and ground components and systems for several government and commercial customers including large government contractors and government space agencies. Specific efforts include:
| ● | Manufacturing, assembling and testing space hardware components for the NASA Orion spacecraft which include the Ogive lifting fixture, crew module birdcage, heatshield shipping frame stanchions, service module lift station and Reefing Line cutters for the parachute deployment system | |
| ● | Manufacturing, assembling and testing Flight and Ground ECS Quick Disconnects and the umbilical release mechanism for NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) Universal Stage Adapter (USA) | |
| ● | Supporting the engineering design, specifications, and assembly of internal and external cable harness assemblies for ISS based Bishop Airlock | |
| ● | Manufacturing and assembling an umbilical plate for NASA Centaur |
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| ● | Supporting NASA’s Launch Pad and Mobile Launcher 1 with testing for umbilical systems, fabrication of wire harnesses (including procurement, assembly, molding and testing) and manufacture, assembly and testing of electronic and fluid/pneumatic control cabinets | |
| ● | Manufacturing, assembling and testing ground support electrical control cabinets for NASA Mobile Launcher 2 | |
| ● | Manufacturing and assembling prototype trash compactor for proposed Lunar Orbital Gateway | |
| ● | Manufacturing component parts for the Space & Airborne Systems division for L3Harris | |
| ● | Manufacturing and assembling various underwater autonomous vehicle components for Teledyne Marine | |
| ● | Manufacturing and managing an external flight test platform and on-orbit satellite deployer on the International Space Station. |
Significant milestones and events include but are not limited to:
2018
| ● | Awarded IDIQ contract vehicle to support Orion Crewed Space Capsule | |
| ● | Manifested External Flight Test Platform for early 2019 launch | |
| ● | Awarded IDIQ contract to provide payload integration and operations including satellite deployment support on International Space Station |
2019
| ● | External Flight Test Platform launch scheduled for October 2019 on Northrup Grumman’s Cygnus NG-12 | |
| ● | External Flight Test Platform successfully launched |
2020
| ● | STPS Sat-4 successfully deployed from International Space Station using SSIKLOPS platform | |
| ● | Partnership established with Indian Aerospace firm Dhruva Space |
2021
| ● | External Flight Test Platform successfully returned on SpaceX CRS-21 from ISS | |
| ● | Signed contract with Mission Helios, a space-based blockchain technology company, for space services to test the first-ever blockchain-based 1U satellite imagery system | |
| ● | Winning team for NASA HEOMD AES Project Polaris awards for: Autonomous Satellite Technology for Real-time Applications (ASTRA) |
We are Aerospace Basic Quality System Standard (AS) 9100D certified, International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) registered, and have received approval of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) spectrum licensing for both X-Band and S-Band frequencies. We filed for X-band and S-band radio frequencies licensing in February 2021 and were granted approval through a published filing by the ITU on April 4, 2021. Our filing contains approved spectrum use for multiple X-Band and S-Band frequencies and five different orbital planes. Such licenses are held through Aurea Alas, Ltd., an Isle of Man company, a related party to Sidus Space. The ITU is the specialized agency responsible for principles and licensing of the use of orbit and spectrum. Before a satellite can use the spectrum and orbital resources it needs to fulfil its mission, it requires an associated ‘satellite filing’. The filing is a tool to obtain international recognition of these resources and it is a critical component to our offering, enabling users to demonstrate, test, and operate new technologies in space.
Located in Cape Canaveral, Florida, also known as “The Space Coast,” we operate from a 35,000 square foot manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing facility and as of December 31, 2021, employ 37 individuals with plans for additional growth over the next year.
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We continually invest in innovative solutions and as of December 31, 2021 have 12 space related patents approved or pending, which ownership was transferred to us by our majority shareholder, Craig Technologies, at no charge. Our patented technology includes a print head for regolith-polymer mixture and associated feedstock; a heat transfer system for regolith; a method for establishing a wastewater bioreactor environment; vertical takeoff and landing pad and interlocking pavers to construct same; and high-load vacuum chamber motion feedthrough systems and methods. Regolith is a blanket of unconsolidated, loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock. It includes dust, broken rocks, and other related materials and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and other terrestrial planets and moons.
Our strategy is to build an all-inclusive space-as-a-service platform for the global space economy. Our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Carol Craig, has also built her namesake firm, Craig Technologies, into an aerospace and defense contracting company recognized throughout the U.S. government and commercial space industries, that is backed by proven experience in the design, development, and commercialization of new and innovative space technologies and services through aerospace and defense partnerships and collaborations. Ms. Craig’s accomplishments as a seasoned CEO include the following awards:
| ● | 2022 – I4 Business Women’s Inspired Leadership “Spirit of Progress” Award. | |
| ● | 2020 - 2022 – weVenture Women who Rock Dr. Mary Helen McCay STEM Award. | |
| ● | 2020 - U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce “Innovation and Performance” Award. | |
| ● | 2017 - “Making a Difference” award by The American Business Women’s Association Oceanside Charter Chapter. | |
| ● | 2016 - Special Congressional Recognition award from Congressman Bill Posey during Hispanic Heritage month for her outstanding and invaluable service to the local community. | |
| ● | 2015 - Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Florida and South Florida District. (Recognized as the national first runner-up finalist in Washington, DC.) | |
| ● | 2013 - The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), Kathleen P. Sridhar Small Business Executive of the Year | |
| ● | 2013 - Hispanic Engineers National Achievement Awards Conference (HENAAC) Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Great Minds in STEM. |
We are developing and anticipating launching 100kg (220-pound) satellites with available space to rapidly integrate customer sensors and technologies. By developing a standardized operating system for space, we believe we can deliver customer payloads to orbit in months, rather than years. In addition, we anticipate delivering high-impact data for insights on aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, financial technology (Fintech) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Our smallsat design is a hybrid 3D platform that is cost efficient and designed to allow us to provide technology integration and space-based data at a lower cost due to our vertically integrated manufacturing and space hardware expertise. As our satellite constellation grows, the number of customers and the volume of data collection will scale.
Strategy
Our strategy is to build an all-inclusive space-as-a-service platform for the global space economy that expands access to commercial, government and academic innovators.
Maintaining our Focus on Technology and Innovations
We continue to focus on innovations to further enhance our customizable, lightweight, low-cost satellite which provides testing alternatives for one or multiple systems or subsystems including electronics, propulsion, optics, communications, or any other type of innovative technology at a lower cost and more rapid deployment than other launch and test options. We plan on offering multiple platforms to meet a variety of customer needs.
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Sidus Constellation
LizzieSat (LS) is our partially 3D manufactured low earth orbit (LEO) microsatellite that focuses on rapid, cost-effective development and testing of innovative spacecraft technologies and provision of space-based data for multiple customers. Our LEO constellation will be developed over approximately four years with additional satellites being added each year in coordination with the ramping up of the volume of satellite manufacturing and our ground station growth. We believe our spectrum approval for multiple X-Band and S-Band frequencies and five different orbital planes supports our strategy to reach 100 satellites on-orbit.
Subscription-Based Revenue
Sidus Space standard subsystem components are expected to provide redundancy and the ability to collect data for subscription services. In addition, we intend on delivering high-impact data for insights on aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, financial technology (Fintech) and the Internet of Things.
Vertically Integrated Products and Solutions
Through our multidisciplinary approach to space support, we combine our history in systems integration, engineering, manufacturing, data collection and analytics to create accurate mission-critical and space-rated components and systems. We provide design engineering, manufacturing, and 3D printing all in-house to reduce time, costs, and waste related to satellite production. In addition, we offer the integration of customer components, facilitate launch and provide data and predictive analytics using either our own data collection components or customer components.
Our Competitive Strengths
We believe the following strengths position us to develop our products and services and capitalize on the presented opportunity:
Experienced Management Team and Advisors
We have established a management team and technical team of engineers with many members of the team having more than 20 years of experience in their respective fields. Our team has shown the ability to design and develop new products, enhance operations, strengthen distribution networks, and recruit industry talent. Our directive as a management team over the next few years will be to introduce new innovative products with scalability, to manufacture and market those products, and drive improvements to our manufacturing, quality, and product development systems and processes.
| ● | Carol earned a BA in Computer Science from Knox College, BS in Computer Science Engineering from the University of Illinois, and an MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Carol was one of the first women eligible to fly in combat for the U.S. Navy and was the first female aviator to join her P-3C Orion squadron.
In 2017, Carol was the recipient of the 2017 “Making a Difference” award by The American Business Women’s Association Oceanside Charter Chapter. In 2016, Carol received a Special Congressional Recognition award from Congressman Bill Posey during Hispanic Heritage month for her outstanding and invaluable service to the local community. In 2015, Carol was selected as the Small Business Administration’s Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Florida and South Florida District, and was recognized as the national first runner-up finalist in Washington, DC. The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) recognized Carol with the Kathleen P. Sridhar Small Business Executive of the Year Award in 2013, and she received the prestigious 2013 HENAAC Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Great Minds in STEM. In 2008, the Society of Women Engineers recognized Carol as Entrepreneur of the Year.
Carol has also been featured in several publications, including The University of Illinois Alumni Magazine, Florida Trend, Washington Technology, Entrepreneur.com, Orlando Business Journal, and Florida Today.Over the past 10 years Carol has held positions on over 30 boards and currently serves as a member of the Knox College Board of Trustees, is the Enterprise Florida Executive Committee Military Business Unit Liaison, and is a board member with the Florida Tech College of Business, Advisory Board, Florida Chamber of Commerce, UCF College of Engineering and Computer Science, Dean’s Industry Advisory Board (IAB), Junior Achievement of the Space Coast, Florida High-Tech Corridor Council and for the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne, FL. |
| ● | Jamie Adams, our Chief Technology Officer, has 35 years of space and defense experience and most recently focused on strategic research and development in Lockheed Martin’s (LM) Autonomous Systems Group and supported LM business areas and mission and fire control (MFC) lines of business programs developing autonomous systems technology in multiple domains (air, land, sea, and space). He joined Lockheed Martin in June 2015, after a distinguished career at NASA and Boeing. Mr. Adams’ final assignment at NASA was serving as the Associate Division Chief of NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Software, Robotics, and Simulation, Engineering Division. In that role, he was responsible for overseeing technical execution of many contracts supporting various human space flight programs. He was also involved in NASA’s Human Robotic Interface Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program, as well as several initiatives with NASA Headquarters and the DoD to standardize the acquisition and execution of software and simulation production and application to government contracts. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Chief of the Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Orion, Avionics and Software group overseeing all aspects of the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company contract activities for this group. He initially accepted an appointment to NASA in 2007 as the Chief of the Constellation Program Software and Simulation group, after a distinguished 21-year career with The Boeing Company. Mr. Adams joined Boeing in 1986 working initially as a system integration and test engineer on the Minuteman and Peacekeeper research and development programs at Vandenberg AFB, CA, eventually working his way into the position of Test Conductor. He then joined the International Space Station program as an integration and test manager in Houston, TX, ultimately becoming the overall program Hardware/Software Integration Manager for all flight systems hardware and software design, development, integration, verification, and validation. Jamie accepted the position of Director, Modeling, Simulation, and Integration on the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program in 2002. |
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| ● | Gerry Schaafsma, our Chief Sales and Revenue Officer has over 30 years of technology sales experience with industry leaders that include AT&T, Lucent Technologies, Alcatel-Lucent, and Nokia. He holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration from Auburn University and a Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma certification from Villanova University. | |
| ● | Rick Hashop, our VP of Mission Operations was the Director of the Human Space Flight Engineering Division for the Harris Corp. on a large NASA contract. Mr. Hashop has been a successful corporate executive with 28 years of experience in managing large programs and divisions in the space sector, both in government services and commercial markets. In addition, Mr. Hashop has led the International Space Station requirements and operations for the Space and Ground Communications Network and NASA Mission Control Center (MCC). | |
| ● | Ken “Hock” Ham, chairman of our Advisory Board, is a former shuttle pilot, Deputy Lead of the Orion Heatshield Design and Analysis Team, Structures and Technical Lead for the Adaptive Deployment Entry System Project (ADEPT) and holds a B.S/M.S in Civil Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. |
Innovative Patented Technology
Our patented technologies include a print head for regolith-polymer mixture and associated feedstock; a heat transfer system for regolith; a method for establishing a wastewater bioreactor environment; vertical takeoff and landing pad and interlocking pavers to construct same; and high-load vacuum chamber motion feedthrough systems and methods. Regolith is a blanket of unconsolidated, loose, heterogeneous superficial deposits covering solid rock. It includes dust, broken rocks, and other related materials and is present on Earth, the Moon, Mars, some asteroids, and other terrestrial planets and moons.
Price Point
Sidus has made investments in infrastructure, engineering, and hardware. These investments are anticipated to result in lower material waste, reduced labor hours per satellite, reduced re-work, and increased production efficiencies. In addition, our relationship with the International Space Station as an ISS partner provides unique opportunities to offer other options not dependent on costly infrastructure and launch providers. Our 100kg satellite allows for multiple customer sales per satellite in addition to Sidus sensors for space-based data sales which translates to higher revenue per satellite. We expect to be able to offer favorable pricing while increasing margins by controlling costs through these investments.
Multiple Product/Service Offering
We anticipate offering multiple customizable satellite testing alternatives for one or multiple systems or subsystems including electronics, propulsion, optics, communications, or any other type of innovative technology at a lower cost and more rapid deployment than other launch and test options. In addition, we plan to offer mission-critical space-based data to meet the detailed conditions of any commercial and government mission.
Attractive and Growing Global Market
We believe that the space data and analytics market is experiencing an increase in total addressable market as demand from both government and commercial organizations grows. As commercial customers turn to geospatial solutions for various applications, commercial sectors with untapped needs continue to expand to non-traditional industries. These include energy and utilities, insurance, mining and manufacturing, agriculture, environmental, engineering and construction, and supply chain.
Existing Relationships
We have designed and manufactured many flight and ground component parts and systems for the NASA Space Launch System (SLS), International Space Station (ISS), Lockheed Martin Orion spacecraft, Mobile Launcher, Boeing CST Starliner spacecraft, United Launch Alliance Centaur rocket, proposed Lunar Orbital Gateway, and other space related programs. Our customers include large government contractors and government space agencies.
We are an International Space Station National Laboratory Implementation Partner, which is a select network of companies that share the mission of promoting and sustaining space-based research on the ISS. Our active contracts with NASA and the ISSNL allow us to support customer research and development activities through satellite deployment and technology demonstrations in the harsh environment of space.
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Corporate Sustainability
As we enter a period of time where the decisions we make regarding the environment become increasingly more important, it is imperative that we look towards solutions that are as eco-friendly as possible. The evolution of manufacturing has led us to the use of 3D printed materials. There are a myriad of benefits that come with this groundbreaking technology. Arguably, the most important is the reduced impact that it has on the environment. We believe our Lizzie Sat constellation will contribute to this reduced impact as a significant portion of our satellites are 3D printed.
In addition, manufacturing parts with a 3D printer reduces overall energy waste and has a smaller carbon footprint compared to conventional machining. Additional benefits include the removal of waste and unnecessary energy that comes with conventional machining which often results in having more material scrapped during production of a part than the amount that makes up the part.. While these are the largest impacts, the effects can be seen even in smaller scales. Due to the massive reduction in weight 3D printing provides, less energy needs to be spent using cargo ships and commercial vehicles for transportation. With this reduction in weight also comes reduction in space required for material storage, reducing the need for large spaces and extra energy needed to maintain those facilities.
Looking toward the future, exciting developments may be incorporated including the use of more biodegradable and/or recycled materials that can be used to manufacture parts and further benefit the environment. Until these developments occur, we are doing our part through the practice of recycling approximately 5,000 lbs of metal a year as well as recycling any used oil and coolant. As technologies continue to advance, we remain dedicated to preserving the environment and continue to evolve with newer technologies as they develop.
Global Space Economy Overview
In recent years, the importance of the space economy has been growing as technological advances in both satellites and supporting terrestrial technologies have enabled new commercial use cases. These use cases include satellite broadband, remote imaging, Internet-of-Things (“IOT”)/Machine-to-Machine (“M2M”) communications, defense-related applications, as well as others. As a result, several new and existing operators have announced new satellite constellations to serve these use cases. Many of these announced constellations will consist of small LEO satellites rather than large GEO satellites. According to a October 2019 SpaceNews report, SpaceX alone has filed for up to 30,000, and Amazon and OneWeb have also announced plans to launch a significant number of satellites.
According to Morgan Stanley research, as reported in February 2021, the $350 billion global space industry could surge to over $1 trillion by 2040. In addition, Euroconsult expects that over the next decade, the total manufacturing and launch market value for small satellites is expected to reach $54.2 billion, more than three times the market value over 2011-2020. Although this indicates significant growth, it does not reflect the four-fold increase in the number of satellites resulting from the rise of cubesats, constellations and the introduction of low-cost systems for both manufacturing and launch, which will reduce average costs and market value.
Rapid growth in private investment in the commercial space industry has led to a wave of new companies reinventing major elements of the traditional space industry, including human spaceflight, satellites, and launch, in addition to unlocking entirely new market segments. Furthermore, government agencies have realized the value of the private commercial space industry and have become increasingly more supportive and reliant on private companies to catalyze innovation and advance national space objectives. In the United States, this has been evidenced by notable policy initiatives and by commercial contractors’ growing share of space activity.
Launch Market
We are witnessing a shift in the launch requirements of satellite operators, as the launch industry adjusts to the increasing volume of launches and the shift from larger satellites to small satellites. According to a study, conducted and published by the NASA Ames Research Center in 2016, in recent years, the satellite market has been undergoing a major evolution with new space companies replacing the traditional approach of deploying a few large, complex and costly satellites with a multitude of smaller, less complex and cheaper satellites. This new approach has created a sharp increase in the number of launched satellites and so the historic trends are no longer representative. Over the last 5 years, this increase has continued.
The launch industry’s initial response was the introduction of ridesharing, allowing multiple operators to share the cost of a large launch vehicle. This, combined with the emergence of new launch vehicles, reduced launch costs and increased access to space for small satellite operators. However, operators must wait until a particular rideshare is full for their launch. In addition, all small satellites on a single rideshare are delivered to a single orbital destination. From there, small satellites must either complete a time-consuming orbit raise to their desired orbit, requiring a significant on-board propulsion system or an in-space shuttle. While in-space shuttling reduces the need for satellite propulsion capability, shuttles add significant expense and take weeks or months to reach the desired orbit. The launch market will continue to evolve and we believe that many of these challenges related to desired orbit and timeline will be resolved and more options will be available to launch small satellites to meet the needs of the small satellite market.
Small Satellite Market
Another paradigm shift in the commercial space market is the rise of the small satellite market. Starting in 2018, the space industry began a dramatic transformation. Demand for large geosynchronous communications satellites dramatically declined as companies prepared to launch constellations consisting of hundreds or thousands of smaller, less expensive broadband satellites in low and medium Earth orbits. Euroconsult anticipates that approximately 13,910 satellites <500 kg will be launched in the next ten years, according to the 7th edition of its small satellite market report released in April 2021. This total represents a 38% increase over the 10,100 satellites that were expected in its previous edition.
Moreover, the rise of this market has also created a new market segment in nanosatellites and microsatellites, weighing less than 10 kg and between 10 and 100 kg, respectively. While these satellites can be deployed individually, they can also be operated as part of a constellation, a large group of satellites interconnected to provide a service, such as the Starlink satellite constellation’s offering of global internet connectivity. According to Euroconsult’s April 2021 small satellite market report, the next decade will be defined primarily by the rollout of multiple constellations, which will account for 84% of small satellites, mainly for commercial operators.
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The number of small satellites launched has increased from 39 in 2011 to 1,202 in 2020. In just the period between 2019 to 2020 there has been over 300% growth going from 289 to 1202. According to a report published in 2021 by Bryce Space & Technology, 40% of all small satellites launched in last 10 years were launched in 2020.
The growth in the satellite constellations market is being driven by technological advances in ground equipment, new business models, expanded funding, and growing demand for high bandwidth and lower latency. Though this satellite constellation remains nascent in maturity, we anticipate considerable growth over the coming years in the launch industry as companies continue to seek versatile and low-cost ways to deliver single satellites to specific orbits, deploy their satellite constellations or solve their data needs through the use of existing space infrastructure. Furthermore, we anticipate the growth of the satellite constellations market to contribute business to our Satellite Services offerings. LEO satellite constellations have relatively short lifespans on orbit, resulting in a requirement to launch replenishment satellites every few years and therefore represents a recurring customer revenue stream.
According to Prospects for the Small Satellite Market – A Euroconsult Report 7th Edition April 2021, small satellites are often viewed by entrepreneurs as enablers of disruptive business models because of the growing data needs of the digital economy. Rapid, constant improvement of small satellites from one generation to the next means new capabilities and possibilities may constantly be developed. Further, investment in the space industry is still accelerating from 2020 and beyond. Vertically-integrated players attract the most funding because it is believed that in-house capabilities promote efficiencies, savings and flexibility. In the growing small satellite industry, with lower entry barriers and shorter timeframes, tangible investment opportunities in manufacturing are available. Between 2018 and 2020, start-ups involved in small satellite integration raised $1.4B (SpaceX excluded) while pure small satellite subsystems manufacturers, $0.2B. Among integrators, by far the most successful recipients of funding are vertically-integrated players who produce and operate their own constellation while directly providing service to the end user. Vertical integration becomes especially relevant when there is a recurring production need (e.g. limited lifetimes, need for cyclical replacements) and when economies of scale are possible. It can also be driven by the need to secure its supply chain and keeping key differentiators in house, or when no compatible supply is available.
Our Products and Services
Space Services
We provide the following services to our customers:
Satellite/Space Hardware Manufacturing
For over a decade, we have manufactured space-rated and human-rated hardware and components. During this time, we have provided components and systems for the International Space Station, the Boeing Starliner, NASA’s SLS, Lockheed Martin’s Orion, and several other programs and customers.
At a combined 35,000 square-feet, our manufacturing facilities are all encompassing allowing us to vertically integrate and pipeline the manufacturing process without the need for outsourcing of precision machining, electronics assembly and testing, or 3D printing.
LEO Launch and Deployment Services
We strive to become a trusted platform for providing an affordable approach for launch, payload hosting, and deployment services in space. Our planned diverse range of launch, in-orbit, and deployment platforms is intended to be tailored to complement any mission.
Space-Based Geospatial Intel, Imagery and Data Analytics
We anticipate delivering reliable high-impact analytics and insights to international and domestic customers by combining our platform with multiple imaging and sensor solutions to increase the efficacy and emergence of data. We intend to collect, analyze, enrich, and deliver data gathered from our custom constellation to provide intelligent analytics to its customers. Our comprehensive data collection is expected to create a repository of insights for aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, and federal industries from the ultimate vantage point – space.
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Space Platforms
We anticipate offering a variety of affordable space platforms which allow our clients to conduct full missions and/or test new technologies in space at a reduced schedule and cost. Our platforms include:
External Flight Test Platform (EFTP)
Our External Flight Test Platform offers multiple industries the opportunity to develop, test, and fly experiments, hardware, materials, and advanced electronics on the ISS at a reduced cost and schedule. Potential payloads include optical communications, materials, satellite components, electroplating, and pharmaceutical testing. The EFTP includes integration and delivery to the ISS and has a typical deployment period of 15 weeks. All payloads can be returned after the mission if requested by the payload provider. Our EFTP is characterized by:
| ● | Highly reconfigurable platform | |
| ● | Available space: 1100 in3 (payloads are NOT required to conform to CubeSat form factors) | |
| ● | Power: 28V connectors (up to 2 available) | |
| ● | Flight computer available to support a wide array of sensor data | |
| ● | Additive and traditional manufacturing available to support payload development | |
| ● | Two left-hand circular polarized (LHCP) spiral antennae available with a frequency band of 2 to 18 GHz (nadir and zenith facing) | |
| ● | GPS patch antenna option |
LizzieSatTM (LS)
LizzieSat (LS) is currently in development as a hybrid 3D manufactured Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsatellite that focuses on rapid, cost-effective development and testing of innovative spacecraft technologies for multiple customers combined with delivery of space-based data for multiple industries. LS is planned to combine static component testing and LEO spacecraft development and deployment to provide complete life cycle services to commercial and government customers for Internal Research & Development (IR&D), data analytics and/or proof of concept. We anticipate that LS will leverage our in-house low-cost additive manufacturing of satellites using the Markforged X7, an industrial 3D printer featuring a dual nozzle print system that supports continuous carbon fiber and Kevlar reinforcement, to provide rapid, agile development of spacecraft due to its modular design.
Controlling the satellite production process from design through manufacturing enables us to upgrade our satellites during production and also integrate customer technologies at varying points during the build process. This allows us to continuously improve our satellites’ capabilities as well as build out and maintain our constellation at a relatively low cost.
SSIKLOPS (Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems)
We provide turnkey services to manage and execute the successful integration and on-orbit operations of satellite payloads using the International Space Station Integrated Kinetic Launcher for Orbital Payload Systems (SSIKLOPS). SSIKLOPS fills the payload deployment gap between small CubeSat launchers and major payloads by supporting the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) microsatellite market (up to 116kg). The SSIKLOPS is a mechanism used to robotically deploy satellites from the ISS and is designed to provide a method to transfer internally stowed satellites to the external environment.
On November 5, 2018, we were awarded a 5-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract by NASA to provide services to manage and perform the work for the successful integration and on-orbit operations of the platform for U.S. government customers with the option to utilize the platform for commercial efforts as well. Pursuant to the agreement, we are responsible for marketing and operating the SSIKLOPS as well as sustaining the SSIKLOPS and associated hardware.
Our offerings include operation, engineering, and manufacturing to provide full life-cycle payload support. SSIKLOPS utilizes NASA’s ISS resupply vehicles to launch small satellites to the ISS in a controlled pressurized environment in soft stow bags. The satellites are processed through the ISS pressurized environment by the astronaut crew allowing satellite system diagnostics prior to orbit insertion. Orbit insertion is achieved through use of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Experiment Module Robotic Airlock (JEM Airlock), and one of the ISS Robotic Arms. Sidus and SSIKLOPS provide small satellites the infrastructure to be deployed from the ISS into LEO with minimal technical, environmental, logistical, and cost challenges.
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Phoenix Deployer
Phoenix is currently in development as a CubeSat deployer utilizing the SSIKLOPS deployment platform to deploy CubeSats from the ISS. Phoenix offers a low-cost and high availability deployer option for CubeSats within the 3U to 12U range. U refers to the standard ‘Cubesat’ dimensions (Units or “U”) of 10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm which are used to describe space on spacecraft). We anticipate that Phoenix will offer:
| ● | 3U CubeSats (Up to 12) | |
| ● | 6U CubeSats (Up to 6) | |
| ● | 12U CubeSats (Up to 3) |
Aerospace and Defense Manufacturing Services
Our manufacturing capabilities combine our design engineering, precision machining, waterjet cutting, and wire harness fabrication experience to provide the highest quality and performance for mission critical systems.
Precision Machining and Assembly
Our growing team of engineers and technicians, combined with state-of-the-art equipment support precision machining, fabrication, and assembly for prototypes, test articles, one-offs, low-rate initial production up through high volume Swiss screw machining production. We utilize the latest CNC machining and turning processes to deliver high-quality, complex and on-demand parts for specialized industries including the space sector.
| ● | CNC Swiss Screw Machining | |
| ● | CMM, VCMM Quality Inspection | |
| ● | EDM Wire and Waterjet Cutting | |
| ● | 3-D Printing | |
| ● | Welding |
3D Printing
From early-stage product development to functional finished parts, Sidus offers commercial and industrial-grade additive manufacturing solutions. Our 3D printers enable us to provide rapid manufacturing with industrial micron-level laser scanning accuracy and 50 µm repeatability. Using Continuous Fiber Fabrication technology, we can produce parts at an enhanced schedule that are stronger than 6061 Aluminum and 40% lighter. Sidus provides internal engineering support to optimize the functional performance, product life cycle, and accuracy of its customers’ specific 3D printed technology to ensure repeatability and consistency across prints. Our 3D printing capabilities include:
| ● | Functional Prototypes and Models | |
| ● | Production Parts | |
| ● | End-life Production | |
| ● | Tool Development | |
| ● | Patterns and Molds | |
| ● | Jigs and Fixtures | |
| ● | Fly-Away Parts |
Mechanical/Electrical Assembly and Test
| ● | Flight/Ground Cable and Wire Harnesses | |
| ● | Ground Support Equipment | |
| ● | Manned Spaceflight Rated Hardware | |
| ● | Satellite Components | |
| ● | Part Task Trainer Hardware |
As part of our 35,000 square foot manufacturing facility, we have a reconfigurable electronics and cable harness fabrication lab with the necessary equipment, staff and square footage to produce space flight and ground cables and electronic chassis. Our experience and capabilities include manufacturing, assembly and testing of a wide selection of electrical control cabinet and electronic cabinet modification and fabrication processes. We have extensive experience assembling electronics, including soldering, crimping, multi-pinned connector terminations, fusion splicing, molding, potting, and testing.
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Certifications include NASA 8739.4, NASA 8739.5, J STD 001 and IPC A 610. Our IPC-J-STD-001 accredited technicians adhere to NASA work standards KSC-E-165, KSC-GP-864, KSC-STD-132, all required for NASA 8739.4 credentials with other industry-standard certifications.
Design Engineering
We provide quality in-house design engineering services from up-front analysis to integration, assembly, and test. Our ISO 9001:2015 / AS9100D certified engineering capabilities include the ability to perform initial design concepts or value-add engineering change recommendations to existing engineering. Our multidisciplinary engineering experience and talent cover a broad spectrum of capabilities, enabling an even more comprehensive range of projects. Our design engineering capabilities include:
| ● | Requirements Definition – Product development and process optimization | |
| ● | Verification/Validation (multiple checks and balance) – Meets specification and intended purpose | |
| ● | Model Based Systems Engineering – Use of visual modeling vs document-based information exchange | |
| ● | 3D CAD & 2D Engineering Release – Managing, planning, scheduling, and controlling | |
| ● | Test Procedures and Performance – Meets customer driven requirements | |
| ● | Operations/Maintenance Manuals – Fully integrated and procedurally driven | |
| ● | System Integration – Horizontal sub-system integration approach to projects and programs | |
| ● | Design for Life Cycle Cost & Manufacturing – Incorporation of innovative design manufacturing | |
| ● | Model Based Data Control – Complex design verification/validation | |
| ● | Finite Element and Failure Mode & Effects Analysis | |
| ● | Design for Manufacturability |
Program Management
We provide Program and Project Management to help improve project performance and provide oversight of complex projects and contracts through day-to-day support and expert knowledge. With a business culture that always puts the customer first, we provide dedicated project management services throughout the lifecycle of our customer’s project or program to ensure the project goes according to schedule. Program management services include:
| ● | Supply chain management | |
| ● | Customer requirement compliance | |
| ● | Logistics and configuration management | |
| ● | Resource and budget control | |
| ● | Schedule |
Customer / Market Research
The need to provide commercial testing capabilities in space has been growing for many years and has become a requirement for many innovating companies. According to the Prospectus for the Small Satellite Market, 7th Edition released in April of 2021, Euroconsult anticipates that about 13,910 satellites <500 kg will be launched in the next ten years, according to the 7th edition of its small satellite market report. This total represents a 38% increase over the 10,100 satellites that were expected in its previous edition. The small satellite industry is gearing up for significant expansion in terms of capabilities and demand, with the number of satellites to be launched growing four-fold over 2021-2030, citing growth in manufacturing, launch and operations, and increasing government budgets for space. As the small satellite market grows, the requirement for rapid flight proven testing is becoming more crucial. Although ground-based testing is available, it does not provide a mirrored testing environment for spacecraft and subcomponent testing. We intend to address this need with our Sidus Constellation. Furthermore, customization of the Sidus Constellation with appropriate technology can provide subscription data and imagery services for customers whose needs prompt consideration for a separate constellation. Currently, our core market corresponds most directly with satellite manufacturing and offering LEO space-as-a-service solutions. However, we believe our addressable market can also continue to expand in similar and adjacent industries such as government and defense manufacturing. We have generated space-related manufacturing revenue since 2012, and we expect to generate revenue from our commercial constellation space offering in the first quarter of 2022 as we continue to finalize customers for LizzieSat-1 (LS-1). LS-1 is currently slated to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022 utilizing our SSIKLOPS platform aboard the ISS.
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Sales and Marketing
We market our services to both government and commercial customers. Initially we are leveraging our existing relationships to help promote our expanded service offerings. We believe our executive management team has extensive reach in the space and satellite industry. Our Chief Sales and Revenue Officer focuses on new business sales, installed client base sales, marketing, and partner strategy.
Our marketing efforts focus on communicating the benefits of our solutions and educating our customers, the media and analysts about the advantages of our innovative technology. We strive to raise the awareness of our company, market our products and generate sales leads through industry events, public relations efforts, marketing materials, social media and our website. Attendance at key industry events is an important component of our marketing efforts. Our CEO, Carol Craig, has been invited to speak and participate in panel discussions at industry events and will continue to take advantage of these opportunities to spread awareness of our services. We believe a combination of these efforts strengthens our brand and may enhance our market position in our industry.
Competition
The small satellite services industry at-large is highly competitive but has significant barriers to entry, including the cost and difficulty associated with successfully developing, building, and launching a satellite constellation and obtaining various governmental and regulatory approvals. In addition to cost, there is a significant amount of lead time associated with obtaining the required licenses, building, and launching the satellite constellation, and developing and deploying the ground station technology. We currently face substantial general competition from other service providers that offer a range of space-based data collection options. There are also several competitors working to develop innovative solutions to compete in this industry.
Our Intellectual Property
We continually invest in innovative solutions and as of December 31, 2021 have 12 space related patents approved or pending, which ownership was transferred to us by our majority shareholder, Craig Technologies, at no charge. Our patented technologies include a print head for regolith-polymer mixture and associated feedstock for which a notice of allowance was received by us in October 2021; a heat transfer system for regolith which patent expires in June 2039; a method for establishing a wastewater bioreactor environment which patent expires in July 2039; vertical takeoff and landing pad and interlocking pavers to construct same which patent expires in April 2039; and high-load vacuum chamber motion feedthrough systems and methods which patent expires in May 2039.
We seek to establish and maintain our proprietary rights in our technology and products through a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and contractual rights. We also seek to maintain our trade secrets and confidential information through nondisclosure policies, the use of appropriate confidentiality agreements and other security measures. We have registered a number of patents and trademarks in the United States and in other countries and have a number of patent filings pending determination. There can be no assurance, however, that these rights can be successfully enforced against competitive products in any particular jurisdiction. Although we believe the protection afforded by our patents, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and contracts has value, the rapidly changing technology in the satellite and wireless communications industries and uncertainties in the legal process make our future success dependent primarily on the innovative skills, technological expertise and management abilities of our employees rather than on the protections afforded by patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and contractual rights.
Certain of our products include software or other intellectual property licensed from third parties. While it may be necessary in the future to seek or renew licenses relating to various aspects of our products, we believe, based upon past experience and standard industry practice, that such licenses generally could be obtained on commercially reasonable terms. Nonetheless, there can be no assurance that the necessary licenses would be available on acceptable terms, if at all.
The industry in which we compete is characterized by rapidly changing technology, a large number of patents, and frequent claims and related litigation regarding patent and other intellectual property rights. We cannot assure that our patents and other proprietary rights will not be challenged, invalidated or circumvented, that others will not assert intellectual property rights to technologies that are relevant, or that our rights will give us a competitive advantage. In addition, the laws of some foreign countries may not protect our proprietary rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States.
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The commercial space industry is driven by rapidly changing technologies and innovation, and our success will require significant expenditure in Research and Development to develop new technologies, services, products, and offerings. Thus far, we have not established a Research and Development department, nor have we incurred research and development expenses. We do not currently perform formal R&D and instead we engineer our solutions with additional enhancements and innovations as part of our normal design and engineering efforts. We intend on setting up a formal Research and Development team in the future so we can more easily streamline our new products and get to market faster. If we fail to raise adequate funds to develop a robust Research and Development department and strategy, we will likely be unable to execute on our business plan.
Regulatory
Our business is subject to extensive rules, regulations, statutes, orders and policies imposed by the government in the United States and in foreign jurisdictions.
International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
We are required to comply with the laws and regulations of, and often obtain approvals from, national and local authorities in connection with our services. As we expand service to additional countries and regions, we will become subject to additional governmental approvals and regulations. We will provide a number of services that rely on the use of radio-frequency spectrum, and the provision of such services is highly regulated. Satellites are to be operated in a manner consistent with the regulations and procedures of the International Telecommunication Union (“ITU”), a specialized agency of the United Nations, which require the coordination of the operation of satellite systems in certain circumstances, and more generally are intended to avoid the occurrence of harmful interference among different users of the radio spectrum.
We have received approval of International Telecommunications Union (ITU) spectrum licensing for both X-Band and S-Band frequencies. We filed for X-Band and S-Band Radio Frequencies licensing in February 2021 and were granted approval through a published filing by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) on April 4, 2021. The ITU is the specialized agency responsible for principles and licensing of the use of orbit and spectrum. Before a satellite can use the spectrum and orbital resources it needs to fulfil its mission, it requires an associated ‘satellite filing’. The filing is a tool to obtain international recognition of these resources.
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and Export Compliance and Controls
Our business is subject to, and we must comply with, stringent U.S. import and export control laws, including the ITAR process which has been developed under the jurisdiction of the Department of State and is administered by the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) and Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) of the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce. ITAR generally restricts the export of hardware, software, technical data, and services that have defense or strategic applications. The EAR similarly regulates the export of hardware, software, and technology that has commercial or “dual-use” applications (i.e., for both military and commercial applications) or that have less sensitive military or space-related applications that are not subject to ITAR. The regulations exist to advance the national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S.
The U.S. government agencies responsible for administering the ITAR and the EAR have significant discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations. The agencies also have significant discretion in approving, denying, or conditioning authorizations to engage in controlled activities. Such decisions are influenced by the U.S. government’s commitments to multilateral export control regimes, particularly the Missile Technology Control Regime concerning the spaceflight business.
Many different types of internal controls and measures are required to ensure compliance with such export control rules. In particular, we are required to maintain registration under ITAR; determine the proper licensing jurisdiction and classification of products, software, and technology; and obtain licenses or other forms of U.S. government authorizations to engage in activities, including the performance by foreign persons, related to and who support our spaceflight business. Under ITAR, we must receive permission from the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls to release controlled technology to foreign person employees and other foreign persons.
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Employees/Human Capital
As of December 31, 2021, we had 37 employees, all of whom are full-time. We are not party to any collective bargaining agreements. Our workforce is concentrated in the “Florida Space Coast,” however we are accustomed to working as a cohesive team with remote workers which should be beneficial as we expand and add employees in different geographical areas nationwide and worldwide. Our management team is comprised of our CEO and four (4) of her direct reports who, collectively, have management responsibility for our business. Our management team places significant focus and attention on matters concerning our human capital assets, particularly our diversity, capability development, and succession planning. Accordingly, we regularly review employee development and succession plans for each of our functions to identify and develop our pipeline of talent.
Available Information
Our website address is www.sidusspace.com. The contents of, or information accessible through, our website are not part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and our website address is included in this document as an inactive textual reference only. We make our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports, available free of charge on our website as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such reports with, or furnish such reports to, the SEC. The public may read and copy the materials we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, NE, Washington, DC 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Additionally, the SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information. The address of the SEC’s website is www.sec.gov. The information contained in the SEC’s website is not intended to be a part of this filing.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS.
An investment in our common stock involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the following risk factors and the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K before investing in our common stock. Our business and results of operations could be seriously harmed by any of the following risks. The risks set out below are not the only risks we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and/or operating results. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially adversely affected. In such case, the value and trading price of our common stock could decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment.
Risk Factors Relating to Our Operations and Business
Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter.
Our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter. Risks and challenges we have faced or expects to face include our ability to:
| ● | forecast our revenue and budget for and manage its expenses; | |
| ● | attract new customers and retain existing customers; | |
| ● | effectively manage our growth and business operations, including planning for and managing capital expenditures for our current and future space and space-related systems and services, managing our supply chain and supplier relationships related to our current and future product and service offerings, and integrating acquisitions; | |
| ● | anticipate and respond to macroeconomic changes and changes in the markets in which we operate; | |
| ● | maintain and enhance the value of our reputation and brand; | |
| ● | develop and protect intellectual property; and | |
| ● | hire, integrate and retain talented people at all levels of our organization. |
If we fail to address the risks and difficulties that we face, including those associated with the challenges listed above as well as those described elsewhere in this “Risk Factors” section, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected. Further, because we have limited historical financial data and operate in a rapidly evolving market, any predictions about our future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if we had a longer operating history or operated in a more developed market. We have encountered in the past, and will encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties, which we use to plan and operate our business, are incorrect or change, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially from its expectations and its business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
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We have incurred significant losses since inception, we expect to incur losses in the future, and we may not be able to achieve or maintain profitability.
We have incurred significant losses since our inception. We incurred net losses of $3,746,138 and $1,542,906 for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. While we have generated limited revenue to date, we have not yet achieved production level satellite manufacturing, launch and data activities, and it is difficult for us to predict our future operating results. As a result, our losses may be larger than anticipated, and we may not achieve profitability when expected, or at all, and even if we do, we may not be able to maintain or increase profitability.
We expect our operating expenses to increase over the next several years as we commence production level satellite manufacturing and satellite launch activities, continue to refine and streamline our design and manufacturing processes, make technical improvements, increase our launch cadence, hire additional employees and initiate research and development efforts relating to new products and technologies, including our space services business. These efforts may be more costly than we expect and may not result in increased revenue or growth in our business. Any failure to increase our revenue sufficiently to keep pace with our investments and other expenses could prevent us from achieving or maintaining profitability or positive cash flow. Furthermore, if our future growth and operating performance fail to meet investor or analyst expectations, or if we have future negative cash flow or losses resulting from our investment in acquiring customers or expanding our operations, this could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may require substantial additional funding to finance our operations, but adequate additional financing may not be available when we need it, on acceptable terms or at all.
In the future, we could be required to raise capital through public or private financing or other arrangements. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all, and our failure to raise capital when needed could harm our business. For example, the global COVID-19 health crisis and related financial impact has resulted in, and may continue to result in, significant disruption and volatility of global financial markets that could adversely impact our ability to access capital. We may sell equity securities or debt securities in one or more transactions at prices and in a manner as we may determine from time to time. If we sell any such securities in subsequent transactions, our current investors may be materially diluted. Any debt financing, if available, may involve restrictive covenants and could reduce our operational flexibility or profitability. If we cannot raise funds on acceptable terms, we may not be able to grow our business or respond to competitive pressures.
The success of our business will be highly dependent on our ability to effectively market and sell our commercial satellite manufacturing, launch, and data services for small LEO satellites.
We expect that our success will be highly dependent, especially in the foreseeable future, on our ability to effectively forecast, market and sell our launch and data services for small LEO satellites. We have limited experience in forecasting, marketing and selling such services, and if we are unable to utilize our current or future sales organization effectively in order to adequately target and engage our potential customers, our business may be adversely affected.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to attract new customers in a cost-effective manner. We expect that we will need to make significant investments in order to attract new customers. Our sales growth is dependent upon our ability to implement strategic initiatives, and these initiatives may not be effective in generating sales growth. In addition, marketing campaigns, which we have not historically utilized, can be expensive and may not result in the acquisition of customers in a cost-effective manner, if at all. Further, as our brand becomes more widely known, future marketing campaigns or brand content may not attract new customers at the same rate as past campaigns or brand content. If we are unable to attract new customers, our business, financial condition and results of operations will be harmed.
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We have not yet delivered our 3D printed satellites into orbit, and any setbacks we may experience during our first commercial satellite launch planned for 2022 and other demonstration and commercial missions could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation, and could harm our reputation.
The success of our launch and satellite services business will depend on our ability to successfully and regularly deliver customer satellites into orbit. In November 2019, we successfully launched EFTP, our on-orbit external experimental facility hosted on the NanoRacks International Space Station External Platform (NREP). Additionally, in January of 2020, a microsatellite was successfully launched from the ISS using our SSIKLOPS platform for the STP program office.
There is no guarantee that our planned commercial launches in 2022 or subsequent commercial launches thereafter will be successful. While we believe that our launch partners have built operational processes to ensure that the design, manufacture, performance and servicing of their launch vehicles and rockets meet rigorous performance goals, there can be no assurance that our launch partners will not experience operational or process failures and other problems during our first commercial launch or any planned launches thereafter. Any failures or setbacks, particularly on our first commercial launches, could harm our reputation and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.
The market for commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data services for small LEO satellites is not well established, is still emerging and may not achieve the growth potential we expect or may grow more slowly than expected.
The market for in-space infrastructure services, in particular commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data services for small LEO satellites, has not been well established and is still emerging. Our estimates for the total addressable launch market and satellite market are based on several internal and third-party estimates, including our contracted revenue, the number of potential customers who have expressed interest in our satellite launch and data services, assumed prices and production costs for our services, assumed flight cadence, our ability to leverage our current manufacturing and operational processes and general market conditions. While we believe our assumptions and the data underlying our estimates are reasonable, these assumptions and estimates may not be correct and the conditions supporting our assumptions or estimates may change at any time, thereby reducing the predictive accuracy of these underlying factors. As a result, our estimates of the annual total addressable market for our services, as well as the expected growth rate for the total addressable market for our services, may prove to be incorrect.
Our ability to grow our business depends on the successful development of our satellites and related technology, which is subject to many uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control.
Our current objectives focus on the development of small satellites and integration capabilities and related technology. If we do not complete this development in our anticipated timeframes or at all, our ability to grow our business will be adversely affected. The successful development of our satellite capabilities and related technology involves many uncertainties, some of which are beyond our control, including, but not limited to:
| ● | timing in making further enhancements to our product design and specifications; |
| ● | successful completion of our planned commercial satellite launches; |
| ● | our ability to obtain additional applicable approvals, licenses or certifications from regulatory agencies, if required, and maintaining current approvals, licenses or certifications; |
| ● | performance of our manufacturing facilities despite risks that disrupt productions, such as natural disasters and hazardous materials; |
| ● | performance of a limited number of suppliers for certain raw materials and supplied components; |
| ● | performance of our third-party contractors that support our future research and development activities; |
| ● | our ability to maintain rights from third parties for intellectual properties critical to our future research and development activities; |
| ● | our ability to fund and maintain our future research and development activities, particularly the development of various enhancements that increase the data transfer capacity of our satellite; and |
| ● | the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on us, our customers, suppliers and distributors, and the global economy. |
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We routinely conduct hazardous operations in testing of our satellite subsystems, which could result in damage to property or persons. Unsatisfactory performance or failure of our satellites and related technology at launch or during operation could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.
We manufacture and operate highly sophisticated products for the commercial space, aerospace and defense industries and conduct activities that depend on complex technology. Although there have been and will continue to be technological advances in spaceflight, our operations remain an inherently hazardous and risky activity. Launch failures, explosions and other accidents on launch or during flight have occurred for others and will likely occur in the future.
While we have built operational processes to ensure that the design, manufacture, performance and servicing of our products and related technologies meet rigorous quality standards, there can be no assurance that we will not experience operational or process failures and other problems, including through manufacturing or design defects, cyber-attacks or other intentional acts, that could result in potential safety risks. We may experience a total loss of our customers’ payloads and our own payloads if there is an accident or failure at launch or during the journey into space, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For some missions, we or our customers can elect to buy launch insurance, which can reduce our monetary losses from any launch failure, but even in this case we will have losses associated with our inability to test our technology in space and delays with further technology development. Any insurance we or our customers have may not be adequate to cover our or their loss, respectively.
Any actual or perceived safety or reliability issues may result in significant reputational harm to our businesses, in addition to tort liability, maintenance, increased safety infrastructure and other costs that may arise. Such issues could result in delaying or cancelling planned launches, increased regulation or other systemic consequences. Our inability to meet our safety standards or adverse publicity affecting our reputation as a result of accidents, mechanical failures, damages to customer property or medical complications could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operation.
We may experience a total loss of our technology and products and our customers’ payloads if there is an accident on launch or during the journey into space, and any insurance we have may not be adequate to cover our loss.
Although there have been and will continue to be technological advances in spaceflight, it is still an inherently dangerous activity. Explosions and other accidents on launch or during the flight have occurred and will likely occur in the future. If such incident should occur, we will likely experience a total loss of our systems, products, technologies and services and our customers’ payloads. The total or partial loss of one or more of our products or customer payloads could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. For some missions, we can elect to buy launch insurance, which can reduce our monetary losses from the launch failure, but even in this case we will have losses associated with our inability to test our technology in space and delays with further technology development.
Any delays in the development and manufacture of satellites and related technology may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have previously experienced, and may experience in the future, delays or other complications in the design, manufacture, launch, production, delivery and servicing ramp of satellites and related technology. If delays like this arise or recur, if our remediation measures and process changes do not continue to be successful or if we experience issues with planned manufacturing improvements or design and safety, we could experience issues in sustaining the ramp of our spaceflight system or delays in increasing production further.
If we encounter difficulties in scaling our delivery or servicing capabilities, if we fail to develop and successfully commercialize our satellites and related technologies, if we fail to develop such technologies before our competitors, or if such technologies fail to perform as expected, are inferior to those of our competitors or are perceived as less safe than those of our competitors, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely impacted.
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Our customized hardware and software may be difficult and expensive to service, upgrade or replace.
Some of the hardware and software we use in operations is significantly customized and tailored to meet our requirements and specifications and could be difficult and expensive to service, upgrade or replace. Although we expect to maintain inventories of some spare parts, it nonetheless may be difficult, expensive or impossible to obtain replacement parts for the hardware due to a limited number of those parts being manufactured to our requirements and specifications. Also, our business plan contemplates updating or replacing some of the hardware and software in our network as technology advances, but the complexity of our requirements and specifications may present us with technical and operational challenges that complicate or otherwise make it expensive or infeasible to carry out such upgrades and replacements. If we are not able to suitably service, upgrade or replace our equipment, our ability to provide our services and therefore to generate revenue could be harmed.
Our satellites may collide with space debris or another spacecraft, which could adversely affect our operations.
Although we expect to comply with best practices and international orbital debris mitigation requirements to actively maneuver our satellites to avoid potential collisions with space debris or other spacecraft, these abilities are limited by, among other factors, uncertainties and inaccuracies in the projected orbit location of, and predicted collisions with, debris objects tracked and cataloged by governments or other entities. Additionally, some space debris is too small to be tracked and therefore its orbital location is unknown; nevertheless, this debris is still large enough to potentially cause severe damage or a failure of our satellites should a collision occur. If our satellites collide with space debris or other spacecraft, our products and services could be impaired. Also, a failure of one or more of our satellites or the occurrence of equipment failures, collision damage, or other related problems that may result during the de-orbiting process could constitute an uninsured loss and could materially harm our financial condition.
If we are unable to adapt to and satisfy customer demands in a timely and cost-effective manner, or if we are unable to manufacture our products at a quantity and quality that our customers demand, our ability to grow our business may suffer.
The success of our business depends in part on effectively managing and maintaining our space services, manufacturing our products, conducting a sufficient number of launches to meet customer demand and providing customers with an experience that meets or exceeds their expectations. Even if we succeed in developing our products and completing launches within our targeted timeline, we could thereafter fail to develop the ability to produce these products at quantity with a quality management system that ensures that each unit performs as required. Any delay in our ability to produce products or complete launches at rate and with a reliable quality management system could have a material adverse on our business.
If our current or future space services do not meet expected performance or quality standards, including with respect to customer safety and satisfaction, this could cause operational delays. Further, launching satellites within restricted airspace require advance scheduling and coordination with government agencies and range owners and other users, and any high priority national defense assets will have priority in the use of these resources, which may impact our cadence of our space operations or could result in cancellations or rescheduling. Any operational or manufacturing delays or other unplanned changes to our ability to conduct our launches could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may be unable to manage our future growth effectively, which could make it difficult to execute our business strategy.
If our operations continue to grow as planned, of which there can be no assurance, we will need to expand our sales and marketing, customer and commercial strategy, products and services, supply, and manufacturing and distribution functions and initiate research and development. We will also need to continue to leverage our manufacturing and operational systems and processes, and there is no guarantee that we will be able to scale the business and the manufacture of spacecraft as currently planned or within the planned timeframe. The continued expansion of our business may also require additional manufacturing and operational facilities, as well as space for administrative support, and there is no guarantee that we will be able to find suitable locations or partners for the manufacture and operation of our products.
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Our continued growth could increase the strain on our resources, and we could experience operating difficulties, including difficulties in hiring, training and managing an increasing number of employees, finding manufacturing capacity to produce our products and related equipment, and delays in production and launches. These difficulties may result in the erosion of our brand image, divert the attention of management and key employees and impact financial and operational results. In addition, in order to continue to expand our presence around the globe, we expect to incur substantial expenses as we continue to attempt to streamline our manufacturing process, increase our launch cadence, hire more employees, and fund research and development efforts relating to new products and technologies and expand our business. If we are unable to drive commensurate growth, these costs, which include lease commitments, headcount and capital assets, could result in decreased margins, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our prospects and operations may be adversely affected by changes in consumer preferences and economic conditions that affect demand for satellite services.
Because our business is currently concentrated on commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data services, we are vulnerable to changes in consumer preferences or other market changes. The global economy has in the past, and will in the future, experience recessionary periods and periods of economic instability. During such periods, our potential customers may choose not to expend the amounts that we anticipate based on our expectations with respect to the addressable market for satellite services. There could be a number of other effects from adverse general business and economic conditions on our business, including insolvency of any of our third-party suppliers or contractors, decreased consumer confidence, decreased discretionary spending and reduced customer or governmental demand for satellites and other products we produce, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Adverse publicity stemming from any incident involving us or our competitors, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We are at risk of adverse publicity stemming from any public incident involving our company, our people or our brand. If any of our launch partners’ vehicles or our satellites or those of one of our competitors were to be involved in a public incident, accident or catastrophe, this could create an adverse public perception of satellite launch or manufacturing activities and result in decreased customer demand for launch and satellite services, which could cause a material adverse effect on our business, financial conditions and results of operations. Further, if our launch partners’ vehicles or rockets were to be involved in a public incident, accident or catastrophe, we could be exposed to significant reputational harm or potential legal liability. Any reputational harm to our business could cause customers with existing contracts with us to cancel their contracts and could significantly impact our ability to make future sales. The insurance we carry may be inapplicable or inadequate to cover any such incident, accident or catastrophe. In the event that our insurance is inapplicable or not adequate, we may be forced to bear substantial losses from an incident or accident.
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If we are unable to maintain relationships with our existing launch partners or enter into relationships with new launch partners, we may be unable to reach our targeted annual launch rate, which could have an adverse effect on our ability to grow our business.
We do not own or operate our own launch vehicles. We rely on third party launch partners to launch our and our customers’ satellites. Part of our strategy involves increasing our launch cadence and reaching approximately 100 satellites launched by 2026. Our ability to achieve such launch cadence targets will depend on our ability to maintain our relationships with our existing launch partners and add new launch partners in the future. We currently have agreements with the International Space Station and Vaya Space and expect to enter into a variety of arrangements to secure additional launch partners. We may in the future experience delays in our efforts to secure additional launch partners. Challenges as a result of regulatory processes or in the ability of our partners to secure the necessary permissions to establish launch sites could delay our ability to achieve our target cadence and could adversely affect our business.
We are dependent on third-party launch vehicles to deliver our systems, products, and technologies into space. If the number of companies offering launch services or the number of launches does not grow in the future or there is a consolidation among companies who offer these services, this could result in a shortage of space on these launch vehicles, which may cause delays in our ability to meet our customers’ needs. Additionally, a shortage of space available on launch vehicles may cause prices to increase or cause delays in our ability to meet our customers’ needs. Either of these situations could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
Further, if a launch is delayed, our timing for recognition of revenue may be impacted depending on the length of the delay and the nature of the contract with the customers with payloads on such delayed flight. Such a delay in recognizing revenue could materially impact our financial statements or result in negative impacts to our earnings during a specified time period, which could have a material effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
We rely on a limited number of suppliers for certain raw materials and supplied components. We may not be able to obtain sufficient raw materials or supplied components to meet our manufacturing and operating needs, or obtain such materials on favorable terms, which could impair our ability to fulfill our orders in a timely manner or increase our costs of production.
Our ability to manufacture our products is dependent upon sufficient availability of raw materials and supplied components, which we secure from a limited number of suppliers. Our reliance on suppliers to secure these raw materials and supplied components exposes us to volatility in the prices and availability of these materials. We may not be able to obtain sufficient supply of raw materials or supplied components, on favorable terms or at all, which could result in delays in manufacture of our products or increased costs.
In addition, we have in the past and may in the future experience delays in manufacture or operation as we go through the requalification process with any replacement third-party supplier, as well as the limitations imposed by International Traffic in Arms Regulations and other restrictions on transfer of sensitive technologies. Additionally, the imposition of tariffs on such raw materials or supplied components could have a material adverse effect on our operations. Prolonged disruptions in the supply of any of our key raw materials or components, difficulty qualifying new sources of supply, implementing use of replacement materials or new sources of supply or any volatility in prices could have a material adverse effect on our ability to operate in a cost-efficient, timely manner and could cause us to experience cancellations or delays of scheduled launches, customer cancellations or reductions in our prices and margins, any of which could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Failure of third-party contractors could adversely affect our business.
We are dependent on various third-party contractors to develop and provide certain of our components of and processes to our products. Should we experience complications with any of these components and services, we may need to delay our manufacturing activities or delay or cancel scheduled launches. We face the risk that any of our contractors may not fulfill their contracts and deliver their products or services on a timely basis, or at all. We have in the past experienced, and may in the future experience, operational complications with our contractors. The ability of our contractors to effectively satisfy our requirements could also be impacted by such contractors’ financial difficulty or damage to their operations caused by fire, terrorist attack, natural disaster, or other events. The failure of any contractors to perform to our expectations could result in shortages of certain manufacturing or operational components for our spacecraft or delays in spaceflights and harm our business. Our reliance on contractors and inability to fully control any operational difficulties with our third-party contractors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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We expect to face intense competition in the commercial space market and other industries in which we may operate.
We face intense competition in the commercial space market and amongst our competitors. Currently, our primary competitors in the commercial satellite market are BlackSky, Spire, Hawkeye-360, LoftOrbital, and IceEye. In addition, we are aware of a significant number of entities actively engaged in developing commercial launch capabilities for small and medium sized satellite payloads, including Virgin Orbit, Relativity, ABL, and Firefly, among others. Many of our current and potential competitors are larger and have substantially greater financial or other resources than we currently have or expect to have in the future, and thus may be better positioned to exploit the market need for small payloads and targeted orbital delivery, which is the focus of our business. They may also be able to devote greater resources to the development of their current and future technologies, which could overlap with our technologies, or the promotion and sale of their products and services. Our competitors could offer small launch vehicles at lower prices, which could undercut our business strategy and potential competitive edge. Our current and potential competitors may also establish cooperative or strategic relationships amongst themselves or with third parties that may further enhance their resources and offerings relative to ours. Further, it is possible that domestic or foreign companies or governments, some with greater experience in the aerospace industry or greater financial resources than we possess, will seek to provide products or services that compete directly or indirectly with ours in the future. Any such foreign competitor, for example, could benefit from subsidies from, or other protective measures by, its home country.
We believe our ability to compete successfully as a commercial provider of launch and satellite services does and will depend on a number of factors, which may change in the future due to increased competition, including the price of our products and services, consumer satisfaction for the experiences we offer, and the frequency and availability of our products and services. If we are unable to compete successfully, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We may in the future invest significant resources in developing new service offerings and exploring the application of our proprietary technologies for other uses and those opportunities may never materialize.
While our primary focus for the foreseeable future will be on commencing our commercial launch activities, increasing our launch cadence, and fully expanding our satellite operations center, we may also invest significant resources in developing new technologies, services, products, and offerings. However, we may not realize the expected benefits of these investments. These anticipated technologies, however, are unproven and these products or technologies may never materialize or be commercialized in a way that would allow us to generate ancillary revenue streams. Relatedly, if such technologies become viable offerings in the future, we may be subject to competition from our competitors within the commercial launch and satellite industries, some of which may have substantially greater monetary and knowledge resources than we have and expect to have in the future to devote to the development of these technologies. Such competition or any limitations on our ability to take advantage of such technologies could impact our market share, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Such research and development initiatives may also have a high degree of risk and involve unproven business strategies and technologies with which we have limited operating or development experience. They may involve claims and liabilities (including, but not limited to, personal injury claims), expenses, regulatory challenges, and other risks that we may not be able to anticipate. There can be no assurance that customer demand for such initiatives will exist or be sustained at the levels that we anticipate, or that any of these initiatives will gain sufficient traction or market acceptance to generate sufficient revenue to offset any new expenses or liabilities associated with these new investments. Further, any such research and development efforts could distract management from current operations and would divert capital and other resources from our more established offerings and technologies. Even if we were to be successful in developing new products, services, offerings or technologies, regulatory authorities may subject us to new rules or restrictions in response to our innovations that may increase our expenses or prevent us from successfully commercializing new products, services, offerings, or technologies.
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If we fail to adequately protect our proprietary intellectual property rights, our competitive position could be impaired and we may lose valuable assets, generate reduced revenue and incur costly litigation to protect our rights.
Our success depends, in part, on our ability to protect our proprietary intellectual property rights, including certain methodologies, practices, tools, technologies and technical expertise we utilize in designing, developing, implementing, and maintaining applications and processes used in our satellite systems and related technologies. To date, we have relied primarily on trade secrets and other intellectual property laws, non-disclosure agreements with our employees, consultants and other relevant persons and other measures to protect our intellectual property and intend to continue to rely on these and other means, including patent protection, in the future. However, the steps we take to protect our intellectual property may be inadequate, and we may choose not to pursue or maintain protection for our intellectual property in the United States or foreign jurisdictions. We will not be able to protect our intellectual property if we are unable to enforce our rights or if we do not detect unauthorized use of our intellectual property. Despite our precautions, it may be possible for unauthorized third parties to copy our technology and use information that we regard as proprietary to create technology that competes with ours.
Further, the laws of some countries do not protect proprietary rights to the same extent as the laws of the United States, and mechanisms for enforcement of intellectual property rights in some foreign countries may be inadequate. To the extent we expand our international activities, our exposure to unauthorized copying and use of our technologies and proprietary information may increase. Accordingly, despite our efforts, we may be unable to prevent third parties from infringing upon, misappropriating or otherwise violating our technology and intellectual property.
We rely in part on trade secrets, proprietary know-how and other confidential information to maintain our competitive position. Although we enter into non-disclosure and invention assignment agreements with our employees, enter into non-disclosure agreements with our customers, consultants, and other parties with whom we have strategic relationships and business alliances and enter into intellectual property assignment agreements with our consultants and vendors, no assurance can be given that these agreements will be effective in controlling access to and distribution of our technology and proprietary information. Further, these agreements do not prevent our competitors from independently developing technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to our products.
Protecting and defending against intellectual property claims may have a material adverse effect on our business.
Our success depends in part upon successful prosecution, maintenance, enforcement and protection of our owned and licensed intellectual property.
To protect our intellectual property rights, we may be required to spend significant resources to monitor and protect these rights. Litigation may be necessary in the future to enforce our intellectual property rights and to protect our trade secrets. Such litigation could be costly, time consuming and distracting to management and could result in the impairment or loss of portions of our intellectual property. Furthermore, our efforts to enforce our intellectual property rights may be met with defenses, counterclaims and countersuits attacking the validity and enforceability of our intellectual property rights. Our inability to protect our proprietary technology, as well as any costly litigation or diversion of our management’s attention and resources, could disrupt our business, as well as have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. The results of intellectual property litigation are difficult to predict and may require us to stop using certain technologies or offering certain services or may result in significant damage awards or settlement costs. There is no guarantee that any action to defend, maintain or enforce our owned or licensed intellectual property rights will be successful, and an adverse result in any such proceeding could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, operating results, and prospects.
In addition, we may from time-to-time face allegations that we are infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the intellectual property rights of third parties, including the intellectual property rights of our competitors. We may be unaware of the intellectual property rights that others may claim cover some or all of our technology or services. Irrespective of the validity of any such claims, we could incur significant costs and diversion of resources in defending against them, and there is no guarantee any such defense would be successful, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, contracts, financial condition, operating results, liquidity, and prospects.
Even if these matters do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor or without significant cash settlements, these matters, and the time and resources necessary to litigate or resolve them, could divert the time and resources of our management team, and harm our business, our operating results and our reputation.
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The majority of our customer contracts may be terminated by the customer at any time for convenience as well as other provisions permitting the customer to discontinue contract performance for cause (for example, if we do not achieve certain milestones on a timely basis). If our contracts are terminated or if we experience any other contract-related risks, our results of operations may be adversely impacted. In addition, some of our customers are government entities, which subjects us to additional risks including early termination, audits, investigations, sanctions, and penalties.
We are subject to a variety of contract-related risks. Some of our existing customer contracts, including those with the government, include provisions allowing the customers to terminate their contracts for convenience, with a termination penalty for at least the amounts already paid, or to terminate the contracts for cause (for example, if we do not achieve certain milestones on a timely basis). Customers that terminate such contracts may also be entitled to a pro rata refund of the amount of the customer’s deposit. In addition, some of our customers are pre-revenue startups or otherwise not fully established companies, which exposes us to a degree of counterparty credit risk.
Part of our strategy is to market our space and satellite manufacturing and launch and data services to key government customers. We expect we may derive limited revenue from contracts with NASA and the U.S. government and may enter into further contracts with the U.S. or foreign governments in the future, and this subjects us to statutes and regulations applicable to companies doing business with the U.S. government, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation. These U.S. government contracts customarily contain provisions that give the government substantial rights and remedies, many of which are not typically found in commercial contracts, and which are unfavorable to contractors. For instance, most U.S. government agencies include provisions that allow the government to unilaterally terminate or modify contracts for convenience, in which case the counterparty to the contract may generally recover only its incurred or committed costs and settlement expenses and profit on work completed prior to the termination. If the government terminates a contract for default, the defaulting party may be liable for any extra costs incurred by the government in procuring undelivered items from another source.
Our government contracts may be subject to the approval of appropriations being made by the U.S. Congress to fund the expenditures under these contracts. In addition, government contracts normally contain additional requirements that may increase our costs of doing business, reduce our profits, and expose us to liability for failure to comply with these terms and conditions. These requirements include, for example:
| ● | specialized disclosure and accounting requirements unique to government contracts; |
| ● | financial and compliance audits that may result in potential liability for price adjustments, recoupment of government funds after such funds have been spent, civil and criminal penalties, or administrative sanctions such as suspension or debarment from doing business with the U.S. government; |
| ● | public disclosures of certain contract and company information; and |
| ● | mandatory socioeconomic compliance requirements, including labor requirements, non-discrimination and affirmative action programs and environmental compliance requirements. |
Government contracts are also generally subject to greater scrutiny by the government, which can initiate reviews, audits, and investigations regarding our compliance with government contract requirements. In addition, if we fail to comply with government contract laws, regulations and contract requirements, our contracts may be subject to termination, and we may be subject to financial and/or other liability under our contracts, the Federal Civil False Claims Act (including treble damages and other penalties), or criminal law. In particular, the False Claims Act’s “whistleblower” provisions also allow private individuals, including present and former employees, to sue on behalf of the U.S. government. Any penalties, damages, fines, suspension, or damages could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results. If any customer were to unexpectedly terminate, cancel, or decline to exercise an option to renew with respect to one or more of our significant contracts for any reason, including as a result of our failure to meet certain performance milestones, or if a government customer were to suspend or debar us from doing business with such government, our business, financial condition, and results of operations would be materially harmed.
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If we commercialize outside the United States, we will be exposed to a variety of risks associated with international operations that could materially and adversely affect our business.
As part of our growth, we aim to establish offices and partnerships outside of the United States. We plan to continue to build our pipeline of global customers to include joint ventures and strategic partnerships. As we expand internationally, we expect that we would be subject to additional risks related to entering into international business relationships, including:
| ● | restructuring our operations to comply with local regulatory regimes; | |
| ● | identifying, hiring and training highly skilled personnel; | |
| ● | unexpected changes in tariffs, trade barriers and regulatory requirements, including through the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, or ITAR, Export Administration Regulations, or EAR, and Office of Foreign Assets Control, or OFAC, International Telecommunications Union, or ITU; | |
| ● | economic weakness, including inflation, or political instability in foreign economies and markets; | |
| ● | compliance with tax, employment, immigration, and labor laws for employees living or traveling abroad; | |
| ● | foreign taxes, including withholding of payroll taxes; | |
| ● | the need for U.S. government approval to operate our spaceflight systems outside the United States; | |
| ● | foreign currency fluctuations, which could result in increased operating expenses and reduced revenue; | |
| ● | government appropriation of assets; | |
| ● | workforce uncertainty in countries where labor unrest is more common than in the United States; and | |
| ● | disadvantages of competing against companies from countries that are not subject to U.S. laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, OFAC regulations and U.S. anti-money laundering regulations, as well as exposure of our foreign operations to liability under these regulatory regimes. |
Our business is subject to a wide variety of extensive and evolving government laws and regulations. Failure to comply with such laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are subject to a wide variety of laws and regulations relating to various aspects of our business, including with respect to our satellite system operations, employment and labor, health care, tax, privacy and data security, health and safety, and environmental issues. Laws and regulations at the foreign, federal, state, and local levels frequently change, especially in relation to new and emerging industries, and we cannot always reasonably predict the impact from, or the ultimate cost of compliance with, current or future regulatory or administrative changes. We monitor these developments and devote a significant amount of management’s time and external resources towards compliance with these laws, regulations and guidelines, and such compliance places a significant burden on management’s time and other resources, and it may limit our ability to expand into certain jurisdictions. Moreover, changes in law, the imposition of new or additional regulations or the enactment of any new or more stringent legislation that impacts our business could require us to change the way we operate and could have a material adverse effect on our sales, profitability, cash flows and financial condition.
Failure to comply with these laws, such as with respect to obtaining and maintaining licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits critical for the operation of our business, may result in civil penalties or private lawsuits, or the suspension or revocation of licenses, certificates, authorizations or permits, which would prevent us from operating our business. For example, deploying space assets such as satellites in the United States require licenses and permits from certain agencies of the Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, and review by other agencies of the U.S. Government, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or “NOAA”, the Department of Defense, Department of State, NASA, Federal Communications Commission, or the “FCC” and the International Telecommunications Union, or the “ITU”. License approval includes an interagency review of safety, operational, national security, and foreign policy and international obligations implications, as well as a review of foreign ownership. Delays in licensing and approvals allowing us to deploy our commercial satellites could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our financial results.
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Moreover, regulation of our industry is still evolving, and new or different laws or regulations could affect our operations, increase direct compliance costs for us or cause any third-party suppliers or contractors to raise the prices they charge us because of increased compliance costs. Application of these laws to our business may negatively impact our performance in various ways, limiting the collaborations we may pursue, further regulating the export and re-export of our products, services, and technology from the United States and abroad, and increasing our costs and the time necessary to obtain required authorization. The adoption of a multi-layered regulatory approach to any one of the laws or regulations to which we are or may become subject, particularly where the layers are in conflict, could require alteration of our manufacturing processes or operational parameters which may adversely impact our business. We may not be in complete compliance with all such requirements at all times and, even when we believe we are in complete compliance, a regulatory agency may determine that we are not. The timing of our satellite deployments may depend on the ability of our partners to secure regulatory licenses from the FAA and the FCC/ITU.
A component of our near-term strategy involves increasing our launch cadence by accelerating our development and production efforts and adding additional launch partners. Our ability to achieve this increased launch cadence within the timeframe in which we hope to do so will depend on the ability of our launch partners to secure the necessary regulatory licenses from the FAA, the FCC/ITU and other regulatory authorities. If our launch partners fail to obtain the licenses necessary to support our anticipated launch cadence, or any delays or hurdles that present in our interactions with the FAA, the FCC/ITU or other regulatory authorities, could impact our ability to grow our business, could delay our ability to execute on our existing and future customer contracts and could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We are subject to stringent U.S. export and import control laws and regulations. Unfavorable changes in these laws and regulations or U.S. government licensing policies, our failure to secure timely U.S. government authorizations under these laws and regulations, or our failure to comply with these laws and regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operation.
Our business is subject to stringent U.S. import and export control laws and regulations as well as economic sanctions laws and regulations. We are required to import and export our products, software, technology, and services, as well as run our operations in the United States, in full compliance with such laws and regulations, which include the EAR, the ITAR, and economic sanctions administered by the Treasury Department’s OFAC. Similar laws that impact our business exist in other jurisdictions. These foreign trade controls prohibit, restrict, or regulate our ability to, directly or indirectly, export, deemed export, re-export, deemed re-export or transfer certain hardware, technical data, technology, software, or services to certain countries and territories, entities, and individuals, and for end uses. If we are found to be in violation of these laws and regulations, it could result in civil and criminal, monetary and non-monetary penalties, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, and reputational harm.
Pursuant to these foreign trade control laws and regulations, we are required, among other things, to (i) maintain a registration under the ITAR, (ii) determine the proper licensing jurisdiction and export classification of products, software, and technology, and (iii) obtain licenses or other forms of U.S. government authorization to engage in the conduct of our spaceflight business. The authorization requirements include the need to get permission to release controlled technology to foreign person employees and other foreign persons. Changes in U.S. foreign trade control laws and regulations, or reclassifications of our products or technologies, may restrict our operations. The inability to secure and maintain necessary licenses and other authorizations could negatively impact our ability to compete successfully or to operate our spaceflight business as planned. Any changes in the export control regulations or U.S. government licensing policy, such as those necessary to implement U.S. government commitments to multilateral control regimes, may restrict our operations. Given the great discretion the government has in issuing or denying such authorizations to advance U.S. national security and foreign policy interests, there can be no assurance we will be successful in our future efforts to secure and maintain necessary licenses, registrations, or other U.S. government regulatory approvals.
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Under the “Exon-Florio Amendment” to the U.S. Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (the “DPA”), the U.S. President has the power to disrupt or block certain foreign investments in U.S. businesses if he determines that such a transaction threatens U.S. national security. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) has been delegated the authority to conduct national security reviews of certain foreign investments. CFIUS may impose mitigation conditions to grant clearance of a transaction.
The Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (“FIRRMA”), enacted in 2018, amended the DPA to, among other things, expand CFIUS’s jurisdiction beyond acquisitions of control of U.S. businesses. Under FIRRMA, CFIUS also has jurisdiction over certain foreign non-controlling investments in U.S. businesses that are involved with critical technology or critical infrastructure, or that collect and maintain sensitive personal data of U.S. citizens (“TID U.S. Businesses”), if the foreign investor receives specified triggering rights in connection with its investment. We are a TID U.S. Business because we develop and design technologies that would be considered critical technologies. Certain foreign investments in TID U.S. Businesses are subject to mandatory filing with CFIUS. These restrictions on the ability of foreign persons to invest in us could limit our ability to engage in strategic transactions that could benefit our stockholders, including a change of control, and could also affect the price that an investor may be willing to pay for our common stock.
Failure to comply with federal, state, and foreign laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection and consumer protection, or the expansion of current or the enactment of new laws or regulations relating to privacy, data protection and consumer protection, could adversely affect our business and our financial condition.
We collect, store, process, and use personal information and other customer data, and we rely in part on third parties that are not directly under our control to manage certain of these operations and to collect, store, process and use payment information. Due to the volume and sensitivity of the personal information and data we and these third parties manage and expect to manage in the future, as well as the nature of our customer base, the security features of our information systems are critical. A variety of federal, state, and foreign laws and regulations govern the collection, use, retention, sharing and security of this information. Laws and regulations relating to privacy, data protection and consumer protection are evolving and subject to potentially differing interpretations. These requirements may not be harmonized, may be interpreted, and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another or may conflict with other rules or our practices. As a result, our practices may not have complied or may not comply in the future with all such laws, regulations, requirements, and obligations.
We expect that new industry standards, laws and regulations will continue to be proposed regarding privacy, data protection and information security in many jurisdictions. We cannot yet determine the impact such future laws, regulations and standards may have on our business. Complying with these evolving obligations is costly.
As we expand our international presence, we may also become subject to additional privacy rules, many of which, such as the General Data Protection Regulation promulgated by the European Union (the “GDPR”) and national laws supplementing the GDPR, such as in the United Kingdom, are significantly more stringent than those currently enforced in the United States. The law requires companies to meet stringent requirements regarding the handling of personal data of individuals located in the EEA. These more stringent requirements include expanded disclosures to inform customers about how we may use their personal data through external privacy notices, increased controls on profiling customers and increased rights for data subjects (including customers and employees) to access, control and delete their personal data. In addition, there are mandatory data breach notification requirements. The law also includes significant penalties for non-compliance, which may result in monetary penalties of up to the higher of €20.0 million or 4% of a group’s worldwide turnover for the preceding financial year for the most serious violations. The GDPR and other similar regulations require companies to give specific types of notice and informed consent is required for the placement of a cookie or similar technologies on a user’s device for online tracking for behavioral advertising and other purposes and for direct electronic marketing, and the GDPR also imposes additional conditions in order to satisfy such consent, such as a prohibition on pre-checked tick boxes and bundled consents, thereby requiring customers to affirmatively consent for a given purpose through separate tick boxes or other affirmative action.
A significant data breach or any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any federal, state or foreign privacy or consumer protection-related laws, regulations or other principles or orders to which we may be subject or other legal obligations relating to privacy or consumer protection could adversely affect our reputation, brand and business, and may result in claims, investigations, proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others or other penalties or liabilities or require us to change our operations and/or cease using certain data sets. Depending on the nature of the information compromised, we may also have obligations to notify users, law enforcement or payment companies about the incident and may need to provide some form of remedy, such as refunds, for the individuals affected by the incident.
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Failures in our technology infrastructure could damage our business, reputation and brand and substantially harm our business and results of operations.
If our main data center were to fail, or if we were to suffer an interruption or degradation of services at our main data center, we could lose important manufacturing and technical data, which could harm our business. Our facilities are vulnerable to damage or interruption from earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, cyber security attacks, terrorist attacks, power losses, telecommunications failures, and similar events. In the event that our or any third-party provider’s systems or service abilities are hindered by any of the events discussed above, our ability to operate may be impaired. A decision to close the facilities without adequate notice, or other unanticipated problems, could adversely impact our operations. Any of the aforementioned risks may be augmented if our or any third-party provider’s business continuity and disaster recovery plans prove to be inadequate. The facilities also could be subject to break-ins, computer viruses, sabotage, intentional acts of vandalism and other misconduct. Any security breach, including personal data breaches, or incident, including cybersecurity incidents, that we experience could result in unauthorized access to, misuse of or unauthorized acquisition of our or our customers’ data, the loss, corruption or alteration of this data, interruptions in our operations or damage to our computer hardware or systems or those of our customers. Moreover, negative publicity arising from these types of disruptions could damage our reputation. We may not carry sufficient business interruption insurance to compensate us for losses that may occur as a result of any events that cause interruptions in our service. Significant unavailability of our services due to attacks could cause users to cease using our services and materially and adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition, and results of operations.
We are highly dependent on our senior management team and other highly skilled personnel, and if we are not successful in attracting or retaining highly qualified personnel, we may not be able to successfully implement our business strategy.
Our success depends, in significant part, on the continued services of our senior management team and on our ability to attract, motivate, develop, and retain a sufficient number of other highly skilled personnel, including engineers, manufacturing and quality assurance, design, finance, marketing, sales and support personnel. Our senior management team has extensive experience in the aerospace industry, and we believe that their depth of experience is instrumental to our continued success. The loss of any one or more members of our senior management team, for any reason, including resignation or retirement, could impair our ability to execute our business strategy and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Competition for qualified highly skilled personnel can be strong, and we can provide no assurance that we will be successful in attracting or retaining such personnel now or in the future. We have not yet started production level satellite manufacturing, launch and data operations, and our estimates of the required team size to support our estimated flight rates may require increases in staffing levels that may require significant capital expenditure. Further, any inability to recruit, develop and retain qualified employees may result in high employee turnover and may force us to pay significantly higher wages, which may harm our profitability. Additionally, we only carry key man insurance for our Chief Executive Officer, and the loss of any key employee or our inability to recruit, develop and retain these individuals as needed, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Any acquisitions, partnerships, or joint ventures that we enter into could disrupt our operations and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
From time to time, we may evaluate potential strategic acquisitions of businesses, including partnerships or joint ventures with third parties, both domestic and international. We may not be successful in identifying acquisition, partnership, and joint venture candidates. In addition, we may not be able to continue the operational success of such businesses or successfully finance or integrate any businesses that we acquire or with which we form a partnership or joint venture. We may have potential write-offs of acquired assets and/or an impairment of any goodwill recorded as a result of acquisitions. Furthermore, the integration of any acquisition may divert management’s time and resources from our core business and disrupt our operations or may result in conflicts with our business. Any acquisition, partnership or joint venture may not be successful, may reduce our cash reserves, may negatively affect our earnings and financial performance and, to the extent financed with the proceeds of debt, may increase our indebtedness. We cannot ensure that any acquisition, partnership, or joint venture we make will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
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We may experience difficulties in integrating the operations of acquired companies into our business and in realizing the expected benefits of these acquisitions.
Acquisitions involve numerous risks, any of which could harm our business and negatively affect our financial condition and results of operations. The success of any acquisition will depend in part on our ability to realize the anticipated business opportunities from combining their and our operations in an efficient and effective manner. These integration processes could take longer than anticipated and could result in the loss of key employees, the disruption of each company’s ongoing businesses, tax costs or inefficiencies, or inconsistencies in standards, controls, information technology systems, procedures and policies, any of which could adversely affect our ability to maintain relationships with customers, employees or other third parties, or our ability to achieve the anticipated benefits of the acquisitions, and could harm our financial performance. If we are unable to successfully or timely integrate the operations of an acquired company with our business, we may incur unanticipated liabilities and be unable to realize the revenue growth, synergies and other anticipated benefits resulting from the acquisitions, or fully offset the costs of the acquisition, and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.
We are subject to many hazards and operational risks that can disrupt our business, including interruptions or disruptions in service at our primary facilities, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Our operations are subject to many hazards and operational risks inherent to our business, including general business risks, product liability and damage to third parties, our infrastructure or properties that may be caused by fires, floods and other natural disasters, power losses, telecommunications failures, terrorist attacks, human errors and similar events. Additionally, our manufacturing operations are hazardous at times and may expose us to safety risks, including environmental risks and health and safety hazards to our employees or third parties.
Moreover, our operations are entirely based in and around our Cape Canaveral, Florida facility, where our machine shop, production facilities, administrative offices, and engineering functions are located. Any significant interruption due to any of the above hazards and operational to the manufacturing or operation of our facilities, including from weather conditions, growth constraints, performance by third-party providers (such as electric, utility or telecommunications providers), failure to properly handle and use hazardous materials, failure of computer systems, power supplies, fuel supplies, infrastructure damage, disagreements with the owners of the land on which our facilities are located could result in manufacturing delays or the delay or cancellation of our planned commercial satellite launches and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, our insurance coverage may be inadequate to cover our liabilities related to such hazards or operational risks. Moreover, we may not be able to maintain adequate insurance in the future at rates we consider reasonable and commercially justifiable, and insurance may not continue to be available on terms as favorable as our current arrangements. The occurrence of a significant uninsured claim, or a claim in excess of the insurance coverage limits maintained by us, could harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have not historically obtained and may not maintain launch or in-orbit insurance coverage for our satellites to address the risk of potential systemic anomalies, failures, collisions with our satellites or other satellites or debris, or catastrophic events affecting the existing satellite system. If one or more of our launches result in catastrophic failure or one or more of our in-orbit satellites or payloads fail, and we have not obtained insurance coverage, we could be required to record significant impairment charges for the satellite or payload.
We have not historically obtained and may not maintain launch or in-orbit insurance coverage for our satellites to address the risk of potential systemic anomalies, failures, collisions with our satellites or other satellites or debris, or catastrophic events affecting the existing satellite system. If one or more of our in-orbit uninsured satellites or payloads fail, or one or more of our uninsured satellites is destroyed during failed launch, we could be required to record significant impairment charges for the satellite or payload. We may review the purchase of launch insurance on a case-by-case basis evaluating the launch history of our launch provider, number of satellites to be deployed on the launch vehicle, the status of our constellation, our ability to launch additional satellites in the near term, and the cost of insurance, among other factors. As a result of our case-by-case evaluation process, we have procured launch insurance for our next four upcoming launches, which policies are subject to the typical terms and conditions regarding, among other things, cancellation and scope of coverage. We do not maintain third-party liability insurance with respect to our satellites. Accordingly, we currently have no insurance to cover any third-party damages that may be caused by any of our satellites, including personal and property insurance. If we experience significant uninsured losses, such events could have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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Natural disasters, unusual weather conditions, epidemic outbreaks, global health crises, terrorist acts and political events could disrupt our business and flight schedule.
The occurrence of one or more natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, fires, floods and earthquakes, unusual weather conditions, epidemic outbreaks, terrorist attacks or disruptive political events in certain regions where our facilities are located, or where our third-party contractors’ and suppliers’ facilities are located, could adversely affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations. Severe weather, such as rainfall, snowfall, or extreme temperatures, may impact the ability of our satellite launch and data services to be carried out as planned, resulting in additional expense to reschedule such service, thereby reducing our sales and profitability. Terrorist attacks, actual or threatened acts of war or the escalation of current hostilities, or any other military or trade disruptions impacting our domestic or foreign suppliers of components of our products, may impact our operations by, among other things, causing supply chain disruptions and increases in commodity prices, which could adversely affect our raw materials or transportation costs. These events also could cause or act to prolong an economic recession in the United States or abroad. To the extent these events also impact one or more of our suppliers or contractors or result in the closure of any of their facilities or our facilities, commence our commercial satellite launch activities as planned or thereafter increase our launch cadence. In addition, the disaster recovery and business continuity plans we have in place currently are limited and are unlikely to prove adequate in the event of a serious disaster or similar event. We may incur substantial expenses as a result of the limited nature of our disaster recovery and business continuity plans and, more generally, any of these events could cause consumer confidence and spending to decrease, which could adversely impact our commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data operations.
Our operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes our future operating results difficult to predict and could cause our operating results to fall below expectations or any guidance we may provide.
Our quarterly and annual operating results may fluctuate significantly, which makes it difficult for us to predict our future operating results. These fluctuations may occur due to a variety of factors, many of which are outside of our control, including, but not limited to:
| ● | the number of satellite launch missions we schedule for a period, the price at which we sell them and our ability schedule additional launch missions for repeat customers; | |
| ● | unexpected weather patterns, maintenance issues, natural disasters or other events that force us to cancel or reschedule launches; | |
| ● | the cost of raw materials or supplied components critical for the manufacture and operation of our satellite equipment; | |
| ● | the timing and cost of, and level of investment in, research and development relating to our technologies and our current or future facilities; | |
| ● | developments involving our competitors; | |
| ● | changes in governmental regulations or in the status of our regulatory approvals or applications; | |
| ● | future accounting pronouncements or changes in our accounting policies; and | |
| ● | general market conditions and other factors, including factors unrelated to our operating performance or the operating performance of our competitors. |
The individual or cumulative effects of factors discussed above could result in large fluctuations and unpredictability in our quarterly and annual operating results. As a result, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful.
This variability and unpredictability could also result in our failing to meet the expectations of industry or financial analysts or investors for any period. If our revenue or operating results fall below the expectations of analysts or investors or below any guidance we may provide, or if the guidance we provide is below the expectations of analysts or investors, the price of our common stock could decline substantially. Such a stock price decline could occur even when we have met any previously publicly stated guidance we may provide.
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We may become involved in litigation that may materially adversely affect us.
From time to time, we may become involved in various legal proceedings relating to matters incidental to the ordinary course of our business, including intellectual property, commercial, product liability, employment, class action, whistleblower and other litigation and claims, and governmental and other regulatory investigations and proceedings. Such matters can be time-consuming, divert management’s attention and resources from the operation of our business, and cause us to incur significant expenses or liability or require us to change our business practices. Because of the potential risks, expenses, and uncertainties of litigation, we may, from time to time, settle disputes, even where we believe that we have meritorious claims or defenses. Because litigation is inherently unpredictable, we cannot assure you that the results of any of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our business.
We have been focused on developing satellite manufacturing and launch capabilities and services since 2013. This limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our future prospects and the risks and challenges we may encounter.
Because we have limited historical financial data and operate in a rapidly evolving market, any predictions about its future revenue and expenses may not be as accurate as they would be if we had a longer operating history or operated in a more developed market. We have encountered in the past, and will encounter in the future, risks and uncertainties frequently experienced by growing companies with limited operating histories in rapidly changing industries. If our assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties, which we use to plan and operate our business, are incorrect or change, or if we do not address these risks successfully, our results of operations could differ materially from our expectations and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
The markets for commercial satellite manufacturing, launch and data services have not been well established as the commercialization of space is a relatively new development and is rapidly evolving. Our estimates for the total addressable markets for satellite launch and data services are based on a number of internal and third-party estimates, including our contracted revenue and sales pipeline, assumed prices at which we can offer services, assumed frequency of service, our ability to leverage our current manufacturing and operational processes and general market conditions. As a result, our estimates of the annual total addressable markets for in-space infrastructure services, as well as the expected growth rate for the total addressable market for that experience, may prove to be incorrect.
We are subject to environmental regulation and may incur substantial costs.
We are subject to federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, and ordinances relating to the protection of the environment, including those relating to emissions to the air, discharges to surface and subsurface waters, safe drinking water, greenhouse gases and the management of hazardous substances, oils and waste materials. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment may require a current or previous owner or operator of real estate to investigate and remediate hazardous or toxic substances or petroleum product releases at or from the property. Under federal law, generators of waste materials, and current and former owners or operators of facilities, can be subject to liability for investigation and remediation costs at locations that have been identified as requiring response actions. Compliance with environmental laws and regulations can require significant expenditures. In addition, we could incur costs to comply with such current or future laws and regulations, the violation of which could lead to substantial fines and penalties.
We may have to pay governmental entities or third parties for property damage and for investigation and remediation costs that they incurred in connection with any contamination at our current and former properties without regard to whether we knew of or caused the presence of the contaminants. Liability under these laws may be strict, joint and several, meaning that we could be liable for the costs of cleaning up environmental contamination regardless of fault or the amount of waste directly attributable to us. Even if more than one person may have been responsible for the contamination, each person covered by these environmental laws may be held responsible for all of the clean-up costs incurred. Environmental liabilities could arise and have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and performance. We do not believe, however, that pending environmental regulatory developments in this area will have a material effect on our capital expenditures or otherwise materially adversely affect its operations, operating costs, or competitive position.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has and could continue to negatively affect various aspects of our business, make it more difficult for us to meet our obligations to our customers, and result in reduced demand for our products and services, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, and it has since spread throughout other parts of the world, including the United States. Any outbreak of contagious diseases or other adverse public health developments could have a material adverse effect on our business operations. These impacts to our operations have included and could again in the future include disruptions or restrictions on the ability of our employees and customers to travel or our ability to pursue collaborations and other business transactions, travel to customers and/or conduct live demonstrations of our products, oversee the activities of our third-party manufacturers and suppliers. We may also be impacted by the temporary closure of the facilities of suppliers, manufacturers, or customers.
In an effort to halt the outbreak of COVID-19, a number of countries, including the United States, placed significant restrictions on travel and many businesses announced extended closures. These travel restrictions and business closures have and may in the future adversely impact our operations locally and worldwide, including our ability to manufacture, market, sell or distribute our products. Such restrictions and closure have caused or may cause temporary closures of the facilities of our suppliers, manufacturers, or customers. A disruption in the operations of our employees, suppliers, customers, manufacturers, or access to customers would likely impact our sales and operating results. We are continuing to monitor and assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our commercial operations; however, we cannot at this time accurately predict what effects these conditions will ultimately have on our operations due to uncertainties relating to the ultimate geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak and speed of vaccinations, and the length of the travel restrictions and business closures imposed by the governments of impacted countries. In addition, a significant outbreak of contagious diseases in the human population could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets of many countries, resulting in an economic downturn that could affect demand for our products and likely impact our operating results.
Changes in tax laws or regulations may increase tax uncertainty and adversely affect results of our operations and our effective tax rate.
We are subject to taxes in the United States and certain foreign jurisdictions. Due to economic and political conditions, tax rates in various jurisdictions, including the United States, may be subject to change. Our future effective tax rates could be affected by changes in the mix of earnings in countries with differing statutory tax rates, changes in the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities and changes in tax laws or their interpretation. In addition, we may be subject to income tax audits by various tax jurisdictions. Although we believe our income tax liabilities are reasonably estimated and accounted for in accordance with applicable laws and principles, an adverse resolution by one or more taxing authorities could have a material impact on the results of our operations. Further, we may be unable to utilize our net operating losses in the event a change in control is determined to have occurred.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Carol Craig, is also the Chief Executive Officer of CTC, our principal stockholder, and may allocate her time to such other business thereby causing conflicts of interest in her determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. In addition, our Chief Financial Officer is a consultant who works with other companies as chief financial officer and may allocate his time to such other businesses. This could have a negative impact on our ability to implement our plan of operation.
Our Chief Executive Officer, Carol Craig, is also the Chief Executive Officer of CTC and may not commit her full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating her time between our business and the other business. Ms. Craig spends approximately 50 hours per week working for us. Similarly, our Chief Financial Officer, Scott Silverman, is a consultant who works with other companies as chief financial officer and may not commit his full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our business and the other business. Mr. Silverman intends to spend at least 10-20 hours per week working on our matters. Furthermore, neither our Chief Executive Officer or our Chief Financial Officer are obligated to contribute any specific number of her or his hours per week to our affairs. If other business affairs require our Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer to devote more amounts of time to other affairs, including the business of CTC, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs and could have a negative impact on our ability to implement our plan of operation.
If we fail to comply with the rules under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 related to accounting controls and procedures in the future, or, if we discover additional material weaknesses and other deficiencies in our internal control and accounting procedures, our stock price could decline significantly and raising capital could be more difficult. Our management determined that our disclosure controls and procedures and internal controls were ineffective as of December 31, 2021, and if they continue to be ineffective could result in material misstatements in our financial statements.
If we fail to comply with the rules under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 related to disclosure controls and procedures in the future, or, if we discover material weaknesses and other deficiencies in our internal control and accounting procedures, our stock price could decline significantly and raising capital could be more difficult. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires annual management assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. As of December 31, 2021, our management has determined that we had a material weakness in our control environment with respect to inadequate segregation of duties in our accounting and financial reporting functions due to not having enough personnel in our accounting and financial reporting functions. If additional material weaknesses or significant deficiencies are discovered or if we otherwise fail to achieve and maintain the adequacy of our internal control, we may not be able to ensure that we can conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal controls over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Moreover, effective internal controls are necessary for us to produce reliable financial reports and are important to helping prevent financial fraud. If we cannot provide reliable financial reports or prevent fraud, our business and operating results could be harmed, investors could lose confidence in our reported financial information, and the trading price of our Class A common stock could drop significantly.
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Risks Related to our Relationship with Craig Technical Consulting, Inc.
CTC controls the direction of our business, and the concentrated ownership of our common stock will prevent you and other stockholders from influencing significant decisions.
CTC owns a 94.2% of the economic interest and voting power of our outstanding common stock. As long as CTC beneficially controls a majority of the voting power of our outstanding Class B common stock, it will generally be able to determine the outcome of all corporate actions requiring stockholder approval, including the election and removal of directors. Even if CTC were to control less than a majority of the voting power of our outstanding Class B common stock, it may influence the outcome of such corporate actions so long as it owns a significant portion of our Class B common stock. If CTC continues to hold its shares of our Class B common stock, it could remain our controlling stockholder for an extended period of time or indefinitely.
We may be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and, as a result, may qualify for, and may rely on, exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to stockholders of other companies.
As a result of the concentration of ownership of our outstanding common stock, we may be a “controlled company” within the meaning of the corporate governance standards of the Nasdaq rules. Under these rules, a listed company of which more than 50% of the voting power is held by an individual, group or another company is a “controlled company” and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements.
As a controlled company, we may rely on certain exemptions from the Nasdaq standards that may enable us not to comply with certain Nasdaq corporate governance requirements if CTC continues to control a majority of the voting power of our outstanding common stock. Accordingly, you may not have the same protections afforded to stockholders of companies that are subject to all of the corporate governance requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market.
The ownership by our Chief Executive Officer of shares of CTC common stock may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest.
The ownership by our Chief Executive Officer of shares of CTC common stock may create, or may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest. Ownership by our Chief Executive Officer of common stock of CTC, creates, or, may create the appearance of, conflicts of interest when she is faced with decisions that could have different implications for CTC than the decisions have for us. Our Chief Executive Officer has agreed to recuse herself with respect to voting on any matter coming before either CTC’s or our board of directors related to our relationship with CTC, although she will still be permitted to participate in discussions and negotiations. Any perceived conflicts of interest resulting from investors questioning the independence of our management or the integrity of corporate governance procedures may materially affect our stock price.
Risks Related to Our Class A Common Stock
We are currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market. If we are unable to maintain listing of our securities on Nasdaq or any stock exchange, our stock price could be adversely affected and the liquidity of our stock and our ability to obtain financing could be impaired and it may be more difficult for our stockholders to sell their securities.
Although our Class A common stock is currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, we may not be able to continue to meet the exchange’s minimum listing requirements or those of any other national exchange. If we are unable to maintain listing on Nasdaq or if a liquid market for our Class A common stock does not develop or is sustained, our Class A common stock may remain thinly traded.
The listing rules of Nasdaq require listing issuers to comply with certain standards in order to remain listed on its exchange. If, for any reason, we should fail to maintain compliance with these listing standards and Nasdaq should delist our securities from trading on its exchange and we are unable to obtain listing on another national securities exchange, a reduction in some or all of the following may occur, each of which could have a material adverse effect on our stockholders:
| ● | the liquidity of our Class A common stock; |
| ● | the market price of our Class A common stock; |
| ● | our ability to obtain financing for the continuation of our operations; |
| ● | the number of institutional and general investors that will consider investing in our Class A common stock; |
| ● | the number of investors in general that will consider investing in our Class A common stock; |
| ● | the number of market makers in our Class A common stock; |
| ● | the availability of information concerning the trading prices and volume of our Class A common stock; and |
| ● | the number of broker-dealers willing to execute trades in shares of our Class A common stock. |
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The dual-class structure of our common stock as contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, has the effect of concentrating voting control with those stockholders who held our Class B common stock prior to our initial public offering. This ownership will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transactions requiring stockholder approval, and that may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A common stock.
Our Class B common stock has ten votes per share, and our Class A common stock, which is the stock that we sold in our initial public offering, has one vote per share. CTC holds all of the issued and outstanding shares of our Class B common stock, representing approximately 94.2% of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock. In addition, because of the ten-to-one voting ratio between our Class B and Class A common stock, the holder of our Class B common stock could continue to control a majority of the combined voting power of our common stock and therefore control all matters submitted to our stockholders for approval until converted by our Class B common stockholder. This concentrated control may limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters for the foreseeable future, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets or other major corporate transactions requiring stockholder approval. In addition, this concentrated control may prevent or discourage unsolicited acquisition proposals or offers for our capital stock that you may feel are in your best interest as one of our stockholders. As a result, such concentrated control may adversely affect the market price of our Class A common stock.
Future transfers by holders of Class B common stock will generally result in those shares converting to Class A common stock, subject to limited exceptions as specified in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, such as transfers to family members and certain transfers effected for estate planning purposes. The conversion of Class B common stock to Class A common stock will have the effect, over time, of increasing the relative voting power of those holders of Class B common stock who retain their shares in the long term. As a result, it is possible that one or more of the persons or entities holding our Class B common stock could gain significant voting control as other holders of Class B common stock sell or otherwise convert their shares into Class A common stock.
We cannot predict the effect our dual-class structure may have on the market price of our Class A common stock.
We cannot predict whether our dual-class structure will result in a lower or more volatile market price of our Class A common stock, adverse publicity or other adverse consequences. For example, certain index providers have announced and implemented restrictions on including companies with multiple-class share structures in certain of their indices. In July 2017, FTSE Russell announced that it would require new constituents of its indices to have greater than 5% of the company’s voting rights in the hands of public stockholders, and S&P Dow Jones announced that it would no longer admit companies with multiple-class share structures to certain of its indices. Affected indices include the Russell 2000 and the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600, which together make up the S&P Composite 1500. Also in 2017, MSCI, a leading stock index provider, opened public consultations on its treatment of no-vote and multi-class structures and temporarily barred new multi-class listings from certain of its indices; however, in October 2018, MSCI announced its decision to include equity securities “with unequal voting structures” in its indices and to launch a new index that specifically includes voting rights in its eligibility criteria. Under such announced and implemented policies, the dual-class structure of our common stock would make us ineligible for inclusion in certain indices and, as a result, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and other investment vehicles that attempt to passively track those indices would not invest in our Class A common stock. These policies are relatively new and it is unclear what effect, if any, they will have on the valuations of publicly-traded companies excluded from such indices, but it is possible that they may adversely affect valuations, as compared to similar companies that are included. Due to the dual-class structure of our common stock, we will likely be excluded from certain indices and we cannot assure you that other stock indices will not take similar actions. Given the sustained flow of investment funds into passive strategies that seek to track certain indices, exclusion from certain stock indices would likely preclude investment by many of these funds and could make our Class A common stock less attractive to other investors. As a result, the market price of our Class A common stock could be adversely affected.+
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Our principal stockholders will continue to have significant influence over the election of our board of directors and approval of any significant corporate actions, including any sale of the company.
Our founders, executive officers, directors, and other principal stockholders, in the aggregate, beneficially own a majority of our outstanding stock. These stockholders currently have, and likely will continue to have, significant influence with respect to the election of our board of directors and approval or disapproval of all significant corporate actions. The concentrated voting power of these stockholders could have the effect of delaying or preventing an acquisition of the company or another significant corporate transaction.
We could be subject to securities class action litigation.
In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against companies following a decline in the market price of their securities. This risk is especially relevant for us because biotechnology companies have experienced significant share price volatility in recent years. If we face such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could harm our business.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for the shares and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our Class A common stock will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If research analysts do not establish and maintain adequate research coverage or if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our Class A common stock or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for our Class A common stock would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for our common stock to decline.
We do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, and you must rely on price appreciation of your shares of Class A common stock for return on your investment.
We have paid no cash dividends on any class of our stock to date, and we do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the near term. For the foreseeable future, we intend to retain any earnings to finance the development and expansion of our business, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our stock. Accordingly, investors must be prepared to rely on sales of their shares after price appreciation to earn an investment return, which may never occur. Investors seeking cash dividends should not purchase our shares. Any determination to pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our results of operations, financial condition, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board deems relevant.
We will incur increased costs as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to new compliance initiatives and corporate governance practices.
As a public company, and particularly after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we will incur significant legal, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur previously. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“SOX”), the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the listing requirements of Nasdaq, and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on U.S. reporting public companies, including the establishment and maintenance of effective disclosure and financial controls and corporate governance practices. Our management and other personnel will need to devote a substantial amount of time to these compliance initiatives. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. For example, we expect that these rules and regulations may make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, which in turn could make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified senior management personnel or members for our board of directors. In addition, these rules and regulations are often subject to varying interpretations, and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. Pursuant to Section 404 of SOX (“Section 404”), we will be required to furnish a report by our senior management on our internal control over financial reporting.
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While we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to include an attestation report on internal control over financial reporting issued by our independent registered public accounting firm. To prepare for eventual compliance with Section 404, once we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, we will be engaged in a process to document and evaluate our internal control over financial reporting, which is both costly and challenging. In this regard, we will need to continue to dedicate internal resources, potentially engage outside consultants and adopt a detailed work plan to assess and document the adequacy of internal control over financial reporting, continue steps to improve control processes as appropriate, validate through testing that controls are functioning as documented and implement a continuous reporting and improvement process for internal control over financial reporting. Despite our efforts, there is a risk that we will not be able to conclude, within the prescribed timeframe or at all, that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as required by Section 404.
We are an “emerging growth company,” and the reduced reporting requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our common stock less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“the JOBS Act”). For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company, we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies, including exemption from compliance with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We will remain an emerging growth company until the earlier of (1) the last day of the fiscal year (a) following the fifth anniversary of the closing of our initial public offering, (b) in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion or (c) in which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer, which means the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the end of our prior second fiscal quarter, and (2) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the prior three-year period.
In addition, under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies may delay adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies. We may elect not to avail ourselves of this exemption from new or revised accounting standards and, therefore, may be subject to the same new or revised accounting standards as other public companies that are not emerging growth companies.
We cannot predict if investors will find our common stock less attractive because we may rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our common stock less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our common stock and our share price may be more volatile.
Anti-takeover provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation and bylaws as well as provisions of Delaware law, could impair a takeover attempt.
Our certificate of incorporation, bylaws and Delaware law contain provisions which could have the effect of rendering more difficult, delaying or preventing an acquisition deemed undesirable by our board of directors. Our corporate governance documents include provisions:
| ● | authorizing “blank check” preferred stock, which could be issued by our board of directors without stockholder approval and may contain voting, liquidation, dividend, and other rights superior to our common stock; | |
| ● | limiting the liability of, and providing indemnification to, our directors and officers; | |
| ● | limiting the ability of our stockholders to call and bring business before special meetings; | |
| ● | requiring advance notice of stockholder proposals for business to be conducted at meetings of our stockholders and for nominations of candidates for election to our board of directors; | |
| ● | controlling the procedures for the conduct and scheduling of board of directors and stockholder meetings; and | |
| ● | providing our board of directors with the express power to postpone previously scheduled annual meetings and to cancel previously scheduled special meetings. |
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These provisions, alone or together, could delay or prevent hostile takeovers and changes in control or changes in our management.
As a Delaware corporation, we are also subject to provisions of Delaware law, including Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation law, which prevents some stockholders holding more than 15% of our outstanding common stock from engaging in certain business combinations without approval of the holders of substantially all of our outstanding common stock.
Any provision of our certificate of incorporation, bylaws or Delaware law that has the effect of delaying or deterring a change in control could limit the opportunity for our stockholders to receive a premium for their shares of our Class A common stock and could also affect the price that some investors are willing to pay for our Class A common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees.
Our certificate of incorporation requires that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for each of the following:
| ● | any derivative action or proceeding brought on our behalf; | |
| ● | any action asserting a claim for breach of any fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, or other employee of ours to the Company or our stockholders, creditors or other constituents; | |
| ● | any action asserting a claim against us or any director or officer of ours arising pursuant to, or a claim against us or any of our directors or officers, with respect to the interpretation or application of any provision of, the DGCL, our certificate of incorporation or bylaws; or | |
| ● | any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine; |
provided, that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any of the foregoing actions for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, any such action or actions may be brought in another state court sitting in the State of Delaware.
The exclusive forum provision is limited to the extent permitted by law, and it will not apply to claims arising under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), or for any other federal securities laws which provide for exclusive federal jurisdiction.
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended, provides that unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock are deemed to have notice of and consented to this provision.
Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all such Securities Act actions. Accordingly, both state and federal courts have jurisdiction to entertain such claims. To prevent having to litigate claims in multiple jurisdictions and the threat of inconsistent or contrary rulings by different courts, among other considerations, our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. While the Delaware courts have determined that such choice of forum provisions are facially valid, a stockholder may nevertheless seek to bring such a claim arising under the Securities Act against us, our directors, officers, or other employees in a venue other than in the federal district courts of the United States of America. In such instance, we would expect to vigorously assert the validity and enforceability of the exclusive forum provisions of our second amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
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Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, this provision may limit or discourage a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers, or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.
We note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce the provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Our corporate headquarters is located at 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200 Merritt Island, Florida 32953. We occupy facilities totaling approximately 3500 square feet under a sublease from Craig Technical Consulting, Inc., a principal stockholder and an entity owned and controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Carol Craig, pursuant to a commercial sublease agreement (the “Lease Agreement”), dated August 1, 2021. The Lease Agreement currently has a 2-year term, with no options to renew. We currently pay $4,570.07 per month plus applicable sales and use tax, which is currently 6.5% in Brevard County. We believe this location is adequate for our current operations and needs.
In addition, our manufacturing spaces are located at 175 Imperial Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920 and 400 Central Boulevard, Cape Canaveral, FL 32920. We are under lease agreements with 400 W. Central, LLC for these spaces. The Lease agreements for 175 Imperial Boulevard and 400 W. Central Boulevard currently have concurrent lease terms with one year options that end on May 31, 2024. We pay a combined amount of $22,877.75 per month plus applicable sales and use tax, which is currently 6.5% in Brevard County. We have a total of 35,700 square feet of leased space in these buildings. We believe our manufacturing spaces are adequate for our current operations and will allow for expected initial growth.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
From time to time, we may become involved in various lawsuits and legal proceedings, which arise in the ordinary course of business. Litigation is subject to inherent uncertainties and an adverse result in these or other matters may arise from time to time that may harm our business. We are currently not aware of any such legal proceedings or claims that will have, individually or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or operating results.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
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PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information
On December 14, 2021, our Class A common stock began trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SIDU.” Prior to that time, there was no public market for our common stock.
Use of Proceeds from Initial Public Offering
On December 16, 2021, we closed the initial public offering of our Class A common stock pursuant to which we issued and sold 3,000,000 shares of our Class A common stock at a price to the public of $5.00 per share. All of the shares of common stock issued and sold in our initial public offering were registered under the Securities Act pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-261288), which was declared effective by the SEC on December 13, 2021. We received net proceeds of approximately $13.4 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses borne by us. None of the expenses incurred by us were direct or indirect payments to any of (i) our directors or officers or their associates, (ii) persons owning 10% or more of our common stock, or (iii) our affiliates. There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from our initial use of proceeds as described in our final prospectus filed with the SEC on December 14, 2021 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4). Boustead Securities, LLC acted as sole book-running manager for the offering. The offering commenced on December 13, 2021 and did not terminate before all securities registered in the registration statement were sold.
Stockholders
As of March 31, 2022, there were 29 stockholders of record of our Class A common stock. The actual number of holders of our Class A common stock is greater than this number of record holders, and includes stockholders who are beneficial owners, but whose shares are held in street name by brokers or held by other nominees. This number of holders of record also does not include stockholders whose shares may be held in trust by other entities.
Dividend Policy
We have never paid or declared any cash dividends on our common stock, and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain all available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and expansion of our business. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend upon a number of factors, including our results of operations, financial condition, future prospects, contractual restrictions, restrictions imposed by applicable law and other factors our board of directors deems relevant.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During August and September 2021, we sold 3,000,000 shares of Class A common stock to various investors for gross proceeds of $3,000,000. We deemed the offer, sale and issuance of such securities to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, including Regulation D and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, relative to transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering.
On September 22, 2021, we issued 200,000 shares of restricted Class A Common Stock to 2 employees. The shares vested immediately upon the grant date. We deemed the offer, sale and issuance of such securities to be exempt from registration under the Securities Act in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act, including Regulation D and Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, relative to transactions by an issuer not involving a public offering.
ITEM 6. [RESERVED]
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITIONS AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and plan of operations together with and our accompanying consolidated financial statements and the related notes appearing elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. In addition to historical information, this discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual results may differ materially from those discussed below. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below, and those discussed in the section titled “Risk Factors” included elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. All amounts in this report are in U.S. dollars, unless otherwise noted.
Overview of Operations
We are a space-as-a-service company focused on commercial satellite design, manufacture, launch, and data collection with a vision to enable space flight heritage status for new technologies and deliver data and predictive analytics to both domestic and global customers. We are building an all-inclusive space-as-a-service platform for the global space economy. We are developing and plan to launch 100 kg (220-pound) satellites with available space to rapidly integrate customer sensors and technologies. By developing a plug-and-play operating system for space, we believe we can deliver customer sensors to orbit in months, rather than years. In addition, we intend on delivering high-impact data for insights on aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, financial technology (Fintech) and the Internet of Things. Our revenues to date have been from our space related manufacturing offerings and we have not generated revenue from our constellation space offering.
Results of Operations
Comparison of year ended December 31, 2021 to year ended December 31, 2020
The following table provides certain selected financial information for the periods presented:
| Years Ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | Change | % | |||||||||||||
| Revenue– non-related parties | $ | 789,490 | $ | 1,631,413 | $ | (841,923 | ) | (52 | )% | |||||||
| Revenue – related parties | 619,234 | 175,769 | 443,465 | 252 | % | |||||||||||
| Total revenue | 1,408,724 | 1,807,182 | (398,458 | ) | (22 | ) | ||||||||||
| Cost of revenue | 1,775,299 | 1,786,410 | (11,111 | ) | (1 | )% | ||||||||||
| Gross Profit (Loss) | (366,575 | ) | 20,772 | (387,347 | ) | (1,865 | )% | |||||||||
| Gross Profit (Loss) Percentage | (26 | )% | 1 | % | (27 | )% | (2,364 | )% | ||||||||
| Operating expense | 3,146,957 | 1,553,909 | 1,593,048 | 103 | % | |||||||||||
| Other income (expense) | (232,606 | ) | (9,769 | ) | (222,837 | ) | 2,281 | % | ||||||||
| Net loss | $ | (3,746,138 | ) | $ | (1,542,906 | ) | $ | (2,403,232 | ) | 143 | % | |||||
Revenue
The decrease in non-related party revenue of 52% for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $789,000 as compared to approximately $1.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was driven by negative impacts as a result of the Covid-19 global pandemic and due to the uneven nature of contract business. The increase in revenue from related parties of 252% to approximately $619,000 from approximately $176,000 was driven by our related party outsourcing more of its work to us as opposed to outside sources.
Cost of Revenue
The decrease in cost of revenue of 1% for the year ended December 31, 2021 to $1.77 million as compared to approximately $1.78 million for the year ended December 31, 2020 was driven by fewer materials purchases and other direct costs as a percentage of revenue. As a manufacturing entity, materials and other direct costs are a percentage of revenue. The percent change in the cost of revenue was less than the percent change in revenue due to increased costs due to inflationary pressure on labor costs and raw materials as compared to fixed rate contracts for work.
Gross Profit (Loss)
The increase in our gross loss of approximately $387,000 or 1,865% for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to a gross profit of approximately $21,000 for the year ended December 31, 2020 is primarily attributable to a reduction in revenue and and an increase in labor intensive contracts. Additionally, costs of both labor and materials increased due to inflationary pressures as a result of a strong job market and supply chain constraints.
Operating Expenses
| Years Ended | ||||||||||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | Change | % | |||||||||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||||||||||
| Payroll expense | $ | 1,503,236 | $ | 905,012 | $ | 598,224 | 66 | % | ||||||||
Sales and marketing expense | 71,111 | 154,384 | (83,273 | ) | (54 | )% | ||||||||||
| Lease expense | 253,311 | 159,122 | 94,189 | 59 | % | |||||||||||
| Depreciation expense | 34,767 | 41,521 | (6,754 | ) | (16 | )% | ||||||||||
| Professional fees | 335,604 | 19,216 | 316,388 | 1,646 | % | |||||||||||
| General and administrative expense | 948,928 | 274,654 | 674,274 | 245 | % | |||||||||||
| Total | $ | 3,146,957 | $ | 1,553,909 | $ | 1,593,048 | 103 | % | ||||||||
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Overall operating expenses increased by $1.6 million to approximately $3.15 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to approximately $1.55 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. The increase is primarily attributed to an increase in our payroll expenses to $1.5 million from $905,012 for the year ended December 31, 2020, primarily as a result of an expansion of our staff, an increase in our lease expenses to $253,311 from $159,122 as a result of our leasing more space for our expansion, an increase in our professional fees from approximately $19,000 to approximately $335,00 as a result of preparing for our initial public offering and an increase in our other general and administrative costs to $948,000 from $278,000 for the prior period, which is related to an increase in the size of our Company.
Total other income (expense)
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we had gain on forgiveness of PPP loan of $633,830, other expense of $504, financing expense related to our IPO of $768,905 and interest expense of $97,027.
During the year ended December 31, 2020, we had other income of $10,000 as a result of EIDL grants, other miscellaneous expenses of $1,500 and interest expense of $18,269.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
The following table provides selected financial data about us as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020.
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | Change | % | |||||||||||||
| Current assets | $ | 16,007,584 | $ | 582,617 | $ | 15,627,967 | 2,648 | % | ||||||||
| Current liabilities | $ | 3,810,269 | $ | 8,095,721 | $ | (4,285,452 | ) | (53 | )% | |||||||
| Working capital (deficiency) | $ | 12,197,315 | $ | (7,513,104 | ) | $ | 19,910,419 | 262 | % | |||||||
We had an accumulated deficit of $15.4 million and working capital of $12.2 million as of December 31, 2021. As of December 31, 2021, we had $13.7 million of cash.
As of December 31, 2021, the working capital surplus is due to funds raised through equity sales in relation to our initial public offering, and as of December 31, 2020, the working capital deficiency was primarily due to $7.3 million, owing to CTC, our principal stockholder.
Current assets increased by $15.6 million to $16 million as of December 31, 2021 from $582,617 as of December 31, 2020. The increase is primarily attributable to the funds raised in our initial public offering.
Current liabilities decreased by approximately $4.3 million to approximately $3.8 million as of December 31, 2021 from $8.1 million as of December 31, 2020. The decrease was attributable to a forgiveness of related party advances owed to CTC, our principal stockholder.
Cash Flow
| Years Ended | ||||||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | Change | ||||||||||
| Cash used in operating activities | $ | (2,484,778 | ) | $ | (1,587,234 | ) | $ | (897,544 | ) | |||
| Cash used in investing activities | $ | (217,840 | ) | $ | (4,508 | ) | $ | (213,332 | ) | |||
| Cash provided by financing activities | $ | 16,393,301 | $ | 1,554,579 | $ | 14,838,722 | ||||||
| Cash on hand | $ | 13,710,845 | $ | 20,162 | $ | 13,690,683 | ||||||
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Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020
For the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we did not generate positive cash flows from operating activities. For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash flows used in operating activities was approximately $2.5 million compared to approximately $1.6 million during the year ended December 31, 2020.
Cash flows used in operating activities for the year ended 2021, comprised of a net loss of $3.7 million, which was reduced by non-cash expenses of $1.4 million for stock based compensation, financing expenses and depreciation and amortization, an increase due to the forgiveness of PPP loans of approximately $634,000 and a net change in working capital of approximately $520,000.
For the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash flows used in operating activities comprised of a net loss of approximately $1.5 million, which was reduced by non-cash expenses of approximately $464,000 for depreciation and amortization, and increased in a net change in working capital of approximately $509,000.
Cash Flows from Investing Activities
During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, we purchased property and equipment in the amount of approximately $218,000 and approximately $4,500 respectively.
Cash Flows from Financing Activities
During the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash provided by financing activities of approximately $16.4 million included proceeds from our initial public offering in December, 2021 of approximately $16.3 million, net proceeds from notes payable of approximately $307,000, payments on our finance leases of approximately $75,000, repayments of notes payable of approximately $16,000 and repayments of notes payable to CTC, our principal stockholder, of $250,000. During the year ended December 31, 2020, net cash provided by financing activities of $1.5 million included proceeds from our majority shareholder of $1.6 million, proceeds from a PPP loan of approximately $322,000 and was offset by the repayment of notes payable of approximately $63,000, payments on our finance leases of approximately $260,000.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements or relationships with unconsolidated entities or financial partnerships, such as entities often referred to as structured finance or special purpose entities.
Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Judgments and Estimates
This discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported expenses incurred during the reporting periods. Our estimates are based on our historical experience and on various other factors that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying value of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. While our significant accounting policies are described in more detail in the notes to our financial statements included elsewhere in this annual report on Form 10-K, we believe that the following accounting policies are critical to understanding our historical and future performance, as these policies relate to the more significant areas involving management’s judgments and estimates.
We believe our most critical accounting policies and estimates relate to the following:
| ● | Revenue Recognition | |
| ● | Inventory | |
| ● | Lease Accounting |
| 44 |
Revenue Recognition
We adopted ASC 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers using the modified retrospective transition approach. The core principle of ASC 606 is that revenue should be recognized in a manner that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled for exchange of those goods or services. Our updated accounting policies and related disclosures are set forth below, including the disclosure for disaggregated revenue. The impact of adopting ASC 606 was not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Our revenue is recognized under Topic 606 in a manner that reasonably reflects the delivery of our services and products to customers in return for expected consideration and includes the following elements:
| ● | executed contracts with our customers that we believe are legally enforceable; | |
| ● | identification of performance obligations in the respective contract; | |
| ● | determination of the transaction price for each performance obligation in the respective contract; | |
| ● | Allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation; and | |
| ● | recognition of revenue only when we satisfy each performance obligation. |
These five elements, as applied to each our revenue category, is summarized below:
Revenues from fixed price contracts that are still in progress at month end are recognized on the percentage-of-completion method, measured by the percentage of total costs incurred to date to the estimated total costs for each contract. This method is used because management considers total costs to be the best available measure of progress on these contracts. Revenue from fixed price contracts and time-and-materials contracts that are completed in the month the work was started are recognized when the work is shipped. To achieve this core principle, we apply the following five steps: identify the contract with the client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenues when or as we satisfy a performance obligation.
Revenues from fixed price service contracts that contain provisions for milestone payments are recognized at the time of the milestone being met and payment received. This method is used because management considers that the payments are nonrefundable unless the entity fails to perform as promised. If the customer terminates the contract we are entitled only to retain any progress payments received from the customer and we have no further rights to compensation from the customer. Even though the payments made by the customer are nonrefundable, the cumulative amount of those payments is not expected, at all times throughout the contract, to at least correspond to the amount that would be necessary to compensate us for performance completed to date. Accordingly, we account for the progress under the contract as a performance obligation satisfied at a point in time. To achieve this core principle, we apply the following five steps: identify the contract with the client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenues when or as we satisfy a performance obligation.
Inventory
Inventory consists of work in progress and finished goods and consists of estimated revenue calculated on a percentage of completion based on direct labor and materials in relation to the total contract value. We do not maintain raw materials.
Leases
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The standard requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases in the balance sheet. Additionally, in July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) – Targeted Improvements, which, among other things, provides an additional transition method that would allow entities to not apply the guidance in ASU 2016-02 in the comparative periods presented in the financial statements and instead recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities - current, and operating lease liabilities - noncurrent on the balance sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment, other current liabilities, and other long-term liabilities in our balance sheets.
ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we generally use our incremental borrowing rate based on the estimated rate of interest for collateralized borrowing over a similar term of the lease payments at commencement date. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Leases with a lease term of 12 months or less at inception are not recorded on our balance sheet and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the lease term in our statement of operations.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 2012, the JOBS Act was enacted. Section 107 of the JOBS Act provides that an “emerging growth company” can take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Securities Act”) for complying with new or revised accounting standards. In other words, an “emerging growth company” can delay the adoption of certain accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies.
We have chosen to take advantage of the extended transition periods available to emerging growth companies under the JOBS Act for complying with new or revised accounting standards until those standards would otherwise apply to private companies provided under the JOBS Act. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to those of companies that comply with public company effective dates for complying with new or revised accounting standards.
We are in the process of evaluating the benefits of relying on other exemptions and reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the JOBS Act, as an “emerging growth company,” we intend to rely on certain of these exemptions, including without limitation, (i) providing an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and (ii) complying with any requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements, known as the auditor discussion and analysis. We will remain an “emerging growth company” until the earliest of (i) the last day of the fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenues of $1.07 billion or more; (ii) the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the date of the completion of this offering; (iii) the date on which we have issued more than $1 billion in nonconvertible debt during the previous three years; or (iv) the date on which we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer under the rules of the SEC.
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
As a smaller reporting company, we are not required to provide the information required by this item.
| 45 |
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
| 46 |
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the shareholders and the board of directors of Sidus Space, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Company”) as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the related consolidated statements of operations, stockholders’ equity (deficit), and cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud.
Our audit included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audit also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ BF Borgers CPA PC
Served as Auditor since 2021
April 4, 2022
| F-1 |
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Current assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accounts receivable | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable - related parties | ||||||||
| Inventory | ||||||||
| Prepaid and other current assets | ||||||||
| Total current assets | ||||||||
| Property and equipment, net | ||||||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | ||||||||
| Other | ||||||||
| Total Assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) | ||||||||
| Current Liabilities | ||||||||
| Accounts payable and other current liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued interest - related party | - | |||||||
| Deferred revenue - related party | - | |||||||
| Due to shareholder | - | |||||||
| Notes payable | - | |||||||
| Notes payable - related party | - | |||||||
| Operating lease liability | ||||||||
| Finance lease liability | ||||||||
| Total Current Liabilities | ||||||||
| Notes payable - non-current | - | |||||||
| Notes payable - related party - non-current | - | |||||||
| Operating lease liability - non-current | ||||||||
| Finance lease liability - non-current | ||||||||
| Total Liabilities | ||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies | - | - | ||||||
| Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) | ||||||||
| Preferred Stock: shares authorized; $par value; shares issued and outstanding | - | - | ||||||
| Common stock: authorized; $ par value | ||||||||
| Class A common stock: shares authorized; and shares issued and outstanding | - | |||||||
| Class B common stock: shares authorized; issued and outstanding | ||||||||
| Common stock, value | - | - | ||||||
| Additional paid-in capital | ||||||||
| Accumulated deficit | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Total Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit) | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements
| F-2 |
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Years Ended | ||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Revenue | $ | $ | ||||||
| Revenue - related parties | ||||||||
| Total Revenue | ||||||||
| Cost of revenue | ||||||||
| Gross profit (loss) | ( | ) | ||||||
| Operating expenses | ||||||||
| Payroll expenses | ||||||||
| Sales and marketing expenses | ||||||||
| Lease Expense | ||||||||
| Depreciation expense | ||||||||
| Professional fees | ||||||||
| General and administrative expense | ||||||||
| Total operating expenses | ||||||||
| Net loss from operations | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Other income (expense) | ||||||||
| Other income | - | |||||||
| Other expense | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Interest expense | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Interest expense – related party | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Gain on forgiveness of PPP loan | - | |||||||
| Finance expense | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Total other income (expense) | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Loss before income taxes | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Provision for income taxes | - | - | ||||||
| Net loss | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | ||
| Basic and diluted loss per Common Share | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | ||
| Basic and diluted weighted average number of common shares outstanding | ||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated financial statements
| F-3 |
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY (DEFICIT)
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class A Common Stock | Class B Common Stock | Additional Paid-In | Accumulated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shares | Amount | Shares | Amount | Capital | Deficit | Total | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance - December 31, 2019 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | - | - | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance - December 31, 2020 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Class A common stock and warrant issued for cash | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class A common stock issued for service | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Class A common stock issued for exercised cashless warrant | - | - | ( | ) | - | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant issued for finance expense | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt forgiveness related party | - | - | - | - | - | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net loss | - | - | - | - | - | ( | ) | ( | ) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Balance - December 31, 2021 | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Balance | $ | $ | $ | $ | ( | ) | $ | |||||||||||||||||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated financial statements.
| F-4 |
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Years Ended | ||||||||
| December 31, | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Cash Flows From Operating Activities: | ||||||||
| Net loss | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( | ) | ||
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: | ||||||||
| Stock based compensation | - | |||||||
| Finance expense | - | |||||||
| Depreciation and amortization | ||||||||
| Bad debt | - | |||||||
| Lease liability amortization | ( | ) | ||||||
| Gain on forgiveness of PPP loan | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable | ||||||||
| Accounts receivable – related party | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Inventory | ( | ) | ||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other assets | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities | ( | ) | ||||||
| Accounts payable and accrued liabilities – related party | ( | ) | ||||||
| Deferred revenue - related party | - | |||||||
| Net Cash (used in) Operating Activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Cash Flows From Investing Activities: | ||||||||
| Purchase of property and equipment | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Net Cash used in Investing Activities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Cash Flows From Financing Activities: | ||||||||
| Proceeds from issuance from common stock | - | |||||||
| Due to shareholder | ||||||||
| Proceeds from notes payable | ||||||||
| Repayment of notes payable | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Payment of lease liabilities | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Repayment of notes payable - related party | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Net Cash provided by Financing Activities | ||||||||
| Net change in cash | ( | ) | ||||||
| Cash, beginning of period | ||||||||
| Cash, end of period | $ | $ | ||||||
| Supplemental cash flow information | ||||||||
| Cash paid for interest | $ | $ | ||||||
| Cash paid for taxes | $ | $ | ||||||
| Non-cash Investing and Financing transactions: | ||||||||
| Debt forgiveness | $ | $ | ||||||
| Note payable - related party issued exchange with due to shareholder | $ | $ | ||||||
| Finance lease asset | $ | $ | ||||||
| Initial recognition of right-of-use asset | $ | $ | ||||||
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated financial statements.
| F-5 |
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2021
Note 1. Organization and Description of Business
Organization
Sidus Space Inc. (“Sidus”, “we”, “us” or the “Company”), was formed as Craig Technologies Aerospace Solutions, LLC, in the state of Florida, on July 17, 2012. On April 16, 2021, the Company filed a Certificate of Conversion to register and incorporate with the state of Delaware and on August 13, 2021 changed the company name to Sidus Space, Inc.
Description of Business
The Company is a Space-as-a-Service company focused on commercial satellite design, manufacture, launch, and data collection with a vision to enable space flight heritage status for new technologies and deliver data and predictive analytics to both domestic and global customers. We have nine (9) years of commercial, military and government manufacturing experience combined with space qualification experience, existing customers and pipeline, and International Space Station (ISS) heritage hardware. We support Commercial Space, Aerospace, Defense, Underwater Marine and other commercial and government customers. Our services include Multidisciplinary Design Engineering, Precision CNC Machining and Fabrication, Swiss Screw Machining, American Welding Society (AWS) Certified Welding and Fabrication, Electrical and Electronic Assemblies, Wire Cable harness Fabrication, 3D Composite and Metal Printing, Satellite Manufacturing, Satellite Payload Integration and Operations Support, Satellite Deployment and Microgravity testing and Research. We are building an all-inclusive space-as-a-service platform for the global space economy. Carol Craig, the founder and CEO of Sidus, has also built her namesake firm Craig Technologies into a multi-million dollar revenues aerospace and defense contracting company recognized throughout the U.S. government and commercial space industries, backed with proven experience in catalyzing the design, development, and commercialization of new and innovative space technologies and services through aerospace and defense partnerships and collaborations. We are developing and plan to launch 100 kg (220-pound) satellites with available space to rapidly integrate customer sensors and technologies. By developing a plug-and-play operating system for space, we believe we can deliver customer sensors to orbit in months, rather than years. In addition, we intend on delivering high-impact data for insights on aviation, maritime, weather, space services, earth intelligence and observation, financial technology (Fintech) and the Internet of Things. While our business has historically been centered on the design and manufacture of space hardware, our expansion into manufacture of spacecraft as well as on-orbit constellation management services and space data applications has led us to innovating in the area of space data applications. Each of these areas and initiatives addresses a critical component of our cradle-to-grave solution and value proposition for the space economy as a Space-as-a-Service company.
Note 2. Summary of Signification Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and are presented in US dollars. The Company uses the accrual basis of accounting and has adopted a December 31 fiscal year end.
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the variable interest entity (“VIE”), Aurea Alas Limited (“Aurea”), of which we are the primary beneficiary. Aurea is a Limited company organized in the Isle of Man, which entered into a license agreement with a third party vendor, whereby they licensed the rights to use certain available radio frequency spectrum for satellite communications. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation.
For entities determined to be VIEs, an evaluation is required to determine whether the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company evaluates its economic interests in the entity specifically determining if the Company has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance (“the power”) and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits that could potentially be significant to the VIE (“the benefits”). When making the determination on whether the benefits received from an entity are significant, the Company considers the total economics of the entity, and analyzes whether the Company’s share of the economics is significant. The Company utilizes qualitative factors, and, where applicable, quantitative factors, while performing the analysis.
| F-6 |
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Some of these judgments can be subjective and complex, and, consequently, actual results may differ from these estimates. Examples of estimates and assumptions include: for revenue recognition, determining the nature and timing of satisfaction of performance obligations,, the fair value of and/or potential impairment of property and equipment; product life cycles; useful lives of our property and equipment; allowances for doubtful accounts; the market value of, and demand for, our inventory; fair value calculation of warrant; and the potential outcome of uncertain tax positions that have been recognized in our consolidated financial statements or tax returns;. Actual results and outcomes may differ from management’s estimates and assumptions due to risks and uncertainties, including uncertainty in the current economic environment due to COVID-19.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
For
purposes of balance sheet presentation and reporting of cash flows, the Company considers all unrestricted demand deposits, money market
funds and highly liquid debt instruments with an original maturity of less than 90 days to be cash and cash equivalents. The Company
had
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable are recorded in accordance with ASC 310, “Receivables.” Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable. The Company does not currently have any amount recorded as an allowance for doubtful accounts. Based on management’s estimate and based on all accounts being current, the Company has not deemed it necessary to reserve for doubtful accounts at this time.
During
the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded bad debt of $
Inventory
Inventory consists of finished goods and work in progress, and consists of estimated revenue calculated on a percentage of completion based on direct labor and materials in relation to the total contract value. The Company does not maintain raw materials.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment, consisting mostly of plant and machinery, motor vehicles and computer equipment, is recorded at cost reduced by accumulated depreciation and impairment, if any. Depreciation expense is recognized over the assets’ estimated useful lives of three - ten years using the straight-line method. Major additions and improvements are capitalized as additions to the property and equipment accounts, while replacements, maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the life of the respective assets, are expensed as incurred. Estimated useful lives are periodically reviewed and, when appropriate, changes are made prospectively. When certain events or changes in operating conditions occur, asset lives may be adjusted and an impairment assessment may be performed on the recoverability of the carrying amounts.
Long-Lived Assets
Long-lived assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of these assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the undiscounted future cash flows to the recorded value of the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value.
| F-7 |
Fair Value Measurements
The Company uses a three-tier fair value hierarchy to classify and disclose all assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis, as well as assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis, in periods subsequent to their initial measurement. The hierarchy requires the Company to use observable inputs when available, and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs, when determining fair value. The three tiers are defined as follows:
| ● | Level 1—Observable inputs that reflect quoted market prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets; | |
| ● | Level 2—Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly in the marketplace for identical or similar assets and liabilities; and | |
| ● | Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market data, which require the Company to develop its own assumptions. |
The Company’s financial instruments, including cash, accounts receivable, prepaid expense and other current assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, and loans payable, are carried at historical cost. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the carrying amounts of these instruments approximated their fair values because of the short-term nature of these instruments.
Revenue Recognition
The Company adopted ASC 606 – Revenue from Contracts with Customers using the modified retrospective transition approach. The core principle of ASC 606 is that revenue should be recognized in a manner that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled for exchange of those goods or services. The Company’s updated accounting policies and related disclosures are set forth below, including the disclosure for disaggregated revenue. The impact of adopting ASC 606 was not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Revenue from the Company is recognized under Topic 606 in a manner that reasonably reflects the delivery of its services and products to customers in return for expected consideration and includes the following elements:
| ● | executed contracts with the Company’s customers that it believes are legally enforceable; | |
| ● | identification of performance obligations in the respective contract; | |
| ● | determination of the transaction price for each performance obligation in the respective contract; | |
| ● | Allocation of the transaction price to each performance obligation; and | |
| ● | recognition of revenue only when the Company satisfies each performance obligation. |
These five elements, as applied to each of the Company’s revenue category, is summarized below:
Revenues from fixed price contracts that are still in progress at month end are recognized on the percentage-of-completion method, measured by the percentage of total costs incurred to date to the estimated total costs for each contract. This method is used because management considers total costs to be the best available measure of progress on these contracts. Revenue from fixed price contracts and time-and-materials contracts that are completed in the month the work was started are recognized when the work is shipped. To achieve this core principle, we apply the following five steps: identify the contract with the client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenues when or as the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
Revenues from fixed price service contracts that contain provisions for milestone payments are recognized at the time of the milestone being met and payment received. This method is used because management considers that the payments are nonrefundable unless the entity fails to perform as promised. If the customer terminates the contract, the Company is entitled only to retain any progress payments received from the customer and the Company has no further rights to compensation from the customer. Even though the payments made by the customer are nonrefundable, the cumulative amount of those payments is not expected, at all times throughout the contract, to at least correspond to the amount that would be necessary to compensate the Company for performance completed to date. Accordingly, the Company accounts for the progress under the contract as a performance obligation satisfied at a point in time. To achieve this core principle, we apply the following five steps: identify the contract with the client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenues when or as the Company satisfies a performance obligation.
Cost of revenue
Costs are recognized when incurred. Cost of revenue consists of direct labor, subcontract, materials, depreciation on machinery and equipment, and other direct costs.
| F-8 |
The Company has adopted ASC Topic 260, “Earnings per Share” which requires presentation of basic earnings per share on the face of the statements of operations for all entities with complex capital structures and requires a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of the basic earnings per share computation. In the accompanying financial statements, basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and potentially dilutive outstanding shares of common stock during the period to reflect the potential dilution that could occur from common stock issuable through contingent share arrangements, stock options and warrants unless the result would be antidilutive. There were potentially dilutive shares of common stock outstanding for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Leases
We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities - current, and operating lease liabilities - noncurrent on the balance sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment, other current liabilities, and other long-term liabilities in our balance sheets.
ROU assets represent our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of our leases do not provide an implicit rate, we generally use our incremental borrowing rate based on the estimated rate of interest for collateralized borrowing over a similar term of the lease payments at commencement date. The operating lease ROU asset also includes any lease payments made and excludes lease incentives. Our lease terms may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that we will exercise that option. Lease expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Leases with a lease term of 12 months or less at inception are not recorded on our balance sheet and are expensed on a straight-line basis over the lease term in our statement of operations.
Income Taxes
The
Company adopted FASB ASC 740, Income Taxes, at its inception. Under FASB ASC 740, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized
for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities
and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets, including tax loss and credit carryforwards, and liabilities are measured using
enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered
or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes
the enactment date. Deferred income tax expense represents the change during the period in the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities.
The components of the deferred tax assets and liabilities are individually classified as current and non-current based on their characteristics.
Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion
or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Warrants
The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in FASB ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“ASC 480”) and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own ordinary shares and whether the warrant holders could potentially require “net cash settlement” in a circumstance outside of the Company’s control, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.
For issued or modified warrants that meet all of the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded as a component of additional paid-in capital at the time of issuance. For issued or modified warrants that do not meet all the criteria for equity classification, the warrants are required to be recorded at their initial fair value on the date of issuance, and each balance sheet date thereafter. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statements of operations. The fair value of the warrants was estimated using a Black-Scholes pricing model
| F-9 |
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (Topic 805). This ASU requires an acquirer in a business combination to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities (deferred revenue) from acquired contracts using the revenue recognition guidance in Topic 606. At the acquisition date, the acquirer applies the revenue model as if it had originated the acquired contracts. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Adoption of the ASU should be applied prospectively. Early adoption is also permitted, including adoption in an interim period. If early adopted, the amendments are applied retrospectively to all business combinations for which the acquisition date occurred during the fiscal year of adoption. This ASU is currently not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. The ASU simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by removing certain separation models in ASC 470-20, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options, for convertible instruments. The ASU updates the guidance on certain embedded conversion features that are not required to be accounted for as derivatives under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or that do not result in substantial premiums accounted for as paid-in capital, such that those features are no longer required to be separated from the host contract. The convertible debt instruments will be accounted for as a single liability measured at amortized cost. This will also result in the interest expense recognized for convertible debt instruments to be typically closer to the coupon interest rate when applying the guidance in Topic 835, Interest. Further, the ASU made amendments to the EPS guidance in Topic 260 for convertible debt instruments, the most significant impact of which is requiring the use of the if-converted method for diluted EPS calculation, and no longer allowing the net share settlement method. The ASU also made revisions to Topic 815-40, which provides guidance on how an entity must determine whether a contract qualifies for a scope exception from derivative accounting. The amendments to Topic 815-40 change the scope of contracts that are recognized as assets or liabilities. The ASU is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021, with early adoption permitted for periods beginning after December 15, 2020. Adoption of the ASU can either be on a modified retrospective or full retrospective basis. We adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2021 and do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our financial statements.
In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which simplifies the accounting for income taxes. This guidance will be effective for entities for the fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2020 on a prospective basis, with early adoption permitted. We adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2021 and do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our financial statements.
The Company has considered all other recently issued accounting pronouncements and does not believe the adoption of such pronouncements will have a material impact on its financial statements.
Note 3. Variable Interest Entity
| F-10 |
Through a declaration of trust, % of the voting rights of Aurea’s shareholders have been transferred to the Company so that the Company has effective control over Aurea and has the power to direct the activities of Aurea that most significantly impact its economic performance. There are no restrictions on the consolidated VIE’s assets and on the settlement of its liabilities and all carrying amounts of VIE’s assets and liabilities are consolidated with the Company’s financial statements.
If facts and circumstances change such that the conclusion to consolidate the VIE has changed, the Company shall disclose the primary factors that caused the change and the effect on the Company’s financial statements in the periods when the change occurs.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, Aurea’s assets and liabilities are as follows:
Schedule of Variable Interest Entities Assets and Liabilities
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Assets | ||||||||
| Cash | $ | $ | ||||||
| Prepaid and other current assets | ||||||||
| Total Assets | $ | $ | ||||||
| Liability | ||||||||
| Accounts payable and other current liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
For
the year ended December 31, 2021 and the period from inception (July 20, 2020) through December 31, 2020, Aurea’s net loss was
$
Note 4. Property and Equipment
At December 31, 2021 and 2020, property and equipment consisted of the following:
Schedule of Property and Equipment
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Office equipment | $ | $ | ||||||
| Computer equipment | ||||||||
| Vehicle | ||||||||
| Software | ||||||||
| Machinery | ||||||||
| Leasehold improvements | ||||||||
| Construction in progress | ||||||||
| Property and equipment, gross | ||||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation | $ | $ | ||||||
Depreciation
expense of property and equipment for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 is $
During
the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company purchased assets of $
| F-11 |
Note 5. Accounts payable and other current liabilities
At December 31, 2021 and 2020, Accounts payable and other current liabilities consisted of the following:
Schedule of Accounts Payable and Other Current Liabilities
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | $ | ||||||
| Payroll liabilities | ||||||||
| Credit cards | ||||||||
| Other payable | ||||||||
| Accrued interest | - | |||||||
| Insurance payable | - | |||||||
| Total accrued expenses and other liabilities | $ | $ | ||||||
Note 6. Leases
Operating lease
We
recognized total lease expense of approximately $
Future minimum lease payments under operating leases that have initial noncancelable lease terms in excess of one year at December 31, 2021 were as follows:
Summary of Future Minimum Lease Payments Under Operating Leases
| Total | ||||
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||
| 2022 | $ | |||
| 2023 | ||||
| 2024 | ||||
| Thereafter | - | |||
| Total undiscounted lease payments | ||||
| Less: Imputed interest | ( | ) | ||
| Operating lease liabilities | ||||
| Operating lease liability - current | ||||
| Operating lease liability - non-current | $ | |||
The following summarizes other supplemental information about the Company’s operating lease as of December 31, 2021:
Summary of Other Supplemental Information
| Weighted average discount rate | % | |||
| Weighted average remaining lease term (years) |
| F-12 |
Finance lease
The
Company leases machinery and office equipment under non-cancellable finance lease arrangements. The term of those capital leases is at
the range from
At December 31, 2021, future minimum lease payments under the finance lease obligations, are as follows:
Summary of Future Minimum Lease Payments Under Finance Lease Obligations
| Total | ||||
| 2022 | $ | |||
| 2023 | ||||
| 2024 | ||||
| 2025 | ||||
| 2026 | ||||
| Thereafter | - | |||
| Total undiscounted lease payments | ||||
| Less: Imputed interest | ( | ) | ||
| Finance lease liabilities | ||||
| Finance lease liability | ||||
| Finance lease liability - non-current | $ | |||
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, finance lease assets are included in property and equipment as follows:
Schedule of Finance Lease Assets in Property and Equipment
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Machinery | $ | $ | ||||||
| Accumulated depreciation | ( | ) | ( | ) | ||||
| Finance lease assets, net of accumulated depreciation | $ | $ | ||||||
During
the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recoded depreciation of finance lease assets of $
Note 7. Notes Payable
Decathlon Note
On
December 1, 2021, we entered into a Loan Assignment and Assumption Agreement, or Loan Assignment, with Decathlon Alpha IV,
L.P., or Decathlon and Craig Technical Consulting, Inc (“CTC”) pursuant to which we assumed $
Management
believes that the assumption of the Decathlon Note from CTC is in our best interests because in connection therewith, Decathlon released
us from a cross-collateralization agreement it was a party to with CTC for a loan of a greater amount. Also in connection with the Loan
Assignment on December 3, 2021, we entered into a Revenue Loan and Security Agreement, or RLSA, with Decathlon and our CEO, Carol Craig,
pursuant to which we pay interest based on a minimum rate of 1 times the amount advanced and make monthly payments based on a percentage
of our revenue calculated as an amount equal to the product of (i) all revenue for the immediately preceding month multiplied by (ii)
the Applicable Revenue Percentage, defined as
| F-13 |
During
the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recorded interest expense of $
PPP Loan
On
April 14, 2020, the Company borrowed a loan in the amount of $
In February 2021, the U.S. Small Business Administration has remitted to the Lender the principal and interest for forgiveness of the Borrower’s PPP Loan.
On
February 13, 2021, the Company borrowed a loan in the amount of $
During
the year ended December 31, 2021, the principal amount of $
Loan payable
The
Company borrowed $
At
December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had loan payable of $
Note 8. Related Party Transactions
Revenue and Accounts receivable
The
Company recognized revenue of $
Change to Accounts Payable and Due to shareholder
As
of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company owed $
| F-14 |
Note payable – related party
On
May 1, 2021, the Company converted $
On December 1, 2021, in connection with the assumption of the Decathlon Note, the Company reduced the principal of the Note
Payable – related party by recording a reclassification of $
Sublease
On
August 1, 2021, the Company entered into a Sublease Agreement with its related party Majority Shareholder (“Sublandlord”),
whereby the Company shall sublease certain offices, rooms and shared use of common spaces located at 150 Sykes Creek Parkway, Merritt
Island, FL. The Lease is a month-to-month lease, and may be terminated with 30 day’s notice to the Sublandlord. The monthly rent
shall be $
Note 9. Commitments and Contingencies
Covid-19
A novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019, and subsequently declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. As a result of the outbreak, many companies have experienced disruptions in their operations and in markets served. The Company has instituted some and may take additional temporary precautionary measures intended to help ensure the well-being of its employees and minimize business disruption. The Company considered the impact of COVID-19 on the assumptions and estimates used and determined that there were no material adverse impacts on the Company’s results of operations and financial position at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. The full extent of the future impacts of COVID-19 on the Company’s operations is uncertain. A prolonged outbreak could have a material adverse impact on financial results and business operations of the Company, including the timing and ability of the Company to collect accounts receivable and the ability of the Company to continue to provide high quality services to its clients.
Litigation
The Company is currently involved in various civil litigation in the normal course of business none of which is considered material.
License Agreement
The
consolidated financial statements include Aurea Alas Limited, which is a variable interest entity of which we are the primary beneficiary.
On August 18, 2020, Aurea entered into a license agreement with a third-party vendor (the “Vendor”), whereby they licensed
the rights to use certain available radio frequency spectrum for satellite communications. The Company shall pay an annual Reservation
Fee of $
| F-15 |
Note 10. Stockholder’s Equity
Authorized Capital Stock
On
August 31, 2021, the Company filed an amendment to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the State of Delaware to
authorize the Company to issue shares, consisting of shares of Class A Common Stock, shares of Class
B Common Stock and shares of Preferred Stock.
On December 16, 2021, the Company filed an amendment
to its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the State of Delaware to authorize the Company to issue shares,
consisting of shares of Class A Common Stock, shares of Class B Common Stock and shares of Preferred
Stock.
In
April 2021, as part of the share conversion, the Company converted the
Class A Common Stock
During
August and September 2021, the Company sold Class A shares of Common stock for $ per share for aggregate proceeds of $
On
September 22, 2021, the Board of Directors approved an issuance of shares of restricted Class A Common Stock to 2 employees valued
at $
On
December 16, 2021, the Company sold Class A shares of Common stock for $ per share for aggregate proceeds of $
During
December 2021, the Company issued
The Company had and shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Class B Common Sock
On
December 31, 2020, Mark Mikolajczyk assigned all his rights, title and
In
April 2021, as part of the share conversion, the Company converted the
On August 16, 2021, all shares of the previously issued and outstanding Common Stock, par value $ were exchanged for shares of Class B Common Stock, par value $. All Class B common share and per share information in these financial statements retroactively reflect this share exchange.
The Company had shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2020.
Warrants
During
August, September and December 2021, the Company issued a total of
| F-16 |
The Company utilizes the Black-Scholes model to value its warrants. The Company utilized the following assumptions:
Schedule of Warrant Valuation Assumption
| Year ended | ||||
| December 31, | ||||
| 2021 | ||||
| Expected term | years | |||
| Expected average volatility | - % | |||
| Expected dividend yield | ||||
| Risk-free interest rate | - % |
Note 11. Income tax
The Company has not made a provision for income taxes for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, since the Company has the benefit of net operating losses in these periods and the Company changed from a limited liability partnership to a C corporation during 2021.
Due
to uncertainties surrounding the Company’s ability to generate future taxable income to realize deferred income tax assets arising
as a result of net operating losses carried forward, the Company has not recorded any deferred income tax assets as of December
31, 2021. The Company has incurred a net operating loss of $
A reconciliation between expected income taxes, computed at the federal income tax rate of 21% applied to the pretax accounting loss, and our blended state income tax rate of 3.5%, and the income tax net expense included in the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 is as follows:
Schedule of Income Tax Reconciliation Income Tax Net Expenses
| Year Ended | Year Ended | |||||||
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Loss for the year | $ | ( | ) | $ | ( |
) | ||
| Income tax (recovery) at statutory rate | $ | ( | ) | - | ||||
| State income tax expense, net of federal tax effect | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Permanent difference and other | - | - | ||||||
| Change in valuation allowance | - | |||||||
| Income tax expense per books | $ | $ | ||||||
Net deferred tax assets consist of the following components as of:
Schedule of Net Deferred Tax Assets
| December 31, | December 31, | |||||||
| 2021 | 2020 |
|||||||
| Non-operating loss carryforward | $ | $ | - | |||||
| Valuation allowance | ( | ) | - | |||||
| Net deferred tax asset | $ | $ | ||||||
Note 12. Subsequent Events
Management evaluated all additional events subsequent to the balance sheet date and through the date the financial statements were available to be issued, and determined there have been no events that have occurred that would require adjustments to our disclosures in the consolidated financial statements
| F-17 |
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints and that management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.
Based on management’s evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as a result of the material weaknesses described below, as of December 31, 2021, our disclosure controls and procedures are not designed at a reasonable assurance level and are ineffective to provide reasonable assurance that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in SEC rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The material weaknesses, which relate to internal controls over financial reporting, that were identified is:
| a) | We did not have enough personnel in our accounting and financial reporting functions. As a result, we were not able to achieve adequate segregation of duties and were not able to provide for adequate reviewing of the financial statements. This control deficiency, which is pervasive in nature, results in a reasonable possibility that material misstatements of the financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. |
Management believes that the hiring of additional personnel who have the technical expertise and knowledge with the non-routine or technical issues we have encountered in the past will result in both proper recording of these transactions and a much more knowledgeable finance department as a whole. Due to the fact that our accounting staff consists of a part time, external Principal Financial Officer, 2 bookkeepers and external accounting consultants, additional personnel will also ensure the proper segregation of duties and provide more checks and balances within the department. Additional personnel will also provide the cross training needed to support us if personnel turnover issues within the department occur. We believe this will eliminate or greatly decrease any control and procedure issues we may encounter in the future.
We will continue to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal controls over financial reporting on an ongoing basis and are committed to taking further action and implementing additional enhancements or improvements, as necessary and as funds allow.
| b) | Changes in internal control over financial reporting. |
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting identified in connection with the evaluation required by paragraph (d) of Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act that occurred during the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2021 that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
| c) | Management’s report on internal control over financial reporting. |
Our Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the framework in Internal Control—Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective as of December 31, 2021 for the reasons discussed above. We will continue to improve our disclosure controls and procedures and our internal controls over financial reporting, and anticipate resolving the stated weaknesses by the end of the third quarter of 2022.
| 47 |
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS.
Not applicable.
PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The following table sets forth the name, age and positions of our executive officers and directors.
| Name | Age | Position | ||
| Carol Craig | 54 | Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
| Scott Silverman | 52 | Chief Financial Officer | ||
| Jamie Adams | 58 | Chief Technology Officer and Director | ||
| Dana Kilborne | 59 | Director | ||
| Cole Oliver | 43 | Director | ||
| Miguel Valero | 58 | Director |
The business background and certain other information about our directors and executive officers is set forth below.
Carol Craig. Ms. Craig is the founder of our company and has served as our Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman since 2014. Ms. Craig is also the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Craig Technical Consulting, Inc., an engineering and technology company since 1999. Ms. Craig graduated from Knox College with a BA in Computer Science and a BS in Computer Science Engineering from University of Illinois. She also has a MS degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Systems Engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology. Carol is a former P-3 Orion Naval Flight Officer and one of the first women eligible to fly in combat. She has served on over 30 boards that include educational, aerospace and defense industry and non-profit organizations. Ms. Craig was selected to serve on our board of directors due to her extensive experience in the space industry and her relationships with key players in commercial space along with her position as CEO.
Scott Silverman. Mr. Silverman has served as our Chief Financial Officer since August 2021. Mr. Silverman has been the CEO of EverAsia Financial Group, Inc., a business and accounting consulting company, since September 2007. In addition, Mr. Silverman has been CFO of Healthsnap, Inc., a telehealth company, since September 2018. Mr. Silverman was previously the CFO of Riverside Miami, LLC, a restaurant and entertainment complex, since January 2019. From December 2018 to September 2020, Mr. Silverman was CFO of Jade Global Holdings, Inc., a jewelry and sales collectible company. Since 2019, Mr. Silverman has been a partner and Chief Financial Officer of VC Capital Management, LLC, a private equity and corporate management firm that focuses its investments in the hospitality, construction, real estate and healthcare sectors. Mr. Silverman is a member of the Board of Directors of China Xiangtai Food Co. Ltd. and is a director elect of Muliang Agritech, Inc.. He has a bachelor’s degree in finance from George Washington University and a Master’s degree in accounting from NOVA Southeastern University.
| 48 |
Jamie Adams. Mr. Adams has served as our Chief Technology Officer since September 2021 and appointed to our board in December 2021. Since June 2015, Mr. Adams has worked for Lockheed Martin, most recently focused on strategic research and development in Lockheed Martin’s Autonomous Systems Group and supported Lockheed Martin’s business areas and mission and fire control (MFC) lines of business programs developing autonomous systems technology in multiple domains (air, land, sea, and space). He joined Lockheed Martin after a distinguished career NASA and Boeing. Mr. Adams’ final assignment at NASA was serving as the Associate Division Chief of NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Software, Robotics, and Simulation, Engineering Division. Mr. Adams was selected to be a director based on his vast experience in the space industry and his relationships with key players in commercial and public space.
Dana Kilborne. Ms. Kilborne was appointed to our board of directors in December 2021. Ms. Kilborne has been the President and CEO of Cypress Bank & Trust since April 2018 and CEO of Cypress Capital Group since October 2019. She is also a director of both companies. In 2004, she founded another Florida based community bank as President and CEO and sold the company in January 2018. Ms. Kilborne has over thirty years of experience in the financial services industry in Florida. She served as a Director of the Federal Reserve Board of Atlanta Bank, Jacksonville Branch and currently serves on the corporate boards of HealthFirst, Inc., Florida Tech, and NCMIC. She is past Chair of the Economic Development Commission of the Space Coast, and of Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy, where she was also a volunteer teacher. She has served on the board of several community organizations including the East Coast Zoological Society, the Advisory Board of the Bisk College of Business at Florida Tech and many other local not for profit institutions. While in South Florida, she served on the Downtown Development Authority of West Palm Beach and Rosarian Academy and was awarded the Orchid Award by the mayor of West Palm Beach for her leadership in the community. Ms. Kilborne was selected to be a director based on her broad background in finance, accounting, entrepreneurship and governance.
Cole Oliver. Mr. Oliver was appointed to our board of directors in December 2021. Mr. Oliver has been an equity partner in the law firm of Rossway Swan Tierney Barry & Oliver since 2010. Prior to beginning in private practice, Mr. Oliver served as a federal law clerk to The Honorable John Antoon, II, United States District Court Middle District of Florida. Currently, Mr. Oliver sits on the Board of Directors for Cypress Capital Group and Cypress Bank & Trust. Additionally, Mr. Oliver remains an active member of the community, currently serving as a Governing Board Member of the St. Johns River Water Management District, a member of the Brevard County Charter Review Commission, and as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy. Previously, Mr. Oliver has served as the President of the East Coast Zoological Society and as a Member of the Brevard County Economic Development Commission. He received his B.A. degree from Washington & Lee University as a history major and an MBA with a concentration in finance from Louisiana State University. Additionally, Mr. Oliver earned his J.D. degree from the University of Florida, graduating magna cum laude and serving as the Editor in Chief of the Florida Law review. Mr. Oliver was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive legal experience and his involvement and understanding of the impact of the space industry on local, federal and global economies.
Miguel Valero. Mr. Valero was appointed to our board of directors in December 2021. Since August 2007, Mr. Valero has been managing partner with Détente LLC, a strategy and financial advisory firm that focuses on technology associated with telecommunications, satellites, and space. He has worked for Lockheed Martin, Boeing Satellite Systems (formerly Hughes Communications), and Motorola in various executive positions. Miguel holds a BSEE in electronics and telecommunications. Miguel was selected to serve on our board of directors due to his extensive experience in the space industry and his relationships with key players in commercial space.
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.
Arrangements between Officers and Directors
Except as set forth in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, to our knowledge, there is no arrangement or understanding between any of our officers or directors and any other person pursuant to which such officer or director was selected to serve as an officer or director of the Company.
| 49 |
Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings
We are not aware of any of our directors or officers being involved in any legal proceedings in the past ten years relating to any matters in bankruptcy, insolvency, criminal proceedings (other than traffic and other minor offenses), or being subject to any of the items set forth under Item 401(f) of Regulation S-K.
Controlled Company Exception
CTC, in the aggregate, has more than 50% of the combined voting power for the election of directors. As a result, we are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq rules and may elect not to comply with certain corporate governance standards, including that: (i) a majority of our board of directors consists of “independent directors,” as defined under the Nasdaq rules; (ii) we have a nominating and corporate governance committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; (iii) we have a compensation committee that is composed entirely of independent directors with a written charter addressing the committee’s purpose and responsibilities; and (iv) we perform annual performance evaluations of the nominating and corporate governance and compensation committees. We have elected not to rely on the foregoing exemptions provided to controlled companies under the Nasdaq rules. Carol Craig, our Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer, is the sole owner of CTC. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Relationship with Craig Technical Consulting, Inc.” for additional information.
Committees of Our Board of Directors
Our board of directors directs the management of our business and affairs, as provided by Delaware law, and conducts its business through meetings of the board of directors and its standing committees. We have a standing audit committee and compensation committee. In addition, from time to time, special committees may be established under the direction of the board of directors when necessary to address specific issues.
Audit Committee
Our audit committee is responsible for, among other things:
| ● | Approving and retaining the independent auditors to conduct the annual audit of our financial statements; | |
| ● | reviewing the proposed scope and results of the audit; | |
| ● | reviewing and pre-approving audit and non-audit fees and services; | |
| ● | reviewing accounting and financial controls with the independent auditors and our financial and accounting staff; | |
| ● | reviewing and approving transactions between us and our directors, officers and affiliates; | |
| ● | establishing procedures for complaints received by us regarding accounting matters; | |
| ● | overseeing internal audit functions, if any; and | |
| ● | preparing the report of the audit committee that the rules of the SEC require to be included in our annual meeting proxy statement. |
Our audit committee consists of Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero, with Ms. Kilborne serving as chair. Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that Ms. Kilborne and Messrs. Oliver and Valero each meet the definition of “independent director” under the Nasdaq rules, and that they meet the independence standards under Rule 10A-3. Each member of our audit committee meets the financial literacy requirements of the Nasdaq rules. In addition, our board of directors has determined that Ms. Kilborne qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K. Our board of directors adopted a written charter for the audit committee, which is available on our principal corporate website at www.sidusspace.com.
| 50 |
Compensation Committee
Our compensation committee is responsible for, among other things:
| ● | reviewing and recommending the compensation arrangements for management, including the compensation for our president and chief executive officer; | |
| ● | establishing and reviewing general compensation policies with the objective to attract and retain superior talent, to reward individual performance and to achieve our financial goals; | |
| ● | administering our stock incentive plans; and | |
| ● | preparing the report of the compensation committee that the rules of the SEC require to be included in our annual meeting proxy statement. |
Our compensation committee will consist of Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero, with Mr. Valero serving as chair. Our board has determined that Ms. Kilborne and Messrs. Oliver and Valero are independent directors under Nasdaq rules. Our board of directors adopted a written charter for the compensation committee, which will be available on our principal corporate website at www.sidusspace.com.
Nominating and Governance
The members of our nominating and governance committee are Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero. Mr. Oliver serves as the chairperson of the committee. The nominating and corporate governance committee assists the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in determining the composition of the board and its committees.
The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for, among other things: (i) identifying and evaluating individuals qualified to become members of the board by reviewing nominees for election to the board submitted by stockholders and recommending to the board director nominees for each annual meeting of stockholders and for election to fill any vacancies on the board, (ii) advising the board with respect to board organization, desired qualifications of board members, the membership, function, operation, structure and composition of committees (including any committee authority to delegate to subcommittees), and self-evaluation and policies, (iii) advising on matters relating to corporate governance and monitoring developments in the law and practice of corporate governance, (iv) overseeing compliance with our code of ethics, and (v) approving any related party transactions.
The nominating and corporate governance committee’s methods for identifying candidates for election to our board of directors (other than those proposed by our stockholders, as discussed below) includes the solicitation of ideas for possible candidates from a number of sources—members of our board of directors, our executives, individuals personally known to the members of our board of directors, and other research. The nominating and corporate governance committee may also, from time-to-time, retain one or more third-party search firms to identify suitable candidates.
In making director recommendations, the nominating and corporate governance committee may consider some or all of the following factors: (i) the candidate’s judgment, skill, experience with other organizations of comparable purpose, complexity and size, and subject to similar legal restrictions and oversight; (ii) the interplay of the candidate’s experience with the experience of other board members; (iii) the extent to which the candidate would be a desirable addition to the board and any committee thereof; (iv) whether or not the person has any relationships that might impair his or her independence; and (v) the candidate’s ability to contribute to the effective management of our company, taking into account the needs of our company and such factors as the individual’s experience, perspective, skills and knowledge of the industry in which we operate.
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Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors and executive officers, and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities, to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our common stock and other equity securities. To our knowledge, based solely upon a review of Forms 3, 4, and 5 filed with the SEC during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021, we believe that our directors, executive officers, and greater than 10% beneficial owners have complied with all applicable filing requirements during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. A copy of the code is filed as an exhibit to this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is posted on our website, www.sidusspace.com. We intend to post on our website all disclosures that are required by law or Nasdaq rules concerning any amendments to, or waivers from, any provision of the code.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Summary Compensation Table
The following table provides certain summary information concerning compensation awarded to, earned by or paid to our Principal Executive Officer and our other highest paid executive officers whose total annual salary and bonus exceeded $100,000 (collectively, the “named executive officers”) for fiscal year 2021.
| Name and Principal Position | Year | Salary ($) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total ($) | |||||||||||||
| Carol Craig | 2021 | $ | 31,519 | (1) | - | $ | 31,519 | ||||||||||
| President & Chief Executive Officer | |||||||||||||||||
| (1) | Carol Craig, our founder and CEO, waived salary compensation from inception through December 31, 2020. On September 15, 2021, Ms. Craig began receiving compensation in the amount of $125,000 per year. |
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Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2021
There were no equity awards held by our named executive officer[s] as of December 31, 2021.
Non-Employee Director Compensation
We did not compensate our non-employee directors for their service during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.
We plan to compensate our non-employee directors for their service to the Company.
Employment Agreements
In December 2021, we entered into an employment agreement with Ms. Craig, pursuant to which Ms. Craig serves as our Founder and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Craig’s employment agreement provides for an annual base salary of $125,000 and provides that Ms. Craig will be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus, with a target equal to 100% of her base salary, based on the achievement of certain performance objectives established by our Board of Directors. Ms. Craig’s employment agreement contains standard non-competition and non-solicitation provisions. Ms. Craig is also eligible to receive additional equity-based compensation awards as the Company may grant from time to time. Ms. Craig’s employment agreement further provides for standard expense reimbursement, vacation time and other standard executive benefits.
Pursuant to Ms. Craig’s employment agreement, in the event her employment is terminated without cause, due to a non-renewal by the Company, or if she resigns for “good reason” (in each case, other than within twelve (12) months following a change in control), Ms. Craig is entitled to (i) a cash payment equal to five (5) times the sum of her (x) annual base salary and (y) target bonus in effect on her last day of employment; (ii) continuation of health benefits for a period of 24 months; (iii) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any annual bonus earned with respect to a prior fiscal year, but unpaid as of the date of termination; (iv) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of annual bonus that was accrued through the date of termination for the year in which employment ends; and (v) subject to Ms. Craig’s compliance with her restrictive covenants, the outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award that would have vested during the one (1) year period following Ms. Craig’s termination had she remained an employee shall automatically vest upon his termination date.
In the event that Ms. Craig’s employment is terminated due to her death or disability, she will be entitled to receive (i) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any annual bonus earned with respect to a prior fiscal year, but unpaid as of the date of termination; (ii) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of annual bonus that was accrued for the year in which employment ends; and (iii) the acceleration and vesting in full of any then outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award granted to her by the Company.
In the event that Ms. Craig’s employment is terminated due to her non-renewal or resignation without “good reason,” she will be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any annual bonus earned with respect to a prior fiscal year, but unpaid as of the date of termination.
In the event that Ms. Craig’s employment is terminated by the Company without cause, due to non-renewal by the Company, or if she resigns for “good reason,” in each case within twelve (12) months following a change in control, Ms. Craig is entitled to (i) a cash payment equal to ten (10) times the sum of her (x) annual base salary and (y) target bonus in effect on her last day of employment; (ii) continuation of health benefits for a period of 24 months; (iii) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any annual bonus earned with respect to a prior fiscal year, but unpaid as of the date of termination; (iv) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of annual bonus that was accrued for the year in which employment ends prior to the date of termination; and (v) the acceleration and vesting in full of any then outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award granted to her by the Company.
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Consulting Agreement
On August 21, 2021, we entered into a consulting agreement with EverAsia Financial Group, Inc. pursuant to which Scott Silverman is engaged as our Chief Financial Officer at a rate of $7,500 per month. The term of the agreement is for one (1) year and shall automatically renew for three (3) month renewal terms after the first year. The renewal term can be terminated by us or Mr. Silverman upon 30 days written notice to the other party. In the event of non-payment, Mr. Silverman shall have the right to terminate the agreement upon 15 days notice. In the event we terminate the agreement without cause, Mr. Silverman shall be paid any and all unpaid expenses and an early termination fee equal to two (2) months of consulting fees. In the event Mr. Silverman is terminated for cause, we shall pay him all consulting fees and unpaid expenses due and payable through the date of termination.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The following table sets forth certain information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 31, 2022 by:
| ● | each of our named executive officers; | |
| ● | each of our directors; | |
| ● | all of our current directors and executive officers as a group; and | |
| ● | each stockholder known by us to own beneficially more than five percent of our common stock. |
Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and includes voting or investment power with respect to the securities. Shares of common stock that may be acquired by an individual or group within 60 days of March 31, 2022, pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants or conversion of preferred stock or convertible debt, are deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of such individual or group, but are not deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other person shown in the table. Percentage of ownership is based on 6,200,000 and 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, issued and outstanding, respectively, as of March 31, 2022.
Except as indicated in footnotes to this table, we believe that the stockholders named in this table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown to be beneficially owned by them, based on information provided to us by such stockholders. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each director and executive officer listed is: c/o Sidus Space, Inc., 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, Florida 32953.
| Name of Beneficial Owner | Number of Shares of Class A Beneficially Owned | Number of Shares of Class B Beneficially Owned | Percentage of Common Stock Beneficially Owned | |||||||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers: | ||||||||||||||||
| Carol Craig(1) | - | 10,000,000 | 94.2 | |||||||||||||
| Jamie Adams | - | |||||||||||||||
| Dana Kilborne | - | |||||||||||||||
| Cole Oliver | - | |||||||||||||||
| Miguel Valero | - | |||||||||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers as a group (5 persons) | - | 10,000,000 | 94.2 | |||||||||||||
| 5% or Greater Stockholders: | ||||||||||||||||
| Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. | - | 10,000,000 | 96.9 | 94.2 | ||||||||||||
| (1) | Carol Craig is the sole owner of Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. and has beneficial ownership of the Class B shares of common stock held by Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. |
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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table summarizes information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2021.
| Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights (a) | Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights | Number of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) | |||||||||
| Equity compensation plans approved by security holder | - | - | 1,250,000 | |||||||||
| Equity compensation plans not approved by security holder | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Total | - | 1,250,000 | ||||||||||
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PARTY ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, ACCOUNTS PAYABLE AND TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The following includes a summary of transactions during our fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 to which we have been a party, including transactions in which the amount involved in the transaction exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years, and in which any of our directors, executive officers or, to our knowledge, beneficial owners of more than 5% of our capital stock or any member of the immediate family of any of the foregoing persons had or will have a direct or indirect material interest, other than equity and other compensation, termination, change in control and other arrangements, which are described elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. We are not otherwise a party to a related party transaction, and no transaction is currently proposed, in which the amount of the transaction exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at year-end for the last two completed fiscal years and in which a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.
Our corporate headquarters is located at 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200 Merritt Island, Florida 32953. We occupy facilities totaling approximately 3500 square feet under a sublease from Craig Technical Consulting, Inc., a principal stockholder and an entity owned and controlled by our Chief Executive Officer, Carol Craig (“CTC”), pursuant to a commercial sublease agreement (the “Lease Agreement”), dated August 1, 2021. The Lease Agreement currently has a 2-year term, with no options to renew. We currently pay $4,570.07 per month plus applicable sales and use tax, which is currently 6.5% in Brevard County.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we owed $0 and $7,302,422, respectively, to CTC, our principal stockholder, for cash advances made to us. The advances are unsecured, due on demand and non-bearing-interest.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, we owed CTC $588,797 and $0, respectively, in Accounts Payable and accrued interest – related party for work that we subcontracted to CTC to complete.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2020 CTC owed us $443,282 and $175,769 in Accounts Receivable – related party for work that CTC subcontracted to us to complete.
On May 1, 2021, CTC forgave $3,473,693 in principal amount owed to it by us and converted the remaining $4 million into a Note Payable – related party. The forgiven debt was accounted for as contributed capital. The principal balance of this Note outstanding (together with any accrued, but unpaid interest thereon) shall bear interest at a per annum interest rate equal to the long term Applicable Federal Rate (as such term is defined in Section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended), and matures on September 30, 2025, and shall be repaid in the amount of $250,000 every quarter for four (4) years beginning on Oct 1, 2021.
On December 1, 2021, we entered into a Loan Assignment and Assumption Agreement, or Loan Assignment, with Decathlon Alpha IV, L.P., or Decathlon and CTC pursuant to which we assumed $1,106,164 in loans (the “Decathlon Note”) to CTC by Decathlon. In connection with our assumption of the Decathlon Note, CTC reduced the principal of our Note Payable – related party by $1.4 million. We recorded a reclassification of $1,106,164 from Note Payable – related party to Note payable – non- current (Decathlon note) and recorded forgiveness of note payable – related party of $293,836. The forgiveness was accounted for as contributed capital.
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Also in connection with the Loan Assignment on December 1, 2021, we entered into a Revenue Loan and Security Agreement, or RLSA, with Decathlon and our CEO, Carol Craig, pursuant to which we pay interest based on a minimum rate of 1 times the amount advanced and make monthly payments based on a percentage of our revenue calculated as an amount equal to the product of (i) all revenue for the immediately preceding month multiplied by (ii) the Applicable Revenue Percentage, defined as 4% of revenue for payments due during any month. The Decathlon Note is secured by our assets and is guaranteed by CTC and matures the earliest of: (i) December 9, 2023, (ii) immediately prior to a change of control, or (iii) upon an acceleration of the obligations due to a default under the RLSA.
Related Person Transaction Policy
We have adopted a related person transaction policy that sets forth our procedures for the identification, review, consideration and approval or ratification of related person transactions. For purposes of our policy only, a related person transaction is a transaction, arrangement or relationship, or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships, in which we and any related person are, were or will be participants in which the amount involved exceeds the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of our total assets at year-end. Transactions involving compensation for services provided to us as an employee or director are not covered by this policy. A related person is any executive officer, director or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities, including any of their immediate family members and any entity owned or controlled by such persons.
Under the policy, if a transaction has been identified as a related person transaction, including any transaction that was not a related person transaction when originally consummated or any transaction that was not initially identified as a related person transaction prior to consummation, our management must present information regarding the related person transaction to our audit committee, or, if audit committee approval would be inappropriate, to another independent body of our board of directors, for review, consideration and approval or ratification. The presentation must include a description of, among other things, the material facts, the interests, direct and indirect, of the related persons, the benefits to us of the transaction and whether the transaction is on terms that are comparable to the terms available to or from, as the case may be, an unrelated third party or to or from employees generally. Under the policy, we will collect information that we deem reasonably necessary from each director, executive officer and, to the extent feasible, significant stockholder to enable us to identify any existing or potential related-person transactions and to effectuate the terms of the policy. In addition, under our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, our employees and directors will have an affirmative responsibility to disclose any transaction or relationship that reasonably could be expected to give rise to a conflict of interest. In considering related person transactions, our audit committee, or other independent body of our board of directors, will take into account the relevant available facts and circumstances including, but not limited to:
| ● | the risks, costs and benefits to us; | |
| ● | the impact on a director’s independence in the event that the related person is a director, immediate family member of a director or an entity with which a director is affiliated; | |
| ● | the availability of other sources for comparable services or products; and | |
| ● | the terms available to or from, as the case may be, unrelated third parties or to or from employees generally. |
The policy requires that, in determining whether to approve, ratify or reject a related person transaction, our audit committee, or other independent body of our board of directors, must consider, in light of known circumstances, whether the transaction is in, or is not inconsistent with, our best interests and those of our stockholders, as our audit committee, or other independent body of our board of directors, determines in the good faith exercise of its discretion.
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Independence of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors undertook a review of the independence of our directors and considered whether any director has a relationship with us that could compromise that director’s ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out that director’s responsibilities. Our board of directors has affirmatively determined that Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero are each an “independent director,” as defined under Nasdaq rules.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed by as described below:
| 2021 | 2020 | |||||||
| Audit fees | $ | 50,000 | $ | 37,500 | ||||
| Tax fees | 18,840 | 2,912 | ||||||
| Total | $ | 68,840 | $ | 40,412 |
Audit Fees: These are fees for professional services performed by the principal auditor for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements and services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filing or engagement.
Tax Fees: Fees for tax services were $18,840 and $2,912- for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. These are fees for professional services performed with respect to tax compliance, tax planning, tax consultation, returns preparation and review of returns. The review of tax returns includes the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries.
Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
In accordance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, our audit committee charter requires the audit committee to pre-approve all audit and permitted non-audit services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm, including the review and approval in advance of our independent registered public accounting firm’s annual engagement letter and the proposed fees contained therein. The audit committee has the ability to delegate the authority to pre-approve non-audit services to one or more designated members of the audit committee. If such authority is delegated, such delegated members of the audit committee must report to the full audit committee at the next audit committee meeting all items pre-approved by such delegated members. In the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 all of the services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm were pre-approved by the audit committee.
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PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
| (a) | The following documents are filed as part of this report: |
| (1) | Financial Statements: |
The consolidated financial statements required by this Item are included beginning at page F-1.
| (1) | Financial Statement Schedules: |
All financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not applicable, not required or the information required is shown in the consolidated financial statements or the notes thereto.
(b) Exhibits
The following documents are included as exhibits to this report.
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+ Management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
# Pursuant to Item 601(b)(10) of Regulation S-K, certain confidential portions of this exhibit were omitted by means of marking such portions with an asterisk because the identified confidential portions (i) are not material and (ii) would be competitively harmful if publicly disclosed.
ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this Annual Report on Form 10-K to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized on this 4 day of April, 2022.
| SIDUS SPACE, INC. | |
| /s/ Carol Craig | |
| Carol Craig | |
Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chairwoman |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Carol Craig as his or her attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1934, this Annual Report on Form 10-K has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
| Signature | Title | Date | ||
| /s/ Carol Craig | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) and Chairwoman | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Carol Craig | ||||
| /s/ Scott Silverman | Chief Financial Officer | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Scott Silverman | (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) and Director | |||
| /s/ Jamie Adams | Chief Technology Officer and Director | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Jamie Adams | ||||
| /s/ Dana Kilborne | Director | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Dana Kilborne | ||||
| /s/ Cole Oliver | Director | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Cole Oliver | ||||
| /s/ Miguel Valero | Director | April 4, 2022 | ||
| Miguel Valero |
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Exhibit 3.3
CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT
OF
AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
(Pursuant
to Sections 242 and 245 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware)
Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under and by virtue of the provisions of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:
1. The Board of Directors of the Corporation duly adopted resolutions proposing to amend the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation, declaring said amendment to be advisable and in the best interests of the Corporation and its stockholders, and authorizing the appropriate officers of the Corporation to solicit the consent of the stockholders therefor, which resolution setting forth the proposed amendment and restatement is as follows:
RESOLVED, that the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation be amended by replacing Article IV, Section 4.1 in its entirety as follows:
“4.1 Authorized Capital Stock. The aggregate number of shares which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 115,000,000, consisting of 100,000,000 shares of Class A Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), and 10,000,000 shares of Class B Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Class B Common Stock,” and together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock (“Preferred Stock”), $0.0001 par value.”
2. The foregoing amendment was approved by the holders of the requisite number of shares of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.
3. That said amendment has been duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 of the DGCL.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Certificate has been executed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation on this 16th day of December 2021.
| By: | /s Carol Craig | |
| Name: | Carol Craig | |
| Title: | CEO |
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Exhibit 3.4
AMENDED AND RESTATED
BYLAWS
of
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
As Adopted November 18, 2021
ARTICLE I - CORPORATE OFFICES
1.1 REGISTERED OFFICE.
The registered office of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Corporation”), shall be fixed in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “certificate of incorporation”).
1.2 OTHER OFFICES.
The Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may at any time establish other offices at any place or places where the Corporation is qualified to do business.
ARTICLE II - MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS
2.1 PLACE OF MEETINGS.
Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office.
2.2 ANNUAL MEETING.
The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 may be transacted.
2.3 SPECIAL MEETING.
A special meeting of the stockholders may be called at any time by a majority of the entire Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Chairman of the Board, but such special meetings may not be called by any other person or persons.
No business may be transacted at such special meeting other than the business specified in such notice to stockholders. Nothing contained in this paragraph of this Section 2.3 shall be construed as limiting, fixing, or affecting the time when a meeting of stockholders called by action of the Board may be held.
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2.4 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR BUSINESS BROUGHT BEFORE A MEETING.
(i) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the meeting. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (a) specified in a notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the Board, (b) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or the chairperson of the Board, or (c) otherwise properly brought before the meeting by a stockholder present in person who (A)(1) was a beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects, or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (c) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3 of these bylaws, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or, if the proposing stockholder is not an individual, a qualified representative of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be, if such proposing stockholder is (x) a general or limited partnership, any general partner or person who functions as a general partner of the general or limited partnership or who controls the general or limited partnership, (y) a corporation or a limited liability company, any officer or person who functions as an officer of the corporation or limited liability company or any officer, director, general partner or person who functions as an officer, director or general partner of any entity ultimately in control of the corporation or limited liability company or (z) a trust, any trustee of such trust. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5 of these bylaws, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5 of these bylaws.
(ii) Without qualification, for business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (b) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than 30 days before or more than 60 days after such anniversary date, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered, not earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which a public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.
(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:
(a) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) and (B) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);
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(b) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the full notional amount of any securities that, directly or indirectly, underlie any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) (“Synthetic Equity Position”) and that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by such Proposing Person with respect to any shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule l3d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule l3d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule l3d-1(b)(1) (ii)(E)) shall not be deemed to hold or maintain the notional amount of any securities that underlie a Synthetic Equity Position held by such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C)(x) if such Proposing Person is (i) a general or limited partnership, syndicate or other group, the identity of each general partner and each person who functions as a general partner of the general or limited partnership, each member of the syndicate or group and each person controlling the general partner or member, (ii) a corporation or a limited liability company, the identity of each officer and each person who functions as an officer of the corporation or limited liability company, each person controlling the corporation or limited liability company and each officer, director, general partner and person who functions as an officer, director or general partner of any entity ultimately in control of the corporation or limited liability company or (iii) a trust, any trustee of such trust (each such person or persons set forth in the preceding clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), a “Responsible Person”), any fiduciary duties owed by such Responsible Person to the equity holders or other beneficiaries of such Proposing Person and any material interests or relationships of such Responsible Person that are not shared generally by other record or beneficial holders of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, and (y) if such Proposing Person is a natural person, any material interests or relationships of such natural person that are not shared generally by other record or beneficial holders of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation and that reasonably could have influenced the decision of such Proposing Person to propose such business to be brought before the meeting, (D) any material shares or any Synthetic Equity Position in any principal competitor of the Corporation in any principal industry of the Corporation held by such Proposing Persons, (E) a summary of any material discussions regarding the business proposed to be brought before the meeting (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other record or beneficial holder of the shares of any class or series of the Corporation (including their names), (F) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (G) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation, on the other hand, (H) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation, any affiliate of the Corporation or any principal competitor of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement) and (I) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (I) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and
(c) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws of the Corporation, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings between or among any of the Proposing Persons or between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.
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(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made and (c) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation or associate (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act for the purposes of these bylaws) of such stockholder or beneficial owner.
(v) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of its intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(vi) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the meeting and any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted.
(vii) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders, other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule l4a-8 under the Exchange Act.
(viii) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
2.5 ADVANCE NOTICE PROCEDURES FOR NOMINATIONS OF DIRECTORS.
(i) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting) may be made at such meeting only (a) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (b) by a stockholder present in person (A) who was a beneficial owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such notice and nomination. The foregoing clause (b) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or, if the proposing stockholder is not an individual, a qualified representative of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be, if such proposing stockholder is (x) a general or limited partnership, any general partner or person who functions as a general partner of the general or limited partnership or who controls the general or limited partnership, (y) a corporation or a limited liability company, any officer or person who functions as an officer of the corporation or limited liability company or any officer, director, general partner or person who functions as an officer, director or general partner of any entity ultimately in control of the corporation or limited liability company or (z) a trust, any trustee of such trust.
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(ii) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4(ii) of these bylaws) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (b) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its proposed nominee as required by this Section 2.5, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling such special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (a) provide timely notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (b) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its proposed nominee as required by this Section 2.5, and (c) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4(viii) of these bylaws) of the date of such special meeting was first made. In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(iii) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary shall set forth:
(a) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(a) of these bylaws) except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(a);
(b) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(iii)(b), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5 the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(iii)(b) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(iii)(b) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting);
(c) As to each person whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such proposed nominee that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 if such proposed nominee were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such proposed nominee that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such proposed nominee’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each proposed nominee or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the proposed nominee were a director or executive officer of such registrant, and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.5(vi); and
(d) The Corporation may require any proposed nominee to furnish such other information (A) as may reasonably be required by the Corporation to determine the eligibility of such proposed nominee to serve as an independent director of the Corporation in accordance with the Corporation’s Corporate Governance Guidelines or (B) that could be material to a reasonable stockholder’s understanding of the independence or lack of independence of such proposed nominee.
(iv) For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (a) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (b) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made and (c) any associate of such stockholder or beneficial owner or any other participant in such solicitation.
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(v) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for notice of the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for notice of the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as often (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof).
(vi) To be eligible to be a nominee for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, the proposed nominee must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and must deliver (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such proposed nominee given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (a) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (b) a written representation and agreement (in form provided by the Corporation) that such proposed nominee (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director and (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any proposed nominee, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such proposed nominee all such policies and guidelines then in effect).
(vii) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations.
(viii) No proposed nominee shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such proposed nominee and the Nominating Person seeking to place such proposed nominee’s name in nomination have complied with this Section 2.5, as applicable. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with this Section 2.5, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the proposed nominee in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots case for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.
2.6 NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS’ MEETINGS.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with either Section 2.7 or Section 8.1 of these bylaws not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and hour of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
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2.7 MANNER OF GIVING NOTICE; AFFIDAVIT OF NOTICE.
Notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be deemed given:
(i) if mailed, when deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at his or her address as it appears on the Corporation’s records; or
(ii) if electronically transmitted as provided in Section 8.1 of these bylaws.
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or any other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by mail or by a form of electronic transmission, as applicable, shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
2.8 QUORUM.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the chairperson of the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.9 of these bylaws until a quorum is present or represented. At such adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.
2.9 ADJOURNED MEETING; NOTICE.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. At the adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, or if after the adjournment a new record date is fixed for the adjourned meeting, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting.
2.10 CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.
The chairperson of any meeting of stockholders shall determine the order of business and the procedure at the meeting, including such regulation of the manner of voting and the conduct of business.
2.11 VOTING.
The stockholders entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.13 of these bylaws, subject to Section 217 (relating to voting rights of fiduciaries, pledgors and joint owners of stock) and Section 218 (relating to voting trusts and other voting agreements) of the DGCL.
Except as may be otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
At all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders, at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, all other elections and questions presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting, at which a quorum is present, shall be decided by the majority of the votes cast affirmatively or negatively (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) and shall be valid and binding upon the Corporation.
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2.12 STOCKHOLDER ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING.
Subject to the rights of the holders of the shares of any series of Preferred Stock or any other class of stock or series thereof having a preference over the Common Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such stockholders.
2.13 RECORD DATE FOR STOCKHOLDER NOTICE; VOTING; GIVING CONSENTS.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, or entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board may fix, in advance, a record date, which record date shall not precede the date on which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted and which shall not be more than sixty (60) nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting, nor more than sixty (60) days prior to any other such action.
If the Board does not so fix a record date:
(i) The record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held.
(ii) The record date for determining stockholders for any other purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for the adjourned meeting.
2.14 PROXIES.
Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of a telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the telegram, cablegram or other means of electronic transmission was authorized by the stockholder.
2.15 LIST OF STOCKHOLDERS ENTITLED TO VOTE.
The officer who has charge of the stock ledger of the Corporation shall prepare and make, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them.
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2.16 INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.
Before any meeting of stockholders, the Board shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The number of inspectors shall be either one (1) or three (3). If any person appointed as inspector fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the chairperson of the meeting may, and upon the request of any stockholder or a stockholder’s proxy shall, appoint a person to fill that vacancy.
Such inspectors shall:
(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, and the authenticity, validity, and effect of proxies;
(ii) receive votes or ballots;
(iii) hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote;
(iv) count and tabulate all votes;
(v) determine when the polls shall close;
(vi) determine the result; and
(vii) do any other acts that may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all stockholders.
The inspectors of election shall perform their duties impartially, in good faith, to the best of their ability and as expeditiously as is practical. If there are three (3) inspectors of election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
ARTICLE III - DIRECTORS
3.1 POWERS.
Subject to the provisions of the DGCL and any limitations in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws relating to action required to be approved by the stockholders or by the outstanding shares, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed and all corporate powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of the Board.
3.2 NUMBER OF DIRECTORS.
The authorized number of directors shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the majority of incumbent directors, provided the Board shall consist of at least one (1) member. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.
3.3 ELECTION, QUALIFICATION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS.
Except as provided in Section 3.4 of these bylaws, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy, shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which elected and until such director’s successor is elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Directors need not be stockholders unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. The certificate of incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe other qualifications for directors.
If so provided in the certificate of incorporation, the directors of the Corporation shall be divided into three (3) classes.
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3.4 RESIGNATION AND VACANCIES.
Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in this section in the filling of other vacancies.
Unless otherwise provided in the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall, unless the Board determines by resolution that any such vacancies or newly created directorships shall be filled by stockholders, be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director. Any director elected in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office for the remainder of the full term of the director for which the vacancy was created or occurred and until such director’s successor shall have been elected and qualified. A vacancy in the Board shall be deemed to exist under these bylaws in the case of the death, removal or resignation of any director.
3.5 PLACE OF MEETINGS; MEETINGS BY TELEPHONE.
The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
3.6 REGULAR MEETINGS.
Regular meetings of the Board may be held without notice at such time and at such place as shall from time to time be determined by the Board.
3.7 SPECIAL MEETINGS; NOTICE.
Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by a majority of the entire Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the Chairman of the Board. Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:
(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;
(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;
(iii) sent by facsimile; or
(iv) sent by electronic mail,
directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.
If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or (iii) sent by electronic mail, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. Any oral notice may be communicated to the director. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.
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3.8 QUORUM.
At all meetings of the Board, a majority of the authorized number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
A meeting at which a quorum is initially present may continue to transact business notwithstanding the withdrawal of directors, if any action taken is approved by at least a majority of the required quorum for that meeting.
3.9 BOARD ACTION BY WRITTEN CONSENT WITHOUT A MEETING.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the Board or committee. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.
3.10 FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS.
Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation of directors.
3.11 REMOVAL OF DIRECTORS.
Except as otherwise provided by the DGCL, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office only for cause at a meeting of stockholders called for that purpose, by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the voting power of all the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors, voting together as a single class.
No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director prior to the expiration of such director’s term of office.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
4.1 COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS.
The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.
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4.2 COMMITTEE MINUTES.
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
4.3 MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES.
Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:
(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings and meetings by telephone);
(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);
(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings and notice);
(iv) Section 3.8 (quorum);
(v) Section 3.9 (action without a meeting); and
(vi) Section 7.12 (waiver of notice),
with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members. However:
(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;
(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board; and
(iii) notice of special meetings of committees shall also be given to all alternate members, who shall have the right to attend all meetings of the committee. The Board may adopt rules for the government of any committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
5.1 OFFICERS.
The officers of the Corporation shall be a president and a secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a chairperson of the Board, a vice chairperson of the Board, a chief executive officer, a chief financial officer or treasurer, one (1) or more vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant vice presidents, one (1) or more assistant treasurers, one (1) or more assistant secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.
5.2 APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS.
The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3 of these bylaws, subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.
5.3 SUBORDINATE OFFICERS.
The Board may appoint, or empower the chief executive officer or, in the absence of a chief executive officer, the president, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.
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5.4 REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS.
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by an affirmative vote of the majority of the Board at any regular or special meeting of the Board or, except in the case of an officer chosen by the Board, by any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
5.5 VACANCIES IN OFFICES.
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.
5.6 REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS.
The chairperson of the Board, the president, any vice president, the treasurer, the secretary or assistant secretary of the Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board or the president or a vice president, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of the Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares of any other corporation or corporations standing in the name of the Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.
5.7 AUTHORITY AND DUTIES OF OFFICERS.
All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be designated from time to time by the Board or the stockholders and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
ARTICLE VI - RECORDS AND REPORTS
6.1 MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF RECORDS.
The Corporation shall, either at its principal executive office or at such place or places as designated by the Board, keep a record of its stockholders listing their names and addresses and the number and class of shares held by each stockholder, a copy of these bylaws as amended to date, accounting books and other records.
Any stockholder of record, in person or by attorney or other agent, shall, upon written demand under oath stating the purpose thereof, have the right during the usual hours for business to inspect for any proper purpose the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records and to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall mean a purpose reasonably related to such person’s interest as a stockholder. In every instance where an attorney or other agent is the person who seeks the right to inspection, the demand under oath shall be accompanied by a power of attorney or such other writing that authorizes the attorney or other agent so to act on behalf of the stockholder. The demand under oath shall be directed to the Corporation at its registered office in Delaware or at its principal executive office.
6.2 INSPECTION BY DIRECTORS.
Any director shall have the right to examine the Corporation’s stock ledger, a list of its stockholders, and its other books and records for a purpose reasonably related to his or her position as a director. The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with the exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether a director is entitled to the inspection sought. The Court may summarily order the Corporation to permit the director to inspect any and all books and records, the stock ledger, and the stock list and to make copies or extracts therefrom. The Court may, in its discretion, prescribe any limitations or conditions with reference to the inspection, or award such other and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper.
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ARTICLE VII - GENERAL MATTERS
7.1 EXECUTION OF CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS.
The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances. Unless so authorized or ratified by the Board or within the agency power of an officer, no officer, agent or employee shall have any power or authority to bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable for any purpose or for any amount.
7.2 STOCK CERTIFICATES; PARTLY PAID SHARES.
The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates or shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the certificate of incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by the chairperson or vice-chairperson of the Board, or the president or vice-president, and by the treasurer or an assistant treasurer, or the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.
7.3 SPECIAL DESIGNATION ON CERTIFICATES.
If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock; provided, however, that, except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face or back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
7.4 LOST CERTIFICATES.
Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
7.5 CONSTRUCTION; DEFINITIONS.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural, the plural number includes the singular, and the term “person” includes both a corporation and a natural person.
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7.6 DIVIDENDS.
The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the certificate of incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.
The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.
7.7 FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.
7.8 SEAL.
The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
7.9 TRANSFER OF STOCK.
Shares of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.
7.10 STOCK TRANSFER AGREEMENTS.
The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
7.11 REGISTERED STOCKHOLDERS.
The Corporation:
(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner;
(ii) shall be entitled to hold liable for calls and assessments the person registered on its books as the owner of shares; and
(iii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of Delaware.
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7.12 WAIVER OF NOTICE.
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws.
ARTICLE VIII - NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION
8.1 NOTICE BY ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION.
Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders pursuant to the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the certificate of incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice to the Corporation. Any such consent shall be deemed revoked if:
(i) the Corporation is unable to deliver by electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation in accordance with such consent; and
(ii) such inability becomes known to the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice.
However, the inadvertent failure to treat such inability as a revocation shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
(i) if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;
(ii) if by electronic mail, when directed to an electronic mail address at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice;
(iii) if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and
(iv) if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder.
An affidavit of the secretary or an assistant secretary or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given by a form of electronic transmission shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
8.2 DEFINITION OF ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION.
An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
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ARTICLE IX - INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
The Corporation shall indemnify each person who was or is a party or threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of us) by reason of the fact that he or she is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise (all such persons being referred to as an “Indemnitee”), or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding and any appeal therefrom, if such Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, he or she had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.
The Corporation shall indemnify any Indemnitee who was or is a party to an action or suit by or in the right of us to procure a judgment in our favor by reason of the fact that the Indemnitee is or was, or has agreed to become, a director or officer, or is or was serving, or has agreed to serve, at our request as a director, officer, partner, employee or trustee of, or in a similar capacity with, another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of any action alleged to have been taken or omitted in such capacity, against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, to the extent permitted by law, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, and any appeal therefrom, if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, our best interests, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to us, unless a court determines that, despite such adjudication but in view of all of the circumstances, he or she is entitled to indemnification of such expenses. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent that any Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, he or she will be indemnified by us against all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred in connection therewith. Expenses must be advanced to an Indemnitee under certain circumstances.
9.2 INDEMNIFICATION OF OTHERS.
The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. The Board shall have discretion to indemnify our other officers and employees when determined appropriate by the Board.
9.3 PREPAYMENT OF EXPENSES.
The Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any officer or director of the Corporation, and shall pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, to the extent required by law, such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.
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9.4 DETERMINATION; CLAIM.
If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) or advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.
9.5 NON-EXCLUSIVITY OF RIGHTS.
The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the certificate of incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
9.6 INSURANCE.
The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.
9.7 OTHER INDEMNIFICATION.
The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.
9.8 CONTINUATION OF INDEMNIFICATION.
The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.
9.9 AMENDMENT OR REPEAL.
The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
ARTICLE X - AMENDMENTS
Subject to the limitations set forth in Section 9.9 of these bylaws or the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. Any adoption, amendment or repeal of the bylaws of the Corporation by the Board shall require the approval of a majority of the authorized number of directors. The stockholders also shall have power to alter or repeal any bylaws of the Corporation, whether adopted by them or otherwise, at any annual or special meeting of stockholders, provided that notice of such proposed adoption, amendment or repeal is given in the notice of such meeting of stockholders.
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Exhibit 4.2
DESCRIPTION OF THE REGISTRANT’S SECURITIES
REGISTERED PURSUANT TO SECTION 12 OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
As of December 31, 2021, Sidus Space, Inc. had one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”): (i) Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Class A Common Stock”).
Unless the context otherwise requires, all references to “we”, “us”, the “Company”, or “Sidus Space” in this Exhibit 4.1 refer to Sidus Space, Inc.
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK
The following description of our securities is intended as a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws, which are filed as exhibits to the annual report on Form 10-K of which this Exhibit 4.1 is a part.
Authorized Capitalization
Our authorized capital stock consists of 115,000,000 shares, consisting of 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
As of March 31, 2022, there were 3,200,000 shares of Class A common stock, 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock and no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding.
Transfer Agent and Registrar. The transfer agent for our Class A Common Stock is ClearTrust, LLC.
Listing. Our Class A Common Stock is traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “SIDU.”
Class A Common Stock
Dividend Rights
Subject to preferences that may apply to any shares of preferred stock outstanding at the time, the holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to share equally, identically, and ratably, on a per share basis, with respect to any dividend or distribution of cash or property paid or distributed by us if our board of directors, in its discretion, determines to issue dividends and then only at the times and in the amounts that our board of directors may determine.
Voting Rights
Holders of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders. The holders of our Class A common stock will generally vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, unless otherwise required by Delaware law or our certificate of incorporation. Delaware law could require holders of our Class A common stock to vote separately as a single class if (i) we were to seek to amend our certificate of incorporation to increase or decrease the aggregate number of authorized shares of such class or to increase or decrease the par value of a class of our capital stock, then that class would be required to vote separately to approve the proposed amendment; or (ii) we were to seek to amend our certificate of incorporation in a manner that alters or changes the powers, preferences or special rights of a class of our capital stock in a manner that affected its holders adversely, then that class would be required to vote separately to approve the proposed amendment.
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Our certificate of incorporation does not provide for cumulative voting for the election of directors.
The dual-class structure of our common stock as contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation has the effect of concentrating voting control with those stockholders who held our capital stock prior to this offering, including our directors, executive officers and their respective affiliates. This ownership will limit or preclude your ability to influence corporate matters, including the election of directors, amendments of our organizational documents, and any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of our assets, or other major corporate transactions requiring stockholder approval, and that may adversely affect the trading price of our Class A common stock.
Change of Control Transactions
The holders of Class A common stock will be treated equally, identically and ratably, on a per share basis, on (a) the sale, lease, exclusive license, exchange, or other disposition of all or substantially all of our property and assets, (b) the merger, consolidation, business combination, or other similar transaction with any other entity, which results in the voting securities outstanding immediately prior thereto representing (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) less than fifty percent of the total voting power represented by our voting securities and less than fifty percent of our total number of outstanding shares of capital stock, in each case as outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation, business combination or other similar transaction, and (c) a recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution, or other similar transaction which results in the voting securities outstanding immediately prior thereto representing (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) less than fifty percent of the total voting power represented by our voting securities and less than fifty percent of our total number of outstanding shares of capital stock, in each case as outstanding immediately after such recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or other similar transaction.
Subdivisions and Combinations
If we subdivide or combine in any manner outstanding shares of Class A common stock, the outstanding shares of the other classes will be subdivided or combined in the same manner.
No Preemptive or Similar Rights
Our Class A common stock is not entitled to preemptive rights and is not subject to conversion, redemption or sinking fund provisions.
Right to Receive Liquidation Distributions
If we become subject to a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up, the assets legally available for distribution to our stockholders would be distributable ratably among the holders of our Class A common stock and any participating preferred stock outstanding at that time, subject to prior satisfaction of all outstanding debt and liabilities and the preferential rights of and the payment of liquidation preferences, if any, on any outstanding shares of preferred stock.
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Exhibit 10.1
SIDUS
SPACE, INC.
2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
Section 1. Purpose of Plan.
The name of the Plan is the Sidus Space, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. The purposes of the Plan are to (i) provide an additional incentive to selected employees, directors, independent contractors and consultants of the Company or its Affiliates whose contributions are essential to the growth and success of the Company, (ii) strengthen the commitment of such individuals to the Company and its Affiliates, (iii) motivate those individuals to faithfully and diligently perform their responsibilities and (iv) attract and retain competent and dedicated individuals whose efforts will result in the long-term growth and profitability of the Company. To accomplish these purposes, the Plan provides that the Company may grant Options, Share Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units, Other Share-Based Awards, Cash Awards or any combination of the foregoing.
Section 2. Definitions.
For purposes of the Plan, the following terms shall be defined as set forth below:
(a) “Administrator” means the Board, or, if and to the extent the Board does not administer the Plan, the Committee in accordance with Section 3 hereof.
(b) “Affiliate” means a Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Person specified as of any date of determination.
(c) “Applicable Laws” means the applicable requirements under U.S. federal and state corporate laws, U.S. federal and state securities laws, including the Code, any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted and the applicable laws of any other country or jurisdiction where Awards are granted under the Plan, as are in effect from time to time.
(d) “Award” means any Option, Share Appreciation Right, Restricted Share, Restricted Stock Unit, Other Share-Based Award or Cash Award granted under the Plan.
(e) “Award Agreement” means any written notice, agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award, including through electronic medium, which shall contain such terms and conditions with respect to an Award as the Administrator shall determine, consistent with the Plan.
(f) “Beneficial Owner” (or any variant thereof) has the meaning defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act.
(g) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
(h) “Bylaws” mean the bylaws of the Company, as may be amended and/or restated from time to time.
(i) “Cash Award” means cash awarded under Section 11 of the Plan, including cash awarded as a bonus or upon the attainment of performance goals or otherwise as permitted under the Plan.
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(j) “Cause” has the meaning assigned to such term in any individual service, employment or severance agreement or Award Agreement with the Participant or, if no such agreement exists or if such agreement does not define “Cause,” then “Cause” means (i) the conviction, guilty plea or plea of “no contest” by the Participant to any felony or a crime involving moral turpitude or the Participant’s commission of any other act or omission involving dishonesty or fraud, (ii) the substantial and repeated failure of the Participant to perform duties of the office held by the Participant, (iii) the Participant’s gross negligence, willful misconduct or breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, (iv) any breach by the Participant of any restrictive covenants to which the Participant is subject, and/or (v) the Participant’s engagement in any conduct which is or can reasonably be expected to be materially detrimental or injurious to the business or reputation of the Company or its Affiliates. Any voluntary termination of employment or service by the Participant in anticipation of an involuntary termination of the Participant’s employment or service, as applicable, for Cause shall be deemed to be a termination for Cause.
(k) “Change in Capitalization” means any (i) merger, consolidation, reclassification, recapitalization, spin-off, spin-out, repurchase or other reorganization or corporate transaction or event, (ii) special or extraordinary dividend or other extraordinary distribution (whether in the form of cash, equity interests of the Company or other property), stock split, reverse stock split, share subdivision or consolidation, (iii) combination or exchange of shares or (iv) other change in corporate structure, which, in any such case, the Administrator determines, in its sole discretion, affects the Shares such that an adjustment pursuant to Section 5 hereof is appropriate.
(l) “Change in Control” means the first occurrence of an event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs following the Effective Date:
(1) any Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities Beneficially Owned by such Person which were acquired directly from the Company or any Affiliate thereof) representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities, excluding any Person who becomes such a Beneficial Owner in connection with a transaction described in clause (i) of paragraph (3) below; or
(2) the date on which individuals who constitute the Board as of the Effective Date and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including, but not limited to, a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the Effective Date or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors serving on the Board; or
(3) there is consummated a merger or consolidation of the Company or any direct or indirect Subsidiary with any other corporation or other entity, other than (i) a merger or consolidation (A) which results in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof), in combination with the ownership of any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and (B) following which the individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the Company, the entity surviving such merger or consolidation or, if the Company or the entity surviving such merger or consolidation is then a Subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof, or (ii) a merger or consolidation effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities Beneficially Owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates) representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities; or
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(4) the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or there is consummated an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than (A) a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to an entity, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by stockholders of the Company following the completion of such transaction in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale or (B) a sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets immediately following which the individuals who comprise the Board immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the board of directors of the entity to which such assets are sold or disposed or, if such entity is a subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) a Change in Control shall not be deemed to have occurred by virtue of the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the holders of Company’s equity interests immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions and (ii) to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred under the Plan with respect to any Award that constitutes deferred compensation under Section 409A of the Code only if a change in the ownership or effective control of the Company or a change in ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company shall also be deemed to have occurred under Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of this definition of Change in Control, the term “Person” shall not include (i) the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary thereof, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of shares of the Company.
(m) “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, or any successor thereto.
(n) “Committee” means any committee or subcommittee the Board may appoint to administer the Plan. Subject to the discretion of the Board, the Committee shall be composed entirely of individuals who meet the qualifications of a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act and any other qualifications required by the applicable stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded.
(o) “Common Stock” means the Class A common stock of the Company, having a par value of $0.0001 per share.
(p) “Company” means Sidus Space, Inc., a Delaware corporation (or any successor company, except as the term “Company” is used in the definition of “Change in Control” above).
(q) “Disability” has the meaning assigned to such term in any individual service, employment or severance agreement or Award Agreement with the Participant or, if no such agreement exists or if such agreement does not define “Disability,” then “Disability” means that a Participant, as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion, (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, or (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company or an Affiliate thereof.
(r) “Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 18 hereof.
(s) “Eligible Recipient” means an employee, director, independent contractor or consultant of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company who has been selected as an eligible participant by the Administrator; provided, however, to the extent required to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, an Eligible Recipient of an Option or a Stock Appreciation Right means an employee, non-employee director, independent contractor or consultant of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company with respect to whom the Company is an “eligible issuer of service recipient stock” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.
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(t) “Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
(u) “Exempt Award” shall mean the following:
(1) An Award granted in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by a corporation or other entity acquired by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or with which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries combines by merger or otherwise. The terms and conditions of any such Awards may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan to the extent the Administrator at the time of grant may deem appropriate, subject to Applicable Laws.
(2) An “employment inducement” award as described in the applicable stock exchange listing manual or rules may be granted under the Plan from time to time. The terms and conditions of any “employment inducement” award may vary from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan to such extent as the Administrator at the time of grant may deem appropriate, subject to Applicable Laws.
(3) An award that an Eligible Recipient purchases at Fair Market Value (including awards that an Eligible Recipient elects to receive in lieu of fully vested compensation that is otherwise due) whether or not the shares of Common Stock are delivered immediately or on a deferred basis.
(v) “Exercise Price” means, (i) with respect to any Option, the per share price at which a holder of such Option may purchase Shares issuable upon exercise of such Award, and (ii) with respect to a Share Appreciation Right, the base price per share of such Share Appreciation Right.
(w) “Fair Market Value” of a share of Common Stock or another security as of a particular date shall mean the fair market value as determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion; provided, that, (i) if the Common Stock or other security is admitted to trading on a national securities exchange, the fair market value on any date shall be the closing sale price reported on such date, or if no shares were traded on such date, on the last preceding date for which there was a sale of a share of Common Stock on such exchange, or (ii) if the Common Stock or other security is then traded in an over-the-counter market, the fair market value on any date shall be the average of the closing bid and asked prices for such share in such over-the-counter market for the last preceding date on which there was a sale of such share in such market.
(x) “Free Standing Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.
(y) “Good Reason” has the meaning assigned to such term in any individual service, employment or severance agreement or Award Agreement with the Participant or, if no such agreement exists or if such agreement does not define “Good Reason,” “Good Reason” and any provision of this Plan that refers to “Good Reason” shall not be applicable to such Participant.
(z) “Incentive Compensation” means annual cash bonus and any Award.
(aa) “ISO” means an Option intended to be and designated as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code.
(bb) “Nonqualified Stock Option” shall mean an Option that is not designated as an ISO.
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(cc) “Option” means an option to purchase shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 7 hereof. The term “Option” as used in the Plan includes the terms “Nonqualified Stock Option” and “ISO.”
(dd) “Other Share-Based Award” means a right or other interest granted pursuant to Section 10 hereof that may be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Common Stock, including, but not limited to, unrestricted Shares, dividend equivalents or performance units, each of which may be subject to the attainment of performance goals or a period of continued provision of service or employment or other terms or conditions as permitted under the Plan.
(ee) “Participant” means any Eligible Recipient selected by the Administrator, pursuant to the Administrator’s authority provided for in Section 3 below, to receive grants of Awards, and, upon his or her death, his or her successors, heirs, executors and administrators, as the case may be.
(ff) “Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof.
(gg) “Plan” means this 2020 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.
(hh) “Related Rights” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.
(ii) “Restricted Share” means a Share granted pursuant to Section 9 below subject to certain restrictions that lapse at the end of a specified period (or periods) of time and/or upon attainment of specified performance objectives.
(jj) “Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 9.
(kk) “Restricted Stock Unit” means the right granted pursuant to Section 9 hereof to receive a Share at the end of a specified restricted period (or periods) of time and/or upon attainment of specified performance objectives.
(ll) “Rule 16b-3” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.
(mm) “Section 16 Officer” means any officer of the Company whom the Board has determined is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, whether or not such individual is a Section 16 Officer at the time the determination to recoup compensation is made.
(nn) “Shares” means Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan, as adjusted pursuant to the Plan, and any successor (pursuant to a merger, consolidation or other reorganization) security.
(oo) “Share Appreciation Right” means a right granted pursuant to Section 8 hereof to receive an amount equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the aggregate Fair Market Value, as of the date such Award or portion thereof is surrendered, of the Shares covered by such Award or such portion thereof, over (ii) the aggregate Exercise Price of such Award or such portion thereof.
(pp) “Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, as of any date of determination, any other Person as to which such first Person owns or otherwise controls, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the voting shares or other similar interests or a sole general partner interest or managing member or similar interest of such other Person.
(qq) “Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.
(rr) “Transfer” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.
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Section 3. Administration.
(a) The Plan shall be administered by the Administrator and shall be administered, to the extent applicable, in accordance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act (“Rule 16b-3”).
(b) Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Administrator, subject, in the case of any Committee, to any restrictions on the authority delegated to it by the Board, shall have the power and authority, without limitation:
(1) to select those Eligible Recipients who shall be Participants;
(2) to determine whether and to what extent Options, Share Appreciation Rights, Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units, Cash Awards, Other Share-Based Awards or a combination of any of the foregoing, are to be granted hereunder to Participants;
(3) to determine the number of Shares to be covered by each Award granted hereunder;
(4) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, of each Award granted hereunder (including, but not limited to, (i) the restrictions applicable to Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units and the conditions under which restrictions applicable to such Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units shall lapse, (ii) the performance goals and periods applicable to Awards, (iii) the Exercise Price of each Option and each Share Appreciation Right or the purchase price of any other Award, (iv) the vesting schedule and terms applicable to each Award, (v) the number of Shares or amount of cash or other property subject to each Award and (vi) subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code (to the extent applicable), any amendments to the terms and conditions of outstanding Awards, including, but not limited to, extending the exercise period of such Awards and accelerating the vesting and/or payment schedules of such Awards);
(5) to determine the terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, which shall govern all written instruments evidencing Awards;
(6) to determine the Fair Market Value in accordance with the terms of the Plan;
(7) to determine the duration and purpose of leaves of absence which may be granted to a Participant without constituting termination of the Participant’s service or employment for purposes of Awards granted under the Plan;
(8) to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, regulations, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable;
(9) to construe and interpret the terms and provisions of, and supply or correct omissions in, the Plan and any Award issued under the Plan (and any Award Agreement relating thereto), and to otherwise supervise the administration of the Plan and to exercise all powers and authorities either specifically granted under the Plan or necessary and advisable in the administration of the Plan; and
(10) to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to sub-plans established for the purpose of satisfying applicable non-United States laws or for qualifying for favorable tax treatment under applicable non-United States laws, which rules and regulations may be set forth in an appendix or appendixes to the Plan.
(c) Subject to Section 5, neither the Board nor the Committee shall have the authority to reprice or cancel and regrant any Award at a lower exercise, base or purchase price or cancel any Award with an exercise, base or purchase price in exchange for cash, property or other Awards without first obtaining the approval of the Company’s shareholders.
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(d) All decisions made by the Administrator pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final, conclusive and binding on all Persons, including the Company and the Participants.
(e) The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates.
(f) If at any time or to any extent the Board shall not administer the Plan, then the functions of the Administrator specified in the Plan shall be exercised by the Committee. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company, any action of the Committee with respect to the administration of the Plan shall be taken by a majority vote at a meeting at which a quorum is duly constituted or unanimous written consent of the Committee’s members.
Section 4. Shares Reserved for Issuance Under the Plan.
(a) Subject to Section 5 hereof, the number of shares of Common Stock that are reserved and available for issuance pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan shall be equal to 1,250,000 shares of Common Stock; provided, that, shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan with respect to an Exempt Award shall not count against such share limit.
(b) Shares issued under the Plan may, in whole or in part, be authorized but unissued Shares or Shares that shall have been or may be reacquired by the Company in the open market, in private transactions or otherwise. If an Award entitles the Participant to receive or purchase Shares, the number of Shares covered by such Award or to which such Award relates shall be counted on the date of grant of such Award against the aggregate number of Shares available for granting Awards under the Plan. If any Shares subject to an Award are forfeited, cancelled, exchanged or surrendered or if an Award otherwise terminates or expires without a distribution of shares to the Participant, the Shares with respect to such Award shall, to the extent of any such forfeiture, cancellation, exchange, surrender, termination or expiration, again be available for granting Awards under the Plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Shares surrendered or withheld as payment of either the Exercise Price of an Award (including Shares otherwise underlying a Share Appreciation Right that are retained by the Company to account for the Exercise Price of such Share Appreciation Right) and/or withholding taxes in respect of an Award shall no longer be available for grant under the Plan. In addition, (i) to the extent an Award is denominated in shares of Common Stock, but paid or settled in cash, the number of shares of Common Stock with respect to which such payment or settlement is made shall again be available for grants of Awards pursuant to the Plan and (ii) shares of Common Stock underlying Awards that can only be settled in cash shall not be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards under the Plan. Upon the exercise of any Award granted in tandem with any other Awards, such related Awards shall be cancelled to the extent of the number of Shares as to which the Award is exercised and, notwithstanding the foregoing, such number of shares shall no longer be available for grant under the Plan.
(c) No more than 1,250,000 Shares shall be issued pursuant to the exercise of ISOs.
(d) No Participant who is a non-employee director of the Company shall be granted Awards during any calendar year that, when aggregated with such non-employee director’s cash fees with respect to such calendar year, exceed $300,000 in total value (with Cash Awards or other cash fees measured for this purpose at their value upon payment and any other Awards measured for this purpose at their grant date fair value as determined for the Company’s financial reporting purposes).
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Section 5. Equitable Adjustments.
In the event of any Change in Capitalization, an equitable substitution or proportionate adjustment shall be made in (i) the aggregate number and kind of securities reserved for issuance under the Plan pursuant to Section 4, (ii) the kind, number of securities subject to, and the Exercise Price subject to outstanding Options and Share Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan, (iii) the kind, number and purchase price of Shares or other securities or the amount of cash or amount or type of other property subject to outstanding Restricted Shares, Restricted Stock Units or Other Share-Based Awards granted under the Plan; and/or (iv) the terms and conditions of any outstanding Awards (including, without limitation, any applicable performance targets or criteria with respect thereto); provided, however, that any fractional shares resulting from the adjustment shall be eliminated. Such other equitable substitutions or adjustments shall be made as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in connection with a Change in Capitalization, the Administrator may provide, in its sole discretion, but subject in all events to the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, for the cancellation of any outstanding Award granted hereunder in exchange for payment in cash or other property having an aggregate Fair Market Value equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares, cash or other property covered by such Award, reduced by the aggregate Exercise Price or purchase price thereof, if any; provided, however, that if the Exercise Price or purchase price of any outstanding Award is equal to or greater than the Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock, cash or other property covered by such Award, the Administrator may cancel such Award without the payment of any consideration to the Participant. Further, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, with respect to Awards subject to foreign laws, adjustments made hereunder shall be made in compliance with applicable requirements. Except to the extent determined by the Administrator, any adjustments to ISOs under this Section 5 shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code. The Administrator’s determinations pursuant to this Section 5 shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Section 6. Eligibility.
The Participants in the Plan shall be selected from time to time by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, from those individuals that qualify as Eligible Recipients.
Section 7. Options.
(a) General. Options granted under the Plan shall be designated as Nonqualified Stock Options or ISOs. Each Participant who is granted an Option shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, including, among other things, the Exercise Price of the Option, the term of the Option and provisions regarding exercisability of the Option, and whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or a Nonqualified Stock Option (and in the event the Award Agreement has no such designation, the Option shall be a Nonqualified Stock Option). The provisions of each Option need not be the same with respect to each Participant. More than one Option may be granted to the same Participant and be outstanding concurrently hereunder. Options granted under the Plan shall be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 7 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable and set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(b) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of Shares purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant, but in no event shall the exercise price of an Option be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant.
(c) Option Term. The maximum term of each Option shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Option shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such Option is granted. Each Option’s term is subject to earlier expiration pursuant to the applicable provisions in the Plan and the Award Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator shall have the authority to accelerate the exercisability of any outstanding Option at such time and under such circumstances as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(d) Exercisability. Each Option shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions, including the attainment of performance goals, as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator may also provide that any Option shall be exercisable only in installments, and the Administrator may waive such installment exercise provisions at any time, in whole or in part, based on such factors as the Administrator may determine in its sole discretion.
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(e) Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised in whole or in part by giving written notice of exercise to the Company specifying the number of whole Shares to be purchased, accompanied by payment in full of the aggregate Exercise Price of the Shares so purchased in cash or its equivalent, as determined by the Administrator. As determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, with respect to any Option or category of Options, payment in whole or in part may also be made (i) by means of consideration received under any cashless exercise procedure approved by the Administrator (including the withholding of Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise), (ii) in the form of unrestricted Shares already owned by the Participant which have a Fair Market Value on the date of surrender equal to the aggregate exercise price of the Shares as to which such Option shall be exercised, (iii) any other form of consideration approved by the Administrator and permitted by Applicable Laws or (iv) any combination of the foregoing.
(f) ISOs. The terms and conditions of ISOs granted hereunder shall be subject to the provisions of Section 422 of the Code and the terms, conditions, limitations and administrative procedures established by the Administrator from time to time in accordance with the Plan. At the discretion of the Administrator, ISOs may be granted only to an employee of the Company, its “parent corporation” (as such term is defined in Section 424(e) of the Code) or a Subsidiary of the Company.
(1) ISO Grants to 10% Stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, if an ISO is granted to a Participant who owns shares representing more than ten percent (10%) of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company, its “parent corporation” (as such term is defined in Section 424(e) of the Code) or a Subsidiary of the Company, the term of the ISO shall not exceed five (5) years from the time of grant of such ISO and the Exercise Price shall be at least one hundred and ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant.
(2) $100,000 Per Year Limitation For ISOs. To the extent the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined on the date of grant) of the Shares for which ISOs are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such excess ISOs shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.
(3) Disqualifying Dispositions. Each Participant awarded an ISO under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date the Participant makes a “disqualifying disposition” of any Share acquired pursuant to the exercise of such ISO. A “disqualifying disposition” is any disposition (including any sale) of such Shares before the later of (i) two years after the date of grant of the ISO and (ii) one year after the date the Participant acquired the Shares by exercising the ISO. The Company may, if determined by the Administrator and in accordance with procedures established by it, retain possession of any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO as agent for the applicable Participant until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence, subject to complying with any instructions from such Participant as to the sale of such Shares.
(g) Rights as Stockholder. A Participant shall have no rights to dividends, dividend equivalents or distributions or any other rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares subject to an Option until the Participant has given written notice of the exercise thereof, and has paid in full for such Shares and has satisfied the requirements of Section 15 hereof.
(h) Termination of Employment or Service. Treatment of an Option upon termination of employment of a Participant shall be provided for by the Administrator in the Award Agreement.
(i) Other Change in Employment or Service Status. An Option shall be affected, both with regard to vesting schedule and termination, by leaves of absence, including unpaid and un-protected leaves of absence, changes from full-time to part-time employment, partial Disability or other changes in the employment status or service status of a Participant, in the discretion of the Administrator.
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Section 8. Share Appreciation Rights.
(a) General. Share Appreciation Rights may be granted either alone (“Free Standing Rights”) or in conjunction with all or part of any Option granted under the Plan (“Related Rights”). Related Rights may be granted either at or after the time of the grant of such Option. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, grants of Share Appreciation Rights shall be made. Each Participant who is granted a Share Appreciation Right shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, including, among other things, the number of Shares to be awarded, the Exercise Price per Share, and all other conditions of Share Appreciation Rights. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Related Right may be granted for more Shares than are subject to the Option to which it relates. The provisions of Share Appreciation Rights need not be the same with respect to each Participant. Share Appreciation Rights granted under the Plan shall be subject to the following terms and conditions set forth in this Section 8 and shall contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, as the Administrator shall deem desirable, as set forth in the applicable Award Agreement.
(b) Awards; Rights as Stockholder. A Participant shall have no rights to dividends or any other rights of a stockholder with respect to the shares of Common Stock, if any, subject to a Stock Appreciation Right until the Participant has given written notice of the exercise thereof and has satisfied the requirements of Section 15 hereof.
(c) Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of Shares purchasable under a Share Appreciation Rights shall be determined by the Administrator in its sole discretion at the time of grant, but in no event shall the exercise price of a Share Appreciation Rights be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant.
(d) Exercisability.
(1) Share Appreciation Rights that are Free Standing Rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement.
(2) Share Appreciation Rights that are Related Rights shall be exercisable only at such time or times and to the extent that the Options to which they relate shall be exercisable in accordance with the provisions of Section 7 hereof and this Section 8 of the Plan.
(e) Payment Upon Exercise.
(1) Upon the exercise of a Free Standing Right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive up to, but not more than, that number of Shares equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise over the Exercise Price per share specified in the Free Standing Right multiplied by the number of Shares in respect of which the Free Standing Right is being exercised.
(2) A Related Right may be exercised by a Participant by surrendering the applicable portion of the related Option. Upon such exercise and surrender, the Participant shall be entitled to receive up to, but not more than, that number of Shares equal in value to the excess of the Fair Market Value as of the date of exercise over the Exercise Price specified in the related Option multiplied by the number of Shares in respect of which the Related Right is being exercised. Options which have been so surrendered, in whole or in part, shall no longer be exercisable to the extent the Related Rights have been so exercised.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may determine to settle the exercise of a Share Appreciation Right in cash (or in any combination of Shares and cash).
(f) Termination of Employment or Service. Treatment of an Share Appreciation Right upon termination of employment of a Participant shall be provided for by the Administrator in the Award Agreement.
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(g) Term.
(1) The term of each Free Standing Right shall be fixed by the Administrator, but no Free Standing Right shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such right is granted.
(2) The term of each Related Right shall be the term of the Option to which it relates, but no Related Right shall be exercisable more than ten (10) years after the date such right is granted.
(h) Other Change in Employment or Service Status. Share Appreciation Rights shall be affected, both with regard to vesting schedule and termination, by leaves of absence, including unpaid and un-protected leaves of absence, changes from full-time to part-time employment, partial Disability or other changes in the employment or service status of a Participant, in the discretion of the Administrator.
Section 9. Restricted Shares and Restricted Stock Units.
(a) General. Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units may be issued under the Plan. The Administrator shall determine the Eligible Recipients to whom, and the time or times at which, Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units shall be made. Each Participant who is granted Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, including, among other things, the number of Shares to be awarded; the price, if any, to be paid by the Participant for the acquisition of Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units; the period of time restrictions, performance goals or other conditions that apply to Transferability, delivery or vesting of such Awards (the “Restricted Period”); and all other conditions applicable to the Restricted Shares and Restricted Stock Units. If the restrictions, performance goals or conditions established by the Administrator are not attained, a Participant shall forfeit his or her Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units, in accordance with the terms of the grant. The provisions of the Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units need not be the same with respect to each Participant.
(b) Awards and Certificates. Except as otherwise provided below in Section 9(c), (i) each Participant who is granted an Award of Restricted Shares may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be issued a share certificate in respect of such Restricted Shares; and (ii) any such certificate so issued shall be registered in the name of the Participant, and shall bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to any such Award. The Company may require that the share certificates, if any, evidencing Restricted Shares granted hereunder be held in the custody of the Company until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed, and that, as a condition of any Award of Restricted Shares, the Participant shall have delivered a share transfer form, endorsed in blank, relating to the Shares covered by such Award. Certificates for shares of unrestricted Common Stock may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be delivered to the Participant only after the Restricted Period has expired without forfeiture in such Restricted Stock Award. With respect to Restricted Stock Units to be settled in Shares, at the expiration of the Restricted Period, share certificates in respect of the shares of Common Stock underlying such Restricted Stock Units may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be delivered to the Participant, or his legal representative, in a number equal to the number of shares of Common Stock underlying the Restricted Stock Units Award. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, any Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units to be settled in Shares (at the expiration of the Restricted Period, and whether before or after any vesting conditions have been satisfied) may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be issued in uncertificated form. Further, notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, with respect to Restricted Stock Units, at the expiration of the Restricted Period, Shares, or cash, as applicable, shall promptly be issued (either in certificated or uncertificated form) to the Participant, unless otherwise deferred in accordance with procedures established by the Company in accordance with Section 409A of the Code, and such issuance or payment shall in any event be made within such period as is required to avoid the imposition of a tax under Section 409A of the Code.
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(c) Restrictions and Conditions. The Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Section 9 shall be subject to the following restrictions and conditions and any additional restrictions or conditions as determined by the Administrator at the time of grant or, subject to Section 409A of the Code where applicable, thereafter:
(1) The Administrator may, in its sole discretion, provide for the lapse of restrictions in installments and may accelerate or waive such restrictions in whole or in part based on such factors and such circumstances as the Administrator may determine, in its sole discretion, including, but not limited to, the attainment of certain performance goals, the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company or any Affiliate thereof, or the Participant’s death or Disability. Notwithstanding the foregoing, upon a Change in Control, the outstanding Awards shall be subject to Section 12 hereof.
(2) Except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant shall generally have the rights of a stockholder of the Company with respect to Restricted Shares during the Restricted Period; provided, however, that dividends declared during the Restricted Period with respect to an Award, shall only become payable if (and to the extent) the underlying Restricted Shares vest. Except as provided in the applicable Award Agreement, the Participant shall generally not have the rights of a stockholder with respect to Shares subject to Restricted Stock Units during the Restricted Period; provided, however, that, subject to Section 409A of the Code, an amount equal to dividends declared during the Restricted Period with respect to the number of Shares covered by Restricted Stock Units shall, unless otherwise set forth in an Award Agreement, be paid to the Participant at the time (and to the extent) Shares in respect of the related Restricted Stock Units are delivered to the Participant. Certificates for Shares of unrestricted Common Stock may, in the Company’s sole discretion, be delivered to the Participant only after the Restricted Period has expired without forfeiture in respect of such Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units, except as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine.
(3) The rights of Participants granted Restricted Shares or Restricted Stock Units upon termination of employment or service as a director, independent contractor or consultant to the Company or to any Affiliate thereof terminates for any reason during the Restricted Period shall be set forth in the Award Agreement.
(d) Form of Settlement. The Administrator reserves the right in its sole discretion to provide (either at or after the grant thereof) that any Restricted Stock Unit represent the right to receive the amount of cash per unit that is determined by the Administrator in connection with the Award.
Section 10. Other Share-Based Awards.
Other Share-Based Awards may be issued under the Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Administrator shall have sole and complete authority to determine the individuals to whom and the time or times at which such Other Share-Based Awards shall be granted. Each Participant who is granted an Other Share-Based Award shall enter into an Award Agreement with the Company, containing such terms and conditions as the Administrator shall determine, in its sole discretion, including, among other things, the number of shares of Common Stock to be granted pursuant to such Other Share-Based Awards, or the manner in which such Other Share-Based Awards shall be settled (e.g., in shares of Common Stock, cash or other property), or the conditions to the vesting and/or payment or settlement of such Other Share-Based Awards (which may include, but not be limited to, achievement of performance criteria) and all other terms and conditions of such Other Share-Based Awards. In the event that the Administrator grants a bonus in the form of Shares, the Shares constituting such bonus shall, as determined by the Administrator, be evidenced in uncertificated form or by a book entry record or a certificate issued in the name of the Participant to whom such grant was made and delivered to such Participant as soon as practicable after the date on which such bonus is payable. Notwithstanding anything set forth in the Plan to the contrary, any dividend or dividend equivalent Award issued hereunder shall be subject to the same restrictions, conditions and risks of forfeiture as apply to the underlying Award.
Section 11. Cash Awards.
The Administrator may grant Awards that are denominated in, or payable to Participants solely in, cash, as deemed by the Administrator to be consistent with the purposes of the Plan, and, such Cash Awards shall be subject to the terms, conditions, restrictions and limitations determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion, from time to time. Awards granted pursuant to this Section 11 may be granted with value and payment contingent upon the achievement of performance goals.
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Section 12. Change in Control.
Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator and evidenced in an Award Agreement, in the event that (a) a Change in Control occurs, and (b) the Participant’s employment or service is terminated by the Company, its successor or an Affiliate thereof without Cause or by the Participant for Good Reason (if applicable) on or after the effective date of the Change in Control but prior to twelve (12) months following the Change in Control, then:
(a) any unvested or unexercisable portion of any Award carrying a right to exercise shall become fully vested and exercisable; and
(b) the restrictions, deferral limitations, payment conditions and forfeiture conditions applicable to an Award granted under the Plan shall lapse and such Awards shall be deemed fully vested and any performance conditions imposed with respect to such Awards shall be deemed to be fully achieved at target performance levels.
If the Administrator determines in its discretion pursuant to Section 3(b)(4) hereof to accelerate the vesting of Options and/or Share Appreciation Rights in connection with a Change in Control, the Administrator shall also have discretion in connection with such action to provide that all Options and/or Share Appreciation Rights outstanding immediately prior to such Change in Control shall expire on the effective date of such Change in Control.
Section 13. Amendment and Termination.
The Board may amend, alter or terminate the Plan at any time, but no amendment, alteration or termination shall be made that would impair the rights of a Participant under any Award theretofore granted without such Participant’s consent. The Board shall obtain approval of the Company’s stockholders for any amendment that would require such approval in order to satisfy the requirements of any rules of the stock exchange on which the Common Stock is traded or other Applicable Law. The Administrator may amend the terms of any Award theretofore granted, prospectively or retroactively, but, subject to Section 5 of the Plan and the immediately preceding sentence, no such amendment shall materially impair the rights of any Participant without his or her consent.
Section 14. Unfunded Status of Plan.
The Plan is intended to constitute an “unfunded” plan for incentive compensation. With respect to any payments not yet made to a Participant by the Company, nothing contained herein shall give any such Participant any rights that are greater than those of a general creditor of the Company.
Section 15. Withholding Taxes.
Each Participant shall, no later than the date as of which the value of an Award first becomes includible in the gross income of such Participant for purposes of applicable taxes, pay to the Company, or make arrangements satisfactory to the Administrator regarding payment of an amount up to the maximum statutory tax rates in the Participant’s applicable jurisdiction with respect to the Award, as determined by the Company. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be conditional on the making of such payments or arrangements, and the Company shall, to the extent permitted by Applicable Laws, have the right to deduct any such taxes from any payment of any kind otherwise due to such Participant. Whenever cash is to be paid pursuant to an Award, the Company shall have the right to deduct therefrom an amount sufficient to satisfy any applicable withholding tax requirements related thereto. Whenever Shares or property other than cash are to be delivered pursuant to an Award, the Company shall have the right to require the Participant to remit to the Company in cash an amount sufficient to satisfy any related taxes to be withheld and applied to the tax obligations; provided, that, with the approval of the Administrator, a Participant may satisfy the foregoing requirement by either (i) electing to have the Company withhold from delivery of Shares or other property, as applicable, or (ii) delivering already owned unrestricted shares of Common Stock, in each case, having a value not exceeding the applicable taxes to be withheld and applied to the tax obligations. Such already owned and unrestricted shares of Common Stock shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date on which the amount of tax to be withheld is determined and any fractional share amounts resulting therefrom shall be settled in cash. Such an election may be made with respect to all or any portion of the Shares to be delivered pursuant to an award. The Company may also use any other method of obtaining the necessary payment or proceeds, as permitted by Applicable Laws, to satisfy its withholding obligation with respect to any Award.
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Section 16. Transfer of Awards.
Until such time as the Awards are fully vested and/or exercisable in accordance with the Plan or an Award Agreement, no purported sale, assignment, mortgage, hypothecation, transfer, charge, pledge, encumbrance, gift, transfer in trust (voting or other) or other disposition of, or creation of a security interest in or lien on, any Award or any agreement or commitment to do any of the foregoing (each, a “Transfer”) by any holder thereof in violation of the provisions of the Plan or an Award Agreement will be valid, except with the prior written consent of the Administrator, which consent may be granted or withheld in the sole discretion of the Administrator. Any purported Transfer of an Award or any economic benefit or interest therein in violation of the Plan or an Award Agreement shall be null and void ab initio and shall not create any obligation or liability of the Company, and any Person purportedly acquiring any Award or any economic benefit or interest therein transferred in violation of the Plan or an Award Agreement shall not be entitled to be recognized as a holder of such Shares or other property underlying such Award. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator in accordance with the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence, an Option or a Share Appreciation Right may be exercised, during the lifetime of the Participant, only by the Participant or, during any period during which the Participant is under a legal Disability, by the Participant’s guardian or legal representative.
Section 17. Continued Employment or Service.
Neither the adoption of the Plan nor the grant of an Award shall confer upon any Eligible Recipient any right to continued employment or service with the Company or any Affiliate thereof, as the case may be, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the Company or any Affiliate thereof to terminate the employment or service of any of its Eligible Recipients at any time.
Section 18. Effective Date.
The Plan was adopted by the Board on November18, 2021 and shall become effective upon the closing of the initial public offering (the “Effective Date”).
Section 19. Electronic Signature.
Participant’s electronic signature of an Award Agreement shall have the same validity and effect as a signature affixed by hand.
Section 20. Term of Plan.
No Award shall be granted pursuant to the Plan on or after the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date, but Awards theretofore granted may extend beyond that date.
Section 21. Securities Matters and Regulations.
(a) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the obligation of the Company to sell or deliver Shares with respect to any Award granted under the Plan shall be subject to all Applicable Laws, rules and regulations, including all applicable federal and state securities laws, and the obtaining of all such approvals by governmental agencies as may be deemed necessary or appropriate by the Administrator. The Administrator may require, as a condition of the issuance and delivery of certificates evidencing shares of Common Stock pursuant to the terms hereof, that the recipient of such shares make such agreements and representations, and that such certificates bear such legends, as the Administrator, in its sole discretion, deems necessary or advisable.
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(b) Each Award is subject to the requirement that, if at any time the Administrator determines that the listing, registration or qualification of Shares is required by any securities exchange or under any state or federal law, or the consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body is necessary or desirable as a condition of, or in connection with, the grant of an Award or the issuance of Shares, no such Award shall be granted or payment made or Shares issued, in whole or in part, unless listing, registration, qualification, consent or approval has been effected or obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Administrator.
(c) In the event that the disposition of Shares acquired pursuant to the Plan is not covered by a then current registration statement under the Securities Act and is not otherwise exempt from such registration, such Shares shall be restricted against transfer to the extent required by the Securities Act or regulations thereunder, and the Administrator may require a Participant receiving Common Stock pursuant to the Plan, as a condition precedent to receipt of such Common Stock, to represent to the Company in writing that the Common Stock acquired by such Participant is acquired for investment only and not with a view to distribution.
Section 22. Section 409A of the Code.
The Plan as well as payments and benefits under the Plan are intended to be exempt from, or to the extent subject thereto, to comply with Section 409A of the Code, and, accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted, the Plan shall be interpreted in accordance therewith. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, to the extent required in order to avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Participant shall not be considered to have terminated employment or service with the Company for purposes of the Plan and no payment shall be due to the Participant under the Plan or any Award until the Participant would be considered to have incurred a “separation from service” from the Company and its Affiliates within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. Any payments described in the Plan that are due within the “short term deferral period” as defined in Section 409A of the Code shall not be treated as deferred compensation unless Applicable Law requires otherwise. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Plan, to the extent that any Awards (or any other amounts payable under any plan, program or arrangement of the Company or any of its Affiliates) are payable upon a separation from service and such payment would result in the imposition of any individual tax and penalty interest charges imposed under Section 409A of the Code, the settlement and payment of such awards (or other amounts) shall instead be made on the first business day after the date that is six (6) months following such separation from service (or death, if earlier). Each amount to be paid or benefit to be provided under this Plan shall be construed as a separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A of the Code. The Company makes no representation that any or all of the payments or benefits described in this Plan will be exempt from or comply with Section 409A of the Code and makes no undertaking to preclude Section 409A of the Code from applying to any such payment. The Participant shall be solely responsible for the payment of any taxes and penalties incurred under Section 409A.
Section 23. Notification of Election Under Section 83(b) of the Code.
If any Participant shall, in connection with the acquisition of shares of Common Stock under the Plan, make the election permitted under Section 83(b) of the Code, such Participant shall notify the Company of such election within ten (10) days after filing notice of the election with the Internal Revenue Service.
Section 24. No Fractional Shares.
No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan. The Administrator shall determine whether cash, other Awards, or other property shall be issued or paid in lieu of such fractional shares or whether such fractional shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise eliminated.
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Section 25. Beneficiary.
A Participant may file with the Administrator a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Administrator and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation. If no designated beneficiary survives the Participant, the executor or administrator of the Participant’s estate shall be deemed to be the Participant’s beneficiary.
Section 26. Paperless Administration.
In the event that the Company establishes, for itself or using the services of a third party, an automated system for the documentation, granting or exercise of Awards, such as a system using an internet website or interactive voice response, then the paperless documentation, granting or exercise of Awards by a Participant may be permitted through the use of such an automated system.
Section 27. Severability.
If any provision of the Plan is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the other provisions of the Plan shall not be affected but shall be applied as if the invalid or unenforceable provision had not been included in the Plan.
Section 28. Clawback.
(a) If the Company is required to prepare a financial restatement due to the material non-compliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement, then the Committee may require any Section 16 Officer to repay or forfeit to the Company, and each Section 16 Officer agrees to so repay or forfeit, that part of the Incentive Compensation received by that Section 16 Officer during the three-year period preceding the publication of the restated financial statement that the Committee determines was in excess of the amount that such Section 16 Officer would have received had such Incentive Compensation been calculated based on the financial results reported in the restated financial statement. The Committee may take into account any factors it deems reasonable in determining whether to seek recoupment of previously paid Incentive Compensation and how much Incentive Compensation to recoup from each Section 16 Officer (which need not be the same amount or proportion for each Section 16 Officer), including any determination by the Committee that a Section 16 Officer engaged in fraud, willful misconduct or committed grossly negligent acts or omissions which materially contributed to the events that led to the financial restatement. The amount and form of the Incentive Compensation to be recouped shall be determined by the Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, and recoupment of Incentive Compensation may be made, in the Committee’s sole and absolute discretion, through the cancellation of vested or unvested Awards, cash repayment or both.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Plan, any Award which is subject to recovery under any Applicable Laws, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, will be subject to such deductions and clawback as may be required to be made pursuant to such Applicable Law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement (or any policy adopted by the Company pursuant to any such law, government regulation or stock exchange listing requirement).
Section 29. Governing Law.
The Plan shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without giving effect to principles of conflicts of law of such state.
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Section 30. Indemnification.
To the extent allowable pursuant to applicable law, each member of the Board and the Administrator and any officer or other employee to whom authority to administer any component of the Plan is delegated shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by such member in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action or failure to act pursuant to the Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in satisfaction of judgment in such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her; provided, however, that he or she gives the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his or her own behalf. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled pursuant to the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
Section 31. Titles and Headings, References to Sections of the Code or Exchange Act.
The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control. References to sections of the Code or the Exchange Act shall include any amendment or successor thereto.
Section 32. Successors.
The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.
Section 33. Relationship to other Benefits.
No payment pursuant to the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, welfare, or other benefit plan of the Company or any Affiliate except to the extent otherwise expressly provided in writing in such other plan or an agreement thereunder.
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Exhibit 10.10
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (this “Agreement”), dated December 16, 2021, is by and among Sidus Space, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Carol Craig (the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Company desires to continue to employ Executive, and Executive desires to continue to be employed by, the Company, in each case effective as of the date of an initial public offering of the Company (the “Effective Date”);
WHEREAS, in connection with the foregoing, Executive shall be required to perform Executive’s duties and obligations hereunder on behalf of the Company, as appropriate, and such duties and obligations shall be enforceable by the Company;
WHEREAS, this Agreement supersedes any and all prior employment agreements or similar agreements by and between Executive and the Company;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of such employment and the mutual covenants and promises herein contained, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and Executive agree that the above recitals are hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement and are binding upon the parties hereto and agree as follows:
1. Employment. The Company hereby agrees to employ Executive, and Executive hereby agrees to be employed with the Company, upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement. Unless earlier terminated by either party in accordance with Section 5, Executive’s employment with the Company shall continue for an initial term commencing on the Effective Date and continuing until the third (3rd) anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Initial Term”) and thereafter shall automatically renew for successive one year terms (each a “Renewal Term”) unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal to the other party at least sixty (60) days prior to the last day of the then-current term (such Initial Term and subsequent Renewal Term(s) or portions thereof occurring prior to termination, collectively the “Employment Period”).
2. Duties.
2.1 During the Employment Period, Executive shall serve the Company on a full-time basis and perform services in a capacity and in a manner consistent with Executive’s position for the Company. Executive shall have the title of Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and shall have such duties, authorities and responsibilities as are consistent with such position, as the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) may designate from time to time. Executive will report directly to the Company Board. During the Employment Period, the Company Board shall recommend to its shareholders that Executive be elected as a member of the Company Board and, if so elected, Executive shall serve for no additional consideration as a member of the Company Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive may (i) serve as a director officer and/or advisor of five (5) for-profit company without the prior approval of the Company Board; (ii) perform and participate in charitable, civic, educational, professional, community and industry affairs and other related activities; and (iii) manage Executive’s personal investments, provided, however, that such activities do not materially interfere, individually or in the aggregate with the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder. Further notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed to prevent Executive from being employed by or providing services to Craig Technical Consulting, Inc., a Delaware corporation.
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3. Location Of Employment. Executive shall work remotely until such time as Executive and the Company mutually agree that Executive will work from the Company offices.
4. Compensation.
4.1 Base Salary. In consideration of all services rendered by Executive under this Agreement, the Company shall pay Executive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at an annual rate of $125,000 during the Employment Period. The Base Salary shall be paid in such installments and at such times as the Company pays its regularly salaried employees, but no less often than once per month.
4.2 Annual Discretionary Bonus. During each fiscal year of the Executive’s employment with the Company (commencing with the 2021 fiscal year), Executive will be eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus (“Cash Bonus”). Executive’s target Cash Bonus shall be equal to 100% of Base Salary (the “Target Bonus”). The Cash Bonus amount will be based upon achievement of Company and individual performance targets established by the Company Board, in its sole and absolute discretion, for the fiscal year to which the bonus relates. The payment of any Cash Bonus described herein will be made at the same time annual bonuses are generally paid to other senior executives of the Company (generally the first regular payroll date following the Company Board’s certification of achievement of applicable performance targets). If Executive is eligible to receive a Cash Bonus, such bonus will not be deemed to be fully “earned” unless Executive is (i) employed by the Company and in good standing on the last day of the fiscal year to which the Cash Bonus relates, and (ii) has not given notice of Executive’s intention to resign Executive’s employment as of, or prior to, the date the Company pays the applicable Cash Bonus. The Cash Bonus shall be paid to Executive no later than March 15th of the year following the year for which the bonus is payable.
4.3 Vacation. During the Employment Period, Executive shall be entitled to vacation benefits consistent with Company policy, as may be in effect from time to time, except to the extent such policy is inconsistent with this Agreement.
4.4 Benefits. During the Employment Period, Executive shall be entitled to participate in any benefit plans offered by the Company as in effect from time to time (collectively, “Benefit Plans”) on the same basis as those generally made available to other senior employees of the Company, to the extent Executive may be eligible to do so under the terms of any such Benefit Plan. Executive acknowledges and agrees that any such Benefit Plans may be terminated or amended from time to time by the Company in its sole discretion. During the Employment Period, the Company shall provide Executive with (i) life insurance coverage (equal to at least two (2) times Executive’s Base Salary), and (ii) disability insurance coverage. The Company will cover Executive under directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, with Executive as a named insured, during Executive’s employment (and for a period of six (6) years following the termination thereof), to the same general extent as other executive officers of the Company.
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5. Termination. Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated as follows:
5.1 Automatically in the event of the death of Executive;
5.2 At the option of the Company, by written notice to Executive or Executive’s personal representative in the event of the Disability of Executive. As used herein, the term “Disability” shall mean a determination by an independent competent medical authority (mutually agreed upon by Executive and the Company) that Executive is unable to perform Executive’s duties under this Agreement with or without reasonable accommodation, for a period of 120 consecutive days or 180 days in any 365 day period. If there is a question as to the existence of Executive’s Disability as to which Executive and the Company cannot agree, same shall be determined in writing by a qualified independent medical authority mutually acceptable to Executive and the Company. If the parties hereto cannot agree as to a qualified independent physician, each of the Executive, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other, shall appoint such a physician and those two physicians shall select a third who shall make such determination in writing. The determination of Disability made in writing to the Company and Executive shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement. Executive shall fully cooperate in connection with the determination of whether Disability exists.
5.3 At the option of the Company for Cause (as defined in Section 6.6), on prior written notice to Executive (subject to any cure period described in Section 6.6);
5.4 At the option of the Company without Cause, on thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Executive;
5.5 At the option of Executive (a) for Good Reason (in accordance with the definition in Section 6.5) or (b) for any or no reason other than Good Reason on thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the Company (which the Company may, in its sole discretion, make effective as a resignation earlier than the termination date provided in such notice and further provided that if Executive unilaterally resigns Executive’s employment before the end of such requisite notice period then such resignation shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a termination under Section 5.4); or
5.6 As of the last day of the Initial Term or the then-current Renewal Term if either Executive or the Company elects not to renew the Agreement in accordance with and subject to the notice provisions set forth in Section 1.
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6. Severance Payments.
6.1 Non-Renewal by the Company, Termination by the Company Without Cause or Termination by Executive for Good Reason. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (and not due to death or Disability), by Executive for Good Reason or as the result of the Company’s decision not to renew the Agreement in accordance with Section 1, subject to Section 6.7 hereof, Executive shall be entitled to:
(a) within thirty (30) days following such termination, payment of Executive’s accrued and unpaid Base Salary and reimbursement of expenses under Section 7 hereof in each case accrued through the date of termination;
(b) subject to Section 13.7(b) hereof, an amount in cash equal to the product of five (5) times the sum of (i) Executive’s Base Salary and (ii) Executive’s Target Bonus (in each case, as in effect as of Executive’s last day of employment), which shall be payable in substantially equal installments (the “Severance Amount”) at the same time Base Salary would be paid over the eighteen (18) month period (the “Severance Period”) following termination; provided, however, if the Executive’s review and revocation period for the release of claims required pursuant to Section 6.7 hereof spans two of Executive’s taxable years, the first payment shall be made on the first regularly scheduled payroll date of the later taxable year following the effective date of such release of claims and shall include all amounts accrued prior thereto;
(c) if Executive is eligible for and elects to enroll in “COBRA” type continuation coverage of Executive’s health benefits under the Company’s group health plan, for the Severance Period (“COBRA Payment Period”) the Company will pay Executive on a monthly basis a taxable amount equal to the full monthly premium for the corresponding active employee coverage type (e.g., single, single plus one, family) under the Company’s group health plan that was in effect for Executive on the termination date, less applicable taxes and withholdings; provided, that the Company’s obligation to make these monthly taxable COBRA premium payments to Executive hereunder shall cease on the earlier of: (i) the date on which Executive first becomes eligible for coverage under any group health plan made available by another employer (and Executive shall notify the Company in writing promptly, but within 10 days, after becoming eligible for any such benefits); and (ii) the date on which Executive’s COBRA continuation coverage under the Company’s group health plan ends on account of Executive’s election to terminate such coverage; notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company determines, in its sole discretion, that the payment of the COBRA premiums would result in a violation of the nondiscrimination rules of Section 105(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any statute or regulation of similar effect (including but not limited to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the 2010 Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act), then in lieu of providing the COBRA premiums; the Company, in its sole discretion, may elect to instead pay Executive on the first day of each month of the COBRA Payment Period, a fully taxable cash payment equal to the COBRA premiums for that month, subject to applicable tax withholdings (such amount, the “Special Severance Payment”), for the remainder of the COBRA Payment Period (Executive may, but is not obligated to, use such Special Severance Payment toward the cost of COBRA premiums); notwithstanding the foregoing, if for any reason Executive is ineligible for, or does not elect to enroll in “COBRA” type continuation coverage of Executive’s health benefits under the Company’s group health plan, the Company will pay Executive a lump sum equal to the aggregate payments the Company would have paid Executive on a monthly basis pursuant to the above provisions;
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(d) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any Cash Bonus earned with respect to a fiscal year ending prior to the date of such termination but unpaid as of such date, payable at the same time in the year of termination as such payment would be made if Executive continued to be employed by the Company, but in no event later than 73 days following the end of the fiscal year in which the termination occurs;
(e) a lump sum payment equal to the amount of Cash Bonus that was accrued for the year in which Executive’s employment ends based upon the good faith determination of the Company Board in accordance with the Company’s normal practices as of the last day of the calendar month during which Executive’s termination became effective (it being understood that the Company will accrue the Cash Bonus on a monthly basis), payable no later than 73 days after the termination date;
(f) all other accrued or vested amounts or benefits due to Executive in accordance with this Agreement, the Company’s benefit plans, programs or policies (other than severance), and the treatment of Executive’s Award in accordance with the Award Agreement; and
(g) subject to Executive’s compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in Section 8 hereof, the outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award granted to Executive by the Company shall automatically accelerate and vest in full upon Executive’s termination date.
6.2 Termination due to Executive’s Death or Disability. Upon the termination of Executive’s employment due to Executive’s death or Disability pursuant to Section 5.1 and Section 5.2 respectively, Executive or Executive’s legal representatives shall be entitled to receive (i) the acceleration and vesting in full of any then outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award granted to Executive by the Company; and (ii) the payments and benefits described under Sections 6.1(a), (d), (e) and (f).
6.3 Termination due to Non-Renewal by Executive or Termination by Executive without Good Reason. Upon the termination of Executive’s employment due to the non-renewal by Executive or termination by Executive without Good Reason, Executive shall be entitled to receive only the payments and benefits described in Sections 6.1(a), (d), and (f), and the treatment of Executive’s Award in accordance with the Award Agreement.
6.4 Termination by the Company for Cause. Upon the termination of Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause pursuant to Section 5.3, Executive shall be entitled to receive only the payments and benefits described in Sections 6.1(a) and (f), and the treatment of Executive’s Award in accordance with the Award Agreement.
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6.5 Termination Following Change in Control. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason within twelve (12) months following a Change in Control, Executive shall be entitled to receive the following: (i) the acceleration and vesting in full of any then outstanding and unvested portion of any time-vesting equity award granted to Executive by the Company; (ii) the benefits described in Section 6.1(b) and (c), provided, however, that the Severance Amount shall equal 10 times the sum of Base Salary and Target Bonus and the Severance Period shall be 24 months; and (iii) the benefits described in Section 6.1(a), (d), (e) and (f).
6.6 Definitions.
(a) Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean:
(i) Executive’s continued failure or refusal to follow the lawful directives of the Company Board after being given written notice and thirty (30) days to remedy such failures or refusals;
(ii) Executive’s willful misconduct, gross negligence, act of material dishonesty in connection with Executive’s employment;
(iii) Executive’s indictment for, or a plea of guilty or no contest to, any felony or any other criminal offence involving serious moral turpitude;
(iv) Executive’s violation of any material written policies of the Company or its affiliates of which Executive has received written notice and which violation is, in each case, if curable, is not cured within thirty (30) days of written notice from the Company;
(v) Executive’s breach of any non-solicitation or non-competition obligations to the Company or its affiliates, including, without limitation, those set forth in Sections 8.1 and 8.2 of this Agreement or Executive’s willful, grossly negligent, or reckless breach of any confidentiality obligations to the Company or its affiliates, including, without limitation, those set forth in Section 8.3 of this Agreement;
(vi) material breach by Executive of any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement between the Company and its affiliates on the one hand and Executive on the other hand, which (if curable) is not cured within thirty (30) days of written notice; or
(vii) as provided in Section 13.1 hereof.
(b) “Change in Control” shall have the meaning given that term in the Company’s 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan.
(c) “Good Reason” shall mean, without Executive’s prior written consent, (i) a material diminution in Executive’s title, authority, duties or responsibilities; (ii) a material reduction in Base Salary; (iii) a material reduction in the target percentage of the Executive’s Cash Bonus; (iv) the relocation of Executive’s principal place of employment more than fifty (50) miles from its then current location; or (v) a breach by the Company of any material provision of this Agreement (the parties agreeing that Section 4.1 is one such material provision). Any Good Reason termination will require thirty (30) days’ advanced written notice by Executive of the event giving rise to Good Reason within sixty (60) days after Executive first learns of the applicable event, and will not be effective unless the Company has not cured the Good Reason event within such thirty (30) day notice period. In order for Executive to resign for Good Reason, Executive must resign from Executive’s employment within sixty (60) days after the failure of the Company to cure a Good Reason event.
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(d) “Person” means any natural person, sole proprietorship, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization, association, corporation, governmental authority or any other organization, irrespective of whether it is a legal entity and includes any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
6.7 Conditions to Payment. All payments and benefits due to Executive under this Section 6, other than the payments due to Executive under Sections 6.1(a), (d), and (f) or which are otherwise required by law (all other payments under Section 6, “Severance”), shall only be payable if Executive (or Executive’s beneficiary or estate) delivers to the Company and does not revoke (under the terms of applicable law) a general release of all claims substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. Such general release shall be executed and delivered (and no longer subject to revocation) within fifty-five (55) days following termination. Failure to timely execute and return such release or revocation thereof shall be a waiver by Executive of Executive’s right to receive any Severance. In addition, Severance shall be conditioned on Executive’s compliance with Section 8 hereof.
7. Reimbursement of Expenses. The Company shall reimburse Executive for reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred by Executive directly in connection with the business and affairs of the Company and the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in each case subject to appropriate substantiation and itemization of such expenses in accordance with the guidelines and limitations established by the Company from time to time.
8. Restrictions on Activities of Executive.
8.1 Non-Competition. During employment and for the one (1) year period commencing on the date Executive’s employment with the Company pursuant to this Agreement ends (except in the event Executive’s employment ends due to Executive’s Disability) (the “Restriction Period”), Executive covenants and agrees that Executive shall not directly or indirectly (whether for compensation or otherwise) own or hold any interest in, manage, operate, control, consult with, render services for, or in any manner participate in, any Competitive Business, in each case, either as a general or limited partner, proprietor, shareholder, officer, director, agent, employee, consultant, trustee, affiliate or otherwise. The Company may opt to extend the Restriction Period for up to an additional one (1) year period, provided that in such case Company shall also increase the Severance Amount and the Severance Period by one-twelfth (1/12) for each month that the Restricted Period is lengthened. For clarification, if Executive is not otherwise entitled to a Severance Amount, the Company shall pay Executive an amount equal to one-twelfth (1/12) of Executive’s Base Salary for each month the Restricted Period is lengthened. Nothing herein shall prohibit Executive from being a passive owner of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding securities of any publicly traded company engaged in a Competitive Business. For purposes of this Agreement, “Competitive Business” shall mean the licensing and/or development of (x) the same or substantially similar compounds as those which the Company is then currently licensing or developing, or (y) compounds which the Company is then currently actively considering licensing and/or developing, by virtue of management executives having held material discussions with applicable counterparties to license such compounds and material discussions with members of the Company Board regarding the same during the prior six (6) month period and of which Executive is aware; in each case, with respect to the same or similar indications for which the Company is then licensing, developing or considering the licensing and/or development of such compounds.
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8.2 Non-Solicitation. Executive covenants and agrees that, except in connection with the performance of Executive’s duties to the Company, during the Restriction Period, Executive shall not directly or indirectly (i) influence or attempt to influence or solicit any employees or independent contractors of the Company or any of its affiliates to restrict, reduce, sever or otherwise alter their relationship with the Company or such affiliates, (ii) hire any employees or independent contractors of the Company or any of its affiliates, (iii) solicit or induce, or attempt to solicit or induce, any Person that is then a client or customer of the Company, or any of its affiliates to cease being a client or customer of the Company or any of its affiliates or to divert all or any part of such Person’s business from the Company or any of its affiliates, or (iv) assist any other Person in any way to do, or attempt to do, anything prohibited by Sections 8.2(i), (ii), or (iii); provided, however, that the foregoing restrictions shall not include (A) general solicitations of employment or hiring of persons responding to general solicitations of employment (including general advertising via periodicals, the Internet and other media) not specifically directed towards employees of the Company or its affiliates, or (B) serving as a third-party reference for any employee or independent contractor or providing advice to any employees.
8.3 Confidentiality. Executive shall not, during the Employment Period or at any time thereafter directly or indirectly, disclose, reveal, divulge or communicate to any Person other than authorized officers, directors and employees of the Company or use or otherwise exploit for Executive’s own benefit or for the benefit of anyone other than the Company, any Confidential Information (as defined below). “Confidential Information” means any information with respect to the Company or any of its affiliates, including methods of operation, customer lists, products, prices, fees, costs, technology, formulas, inventions, trade secrets, know-how, software, marketing methods, plans, personnel, suppliers, competitors, markets or other specialized information or proprietary matters; provided, that, there shall be no obligation hereunder with respect to, information that (i) is generally available to the public on the Effective Date, (ii) becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of a disclosure not otherwise permissible hereunder, or (iii) is required to be disclosed by law, court order or other legal or regulatory process and Executive gives the Company prompt written notice and the opportunity to seek a protective order. For the avoidance of doubt, Executive understands that pursuant to the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Executive shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (A) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall limit Executive’s ability to communicate with any federal, state or local governmental agency or commission, including to provide documents or other information, without notice to the Company. Further, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to preclude Executive from testifying truthfully under oath if Executive is required or compelled by law to testify in any judicial action or before any government authority or agency or from making any other legally-required truthful statements or disclosures.
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8.4 Assignment of Inventions.
(a) Executive agrees that during employment with the Company, any and all inventions, discoveries, innovations, writings, domain names, improvements, trade secrets, designs, drawings, formulas, business processes, secret processes and know-how, whether or not patentable or a copyright or trademark, which Executive may create, conceive, develop or make, either alone or in conjunction with others and related or in any way connected with the Company’s strategic plans, products, processes or apparatus or the business (collectively, “Inventions”), shall be fully and promptly disclosed to the Company and shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company as against Executive or any of Executive’s assignees. Regardless of the status of Executive’s employment by the Company, Executive and Executive’s heirs, assigns and representatives shall promptly assign to the Company any and all right, title and interest in and to such Inventions made during employment with the Company.
(b) Whether during or after the Employment Period, Executive further agrees to execute and acknowledge all papers and to do, at the Company’s expense, any and all other things necessary for or incident to the applying for, obtaining and maintaining of such letters patent, copyrights, trademarks or other intellectual property rights, as the case may be, and to execute, on request, all papers necessary to assign and transfer such Inventions, copyrights, patents, patent applications and other intellectual property rights to the Company and its successors and assigns. In the event that the Company is unable, after reasonable efforts and, in any event, after ten (10) business days, to secure Executive’s signature on a written assignment to the Company, of any application for letters patent, trademark registration or to any common law or statutory copyright or other property right therein, whether because of Executive’s physical or mental incapacity, or for any other reason whatsoever, Executive irrevocably designates and appoints the Secretary of the Company as Executive’s attorney-in-fact to act on Executive’s behalf to execute and file any such applications and to do all lawfully permitted acts to further the prosecution or issuance of such assignments, letters patent, copyright or trademark.
8.5 Return of Company Property. Within ten (10) days following the date of any termination of Executive’s employment, Executive or Executive’s personal representative shall return all property of the Company and its affiliates in Executive’s possession, including but not limited to all Company-owned computer equipment (hardware and software), smart phones, facsimile machines, tablet computers and other communication devices, credit cards, office keys, security access cards, badges, identification cards and all copies (including drafts) of any documentation or information (however stored) relating to the business of the Company and its affiliates, its customers and clients or its prospective customers and clients. Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, Executive shall be entitled to retain (i) personal papers and other materials of a personal nature, provided that such papers or materials do not include Confidential Information, (ii) information showing Executive’s compensation or relating to reimbursement of expenses, and (iii) copies of plans, programs and agreements relating to Executive’s employment, or termination thereof, with the Company which Executive received in Executive’s capacity as a participant.
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8.6 Cooperation. During the Employment Period and for six years thereafter, Executive shall give Executive’s assistance and cooperation, upon reasonable advance notice, in any litigation matter relating to Executive’s position with the Company and its affiliates, or Executive’s knowledge as a result thereof as the Company may reasonably request, including Executive’s attendance and truthful testimony where deemed appropriate by the Company, with respect to any investigation or the Company’s (or an affiliate’s) defense or prosecution of any existing or future claims or litigations or other proceeding relating to matters in which Executive was involved or had knowledge by virtue of Executive’s employment with the Company, in all cases on schedules that are reasonably consistent with Executive’s other permitted activities and commitments. The Company agrees to reimburse Executive for any costs Executive incurs in connection with complying with this Section, including Executive’s reasonable attorney’s fees. If Executive’s compliance with this Section requires Executive to expend more than ten (10) hours (any time in excess of ten (10) hours, “Excess Time”) in any quarter of a calendar year, the Company agrees to compensate Executive for such Excess Time at an hourly rate that is equal to the prorata rate the Executive earned while under employment with the Company.
8.7 Non-Disparagement. During Executive’s employment with the Company, and at all times thereafter, (i) Executive shall not make either orally or in writing any derogatory or disparaging statement with regard to the Company, any of its businesses, products, services or practices or any of its managers, directors, officers, employees or agents, and (ii) the Company shall direct the members of the Company Board and its senior executives not to make either orally or in writing any derogatory or disparaging statement with regard to the Executive, provided that nothing in this Section 8.7 shall prevent either party from giving a deposition, responding to any subpoena or other lawful request for information or documentation made in the course of a legal or administrative proceeding or testifying in court or in any other legal proceeding.
8.8 Survival. This Section 8 shall survive any termination or expiration of this Agreement or employment of Executive.
9. Remedies. It is specifically understood and agreed that any breach of the provisions of Section 8 of this Agreement is likely to result in irreparable injury to the Company and that the remedy at law alone will be an inadequate remedy for such breach, and that in addition to any other remedy it may have in the event of a breach or threatened breach of Section 8 above, the Company shall be entitled to enforce the specific performance of this Agreement by Executive and to seek both temporary and permanent injunctive relief (to the extent permitted by law) without bond and without liability should such relief be denied, modified or violated.
10. Blue Pencil. Each of the rights enumerated in this Agreement shall be independent of the others and shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any other rights and remedies available to the Company or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries at law or in equity. If any of the provisions of this Agreement or any part of any of them is hereafter construed or adjudicated to be invalid or unenforceable because of the duration of such provisions or the area or scope covered thereby, Executive agrees that the court making such determination shall have the power to reduce the duration, scope and/or area of such provisions to the maximum and/or broadest duration, scope and/or area permissible by law, and in its reduced form said provision shall then be enforceable.
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11. Severable Provisions. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and the invalidity of any one or more provisions shall not affect the validity of any other provision. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any provision of this Agreement or the application thereof is unenforceable in whole or in part because of the duration or scope thereof, the parties hereto agree that said court in making such determination shall have the power to reduce the duration and scope of such provision to the extent necessary to make it enforceable, and that the Agreement in its reduced form shall be valid and enforceable to the full extent permitted by law.
12. Notices. All notices hereunder, to be effective, shall be in writing and shall be deemed effective when delivered by hand or mailed by (a) certified mail, postage and fees prepaid, or (b) nationally recognized overnight express mail service, as follows:
If to the Company:
Sidus Space, Inc.
150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Merritt Island, FL 32953
Attention: Human Resources
with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112
Attention: Jeffrey Fessler, Esq.
Facsimile: 917.438.6133
Telephone: 212.634.3067
E-mail: jfessler@sheppardmullin.com
If to Executive:
The last address shown on records of the Company
or to such other address as a party may notify the other pursuant to a notice given in accordance with this Section 12.
13. Miscellaneous.
13.1 Executive Representation. Executive hereby represents to the Company that Executive’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and Executive’s performance of Executive’s duties hereunder shall not constitute a breach of, or otherwise contravene, or be prevented, interfered with or hindered by, the terms of any employment agreement or other agreement or policy to which Executive is a party or otherwise bound, and further that Executive is not subject to any limitation on Executive’s activities on behalf of the Company as a result of agreements into which Executive has entered except for obligations of confidentiality with former employers. To the extent this representation and warranty is not true and accurate, it shall be treated as a Cause event and the Company may terminate Executive for Cause or not permit Executive to commence employment.
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13.2 No Mitigation or Offset. In the event of any termination of Executive’s employment hereunder, Executive shall be under no obligation to seek other employment or otherwise mitigate the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, and there shall be no offset against amounts due Executive under this Agreement on account of future earnings by Executive.
13.3 Entire Agreement; Amendment. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with regard to the subject matter hereof, superseding all prior understandings and agreements, whether written or oral. This Agreement may not be amended or revised except by a writing signed by the parties.
13.4 Assignment and Transfer. The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding on and shall inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor in interest to the Company who acquires all or substantially all of the Company’s assets. The Company may assign this Agreement to an affiliate. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, duties or obligations of Executive shall be assignable by Executive, nor shall any of the payments required or permitted to be made to Executive by this Agreement be encumbered, transferred or in any way anticipated, except as required by applicable law. All rights of Executive under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive’s personal or legal representatives, estates, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries.
13.5 Waiver of Breach. A waiver by either party of any breach of any provision of this Agreement by the other party shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any other or subsequent breach by the other party.
13.6 Withholding. The Company shall be entitled to withhold from any amounts to be paid or benefits provided to Executive hereunder any federal, state, local or foreign withholding, FICA and FUTA contributions, or other taxes, charges or deductions which it is from time to time required to withhold.
13.7 Code Section 409A.
(a) The parties agree that this Agreement shall be interpreted to comply with or be exempt from Section 409A of the Code and the regulations and guidance promulgated thereunder to the extent applicable (collectively “Code Section 409A”), and all provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Code Section 409A. In no event whatsoever will the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalties that may be imposed on Executive under Code Section 409A or any damages for failing to comply with Code Section 409A.
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(b) A termination of employment shall not be deemed to have occurred for purposes of any provision of this Agreement providing for the payment of any amounts or benefits considered “nonqualified deferred compensation” under Code Section 409A upon or following a termination of employment unless such termination is also a “separation from service” within the meaning of Code Section 409A and, for purposes of any such provision of this Agreement, references to a “termination,” “termination of employment” or like terms shall mean “separation from service.” If Executive is deemed on the date of termination to be a “specified employee” within the meaning of that term under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), then with regard to any payment or the provision of any benefit that is considered nonqualified deferred compensation under Code Section 409A payable on account of a “separation from service,” such payment or benefit shall be made or provided at the date which is the earlier of (i) the expiration of the six (6)-month period measured from the date of such “separation from service” of Executive, and (ii) the date of Executive’s death (the “Delay Period”). Upon the expiration of the Delay Period, all payments and benefits delayed pursuant to this Section 13.7(b) (whether they would have otherwise been payable in a single sum or in installments in the absence of such delay) shall be paid or reimbursed on the first business day following the expiration of the Delay Period to Executive in a lump sum, and any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein.
(c) With regard to any provision herein that provides for reimbursement of costs and expenses or in-kind benefits, except as permitted by Code Section 409A, (i) the right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit, (ii) the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits, provided during any taxable year shall not affect the expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits, to be provided in any other taxable year, provided, that, this clause (ii) shall not be violated with regard to expenses reimbursed under any arrangement covered by Internal Revenue Code Section 105(b) solely because such expenses are subject to a limit related to the period the arrangement is in effect and (iii) such payments shall be made on or before the last day of Executive’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense occurred.
(d) For purposes of Code Section 409A, Executive’s right to receive any installment payments pursuant to this Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate and distinct payments. Whenever a payment under this Agreement specifies a payment period with reference to a number of days (e.g., “payment shall be made within thirty (30) days following the date of termination”), the actual date of payment within the specified period shall be within the sole discretion of the Company.
13.8 Arbitration. If any contest or dispute arises between the parties with respect to this Agreement or Executive’s employment or termination thereof, other than injunctive and equitable relief with regard to Section 9 hereof, such contest or dispute shall be submitted to binding arbitration to occur in San Francisco, California before a single arbitrator in accordance with the rules and procedures of the Employment Dispute Resolution Rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on the parties and may be entered in any court of applicable jurisdiction. The parties shall bear their own legal fees in any arbitration.
13.9 Indemnification. On December 16, 2021, Executive and the Company entered into an indemnification agreement (the “Indemnification Agreement”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B. The Company shall to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law indemnify and hold harmless Executive as provided in the Indemnification Agreement.
13.10 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed under and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the conflicts of law provisions thereof.
13.11 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and shall have the same effect as if the signatures hereto and thereto were on the same instrument.
[remainder of page intentionally left blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.
| SIDUS SPACE, INC. | ||
| By: | /s/ Carol Craig | |
| Name: | Carol M Craig | |
| Title: | CEO | |
| EXECUTIVE | ||
| /s/ Carol Craig | ||
| Carol Craig | ||
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Exhibit A
GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS
GENERAL RELEASE and WAIVER (this “Agreement”) made as of ____ , by and between Carol Craig (the “Employee”) and Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Employer,” together with the Employee, the “Parties”).
WHEREAS, Employee and the Employer have agreed that Employee’s employment with the Company has been terminated;
WHEREAS, Employee and the Employer have previously entered into an Employment Agreement dated ___, 2021, as may have been amended or supplemented from time to time (the “Employment Agreement”), with any terms used, but not defined herein, having the meaning set forth in the Employment Agreement; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to enter into this Agreement, in satisfaction of all obligations of the Employee and the Employer in respect of Employee’s employment with the Employer.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants set forth herein and for other good and valuable consideration, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Employer and the Employee agree as follows:
1. Separation
(a) Date of Separation. Employee’s employment with the Employer and all of its subsidiaries and affiliates will end on [DATE] (the “Termination Date”). Employee hereby acknowledges and agrees that Employee has resigned, effective as of the Termination Date, from any and all positions and titles Employee holds with the Employer and all of its affiliates (together, “Company Entities”).
(b) Severance. In consideration for, subject to and conditioned on Employee’s execution of this Agreement on or within twenty-one (21) days following the Termination Date, Employee’s non-revocation thereof and compliance with such other conditions as are set forth in the Employment Agreement, Employee is eligible to receive the Severance in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in the Employment Agreement.
(c) Full Satisfaction. The Employee acknowledges and agrees that, except for [TO INCLUDE RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO AWARD IF ANY ARE VESTED (“Equity Rights”)] the payments and benefits under Sections 6.1(a), (d), (f) and (g) of the Employment Agreement, or under Section 6.5 of the Employment Agreement in the event that a Termination occurs within twelve (12) months following a Change in Control, and except for Severance, the Employee is not entitled to any other compensation or benefits from the Company Entities (including without limitation any severance or termination compensation or benefits under any severance plan, program, policies, practices or arrangements of any of the Company Entities).
| Exhibit A-1 |
(d) COBRA. Pursuant to the applicable group plan terms and conditions, Employee will cease participating in Employer’s health insurance plans as of the Termination Date. If applicable, the Employer will send the Employee documentation under separate cover relating to the Employee’s rights pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”).
2. General Release and Waiver
(a) Release.
i. In exchange for and in consideration of the promises and covenants set forth in this Agreement and the Employment Agreement, and except as expressly set forth herein, Employee irrevocably and unconditionally releases and discharges the Company Entities and each of their subsidiaries, divisions, parents and member companies, institutions, affiliates or related business entities and any and all of their past and present administrators, officers, partners, members, fiduciaries, trustees, directors, agents, representatives, shareholders, employees, board members, successors and assigns (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Releasees”), jointly and individually, from any and all actions, causes of action, grievances, arbitrations, obligations, liabilities, judgments, suits, debts, attorneys’ fees, costs, sums of money, wages, bonuses, benefits of any type, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills, specialties, covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises, variances, trespasses, damages, extents, executions, claims and demands whatsoever in law, or in equity, which Employee, Employee’s heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, ever had, now have or hereafter can, shall or may have for, upon or by reason of any matter, cause or thing whatsoever from the beginning of time to the date Employee signs this Agreement.
ii. The foregoing release covers, without limitation, any claims of discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, disability, handicap, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, age (including, without limitation, any rights or claims under the Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 or the Older Worker Benefits Protection Act), citizenship, ethnic characteristics, sexual or affectional preference or marital status and also includes, no matter how denominated or described, any claims of discrimination, retaliation, harassment or interference under any federal, state or local law, rule, regulation, collective bargaining agreement, or executive order including, without limitation, any rights or claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act; the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1991; 42 U.S.C. § 1981; the Equal Pay Act of 1963; the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990; the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; and all other federal, state and local laws (whether statutory, regulatory or decisional) including, but not limited to, and any claims of conversion, failure to return property, failure to pay wages, wrongful discharge or termination, interference with contract, breach of covenant, breach of contract, violation of a collective bargaining agreement, whether written or oral, express or implied, breach of promise, public policy, negligence, retaliation, defamation, defamation of character, defamation of employment records, impairment of economic opportunity, loss of business opportunity, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, whistle-blower activities, perceived disability, history of disability and payment of wages or benefits of any type, as well as any claims for attorneys’ fees or costs.
| Exhibit A-2 |
It is the intention of the Parties in executing this Agreement that it shall be a general release and shall be effective as a bar to each and every matter released herein and that, should any proceeding be instituted with respect to the matters released herein, this Agreement shall be deemed in full and complete accord, satisfaction and settlement of any such released matter and sufficient basis for dismissal. ..
iii. Except as expressly provided herein, Employee acknowledges and agrees that, by signing this Agreement, Employee is surrendering and giving up any right Employee has or may have, without limiting the generality of any other provision herein, to assert any claim for individual relief or damages against or involving Employer or the Releasees arising from or in any way relating to Employee’s employment with Employer or the termination thereof, or to permit Employee to become and remain a member of any class seeking individual relief or damages against Employer or the Releasees arising from or in any way relating to Employee’s employment with Employer or the termination thereof. Nothing herein, however, shall prevent Employee from filing a charge with or participating in any investigation or proceeding conducted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or a state or local fair employment practices agency; provided, however, that Employee further agrees and understands that Employee has waived Employee’s right to recover monetary damages or other relief personal to employees in any such charge, complaint, grievance or lawsuit filed by Employee or on Employee’s behalf arising from, or in any way relating to, Employee’s employment with Employer or the termination thereof, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law. This release shall not apply to any claims which may not be released pursuant to applicable law and shall not apply to (1) Employee’s Equity Rights and rights to enforce the Employment Agreement with respect to any claims with respect to payments and benefits under Sections 6.1(a), (d), and (f) of the Employment Agreement (and any payments and benefits under Section 6.5 of the Employment Agreement in the event that a termination occurs within twelve (12) months following a change in control), with respect to Severance and rights under Section 8.7 of the Employment Agreement, and (2) any rights in the nature of indemnification , advancement of expense reimbursement or entitlement to insurance coverage, which the Employee may have with respect to claims against the Employee relating to or arising out of his employment with, or other provision of services to, the Company Entities.
iv. Notwithstanding anything herein or in any other agreement with or policy of the Employer to which Employee was or is subject, nothing herein or therein shall (A) prohibit Employee from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of state or federal law or regulation, or (B) require Employee to comply with any notification or prior approval requirement with respect to any reporting described in clause (A); provided, however, that Employee is not authorized to disclose communications with counsel that were made for the purpose of receiving legal advice or that contain legal advice or that are protected by the attorney work product or similar privilege. Furthermore, Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made (1) in confidence to a federal, state or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney, in each case, solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law or (2) in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or proceeding, if such filings are made under seal.
| Exhibit A-3 |
(b) Covenant Not to Sue. Additionally, Employee agrees not sue, commence, assert, bring or file in any court or other tribunal, in any jurisdiction, any suit, action, litigation, complaint, cross-complaint, counterclaim, third-party complaint, petition or other pleading or proceeding, or otherwise seek affirmative relief against any Releasees on account of any claim released pursuant to this Agreement. Employee represents that Employee has no charges, complaints, grievances or any other claims or requests for relief pending against Employer or the Releasees (as defined above) with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or any other federal, state or local administrative or other judicial tribunal and has no charges, complaints, grievances or any other claims regarding allegations of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct against the Employer.
(c) Consideration. The Employee acknowledges the Severance is in addition to anything of value to which the Employee already is entitled from the Employer and its affiliates and constitutes good and valuable additional consideration for this Agreement.
3. Acknowledgement of Restrictive Covenants. Employee acknowledges that Employee remains bound by his obligations pursuant to Article 8 of the Employment Agreement.
4. No Admission of Liability. Employee agrees and acknowledges that nothing contained in this Agreement, nor the fact that Employee has been or will be paid any remuneration under it, shall be construed, considered or deemed to be an admission of liability or wrongdoing by either Employer or any of the Releasees. Employer and the Releasees deny committing any wrongdoing or violating any legal duty with respect to the Employee’s employment or the termination of Employee’s employment from Employer. The terms of this Agreement, including all facts, circumstances, statements and documents, shall not be admissible or submitted as evidence in any litigation, in any forum, for any purpose, other than to secure enforcement of the terms and conditions of this Agreement, or as may otherwise be required by law.
5. Knowing and Voluntary Waiver; Acknowledgements.
(a) The Employee acknowledges that, by the Employee’s free and voluntary act of signing below, the Employee agrees to all of the terms of this Agreement and intends to be legally bound thereby. By signing this Agreement, Employee hereby acknowledges and agrees that:
| i. | Employee has been afforded a reasonable and sufficient period of time to review this Agreement, for deliberation thereon and for negotiation of the terms thereof, and Employee is hereby specifically urged and advised by Employer to consult with an attorney, legal counsel or a representative of Employee’s choice before signing it; | |
| ii. | Employee has carefully read and understands the terms of this Agreement, all of which have been fully explained to Employee; |
| Exhibit A-4 |
| iii. | Employee has signed this Agreement freely and voluntarily and without duress or coercion and with full knowledge of its significance and consequences and of the rights relinquished, surrendered, released and discharged hereunder; | |
| iv. | The only consideration for signing this Agreement are the terms stated herein and no other promise, agreement or representation of any kind has been made to Employee by any person or entity whatsoever to cause Employee to sign this Agreement; | |
| v. | Employee acknowledges that Employee has been informed that Employee has the right to consider this Agreement for a period of at least 21 days prior to entering into this Agreement. Employee expressly acknowledges that Employee has taken sufficient time to consider this Agreement before signing it; | |
| vi. | Employee expressly acknowledges that, if any changes – whether material or immaterial – are or were made to this Agreement after Employee’s receipt for review, such changes do not commence a new 21 day period for consideration; and | |
| vii. | Employee acknowledges that this Agreement does not waive rights or claims that may arise after the date this Agreement is signed. |
(b) Effective Date. This Agreement will become effective, enforceable and irrevocable on the eighth day after the date on which it is executed by the Employee (the “Effective Date”), provided that the Parties acknowledge and agree that this Agreement shall be null and void if executed prior to the Termination Date. During the seven-day period prior to the Effective Date, the Employee may revoke Employee’s agreement to accept the terms hereof by indicating in writing to the Employer his or her intention to revoke. If the Employee exercises Employee’s right to revoke hereunder, Employee shall forfeit Employee’s right to receive any Severance Payments.
6. Miscellaneous.
(a) Non-Disclosure. Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee will not disclose the terms of this Agreement to anyone except for Employee’s spouse, tax advisor and/or attorney, and only then after having received assurances that they too will honor this confidentiality provision.
(b) Withholding. The Employer may withhold from any amounts payable to the Employee all federal, state, city or other taxes that the Employer may reasonably determine are required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, (it being understood that the Employee shall be responsible for payment of all taxes in respect of the payments and benefits provided herein).
| Exhibit A-5 |
(c) Severability. Any provision of this Agreement (or portion thereof) which is deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to that jurisdiction be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability, without affecting in any way the remaining provisions thereof in such jurisdiction or rendering that or any other provisions of this Agreement invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any other jurisdiction. If any covenant should be deemed invalid, illegal or unenforceable because its scope is considered excessive, such covenant shall be modified so that the scope of the covenant is reduced only to the minimum extent necessary to render the modified covenant valid, legal and enforceable. No waiver of any provision or violation of this Agreement by the Employer shall be implied by the Employer’s forbearance or failure to take action.
(d) Notices. All notices given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, or a national overnight courier service capable of providing delivery confirmation, or by hand-delivery, or by facsimile transmission with confirmed receipt, and, if intended for the Employer, shall be addressed to it at: __________________________, Attn: General Counsel and if intended for the Employee, shall be addressed to Employee at the address on file at Employer. Each such notice shall be deemed to be given on the date received at the address of the addressee or upon refusal to accept delivery.
(e) Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the Parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements relating thereto whether written or oral.
(f) Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more facsimiled counterparts, each of which shall be equivalent to an original, but which collectively shall constitute one Agreement.
(g) Modification; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement may not be modified or amended, nor may any rights under it be waived, except in a writing signed and agreed to by the Parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Parties and their respective successors, assigns, legal representatives, executors, administrators and heirs, provided that Employee may not assign his obligations under this Agreement. Employee acknowledges and agree that the Releasees are express third party beneficiaries of this Agreement.
7. Governing Law
(a) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without giving effect to the rules of conflicts of law.
(b) Arbitration. Any dispute, claim or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement or Section 13.8 of the Employment Agreement is incorporated herein in its entirety mutatis mutandis.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]
| Exhibit A-6 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement on the date first written above.
| Sidus Space, Inc. | ||
| By: | ||
| Title: | CFO | |
| Carol Craig | ||
| Exhibit A-7 |
EXHIBIT B
[Indemnification Agreement]
| Exhibit B-1 |
Exhibit 14.1
SIDUS
SPACE, INC.
CODE OF BUSINESS CONDUCT AND ETHICS
INTRODUCTION
Sidus Space, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of business conduct and ethics. This Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code”) reflects the business practices and principles of behavior that support this commitment. We expect every employee, officer and director to read and understand the Code and its application to the performance of his or her business responsibilities. References in the Code to employees are intended to cover officers and, as applicable, directors.
Officers, managers and other supervisors are expected to develop in employees a sense of commitment to the spirit, as well as the letter, of the Code. Supervisors are also expected to use reasonable best efforts to ensure that all agents and contractors conform to Code standards when working for or on behalf of the Company. The compliance environment within each supervisor’s assigned area of responsibility will be a factor in evaluating the quality of that individual’s performance. In addition, any employee who makes an exemplary effort to implement and uphold our legal and ethical standards may be recognized for that effort in his or her performance review. Nothing in the Code alters the at-will employment policy of the Company.
This Code cannot possibly describe every practice or principle related to honest and ethical conduct. The Code addresses conduct that is particularly important to proper dealings with the people and entities with whom we interact, but reflects only a part of our commitment. From time to time we may adopt additional policies and procedures with which our employees, officers and directors are expected to comply, if applicable to them. However, it is the responsibility of each employee to apply common sense, together with his or her own highest personal ethical standards, in making business decisions where there is no stated guideline in the Code.
Action by members of your family, significant others or other persons who live in your household (referred to in the Code as “family members”) also may potentially result in ethical issues to the extent that they involve the Company’s business. For example, acceptance of inappropriate gifts by a family member from one of our suppliers could create a conflict of interest and result in a Code violation attributable to you. Consequently, in complying with the Code, you should consider not only your own conduct, but also that of your family members, significant others and other persons who live in your household.
You should not hesitate to ask questions about whether any conduct may violate the Code, voice concerns or clarify gray areas. Section 17 below details the compliance resources available to you. In addition, you should be alert to possible violations of the Code by others and report suspected violations, without fear of any form of retaliation, as further described in Section 17. Violations of the Code will not be tolerated. Any employee who violates the standards in the Code may be subject to disciplinary action, which, depending on the nature of the violation and the history of the employee, may range from a warning or reprimand up to and including termination of employment and, in appropriate cases, civil legal action or referral for regulatory or criminal prosecution.
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| 1. | HONEST AND ETHICAL CONDUCT |
It is the policy of the Company to promote high standards of integrity by conducting our affairs in an honest and ethical manner. The integrity and reputation of the Company depends on the honesty, fairness and integrity brought to the job by each person associated with us. Unyielding personal integrity is the foundation of corporate integrity.
| 2. | LEGAL COMPLIANCE |
Obeying the law, both in letter and in spirit, is the foundation of this Code. Our success depends upon each employee operating within legal guidelines and cooperating with local, national and international authorities. We expect employees to understand the legal and regulatory requirements applicable to their business units and areas of responsibility. We hold or provide access to periodic training sessions or relevant education in order to ensure that all employees comply with the relevant laws, rules and regulations associated with their employment, including laws prohibiting insider trading (which are discussed in further detail in Section 3 below). While we do not expect you to memorize every detail of these laws, rules and regulations, we want you to be able to determine when to seek advice from others. If you do have a question in the area of legal compliance, it is important that you not hesitate to seek answers from your supervisor or the Compliance Officer (as defined in Section 17).
Disregard of the law will not be tolerated. Violation of domestic or foreign laws, rules and regulations may subject an individual, as well as the Company, to civil and/or criminal penalties. You should be aware that conduct and records, including emails, are subject to internal and external audits, and to discovery by third parties in the event of a government investigation or civil litigation. It is in everyone’s best interests to know and comply with our legal and ethical obligations.
| 3. | INSIDER TRADING |
Employees who have access to confidential (or “inside”) information are not permitted to use or share that information for stock trading purposes or for any other purpose except to conduct our business. All non-public information about the Company or about companies with which we do business is considered confidential information. To use material non-public information in connection with buying or selling securities, including “tipping” others who might make an investment decision on the basis of this information, is not only unethical, it is illegal. Employees must exercise the utmost care when handling material inside information.
You should consult our Insider Trading Policy for more specific information on the definition of “inside” information and on buying and selling our securities or securities of companies with which we do business.
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| 4. | RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT; REGULATORY COMPLIANCE |
The research and development of pharmaceutical products is subject to a number of legal and regulatory requirements, including standards related to ethical research procedures and proper scientific conduct. We expect employees to comply with all such requirements.
4.1 Kickbacks, Inducements and Referrals. Various federal and state laws prohibit the solicitation or receipt, or offer or payment, of any remuneration in return for referrals of patients or business payable by a governmental health care program or third-party private payors. The application of these laws to particular business relationships is often complex. In furtherance of the foregoing, our employees responsible for business relationships with persons or entities both within and outside of the Company must take reasonable steps to ensure compliance with all applicable legal requirements. The terms and conditions of all contractual and financial arrangements of the Company shall exclude improper inducements, kickbacks and referrals, and such arrangements may be reviewed by legal counsel when necessary. The Company, either alone or in consultation with legal counsel, shall endeavor to keep abreast of new developments relevant to such risks through regular monitoring and dissemination of new developments and guidance, continuing educational efforts and training and consultation with advisors.
4.2 False Claims. The Company shall comply with and shall cause its employees to comply with the federal False Claims Act and any other applicable federal and state laws intended to prevent and detect fraud, waste and abuse in federal or state health care programs.
4.3 Excluded Individuals and Entities. The Company does not knowingly do business with, hire or bill for services rendered by individuals or entities that are excluded or ineligible to participate in governmental health care programs or disqualified or debarred by the FDA. The Company shall screen personnel for this purpose and maintain a record of this information. Such screenings may include background checks, searches of the OIG List of Excluded Individuals and Entities and the FDA Debarment and Disqualification List, and of other government websites listing excluded individuals and entities.
4.4 Record Retention. The Company shall maintain and update as necessary a records retention system that ensures that records are maintained for the length of time required by Federal and State law, or longer if required by the Company’s policies. The system, at a minimum, addresses the retention, storage and destruction of documents and provides for the retention of documents pertaining to the implementation of this Section 4.5.
| 5. | INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAWS |
Our employees are expected to comply with the applicable laws in all countries to which they travel, in which they operate and where we otherwise do business, including laws prohibiting bribery, corruption or the conduct of business with specified individuals, companies or countries. The fact that in some countries certain laws are not enforced or that violation of those laws is not subject to public criticism will not be accepted as an excuse for noncompliance. In addition, we expect employees to comply with U.S. laws, rules and regulations governing the conduct of business by its citizens and corporations outside the U.S.
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These U.S. laws, rules and regulations, which extend to all our activities outside the U.S., include:
| ● | The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits directly or indirectly giving anything of value to a government official to obtain or retain business or favorable treatment, and requires the maintenance of accurate books of account, with all company transactions being properly recorded; | |
| ● | U.S. Embargoes, which generally prohibit U.S. companies, their subsidiaries and their employees from doing business with, or traveling to, certain countries subject to sanctions imposed by the U.S. government (which includes Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria, among others), as well as specific companies and individuals identified on lists published by the U.S. Treasury Department; | |
| ● | U.S. Export Controls, which restrict exports from the U.S. and re-exports from other countries of goods, software and technology to many countries, and prohibit transfers of U.S.-origin items to denied persons and entities; and | |
| ● | Antiboycott Regulations, which prohibit U.S. companies from taking any action that has the effect of furthering or supporting a restrictive trade practice or boycott imposed by a foreign country against a country friendly to the U.S. or against any U.S. person. |
If you have a question as to whether an activity is restricted or prohibited, seek assistance before taking any action, including giving any verbal assurances that might be regulated by international laws.
| 6. | ANTITRUST |
Antitrust laws are designed to protect the competitive process. These laws are based on the premise that the public interest is best served by vigorous competition and will suffer from illegal agreements or collusion among competitors. Antitrust laws generally prohibit:
| ● | agreements, formal or informal, with competitors that harm competition or customers, including price fixing and allocations of customers, territories or contracts; | |
| ● | agreements, formal or informal, that establish or fix the price at which a customer may resell a product; and | |
| ● | the acquisition or maintenance of a monopoly or attempted monopoly through anti-competitive conduct. |
Certain kinds of information, such as pricing, production and inventory, should not be exchanged with competitors, regardless of how innocent or casual the exchange may be and regardless of the setting, whether business or social.
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Antitrust laws impose severe penalties for certain types of violations, including criminal penalties and potential fines and damages of millions of dollars, which may be tripled under certain circumstances. Understanding the requirements of antitrust and unfair competition laws of the various jurisdictions where we do business can be difficult, and you are urged to seek assistance from your supervisor or the Compliance Officer whenever you have a question relating to these laws.
| 7. | ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE |
Federal law imposes criminal liability on any person or company that contaminates the environment with any hazardous substance that could cause injury to the community or environment. Violation of environmental laws can involve monetary fines and imprisonment. We expect employees to comply with all applicable environmental laws.
It is our policy to conduct our business in an environmentally responsible way that minimizes environmental impacts. We are committed to minimizing and, if practicable, eliminating the use of any substance or material that may cause environmental damage, reducing waste generation and disposing of all waste through safe and responsible methods, minimizing environmental risks by employing safe technologies and operating procedures, and being prepared to respond appropriately to accidents and emergencies.
| 8. | CONFLICTS OF INTEREST |
We respect the rights of our employees to manage their personal affairs and investments and do not wish to impinge on their personal lives. At the same time, employees should avoid conflicts of interest that occur when their personal interests may interfere in any way with the performance of their duties or the best interests of the Company. A conflicting personal interest could result from an expectation of personal gain now or in the future or from a need to satisfy a prior or concurrent personal obligation. We expect our employees to be free from influences that conflict with the best interests of the Company or might deprive the Company of their undivided loyalty in business dealings. Even the appearance of a conflict of interest where none actually exists can be damaging and should be avoided. Whether or not a conflict of interest exists or will exist can be unclear. Conflicts of interest are prohibited unless specifically authorized as described below.
If you have any questions about a potential conflict or if you become aware of an actual or potential conflict, and you are not an officer or director of the Company, you must discuss the matter with your supervisor or the Compliance Officer. Supervisors may not authorize conflict of interest matters or make determinations as to whether a problematic conflict of interest exists without first seeking the approval of the Compliance Officer and providing the Compliance Officer with a written description of the activity. If the supervisor is involved in the potential or actual conflict, you should discuss the matter directly with the Compliance Officer. Officers and directors must seek any authorizations and determinations from the Audit Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Audit Committee”), depending on the nature of the conflict of interest. Factors that may be considered in evaluating a potential conflict of interest are, among others:
| ● | whether it may interfere with the employee’s job performance, responsibilities or morale; |
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| ● | whether the employee has access to confidential information; | |
| ● | whether it may interfere with the job performance, responsibilities or morale of others within the organization; | |
| ● | any potential adverse or beneficial impact on our business; | |
| ● | any potential adverse or beneficial impact on our relationships with our customers or suppliers or other service providers; | |
| ● | whether it would enhance or support a competitor’s position; | |
| ● | the extent to which it would result in financial or other benefit (direct or indirect) to the employee; | |
| ● | the extent to which it would result in financial or other benefit (direct or indirect) to one of our customers, suppliers or other service providers or others who may use our products (e.g., physicians); and | |
| ● | the extent to which it would appear improper to an outside observer. |
Although no list can include every possible situation in which a conflict of interest could arise, the following are examples of situations that may, depending on the facts and circumstances, involve problematic conflicts of interests:
| ● | Employment by (including consulting for) or service on the board of a competitor, customer or supplier or other service provider. Activity that enhances or supports the position of a competitor to the detriment of the Company is prohibited, including employment by or service on the board of a competitor. Employment by or service on the board of a customer or supplier or other service provider is generally discouraged and you must seek authorization in advance if you plan to take such a position. | |
| ● | Owning, directly or indirectly, a significant financial interest in any entity that does business, seeks to do business or competes with us. In addition to the factors described above, persons evaluating ownership in other entities for conflicts of interest will consider the size and nature of the investment; the nature of the relationship between the other entity and the Company; the employee’s access to confidential information; and the employee’s ability to influence the Company’s decisions. If you would like to acquire a financial interest of that kind, you must seek approval in advance. |
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| ● | Soliciting or accepting gifts, favors, loans or preferential treatment from any person or entity that does business or seeks to do business with us. See Section 12 for further discussion of the issues involved in this type of conflict. | |
| ● | Soliciting contributions to any charity or for any political candidate from any person or entity that does business or seeks to do business with us. | |
| ● | Taking personal advantage of corporate opportunities. See Section 9 for further discussion of the issues involved in this type of conflict. | |
| ● | Conducting our business transactions with your family member or a business in which you have a significant financial interest. Related-person transactions covered by our Related-Person Transactions Policy must be reviewed in accordance with such policy and will be publicly disclosed to the extent required by applicable laws and regulations. | |
| ● | Exercising supervisory or other authority on behalf of the Company over a co-worker who is also a family member. The employee’s supervisor and/or the Compliance Officer will consult with the Company’s CEO, as necessary, to assess the advisability of reassignment. |
Loans to, or guarantees of obligations of, employees or their family members by the Company could constitute an improper personal benefit to the recipients of these loans or guarantees, depending on the facts and circumstances. Some loans are expressly prohibited by law, and applicable law requires that our Board of Directors approve all loans and guarantees to employees. As a result, all loans and guarantees by the Company must be approved in advance by the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee.
| 9. | CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES |
You may not take personal advantage of opportunities for the Company that are presented to you or discovered by you as a result of your position with us or through your use of corporate property or information, unless authorized by your supervisor, the Compliance Officer or the Audit Committee, as described in Section 17. Even opportunities that are acquired privately by you may be questionable if they are related to our existing or proposed lines of business. Participation in an investment or outside business opportunity that is directly related to our lines of business must be pre-approved. You may not use your position with us or corporate property or information for improper personal gain, nor should you compete with us in any way.
| 10. | MAINTENANCE OF CORPORATE BOOKS, RECORDS, DOCUMENTS AND ACCOUNTS; FINANCIAL INTEGRITY; PUBLIC REPORTING |
The integrity of our records and public disclosure depends upon the validity, accuracy and completeness of the information supporting the entries to our books of account. Therefore, our corporate and business records should be completed accurately and honestly. The making of false or misleading entries, whether they relate to financial results or test results, is strictly prohibited. Our records serve as a basis for managing our business and are important in meeting our obligations to customers, suppliers, creditors, employees and others with whom we do business. As a result, it is important that our books, records and accounts accurately and fairly reflect, in reasonable detail, our assets, liabilities, revenues, costs and expenses, as well as all transactions and changes in assets and liabilities. We require that:
| ● | no entry be made in our books and records that intentionally hides or disguises the nature of any transaction or of any of our liabilities, or misclassifies any transactions as to accounts or accounting periods; |
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| ● | transactions be supported by appropriate documentation; | |
| ● | the terms of sales and other commercial transactions be reflected accurately in the documentation for those transactions and all such documentation be reflected accurately in our books and records; | |
| ● | employees comply with our system of internal controls; and | |
| ● | no cash or other assets be maintained for any purpose in any unrecorded or “off- the-books” fund. |
Our accounting records are also relied upon to produce reports for our management, stockholders and creditors, as well as governmental agencies. In particular, we rely upon our accounting and other business and corporate records in preparing periodic and current reports that we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Securities laws require that these reports provide full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure and fairly present our financial condition and results of operations. Employees who collect, provide or analyze information for or otherwise contribute in any way in preparing or verifying these reports should strive to ensure that our financial disclosure is accurate and transparent and that our reports contain all of the information about the Company that would be important to enable stockholders and potential investors to assess the soundness and risks of our business and finances and the quality and integrity of our accounting and disclosures. In addition:
| ● | no employee may take or authorize any action that would intentionally cause our financial records or financial disclosure to fail to comply with generally accepted accounting principles, the rules and regulations of the SEC or other applicable laws, rules and regulations; | |
| ● | all employees must cooperate fully with our Accounting Department, as well as our independent public accountants and counsel, respond to their questions with candor and provide them with complete and accurate information to help ensure that our books and records, as well as our reports filed with the SEC, are accurate and complete; and | |
| ● | no employee should knowingly make (or cause or encourage any other person to make) any false or misleading statement in any of our reports filed with the SEC or knowingly omit (or cause or encourage any other person to omit) any information necessary to make the disclosure in any of our reports accurate in all material respects. |
Any employee who becomes aware of any departure from these standards has a responsibility to report his or her knowledge promptly to a supervisor, the Compliance Officer, the Audit Committee, or one of the other compliance resources described in Section 17.
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| 11. | FAIR DEALING |
We strive to outperform our competition fairly and honestly through superior performance and not through unethical or illegal business practices. Acquiring proprietary information from others through improper means, possessing trade secret information that was improperly obtained, or inducing improper disclosure of confidential information from past or present employees of other companies is prohibited, even if motivated by an intention to advance our interests. If information is obtained by mistake that may constitute a trade secret or other confidential information of another business, or if you have any questions about the legality of proposed information gathering, you must consult your supervisor or the Compliance Officer, as further described in Section 17.
You are expected to deal fairly with our suppliers, employees and anyone else with whom you have contact in the course of performing your job. Be aware that the Federal Trade Commission Act provides that “unfair methods of competition in commerce, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in commerce, are declared unlawful.” It is a violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act to engage in deceptive, unfair or unethical practices, and to make misrepresentations in connection with sales activities.
Employees involved in procurement have a special responsibility to adhere to principles of fair competition in the purchase of products and services by selecting suppliers based exclusively on normal commercial considerations, such as quality, cost, availability, service and reputation, and not on the receipt of special favors.
| 12. | GIFTS AND ENTERTAINMENT |
Business gifts and entertainment are meant to create goodwill and sound working relationships and not to gain improper advantage with current or potential suppliers, vendors or partners or facilitate approvals from government officials. The exchange, as a normal business courtesy, of meals or entertainment (such as tickets to a game or the theatre or a round of golf) is a common and acceptable practice as long as it is not extravagant. Unless express permission is received from a supervisor, the Compliance Officer or the Audit Committee, gifts and entertainment cannot be offered, provided or accepted by any employee unless consistent with customary business practices and not excessive in value. This principle applies to our transactions everywhere in the world, even where the practice is widely considered “a way of doing business.” Employees should not accept gifts or entertainment that may reasonably be deemed to affect their judgment or actions in the performance of their duties. Our customers, suppliers and the public at large should know that our employees’ judgment is not for sale.
Under some statutes, such as the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (further described in Section 5), giving anything of value to a government official to obtain or retain business or favorable treatment is a criminal act subject to prosecution and conviction. Discuss with your supervisor or the Compliance Officer any proposed entertainment or gifts if you are uncertain about their appropriateness.
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| 13. | PROTECTION AND PROPER USE OF COMPANY ASSETS |
All employees are expected to protect our assets and ensure their efficient use. Theft, carelessness and waste have a direct impact on our financial condition and results of operations. Our property, such as office supplies, computer equipment, products, laboratory supplies, and office or laboratory space are expected to be used only for legitimate business purposes, although incidental personal use may be permitted. You may not, however, use our corporate name, any brand name or trademark owned or associated with the Company or any letterhead stationery for any personal purpose.
You may not, while acting on behalf of the Company or while using our computing or communications equipment or facilities, either:
| ● | access the internal computer system (also known as “hacking”) or other resource of another entity without express written authorization from the entity responsible for operating that resource; or | |
| ● | commit any unlawful or illegal act, including harassment, libel, fraud, sending of unsolicited commercial email (also known as “spam”) in violation of applicable law, trafficking in contraband of any kind, or espionage. |
If you receive authorization to access another entity’s internal computer system or other resource, you must make a permanent record of that authorization so that it may be retrieved for future reference, and you may not exceed the scope of that authorization.
Unsolicited commercial email is regulated by law in a number of jurisdictions. If you intend to send unsolicited commercial email to persons outside of the Company, either while acting on our behalf or using our computing or communications equipment or facilities, you should contact your supervisor or the Compliance Officer for approval.
All data residing on or transmitted through our computing and communications facilities, including email and word processing documents, is the property of the Company and subject to inspection, retention and review by the Company, with or without an employee’s or third party’s knowledge, consent or approval, in accordance with applicable law. Any misuse or suspected misuse of our assets must be immediately reported to your supervisor or the Compliance Officer.
| 14. | CONFIDENTIALITY |
One of our most important assets is our confidential information. As an employee of the Company, you may learn of information about the Company that is confidential and proprietary. You also may learn of information before that information is released to the general public. Employees who have received or have access to confidential information should take care to keep this information confidential. Confidential information includes non-public information that might be of use to competitors or harmful to the Company or its suppliers, vendors or partners if disclosed, such as business, marketing and service plans, financial information, product development, scientific data, manufacturing, laboratory results, designs, databases, customer lists, pricing strategies, personnel data, personally identifiable information pertaining to our employees, patients or other individuals (including, for example, names, addresses, telephone numbers and social security numbers), and similar types of information provided to us by our customers, suppliers and partners. This information may be protected by patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret laws.
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In addition, because we interact with other companies and organizations, there may be times when you learn confidential information about other companies before that information has been made available to the public. You must treat this information in the same manner as you are required to treat our confidential and proprietary information. There may even be times when you must treat as confidential the fact that we have an interest in, or are involved with, another company.
You are expected to keep confidential and proprietary information confidential unless and until that information is released to the public through approved channels (usually through a press release, an SEC filing or a formal communication from a member of senior management, as further described in Section 15). Every employee has a duty to refrain from disclosing to any person confidential or proprietary information about us or any other company learned in the course of employment here, until that information is disclosed to the public through approved channels. This policy requires you to refrain from discussing confidential or proprietary information with outsiders and even with other Company employees, unless those fellow employees have a legitimate need to know the information in order to perform their job duties. Unauthorized use or distribution of this information could also be illegal and result in civil liability and/or criminal penalties.
You should also take care not to inadvertently disclose confidential information. Materials that contain confidential information, such as memos, notebooks, computer disks and laptop computers, should be stored securely. Unauthorized posting or discussion of any information concerning our business, information or prospects on the Internet is prohibited. You may not discuss our business, information or prospects in any “chat room,” regardless of whether you use your own name or a pseudonym. Be cautious when discussing sensitive information in public places like elevators, airports, restaurants and “quasi-public” areas within the Company, or in and around the Company’s facilities. All Company emails, voicemails and other communications are presumed confidential and should not be forwarded or otherwise disseminated outside of the Company, except where required for legitimate business purposes.
In addition to the above responsibilities, if you are handling information protected by any privacy policy published by us, then you must handle that information in accordance with the applicable policy.
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| 15. | MEDIA/PUBLIC DISCUSSIONS |
It is our policy to disclose material information concerning the Company to the public only through specific limited channels to avoid inappropriate publicity and to ensure that all those with an interest in the Company will have equal access to information. All inquiries or calls from the press and financial analysts should be referred to our Chief Executive Officer. We have designated our Chief Executive Officer as our official spokesperson for questions concerning the financial performance, strategic direction or operating performance of the Company, and operational issues such a research and development, regulatory developments, sales and marketing, etc. Unless a specific exception has been made by the Chief Executive Officer, he is the only person who may communicate with the press on behalf of the Company. You also may not provide any information to the media about us off the record, for background, confidentially or secretly, including, without limitation, by way of postings on internet websites, chat rooms or “blogs”.
| 16. | WAIVERS |
Any waiver of this Code for executive officers (including, where required by applicable laws, our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller (or persons performing similar functions)) or directors may be authorized only by our Board of Directors or, to the extent permitted by the rules of The Nasdaq Stock Market, a committee of the Board and will be disclosed as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations.
| 17. | COMPLIANCE STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES |
Compliance Resources
To facilitate compliance with this Code, we have implemented a program of Code awareness, training and review that is part of our broader compliance programs overseen by our Audit Committee. We have established the position of Compliance Officer, which shall initially be held by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, to oversee this program. The Compliance Officer is a person to whom you can address any questions or concerns related to this Code or any other matters relating to legal or regulatory compliance. In addition to fielding questions or concerns with respect to potential violations of this Code or any other matters relating to legal or regulatory compliance, the Compliance Officer is responsible for:
| ● | investigating possible violations of the Code; | |
| ● | training new employees in Code policies; | |
| ● | conducting annual training sessions to refresh employees’ familiarity with the Code; | |
| ● | distributing copies of the Code annually via e-mail to each employee with a reminder that each employee is responsible for reading, understanding and complying with the Code; | |
| ● | updating the Code as needed and alerting employees to any updates, with appropriate approval of the Audit Committee, to reflect changes in the law, the Company’s operations and in recognized best practices, and to reflect the Company’s experience; | |
| ● | overseeing the Company’s compliance program and reporting to the Audit Committee material matters that may arise relating to the Company’s legal and regulatory compliance efforts; and | |
| ● | otherwise promoting an atmosphere of responsible and ethical conduct. |
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Your most immediate resource for any matter related to the Code is your supervisor. He or she may have the information you need, or may be able to refer the question to another appropriate source. There may, however, be times when you prefer not to go to your supervisor. In these instances, you should feel free to discuss your concern with the Compliance Officer. If you are uncomfortable speaking with the Compliance Officer because he or she works in your department or is one of your supervisors, please contact the Chief Executive Officer.
Clarifying Questions and Concerns; Reporting Possible Violations
If you encounter a situation or are considering a course of action and its appropriateness is unclear, discuss the matter promptly with your supervisor or the Compliance Officer; even the appearance of impropriety can be very damaging and should be avoided.
If you are aware of a suspected or actual violation of Code standards by others, you have a responsibility to report it. You are expected to promptly provide a compliance resource with a specific description of the violation that you believe has occurred, including any information you have about the persons involved and the time of the violation. Whether you choose to speak with your supervisor or the Compliance Officer, you should do so without fear of any form of retaliation. We will take prompt disciplinary action against any employee who retaliates against you, up to and including termination of employment.
Supervisors must promptly report any complaints or observations of Code violations to the Compliance Officer. If you believe your supervisor has not taken appropriate action, you should contact the Compliance Officer directly. The Compliance Officer will investigate all reported possible Code violations promptly and with the highest degree of confidentiality that is possible under the specific circumstances. Neither you nor your supervisor may conduct any preliminary investigation, unless authorized to do so by the Compliance Officer. Your cooperation in the investigation will be expected. As needed, the Compliance Officer will consult with, outside legal counsel and/or the Audit Committee. It is our policy to employ a fair process by which to determine violations of the Code.
With respect to any complaints or observations of Code violations, including, but not limited to matters that may involve accounting, internal accounting controls and auditing concerns, the Compliance Officer shall promptly inform the chair of the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee or such other persons as the Audit Committee determines to be appropriate under the circumstances shall be responsible for supervising and overseeing the inquiry and any investigation that is undertaken. In addition, any matters involving accounting, internal accounting controls and auditing concerns that are reported shall be routed to both the Compliance Officer and the Audit Committee.
If any investigation indicates that a violation of the Code has probably occurred, we will take such action as we believe to be appropriate under the circumstances. If we determine that an employee is responsible for a Code violation, he or she will be subject to disciplinary action up to, and including, termination of employment and, in appropriate cases, civil legal action or referral for regulatory or criminal prosecution. Appropriate action may also be taken to deter any future Code violations.
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Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors of
Sidus Space, Inc.
We consent to the inclusion by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-263227) of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Company”) of our report dated April 4, 2022 relating to the financial statements which appears in this Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021.
/s/ BF Borgers CPA PC
Certified Public Accountants
Lakewood, Colorado
April 4, 2021
Exhibit 31.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Carol Craig, certify that:
| (1) | I have reviewed this Form 10-K of Sidus Space, Inc.; | |
| (2) | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; | |
| (3) | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; | |
| (4) | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
| (a) | designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; | |
| (b) | designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; | |
| (c) | evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and | |
| (d) | disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the Registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
| (5) | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| (a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and | |
| (b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| Date: April 4, 2022 | By: | /s/ Carol Craig |
| Carol Craig | ||
Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
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Exhibit 31.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
I, Scott Silverman, certify that:
| (1) | I have reviewed this Form 10-K of Sidus Space, Inc.; | |
| (2) | Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report; | |
| (3) | Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; | |
| (4) | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have: |
| (a) | designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared; | |
| (b) | designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; | |
| (c) | evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and | |
| (d) | disclosed in this report any change in the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the Registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the Registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and |
| (5) | The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions): |
| (a) | All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and | |
| (b) | Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting. |
| Date: April 4, 2022 | By: | /s/ Scott Silverman |
| Scott Silverman | ||
| Chief
Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
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Exhibit 32.1
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the twelve month period ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2022 (the “Report”), I, Carol Craig, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of, and for the periods presented in the Report.
| By: | /s/ Carol Craig | |
| Carol Craig | ||
| Chief Executive Officer |
A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to the Company and will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.
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Exhibit 32.2
CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350
AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002
In connection with the Annual Report of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Company”) on Form 10-K for the twelve month period ended December 31, 2021, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 4, 2022 (the “Report”), I, Scott Silverman, Chief Financial Officer of the Company, certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that:
1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and
2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company as of, and for the periods presented in the Report.
| By: | /s/ Scott Silverman | |
| Scott Silverman | ||
| Chief Financial Officer |
A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 has been provided to the Company and will be furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.
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