Sidus Space Inc PRE 14A, filed Apr 28, 2023
Sidus Space Inc. (SIDU)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant ☒
Filed by a party other than the Registrant ☐
Check the appropriate box:
| ☒ | Preliminary Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)) |
| ☐ | Definitive Proxy Statement |
| ☐ | Definitive Additional Materials |
| ☐ | Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12 |
| Sidus Space, Inc. |
| (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter) |
| (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant) |
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| ☒ | No fee required. |
| ☐ | Fee paid previously with preliminary materials. |
| ☐ | Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11. |
| (1) | Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies: | |
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| ☐ | Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. |
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Sidus Space, Inc.
150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Merritt Island, FL 92953
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
To Be Held on [*], 2023
Dear Stockholder:
We are pleased to invite you to attend the annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Sidus Space, Inc. (“Sidus” or the “Company”), which will be held on [*], 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, at the Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, for the following purposes:
1. To elect five (5) members to our Board of Directors;
2. To ratify the appointment of BF Borgers CPA PC as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023;
3. To amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000;
4. To approve, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC (“B. Riley”) in excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley; and
5. To transact such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.
Sidus’ Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on [*], 2023 as the record date for a determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
If You Plan to Attend
Please note that space limitations make it necessary to limit attendance of the Annual Meeting to our stockholders. Registration and seating will begin at 8:00 a.m. Shares of common stock can be voted at the Annual Meeting only if the holder thereof is present in person or by valid proxy.
For admission to the Annual Meeting, each stockholder may be asked to present valid picture identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, and proof of stock ownership as of the record date, such as the enclosed proxy card or a brokerage statement reflecting stock ownership. Cameras, recording devices and other electronic devices will not be permitted at the Annual Meeting. If you do not plan on attending the Annual Meeting, please vote, date and sign the enclosed proxy and return it in the business envelope provided. Even if you do plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you vote your shares at your earliest convenience in order to ensure your representation at the Annual Meeting. Your vote is very important.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting to Be Held on [*], 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920.
The proxy statement and annual report to stockholders are available at
www.annualgeneralmeetings.com/sidus
| By the Order of the Board of Directors | |
| /s/ Carol Craig | |
| Carol Craig | |
| Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors |
Dated: [*], 2023
Whether or not you expect to attend the Annual Meeting in person, we urge you to vote your shares at your earliest convenience. This will ensure the presence of a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Promptly voting your shares will save Sidus the expenses and extra work of additional solicitation. An addressed envelope for which no postage is required if mailed in the United States is enclosed if you wish to vote by mail. Submitting your proxy now will not prevent you from voting your shares at the Annual Meeting if you desire to do so, as your proxy is revocable at your option. Your vote is important, so please act today!
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Sidus Space, Inc.
150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Merritt Island, FL 92953
PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE
2023 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON [*], 2023
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Sidus Space, Inc. (“Sidus” or the “Company”) is soliciting your proxy to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held at Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, on [*], 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, including at any adjournments or postponements of the Annual Meeting. You are invited to attend the Annual Meeting to vote on the proposals described in this proxy statement.
We intend to begin mailing the attached notice of the Annual Meeting, the enclosed proxy card, and a copy of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 on or about [*], 2023 to all stockholders of record entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Only stockholders who owned our common stock on [*], 2023 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THIS PROXY MATERIAL AND VOTING
How do I attend the Annual Meeting?
The Annual Meeting will be held on [*], 2023, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920. Directions to the Annual Meeting may be found at the back of this Proxy Statement. Information on how to vote in person at the Annual Meeting is discussed below.
Who May Attend the Annual Meeting?
Only record holders and beneficial owners of our common stock, or their duly authorized proxies, may attend the Annual Meeting. If your shares of common stock are held in street name, you will need to bring a copy of a brokerage statement or other documentation reflecting your stock ownership as of the Record Date.
Who is Entitled to Vote?
The Board has fixed the close of business on [*], 2023 as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of stockholders entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. On the Record Date, there were [*] shares of Class A common stock and 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock outstanding. Each share of Class A common stock represents one vote that may be voted on each proposal that may come before the Annual Meeting and each share of Class B common stock represents 10 votes that may be voted on each proposal that may come before the Annual Meeting.
What is the Difference Between Holding Shares as a Record Holder and as a Beneficial Owner (Holding Shares in Street Name)?
If your shares are registered in your name with our transfer agent, Pacific Stock Transfer Company, you are the “record holder” of those shares. If you are a record holder, these proxy materials have been provided directly to you by the Company.
If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account, a bank or other holder of record, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of those shares held in “street name.” If your shares are held in street name, these proxy materials have been forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered to be the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the Annual Meeting. As the beneficial owner, you have the right to instruct this organization on how to vote your shares.
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What am I Voting on?
There are three (4) matters scheduled for a vote:
1. To elect five (5) members to our Board of Directors;
2. To ratify the appointment of BF Borgers CPA PC, as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023;
3. To amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000; and
4. To approve, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC (“B. Riley”) in excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley.
What if another matter is properly brought before the Annual Meeting?
The Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Annual Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on those matters in accordance with their best judgment.
How Do I Vote?
Stockholders of Record
For your convenience, record holders of our common stock have three methods of voting:
1. Vote by Internet. The website address for Internet voting is on your proxy card.
2. Vote by mail. Mark, date, sign and promptly mail the enclosed proxy card (a postage-paid envelope is provided for mailing in the United States).
3. Vote in person. Attend and vote at the Annual Meeting.
Beneficial Owners of Shares Held in Street Name
For your convenience, beneficial owners of our common stock have three methods of voting:
1. Vote by Internet. The website address for Internet voting is on your vote instruction form.
2. Vote by mail. Mark, date, sign and promptly mail your vote instruction form (a postage-paid envelope is provided for mailing in the United States).
3. Vote in person. Obtain a valid legal proxy from the organization that holds your shares and attend and vote at the Annual Meeting.
If you vote by Internet, please DO NOT mail your proxy card.
All shares entitled to vote and represented by a properly completed and executed proxy received before the Annual Meeting and not revoked will be voted at the Annual Meeting as instructed in a proxy delivered before the Annual Meeting. If you do not indicate how your shares should be voted on a matter, the shares represented by your properly completed and executed proxy will be voted as the Board recommends on each of the enumerated proposals, with regard to any other matters that may be properly presented at the Annual Meeting and on all matters incident to the conduct of the Annual Meeting. If you are a registered stockholder and attend the Annual Meeting, you may deliver your completed proxy card in person. If you are a street name stockholder and wish to vote at the Annual Meeting, you will need to obtain a proxy form from the institution that holds your shares. All votes will be tabulated by the inspector of elections appointed for the Annual Meeting, who will separately tabulate affirmative and negative votes, abstentions and broker non-votes.
We provide Internet proxy voting to allow you to vote your shares online, with procedures designed to ensure the authenticity and correctness of your proxy vote instructions. However, please be aware that you must bear any costs associated with your Internet access, such as usage charges from Internet access providers and telephone companies.
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How Many Votes do I Have?
On each matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each share of common stock you own as of the close of business on the Record Date.
Is My Vote Confidential?
Yes, your vote is confidential. Only the inspector of elections, individuals who help with processing and counting your votes and persons who need access for legal reasons will have access to your vote. This information will not be disclosed, except as required by law.
What Constitutes a Quorum?
To carry on business at the Annual Meeting, we must have a quorum. A quorum is present when a majority of the shares entitled to vote as of the Record Date, are represented in person or by proxy. Thus, the equivalent of [*] shares must be represented in person or by proxy to have a quorum at the Annual Meeting (taking into account 10 votes per share of Class B common stock). Your shares will be counted towards the quorum only if you submit a valid proxy (or one is submitted on your behalf by your broker, bank or other nominee) or if you vote in person at the Annual Meeting. Abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted towards the quorum requirement. Shares owned by us are not considered outstanding or considered to be present at the Annual Meeting. If there is not a quorum at the Annual Meeting, either the chairperson of the Annual Meeting or our stockholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting may adjourn the Annual Meeting.
How Will my Shares be Voted if I Give No Specific Instruction?
We must vote your shares as you have instructed. If there is a matter on which a stockholder of record has given no specific instruction but has authorized us generally to vote the shares, they will be voted as follows:
1. “FOR” the election of each of the five (5) members to our Board of Directors;
2. “FOR” the ratification of the appointment of BF Borgers CPA PC as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023;
3. “FOR” the amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000; and
4. “FOR” the approval, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Rileyin excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley.
This authorization would exist, for example, if a stockholder of record merely signs, dates and returns the proxy card but does not indicate how its shares are to be voted on one or more proposals. If other matters properly come before the Annual Meeting and you do not provide specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted at the discretion of the proxies.
If your shares are held in street name, see “What is a Broker Non-Vote?” below regarding the ability of banks, brokers and other such holders of record to vote the uninstructed shares of their customers or other beneficial owners in their discretion.
How are Votes Counted?
Votes will be counted by the inspector of election appointed for the Annual Meeting, who will separately count, for the election of directors, “FOR,” “WITHHOLD” and broker non-votes; and, with respect to the other proposals, votes “FOR” and “AGAINST,” abstentions and broker non-votes.
What is a Broker Non-Vote?
If your shares are held in street name, you must instruct the organization who holds your shares how to vote your shares. If you sign your proxy card but do not provide instructions on how your broker should vote on “routine” proposals, your broker will vote your shares as recommended by the Board. If you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will not be voted on any “non-routine” proposals. This vote is called a “broker non-vote.” Because broker non-votes are not considered under Delaware law to be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, broker non-votes will not be included in the tabulation of the voting results of any of the proposals and, therefore, will have no effect on these proposals.
Brokers cannot use discretionary authority to vote shares on the election of directors if they have not received instructions from their clients. Please submit your vote instruction form so your vote is counted.
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What is an Abstention?
An abstention is a stockholder’s affirmative choice to decline to vote on a proposal. Under Delaware law, abstentions are counted as shares present and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. However, our By-Laws provide that an action of our stockholders (other than the election of directors) is only approved if a majority of the number of shares of stock present and entitled to vote thereat vote in favor of such action.
How Many Votes are Needed for Each Proposal to Pass?
| Proposal | Vote Required | |
| Election of each of the five (5) members to our Board of Directors | Plurality of the votes cast (the five directors receiving the most “FOR” votes) | |
| Ratification of the Appointment of BF Borgers CPA PC as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm for our Fiscal Year Ending December 31, 2023 | A majority of the votes entitled to vote thereon and present at the Annual Meeting | |
| Amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000. | The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our Class A and Class B common stock. | |
| Approval, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Riley in excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley | A majority of the votes entitled to vote thereon and present at the Annual Meeting |
What Are the Voting Procedures?
In voting by proxy with regard to the election of directors, you may vote in favor of all nominees, withhold your votes as to all nominees, or withhold your votes as to specific nominees. With regard to other proposals, you may vote in favor of or against the proposal, or you may abstain from voting on the proposal. You should specify your respective choices on the accompanying proxy card or your vote instruction form.
Is My Proxy Revocable?
You may revoke your proxy and reclaim your right to vote at any time before your proxy is voted by giving written notice to the Secretary of Sidus, by delivering a properly completed, later-dated proxy card or vote instruction form or by voting in person at the Annual Meeting. All written notices of revocation and other communications with respect to revocations of proxies should be addressed to: Sidus Space, Inc., 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953, Attention: Secretary. Your most current proxy card or Internet proxy is the one that will be counted.
Who is Paying for the Expenses Involved in Preparing and Mailing this Proxy Statement?
All of the expenses involved in preparing, assembling and mailing these proxy materials and all costs of soliciting proxies will be paid by us. In addition to the solicitation by mail, proxies may be solicited by our officers and other employees by telephone or in person. Such persons will receive no compensation for their services other than their regular salaries. Arrangements will also be made with brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to forward solicitation materials to the beneficial owners of the shares held of record by such persons, and we may reimburse such persons for reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred by them in forwarding solicitation materials.
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Do I Have Dissenters’ Rights of Appraisal?
Our stockholders do not have appraisal rights under Delaware law or under our governing documents with respect to the matters to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting.
How can I Find out the Results of the Voting at the Annual Meeting?
Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. In addition, final voting results will be disclosed in a Current Report on Form 8-K that we expect to file with the SEC within four business days after the Annual Meeting. If final voting results are not available to us in time to file a Form 8-K with the SEC within four business days after the Annual Meeting, we intend to file a Form 8-K to publish preliminary results and, within four business days after the final results are known to us, file an additional Form 8-K to publish the final results.
When are Stockholder Proposals Due for the 2024 Annual Meeting?
Our bylaws provide that, for stockholder nominations to the Board of Directors or other proposals to be considered at an annual meeting, the stockholder must have given timely advance notice of the proposal or nomination in writing to our Corporate Secretary.
To be timely for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to or mailed and received by our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices between [*, 2024] and [*, 2024]. A stockholder’s notice to the Corporate Secretary must set forth the information required by our bylaws as to each matter the stockholder proposes to bring before the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.
Any appropriate proposal submitted by a stockholder and intended to be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Annual Meeting”) must be submitted in writing to our Secretary at 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953, and received no later than [*, 2024], to be includable in our proxy statement and related proxy for the 2024 Annual Meeting. However, if the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting is convened more than 30 days before, or delayed by more than 30 days after, [*, 2024], to be considered for inclusion in proxy materials for our 2024 Annual Meeting, a stockholder proposal must be submitted in writing to our Secretary at 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953, a reasonable time before we begin to print and send our proxy materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting. A stockholder proposal will need to comply with the SEC regulations under Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), regarding the inclusion of stockholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials. Although the Board will consider stockholder proposals, we reserve the right to omit from our proxy statement, or to vote against, stockholder proposals that we are not required to include under the Exchange Act, including Rule 14a-8.
If you wish to submit a proposal that is not to be included in the proxy materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting, your proposal must be submitted in writing to our Secretary at 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953 by [*], 2024. However, if the date of the 2024 Annual Meeting is convened more than 30 days before, or delayed by more than 30 days after, [*], 2024, to be brought before our 2024 Annual Meeting, a stockholder proposal must be submitted in writing to the Company’s Secretary 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953, a reasonable time before we begin to print and send our proxy materials for the 2024 Annual Meeting.
Do the Company’s Officers and Directors have an Interest in Any of the Matters to Be Acted Upon at the Annual Meeting?
Members of the Board have an interest in Proposal 1, the election to the Board of the five (5) director nominees set forth herein. Members of the Board and executive officers of Sidus do not have any interest in Proposal 2, the ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm, Proposal 3, the amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000 or Proposal 4, the approval, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), of the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Riley in excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley.
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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE STANDARDS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
We are committed to good corporate governance practices. These practices provide an important framework within which our Board of Directors and management pursue our strategic objectives for the benefit of our stockholders.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a written Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that is applicable to our directors, officers and employees and is designed to deter wrongdoing and to promote:
| ● | honest and ethical conduct; | |
| ● | full, fair, accurate, timely and understandable disclosure in reports and documents that we file with the SEC and in other public communications; | |
| ● | compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, including insider trading compliance; and | |
| ● | accountability for adherence to the code and prompt internal reporting of violations of the code, including illegal or unethical behavior regarding accounting or auditing practices. |
You may obtain a copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics on our website at https://investors.sidusspace.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents under Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. A copy of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics may also be obtained without charge upon written request to Secretary, Sidus Space, Inc., 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953. The Board of Directors has designated the Audit Committee to be responsible for reviewing the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and making any appropriate updates or amendments. We intend to disclose any changes in this code or waivers from this code that apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, or principal accounting officer by posting such information to our website or by filing with the SEC a Current Report on Form 8-K, in each case if such disclosure is required by SEC or Nasdaq rules.
Board Composition and Leadership Structure
Our Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, Carol Craig, also serves as our Chief Executive Officer and President. Leonardo Riera has served as our Lead Independent Director since April 5, 2023. Our Board of Directors has determined that our current Board leadership structure provides effective oversight of management and strong leadership of the independent directors. The defined role of Lead Independent Director at the Company is closely aligned with the role of an independent chairperson.
Board’s Role in Risk Oversight
Our Board of Directors believes that open communication between management and the Board of Directors is essential for effective risk management and oversight. Our Board of Directors meets with our Chief Executive Officer and other members of the senior management team at quarterly Board of Director meetings, where, among other topics, they discuss strategy and risks in the context of reports from the management team and evaluate the risks inherent in significant transactions. While our Board of Directors is ultimately responsible for risk oversight, our Board committees assist the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities in certain areas of risk. The Audit Committee assists our Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to risk management in the areas of major financial risk exposures, internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls and procedures, legal and regulatory compliance and cybersecurity and data privacy. The Compensation Committee assists our Board of Directors in assessing risks created by the incentives inherent in our compensation policies. The Nominating and Governance Committee assists our Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to the management of corporate, legal and regulatory risk.
Director Independence
Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market. Under the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, independent directors must constitute a majority of a listed company’s Board of Directors. In addition, the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market require that, subject to specified exceptions, each member of a listed company’s Audit, Compensation and Nominating and Governance Committees must be an “independent director.” Under the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market, a director will only qualify as an “independent director” if, in the opinion of that company’s Board of Directors, that person does not have a relationship that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Additionally, Compensation Committee members must not have a relationship with the listed company that is material to the director’s ability to be independent from management in connection with the duties of a Compensation Committee member.
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Audit Committee members must also satisfy the independence criteria set forth in Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (Exchange Act). In order to be considered independent for purposes of Rule 10A-3, a member of an Audit Committee of a listed company may not, other than in his or her capacity as a member of the Audit Committee, the Board of Directors or any other Board committee: (i) accept, directly or indirectly, any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the listed company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) be an affiliated person of the listed company or any of its subsidiaries.
Our Board of Directors has undertaken a review of the independence of each director and considered whether each director has a material relationship with us that could compromise his or her ability to exercise independent judgment in carrying out his or her responsibilities. As a result of this review, our Board of Directors determined that Mr. Riera, Ms. Kilborne and Mr. Oliver, representing three of our five incumbent directors, are “independent directors” as defined under the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC and the listing requirements and rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. In making these determinations, our Board of Directors reviewed and discussed information provided by the directors and us with regard to each directors’ business and personal activities and relationships as they may relate to us and our management, including the beneficial ownership of our capital stock by each non-employee director and any affiliates.
Committee of our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Governance Committee, each of which has the composition and responsibilities described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our Board of Directors. Each of these committees has a written charter, copies of which are available without charge on our website at https://investors.sidusspace.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents.
Audit Committee
The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, among other things: (i) selecting and retaining an independent registered public accounting firm to act as our independent auditors, setting the compensation for our independent auditors, overseeing the work done by our independent auditors and terminating our independent auditors, if necessary, (ii) periodically evaluating the qualifications, performance and independence of our independent auditors, (iii) pre-approving all auditing and permitted non-audit services to be provided by our independent auditors, (iv) reviewing with management and our independent auditors our annual audited financial statements and our quarterly reports prior to filing such reports with the SEC, including the results of our independent auditors’ review of our quarterly financial statements, and (v) reviewing with management and our independent auditors significant financial reporting issues and judgments made in connection with the preparation of our financial statements. The Audit Committee also prepares the Audit Committee report that is required to be included in our annual proxy statement pursuant to the rules of the SEC.
As of December 31, 2022, the Audit Committee consisted of Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero, with Ms. Kilborne serving as chair. Under the applicable rules and regulations of Nasdaq, each member of a company’s audit committee must be considered independent in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)(i) and (ii) and Rule 10A-3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act. The Board has determined that each of Ms. Kilborne, Mr. Oliver and Mr. Valero is “independent” as that term is defined under applicable Nasdaq and SEC rules. Ms. Kilborne is our audit committee financial expert.
Compensation Committee
The purpose of the Compensation Committee is to discharge the Board’s responsibilities relating to compensation of our directors and executive officers. The Compensation Committee has responsibility for, among other things, (i) recommending to the Board for approval the overall compensation philosophy for our company and periodically reviewing the overall compensation philosophy for all employees to ensure it is appropriate and does not incentivize unnecessary and excessive risk taking, (ii) reviewing annually and making recommendations to the Board for approval, as necessary or appropriate, with respect to our compensation plans, (iii) based on an annual review, determining and approving, or at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, recommending to the Board for determination and approval, the compensation and other terms of employment of each of our officers, (iv) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to the compensation of directors, (v) overseeing our regulatory compliance with respect to compensation matters, (vi) reviewing and discussing with management, prior to the filing of our annual proxy statement or annual report on Form 10-K, our disclosure relating to executive compensation, including our Compensation Discussion and Analysis and executive and director compensation tables as required by SEC rules, and (vii) preparing an annual report regarding executive compensation for inclusion in our annual proxy statement or our annual report on Form 10-K. The Compensation Committee has the power to form one or more subcommittees, each of which may take such actions as may be delegated by the Compensation Committee.
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The charter of the Compensation Committee grants the Compensation Committee authority to select, retain, compensate, oversee and terminate any compensation consultant to be used to assist in the evaluation of director, chief executive officer, officer and our other compensation and benefit plans and to approve the compensation consultant’s fees and other retention terms. The Compensation Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any internal or external legal, accounting or other advisors and consultants retained by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may also select or retain advice and assistance from an internal or external legal, accounting or other advisor as the Compensation Committee determines to be necessary or advisable in connection with the discharge of its duties and responsibilities and will have the direct responsibility to appoint, compensate and oversee any such advisor.
As of December 31, 2022, the Compensation Committee consisted of Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero, with Mr. Valero serving as chair. The Board has determined that all of the members are “independent” under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2).
Nominating and Governance Committee
The Nominating and Governance Committee has responsibility for assisting the Board in, among other things, (i) effecting Board organization, membership and function, including identifying qualified board nominees, (ii) effecting the organization, membership and function of the committees of the Board, including the composition of the committees of the Board and recommending qualified candidates for the committees of the Board, (iii) evaluating and providing successor planning for the chief executive officer and our other executive officers, (iv) identifying and evaluating candidates for director in accordance with certain general and specific criteria, (v) developing and recommending to the Board corporate governance guidelines and any changes thereto, setting forth the corporate governance principles applicable to us, and overseeing compliance with the corporate governance guidelines, and (vi) reviewing potential conflicts of interest involving directors and determining whether such directors may vote on issues as to which there may be a conflict. As of December 31, 2022, the Nominating and Governance Committee consisted of Dana Kilborne, Cole Oliver and Miguel Valero. With Mr. Oliver serving as chair. The Board has determined that all of the members are “independent” under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2).
Family Relationships and Other Arrangements
There are no family relationships among our directors and executive officers. There are no arrangements or understandings between or among our executive officers and directors pursuant to which any director or executive officer was or is to be selected as a director or executive officer.
Board and Committee Meetings and Attendance
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, our Board of Directors held 8 meetings. All of the directors attended every meeting of our Board. In addition, our audit committee met 5 times, our compensation committee met 2 times, and our nominating and corporate governance committee met 1 time during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.
Board Attendance at Annual Stockholders’ Meeting
We invite and encourage each member of our Board of Directors to attend our annual meetings of stockholders. We do not have a formal policy regarding attendance of our annual meetings of stockholders by the members of our Board of Directors. As the Company recently became a reporting company, no annual meeting of the stockholders was held last year.
Communication with Directors
Stockholders and interested parties who wish to communicate with our Board of Directors, non-management members of our Board of Directors as a group, a committee of the Board of Directors or a specific member of our Board of Directors (including our Chair) may do so by letters addressed to:
Sidus Space, Inc.
c/o Secretary
150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Merritt Island, FL 92953
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All communications by letter addressed to the attention of our Secretary will be reviewed by the Secretary and provided to the members of the Board of Directors unless such communications are unsolicited items, sales materials and other routine items and items unrelated to the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Directors.
Considerations in Evaluating Director Nominees
The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for identifying, considering and recommending candidates to the Board of Directors for Board membership. A variety of methods are used to identify and evaluate director nominees, with the goal of maintaining and further developing a diverse, experienced and highly qualified Board of Directors. Candidates may come to our attention through current members of our Board of Directors, professional search firms, stockholders or other persons.
The Nominating and Governance Committee will recommend to the Board of Directors for selection all nominees to be proposed by the Board of Directors for election by the stockholders, including approval or recommendation of a slate of director nominees to be proposed by the Board of Directors for election at each annual meeting of stockholders, and will recommend all director nominees to be appointed by the Board of Directors to fill interim director vacancies.
Our Board of Directors encourages selection of directors who will contribute to the company’s overall corporate goals. The Nominating and Governance Committee may from time to time review and recommend to the Board of Directors the desired qualifications, expertise and characteristics of directors, including such factors as breadth of experience, knowledge about our business and industry, diversity of viewpoint (including diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, age, education, cultural background and professional experience), career specialization, relevant technical, leadership or governance skills, or financial acumen, willingness and ability to devote adequate time and effort to the Board of Directors, ability to contribute to the Board of Directors’ overall effectiveness, and the needs of the Board of Directors and its committees. Exceptional candidates who do not meet all of these criteria may still be considered. In evaluating potential candidates for the Board of Directors, the Nominating and Governance Committee considers these factors in the light of the specific needs of the Board of Directors at that time.
In addition, under our corporate governance guidelines, a director is expected to spend the time and effort necessary to properly discharge such director’s responsibilities. Accordingly, a director is expected to regularly attend meetings of the Board of Directors and committees on which such director sits, and to review prior to meetings material distributed in advance for such meetings. Thus, the number of other public company boards and other boards (or comparable governing bodies) on which a prospective nominee is a member, as well as his or her other professional responsibilities, will be considered. Also, under our corporate governance guidelines, there are no limits term that may be served by a director. However, in connection with evaluating recommendations for nomination for reelection, the Nominating and Governance Committee considers director tenure. We value diversity on a company-wide basis but have not adopted a specific policy regarding Board diversity.
The Nominating and Governance Committee considers stockholder nominees made in accordance with our bylaws, and evaluates candidates recommended by stockholders in the same manner as all other candidates brought to the attention of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Stockholder recommendations may be submitted to the Nominating and Governance Committee in care of the Corporate Secretary at the address set forth under “Communication with Directors.”
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PROPOSAL 1
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
At the Annual Meeting, the stockholders will elect five (5) directors to hold office until the 2023 Annual Meeting. Directors are elected by a plurality of votes cast by stockholders. In the event the nominees are unable or unwilling to serve as directors at the time of the Annual Meeting, the proxies will be voted for any substitute nominees designated by the present Board or the proxy holders to fill such vacancy, or for the balance of the nominees named without nomination of a substitute, or the size of the Board will be reduced in accordance with the Bylaws of the Company. The Board has no reason to believe that the persons named below will be unable or unwilling to serve as nominees or as directors if elected. Miguel Valero will not be standing for re-election to the Board.
Assuming a quorum is present, the five (5) nominees receiving the highest number of affirmative votes of shares entitled to be voted for such persons will be elected as directors of the Company to serve for a one-year term. Unless marked otherwise, proxies received will be voted “FOR” the election of the nominees named below. In the event that additional persons are nominated for election as directors, the proxy holders intend to vote all proxies received by them in such a manner as will ensure the election of the nominees listed below, and, in such event, the specific nominees to be voted for will be determined by the proxy holders.
Information with Respect to Director Nominees
Listed below are the current directors who are nominated to hold office until their successors are elected and qualified, and their ages as of [*], 2023.
| Name | Age | |
| Carol Craig | 55 | |
| Jamie Adams | 59 | |
| Dana Kilborne | 60 | |
| Cole Oliver | 44 | |
| Leonardo Riera | 62 |
Carol Craig – Chairwoman, President and Chief Executive Officer
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 is currently a director of Vaya Space, a privately held space and defense company. 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.
Jamie Adams – Chief Technology Officer and Director
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 – Independent Director
Ms. Kilborne was appointed to our board of directors in December 2021. Ms. Kilborne has been the President and CEO of Cypress Trust Company (now known as Cypress Bank & Trust) since October 2019 and a director since April 2018. In addition, she has been a Director, President and CEO of Cypress Capital Group since October 2019. 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.
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Cole Oliver – Independent Director
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.
Leonardo Riera – Lead Independent Director
Mr. Riera was appointed to our board of directors in April 2023. Mr. Riera has over 35 years of experience in investment banking and fund management, including serving as Executive Director, Country Head for Bankers Trust in Caracas, Venezuela for over 10 years and Head of Mergers and Acquisitions for Citicorp Investment Bank in Caracas, Venezuela. Mr. Riera has served as President of LiNiCo Corporation, a subsidiary of Comstock Mining Inc. (NYSE: LODE), a renewable energy and products company, since April 2022. Mr. Riera has served as a member of the board of directors and as Chief Strategy Officer of Vaya Space, a privately held space and defense company based in Florida since March 2023. He has also served as a member of the board of directors and chair of the audit committee of FenixOro Gold Corp. (FENX.CN), a Canadian company focused on acquiring and exploring gold projects, since January 2021. Mr. Riera served as a member of the board of directors and as a member of the audit committee, nominating and corporate governance committee and compensation committee of Medicine Man Technolgies, Inc. (OTCQX: SHWZ), a vertically integrated regional cannabis company based in Colorado, from June 2019 through January 2021. He also was Co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EnviroPower Renewable, Inc. a renewable energy company from 2012 through 2018. Mr. Riera is the owner of and has served as CEO of Latin American Advisors Inc. since 1988 through which he provides mergers and acquisitions, investment advisory, private equity and strategic planning services. He was a consultant with McKinsey & Co. from 1984 through 1986. Mr. Riera served as President of the International Banking Association of Venezuela for three terms. He was also Head of Asset Structuring and Credit for a $2 Billion emerging market debt fund based in Florida, where he was responsible for investments in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Mexico, China, Nigeria, Singapore, Angola, and Brazil. Mr. Riera holds a degree in Economics from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s distinguished Wharton School of Business. Mr. Riera’s financial and executive experience qualifies him to serve on our Board of Directors.
The following matrix highlights the mix of key skills, qualities, attributes, and experiences of the nominees that, among other factors, led the Board and the Nominating Committee to recommend these nominees for election to the Board. The matrix is intended to depict notable areas of focus for each director. This matrix is intended as a high-level summary and not an exhaustive list of each director’s skills or contributions to the Board. Not having a mark does not mean that a particular director does not possess that qualification or skill. The demographic information presented below is based on voluntary self-identification by each nominee.
Director Skills and Demographic Matrix
| Carol Craig | Jamie Adams | Dana Kilborne | Cole Oliver | Leonardo Riera | ||||||
| Corporate Governance | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Financial | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Business Operations | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Industry Knowledge | X | X | X | |||||||
| Risk Management | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
| Gender | F | M | F | M | M | |||||
| Race/Ethnicity | White/Hispanic | White/Non-Hispanic | White/Non-Hispanic | White/Non-Hispanic | White/Hispanic |
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Board Recommendation
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” EACH OF THE NOMINEES TO THE BOARD SET FORTH IN THIS PROPOSAL 1.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
The names of our current executive officers, their ages as of [*], 2023, and their positions are shown below.
| Name of Executive Officer | Age | Position | Executive Officer Since | |||
| Carol Craig | 55 | President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman of the Board | 2014 | |||
| Teresa Burchfield | 60 | Chief Financial Officer | 2022 | |||
| Jamie Adams | 59 | Chief Technology Officer and Director | 2021 |
Biographical summaries of each of our executive officers who are not also members of our Board of Directors are included below.
Teresa Burchfield. Ms. Burchfield has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April 2022. From April 2021 to October 2021, Ms. Burchfield was Chief Financial Officer of 4FRONT Solutions, LLC, an electric manufacturing services company. From August 2007 to April 2020, Ms. Burchfield served in various capacities with Tupperware Brands Corporation. While with Tupperware, she was the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the US & Canada business unit, Vice President and Group Chief Financial Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa and the Vice President of Investor Relations. From November 2001 to August 2007, Ms. Burchfield was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at BeautiControl, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tupperware. During her career Ms. Burchfield has also managed numerous aspects of business operations, business development, IT and marketing operations, and as a result she is experienced in product forecasting, purchasing and distribution analytics. Ms. Burchfield also has over 15 years of experience working in manufacturing environments, providing a strong background in costing and operational efficiencies. Ms. Burchfield holds a B.S. Degree in Accounting from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a CPA in the state of Oklahoma.
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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
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 $100,000 (collectively, the “named executive officers”) for fiscal years December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| All Other | ||||||||||||||||
| Salary | Compensation | Total | ||||||||||||||
| Name and Principal Position | Year | ($) | ($) | ($) | ||||||||||||
| Carol Craig | 2022 | 125,000 | (2) | 125,000 | ||||||||||||
| President & Chief Executive Officer | 2021 | 31,519 | (1) | 31,519 | ||||||||||||
| Teresa Burchfield (3) | 2022 | 185,906 | 51,563 | 237,469 | ||||||||||||
| Chief Financial Officer | ||||||||||||||||
| Jamie Adams | 2022 | 300,000 | 75,000 | 375,000 | ||||||||||||
| Chief Technology Officer | 2021 | 67,059 | 67,059 | |||||||||||||
| (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 $125,000 per year. |
| (2) | Ms. Craig waived bonus compensation for 2022. |
| (3) | Ms. Burchfield became our Chief Financial Officer on April 11, 2022. |
Outstanding Equity Awards at December 31, 2022
There were no equity awards held by our named executive officer as of December 31, 2022.
Non-Employee Director Compensation
The following table presents the total compensation for each person who served as a non-employee member of our Board and received compensation for such service during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. Other than as set forth in the table and described more fully below, we did not pay any compensation, make any equity awards or non-equity awards to, or pay any other compensation to any of the non-employee members of our Board in 2022. Directors who are also employees do not receive cash or equity compensation for service on our Board of Directors in addition to compensation payable for their service as employees of the Company.
| Name | Fees
Earned Cash ($) | Total ($) | ||||||
| Dana Kilborne | 40,000 | 40,000 | ||||||
| Cole Oliver | 40,000 | 40,000 | ||||||
| Miguel Valero | 40,000 | 40,000 | ||||||
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Employment Agreements
Carol Craig Employment Agreement
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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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 the Record Date 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 the Record Date, 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 [*] and 10,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, issued and outstanding, respectively, as of the Record Date.
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 | ||||||||||
| Jamie Adams | - | |||||||||||
| Dana Kilborne | - | |||||||||||
| Cole Oliver | - | |||||||||||
| Miguel Valero | - | |||||||||||
| Leonardo Riera | - | |||||||||||
| Directors and Executive Officers as a group (6 persons) | - | 10,000,000 | ||||||||||
| 5% or Greater Stockholders: | ||||||||||||
| Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. | - | 10,000,000 | ||||||||||
| (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. |
Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
The following table summarizes information about our equity compensation plans as of December 31, 2022.
| Plan Category | Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights | 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 | - | - | 950,000 | |||||||||
| Equity compensation plans not approved by security holder | - | - | - | |||||||||
| Total | - | 950,000 | ||||||||||
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PROPOSAL 2
RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF OUR INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING
DECEMBER 31, 2023
The Board has appointed BF Borgers CPA PC (“BFB”) to serve as our independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2023. BFB has acted as our auditor since 2021.
A representative of BFB is expected to be present via telephone conference at the Annual Meeting. He or she will have the opportunity to make a statement if desired and is expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.
Our Audit Committee retains our independent registered public accounting firm and approves in advance all audit and non-audit services performed by this firm and any other auditing firms. Although management has the primary responsibility for the financial statements and the reporting process including the systems of internal control, the Audit Committee consults with management and our independent registered public accounting firm regarding the preparation of financial statements and the adoption and disclosure of our critical accounting estimates and generally oversees the relationship of the independent registered public accounting firm with Sidus. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for expressing an opinion on the conformity of those audited financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles, relating to their judgments as to the quality, not just the acceptability, of our accounting principles, and such other matters as are required to be discussed with the Audit Committee under generally accepted auditing standards.
It is the responsibility of our management to determine that our financial statements and disclosures are complete and accurate and in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. It is the responsibility of our independent registered public accounting firm to conduct the audit of our financial statements and disclosures. In giving its recommendation to the Board that our audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 be included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, the Audit Committee has relied on: (1) management’s representation that such financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States; and (2) the report of our independent registered public accounting firm with respect to such financial statements.
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Principal Accountant Fees and Services
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed by BFB:
| 2022 | 2021 | |||||||
| Audit fees (1) | $ | 72,500 | $ | 66,000 | ||||
| Audit-related fees (2) | 16,000 | 41,500 | ||||||
| Tax fees (3) | - | - | ||||||
| All other fees (4) | - | - | ||||||
| Total | $ | 88,500 | $ | 107,500 | ||||
(1) Audit Fees: Fees for audit services were $72,500 and $66,000 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. These are fees for professional services performed by the principal auditor for the audit of our annual financial statements and services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filing or engagement.
(2) Audit-Related Fees: Fees for audit-related services were $16,000 and $41,500 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. These are fees for assurance and related services performed by the principal auditor that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our financial statements. These services include attestations by the principal auditor that are not required by statute or regulation and consulting on financial accounting/reporting standards.
(3) Tax Fees: No fees for tax services were paid for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. These are fees for professional services performed by the principal auditor 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.
(4) All Other Fees: No all other fees were paid for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. These are fees billed by the auditor for products and services not included in the foregoing categories.
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, 2022 and 2021 all of the services performed by our independent registered public accounting firm were pre-approved by the audit committee.
Vote Required
The selection of our independent registered public accounting firm is not required to be submitted to a vote of our stockholders for ratification. However, we are submitting this matter to the stockholders as a matter of good corporate governance. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Board may, in its discretion, appoint a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in the best interests of us and our stockholders. If the appointment is not ratified, the Board will reconsider whether or not to retain BFB.
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares (by voting power) present in person at the Annual Meeting or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required to approve the ratification of the appointment of BFB as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023.
Board Recommendation
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF BF BORGERS CPA PC AS THE COMPANY’S INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2023.
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PROPOSAL 3
AMENDMENT TO OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF AUTHORIZED CLASS A COMMON STOCK
Introduction
Our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “Currently of Incorporation”), currently authorizes the issuance of up to 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.
The proposed form of amendment to our Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to effect the increase in our authorized shares of Class A common stock is attached as Appendix A to this Proxy Statement.
Reasons for the Increase in Authorized Class A Common Stock Amendment
Our Board determined that the amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock is in the best interests of the Company and unanimously recommends approval by shareholders. The Board believes that the availability of additional authorized shares of Class A common stock is required for several reasons including, but not limited to, the additional flexibility to issue Class A common stock for a variety of general corporate purposes as the Board may determine to be desirable including, without limitation, future financings, investment opportunities, acquisitions, or other distributions and stock splits (including splits effected through the declaration of stock dividends). In addition, certain of our securities are exercisable for shares of our Class A common stock. Therefore, we must maintain a sufficient amount of authorized, but unissued shares of common stock adequate to issue shares of common stock upon the exercise of such securities.
As of the Record Date, there were [*] shares of our Class A common stock issued out of the 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock that we are authorized to issue. In addition, as of the Record Date, an aggregate of (i) 950,000 shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance under our 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan; and (ii) [*] shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding warrants. Thus, we have approximately [*] shares of common stock available for future issuance at this time. Our working capital requirements are significant and may require us to raise additional capital through additional equity financings in the future.
Effects of the Increase in Authorized Common Stock
Following the filing of the amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, we will have the authority to issue up to 200,000,000 shares of Class A common stock. These shares may be issued without shareholder approval at any time, in the sole discretion of our Board. The authorized and unissued shares may be issued for cash or for any other purpose that is deemed in the best interests of our Company.
In addition, the amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock could have a number of effects on our Company’s shareholders depending upon the exact nature and circumstances of any actual issuances of authorized but unissued shares. If we issue additional shares of Class A common stock or other securities convertible or exercisable into shares of our common stock in the future, it could dilute the voting rights of existing shareholders and could also dilute earnings per share and book value per share of existing shareholders. The increase in authorized number of Class A common stock could also discourage or hinder efforts by other parties to obtain control of our Company, thereby having an anti-takeover effect. The increase in authorized number of common stock is not being proposed in response to any known threat to acquire control of our Company.
The amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock will not change the number of shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding, nor will it have any immediate dilutive effect or change the rights of current holders of the our Class A common stock.
Procedure for Implementing the Amendment
The amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock will become effective upon the filing or such later time as specified in the filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. The exact timing of the filing of the amendment to increase our authorized shares of Class A common stock will be determined by our Board based on its evaluation as to when such action will be the most advantageous to our Company and our shareholders.
Required Vote of Shareholders
The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of our Class A and Class B common stock is required to approve this proposal.
Recommendation of our Board
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” THE AMENDMENT TO OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF AUTHORIZED CLASS A COMMON STOCK.
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PROPOSAL 4
APPROVAL, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NASDAQ MARKETPLACE RULE 5635(D), OF THE ISSUANCE OF OUR COMMON STOCK TO B. RILEY IN EXCESS OF THE EXCHANGE CAP OF THE COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT DATED AUGUST 10, 2022, BY AND BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND B. RILEY (THE “EXCHANGE CAP PROPOSAL”)
Background
As previously disclosed, on August 10, 2022, we entered into a a Common Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement” a copy of which is included as Appendix B to the Proxy Statement) and a Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) with B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC (“B. Riley”). Pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in the Purchase Agreement, we will have the right to sell to B. Riley, up to the lesser of (i) $30,000,000 (the “Total Commitment”) of newly issued shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, and (ii) the Exchange Cap (as defined below) (subject to certain conditions and limitations contained in the Purchase Agreement), from time to time during the term of the Purchase Agreement. Sales of Common Stock pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, and the timing of any sales, are solely at the option of the Company, and the Company is under no obligation to sell any securities to B. Riley under the Purchase Agreement. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement.
Upon the initial satisfaction of the conditions to B. Riley’s purchase obligation set forth in the Purchase Agreement (the “Commencement”), we will have the right, but not the obligation, from time to time at our sole discretion over the 24-month period from and after the Commencement, to direct B. Riley to purchase a specified amount of shares (each, a “Purchase”) not to exceed the lesser of (i) 1,000,000 shares of Class A common stock and (ii) 20% of the total aggregate number (or volume) of shares of Class A common stock traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) during the Purchase Valuation Period (as defined below) (the lesser of these two amounts, the “Purchase Maximum Amount”) (and subject to certain additional limitations set forth in the Purchase Agreement) (the number of shares to be purchased giving effect to the Purchase Maximum Amount and all additional limitations, the “Purchase Share Amount”) by timely delivering written notice (the “Purchase Notice”) to B. Riley prior to the commencement of trading of the Common Stock on Nasdaq on any trading day (the “Purchase Date”), so long as, (i) the closing sale price of the Common Stock on the trading day immediately prior to such Purchase Date is not less than $1.00 (the “Threshold Price”) and (ii) all shares of Class A common stock subject to all prior Purchases and all prior Intraday Purchases (as defined below) by B. Riley under the Purchase Agreement have been received by B. Riley prior to the time such Purchase Notice is delivered by the Company to B. Riley.
The purchase price of the shares of Class A common stock that the Company elects to sell to B. Riley pursuant to the Purchase Agreement will be determined by reference to the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock (“VWAP”), during the full regular trading hour period on Nasdaq on the applicable Purchase Date, calculated in accordance with the Purchase Agreement, or, if during such regular trading hour period, the trading volume threshold calculated in accordance with the Purchase Agreement is reached, then only during the portion of the regular trading hour period on the applicable Purchase Date prior to the time such volume threshold is reached, the precise commencement and ending times of such period determined in accordance with the Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Valuation Period”), less a fixed 3% discount to the VWAP for such Purchase Valuation Period. The calculations of the VWAP and the volume of shares traded for purposes of determining whether such volume threshold is reached will exclude the opening and closing trades in the Common Stock during regular trading hours on the applicable Purchase Date, to the extent they occur during the applicable Purchase Valuation Period, as well as any trades in the Common Stock during the applicable Purchase Valuation Period at a price below the applicable minimum price threshold determined in accordance with the Purchase Agreement.
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Under the applicable Nasdaq rules, in no event may we issue to B. Riley under the Purchase Agreement more than 3,373,121 shares of Class A common stock, which number of shares is equal to approximately 19.99% of the shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the execution of the Purchase Agreement (the “Exchange Cap”), unless we obtain stockholder approval to issue shares of Class A common stock in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with applicable Nasdaq rules. The Exchange Cap is not applicable to issuances and sales of common stock pursuant to Purchases and Intraday Purchases that we may effect pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, to the extent such shares of Class A common stock are sold in such Purchases and Intraday Purchases (as applicable) at a price equal to or in excess of the applicable “minimum price” (as defined in the applicable listing rules of the Nasdaq) of the common stock, calculated at the time such Purchases and Intraday Purchases (as applicable) are effected by us under the Purchase Agreement, if any, as adjusted such that the Exchange Cap limitation would not apply under applicable Nasdaq rules. Moreover, the Company may not issue or sell any shares of Class A common stock to B. Riley under the Purchase Agreement which, when aggregated with all other shares of Class A common stock then beneficially owned by B. Riley and its affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Exchange Act”) and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in B. Riley beneficially owning more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock.
The net proceeds under the Purchase Agreement to the Company will depend on the frequency and prices at which the Company sells shares of its Common Stock to B. Riley. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the committed equity facility for investment in growth and general corporate purposes.
Reasons for Seeking Stockholder Approval
Our common stock is currently listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market and, as such, we are subject to Nasdaq Marketplace Rules (the “Nasdaq Rules”). Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d) requires us to obtain stockholder approval prior to the sale, issuance or potential issuance of common stock (or securities convertible into or exercisable for common stock) in connection with a transaction other than a public offering at a price less than the “minimum price” which either alone or together with sales by officers, directors or substantial stockholders of the company equals 20% or more of the common stock or 20% or more of the voting power outstanding before the issuance. For Nasdaq purposes, “minimum price” means a price that is the lower of: (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement; or (ii) the average Nasdaq Official Closing Price of the common stock (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) for the five trading days immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement. Stockholder approval of this proposal will constitute stockholder approval for purposes of Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d). Our Board has determined that the Purchase Agreement and our ability to issue the shares thereunder in excess of the Exchange Cap is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders because the ability to sell the shares to B. Riley provides us with a reliable source of capital for working capital and general corporate purposes.
We cannot predict the VWAP of our Class A common stock at any future date, and therefore cannot predict the number of shares to be issued under the Purchase Agreement or whether the VWAP during any Purchase Valuation Period will be greater than the minimum price under the Nasdaq Rules. Under certain circumstances, it is possible that we may need to issue shares of Class A common stock to B. Riley at a price that is less than the minimum price in excess of the Exchange Cap, which would require stockholder approval pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(d).
Therefore, we are seeking stockholder approval under this Proposal No. 4 to issue shares of Class A common stock in excess of the Exchange Cap, if necessary, to B. Riley under the terms of the Purchase Agreement. The failure of the Company’s stockholders to approve this Proposal No. 4 will make it impossible for the Company to sell, at less than the minimum price, shares of Class A common stock to B. Riley in excess of the Exchange Cap. However, it would be possible to sell shares to B. Riley in excess of the Exchange Cap if the sale of any shares under the Purchase Agreement is equal to or greater than the minimum price.
Consequences of Non-Approval
If we are unable to raise additional capital, we may have to significantly delay, scale back or discontinue the development or commercialization of its products and/or consider a sale or other strategic transaction. Accordingly, our Board believes that providing the Company the flexibility to issue shares of Class A common stock in excess of the Exchange Cap is advisable and in the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.
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Effect on Current Stockholders
The issuance of shares of Class A common stock under the Purchase Agreement, including any shares that may be issued in excess of the Exchange Cap (including any such shares issued below the minimum price that are the subject of this Proposal No. 4), would result in an increase in the number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding, and our stockholders will incur dilution of their percentage ownership. Because the number of shares of Class A common stock that may be issued to B. Riley pursuant to the Purchase Agreement is determined based on the VWAP at the time of issuance, the exact magnitude of the dilutive effect cannot be conclusively determined. However, the dilutive effect may be material to our current stockholders.
Required Vote of Stockholders
The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares (by voting power) present in person at the Annual Meeting or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is required to approve the Exchange Cap Proposal. Abstentions and “broker non-votes,” if any, will have no effect on the outcome of this vote. Proxies solicited by our Board of Directors will be voted for approval of this Proposal 4 unless otherwise specified.
Board Recommendation
THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” PROPOSAL 4 TO APPROVE THE EXCHANGE CAP PROPOSAL.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The following Audit Committee Report shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material,” deemed “filed” with the SEC or subject to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company’s previous filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act that might incorporate by reference future filings, including this Proxy Statement, in whole or in part, the following Audit Committee Report shall not be incorporated by reference into any such filings.
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors is comprised entirely of independent directors who meet the independence requirements of NASDAQ and the SEC. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a charter that is available on our website at https://investors.sidusspace.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents under Investor Relations – Governance.
The Audit Committee oversees our financial reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors. Management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the financial statements, including establishing accounting and financial reporting principles and designing systems of internal control over financial reporting. Our independent registered public accounting firm, BF Borgers CPA PC (“BFB”), is responsible for expressing an opinion as to the conformity of our consolidated financial statements with generally accepted accounting principles.
The Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management and BFB the audited consolidated financial statements in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022. The Audit Committee also discussed with BFB matters required to be discussed by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the SEC.
The Audit Committee has received the written disclosures and the letter from BFB required by applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding BFB’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with BFB its independence.
Based on the reviews and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements discussed above be included in Sidus’ annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 for filing with the SEC. The Audit Committee has also reappointed BFB to serve as independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, and requested that this appointment be submitted to our stockholders for ratification at their Annual Meeting.
| Submitted by the Audit Committee | |
| Dana Kilborne, Chair | |
| Cole Oliver | |
| Miguel Valero |
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CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
The following includes a summary of transactions during our fiscal years ended December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021 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, 2022 and 2021, we owed $566,636 and $588,797 to CTC for cash advances made to the Company. The advances are unsecured, due on demand and non-bearing-interest.
On May 1, 2021, CTC forgave $3,392,294 in principal amount owed to it by us. The forgiven debt was accounted for as contributed capital.
In addition, on May 1, 2021, we converted $4 million in intercompany accounts receivable owed to CTC into a related party note payable (the “Note”) which included $1.1 million in loans (the “Decathlon Note”) to CTC by Decathlon Alpha IV, L.P., or Decathlon. 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 3, 2021, we entered into a Loan Assignment and Assumption Agreement, or Loan Assignment, with Decathlon and CTC pursuant to which we assumed the Decathlon Note. In connection with our assumption of the Decathlon Note, CTC reduced the principal of the Note by $1.4 million. 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 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.
In December 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 $1,106,164 from Note Payable – related party to Note payable – non- current (Decathlon note) and recorded forgiveness of note payable of $293,836.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded interest expense of $0 and $54,145, respectively, recorded in accounts payable accrued interest – related party.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company repaid $797,505 and the note payable and accrued interest was forgiven by Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. The Company recorded debt forgiveness of note payable and accrued interest of $1,624,755 to additional paid in capital.
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As of December 31, 2022, and 2021, the Company had note payable – related party current of $0 and $1,000,000 and non-current of $0 and $1,350,000, respectively.
The Company recognized revenue of $1,042,628 and $619,324 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and accounts receivable of $168,170 and $443,282 and contract liability of $44,185 and $63,411 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively, from contracts entered into by Craig Technical Consulting, Inc, its majority shareholder, and subcontracted to the Company for four customers.
For the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded cost of revenue to Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. of $136,363 and $0, and general and administrative expense of $12,267 and $0, respectively
A Professional Services Agreement, effective November 15, 2021, was made, between the Company and Craig Technical Consulting, Inc. The period of performance for this Agreement was December 1, 2021, through November 30, 2022. The agreement was amended and the term of agreement was extended to November 30, 2023.
During the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded professional services of $160,475 and $7,054, respectively.
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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OTHER MATTERS
Sidus has no knowledge of any other matters that may come before the Annual Meeting and does not intend to present any other matters. However, if any other matters shall properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the persons soliciting proxies will have the discretion to vote as they see fit unless directed otherwise.
We will bear the cost of soliciting proxies in the accompanying form. In addition to the use of the mailings, proxies may also be solicited by our directors, officers or other employees, personally or by telephone, facsimile or email, none of whom will be compensated separately for these solicitation activities.
If you do not plan to attend the Annual Meeting, in order that your shares may be represented and in order to assure the required quorum, please sign, date and return your proxy promptly. In the event you are able to attend the Annual Meeting, at your request, Sidus will cancel your previously submitted proxy.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Householding
The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (e.g., brokers) to satisfy the delivery requirements for Proxy Availability Notice or other Annual Meeting materials with respect to two or more stockholders sharing the same address by delivering a single Notice or other Annual Meeting materials addressed to those stockholders. This process, which is commonly referred to as householding, potentially provides extra convenience for stockholders and cost savings for companies. Stockholders who participate in householding will continue to be able to access and receive separate proxy cards.
This year, a number of brokers with account holders who are our stockholders will be “householding” our proxy materials. A Notice or proxy materials will be delivered in one single envelope to multiple stockholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from one or more of the affected stockholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that they will be householding communications to your address, householding will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. If, at any time, you no longer wish to participate in householding and would prefer to receive a separate Notice or proxy materials, please notify your broker or call our Secretary at (321) 613-5620, or submit a request in writing to our Secretary, c/o Sidus Space, Inc., 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953. Stockholders who currently receive multiple copies of the Notice or proxy materials at their address and would like to request householding of their communications should contact their broker. In addition, we will promptly deliver, upon written or oral request to the address or telephone number above, a separate copy of the Notice or proxy materials to a stockholder at a shared address to which a single copy of the documents was delivered.
Annual Reports and Form 10-K
Additional copies of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 may be obtained without charge by writing to the Secretary, Sidus Space, Inc., 150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200, Merritt Island, FL 92953.
| By Order of the Board of Directors | |
| /s/ Carol Craig | |
| Carol Craig | |
| Chairwoman of the Board of Directors |
[*], 2023
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APPENDIX A
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 215,000,000, consisting of 200,000,000 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 [*] day of [*] 2023.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Certificate of Amendment to be duly adopted and executed in its corporate name and on its behalf by its duly authorized officer as of the [*] day of [*], 2023.
| SIDUS SPACE, INC. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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APPENDIX B
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
Dated as of August 10, 2022 by and between
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
and
B. RILEY PRINCIPAL CAPITAL II, LLC
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||
| ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS | 1 | |
| ARTICLE II PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK | 2 | |
| Section 2.1. | Purchase and Sale of Stock | 2 |
| Section 2.2. | Closing Date; Settlement Dates | 2 |
| Section 2.3. | Initial Public Announcements and Required Filings | 2 |
| ARTICLE III PURCHASE TERMS | 3 | |
| Section 3.1. | VWAP Purchases | 3 |
| Section 3.2. | Intraday VWAP Purchases | 3 |
| Section 3.3. | Settlement | 4 |
| Section 3.4. | Compliance with Rules of Trading Market. | 5 |
| Section 3.5. | Beneficial Ownership Limitation | 6 |
| ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE INVESTOR | 6 | |
| Section 4.1. | Organization and Standing of the Investor | 6 |
| Section 4.2. | Authorization and Power | 6 |
| Section 4.3. | No Conflicts | 7 |
| Section 4.4. | Investment Purpose | 7 |
| Section 4.5. | Accredited Investor Status | 7 |
| Section 4.6. | Reliance on Exemptions | 7 |
| Section 4.7. | Information | 8 |
| Section 4.8. | No Governmental Review | 8 |
| Section 4.9. | No General Solicitation | 8 |
| Section 4.10. | Not an Affiliate | 8 |
| Section 4.11. | No Prior Short Sales | 9 |
| Section 4.12. | Statutory Underwriter Status | 9 |
| Section 4.13. | Resales of Securities | 9 |
| ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY | 9 | |
| Section 5.1. | Organization, Good Standing and Power | 9 |
| Section 5.2. | Authorization, Enforcement | 10 |
| Section 5.3. | Capitalization | 10 |
| Section 5.4. | Issuance of Securities | 10 |
| Section 5.5. | No Conflicts | 11 |
| Section 5.6. | Commission Documents, Financial Statements; Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting; Accountants | 12 |
| Section 5.7. | Subsidiaries | 14 |
| Section 5.8. | No Material Adverse Effect or Material Adverse Change | 14 |
| Section 5.9. | No Undisclosed Liabilities | 15 |
| Section 5.10. | No Material Defaults | 15 |
| Section 5.11. | Solvency | 15 |
| Section 5.12. | Title To Assets | 15 |
| -i- |
| Section 5.13. | Actions Pending | 15 |
| Section 5.14. | Compliance With Laws | 16 |
| Section 5.15. | Certain Fees | 16 |
| Section 5.16. | Disclosure | 16 |
| Section 5.17. | Operation of Business | 17 |
| Section 5.18. | Environmental Compliance | 18 |
| Section 5.19. | Material Contracts | 18 |
| Section 5.20. | Transactions With Affiliates | 18 |
| Section 5.21. | Employees; Labor Laws | 18 |
| Section 5.22. | Use of Proceeds | 18 |
| Section 5.23. | Investment Company Act Status | 18 |
| Section 5.24. | ERISA | 18 |
| Section 5.25. | Taxes | 19 |
| Section 5.26. | Insurance | 19 |
| Section 5.27. | Exemption from Registration | 19 |
| Section 5.28. | No General Solicitation or Advertising | 19 |
| Section 5.29. | No Integrated Offering | 19 |
| Section 5.30. | Dilutive Effect | 20 |
| Section 5.31. | Manipulation of Price | 20 |
| Section 5.32. | Securities Act | 20 |
| Section 5.33. | Listing and Maintenance Requirements; DTC Eligibility | 20 |
| Section 5.34. | Application of Takeover Protections | 21 |
| Section 5.35. | No Unlawful Payments | 21 |
| Section 5.36. | International Trade | 21 |
| Section 5.37. | Government Contracts | 22 |
| Section 5.38. | IT Systems | 23 |
| Section 5.39. | Compliance With Data Security Requirements | 24 |
| Section 5.40. | No Disqualification Events | 24 |
| Section 5.41. | Market Capitalization | 24 |
| Section 5.42. | Emerging Growth Company Status | 24 |
| Section 5.43. | Smaller Reporting Company Status | 24 |
| Section 5.44. | Broker/Dealer Relationships; FINRA Information | 25 |
| Section 5.45. | Margin Rules | 25 |
| Section 5.46. | Acknowledgement Regarding Relationship with Investor and BRS | 25 |
| Section 5.47. | Acknowledgement Regarding Investor’s Affiliate Relationships | 26 |
| ARTICLE VI ADDITIONAL COVENANTS | 26 | |
| Section 6.1. | Securities Compliance | 26 |
| Section 6.2. | Reservation of Common Stock | 27 |
| Section 6.3. | Registration and Listing | 27 |
| Section 6.4. | Compliance with Laws. | 28 |
| Section 6.5. | Keeping of Records and Books of Account; Due Diligence. | 28 |
| Section 6.6. | No Frustration; No Variable Rate Transactions. | 28 |
| Section 6.7. | Corporate Existence | 29 |
| Section 6.8. | Fundamental Transaction | 29 |
| Section 6.9. | Selling Restrictions. | 29 |
| Section 6.10. | Effective Registration Statement | 30 |
| Section 6.11. | Blue Sky | 30 |
| Section 6.12. | Non-Public Information | 30 |
| Section 6.13. | Broker-Dealer | 31 |
| Section 6.14. | FINRA Filing | 31 |
| Section 6.15. | QIU | 32 |
| Section 6.16. | Disclosure Schedule | 32 |
| Section 6.17. | Delivery of Compliance Certificates, Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letters and Bring-Down Comfort Letters Upon Occurrence of Certain Events | 33 |
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| ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO CLOSING, COMMENCEMENT AND PURCHASES | 34 | |
| Section 7.1. | Conditions Precedent to Closing | 34 |
| Section 7.2. | Conditions Precedent to Commencement | 35 |
| Section 7.3. | Conditions Precedent to Purchases after Commencement Date | 39 |
| ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION | 43 | |
| Section 8.1. | Automatic Termination | 43 |
| Section 8.2. | Other Termination | 44 |
| Section 8.3. | Effect of Termination | 45 |
| ARTICLE IX INDEMNIFICATION | 46 | |
| Section 9.1. | Indemnification of Investor | 46 |
| Section 9.2. | Indemnification Procedures | 47 |
| ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS | 47 | |
| Section 10.1. | Certain Fees and Expenses; Commitment Fee; Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions. | 48 |
| Section 10.2. | Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver of Jury Trial. | 50 |
| Section 10.3. | Entire Agreement | 51 |
| Section 10.4. | Notices | 51 |
| Section 10.5. | Waivers | 52 |
| Section 10.6. | Amendments | 53 |
| Section 10.7. | Headings | 53 |
| Section 10.8. | Construction | 53 |
| Section 10.9. | Binding Effect | 53 |
| Section 10.10. | No Third Party Beneficiaries | 53 |
| Section 10.11. | Governing Law | 53 |
| Section 10.12. | Survival | 53 |
| Section 10.13. | Counterparts | 54 |
| Section 10.14. | Publicity | 54 |
| Section 10.15. | Severability | 54 |
| Section 10.16. | Further Assurances | 54 |
Annex I. Definitions
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COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
This COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of August 10, 2022 (this “Agreement”), by and between B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Investor”), and Sidus Space, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the parties desire that, upon the terms and subject to the conditions and limitations set forth herein, the Company may issue and sell to the Investor, from time to time as provided herein, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to the lesser of (i) $30,000,000 in aggregate gross purchase price of newly issued shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), and (ii) the Exchange Cap (to the extent applicable under Section 3.4);
WHEREAS, such sales of Common Stock by the Company to the Investor will be made in reliance upon the provisions of Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act (“Section 4(a)(2)”) and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act (“Regulation D”), and upon such other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act as may be available with respect to any or all of the sales of Common Stock to the Investor to be made hereunder;
WHEREAS, the parties hereto are concurrently entering into a Registration Rights Agreement in the form attached as Exhibit A hereto (the “Registration Rights Agreement”), pursuant to which the Company shall register under the Securities Act the resale of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) by the Investor, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, in consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, on the Closing Date, the Company shall pay the Cash Commitment Fee to the Investor and shall concurrently cause its transfer agent to issue to the Investor the Commitment Shares, in each case at such times and otherwise in accordance with Section 10.1(ii); and
WHEREAS, the Company acknowledges that the Investor is an Affiliate of the B. Riley group of entities, and its Affiliate, B. Riley Securities, Inc. (“BRS”), is acting as the Investor’s representative in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Capitalized terms used in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in Annex I hereto, and hereby made a part hereof, or as otherwise set forth in this Agreement.
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ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK
Section 2.1. Purchase and Sale of Stock. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to issue and sell to the Investor, and the Investor shall purchase from the Company, up to the lesser of (i) $30,000,000 (the “Total Commitment”) in aggregate gross purchase price of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock and (ii) the Exchange Cap, to the extent applicable under Section 3.4 (such lesser amount of shares of Common Stock, the “Aggregate Limit”), by the delivery to the Investor of VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices as provided in Article III.
Section 2.2. Closing Date; Settlement Dates. This Agreement shall become effective and binding (the “Closing”) upon (a) the delivery of counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto and thereto, and (b) the delivery of all other documents, instruments and writings required to be delivered at the Closing, in each case as provided in Section 7.1(iv), to the offices of Dorsey & Whitney LLP, 51 West 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019-6119, at 5.00 p.m., New York City time, on the Closing Date. In consideration of and in express reliance upon the representations, warranties and covenants contained in, and upon the terms and subject to the conditions of, this Agreement, during the Investment Period, the Company, at its sole option and discretion, may issue and sell to the Investor, and, if the Company elects to so issue and sell, the Investor shall purchase from the Company, the Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase and each Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable). The delivery of Shares in respect of each VWAP Purchase and each Intraday VWAP Purchase, and the payment for such Shares, shall occur in accordance with Section 3.3.
Section 2.3. Initial Public Announcements and Required Filings. The Company shall, not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately after the date of this Agreement, file with the Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company and the Investor and describing the material terms thereof, including, without limitation, the payment of the Cash Commitment Fee and the issuance of the Commitment Shares to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, and attaching as exhibits thereto copies of each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if applicable, any press release issued by the Company disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company (including all exhibits thereto, the “Current Report”). The Company shall provide the Investor a reasonable opportunity to comment on a draft of the Current Report prior to filing the Current Report with the Commission and shall give due consideration to all such comments. From and after the filing of the Current Report with the Commission, the Company shall have publicly disclosed all material, nonpublic information delivered to the Investor (or the Investor’s representatives or agents) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents or representatives (if any) in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Investor covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company as described in this Section 2.3, the Investor shall maintain the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including the existence and terms of the transactions contemplated thereby), except that the Investor may disclose the terms of such transactions to its financial, accounting, legal and other advisors (provided that the Investor directs such Persons to maintain the confidentiality of such information). Not later than 15 calendar days following the Closing Date, the Company shall file a Form D with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities in accordance with Regulation D and shall provide a copy thereof to the Investor promptly after such filing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to prepare and, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the applicable Filing Deadline, file with the Commission the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement covering only the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities in accordance with the Securities Act and the Registration Rights Agreement. At or before 8:30 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), the Company shall file with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act the final Prospectus to be used in connection with resales of the Registrable Securities by the Investor pursuant to such Registration Statement (or post-effective amendment thereto).
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ARTICLE III
PURCHASE TERMS
Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Article VII, the parties agree as follows:
Section 3.1. VWAP Purchases. Upon the initial satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 (the “Commencement” and the date of initial satisfaction of all of such conditions, the “Commencement Date”) and from time to time thereafter, subject to the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.3, the Company shall have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its timely delivery to the Investor of a VWAP Purchase Notice for a VWAP Purchase on the applicable Purchase Date therefor, to purchase a specified VWAP Purchase Share Amount, which shall not exceed the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price therefor on such Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, a “VWAP Purchase”). The Company may timely deliver to the Investor a VWAP Purchase Notice for a VWAP Purchase on any Trading Day selected by the Company as the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, so long as (i) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding such Purchase Date is not less than the Threshold Price, and (ii) all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchases and Intraday VWAP Purchases (as applicable) pursuant to this Agreement have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares prior to the Company’s delivery to the Investor of such VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase on such Purchase Date. The Investor is obligated to accept each VWAP Purchase Notice prepared and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in this Agreement. If the Company delivers any VWAP Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase a VWAP Purchase Share Amount in excess of the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such VWAP Purchase Notice, such VWAP Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the VWAP Purchase Share Amount set forth in such VWAP Purchase Notice exceeds such applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase, and shall not purchase, such excess Shares pursuant to such VWAP Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the applicable VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount pursuant to such VWAP Purchase. At or prior to 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date for each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall provide to the Company, by email correspondence to each of the individual notice recipients of the Company set forth in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice, a written confirmation for such VWAP Purchase, setting forth the applicable VWAP Purchase Price per Share to be paid by the Investor for the Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, and the total aggregate VWAP Purchase Price to be paid by the Investor for the total VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any VWAP Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period, any Allowable Grace Period or any MPA Period.
Section 3.2. Intraday VWAP Purchases. Upon the initial satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.2 on the Commencement Date and from time to time thereafter, subject to the satisfaction of all of the conditions set forth in Section 7.3, in addition to VWAP Purchases as described in Section 3.1, the Company shall also have the right, but not the obligation, to direct the Investor, by its timely delivery to the Investor of an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice on the applicable Purchase Date therefor, to purchase a specified Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount, which shall not exceed the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, at the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Price therefor on such Purchase Date in accordance with this Agreement (each such purchase, an “Intraday VWAP Purchase”). The Company may timely deliver to the Investor an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for an Intraday VWAP Purchase on any Trading Day selected by the Company as the Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, so long as (i) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding such Purchase Date is not less than the Threshold Price, and (ii) all Shares subject to all prior VWAP Purchases and Intraday VWAP Purchases (as applicable) have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares prior to the Company’s delivery to the Investor of such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase on such Purchase Date. The Investor is obligated to accept each Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice prepared and delivered by the Company in accordance with the terms of and subject to the satisfaction of the conditions contained in this Agreement. If the Company delivers any Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice directing the Investor to purchase an Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount in excess of the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount that the Company is then permitted to include in such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice, such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice shall be void ab initio to the extent of the amount by which the Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount set forth in such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice exceeds such applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount, and the Investor shall have no obligation to purchase, and shall not purchase, such excess Shares pursuant to such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice; provided, however, that the Investor shall remain obligated to purchase the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount pursuant to such Intraday VWAP Purchase. At or prior to 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date on which one or more Intraday VWAP Purchases shall have occurred, the Investor shall provide to the Company, by email correspondence to each of the individual notice recipients of the Company set forth in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice, a written confirmation for each such Intraday VWAP Purchase, setting forth the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Price per Share to be paid by the Investor for the Shares purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase, and the total aggregate Intraday VWAP Purchase Price to be paid by the Investor for the total Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not deliver any Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices to the Investor during the PEA Period, any Allowable Grace Period or any MPA Period.
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Section 3.3. Settlement. The Shares constituting the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in each VWAP Purchase, and the Shares constituting the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount purchased by the Investor in each Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), in each case shall be delivered to the Investor as DWAC Shares not later than 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase and for each such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) (the “Purchase Share Delivery Date”). For (a) each VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount in cash equal to the product of (1) the total number of Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase and (2) the applicable VWAP Purchase Price for such Shares, as full payment for such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, and (b) each Intraday VWAP Purchase, the Investor shall pay to the Company an amount in cash equal to the product of (1) the total number of Shares purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase and (2) the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Price for such Shares, as full payment for such Shares purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase, in each case via wire transfer of immediately available funds, not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase and for each such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), provided the Investor shall have timely received, as DWAC Shares, all of such Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase and such Intraday VWAP Purchase(s) (as applicable) on such Purchase Share Delivery Date in accordance with the first sentence of this Section 3.3, or, if any of such Shares are received by the Investor after 1:00 p.m., New York City time, then the Company’s receipt of such funds in its designated account may occur on the Trading Day next following the Trading Day on which the Investor shall have received all of such Shares as DWAC Shares, but not later than 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on such next Trading Day. If the Company or its transfer agent shall fail for any reason to deliver to the Investor, as DWAC Shares, any Shares purchased by the Investor in a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase and for each such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), and if on or after such Trading Day the Investor purchases (in an open market transaction or otherwise) shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of such Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company on such Purchase Share Delivery Date in respect of such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), then the Company shall, within one (1) Trading Day after the Investor’s request, either (i) pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the Investor’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased (the “Cover Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such Shares as DWAC Shares shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Investor such Shares as DWAC Shares and pay cash to the Investor in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Cover Price over the total purchase price paid by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement for all of the Shares purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable). The Company shall not issue any fraction of a share of Common Stock to the Investor in connection with any VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase effected pursuant to this Agreement. If the issuance would result in the issuance of a fraction of a share of Common Stock, the Company shall round such fraction of a share of Common Stock up or down to the nearest whole share. All payments to be made by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account as the Company may from time to time designate by written notice to the Investor in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.
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Section 3.4. Compliance with Rules of Trading Market.
(a) Exchange Cap. Subject to Section 3.4(b), the Company shall not issue or sell any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement, to the extent that after giving effect thereto, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that would be issued pursuant to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby would exceed 3,373,121 shares of Common Stock (such number of shares equal to 19.99% of the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, combined, issued and outstanding immediately prior to the execution of this Agreement), which number of shares shall be reduced, on a share-for-share basis, by the number of shares of Common Stock issued or issuable pursuant to any transaction or series of transactions that may be aggregated with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement under applicable rules of the Trading Market (such maximum number of shares of Common Stock, the “Exchange Cap”), unless the Company’s stockholders have approved the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the applicable rules of the Trading Market. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company may, but shall be under no obligation to, request its stockholders to approve the issuance of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement; provided, that if such stockholder approval is not obtained, the Exchange Cap shall be applicable for all purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at all times during the term of this Agreement (except as set forth in Section 3.4(b)).
(b) At-Market Transaction. Notwithstanding Section 3.4(a) above, the Exchange Cap shall not be applicable for any purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, solely to the extent that (and only for so long as) the Average Price shall equal or exceed the Base Price (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that the Exchange Cap shall be applicable for all purposes of this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby at all other times during the term of this Agreement, unless the stockholder approval referred to in Section 3.4(a) is obtained). The parties acknowledge and agree that the Minimum Price used to determine the Base Price hereunder represents the lower of (i) the Nasdaq official closing price of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) on the date of this Agreement and (ii) the average Nasdaq official closing price of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) for the five (5) consecutive Trading Days ending on the date of this Agreement.
(c) General. The Company shall not issue or sell any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Agreement if such issuance or sale would reasonably be expected to result in (A) a violation of the Securities Act or (B) a breach of the rules of the Trading Market. The provisions of this Section 3.4 shall be implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.4 only if necessary to ensure compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable rules of the Trading Market.
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Section 3.5. Beneficial Ownership Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Company shall not issue or sell, and the Investor shall not purchase or acquire, any shares of Common Stock under this Agreement which, when aggregated with all other shares of Common Stock then beneficially owned by the Investor and its Affiliates (as calculated pursuant to Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder), would result in the beneficial ownership by the Investor of more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (the “Beneficial Ownership Limitation”). Upon the written request of the Investor, the Company shall promptly (but not later than the next business day on which the Company’s transfer agent is open for business) confirm orally or in writing to the Investor the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. The Investor and the Company shall each cooperate in good faith in the determinations required under this Section 3.5 and the application of this Section 3.5. The Investor’s written certification to the Company of the applicability of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the resulting effect thereof hereunder at any time, shall be conclusive with respect to the applicability thereof and such result absent manifest error. The provisions of this Section 3.5 shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 3.5 to the extent necessary to properly give effect to the limitations contained in this Section 3.5.
ARTICLE IV
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE INVESTOR
The Investor hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Company:
Section 4.1. Organization and Standing of the Investor. The Investor is a limited liability company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Section 4.2. Authorization and Power. The Investor has the requisite limited liability company power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and to purchase or acquire the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary limited liability company action, and no further consent or authorization of the Investor, its officers or its sole member is required. Each of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Investor and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Investor enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, receivership, or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application (including any limitation of equitable remedies).
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Section 4.3. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Investor of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement and the consummation by the Investor of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and shall not (i) result in a violation of such Investor’s certificate of formation, limited liability company agreement or other applicable organizational instruments, (ii) conflict with, constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give rise to any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any material agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Investor is a party or is bound, (iii) create or impose any lien, charge or encumbrance on any property of the Investor under any agreement or any commitment to which the Investor is party or under which the Investor is bound or under which any of its properties or assets are bound, or (iv) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, or regulation, or any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority applicable to the Investor or by which any of its properties or assets are bound or affected, except, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, acceleration, cancellations and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with, in any material respect, the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. The Investor is not required under any applicable federal, state or local law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement or to purchase or acquire the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof, other than as may be required by FINRA; provided, however, that for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Investor is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the relevant representations and warranties and the compliance with the relevant covenants and agreements of the Company in the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
Section 4.4. Investment Purpose. The Investor is acquiring the Securities for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof, in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, the Investor does not agree, or make any representation or warranty, to hold any of the Securities for any minimum or other specific term and reserves the right to dispose of the Securities at any time in accordance with, or pursuant to, a registration statement filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement or an applicable exemption under the Securities Act. The Investor does not presently have any agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to sell or distribute any of the Securities. The Investor is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the ordinary course of its business.
Section 4.5. Accredited Investor Status. The Investor is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D.
Section 4.6. Reliance on Exemptions. The Investor understands that the Securities are being offered and sold to it in reliance on specific exemptions from the registration requirements of U.S. federal and state securities laws and that the Company is relying in part upon the truth and accuracy of, and the Investor’s compliance with, the representations, warranties, agreements, acknowledgments and understandings of the Investor set forth herein in order to determine the availability of such exemptions and the eligibility of the Investor to acquire the Securities.
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Section 4.7. Information. All materials relating to the business, financial condition, management and operations of the Company and materials relating to the offer and sale of the Securities which have been requested by the Investor have been furnished or otherwise made available to the Investor or its advisors, including, without limitation, the Commission Documents. The Investor understands that its investment in the Securities involves a high degree of risk. The Investor is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of a proposed investment in the Securities. The Investor and its advisors have been afforded the opportunity to ask questions of and receive answers from representatives of the Company concerning the financial condition and business of the Company and other matters relating to an investment in the Securities. Neither such inquiries nor any other due diligence investigations conducted by the Investor or its advisors, if any, or its representatives shall modify, amend or affect the Investor’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or in any other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party or the Investor’s right to rely on any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transaction contemplated hereby (including, without limitation, the opinions of the Company’s counsel delivered pursuant to Sections 7.1(iv), 7.2(xvi) and 7.3(x)). The Investor has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to its acquisition of the Securities. The Investor understands that it (and not the Company) shall be responsible for its own tax liabilities that may arise as a result of this investment or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
Section 4.8. No Governmental Review. The Investor understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or Governmental Authority has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of an investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
Section 4.9. No General Solicitation. The Investor is not purchasing or acquiring the Securities as a result of any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
Section 4.10. Not an Affiliate. The Investor is not an officer, director or an Affiliate of the Company. As of the date of this Agreement, the Investor does not beneficially own any shares of Common Stock or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock, other than the Commitment Shares. During the Investment Period, the Investor will not acquire for its own account any shares of Common Stock or securities exercisable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock, other than pursuant to this Agreement; provided, however, that nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit the Investor from purchasing, in an open market transaction or otherwise, shares of Common Stock necessary to make delivery by the Investor in satisfaction of a sale by the Investor of Shares that the Investor anticipated receiving from the Company in connection with the settlement of a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) if the Company or its transfer agent shall have failed for any reason (other than a failure of the Investor or its Broker-Dealer to set up a DWAC and required instructions) to electronically transfer all of the Shares subject to such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) to the Investor on the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date by crediting the Investor’s or its designated Broker-Dealer’s account at DTC through its DWAC delivery system in compliance with Section 3.3 of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the foregoing restriction does not apply to any Affiliate of the Investor, provided that any such purchases do not cause the Investor to violate any applicable Exchange Act requirement, including Regulation M.
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Section 4.11. No Prior Short Sales. At no time prior to the date of this Agreement has the Investor, its sole member, any of their respective officers, or any entity managed or controlled by the Investor or its sole member, engaged in or effected, in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly, for its own account or for the account of any of its Affiliates, any (i) “short sale” (as such term is defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO of the Exchange Act) of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock.
Section 4.12. Statutory Underwriter Status. The Investor acknowledges that it will be disclosed as an “underwriter” and a “selling stockholder” in each Registration Statement and in any Prospectus contained therein to the extent required by applicable law and to the extent the Prospectus is related to the resale of Registrable Securities.
Section 4.13. Resales of Securities. The Investor represents, warrants and covenants that it will resell Securities purchased or acquired by the Investor from the Company pursuant to this Agreement only pursuant to the Registration Statement in which the resale of such Securities is registered under the Securities Act and the Prospectus contained therein, in a manner described under the caption “Plan of Distribution” in such Registration Statement and Prospectus, and in a manner in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal and applicable state securities laws, rules and regulations.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS, WARRANTIES AND COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
Except as set forth in the disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to the Investor (which is hereby incorporated by reference in, and constitutes an integral part of, this Agreement) (the “Disclosure Schedule”), the Company hereby makes the following representations, warranties and covenants to the Investor:
Section 5.1. Organization, Good Standing and Power. The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and has the corporate power and authority to own, lease or operate its assets and properties and to conduct its business as now being conducted. The Company is duly licensed or qualified to do business and in good standing (or equivalent status as applicable) in each jurisdiction in which the assets owned or leased by it or the character of its activities require it to be licensed or qualified or in good standing (or equivalent status as applicable), except where the failure to be so licensed or qualified, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.2. Authorization, Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof. Except for approvals of the Company’s Board of Directors or a committee thereof as may be required in connection with any issuance and sale of Shares to the Investor hereunder (which approvals shall be obtained prior to the delivery of any VWAP Purchase Notice and any Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice), the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no further consent or authorization of the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders is required. Each of the Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation, conservatorship, receivership or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally the enforcement of, creditor’s rights and remedies or by other equitable principles of general application (including any limitation of equitable remedies).
Section 5.3. Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company and the shares thereof issued and outstanding were as set forth in the Commission Documents as of the dates reflected therein. All of the outstanding shares of Common Stock have been duly authorized and validly issued, and are fully paid and non-assessable. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company is obligated to register the sale of any securities under the Securities Act. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, no shares of Common Stock are entitled to preemptive rights and there are no outstanding debt securities and no contracts, commitments, understandings, or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional shares of the capital stock of the Company or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into or exchangeable for, any shares of capital stock of the Company other than those issued or granted in the ordinary course of business pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive and/or compensatory plans or arrangements. Except for customary transfer restrictions contained in agreements entered into by the Company to sell restricted securities or as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company is not a party to, and it has no Knowledge of, any agreement restricting the voting or transfer of any shares of the capital stock of the Company. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents, or the consummation of the transactions described herein or therein. The Company has filed with the Commission true and correct copies of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation as in effect on the Closing Date (the “Charter”), and the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws as in effect on the Closing Date (the “Bylaws”).
Section 5.4. Issuance of Securities. The Commitment Shares have been, and the Shares to be issued under this Agreement have been, or with respect to Shares to be purchased by the Investor pursuant to a particular VWAP Purchase Notice or pursuant to a particular Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable), will be, prior to the delivery to the Investor hereunder of such VWAP Purchase Notice and prior to the delivery to the Investor hereunder of such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable), duly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. The Commitment Shares, when issued to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement, and the Shares, when issued and sold against payment therefor in accordance with this Agreement, shall be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and non-assessable and free from all liens, charges, taxes, security interests, encumbrances, rights of first refusal, preemptive or similar rights and other encumbrances with respect to the issue thereof, and the Investor shall be entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. An aggregate of 3,282,754 shares of Common Stock will be duly authorized and reserved by the Company for issuance and sale to the Investor as Shares pursuant to VWAP Purchases and Intraday VWAP Purchases under this Agreement as of the Commencement Date.
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Section 5.5. No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and shall not (i) result in a violation of any provision of the Company’s Charter or Bylaws, (ii) result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give rise to any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, mortgage, deed of trust, indenture, note, bond, license, lease agreement, instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or is bound, (iii) create or impose a lien, charge or encumbrance on any property or assets of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries under any agreement or any commitment to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of their respective properties or assets is subject, or (iv) result in a violation of any federal, state, local or foreign statute, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries are bound or affected (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the Trading Market or applicable Eligible Market), except, in the case of clauses (ii), (iii) and (iv), for such conflicts, defaults, terminations, amendments, acceleration, cancellations, liens, charges, encumbrances and violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as specifically contemplated by this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement and as required under the Securities Act and any applicable state securities laws, the Company is not required under any federal, state, local or foreign law, rule or regulation to obtain any consent, authorization or order of, or make any filing or registration with, any Governmental Authority (including, without limitation, the Trading Market) in order for it to execute, deliver or perform any of its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or to issue the Securities to the Investor in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof (other than such consents, authorizations, orders, filings or registrations as have been obtained or made prior to the Closing Date); provided, however, that, for purposes of the representation made in this sentence, the Company is assuming and relying upon the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Investor in this Agreement and the compliance by it with its covenants and agreements contained in this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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Section 5.6. Commission Documents, Financial Statements; Disclosure Controls and Procedures; Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting; Accountants.
(a) Since December 31, 2021, the Company has timely filed (giving effect to permissible extensions in accordance with Rule 12b-25 under the Exchange Act) all Commission Documents required to be filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, including those required to be filed with or furnished to the Commission under Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. As of the Closing Date, no Subsidiary of the Company is required to file or furnish any report, schedule, registration, form, statement, information or other document with the Commission. As of its filing date (or, if amended or superseded by a filing prior to the Closing Date, as of the date of such amended or superseded filing), each Commission Document filed with or furnished to the Commission prior to the Closing Date complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable. Each Registration Statement, on the date it is filed with the Commission, on the date it is declared effective by the Commission and on each Purchase Date, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415 under the Securities Act) and shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, except that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements in or omissions from such Registration Statement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use therein. The Prospectus and each Prospectus Supplement required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement after the Closing Date, when taken together, on its date and on each Purchase Date, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act) and shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to the Investor furnished to the Company in writing by or on behalf of the Investor expressly for use therein. Each Commission Document (other than the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus included therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto) to be filed with or furnished to the Commission after the Closing Date and filed as part of or incorporated by reference in the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus included therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto required to be filed pursuant to this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement (including, without limitation, the Current Report), when such document is filed with or furnished to the Commission and, if applicable, when such document becomes effective, as the case may be, shall comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable. The Company has delivered or made available to the Investor via EDGAR or otherwise true and complete copies of all comment letters and substantive correspondence received by the Company from the Commission relating to the Commission Documents filed with or furnished to the Commission as of the Closing Date, together with all written responses of the Company thereto in the form such responses were filed via EDGAR. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, there are no outstanding or unresolved comments or undertakings in such comment letters received by the Company from the Commission. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
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(b) The consolidated financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined below) as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders’ equity of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal year- end audit adjustments which will not be material, either individually or in the aggregate) and have been prepared in compliance with the published requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis (except (i) for such adjustments to accounting standards and practices as are noted therein and (ii) in the case of unaudited interim statements, to the extent they may exclude footnotes or may be condensed or summary statements) during the periods involved. The pro forma financial statements or data included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, if any, comply with the requirements of Regulation S-X of the Securities Act, including, without limitation, Article 11 thereof, and the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the circumstances referred to therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data. The other financial and statistical data with respect to the Company and the Subsidiaries contained or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, if any, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents that are not included or incorporated by reference as required. All disclosures contained or incorporated by reference in the Commission Documents, if any, regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply in all material respects with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, to the extent applicable.
(c) Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Company included in the 2021 Form 10-K, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the Company has established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of the Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its Form 10-K for the fiscal year most recently ended the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the most recent Evaluation Date and, except as set forth in such Form 10-K or any Commission Document filed with the Commission for a period subsequent to the period covered by such Form 10-K, the “disclosure controls and procedures” are effective.
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(d) BF Borgers CPA CP (the “Accountant”), whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company is filed with the Commission as part of the 2021 Form 10-K, are and, during the periods covered by their report, were independent public accountants within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). To the Company’s knowledge, the Accountant is not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) with respect to the Company.
(e) Since December 31, 2021, the Company has timely filed all certifications and statements the Company is required to file under (i) Rule 13a-14 or Rule 15d-14 under the Exchange Act or (ii) 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 (Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act) with respect to all Commission Documents with respect to which the Company is required to file such certifications and statements thereunder.
Section 5.7. Subsidiaries. Exhibit 21.1 to the 2021 Form 10-K sets forth each Subsidiary of the Company as of the Closing Date, other than those that may be omitted pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K, and the Company does not have any other Subsidiaries as of the Closing Date, other than those that may be omitted pursuant to Item 601 of Regulation S-K. Each Subsidiary of the Company has been duly formed or organized, is validly existing under the applicable laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and has the organizational power and authority to own, lease and operate its assets and properties and to conduct its business as it is now being conducted, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Company’s Subsidiaries is duly licensed or qualified and in good standing (or equivalent status as applicable) as a foreign corporation (or other entity, if applicable) in each jurisdiction in which the assets owned or leased by it or the character of its activities require it to be licensed or qualified or in good standing (or equivalent status as applicable), except where the failure to be so licensed or qualified, individually or in the aggregate, has not had and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such Subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such Subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such Subsidiary’s property or assets to the Company or any other Subsidiary of the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Commission Documents or as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.8. No Material Adverse Effect or Material Adverse Change. Except as otherwise disclosed in any Commission Documents, since December 31, 2021: (i) there has not occurred any Material Adverse Effect, or any current development that would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect and (ii) the Company and its Subsidiaries have conducted their respective businesses in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice in all material respects.
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Section 5.9. No Undisclosed Liabilities. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” as that term is used in Accounting Standards Codification Paragraph 810-10-25-20), not described in Commission Documents which are required to be described in the Commission Documents.
Section 5.10. No Material Defaults. Since December 31, 2021, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on Indebtedness or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and the Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act disclosing that it or any of its Subsidiaries has failed to make any such payments or has so defaulted.
Section 5.11. Solvency. The Company has not taken any steps, and does not currently expect to take any steps, to seek protection pursuant to any Bankruptcy Law, nor does the Company have any Knowledge that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or liquidation proceedings or other proceedings for relief under any Bankruptcy Law. The Company and its Subsidiaries are financially solvent and are generally able to pay their respective debts as they become due.
Section 5.12. Title To Assets. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all real property owned by them, if any, and good and marketable title to all personal property reflected as owned by them in the financial statements, supporting schedules or other financial data filed with the Commission as a part of the Commission Documents, in each case free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages, equities, adverse claims and other defects, except such as are disclosed in the Commission Documents or such as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Subsidiaries; and any Leased Real Property, improvements, buildings, equipment and personal property held under lease by the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company are held under valid, existing and enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are disclosed in the Commission Documents or are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such real property, improvements, buildings, equipment and personal property by the Company or such Subsidiary.
Section 5.13. Actions Pending. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, there are no pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, Actions and, to the Knowledge of the Company, there are no pending or threatened investigations against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or otherwise affecting the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective assets, including any condemnation or similar proceedings, that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no Governmental Order imposed upon or to the Knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective properties, assets or businesses, in each case that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no unsatisfied judgment or any open injunction binding upon the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, which would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the other Transaction Documents.
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Section 5.14. Compliance With Laws. Except (i) with respect to compliance with Environmental Laws (as to which certain representations and warranties are made pursuant to Section 5.18) and (ii) where the failure to be, or to have been, in compliance with such Laws would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries are, and since December 31, 2021 have been, in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Laws. The Company has not received any written notice from any Governmental Authority of a violation of any applicable Law by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries at any time since December 31, 2021, which violation would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except where the failure to have or to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries: (i) is in compliance in all material respects with all Laws applicable to its business, operations, and assets, including all applicable rules, regulations, directives or policies of the DOT and/or FAA; (ii) has all material Permits required to own, lease or operate its assets and properties and to conduct its business as now being conducted as described in the Commission Documents; and (iii) except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, has not received any written notice of or been charged with the violation of any laws, and has not been the subject of any DOT or FAA enforcement action or investigation. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to or bound by any Governmental Order. To the Company’s Knowledge, except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is under investigation with respect to the violation of any Laws, and there are no facts or circumstances which could reasonably form the basis for any such violation. There are no statutes, laws, rules, regulations or ordinances of any Governmental Authority, self-regulatory organization or body that are applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or to their respective businesses, assets or properties that are required to be described in any Commission Document that are not described therein as required.
Section 5.15. Certain Fees. No brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Investor shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section 5.15 incurred by the Company or its Subsidiaries that may be due or payable in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
Section 5.16. Disclosure. The Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided the Investor or any of its agents, advisors or counsel with any information that constitutes or could reasonably be expected to constitute material, nonpublic information concerning the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, that has not been publicly disclosed by the Company in a Commission Document filed by the Company with the Commission. The Company understands and confirms that the Investor will rely on the foregoing representations in effecting resales of Shares under the Registration Statement. All disclosure provided to Investor regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their businesses and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (including, without limitation, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in the Transaction Documents to which it is a party (as modified by the Disclosure Schedule)) furnished in writing by or on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for purposes of or in connection with the Transaction Documents, taken together, is true and correct in all material respects on the date on which such information is dated or certified, and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading at such time. Each press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries since December 31, 2021 did not at the time of release (or, if amended or superseded by a later dated press release issued by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries prior to the Closing Date or by a later dated Commission Document filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company prior to the Closing Date, at the time of issuance of such later dated press release or filing or furnishing of such Commission Document, as applicable) contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
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Section 5.17. Operation of Business.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries have timely obtained and hold all material Permits (the “Material Permits”) that are required to own, lease or operate their respective properties and assets and to conduct their respective businesses as currently conducted, except where the failure to obtain the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For the avoidance of doubt, Material Permits include, but are not limited to, all Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) and Department of Transportation (“DOT”) certificates, licenses, consents, exemptions, ratings, approvals and other authorizations and permissions required for the operation of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses as currently conducted as described in the Commission Documents, the lack of which could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) each Material Permit has been duly and validly obtained by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries and is in full force and effect in accordance with its terms, (b) no outstanding written notice of revocation, cancellation or termination of any Material Permit has been received by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (c) to the Knowledge of the Company, none of such Permits upon its termination or expiration in the ordinary due course will not be renewed or reissued in the ordinary course of business upon terms and conditions substantially similar to its existing terms and conditions, (d) there are no Actions pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened, that seek the revocation, cancellation, limitation, restriction or termination of any Material Permit and (e) the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all Material Permits applicable to them. This Section 5.17(a) does not relate to environmental matters, such items being the subject of Section 5.18.
(b) The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all patents, patent applications, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, trademark registrations, service marks, service mark registrations, Internet domain name registrations, copyrights, copyright registrations, and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”), necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses as conducted as of the date hereof, except to the extent that the failure to own or possess adequate rights to use such Intellectual Property would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Since December 31, 2021, the Company and its Subsidiaries have not received any written notice of any claim of infringement or other violation of Intellectual Property rights of any third Person, which infringement or other violation, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not be, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) there are no pending, or to the Company’s Knowledge, threatened judicial proceedings or interference proceedings challenging the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s rights in or to or the validity of the scope of any of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ owned Intellectual Property; and (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, no other entity or individual has any right or claim in any of the Company’s or any of its Subsidiary’s owned Intellectual Property by virtue of any contract, license or other agreement entered into between such entity or individual and the Company or any Subsidiary or by any non-contractual obligation, other than by written licenses or other agreements granted or entered into by the Company or any Subsidiary. Since December 31, 2021, the Company has not received any written notice of any claim challenging the rights of the Company or its Subsidiaries in or to any Intellectual Property owned or exclusively licensed by the Company or any Subsidiary which claim, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.18. Environmental Compliance. Since December 31, 2021, the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in material compliance with all Environmental Laws and all Material Permits issued under Environmental Laws (collectively, the “Environmental Permits”); (ii) there has been no release of any Hazardous Materials at, in, on or under any Leased Real Property or in connection with the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries operations off-site of the Leased Real Property or, at, in, on or under any formerly owned or leased real property during the time that the Company or any of its Subsidiaries owned or leased such property; (iii) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is subject to and has not received any Governmental Order relating to any non-compliance with Environmental Laws or Environmental Permits by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or the release, investigation, sampling, monitoring, treatment, remediation, removal or cleanup of Hazardous Materials; and (iv) no Action is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened and no investigation is pending or, to the Knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ compliance with or liability under Environmental Law or related to a release of Hazardous Materials, except, in the case of any of clauses (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) above, for any such failure to comply or failure to receive required permits, licenses, other approvals or non-compliance or liability as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.19. Material Contracts. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, the descriptions in the Commission Documents of the material Contracts therein described present fairly in all material respects the information required to be shown, and there are no material Contracts of a character required to be described in the Commission Documents or to be filed as exhibits thereto which are not described or filed as required; all material Contracts between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and third parties expressly referenced in the Commission Documents are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company or one or more of its Subsidiaries, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles, and except where the failure of any such Contract to be enforceable in accordance with its terms would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.20. Transactions With Affiliates. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, none of the officers or directors of the Company and, to the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company’s stockholders, the officers or directors of any stockholder of the Company who is the beneficial owner of more than five per cent (5%) of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, or any immediate family member or Affiliate of any of the foregoing, has either directly or indirectly any material interest in, or is a party to, any transaction that is required to be disclosed as a related party transaction pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
Section 5.21. Employees; Labor Laws. No material labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists, except as described in the Commission Documents, or, to the Knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.22. Use of Proceeds. The proceeds from the sale of the Shares by the Company to Investor shall be used by the Company and its Subsidiaries in the manner as will be set forth in the Prospectus included in any Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and any Prospectus Supplement thereto filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.
Section 5.23. Investment Company Act Status. The Company is not, and as a result of the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and the application of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares as will be set forth in the Prospectus included in any Registration Statement (and any post-effective amendment thereto) and any Prospectus Supplement thereto filed pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement the Company will not be required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 5.24. ERISA. For purposes of this Agreement a “Company Benefit Plan” is each “employee benefit plan” as defined in Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) that is maintained, administered or contributed to, maintained by the Company or any of its affiliates for the benefit of any current or former employee, officer, director, individual independent contractor or individual consultant of the Company or its Subsidiaries. Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, to the Knowledge of the Company, (i) each Company Benefit Plan has been maintained in material compliance with its terms and all applicable Laws, including ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”); and (ii) no prohibited transaction within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred which would result in a material liability to the Company with respect to any such Company Benefit Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption, other than, in the case of (i) and (ii) above, as would not, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
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Section 5.25. Taxes. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement or have requested extensions thereof (except where the failure to file would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect) and have paid all taxes required to be paid thereon (except for cases in which the failure to file or pay would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, or, except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company), and no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which have had a Material Adverse Effect, nor does the Company have any notice or Knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries and which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.26. Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.
Section 5.27. Exemption from Registration. Subject to, and in reliance on, the representations, warranties and covenants made herein by the Investor, the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Investor in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) and Rule 506(b) of Regulation D; provided, however, that at the request of and with the express agreement of the Investor (including, without limitation, the representations, warranties and covenants of Investor set forth in Sections 4.10 through 4.13), the Securities to be issued from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued to the Investor or its designee only as DWAC Shares and will not bear legends noting restrictions as to resale of such securities under federal or state securities laws, nor will any such securities be subject to stop transfer instructions.
Section 5.28. No General Solicitation or Advertising. Neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf, has engaged in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
Section 5.29. No Integrated Offering. None of the Company or any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would require registration of the offer, issuance and sale by the Company to the Investor of any of the Securities under the Securities Act, whether through integration with prior offerings or otherwise, or cause this offering of the Securities to require approval of stockholders of the Company under any applicable stockholder approval provisions, including, without limitation, under the rules and regulations of the Trading Market. None of the Company, its Subsidiaries, their Affiliates nor any Person acting on their behalf will take any action or steps referred to in the preceding sentence that would require registration of the offer, issuance and sale by the Company to the Investor of any of the Securities under the Securities Act or cause the offering of any of the Securities to be integrated with any other offering of securities of the Company.
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Section 5.30. Dilutive Effect. The Company is aware and acknowledges that issuance of the Securities could cause dilution to existing stockholders and could significantly increase the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock. The Company further acknowledges that its obligations to (i) issue the Commitment Shares in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(a) , (ii) issue the Shares to the Investor pursuant to the terms of a VWAP Purchase Notice in accordance with this Agreement and (iii) issue the Shares to the Investor pursuant to the terms of an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice in accordance with this Agreement, in each case, are absolute and unconditional regardless of the dilutive effect that such issuance of Commitment Shares or Shares may have on the ownership interests of other stockholders of the Company.
Section 5.31. Manipulation of Price. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors or Affiliates has, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed or intended to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, or which caused or resulted in, or which would in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, in each case to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company. Neither the Company nor any of its officers, directors or Affiliates will during the term of this Agreement, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no Person acting on their behalf will during the term of this Agreement, take any of the actions referred to in the immediately preceding sentence.
Section 5.32. Securities Act. The Company has complied and shall comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws in connection with the offer, issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder, including, without limitation, the applicable requirements of the Securities Act. Each Registration Statement, upon filing with the Commission and at the time it is declared effective by the Commission, shall satisfy all of the requirements of the Securities Act to register the resale of the Registrable Securities included therein by the Investor in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement on a delayed or continuous basis under Rule 415 under the Securities Act at then-prevailing market prices, and not fixed prices. The Company is not currently, and has never been, an issuer identified in, or subject to, Rule 144(i).
Section 5.33. Listing and Maintenance Requirements; DTC Eligibility. The Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its Knowledge is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common Stock under the Exchange Act, nor has the Company received any notification that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company has not received notice from the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, from such Eligible Market) to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of the Trading Market (or of such Eligible Market, as applicable). The Company is in compliance with all applicable listing and maintenance requirements of the Trading Market. The Common Stock may be issued and transferred electronically to third parties via DTC through its Deposit/Withdrawal at Custodian (“DWAC”) delivery system. The Company has not received notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated.
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Section 5.34. Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and its Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s Charter or the Delaware General Corporation Law, as amended, that is or could become applicable to the Investor as a result of the Investor and the Company fulfilling their respective obligations or exercising their respective rights under the Transaction Documents (as applicable), including, without limitation, as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Investor’s ownership of the Securities.
Section 5.35. No Unlawful Payments. Since December 31, 2021, and except where the failure to be, or to have been, in compliance with such Laws would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (1) there has been no action taken by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or, to the Knowledge of the Company, any officer, director, manager, employee, agent or representative of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, in each case, acting on behalf of the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, in violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Law, (2) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has been convicted of violating any Anti-Corruption Laws or subjected to any investigation by a Governmental Authority for violation of any applicable Anti-Corruption Laws, nor, to the Knowledge of the Company, has any investigation been threatened or pending, (3) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has conducted or initiated any internal investigation or made a voluntary, directed, or involuntary disclosure to any Governmental Authority regarding any alleged act or omission arising under or relating to any noncompliance with any Anti-Corruption Law, (4) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice, inquiry or citation from a Governmental Authority for any actual or potential noncompliance with any applicable Anti-Corruption Law, nor has any such notice, inquiry or citation been threatened or is pending and (5) the Company and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintained policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure compliance with Anti-Corruption Laws. No officer, director, manager or, to the Knowledge of the Company, employee, agent or member of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a foreign official within the meaning of the FCPA.
Section 5.36. International Trade.
(a) The Company and its Subsidiaries and, to the Knowledge of the Company, each officer, director, manager, employee, agent or representative of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case, acting on behalf of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is, and has been for the past five (5) years, in compliance with all applicable International Trade Laws and Anti-Corruption Laws.
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(b) Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has, and for the past five (5) years has had, all required licenses, license exemptions and other material consents, notices, waivers, approvals, orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations, classifications and filings required for the export, re-export, transfer and import of products, technical data, and services in accordance with the International Trade Laws and any permit obtained thereunder, including in relation to the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ launch activities and employment of any foreign persons.
(c) None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a Restricted Party and no agency of the United States Government has denied, suspended, or otherwise abridged the Company’s or any of its Subsidiaries’ export or import privileges. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has been subject to any economic sanctions imposed by the United States, including, but not limited to, those enforced by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the U.S. Department of State. None of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries contracts with, retains or employs any Person from, located, organized, or ordinarily resident in a Sanctioned Country in violation of International Trade Laws.
(d) During the past five (5) years, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has (i) been subjected to any investigation by a Governmental Authority for any past or present violation of any applicable International Trade Laws or Anti-Corruption Laws, (ii) conducted or initiated any internal investigation or made a voluntary, directed, or involuntary disclosure to any Governmental Authority regarding any alleged act or omission arising under or relating to any noncompliance with any International Trade Laws or Anti-Corruption Laws or (iii) received any written notice or citation from a Governmental Authority for any actual or potential noncompliance with any applicable International Trade Law.
Section 5.37. Government Contracts.
(a) With respect to each Government Contract and Government Bid, except as set forth in the Commission Documents, since December 31, 2021, (i) the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws and contractual requirements, (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is in material violation or breach of any applicable Laws or contractual requirements governing any Government Contract or Government Bid, (iii) the representations, certifications, and warranties made by the Company or one of its Subsidiaries in connection with the Government Contracts and Government Bids were accurate in all material respects as of their effective date, and the Company and its Subsidiaries have complied in all material respects with all such representations, certifications, and warranties, and (iv) there has not existed any event, condition or omission that would constitute a breach or default, whether by lapse of time or notice or both, by any other Person under any Government Contract.
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(b) Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, since December 31, 2021, (i) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received written notice of any pending or threatened investigation, prosecution, or civil or administrative proceeding in connection with any Government Contract or Government Bid, and, to the Knowledge of the Company, no such investigation, prosecution, or civil or administrative proceeding or settlement negotiation, or internal investigation is pending or is contemplated by any Governmental Authority; (ii) there have been no document requests, subpoenas, or search warrants involving any of the officers, directors, employees, or agents of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with any Government Contract or Government Bid; (iii) no Government Contract has been terminated for default or convenience, (iv) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any written termination for default notice, cure notice, or show-cause notice from any Governmental Authority or any prime contractor or higher-tier subcontractor that remains unresolved; and (v) none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received notice of any disallowance of costs under any Government Contract and/or assessment of any penalty (whether actual or threatened), nor received in writing any material negative findings in any audit or investigation performed by any Governmental Authority which, in each case, remains unresolved or in dispute.
(c) Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, since December 31, 2021, no Governmental Authority nor any prime contractor, subcontractor or vendor has asserted in writing any claim or initiated any dispute proceeding against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to any Government Contract or Government Bid, nor is the Company or any of its Subsidiaries asserting in writing any claim or initiating any dispute proceeding directly or indirectly against any such party concerning any Government Contract or Government Bid.
(d) Except as disclosed in the Commission Documents, since December 31, 2021, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice from a Governmental Authority regarding any alleged violation or potential violation by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries or one of their respective subcontractors of the Civil False Claims Act, Procurement Integrity Act, Anti-Kickback Act, Truth in Negotiations Act, Service Contract Act, Buy American Act, or Trade Agreements Act that remains unresolved.
Section 5.38. IT Systems. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) the IT Systems are operational and adequate and sufficient for the current needs of the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (ii) to the Knowledge of the Company, there have been no material failures of the IT Systems currently used to provide material products to customers in the conduct of their business as it is currently conducted since December 31, 2021, (iii) the Company has in place adequate and commercially reasonable security controls and backup and disaster recovery plans and procedures in place, and (iv) to the Knowledge of the Company, there have been no unauthorized intrusions or breaches of the IT Systems since December 31, 2021 that, pursuant to any legal requirement, would require the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to notify customers or employees of such breach or intrusion.
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Section 5.39. Compliance With Data Security Requirements. To the Knowledge of the Company, in connection with its collection, storage, transfer (including without limitation, any transfer across national borders) and/or use of any information or Protected Data, the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been, in material compliance with all Privacy and Security Requirements. The Company and its Subsidiaries have commercially reasonable physical, technical, organizational and administrative security measures and policies in place to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of all systems, information and Protected Data maintained and collected by the Company or its Subsidiaries or on their behalf. Except as set forth in the Commission Documents, none of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries has experienced any security incident that has compromised the integrity or availability of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ network, systems, data or information. The Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been, to the Company’s Knowledge, in compliance in all material respects with all Privacy and Security Requirements relating to data loss, theft and breach of security notification obligations. None of the Company or its Subsidiaries has received, or provided, any written notice of any claims, actions, investigations, inquiries or alleged violations of Privacy and Security Requirements or any other security incidents.
Section 5.40. No Disqualification Events. None of the Company, any of its predecessors, any affiliated issuer, any director, executive officer, other officer of the Company participating in the offering contemplated hereby, any beneficial owner of 20% or more of the Company’s outstanding voting equity securities, calculated on the basis of voting power, nor any promoter (as that term is defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) connected with the Company in any capacity at the time of sale (each, an “Issuer Covered Person”) is subject to any of the “Bad Actor” disqualifications described in Rule 506(d)(1)(i) to (viii) under the Securities Act (a “Disqualification Event”), except for a Disqualification Event covered by Rule 506(d)(2) or (d)(3) under the Securities Act. The Company has exercised reasonable care to determine whether any Issuer Covered Person is subject to a Disqualification Event.
Section 5.41. Market Capitalization. As of the date of this Agreement, the aggregate market value of the outstanding voting and non-voting common equity (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) of the Company held by persons other than Affiliates of the Company (pursuant to Rule 144, those that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, control, or are controlled by, or are under common control with, the Company) (the “Non-Affiliate Shares”), was equal to $52,448,620 (calculated by multiplying (i) the highest price at which the common equity of the Company closed on the Trading Market within 60 days of the date of this Agreement by (ii) the number of Non-Affiliate Shares).
Section 5.42. Emerging Growth Company Status. As of the Closing Date the Company was, and as of the Commencement Date the Company will be, an “emerging growth company” as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012.
Section 5.43. Smaller Reporting Company Status. As of the Closing Date the Company was, and as of the Commencement Date the Company will be, a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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Section 5.44. Broker/Dealer Relationships; FINRA Information. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is a “person associated with a member” or “associated person of a member” (within the meaning set forth in the FINRA Manual). All of the information provided to the Investor, BRS or to their counsel, specifically for use by BRS in connection with the FINRA Filing (and related disclosure) with FINRA, by the Company, its counsel, its officers and directors and the holders of any securities (debt or equity) or options to acquire any securities of the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents is true, complete, correct and compliant with FINRA’s rules and any letters, filings or other supplemental information provided to FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rules.
Section 5.45. Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Shares nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Commission Documents will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.
Section 5.46. Acknowledgement Regarding Relationship with Investor and BRS. The Company acknowledges and agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, that the Investor is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s-length purchaser with respect to this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and BRS is acting as a representative of the Investor in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and of no other party, including the Company. The Company further acknowledges that while the Investor will be deemed to be a statutory “underwriter” with respect to certain of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with interpretive positions of the Staff of the Commission, the Investor is a “trader” that is not required to register with the Commission as a broker-dealer under Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Company further acknowledges that the Investor and its representatives are not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and any advice given by the Investor or any of its representatives (including BRS) or agents in connection therewith is merely incidental to the Investor’s acquisition of the Securities. The Company and Investor understand and acknowledge that employees of BRS may discuss market color, VWAP Purchase Notice and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice timing and parameter considerations and other related capital markets considerations with the Company in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby, in all cases on behalf of the Investor. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Investor has not made and does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents other than those specifically set forth in Article IV.
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Section 5.47. Acknowledgement Regarding Investor’s Affiliate Relationships. Affiliates of the Investor, including BRS, engage in a wide range of activities for their own accounts and the accounts of customers, including corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, merchant banking, equity and fixed income sales, trading and research, derivatives, foreign exchange, futures, asset management, custody, clearance and securities lending. In the course of their respective business, Affiliates of the Investor may, directly or indirectly, hold long or short positions, trade and otherwise conduct such activities in or with respect to debt or equity securities or bank debt of, or derivative products relating to, the Company. Any such position will be created, and maintained, independently of the position the Investor takes in the Company. In addition, at any given time Affiliates of the Investor, including BRS, may have been or in the future may be engaged by one or more entities that may be competitors with, or otherwise adverse to, the Company in matters unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and Affiliates of the Investor, including BRS may have or may in the future provide investment banking or other services to the Company in matters unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Activities of any of the Investor’s Affiliates performed on behalf of the Company may give rise to actual or apparent conflicts of interest given the Investor’s potentially competing interests with those of the Company. The Company expressly acknowledges the benefits it receives from the Investor’s participation in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the one hand, and the Investor’s Affiliates’ activities, if any, on behalf of the Company unrelated to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, on the other hand, and understands the conflict or potential conflict of interest that may arise in this regard, and has consulted with such independent advisors as it deems appropriate in order to understand and assess the risks associated with these potential conflicts of interest. Consistent with applicable legal and regulatory requirements, applicable Affiliates of the Investor have adopted policies and procedures to establish and maintain the independence of their research departments and personnel from their investment banking groups and the Investor. As a result, research analysts employed by Affiliates of the Investor may hold views, make statements or investment recommendations or publish research reports with respect to the Company or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents that differ from the views of the Investor.
ARTICLE VI
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
The Company covenants with the Investor, and the Investor covenants with the Company, as follows, which covenants of one party are for the benefit of the other party, during the Investment Period (and with respect to the Company, for the period following the termination of this Agreement specified in Section 8.3 pursuant to and in accordance with Section 8.3):
Section 6.1. Securities Compliance. The Company shall notify the Commission and the Trading Market, if and as applicable, in accordance with their respective rules and regulations, of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, and shall take all necessary action, undertake all proceedings and obtain all registrations, permits, consents and approvals for the legal and valid issuance of the Securities to the Investor in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Documents, as applicable.
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Section 6.2. Reservation of Common Stock. The Company has available and the Company shall reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive and other similar rights of stockholders, the requisite aggregate number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to enable the Company to timely effect (i) the issuance and delivery of all Commitment Shares to be issued and delivered to the Investor, within such time and otherwise in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(a) hereof, (ii) the issuance, sale and delivery of all Shares to be issued, sold and delivered in respect of each VWAP Purchase effected under this Agreement, in the case of this clause (ii), at least prior to the delivery by the Company to the Investor of the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice in connection with such VWAP Purchase, and (iii) the issuance, sale and delivery of all Shares to be issued, sold and delivered in respect of each Intraday VWAP Purchase effected under this Agreement, in the case of this clause (iii), at least prior to the delivery by the Company to the Investor of the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice in connection with such Intraday VWAP Purchase. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (a) as of the Date of this Agreement, the Company has reserved, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, 90,367 shares of Common Stock solely for the purpose of issuing all of the Commitment Shares under this Agreement to be issued and delivered to the Investor under Section 10.1(ii)(a) hereof within the time period specified in Section 10.1(ii)(a) hereof, and (b) as of the Commencement Date the Company has reserved, out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, 3,282,754 shares of Common Stock solely for the purpose of issuing Shares pursuant to one or more VWAP Purchases and pursuant to one or more Intraday VWAP Purchases (as applicable) that may be effected by the Company, in its sole discretion, from time to time from and after the Commencement Date under this Agreement. The number of shares of Common Stock so reserved for the purpose of effecting issuances of Shares pursuant to VWAP Purchases and pursuant to Intraday VWAP Purchases under this Agreement (as applicable) may be increased from time to time by the Company from and after the Commencement Date, and such number of reserved shares may be reduced from and after the Commencement Date only by the number of Shares actually issued, sold and delivered to the Investor pursuant to any VWAP Purchase and any Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) effected from and after the Commencement Date pursuant to this Agreement.
Section 6.3. Registration and Listing. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Common Stock to continue to be registered as a class of securities under Sections 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and to comply with its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act, and shall not take any action or file any document (whether or not permitted by the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) to terminate or suspend such registration or to terminate or suspend its reporting and filing obligations under the Exchange Act or Securities Act, except as permitted herein. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock and the listing of the Securities purchased or acquired by the Investor hereunder on the Trading Market (or another Eligible Market) and to comply with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable). The Company shall not take any action which could be reasonably expected to result in the delisting or suspension of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable). If the Company receives any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or other Eligible Market, as applicable) shall be terminated on a date certain, the Company shall promptly (and in any case within 24 hours) notify the Investor of such fact in writing and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the Common Stock to be listed or quoted on another Eligible Market.
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Section 6.4. Compliance with Laws.
(i) During the Investment Period, the Company (a) shall comply, and cause each Subsidiary to comply, with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the business and operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, except as would not have a Material Adverse Effect and (b) with applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws, and applicable listing rules of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable), except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Company to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect or for Investor to conduct resales of Securities under the Registration Statement in any material respect. Without limiting the foregoing, neither the Company, nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor to the Knowledge of the Company, any of their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or any other Persons acting on their behalf shall, in connection with the operation of the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’ respective businesses, (1) use any corporate funds for unlawful contributions, payments, gifts or entertainment or to make any unlawful expenditures relating to political activity to government officials, candidates or members of political parties or organizations, (2) pay, accept or receive any unlawful contributions, payments, expenditures or gifts, or (3) violate or operate in noncompliance with any export restrictions, anti-boycott regulations, embargo regulations or other applicable domestic or foreign laws and regulations, including, without limitation, the Anti-Corruption Laws and the International Trade Laws.
(ii) The Investor shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and orders applicable to the performance by it of its obligations under this Agreement and its investment in the Securities, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, prohibit or otherwise interfere with the ability of the Investor to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement in any material respect. Without limiting the foregoing, the Investor shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including Regulation M thereunder, the rules and regulations of FINRA, and all applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws.
Section 6.5. Keeping of Records and Books of Account; Due Diligence.
(i) The Investor and the Company shall each maintain records showing the remaining Total Commitment, the remaining Aggregate Limit, the dates and VWAP Purchase Share Amount for each VWAP Purchase, and the dates and Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount for each Intraday VWAP Purchase.
(ii) Subject to the requirements of Section 6.12, from time to time from and after the Closing Date, the Company shall make available for inspection and review by the Investor during normal business hours and after reasonable notice, customary documentation reasonably requested by the Investor and/or its appointed counsel or advisors to conduct due diligence; provided, however, that after the Closing Date, the Investor’s continued due diligence shall not be a condition precedent to the Commencement or to the Investor’s obligation to accept each VWAP Purchase Notice and each Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement.
Section 6.6. No Frustration; No Variable Rate Transactions.
(i) No Frustration. The Company shall not enter into, announce or recommend to its stockholders any agreement, plan, arrangement or transaction in or of which the terms thereof would restrict, materially delay, conflict with or impair the ability or right of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, including, without limitation, the obligation of the Company to (i) issue and deliver the Commitment Shares to the Investor not later than 4:00 p.m. (New York time) on the Trading Day immediately following the Closing Date in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(a), (ii) pay the Cash Commitment Fee to the Investor on the Closing Date in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(b), and (iii) issue and deliver the Shares to the Investor in respect of each VWAP Purchase and each Intraday VWAP Purchase effected by the Company, in each case not later than the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date with respect to such VWAP Purchase and not later than the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date with respect to such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) in accordance with Section 3.3. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.6(i) shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
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(ii) No Variable Rate Transactions. The Company shall not effect or enter into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction, other than in connection with an Exempt Issuance. The Investor shall be entitled to seek injunctive relief against the Company and its Subsidiaries to preclude any such issuance, which remedy shall be in addition to any right to collect damages, without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required.
Section 6.7. Corporate Existence. The Company shall take all steps necessary to preserve and continue the corporate existence of the Company; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 6.8, nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prohibit the Company from engaging in any Fundamental Transaction with another Person. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 6.7 shall in any way limit the Company’s right to terminate this Agreement in accordance with Section 8.2 (subject in all cases to Section 8.3).
Section 6.8. Fundamental Transaction. If a VWAP Purchase Notice or an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice has been delivered to the Investor and the transactions contemplated therein have not yet been fully settled in accordance with Section 3.3 of this Agreement, the Company shall not effect any Fundamental Transaction until the expiration of five (5) Trading Days following the date of full settlement thereof and the issuance to the Investor of all of the Shares that are issuable to the Investor pursuant to the VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) to which such VWAP Purchase Notice or Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) relates.
Section 6.9. Selling Restrictions.
(i) Except as expressly set forth below, the Investor covenants that from and after the Closing Date through and including the Trading Day next following the expiration or termination of this Agreement as provided in Article VIII (the “Restricted Period”), none of the Investor, its sole member, any of their respective officers, or any entity managed or controlled by the Investor or its sole member (collectively, the “Restricted Persons” and each of the foregoing is referred to herein as a “Restricted Person”) shall, directly or indirectly, (i) engage in any Short Sales of the Common Stock or (ii) hedging transaction, which establishes a net short position with respect to the Common Stock, with respect to each of clauses (i) and (ii) hereof, either for its own account or for the account of any other Restricted Person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is expressly understood and agreed that nothing contained herein shall (without implication that the contrary would otherwise be true) prohibit any Restricted Person during the Restricted Period from: (1) selling “long” (as defined under Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO) the Securities; or (2) selling a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Shares that the Investor is unconditionally obligated to purchase under any pending VWAP Purchase Notice or any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable), but has not yet received from the Company or its transfer agent pursuant to this Agreement, so long as (X) the Investor (or its Broker-Dealer, as applicable) delivers the Shares purchased pursuant to such pending VWAP Purchase Notice and the Shares purchased pursuant to such pending Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) to the purchaser thereof promptly upon the Investor’s receipt of such Shares from the Company in accordance with Section 3.3 of this Agreement and (Y) neither the Company or its transfer agent shall have failed for any reason to deliver such Shares to the Investor or its Broker-Dealer so that such Shares are timely received by the Investor as DWAC Shares on the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date for such VWAP Purchase and on the applicable Purchase Share Delivery Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchases (as applicable) in accordance with Section 3.3 of this Agreement.
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(ii) In addition to the foregoing, in connection with any sale of Securities (including any sale permitted by paragraph (i) above), the Investor shall comply in all respects with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and orders, including, without limitation, the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.
Section 6.10. Effective Registration Statement. During the Investment Period, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the continuous effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement and each New Registration Statement filed with the Commission under the Securities Act for the applicable Registration Period pursuant to and in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement.
Section 6.11. Blue Sky. The Company shall take such action, if any, as is necessary by the Company in order to obtain an exemption for or to qualify the Securities for sale by the Company to the Investor pursuant to the Transaction Documents, and at the request of the Investor, the subsequent resale of Registrable Securities by the Investor, in each case, under applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws and shall provide evidence of any such action so taken to the Investor from time to time following the Closing Date; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to (x) qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this Section 6.11, (y) subject itself to general taxation in any such jurisdiction, or (z) file a general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction.
Section 6.12. Non-Public Information. Neither the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents shall disclose any material non- public information about the Company to the Investor, unless a simultaneous public announcement thereof is made by the Company in the manner contemplated by Regulation FD. In the event of a breach of the foregoing covenant by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees and agents (as determined in the reasonable good faith judgment of the Investor), (i) the Investor shall promptly provide written notice of such breach to the Company and (ii) after such notice has been provided to the Company and, provided that the Company shall have failed to publicly disclose such material, non-public information within 24 hours following demand therefor by the Investor, in addition to any other remedy provided herein or in the other Transaction Documents, the Investor shall have the right to make a public disclosure, in the form of a press release, public advertisement or otherwise, of such material, non-public information without the prior approval by the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents. The Investor shall not have any liability to the Company, any of its Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, stockholders or agents, for any such disclosure.
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Section 6.13. Broker-Dealer. The Investor shall use one or more broker-dealers (one of which is BRS, an Affiliate of the Investor) to effectuate all sales, if any, of the Securities that it may purchase or otherwise acquire from the Company pursuant to the Transaction Documents, as applicable, which (or whom) shall be a DTC participant (collectively, the “Broker-Dealer”). The Investor shall, from time to time, provide the Company and the Company’s transfer agent with all information regarding the Broker-Dealer reasonably requested by the Company. The Investor shall be solely responsible for all fees and commissions of the Broker-Dealer (if any), which shall not exceed customary brokerage fees and commissions and shall be responsible for designating only a DTC participant eligible to receive DWAC Shares.
Section 6.14. FINRA Filing. The Company shall assist the Investor and BRS with BRS’ preparation and filing with FINRA’s Corporate Financing Department via the Public Offering System of all documents and information required to be filed with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with regard to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the “FINRA Filing”). In connection therewith, on or prior to the date the FINRA Filing is first made by BRS with FINRA, the Company shall pay to FINRA by wire transfer of immediately available funds the applicable filing fee with respect to the FINRA Filing, and the Company shall be solely responsible for payment of such fee. The parties hereby agree to provide each other and BRS all requisite information and otherwise to assist each other and BRS in a timely fashion in order for BRS to complete the preparation and submission of the FINRA Filing in accordance with this Section 6.14 and to assist BRS in promptly responding to any inquiries or requests from FINRA or its staff. Each party hereto shall (a) promptly notify the other party and BRS of any communication to that party or its Affiliates from FINRA, including, without limitation, any request from FINRA or its staff for amendments or supplements to or additional information in respect of the FINRA Filing and permit the other party and BRS to review in advance any proposed written communication to FINRA and (b) furnish the other party and BRS with copies of all written correspondence, filings and communications between them and their affiliates and their respective representatives and advisors, on the one hand, and FINRA or members of its staff, on the other hand, with respect to this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each of the parties hereto agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other party and BRS in doing, all things necessary, proper or advisable in order for BRS to obtain as promptly as practicable written confirmation from FINRA to the effect that FINRA’s Corporate Financing Department has determined not to raise any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Commencement Date shall not occur, unless and until BRS shall have received written confirmation from FINRA to the effect that FINRA’s Corporate Financing Department has determined not to raise any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
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Section 6.15. QIU. If the Investor or any of its Affiliates, including BRS, reasonably determines that a Qualified Independent Underwriter is required to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in order for such transactions to be in full compliance with the rules and regulations of FINRA, including, without limitation, FINRA Rule 5121, each of the parties hereto shall have executed such documentation as may reasonably be required to engage a Qualified Independent Underwriter to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA, including, without limitation, FINRA Rule 5121.
Section 6.16. Disclosure Schedule.
(i) The Company may, from time to time, update the Disclosure Schedule as may be required to satisfy the conditions set forth in Section 7.2(i) and Section 7.3(i) (to the extent such condition set forth in Section 7.3(i) relates to the condition in Section 7.2(i) as of a specific Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time). For purposes of this Section 6.16, any disclosure made in a schedule to the Compliance Certificate shall be deemed to be an update of the Disclosure Schedule. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no update to the Disclosure Schedule pursuant to this Section 6.16 shall cure any breach of a representation or warranty of the Company contained in this Agreement and made prior to the update and shall not affect any of the Investor’s rights or remedies with respect thereto.
(ii) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Disclosure Schedule or in this Agreement, the information and disclosure contained in any Schedule of the Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be disclosed and incorporated by reference in any other Schedule of the Disclosure Schedule as though fully set forth in such Schedule for which applicability of such information and disclosure is readily apparent on its face. The fact that any item of information is disclosed in the Disclosure Schedule shall not be construed to mean that such information is required to be disclosed by this Agreement. Except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, such information and the thresholds (whether based on quantity, qualitative characterization, dollar amounts or otherwise) set forth herein shall not be used as a basis for interpreting the terms “material” or “Material Adverse Effect” or other similar terms in this Agreement.
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Section 6.17. Delivery of Compliance Certificates, Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letters and Bring-Down Comfort Letters Upon Occurrence of Certain Events. Within three (3) Trading Days immediately following: (i) each date on which the Company files with the Commission (A) an annual report on Form 10-K under the Exchange Act, (B) a Form 10-K/A containing amended (or restated) financial information or a material amendment to a previously filed annual report on Form 10-K, (C) a quarterly report on Form 10-Q under the Exchange Act, or (D) a current report on Form 8-K containing amended (or restated) financial information (other than information “furnished” pursuant to Items 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K or to provide disclosure pursuant to Item 8.01 of Form 8-K relating to the reclassification of certain properties as discontinued operations in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 144) under the Exchange Act; and (ii) the effective date of (A) each post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, (B) each New Registration Statement and (C) each post-effective amendment to each New Registration Statement, and in any case, not more than once per calendar quarter (each, a “Representation Date”), the Company shall (I) deliver to the Investor a Compliance Certificate, dated the date of delivery to the Investor, (II) cause to be furnished to the Investor an opinion and negative assurance letter “bring-down” from outside counsel to the Company, dated the date of delivery to the Investor, substantially in the form mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement, modified, as necessary, to relate to a New Registration Statement or a post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or a New Registration Statement, and the Prospectus contained in a Registration Statement or post-effective amendment as then amended or supplemented by any Prospectus Supplement thereto as of the date of such letter, as applicable (each, a “Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letter”) and (III) other than with respect to a Representation Date pursuant to clause (i)(C) above, cause to be furnished to the Investor a customary “comfort letter” provided by the Accountant or a successor independent registered public accounting firm for the Company (as applicable), dated the date of delivery to the Investor, substantially in the form, scope and substance as the information contained in the Initial Comfort Letter (to the extent such information is then applicable), stating, as of such date, the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the financial information and other matters covered by the Initial Comfort Letter (to the extent such financial information or other matters are then applicable), modified, as necessary, to address such new, amended or restated financial information contained in any of the Commission Documents referred to in clause (i) above or to relate to a New Registration Statement or a post- effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or a New Registration Statement, or the Prospectus contained in a Registration Statement or post-effective amendment as then amended or supplemented by any Prospectus Supplement thereto as of the date of such letter, as applicable (each, a “Bring-Down Comfort Letter”). The requirement to provide the documents identified in the previous sentence shall be tolled with respect to any Representation Date, if (A) the Company has given written notice to the Investor (with a copy to its counsel) in accordance with Section 10.4, not later than one (1) Trading Day prior to the applicable Representation Date, of the Company’s decision to suspend delivery of VWAP Purchase Notices for future VWAP Purchases and delivery of Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices for future Intraday VWAP Purchases (each, a “Future Purchase Suspension”) (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that no Future Purchase Suspension shall limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect any of the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Transaction Documents with respect to any pending VWAP Purchase and any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) that has not been fully settled in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, and that the parties shall fully perform their respective obligations with respect to any such pending VWAP Purchase and any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase under the Transaction Documents), and (B) such Representation Date does not occur during the period beginning on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date for a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) and ending on the third (3rd) Trading Day following the date of full settlement thereof and the issuance to the Investor of all of the Shares that are issuable to the Investor pursuant to such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), which tolling shall continue until the earlier to occur of (1) the Trading Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date for a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), which for such calendar quarter shall be considered a Representation Date, and (2) the next occurring Representation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company subsequently decides to deliver a VWAP Purchase Notice or an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice following a Representation Date when a Future Purchase Suspension was in effect and did not provide the Investor with the documents identified in clauses (I), (II) and (III) of the first sentence of this Section 6.17, then prior to the Company’s delivery to the Investor of such VWAP Purchase Notice or such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) on a Purchase Date, the Company shall provide the Investor with the documents identified in clauses (I), (II) and (III) of the first sentence of this Section 6.17, dated as of the applicable Purchase Date.
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ARTICLE VII
CONDITIONS TO CLOSING, COMMENCEMENT AND PURCHASES
Section 7.1. Conditions Precedent to Closing. The Closing is subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.1 on the Closing Date.
(i) Accuracy of the Investor’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Investor contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct as of the Closing Date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(iii) Payment of Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement and Cash Commitment Fee; Issuance of Commitment Shares. On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Investor on or prior to the date of this Agreement (a) the Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement in accordance with Section 10.1(i), all of which Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement occurs or whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement, and (b) the Cash Commitment Fee in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(b), all of which Cash Commitment Fee shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement occurs or whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday or VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. On the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver irrevocable instructions to its transfer agent to issue to the Investor, not later than 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the Closing Date, a certificate or book-entry statement representing the Commitment Shares in the name of the Investor or its designee (in which case such designee name shall have been provided to the Company prior to the Closing Date), in consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement. Such certificate or book-entry statement shall be delivered to the Investor by email and by overnight courier at its address set forth in Section 10.4 hereof. For the avoidance of doubt, all of the Commitment Shares shall be fully earned by the Investor as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement occurs or whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement.
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(iv) Closing Deliverables. At the Closing, counterpart signature pages of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement executed by each of the parties hereto shall be delivered as provided in Section 2.2. Simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, the Investor’s counsel shall have received (a) the opinions of outside counsel to the Company, dated the Closing Date, in the forms mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement, (b) the closing certificate from the Company, dated the Closing Date, in the form of Exhibit B hereto, and (c) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Company’s transfer agent regarding the issuance to the Investor or its designee of the certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(a) hereof.
Section 7.2. Conditions Precedent to Commencement. The right of the Company to commence delivering VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices timely delivered to the Investor by the Company under this Agreement, are subject to the initial satisfaction, at Commencement, of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.2.
(i) Accuracy of the Company’s Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement (a) that are not qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct in all material respects when made and shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such other date and (b) that are qualified by “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall have been true and correct when made and shall be true and correct as of the Commencement Date with the same force and effect as if made on such date, except to the extent such representations and warranties are as of another date, in which case, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct as of such other date.
(ii) Performance of the Company. The Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Commencement. The Company shall deliver to the Investor on the Commencement Date the compliance certificate substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (the “Compliance Certificate”).
(iii) Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein to resell (i) all of the Commitment Shares and (ii) all of the Shares included in such Prospectus.
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(iv) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other Governmental Authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other Governmental Authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection of FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or a supplement to the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act, any applicable state securities laws or any other law. The Company shall have no Knowledge of any event that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor.
(v) Other Commission Filings. The Current Report and the Form D shall have been filed with the Commission as required pursuant to Section 2.3. The final Prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission prior to Commencement in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to Commencement shall have been filed with the Commission.
(vi) No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Common Stock. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Trading Market or FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Commencement Date), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Common Stock is listed or quoted on any other Eligible Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
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(vii) Compliance with Laws. The Company shall have complied with all applicable federal, state and local governmental laws, rules, regulations and ordinances in connection with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including, without limitation, the Company shall have obtained all permits and qualifications required by any applicable state securities or “Blue Sky” laws for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Investor and the subsequent resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor (or shall have the availability of exemptions therefrom).
(viii) No Injunction. No statute, regulation, order, decree, writ, ruling or injunction shall have been enacted, entered, promulgated, threatened or endorsed by any court or Governmental Authority of competent jurisdiction which prohibits the consummation of or which would materially modify or delay any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
(ix) No Proceedings or Litigation. No action, suit or proceeding before any arbitrator or any court or Governmental Authority shall have been commenced, and no inquiry or investigation by any Governmental Authority shall have been commenced, against the Company or any Subsidiary, or any of the officers, directors or Affiliates of the Company or any Subsidiary, seeking to restrain, prevent or change the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, or seeking material damages in connection with such transactions.
(x) Listing of Securities. All of the Securities that have been and may be issued pursuant to this Agreement shall have been approved for listing or quotation on the Trading Market (or on an Eligible Market) as of the Commencement Date, subject only to notice of issuance.
(xi) No Material Adverse Effect. No condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred and be continuing.
(xii) No Bankruptcy Proceedings. No Person shall have commenced a proceeding against the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law. The Company shall not have, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, (a) commenced a voluntary case, (b) consented to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case, (c) consented to the appointment of a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (d) made a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors. A court of competent jurisdiction shall not have entered an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that (I) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, (II) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or (III) orders the liquidation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
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(xiii) Commitment Shares Issued as DWAC Shares. The Company shall have caused the Company’s transfer agent to credit the Investor’s or its designee’s account at DTC as DWAC Shares such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Commitment Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a) hereof, in accordance with Section 10.1(iv) hereof.
(xiv) Delivery of Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. The Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions shall have been executed by the Company and delivered to acknowledged in writing by the Company’s transfer agent, and the Notice of Effectiveness relating to the Initial Registration Statement shall have been executed by the Company’s outside counsel and delivered to the Company’s transfer agent, in each case directing such transfer agent to issue to the Investor or its designated Broker- Dealer all of the Commitment Shares and all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
(xv) Reservation of Shares. As of the Commencement Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, 3,282,754 shares of Common Stock solely for the purpose of issuing Shares pursuant to VWAP Purchases and Intraday VWAP Purchases that may be effected by the Company, in its sole discretion, from and after the Commencement Date under this Agreement.
(xvi) Opinions and Negative Assurances of Company Counsel. On the Commencement Date, the Investor shall have received the opinions and negative assurances from outside counsel to the Company, dated the Commencement Date, in the forms mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor prior to the date of this Agreement.
(xvii) Initial Comfort Letter of Company Auditor. On the Commencement Date, the Investor shall have received from the Accountant, or a successor independent registered public accounting firm for the Company (as applicable), a letter dated the Commencement Date and addressed to the Investor, in substantially the form, scope and substance mutually agreed to by the Company and the Investor at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date on which the Initial Registration Statement is first filed with the Commission, (i) confirming that they are independent public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and (ii) stating the conclusions and findings of such firm with respect to the audited and unaudited financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (as supplemented by any Prospectus Supplement filed with the Commission on or prior to the Commencement Date), and certain other matters customarily covered by auditor “comfort letters,” except that the specific date referred to therein for the carrying out of procedures shall be no more than three (3) Trading Days prior to the Commencement Date (the “Initial Comfort Letter”).
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(xviii) FINRA No Objections. Prior to the Commencement Date, FINRA’s Corporate Financing Department shall have confirmed in writing that it has determined not to raise any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
Section 7.3. Conditions Precedent to Purchases after Commencement Date. The right of the Company to deliver VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, and the obligation of the Investor to accept VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices timely delivered to the Investor by the Company under this Agreement after the Commencement Date, are subject to the satisfaction of each of the conditions set forth in this Section 7.3, (X) with respect to a VWAP Purchase Notice for a VWAP Purchase that is timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement, as of the VWAP Purchase Commencement Time of the applicable VWAP Purchase Period for such VWAP Purchase to be effected pursuant to such VWAP Purchase Notice and (Y) with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for an Intraday VWAP Purchase that is timely delivered by the Company to the Investor in accordance with this Agreement, as of the Intraday VWAP Purchase Commencement Time of the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase to be effected pursuant to such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (each such VWAP Purchase Commencement Time (with respect to a VWAP Purchase Notice) and each such Intraday VWAP Purchase Commencement Time (with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice), at which time all such conditions must be satisfied, a “Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”).
(i) Satisfaction of Certain Prior Conditions. Each of the conditions set forth in subsections (i), (ii), and (vii) through (xiv) set forth in Section 7.2 shall be satisfied at the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time after the Commencement Date (with the terms “Commencement” and “Commencement Date” in the conditions set forth in subsections (i) and (ii) of Section 7.2 replaced with “applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time”); provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to deliver the Compliance Certificate after the Commencement Date, except as provided in Section 6.17 and Section 7.3(x).
(ii) Initial Registration Statement Effective. The Initial Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement, and any post-effective amendment thereto required to be filed by the Company with the Commission after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable Purchase Date pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, in each case shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) all of the Commitment Shares, and (b) all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices (as applicable) delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable Purchase Date and (c) all of the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice or Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) to be effected hereunder on such applicable Purchase Date.
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(iii) Any Required New Registration Statement Effective. Any New Registration Statement covering the resale by the Investor of the Registrable Securities included therein, and any post-effective amendment thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), in each case shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission and shall remain effective for the applicable Registration Period, and the Investor shall be permitted to utilize the Prospectus therein, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, to resell (a) all of the Commitment Shares (if any) included in such New Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, (b) all of the Shares included in such New Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that have been issued and sold to the Investor hereunder pursuant to all VWAP Purchase Notices and Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices (as applicable) delivered by the Company to the Investor prior to such applicable Purchase Date and (c) all of the Shares included in such new Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, that are issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice or Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase or an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) to be effected hereunder on such applicable Purchase Date.
(iv) Delivery of Subsequent Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions and Notice of Effectiveness. With respect to any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment to any New Registration Statement, in each case declared effective by the Commission after the Commencement Date, the Company shall have delivered or caused to be delivered to the Company’s transfer agent (a) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions executed by the Company and acknowledged in writing by its transfer agent and (b) the Notice of Effectiveness, in each case modified as necessary to refer to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment and the Registrable Securities included therein, to issue the Registrable Securities included therein as DWAC Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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(v) No Material Notices. None of the following events shall have occurred and be continuing: (a) receipt of any request by the Commission or any other Governmental Authority for any additional information relating to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or for any amendment of or supplement to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto; (b) the issuance by the Commission or any other Governmental Authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or prohibiting or suspending the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto, or of the suspension of qualification or exemption from qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation or contemplated initiation of any proceeding for such purpose; (c) the objection of FINRA to the terms of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents or (d) the occurrence of any event or the existence of any condition or state of facts, which makes any statement of a material fact made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto untrue or which requires the making of any additions to or changes to the statements then made in the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in order to state a material fact required by the Securities Act to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements then made therein (in the case of the Prospectus or any Prospectus Supplement, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, or which requires an amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto to comply with the Securities Act, any applicable state securities laws or any other law (other than the transactions contemplated by the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to a VWAP Purchase, or the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice delivered by the Company to the Investor with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) to be effected hereunder on such applicable Purchase Date and the settlement thereof). The Company shall have no Knowledge of any event that could reasonably be expected to have the effect of causing the suspension of the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement or any post- effective amendment thereto, any New Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, or the prohibition or suspension of the use of the Prospectus contained in any of the foregoing or any Prospectus Supplement thereto in connection with the resale of the Registrable Securities by the Investor.
(vi) Other Commission Filings. The final Prospectus included in any post- effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. The final Prospectus included in any New Registration Statement and in any post-effective amendment thereto, and any Prospectus Supplement thereto, required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Section 2.3 and the Registration Rights Agreement. All reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents required to have been filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material required to have been filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, after the Commencement Date and prior to the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), shall have been filed with the Commission and, if any Registrable Securities are covered by a Registration Statement on Form S-3, such filings shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing under the Exchange Act.
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(vii) No Suspension of Trading in or Notice of Delisting of Common Stock. Trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission, the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable) or FINRA (except for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company, which suspension shall be terminated prior to the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase or such Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable)), the Company shall not have received any final and non-appealable notice that the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable) shall be terminated on a date certain (unless, prior to such date certain, the Common Stock is listed or quoted on any other Eligible Market), nor shall there have been imposed any suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book- entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock that is continuing, the Company shall not have received any notice from DTC to the effect that a suspension of, or restriction on, accepting additional deposits of the Common Stock, electronic trading or book-entry services by DTC with respect to the Common Stock is being imposed or is contemplated (unless, prior to such suspension or restriction, DTC shall have notified the Company in writing that DTC has determined not to impose any such suspension or restriction).
(viii) Certain Limitations. The issuance and sale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice or the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) shall not (a) exceed, in the case of a VWAP Purchase Notice, the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount applicable to such VWAP Purchase Notice or, in the case of an Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice, the Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount applicable to such Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice, (b) cause the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Aggregate Limit, (c) cause the Investor to beneficially own (under Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Rule 13d-3 promulgated thereunder) shares of Common Stock in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, or (d) if and to the extent the Exchange Cap is then applicable under Section 3.4, cause the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement to exceed the Exchange Cap, unless in the case of this clause (d), the Company’s stockholders have theretofore approved the issuance of such shares of Common Stock in excess of the Exchange Cap in accordance with the applicable rules of the Trading Market.
(ix) Shares Authorized and Delivered. All of the Shares issuable pursuant to the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice or Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice (as applicable) shall have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company. All Shares relating to all prior VWAP Purchase Notices and all prior Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices required to have been received by the Investor as DWAC Shares under this Agreement prior to the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) shall have been delivered to the Investor as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement.
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(x) Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letters; Bring-Down Comfort Letters and Compliance Certificates. The Investor shall have received (a) all Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letters from outside counsel to the Company, which the Company was obligated to instruct its outside counsel to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), (b) all Bring-Down Comfort Letters from the Accountant, or a successor independent registered public accounting firm for the Company (as applicable), which the Company was obligated to instruct such firm to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), and (c) all Compliance Certificates from the Company that the Company was obligated to deliver to the Investor prior to the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), in each case in accordance with Section 6.17.
(xi) Payment of Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement. The Company shall have paid, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Investor, all Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payments that the Company was obligated to pay to the Investor prior to the applicable Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time for the applicable VWAP Purchase or Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) in accordance with Section 10.1(i), each of which Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payments shall be fully earned and non-refundable as of the date such payments are made by the Company to the Investor, regardless of whether any additional VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION
Section 8.1. Automatic Termination. Unless earlier terminated as provided hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate automatically on the earliest to occur of (i) the first day of the month next following the 24-month anniversary of the Commencement Date, (ii) the date on which the Investor shall have purchased from the Company, pursuant to all VWAP Purchases and Intraday VWAP Purchases that have occurred and fully settled pursuant to this Agreement, an aggregate number of Shares for a total aggregate gross purchase price to the Company equal to the Total Commitment, (iii) the date on which the Common Stock shall have failed to be listed or quoted on the Trading Market or any Eligible Market for a period of one (1) Trading Day, (iv) the thirtieth (30th) Trading Day next following the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, the Company commences a voluntary case or any Person commences a proceeding against the Company, in each case that is not discharged or dismissed prior to such thirtieth (30th) Trading Day, and (v) the date on which, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law, a Custodian is appointed for the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.
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Section 8.2. Other Termination. Subject to Section 8.3, the Company may terminate this Agreement after the Commencement Date effective upon ten (10) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Investor in accordance with Section 10.4; provided, however, that (i) the Company shall have issued all of the Commitment Shares required to be issued to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a) of this Agreement, shall have paid all of the Cash Commitment Fee required to be paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(b) of this Agreement, and shall have paid the Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement and all Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payments required to be paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(i) of this Agreement, in each case prior to such termination, and (ii) prior to issuing any press release, or making any public statement or announcement, with respect to such termination, the Company shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of such press release or other disclosure. Subject to Section 8.3, this Agreement may be terminated at any time by the mutual written consent of the parties, effective as of the date of such mutual written consent unless otherwise provided in such written consent. Subject to Section 8.3, the Investor shall have the right to terminate this Agreement effective upon ten (10) Trading Days’ prior written notice to the Company in accordance with Section 10.4, if: (a) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event constituting a Material Adverse Effect has occurred and is continuing; (b) a Fundamental Transaction shall have occurred; (c) the Initial Registration Statement and any New Registration Statement is not filed by the applicable Filing Deadline therefor or declared effective by the Commission by the applicable Effectiveness Deadline (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) therefor, or the Company is otherwise in breach or default in any material respect under any of the other provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement, and, if such failure, breach or default is capable of being cured, such failure, breach or default is not cured within ten (10) Trading Days after notice of such failure, breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.4; (d) while a Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, is required to be maintained effective pursuant to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement and the Investor holds any Registrable Securities, the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, lapses for any reason (including, without limitation, the issuance of a stop order by the Commission) or such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, the Prospectus contained therein or any Prospectus Supplement thereto otherwise becomes unavailable to the Investor for the resale of all of the Registrable Securities included therein in accordance with the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, and such lapse or unavailability continues for a period of twenty (20) consecutive Trading Days or for more than an aggregate of sixty (60) Trading Days in any 365-day period, other than due to acts of the Investor; (e) trading in the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, trading in the Common Stock on such Eligible Market) shall have been suspended and such suspension continues for a period of three (3) consecutive Trading Days; or (f) the Company is in material breach or default of this Agreement, and, if such breach or default is capable of being cured, such breach or default is not cured within ten (10) Trading Days after notice of such breach or default is delivered to the Company pursuant to Section 10.4. Unless notification thereof is required elsewhere in this Agreement (in which case such notification shall be provided in accordance with such other provision), the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than twenty-four (24) hours) notify the Investor (and, if required under applicable law, including, without limitation, Regulation FD promulgated by the Commission, or under the applicable rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable), the Company shall publicly disclose such information in accordance with Regulation FD and the applicable rules and regulations of the Trading Market (or Eligible Market, as applicable)) upon becoming aware of any of the events set forth in the immediately preceding sentence.
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Section 8.3. Effect of Termination. In the event of termination by the Company or the Investor (other than by mutual termination) pursuant to Section 8.2, written notice thereof shall forthwith be given to the other party as provided in Section 10.4 and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be terminated without further action by either party. If this Agreement is terminated as provided in Section 8.1 or Section 8.2, this Agreement shall become void and of no further force and effect, except that (i) the provisions of Article V (Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company), Article IX (Indemnification), Article X (Miscellaneous) and this Article VIII (Termination) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Securities, the covenants and agreements of the Company contained in Article VI (Additional Covenants) shall remain in full force and notwithstanding such termination for a period of six (6) months following such termination. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no termination of this Agreement by any party shall (i) become effective prior to the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately following the settlement date related to any pending VWAP Purchase or any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable) that has not been fully settled in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement (it being hereby acknowledged and agreed that no termination of this Agreement shall limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect any of the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Transaction Documents with respect to any pending VWAP Purchase and any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase (as applicable), and that the parties shall fully perform their respective obligations with respect to any such pending VWAP Purchase and any pending Intraday VWAP Purchase under the Transaction Documents), (ii) limit, alter, modify, change or otherwise affect the Company’s or the Investor’s rights or obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement, all of which shall survive any such termination, (iii) affect any Commitment Shares issued or issuable to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a), all of which Commitment Shares shall be fully earned by the Investor as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement, (iv) affect the Cash Commitment Fee payable or paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(b), all of which Cash Commitment Fee shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement, (v) affect the Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement payable or paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(i), all of which Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, whether any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement, or (vi) affect any Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payments payable or paid to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(i), all of which Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payments shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non- refundable when paid by the Company pursuant to Section 10.1(i), regardless of whether any additional VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are made or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. Nothing in this Section 8.3 shall be deemed to release the Company or the Investor from any liability for any breach or default under this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, or to impair the rights of the Company and the Investor to compel specific performance by the other party of its obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
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ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
Section 9.1. Indemnification of Investor. In consideration of the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement and acquiring the Securities hereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents to which it is a party, subject to the provisions of this Section 9.1, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless the Investor, each of its directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, agents and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title), each Person, if any, who controls the Investor (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act), and the respective directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, agents and advisors (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding the lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling Persons (each, an “Investor Party”), from and against all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses (including all judgments, amounts paid in settlement, court costs, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of defense and investigation) (collectively, “Damages”) that any Investor Party may suffer or incur as a result of or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party or (b) any action, suit, claim or proceeding (including for these purposes a derivative action brought on behalf of the Company) instituted against such Investor Party arising out of or resulting from the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents, other than claims for indemnification within the scope of Section 6 of the Registration Rights Agreement; provided, however, that (x) the foregoing indemnity shall not apply to any Damages to the extent, but only to the extent, that such Damages resulted directly and primarily from a breach of any of the Investor’s representations, warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement or the Registration Rights Agreement, and (y) the Company shall not be liable under subsection (b) of this Section 9.1 to the extent, but only to the extent, that a court of competent jurisdiction shall have determined by a final judgment (from which no further appeals are available) that such Damages resulted directly and primarily from any acts or failures to act, undertaken or omitted to be taken by such Investor Party through its fraud, bad faith, gross negligence, or willful or reckless misconduct.
The Company shall reimburse any Investor Party promptly upon demand (with accompanying presentation of sufficiently detailed documentary evidence) for all legal and other costs and expenses reasonably incurred by such Investor Party in connection with (i) any action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether at law or in equity, to enforce compliance by the Company with any provision of the Transaction Documents or (ii) any other any action, suit, claim or proceeding, whether at law or in equity, with respect to which it is entitled to indemnification under this Section 9.1; provided that the Investor shall promptly reimburse the Company for all such legal and other costs and expenses to the extent a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any Investor Party was not entitled to such reimbursement.
An Investor Party’s right to indemnification or other remedies based upon the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company set forth in the Transaction Documents shall not in any way be affected by any investigation or knowledge of such Investor Party. Such representations, warranties, covenants and agreements shall not be affected or deemed waived by reason of the fact that an Investor Party knew or should have known that any representation or warranty might be inaccurate or that the Company failed to comply with any agreement or covenant. Any investigation by such Investor Party shall be for its own protection only and shall not affect or impair any right or remedy hereunder. To the extent that the foregoing undertakings by the Company set forth in this Section 9.1 may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Damages which is permissible under applicable law.
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Section 9.2. Indemnification Procedures. Promptly after an Investor Party receives notice of a claim or the commencement of an action for which the Investor Party intends to seek indemnification under Section 9.1, the Investor Party will notify the Company in writing of the claim or commencement of the action, suit or proceeding; provided, however, that failure to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from liability under Section 9.1, except to the extent it has been materially prejudiced by the failure to give notice. The Company will be entitled to participate in the defense of any claim, action, suit or proceeding as to which indemnification is being sought, and if the Company acknowledges in writing the obligation to indemnify the Investor Party against whom the claim or action is brought, the Company may (but will not be required to) assume the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding with counsel satisfactory to it. After the Company notifies the Investor Party that the Company wishes to assume the defense of a claim, action, suit or proceeding, the Company will not be liable for any further legal or other expenses incurred by the Investor Party in connection with the defense against the claim, action, suit or proceeding except that if, in the opinion of counsel to the Investor Party, it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both the Company and such Investor Party. In such event, the Company will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one separate counsel for all such Investor Parties promptly as such fees and expenses are incurred. Each Investor Party, as a condition to receiving indemnification as provided in Section 9.1, will cooperate in all reasonable respects with the Company in the defense of any action or claim as to which indemnification is sought. The Company will not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its prior written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Investor Party, effect any settlement of a pending or threatened action with respect to which an Investor Party is, or is informed that it may be, made a party and for which it would be entitled to indemnification, unless the settlement includes an unconditional release of the Investor Party from all liability and claims which are the subject matter of the pending or threatened action.
The remedies provided for in this Article IX are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Investor Party at law or in equity.
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ARTICLE X
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 10.1. Certain Fees and Expenses; Commitment Fee; Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions.
(i) Certain Fees and Expenses. Each party shall bear its own fees and expenses related to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company, (a) on or prior to the Closing Date, shall have paid to the Investor, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Investor in writing to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date, $75,000 as reimbursement for the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Investor’s legal counsel incurred by the Investor prior to the Closing (the “Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement”), and (b) within ten (10) Business Days after each Representation Date (provided a Future Purchase Suspension is not then in effect), shall have paid to the Investor, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Investor, an additional $5,000 per fiscal quarter as reimbursement for the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Investor’s legal counsel incurred by the Investor in connection with the Investor’s ongoing due diligence and review of deliverables subject to Section 6.17 (the “Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement”), in each case in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, (1) the Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date in accordance with this Section 10.1(i) and (2) each Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement payment shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable when paid by the Company pursuant to this Section 10.1(i), regardless of whether any additional VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are effected by the Company or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all U.S. federal, state and local stamp and other similar transfer and other taxes and duties levied in connection with issuance of the Securities pursuant hereto.
(ii) Commitment Fee.
(a) Commitment Shares. In consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement on the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver irrevocable instructions to its transfer agent to issue to the Investor, not later than 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the Closing Date, one or more certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares in the name of the Investor or its designee (in which case such designee name shall have been provided to the Company prior to the Closing Date). Such certificate or book-entry statement shall be delivered to the Investor by overnight courier at its address set forth in Section 10.4. For the avoidance of doubt, all of the Commitment Shares shall be fully earned by the Investor as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are effected by the Company or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement. Upon issuance pursuant to this Section 10.1(ii)(a), the Commitment Shares shall constitute “restricted securities” as such term is defined in Rule 144(a)(3) under the Securities Act and, subject to the provisions of subsection (iv) of this Section 10.1, the certificate or book-entry statement representing the Commitment Shares shall bear the restrictive legend set forth below in subsection (iii)(a) of this Section 10.1. The Commitment Shares shall constitute Registrable Securities and shall be included in the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, and the Prospectus included therein, and, if necessary to register the resale thereof by the Investor under the Securities Act, in any New Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, and the Prospectus included therein, in each case in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.
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(b) Cash Commitment Fee. In addition to the issuance of the Commitment Shares pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1(ii)(a) above, and in further consideration for the Investor’s execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company shall pay the Cash Commitment Fee to the Investor by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Investor on or prior to the date of this Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, the entire amount of the Cash Commitment Fee shall be fully earned by the Investor and become non-refundable as of the Closing Date, regardless of whether the Commencement shall have occurred, any VWAP Purchases or Intraday VWAP Purchases are effected by the Company or settled hereunder or any subsequent termination of this Agreement.
(iii) Legends. The certificate(s) or book-entry statement(s) representing the Commitment Shares issued prior to the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement, except as set forth below, shall bear a restrictive legend in substantially the following form (and stop transfer instructions may be placed against transfer of the Commitment Shares):
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE SECURITIES HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED FOR SALE, SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE SECURITIES UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS, UNLESS SOLD PURSUANT TO: (1) RULE 144 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, OR (2) AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, IN A CUSTOMARY FORM, THAT REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED UNDER SAID ACT OR APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS.
Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, all Shares to be issued in respect of each VWAP Purchase Notice and all Shares to be issued in respect of each Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice delivered to the Investor pursuant to this Agreement, in each case shall be issued to the Investor in accordance with Section 3.3 by crediting the Investor’s or its designees’ account at DTC as DWAC Shares, and the Company shall not take any action or give instructions to any transfer agent of the Company otherwise.
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(iv) Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions; Notice of Effectiveness. On the earlier of (a) the Commencement Date and (b) such time that the Investor shall request, provided all conditions of Rule 144 are met, the Company shall, no later than one (1) Trading Day following the delivery by the Investor to the Company or its transfer agent of one or more legended certificates or book-entry statements representing the Commitment Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a) (which certificates or book-entry statements the Investor shall promptly deliver on or prior to the first to occur of the events described in clauses (a) and (b) of this sentence), cause the Company’s transfer agent to credit the Investor’s or its designee’s account at DTC as DWAC Shares such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of Commitment Shares issued to the Investor pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a). The Company shall take all actions to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of the immediately preceding sentence, including, without limitation, delivering all such legal opinions, consents, certificates, resolutions and instructions to its transfer agent, and any successor transfer agent of the Company, as may be requested from time to time by the Investor or necessary or desirable to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of the immediately preceding sentence. On the Effective Date of the Initial Registration Statement and prior to Commencement, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to its transfer agent (and thereafter, shall deliver or cause to be delivered to any subsequent transfer agent of the Company), (i) irrevocable instructions executed by the Company and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s transfer agent (the “Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions”) and (ii) the notice of effectiveness in the form attached as an exhibit to the Registration Rights Agreement (the “Notice of Effectiveness”) relating to the Initial Registration Statement executed by the Company’s outside counsel, in each case directing the Company’s transfer agent to issue to the Investor or its designee all of the Commitment Shares and the Shares included in the Initial Registration Statement as DWAC Shares in accordance with this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. With respect to any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement, any New Registration Statement or any post- effective amendment to any New Registration Statement, in each case declared effective by the Commission after the Commencement Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to its transfer agent (and thereafter, shall deliver or cause to be delivered to any subsequent transfer agent of the Company) (i) irrevocable instructions in the form substantially similar to the Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions executed by the Company and acknowledged in writing by the Company’s transfer agent and (ii) the Notice of Effectiveness, in each case modified as necessary to refer to such Registration Statement or post-effective amendment and the Registrable Securities included therein, to issue the Registrable Securities included therein as DWAC Shares in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, all Shares and Commitment Shares to be issued and delivered from and after Commencement to or for the benefit of the Investor pursuant to this Agreement shall be issued and delivered to the Investor or its designee only as DWAC Shares. The Company represents and warrants to the Investor that, while this Agreement is effective, no instruction other than those referred to in this Section 10.1(iv) will be given by the Company to its transfer agent, or any successor transfer agent of the Company, with respect to the Shares and the Commitment Shares from and after Commencement, and the Shares and the Commitment Shares covered by the Initial Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereof, or any New Registration Statement or post-effective amendment thereof, as applicable, shall otherwise be freely transferable on the books and records of the Company and no stop transfer instructions shall be maintained against the transfer thereof. The Company agrees that if the Company fails to fully comply with the provisions of this Section 10.1(iv) within three (3) Trading Days after the date on which the Investor has provided the deliverables referred to above that the Investor is required to provide to the Company or its transfer agent, the Company shall, at the Investor’s written instruction, purchase from the Investor all shares of Common Stock acquired by the Investor pursuant to this Agreement that contain the restrictive legend referred to in Section 10.1(iii) hereof (or any similar restrictive legend), or that have any stop transfer orders maintained that prohibit or impede the transfer thereof in any respect, at the greater of (i) the purchase price paid for such shares of Common Stock (as applicable) and (ii) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the date of the Investor’s written instruction.
Section 10.2. Specific Enforcement, Consent to Jurisdiction, Waiver of Jury Trial.
(i) The Company and the Investor acknowledge and agree that irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached. It is accordingly agreed that either party shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent or cure breaches of the provisions of this Agreement by the other party and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions hereof (without the necessity of showing economic loss and without any bond or other security being required), this being in addition to any other remedy to which either party may be entitled by law or equity.
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(ii) Each of the Company and the Investor (a) hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court and other courts of the United States sitting in the State of New York for the purposes of any suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement, and (b) hereby waives, and agrees not to assert in any such suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such court, that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each of the Company and the Investor consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing in this Section 10.2 shall affect or limit any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law.
(iii) EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY OR DISPUTES RELATING HERETO. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE INVESTOR (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF THE OTHER PARTY HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PARTY WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT AND THE OTHER PARTY HERETO HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE MUTUAL WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION 10.2.
Section 10.3. Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents set forth the entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior and contemporaneous agreements, negotiations and understandings between the parties, both oral and written, with respect to such matters. There are no promises, undertakings, representations or warranties by either party relative to the subject matter hereof not expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents. The Disclosure Schedule and all exhibits to this Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference in, and made a part of, this Agreement as if set forth in full herein.
Section 10.4. Notices. Any notice, demand, request, waiver or other communication required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be effective (a) upon hand delivery or electronic mail delivery at the address or number designated below (if delivered on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received), or the first business day following such delivery (if delivered other than on a business day during normal business hours where such notice is to be received) or (b) on the second business day following the date of mailing by express courier service, fully prepaid, addressed to such address, or upon actual receipt of such mailing, whichever shall first occur. The address for such communications shall be:
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If to the Company:
Sidus Space, Inc.
150 N. Sykes Creek Parkway, Suite 200
Merritt Island, Florida 92953
Telephone Number: (321) 613-5620
Email: carol.craig@sidusspace.com
Attention: Carol Craig, CEO
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112-0015
Telephone Number: (212) 653-8700
Email: jfessler@sheppardmullin.com
Attention: Jeffrey Fessler, Esq.
If to the Investor:
B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC
11100 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 800
Los Angeles, CA 90025
Telephone Number: (310) 966-1444
Email: legal@brileyfin.com
Attention: General Counsel
With a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to:
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
51 West 52nd Street
New York, New York 10019-6119
Telephone Number: (212) 415-9214
Email: marsico.anthony@dorsey.com
Attention: Anthony J. Marsico, Esq.
Either party hereto may from time to time change its address for notices by giving at least five (5) days’ advance written notice of such changed address to the other party hereto.
Section 10.5. Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the date on which the Initial Registration Statement is initially filed with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be waived other than in a written instrument signed by the party against whom enforcement of such waiver is sought. No failure or delay in the exercise of any power, right or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such power, right or privilege preclude other or further exercises thereof or of any other right, power or privilege.
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Section 10.6. Amendments. No provision of this Agreement may be amended by the parties from and after the date that is one (1) Trading Day immediately preceding the date on which the Initial Registration Statement is initially filed with the Commission. Subject to the immediately preceding sentence, no provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by a written instrument signed by both parties hereto.
Section 10.7. Headings. The article, section and subsection headings in this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not constitute a part of this Agreement for any other purpose and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, each pronoun herein shall be deemed to include the masculine, feminine, neuter, singular and plural forms thereof. The terms “including,” “includes,” “include” and words of like import shall be construed broadly as if followed by the words “without limitation.” The terms “herein,” “hereunder,” “hereof” and words of like import refer to this entire Agreement instead of just the provision in which they are found.
Section 10.8. Construction. The parties agree that each of them and their respective counsel has reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents. In addition, each and every reference to share prices (including the Threshold Price) and number of shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall, in all cases, be subject to adjustment for any stock splits, stock combinations, stock dividends, recapitalizations, reorganizations and other similar transactions that occur on or after the date of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to “Dollars” or “$” shall mean the lawful currency of the United States of America. Any references to “Section” or “Article” in this Agreement shall, unless otherwise expressly stated herein, refer to the applicable Section or Article of this Agreement.
Section 10.9. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors. Neither the Company nor the Investor may assign this Agreement or any of their respective rights or obligations hereunder to any Person.
Section 10.10. No Third Party Beneficiaries. Except as expressly provided in Article IX, this Agreement is intended only for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person.
Section 10.11. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal procedural and substantive laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any laws or rules of such state that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction.
Section 10.12. Survival. The representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in this Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery hereof until the termination of this Agreement; provided, however, that (i) the provisions of Article V (Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company), Article VIII (Termination), Article IX (Indemnification) and this Article X (Miscellaneous) shall remain in full force and effect indefinitely notwithstanding such termination, and, (ii) so long as the Investor owns any Securities, the covenants and agreements of the Company and the Investor contained in Article VI (Additional Covenants), shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding such termination for a period of six (6) months following such termination.
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Section 10.13. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more identical counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to the other party; provided that a facsimile signature or signature delivered by e-mail in a “.pdf” format data file, including any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000, e.g., www.docusign.com, www.echosign.adobe.com, etc., shall be considered due execution and shall be binding upon the signatory thereto with the same force and effect as if the signature were an original signature.
Section 10.14. Publicity. The Company shall afford the Investor and its counsel with a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon, shall consult with the Investor and its counsel on the form and substance of, and shall give due consideration to all such comments from the Investor or its counsel on, any press release, Commission filing or any other public disclosure made by or on behalf of the Company relating to the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby, including any press release disclosing the execution of this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement by the Company, prior to the issuance, filing or public disclosure thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company shall not be required to submit for review any such disclosure (i) contained in periodic reports filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act if it shall have previously provided substantially the same disclosure to the Investor or its counsel for review in connection with a previous filing or (ii) any Prospectus Supplement if it contains disclosure that does not reference the Investor, its purchases hereunder or any aspect of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby.
Section 10.15. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable and, in the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall determine that any one or more of the provisions or part of the provisions contained in this Agreement shall, for any reason, be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision or part of a provision of this Agreement, and this Agreement shall be reformed and construed as if such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision, or part of such provision, had never been contained herein, so that such provisions would be valid, legal and enforceable to the maximum extent possible.
Section 10.16. Further Assurances. From and after the Closing Date, upon the request of the Investor or the Company, each of the Company and the Investor shall execute and deliver such instrument, documents and other writings as may be reasonably necessary or desirable to confirm and carry out and to effectuate fully the intent and purposes of this Agreement.
[Signature Pages Follow]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officer as of the date first above written.
| THE COMPANY: | ||
| SIDUS SPACE, INC.: | ||
| By: |  | |
| Name: | Carol Craig | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| THE INVESTOR: | ||
| B. RILEY PRINCIPAL CAPITAL II, LLC: | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Patrice McNicoll | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officer as of the date first above written.
| THE COMPANY: | ||
| SIDUS SPACE, INC.: | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | Carol Craig | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
| THE INVESTOR: | ||
| B. RILEY PRINCIPAL CAPITAL II, LLC: | ||
| By: |  | |
| Name: | Patrice McNicoll | |
| Title: | Authorized Signatory | |
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ANNEX I TO THE
COMMON STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT
DEFINITIONS
“2021 Form 10-K” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Commission Documents”.
“Accountant” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.6(d).
“Actions” means any claim, action, suit, arbitration, proceeding or investigation by or before any Governmental Authority.
“Additional Investor Expense Reimbursement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.1(i).
“Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 144.
“Aggregate Limit” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.1.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble of this Agreement.
“Allowable Grace Period” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means any applicable Laws relating to anti-bribery or anti- corruption (governmental or commercial), including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended (the “FCPA”), the U.S. Travel Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1952, and the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, when applicable.
“Average Price” means a price per Share (rounded to the nearest tenth of a cent) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the aggregate gross purchase price paid by the Investor for all Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement, by (ii) the aggregate number of Shares issued pursuant to this Agreement.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar U.S. federal or state bankruptcy Law or any Law for the relief of debtors.
“Base Price” means a price per Share equal to the sum of (i) the Minimum Price and (ii) $0.18 (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction that occurs on or after the date of this Agreement).
“Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.5.
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“Bloomberg” means Bloomberg, L.P.
“Bring-Down Comfort Letter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.17.
“Bring-Down Negative Assurance Letter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.17.
“Broker-Dealer” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.13.
“BRS” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Recitals.
“Bylaws” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.3.
“Cash Commitment Fee” shall mean an amount in cash equal to $300,000.
“Charter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.3.
“Closing” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.2.
“Closing Date” means the date of this Agreement.
“Closing Sale Price” means, for the Common Stock as of any date, the last closing trade price for the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market), as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing trade price for the Common Stock, then the last trade price for the Common Stock prior to 4:00 p.m., New York City time, as reported by Bloomberg. All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations, recapitalizations or other similar transactions during such period.
“Code” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.24.
“Commencement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1.
“Commencement Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1.
“Commencement Irrevocable Transfer Agent Instructions” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.1(iv).
“Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor entity.
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“Commission Documents” shall mean (1) all reports, schedules, registrations, forms, statements, information and other documents filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, including all material filed with or furnished to the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, since December 31, 2021, including, without limitation, the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed by the Company with the Commission on April 5, 2022 (the “2021 Form 10-K”), and which hereafter shall be filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company, including, without limitation, the Current Report, (2) each Registration Statement, as the same may be amended from time to time, the Prospectus contained therein and each Prospectus Supplement thereto and (3) all information contained in such filings and all documents and disclosures that have been and heretofore shall be incorporated by reference therein.
“Commitment Fee” means, collectively, the Cash Commitment Fee and the Commitment
Shares.
“Commitment Shares” means 90,367 shares of duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock which, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement on the Closing Date, the Company has caused its transfer agent to issue and deliver to the Investor not later than 4:00 p.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the Closing Date pursuant to Section 10.1(ii)(a).
“Common Stock” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.
“Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or its Subsidiaries which entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.
“Company” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble of this Agreement.
“Compliance Certificate” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.2(ii).
“Confidential Data” means all data for which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is required by Law, Contract or privacy policy to keep confidential or private, including all such data transmitted to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries by customers of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Persons that interact with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Contracts” means any legally binding contracts, agreements, subcontracts, leases, and purchase orders.
“Cover Price” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.3.
“COVID-19” means SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19, and any evolutions thereof or any other related or associated epidemics, pandemics or disease outbreaks.
“Current Report” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.3. “Custodian” shall mean any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
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“Damages” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.1.
“Data Treatment” means the analysis, receipt, collection, compilation, use, storage, processing, sharing, safeguarding, security (both technical and physical), disposal, destruction, disclosure or transfer (including cross-border) of Personal Information.
“Disclosure Schedule” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble to Article V.
“Disqualification Event” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.40. “DOT” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.17(a).
“DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, a subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, or any successor thereto.
“DWAC” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.33.
“DWAC Shares” means shares of Common Stock issued pursuant to this Agreement that are (i) issued in electronic form, (ii) freely tradable and transferable and without restriction on resale and without stop transfer instructions maintained against the transfer thereof and (iii) timely credited by the Company’s transfer agent to the Investor’s (or its designee’s) specified DWAC account with DTC under its Fast Automated Securities Transfer (FAST) Program, or any similar program hereafter adopted by DTC performing substantially the same function.
“EDGAR” means the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.
“Effective Date” means, with respect to the Initial Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(a) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement filed pursuant to Section 2(c) of the Registration Rights Agreement (or any post-effective amendment thereto), as applicable, the date on which the Initial Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) or any New Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) is declared effective by the Commission.
“Effectiveness Deadline” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Eligible Market” means The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange or the NYSE American (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing).
“Environmental Laws” means any and all applicable Laws relating to pollution, protection of the environment (including natural resources) and human health and safety, or the use, treatment, storage, emission, disposal or release of or exposure to Hazardous Materials.
“Environmental Permits” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.18.
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“ERISA” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.24. “Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.6(c).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Exchange Cap” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.4(a). “Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) Common Stock, options or other equity incentive awards to employees, officers, directors or vendors of the Company pursuant to any equity incentive plan duly adopted for such purpose, by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of the Board of Directors established for such purpose, (b) (1) any Securities issued to the Investor (or its designee) pursuant to the Transaction Documents, (2) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents held by the Investor at any time, or (3) any securities issued upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Common Stock Equivalents issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities referred to in this clause (3) have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions approved by the Company’s Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of directors established for such purpose, which acquisitions, divestitures, licenses, partnerships, collaborations or strategic transactions can have a Variable Rate Transaction component, provided that any such issuance shall only be to a Person (or to the equity holders of a Person) which is, itself or through its subsidiaries, an operating company or an asset in a business synergistic with the business of the Company and shall provide to the Company additional benefits in addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities, (d) shares of Common Stock issued by the Company to the Investor (or its designee) in connection with any “equity line of credit” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Common Stock (other than the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents) pursuant to one or more written agreements between the Company and the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor executed after the date of this Agreement (if any), whereby the Company may sell shares of Common Stock to the Investor or an Affiliate of the Investor at a future determined price, or (e) shares of Common Stock issued by the Company in any “at the market offering” or “equity distribution program” or similar offering of Common Stock exclusively to or through B. Riley Securities, Inc. pursuant to one or more written agreements between the Company and B. Riley Securities, Inc.
“FAA” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.17(a).
“Filing Deadline” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“FINRA” means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
“FINRA Filing” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.14.
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“Fundamental Transaction” means that (i) the Company shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (1) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Person, with the result that the holders of the Company’s capital stock immediately prior to such consolidation or merger together beneficially own less than 50% of the outstanding voting power of the surviving or resulting corporation, or (2) sell, lease, license, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company to another Person, or (3) take action to facilitate a purchase, tender or exchange offer by another Person that is accepted by the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (excluding any shares of Common Stock held by the Person or Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the Persons making or party to, such purchase, tender or exchange offer), or (4) consummate a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person whereby such other Person acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination), or (5) reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Common Stock, or (ii) any “person” or “group” (as these terms are used for purposes of Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or shall become the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by issued and outstanding Common Stock.
“Future Purchase Suspension” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.17.
“GAAP” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.6(b).
“Government Bid” means a bid issued by a contractor that, if accepted or awarded, would result in a Government Contract.
“Government Contract” means any Contract, as amended by binding modifications or change orders, between the Company and (i) a Governmental Authority, (ii) any prime contractor of a Governmental Authority or (iii) any subcontractor with respect to any contract of a type described in clauses (i) or (ii) above. A task, purchase or delivery order under a Government Contract will not constitute a separate Government Contract, for purposes of this definition, but will be part of the Government Contract to which it relates.
“Governmental Authority” means any federal, state, provincial, municipal, local or foreign government, governmental authority, regulatory or administrative agency, governmental commission, department, board, bureau, agency or instrumentality, court, arbitral body (public or private) or tribunal.
“Governmental Order” means any order, judgment, injunction, decree, writ, stipulation, determination, directive, mandate, consent, approval or award, in each case, entered by or with any Governmental Authority.
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“Hazardous Material” means any material, substance or waste that is listed, regulated, or defined as “hazardous,” “toxic,” or “radioactive,” or as a “pollutant” or “contaminant” (or words of similar intent or meaning) under applicable Environmental Laws, including but not limited to petroleum, petroleum by-products or derivatives, asbestos or asbestos-containing material, polychlorinated biphenyls, flammable or explosive substances, mold, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or pesticides.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person as of any time, without duplication, (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $100,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (b) all guaranties, endorsements, indemnities and other contingent obligations in respect of Indebtedness of others in excess of $100,000, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (c) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $100,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, “Indebtedness” of any Person shall not include any item that would otherwise constitute “Indebtedness” of such Person that is an obligation between such Person and any wholly owned Subsidiary of such Person or between any two or more wholly owned Subsidiaries of such Person.
“Initial Comfort Letter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.2(xvii). “Initial Investor Expense Reimbursement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.1(i).
“Initial Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Intellectual Property” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.17(b). “International Trade Laws” means all applicable export control, economic sanctions, import, and customs laws, regulations, rules and licenses of the United States and other governments, including but not limited to, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) administered by the U.S. Department of State, the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”) and the Trading with the Enemy Act (“TWEA”), the sanctions, embargoes and restrictions administered by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), the Foreign Trade Regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Census, the anti-boycott regulations administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the customs and import laws administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”).
“Intraday VWAP Purchase” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.2.
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Commencement Time” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the time that is the latest of: (i) the VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the VWAP Purchase Period for the VWAP Purchase preceding the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase occurring on the same Purchase Date as such earlier VWAP Purchase, if the Company has timely delivered a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor for a VWAP Purchase on such Purchase Date, (ii) the Intraday VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for the most recent prior Intraday VWAP Purchase, if any, occurring on the same Purchase Date as such Intraday VWAP Purchase, and (iii) the Investor’s timely receipt (acknowledged by email correspondence to each of the individual notice recipients of the Company set forth in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice, other than via auto-reply) from the Company of the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase on the applicable Purchase Date therefor.
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“Intraday VWAP Purchase Ending Time” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the time on the Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase that is the earlier of: (i) 3:59 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, or such earlier time publicly announced by the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, by such Eligible Market) as the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such Purchase Date; and (ii) immediately at such time following the Intraday VWAP Purchase Commencement Time of the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase that the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period has exceeded the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Volume Maximum for such Intraday VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period shall exclude from such calculation all shares of Common Stock traded in any of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the lesser of: (i) 1,000,000, and (ii) the product of (a) the Purchase Share Percentage, multiplied by (b) the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period shall exclude from such calculation all shares of Common Stock traded in any of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
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“Intraday VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the dollar amount specified by the Company in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase as the per share minimum Sale Price threshold to be used in determining the sales of Common Stock during the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Period that shall be excluded from the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period; provided, however, that if the Company has not specified any such dollar amount as the per share minimum Sale Price threshold in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, then the per share minimum Sale Price threshold to be used in such Intraday VWAP Purchase shall be such dollar amount equal to the product of (a) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, multiplied by (b) 0.75. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, an irrevocable written notice from the Company to the Investor directing the Investor to purchase a specified Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount (such specified Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 3.2 as necessary to give effect to the Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount), at the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Price therefor on the Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement, that is delivered by the Company to the Investor and received by the Investor (i) after the latest of (X) 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Purchase Date, if the Company has not timely delivered a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor for a VWAP Purchase on such Purchase Date, (Y) the VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the VWAP Purchase Period for the VWAP Purchase preceding the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase occurring on the same Purchase Date as such earlier VWAP Purchase, if the Company has timely delivered a VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor for a VWAP Purchase on such Purchase Date, and (Z) the Intraday VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for the most recent prior Intraday VWAP Purchase, if any, occurring on the same Purchase Date as such Intraday VWAP Purchase, and (ii) prior to the earlier of (X) 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on such Purchase Date and (Y) such time that is exactly thirty (30) minutes immediately prior to the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market) on such Purchase Date, if the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) has theretofore publicly announced that the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such Purchase Date shall be earlier than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Purchase Date.
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“Intraday VWAP Purchase Period” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the period on the Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, beginning at the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Commencement Time and ending at the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Ending Time on such Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase.
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Price” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the purchase price per Share to be purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase, equal to the product of (i) 0.97, multiplied by (ii) the VWAP of the Common Stock for the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Period on the applicable Purchase Date for such Intraday VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the VWAP for the Common Stock for the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for an Intraday VWAP Purchase shall exclude each of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold for such Intraday VWAP Purchase. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the total number of Shares to be purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase as specified by the Company in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase, which total number of Shares shall not exceed the Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount applicable to such Intraday VWAP Purchase (and such number of Shares specified by the Company in the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase shall be subject to automatic adjustment in accordance with Section 3.2 hereof as necessary to give effect to the Intraday VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount limitation applicable to such Intraday VWAP Purchase as set forth in this Agreement).
“Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Volume Maximum” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Intraday VWAP Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor in such Intraday VWAP Purchase, by (ii) the Purchase Share Percentage (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
“Investment Period” means the period commencing on the Commencement Date and expiring on the date this Agreement is subsequently terminated pursuant to Article VIII.
“Investor” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the preamble of this Agreement. “Investor Party” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 9.1.
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“Issuer Covered Person” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.40.
“IT Systems” means the Software, systems, servers, computers, hardware, firmware, middleware, networks, data communications lines, routers, hubs, switches and all other information technology and telecommunications assets, systems, and equipment, and all associated documentation, in each case, owned, used, held for use, leased, outsourced or licensed by or for the Company or any of its Subsidiaries for use in the conduct of their respective businesses as currently conducted.
“Knowledge” means the actual knowledge of any of (i) the Company’s Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer, (ii) the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and (iii) the Company’s Chief Technology Officer, in each case after reasonable inquiry of all officers, directors and employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries under such Person’s direct supervision who would reasonably be expected to have knowledge or information with respect to the matter in question.
“Law” means any statute, law (including common law), code, treaty, ordinance, rule, regulation or Governmental Order, in each case, of any Governmental Authority.
“Leased Real Property” means all real property leased, subleased, licensed or otherwise occupied by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.
“Material Adverse Effect” means (i) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event having, or insofar as reasonably can be foreseen would likely have, any effect on the business, operations, properties or financial condition of the Company that is material and adverse to the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, excluding any facts, circumstances, changes or effects, individually or in the aggregate, exclusively and directly resulting from, relating to or arising out of any of the following: (a) changes in conditions in the U.S. or global capital, credit or financial markets generally, including changes in the availability of capital or currency exchange rates, provided such changes shall not have affected the Company in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to other similarly situated companies, (b) changes generally affecting the industries in which the Company and its Subsidiaries operate, provided such changes shall not have affected the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to other similarly situated companies, (c) any effect of the announcement of, or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by, this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement on the Company’s relationships, contractual or otherwise, with customers, suppliers, vendors, bank lenders, strategic venture partners or employees, (d) changes arising in connection with earthquakes, hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions or any escalation or material worsening of any such hostilities, acts of war, sabotage or terrorism or military actions existing as of the date hereof, (e) any effect of COVID-19 or any Law, directive, pronouncement or guideline issued by a Governmental Authority, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization or industry group providing for business closures, changes to business operations, “sheltering-in-place” or other restrictions that relate to, or arise out of, an epidemic, pandemic or disease outbreak (including the COVID- 19 pandemic) or any change in such Law, directive, pronouncement or guideline or interpretation thereof following the date of this Agreement, (f) any action taken by the Investor, any of its officers, its sole member or the Investor’s Broker-Dealer, or any of such Person’s successors with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement, and (g) the effect of any changes in applicable laws or accounting rules, provided such changes shall not have affected the Company in a materially disproportionate manner as compared to other similarly situated companies; (ii) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event having, or insofar as reasonably can be foreseen would likely have, any material adverse effect on the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the transactions contemplated thereby; or (iii) any condition, occurrence, state of facts or event that would, or insofar as reasonably can be foreseen would likely, prohibit or otherwise materially interfere with or delay the ability of the Company to perform any of its obligations under any of the Transaction Documents to which it is a party.
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“Material Permits” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.17(a).
“Minimum Price” means $3.26, representing the Nasdaq official closing price of the Common Stock on the Trading Market (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) on the date of this Agreement (subject to adjustment for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction that occurs on or after the date of this Agreement).
“MPA Period” means the period commencing at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Trading Day on which any Affiliate of the Investor, including, without limitation, BRS, shall have published or distributed any research report (as such term is defined in Rule 500 of Regulation AC) concerning the Company, and ending at 6:00 a.m., New York City time, on the sixth (6th) Trading Day immediately following the Trading Day on which any Affiliate of the Investor, including, without limitation, BRS, shall have published or distributed any research report (as such term is defined in Rule 500 of Regulation AC) concerning the Company.
“New Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Non-Affiliate Shares” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.41.
“Notice of Effectiveness” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 10.1(iv). “PEA Period” means the period commencing at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the fifth (5th) Trading Day immediately prior to the filing of any post-effective amendment to the Initial Registration Statement or any New Registration Statement, and ending at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the Trading Day immediately following, the Effective Date of such post- effective amendment.
“Permits” means all permits, franchises, exemptions, allocations, filings, waivers, licenses, certificates of authority, authorizations, approvals, registrations and other similar consents issued by or obtained from a Governmental Authority.
“Person” means any person or entity, whether a natural person, trustee, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, business association, firm, joint venture or Governmental Authority.
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“Personal Information” means any personal information that specifically identifies, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, any particular individual or household.
“Privacy and Security Requirements” means, to the extent applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries: (a) any Laws relating to privacy and data security, including laws regulating the Processing of Protected Data; (b) the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard issued by the PCI Security Standards Council, as it may be amended from time to time (“PCI DSS”); (c) all Contracts between the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any Person, on the other hand, that is applicable to the PCI DSS, privacy, data security and/or the Processing of Protected Data; and (d) all policies and procedures applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries relating to the PCI DSS, privacy, data security and/or the Processing of Protected Data.
“Processing” means the creation, collection, use (including, without limitation, for the purposes of sending telephone calls, text messages and emails), storage, maintenance, processing, recording, distribution, transfer, transmission, receipt, import, export, protection, safeguarding, access, disposal or disclosure or other activity regarding data (whether electronically or in any other form or medium).
“Prospectus” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Prospectus Supplement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Protected Data” means Personal Information and Confidential Data.
“Purchase Condition Satisfaction Time” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 7.3.
“Purchase Date” means, (i) with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the Trading Day on which the Investor timely receives, (A) after 6:00 a.m., New York City time, and (B) prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day, a valid VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement, and (ii) with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, the Trading Day on which the Investor timely receives a valid Intraday VWAP Purchase Notice for such Intraday VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement, (A) after the latest of (X) 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day, if the Company has not timely delivered a valid VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor for a VWAP Purchase on such Trading Day, (Y) the VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the VWAP Purchase Period for the VWAP Purchase preceding the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for such Intraday VWAP Purchase occurring on the same Trading Day as such earlier VWAP Purchase, if the Company has timely delivered a valid VWAP Purchase Notice to the Investor for a VWAP Purchase on such Trading Day, and (Z) the Intraday VWAP Purchase Ending Time of the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for the most recent prior Intraday VWAP Purchase, if any, occurring on the same Trading Day as such Intraday VWAP Purchase, and (B) prior to the earlier of (X) 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day for such Intraday VWAP Purchase and (Y) such time that is exactly thirty (30) minutes immediately prior to the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market) on such Trading Day, if the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) has publicly announced that the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session shall be earlier than 4:00 p.m., New York City time, on such Trading Day.
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“Purchase Share Delivery Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.3.
“Purchase Share Percentage” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1 and with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.2, twenty percent (20.0%).
“Qualified Independent Underwriter” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in FINRA Rule 5121(f)(12).
“Registrable Securities” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Registration Period” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Registration Rights Agreement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereof.
“Registration Statement” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the Registration Rights Agreement.
“Regulation D” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this Agreement.
“Representation Date” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.17. “Restricted Party” means the following: (i) any Person on the OFAC list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, List of Foreign Sanctions Evaders, or Sectoral Sanctions Identifications List; (ii) any Person on the Denied Persons List, Unverified List, or the Entity List maintained by the Bureau of Industry and Security of the U.S. Department of Commerce; (iii) any Person on the Debarred List and non-proliferation sanctions lists maintained by the U.S. State Department; (iv) any Person that is, in the aggregate, fifty percent (50%) or greater owned, directly or indirectly, or otherwise controlled by a Person or Persons described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) so as to subject the Person to sanctions; (v) any Person that is organized, ordinarily resident, or located in a Sanctioned Country; or (vi) any Person on any other list maintained by any relevant Governmental Authority restricting the export of any item to specific individuals, companies or other entities.
“Restricted Period” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.9(i).
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“Restricted Person” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.9(i).
“Restricted Persons” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 6.9(i). “Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect.
“Sale Price” means any trade price for a share of Common Stock on the Trading Market, or if the Common Stock is then traded on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market, as reported by Bloomberg.
“Sanctioned Country” means any country or region that is the subject or target of a comprehensive embargo administered by the United States (including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Sudan, Syria, Russia and the Crimea region of Ukraine).
“Sarbanes-Oxley Act” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 5.6(d). “Section 4(a)(2)” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals of this
Agreement.
“Securities” means, collectively, the Shares and the Commitment Shares.
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
“Shares” shall mean the shares of Common Stock that may be purchased by the Investor under this Agreement pursuant to one or more VWAP Purchase Notices or one or more Intraday VWAP Purchase Notices, but not including the Commitment Shares.
“Short Sales” shall mean “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 promulgated under Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act.
“Software” means any and all computer software programs and software systems, including all computer software and code (including source code, executable code, and object code), databases and compilations (including any and all data and collections of data, whether machine readable or otherwise), compilers and decompilers, development tools, menus, higher level or “proprietary” languages, templates, macros, user interfaces, report formats, firmware, data files, whether in source code, object code or human readable form, and all documentation and materials (including user manuals, other specifications, training documentation, descriptions, flow-charts and other work product used to design, plan, organize and develop any of the foregoing) and know-how relating to any of the foregoing.
“Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation or other entity of which at least a majority of the securities or other ownership interest having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time owned directly or indirectly by the Company and/or any of its other Subsidiaries.
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“Threshold Price” means $1.00, which shall be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction and, effective upon the consummation of any such reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction, the “Threshold Price” shall mean the lower of (i) such adjusted price and (ii) $1.00.
“Total Commitment” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 2.1. “Trading Day” shall mean any day on which the Trading Market or, if the Common Stock
is then listed on an Eligible Market, such Eligible Market is open for “regular” trading, including
any day on which the Trading Market (or such Eligible Market, as applicable) is open for “regular” trading for a period of time less than the customary “regular” trading period.
“Trading Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market (or any nationally recognized successor thereto).
“Transaction Documents” means, collectively, this Agreement (as qualified by the Disclosure Schedule) and the exhibits hereto, the Registration Rights Agreement, and the exhibits thereto, and each of the other agreements, documents, certificates and instruments entered into or furnished by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby.
“Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any equity or debt securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price, exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such equity or debt securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such equity or debt security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (including, without limitation, any “full ratchet” or “weighted average” anti-dilution provisions, but not including any standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), (ii) issues or sells any equity or debt securities, including, without limitation, Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, either (A) at a price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock (other than standard anti-dilution protection for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split or other similar transaction), or (B) that are subject to or contain any put, call, redemption, buy-back, price-reset or other similar provision or mechanism (including, without limitation, a “Black-Scholes” put or call right, other than in connection with a “fundamental transaction”) that provides for the issuance of additional equity securities of the Company or the payment of cash by the Company, or (iii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an “equity line of credit” or “at the market offering” or other continuous offering or similar offering of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, whereby the Company may sell Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents at a future determined price.
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“VWAP” means, for the Common Stock for a specified period, the dollar volume-weighted average price for the Common Stock on the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, on such Eligible Market), for such period, as reported by Bloomberg through its “AQR” function; provided, however, that (i) the calculation of the dollar volume- weighted average price for the Common Stock for the VWAP Purchase Period for each VWAP Purchase shall exclude each of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold for such VWAP Purchase; and (ii) the calculation of the dollar volume-weighted average price for the Common Stock for the Intraday VWAP Purchase Period for each Intraday VWAP Purchase shall exclude each of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such Intraday VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable Intraday VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold for such Intraday VWAP Purchase. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“VWAP Purchase” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1.
“VWAP Purchase Commencement Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, 9:30:01 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, or such later time on such Purchase Date publicly announced by the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, by such Eligible Market) as the official open of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such Purchase Date.
“VWAP Purchase Ending Time” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the time on the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase that is the earliest of: (i) 3:59 p.m., New York City time, on the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, or such earlier time publicly announced by the Trading Market (or, if the Common Stock is then listed on an Eligible Market, by such Eligible Market) as the official close of the primary (or “regular”) trading session on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) on such Purchase Date; (ii) immediately at such time following the VWAP Purchase Commencement Time of the VWAP Purchase Period for such VWAP Purchase that the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period has exceeded the applicable VWAP Purchase Share Volume Maximum for such VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period shall exclude from such calculation all shares of Common Stock traded in any of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
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“VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, such number of shares of Common Stock equal to the lesser of: (i) 1,000,000, and (ii) the product of (a) the Purchase Share Percentage, multiplied by (b) the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during the VWAP Purchase Period for such VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period shall exclude from such calculation all shares of Common Stock traded in any of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold” means, with respect to an Intraday VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the dollar amount specified by the Company in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase as the per share minimum Sale Price threshold to be used in determining the sales of Common Stock during the applicable VWAP Purchase Period that shall be excluded from the calculation of the total number (or volume) of shares of Common Stock traded on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period; provided, however, that if the Company has not specified any such dollar amount as the per share minimum Sale Price threshold in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase, then the per share minimum Sale Price threshold to be used in such VWAP Purchase shall be such dollar amount equal to the product of (a) the Closing Sale Price of the Common Stock on the Trading Day immediately preceding the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, multiplied by (b) 0.75. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
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“VWAP Purchase Notice” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, an irrevocable written notice delivered by the Company to the Investor, and received by the Investor, after 6:00 a.m., New York City time, and prior to 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, directing the Investor to purchase a specified VWAP Purchase Share Amount (such specified VWAP Purchase Share Amount subject to adjustment as set forth in Section 3.1 as necessary to give effect to the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount), at the applicable VWAP Purchase Price therefor on such Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase in accordance with this Agreement.
“VWAP Purchase Period” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the period on the Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase, beginning at the applicable VWAP Purchase Commencement Time and ending at the applicable VWAP Purchase Ending Time on such Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase.
“VWAP Purchase Price” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the purchase price per Share to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, equal to the product of (i) 0.97, multiplied by (ii) the VWAP of the Common Stock for the applicable VWAP Purchase Period on the applicable Purchase Date for such VWAP Purchase; provided, however, that the calculation of the VWAP for the Common Stock for the VWAP Purchase Period for a VWAP Purchase shall exclude each of the following transactions, to the extent they occur during such VWAP Purchase Period (as applicable): (A) the opening or first purchase of Common Stock at or following the official open of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date, (B) the last or closing sale of Common Stock at or prior to the official close of such primary (or “regular”) trading session that is reported in the consolidated system on such Purchase Date (as applicable), and (C) all sales of Common Stock on the Trading Market (or on such Eligible Market, as applicable) during such VWAP Purchase Period at a Sale Price that is less than the applicable VWAP Purchase Minimum Price Threshold for such VWAP Purchase. All such calculations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction.
“VWAP Purchase Share Amount” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, the total number of Shares to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase as specified by the Company in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase, which total number of Shares shall not exceed the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount applicable to such VWAP Purchase (and such number of Shares specified by the Company in the applicable VWAP Purchase Notice for such VWAP Purchase shall be subject to automatic adjustment in accordance with Section 3.1 hereof as necessary to give effect to the VWAP Purchase Maximum Amount limitation applicable to such VWAP Purchase as set forth in this Agreement).
“VWAP Purchase Share Volume Maximum” means, with respect to a VWAP Purchase made pursuant to Section 3.1, a number of shares of Common Stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the VWAP Purchase Share Amount to be purchased by the Investor in such VWAP Purchase, by (ii) the Purchase Share Percentage (to be appropriately adjusted for any reorganization, recapitalization, non-cash dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other similar transaction).
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PROXY CARD
SIDUS SPACE, INC.
PROXY FOR ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON [*], 2023
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The undersigned hereby appoints, Carol Craig and Teresa Burchfield, and each of them, as proxies, each with full power of substitution, to represent and to vote all the shares of Class A and Class B common stock of Sidus Space, Inc. (the “Company”), which the undersigned would be entitled to vote, at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on [*], 2023 and at any adjournments thereof, subject to the directions indicated on this Proxy Card.
In their discretion, the proxy is authorized to vote upon any other matter that may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.
THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS MADE, BUT IF NO CHOICES ARE INDICATED, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR THE ELECTION OF ALL NOMINEES AND FOR THE PROPOSALS LISTED ON THE REVERSE SIDE.
This proxy is governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
IMPORTANT—This Proxy must be signed and dated on the reverse side.
Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to Be Held on [*], 2023 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time at the Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920. The proxy statement and the 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K are available at www.annualgeneralmeetings.com/sidus.
THIS IS YOUR PROXY
YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT!
Dear Stockholder:
We cordially invite you to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Sidus Space, Inc. to be held at the Hampton Inn & Suites/Home2 Cape Canaveral Cruise Port, located at 9004 Astronaut Blvd., Cape Canaveral, FL 32920, on [*], 2023, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Please read the proxy statement which describes the proposals and presents other important information, and complete, sign and return your proxy promptly in the enclosed envelope.
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” PROPOSALS 1, 2, 3 & 4
| 1. Election of Directors Nominees | FOR | WITHHOLD | ||
| 01- Carol Craig | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 02- Jamie Adams | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 03- Dana Kilborne | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 04- Cole Oliver | ☐ | ☐ | ||
| 05- Leonardo Riera | ☐ | ☐ |
| 2. Proposal to ratify the appointment of BF Borgers CPA PC as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023 | FOR ☐ |
AGAINST ☐ |
ABSTAIN ☐ |
| 3. Proposal to amend our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to increase the number of shares of authorized Class A common stock from 100,000,000 to 200,000,000 | FOR ☐ |
AGAINST ☐ |
ABSTAIN ☐ |
| 3. Proposal to approve, in accordance with Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(b), the issuance of our Class A common stock to B. Riley Principal Capital II, LLC (“B. Riley”) in excess of the exchange cap of the Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated August 10, 2022 by and between the Company and B. Riley | FOR ☐ |
AGAINST ☐ |
ABSTAIN ☐ |
Important: Please sign exactly as name appears on this proxy. When signing as attorney, executor, trustee, guardian, corporate officer, etc., please indicate full title.
| Dated: | , 2023 | |
| Signature | ||
| Name (printed) | ||
| Title |
VOTING INSTRUCTIONS
You may vote your proxy in the following ways:
| 1. | VIA INTERNET: |
Login to www.annualgeneralmeetings.com/sidus
Enter your control number (12 digit number located below)
| 2. | VIA MAIL: |
Pacific Stock Transfer Company
6725 Via Austi Pkwy, Suite 300
Las Vegas, NV 89119
CONTROL NUMBER:
You may vote by Internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Internet voting is available through 11:59 p.m.,
prevailing time, on [*], 2023.
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