Form of Securities Purchase Agreement
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EX-10.1 2 crwg101.htm FORM OF SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT crwg101.htm
Exhibit 10.1
SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT
THIS SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of October __, 2013, is made by and among CrowdGather, Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), and the purchasers identified on the signature page hereto (the “Purchaser”).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Purchaser are executing and delivering this Agreement in reliance upon the exemption from securities registration afforded by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and Regulation S promulgated thereunder;
WHEREAS, the Company has authorized a new series of its Preferred Stock, par value $.001 per share, which shall be called the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”), which shall be convertible into shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $.001 per share (the “Common Stock”) (as so converted, the “Conversion Shares”) in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Certificate of Designation in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Certificate of Designation”); and
WHEREAS, the Purchaser wishes to purchase, upon the terms and conditions stated in this Agreement, an aggregate of four hundred thousand (400,000) shares of the Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Shares”) and (ii) common stock purchase warrants to purchase ten (10) shares of Common Stock (as exercised collectively, the “Warrant Shares”) for every one (1) share of Preferred Stock purchased by the Purchaser on the Closing Date (as defined below) with an exercise term equal to five (5) years (the “Warrants”), and such Warrants to be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B;
NOW THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and the Purchaser hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1.
PURCHASE AND SALE OF PREFERRED SHARES AND WARRANTS
1.1. Purchase and Sale. Subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions set forth in Sections 5 and 6, the Company shall issue and sell to the Purchaser and the Purchaser agrees to purchase from the Company four hundred thousand (400,000) Preferred Shares and the Warrants (the “Closing”). The purchase price (the “Purchase Price”) of the 400,000 Preferred Shares and the related Warrants shall be Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($400,000.00).
1.2. The Closing Date. The date and time of the Closing (the “Closing Date”) shall be 10:00 a.m., California Time, October __, 2013, subject to satisfaction (or waiver) of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Sections 5 and 6 (or such later date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and the Purchaser in writing), provided that either party may terminate this Agreement in the event that the Closing shall not have occurred within thirty (30) days of the date of this Agreement (or such later date as is mutually agreed to by the Company and the Purchaser in writing). The Closing shall occur on the Closing Date at the offices of the Company.
1.3. Form of Payment. On the Closing Date the Purchaser shall pay the Purchase Price in cash to the Company, via wire transfer or a certified check, for the Preferred Shares to be issued and sold to the Purchaser, and the Company shall deliver to the Purchaser stock certificates (in the denominations as the Purchaser shall request) (the “Stock Certificates”) representing the number of the Preferred Shares which the Purchaser is then purchasing duly executed on behalf of the Company and registered on the books of the Company in the name of the Purchaser, and all Warrants that the Purchaser shall have purchased in connection with the Closing.
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SECTION 2.
PURCHASERS’ REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 Representations and Warranties of the Purchaser. The Purchaser hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein):
(a) Investment Purpose. The Purchaser (i) is acquiring the Preferred Shares and Warrants (ii) upon conversion of the Preferred Shares, will acquire the Conversion Shares then issuable, (iii) upon exercise of the Warrants, will acquire the Warrant Shares issuable upon exercise thereof (the Preferred Shares, the Warrants, the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares, collectively are referred to herein as the “Securities”), for its own account for investment only and not with a view towards, or for resale in connection with, the public sale or distribution thereof, except pursuant to sales registered or exempted under the Securities Act; provided, however, that by making the representations herein, the Purchaser does not agree 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 or an exemption under the Securities Act.
(b) Purchaser Status. The Purchaser is an “accredited investor” as that term is defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D as promulgated by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission under the Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under the Securities Act. The Purchaser is not required to be registered as a broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.
(c) Experience of the Purchaser. The Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. The Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.
(d) General Solicitation. The Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement, article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in any newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio or presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general advertisement.
(e) Reliance on Regulation S
(i) The Purchaser understands and acknowledges that (A) the Securities acquired pursuant to this Agreement have not been registered under the Securities Act and are being sold in reliance upon an exemption from registration afforded by Regulation S; and that such Securities have not been registered with any state securities commission or authority; (B) the Securities are and will be “restricted securities”, as said term is defined in Rule 144 of the Rules and Regulations promulgated under the Securities Act; (C) pursuant to the requirements of Regulation S, the Securities may not be transferred, sold or otherwise exchanged unless in compliance with the provisions of Regulation S and/or pursuant to registration under the Securities Act, or pursuant to an available exemption thereunder; and (D) other than as set forth in this Agreement, the Company is under no obligation to register the Securities under the Securities Act or any state securities law, or to take any action to make any exemption from any such registration provisions available.
(ii) (A) The Purchaser is not a U.S. person and is not acquiring the Securities for the account of any U.S. person; (B) if a corporation, it is not organized or incorporated under the laws of the United States; (C) if a corporation, no director or executive officer is a national or citizen of the United States; and (D) it is not otherwise deemed to be a “U.S. Person” within the meaning of Regulation S.
(iii) The Purchaser is purchasing the Securities for its own account and risk and not for the account or benefit of a U.S. Person as defined in Regulation S and no other person has any interest in or participation in the Securities or any right, option, security interest, pledge or other interest in or to the Securities. The Purchaser understands, acknowledges and agrees that it must bear the economic risk of its investment in the Securities for an indefinite period of time and that prior to any such offer or sale, the Company may require, as a condition to effecting a transfer of the Securities, an opinion of counsel, acceptable to the Company, as to the registration or exemption therefrom under the Securities Act and any state securities acts, if applicable.
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(iv) The Purchaser acknowledges that the Securities will bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE BEEN OFFERED AND SOLD IN AN “OFFSHORE TRANSACTION” IN RELIANCE UPON REGULATION S AS PROMULGATED BY THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. ACCORDINGLY, THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 (THE “SECURITIES ACT”) AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH REGULATION S, PURSUANT TO REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, THE AVAILABILITY OF WHICH IS TO BE ESTABLISHED TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE COMPANY. THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE CANNOT BE THE SUBJECT OF HEDGING TRANSACTIONS UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTIONS ARE CONDUCTED IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT.
The legend set forth above shall be removed and the Company shall issue a certificate without such legend to the holder of the Securities upon which it is stamped, if (i) such Securities are registered for sale under the Securities Act, (ii) in connection with a sale transaction, such holder provides the Company with an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that a public sale, assignment or transfer of such Securities may be made without registration under the Securities Act, or (iii) such holder provides the Company with reasonable assurances that such Securities can be sold pursuant to Rule 144. The Purchaser acknowledges, covenants and agrees to sell Securities represented by a certificate(s) from which the legend has been removed, only pursuant to (i) a registration statement effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) advice of counsel to such holder that such sale is exempt from the registration requirements of Section 5 of the Securities Act.
(f) Access to Information. The Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the SEC Reports (as defined below) and has been afforded (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and Subsidiaries (as defined below) and their respective financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense. The Purchaser acknowledges that the Company was previously an issuer described in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act and is subject to the provisions of Rule 144(i).
(g) No Governmental Review. The Purchaser understands that no United States federal or state agency or any other government or governmental agency has passed on or made any recommendation or endorsement of the Securities or the fairness or suitability of the investment in the Securities nor have such authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Securities.
(h) Transfer or Resale. The Purchaser understands that: (i) the Securities have not been and are not being registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws, and may not be offered for sale, sold, assigned or transferred unless (A) subsequently registered thereunder, (B) the Purchaser shall have delivered to the Company an opinion of counsel, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such Securities to be sold, assigned or transferred may be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to an exemption from such registration, or (C) the Purchaser provides the Company with reasonable assurance that such Securities can be sold, assigned or transferred pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or a successor rule thereto) (“Rule 144”); (ii) any sale of the Securities made in reliance on Rule 144 may be made only in accordance with the terms of Rule 144 and further, if Rule 144 is not applicable, any resale of the Securities under circumstances in which the seller (or the person through whom the sale is made) may be deemed to be an underwriter (as that term is defined in the Securities Act) may require compliance with some other exemption under the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the SEC thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Securities may be pledged in connection with a bona fide margin account or other loan secured by the Securities.
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(i) Authorization; Enforcement. This Agreement has been duly and validly authorized, executed and delivered on behalf of the Purchaser and are valid and binding agreements of the Purchaser enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with their terms, subject as to enforceability to general principles of equity and to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation and other similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of applicable creditors’ rights and remedies.
(j) Residency. The Purchaser is a resident of that jurisdiction specified on the signature page hereto.
SECTION 3.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
3.1 Representations and Warranties of the Company. Except as set forth in the Disclosure Schedules, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or otherwise made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules, the Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to the Purchaser:
(a) Organization and Qualification. The Company and its “Subsidiaries” (which for purposes of this Agreement means any entity in which the Company, directly or indirectly, owns the capital stock or holds an equity or similar interest) (a complete list of which is set forth in Schedule 3.1(a)) are corporations duly organized and validly existing in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which they are incorporated, and have the requisite corporate power and authorization to own properties and to carry on their business as now being conducted. Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to do business and is in good standing in every jurisdiction in which its ownership of property or the nature of the business conducted by it makes such qualification necessary, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. As used in this Agreement, “Material Adverse Effect” means any material adverse effect on the business, properties, assets, operations, results of operations, financial condition or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or on the transactions contemplated hereby or by the agreements and instruments to be entered into in connection herewith, or on the authority or ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents (as defined below) or the Certificate of Designation.
(b) Authorization; Enforcement; Compliance with Other Instruments. (i) The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Warrants and each of the other agreements entered into by the parties hereto in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”), and to issue the Securities in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, (ii) the execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents by the Company and the execution and filing of the Certificate of Designation by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including without limitation the issuance of the Preferred Shares and the Warrants and the reservation for issuance and the issuance of the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares issuable upon conversion or exercise thereof, have been duly authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and no further consent or authorization is required by the Company, its Board of Directors or its stockholders, (iii) the Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and (iv) this Agreement and, when executed and delivered, the other Transaction Documents, constitute the valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by general principles of equity or applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to, or affecting generally, the enforcement of creditors’ rights and remedies.
(c) Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of (i) 975,000,000 shares of Common Stock, of which as of the date hereof 58,372,708 shares are issued and outstanding; 12,000,000 shares are issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant to Company stock option and/or purchase plans; 12,578,513 shares are issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant to outstanding warrants; 12,000,000 shares for issuance upon the conversion of outstanding Preferred Stock and no shares are issuable and reserved for issuance pursuant to securities (other than the Preferred Shares and the Warrants) exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, shares of Common Stock and (ii) 25,000,000 shares of preferred stock, of which as of the date hereof, 600,000 shares of the Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding. All of such outstanding shares have been and are, or upon issuance will be, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.
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Except as disclosed in Schedule 3.1(c) and in the SEC Reports, (i) no shares of the Company’s capital stock are subject to preemptive rights or any other similar rights or any liens or encumbrances suffered or permitted by the Company; (ii) there are no outstanding debt securities issued by the Company; (iii) there are no outstanding options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to issue additional shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or options, warrants, scrip, rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities or rights convertible into, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (iv) there are no agreements or arrangements under which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is obligated to register the sale of any of their securities under the Securities Act; (v) there are no outstanding securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries which contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is or may become bound to redeem a security of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (vi) there are no securities or instruments containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of the Securities as described in this Agreement; and (vii) the Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom stock” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. The Company has furnished to the Purchaser true and correct copies of the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, as amended and as in effect on the date hereof (the “Articles of Incorporation”), and the Company’s By-laws, as in effect on the date hereof (the “By-laws”), and the terms of all securities convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock and the material rights of the holders thereof in respect thereto.
(d) Issuance of Securities. The Preferred Shares are duly authorized and, upon issuance in accordance with the terms hereof, shall be (i) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) free from all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issuance thereof and (iii) entitled to the rights and preferences set forth in the Certificate of Designation. At least 30,000,000 shares of Common Stock (subject to adjustment pursuant to the Company’s covenant set forth in Section 4(c) below) have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon conversion of the Preferred Shares and exercise of the Warrants. Upon conversion or exercise in accordance with the Certificate of Designation or the Warrants, as the case may be, the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges with respect to the issuance thereof, with the holders being entitled to all rights accorded to a holder of Common Stock. The issuance by the Company of the Securities is exempt from registration under the Securities Act. The offer and sale by the Company of the Preferred Shares and the Warrants is being made in reliance upon the exemption from registration set forth in Rule 506 of Regulation D and/or Regulation S under the Securities Act and is only being made to “accredited investors” that meet the requirements of Rule 501(a) of Regulation D and similar exemptions under state law.
(e) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company, the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Certificate of Designation and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby (including, without limitation, the reservation for issuance and issuance of the Conversion Shares and the Warrant Shares) will not (i) result in a violation of the Certificate of Incorporation, any certificate of designation of any outstanding series of preferred stock of the Company or the By-laws; (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, any agreement, indenture or instrument to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party; or (iii) result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree (including federal and state securities laws and regulations and the rules and regulations of the principal market or exchange on which the Common Stock is traded or listed) applicable to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or by which any property or asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is bound or affected.
(f) SEC Documents. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the twelve (12) months preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Company was previously an issuer described in paragraph (i)(1)(i) of Rule 144 under the Securities Act and is subject to the provisions of Rule 144(i).
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(g) Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.
(h) Absence of Certain Changes. Since the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC Reports, except as specifically disclosed in a subsequent SEC Report filed prior to the date hereof, there has been no material adverse change and no material adverse development in the business, properties, operations, financial condition, liabilities, results of operations or prospects of the Company or its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. 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 or any of its Subsidiaries have any knowledge that its creditors intend to initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings or any knowledge of any fact which would reasonably lead a creditor to do so.
(i) Absence of Litigation. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, there is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation before or by any court, public board, government agency, self-regulatory organization or body pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, threatened against or affecting the Company, the Common Stock or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or any of the Company’s or the Company’s Subsidiaries’ officers or directors in their capacities as such. To the knowledge of the Company none of the directors or officers of the Company have been involved in securities related litigation during the past five (5) years.
(j) Acknowledgment Regarding the Purchaser’s Purchase of Preferred Shares. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Purchaser is acting solely in the capacity of arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that Purchaser is not acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by the Purchaser or any of its respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchaser’s purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to the Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into the Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation by the Company and its representatives.
(k) No Undisclosed Events, Liabilities, Developments or Circumstances. Except for the issuance of the Preferred Shares and Warrants contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, development or circumstance has occurred or exists with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, properties, operations or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws on a registration statement (including by way of incorporation by reference) filed with the SEC relating to an issuance and sale by the Company of its Common Stock and which has not been publicly disclosed.
(l) No General Solicitation. Neither the Company, nor any of its 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 under the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities.
(m) No Integrated Offering. Neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or 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 any of the Securities under the Securities Act or cause this offering of Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act or any applicable stockholder approval provisions, nor will the Company or any of its Subsidiaries take any action or steps that would require registration of the Securities under the Securities Act or cause the offering of the Securities to be integrated with other offerings.
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(n) Employee Relations. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is involved in a union labor dispute or, to the knowledge of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, is any such dispute threatened. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relations with their employees are good. No executive officer (as defined in Rule 501(f) of the Securities Act) has notified the Company’s Board of Directors that such officer intends to leave the Company or otherwise terminate such officer’s employment with the Company and the Company does not expect to terminate any such officer during the six months following the date of this Agreement.
(o) Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights or licenses to use all trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, governmental authorizations, trade secrets and rights necessary to conduct their respective businesses as now conducted. None of the Company’s trademarks, trade names, service marks, service mark registrations, service names, patents, patent rights, copyrights, inventions, licenses, approvals, government authorizations, trade secrets or other intellectual property rights have expired or terminated, or are expected to expire or terminate within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement.
(p) Regulatory Permits. Except where the absence of which would not have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit.
(q) Internal Accounting Controls. The Company is in material compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain 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.
(r) Tax Status. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries has made or filed all federal and state income and all other tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject (unless and only to the extent that the Company and each of its Subsidiaries has set aside on its books provisions reasonably adequate for the payment of all unpaid and unreported taxes) and has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations, except those being contested in good faith and for which the Company has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company know of no basis for any such claim.
(s) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers, directors or employees of the Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (other than for services as employees, officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any corporation, partnership, trust or other entity in which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee or partner.
(t) 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 Certificate of Incorporation or the laws of the state of its incorporation which is or could become applicable to the Purchaser as a result of the Purchaser and the Company fulfilling their obligations under the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation, including, without limitation, the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchaser’s ownership of the Securities.
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(u) Title. The Company and its Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and any of its Subsidiaries.
(v) Insurance. The Company and each of its Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as management of the Company believes to be prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and its Subsidiaries are engaged. Neither the Company nor any such Subsidiaries has any 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 at a cost that would not materially and adversely affect the condition, financial or otherwise, or the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
(w) Environmental Laws. The Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are in compliance in all material respects with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, except where the failure to receive such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect and (iii) are in compliance in all material respects with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where the failure to be in compliance or receive such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) No Other Agreements. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, made any agreements with any Purchaser relating to the terms or conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents except as set forth in the Transaction Documents.
SECTION 4.
COVENANTS
4.1. Reservation of Shares. The Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than the sum of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock needed to provide for the issuance of the Conversion Shares, and (B) the number of shares of Common Stock needed to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares.
4.2. Furnishing of Information. Until the earliest of the time that (i) Purchaser no longer owns Securities or (ii) the Warrants have expired, the Company covenants to timely file (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.
4.3. Corporate Existence. So long as any Purchaser beneficially owns any Preferred Shares or Warrants, the Company shall maintain its corporate existence and shall not sell all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, except in the event of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, where the surviving or successor entity in such transaction assumes the Company’s obligations hereunder and under the agreements and instruments entered into in connection herewith.
SECTION 5.
CONDITIONS TO THE COMPANY’S OBLIGATION TO SELL
5.1. The obligation of the Company hereunder to issue and sell the Preferred Shares to the Purchaser at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Company’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Company at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Purchaser with prior written notice thereof:
(a) The Purchaser shall have executed this Agreement and delivered the same to the Company.
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(b) The Purchaser shall have delivered to the Company the Purchase Price for the Preferred Shares and the related Warrants being purchased by the Purchaser at the Closing by wire transfer of immediately available funds pursuant to the wire instructions provided by the Company.
(c) The representations and warranties of the Purchaser contained herein shall be true and correct as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date), and the Purchaser shall have performed, satisfied and complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Purchaser at the Closing Date.
(d) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted resolutions consistent with Section 3.1(b) above (the “Resolutions”).
(e) As of the Closing Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Preferred Shares and exercise of the Warrants, at least 30,000,000 shares of Common Stock.
(f) The Purchaser shall have delivered to the Company such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents as the Company or its counsel may reasonably request.
SECTION 6.
CONDITIONS TO THE PURCHASER’S OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE
6.1 The obligation of the Purchaser hereunder to purchase the Preferred Shares and the Warrants at the Closing is subject to the satisfaction, at the Closing Date of each of the following conditions, provided that these conditions are for the Purchaser’s sole benefit and may be waived by the Purchaser at any time in its sole discretion by providing the Company and the Purchaser with prior written notice thereof:
(a) The Company shall have executed each of the Transaction Documents, and delivered the same to the Purchaser.
(b) The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct as of the date when made and as of the Closing Date as though made at that time (except for representations and warranties that speak as of a specific date) and the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied with the covenants, agreements and conditions required by the Transaction Documents or the Certificate of Designation to be performed, satisfied or complied with by the Company at or prior to the Closing Date. The Purchaser shall have received a certificate, executed by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date to the foregoing effect and as to such other matters as the Purchaser may reasonably request.
(c) The Company shall have executed and delivered to the Purchaser the Stock Certificates for the Preferred Shares and the Warrants being purchased by the Purchaser at the Closing.
(d) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have adopted the Resolutions.
(e) As of the Closing Date, the Company shall have reserved out of its authorized and unissued Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Preferred Shares and exercise of the Warrants, at least 30,000,000 shares of Common Stock.
(f) The Company shall have delivered to the Purchaser such other documents relating to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents as the Purchaser or its counsel may reasonably request.
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SECTION 7.
INDEMNIFICATION
7.1 In consideration of the Purchaser’s execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and acquiring the Securities thereunder and in addition to all of the Company’s other obligations under the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation, the Company shall defend, protect, indemnify and hold harmless the Purchaser and each other holder of the Securities and all of their stockholders, officers, directors, employees and direct or indirect investors and any of the foregoing persons’ agents or other representatives (including, without limitation, those retained in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement) (collectively, the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all actions, causes of action, suits, claims, losses, costs, penalties, fees, liabilities and damages, and expenses in connection therewith (irrespective of whether any such Indemnitee is a party to the action for which indemnification hereunder is sought), and including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements (the “Indemnified Liabilities”), incurred by any Indemnitee as a result of, or arising out of, or relating to (a) any misrepresentation or breach of any representation or warranty made by the Company in the Transaction Documents or Certificate of Designation or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby, (b) any breach of any covenant, agreement or obligation of the Company contained in the Transaction Documents or the Certificate of Designation or any other certificate, instrument or document contemplated hereby or thereby or (c) any cause of action, suit or claim brought or made against such Indemnitee (other than a cause of action, suit or claim which is (x) brought or made by the Company and (y) is not a shareholder derivative suit) and arising out of or resulting from (i) the execution, delivery, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents or the Certificate of Designation, (ii) any transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of the issuance of the Securities or (iii) solely the status of the Purchaser or holder of the Securities as an investor in the Company. To the extent that the foregoing undertaking by the Company may be unenforceable for any reason, the Company shall make the maximum contribution to the payment and satisfaction of each of the Indemnified Liabilities which is permissible under applicable law.
SECTION 8.
GOVERNING LAW; MISCELLANEOUS
8.1. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Jury Trial. The corporate laws of the State of Nevada shall govern all issues concerning the relative rights of the Company and its stockholders. All other questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement shall be governed by the internal laws of the State of California, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of California or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City and County of Los Angeles for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that the venue of such suit, action or proceeding is improper. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof to such party at the address for such notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, EACH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE, AND AGREES NOT TO REQUEST, A JURY TRIAL FOR THE ADJUDICATION OF ANY DISPUTE HEREUNDER OR IN CONNECTION HEREWITH OR ARISING OUT OF THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
8.2. 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 parties; provided that a facsimile or portable document format (“PDF”) signature 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, not a facsimile or PDF signature.
8.3. Headings. The headings of this Agreement are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this Agreement.
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8.4. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement shall be invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remainder of this Agreement in that jurisdiction or the validity or enforceability of any provision of this Agreement in any other jurisdiction.
8.5. Entire Agreement; Amendments. This Agreement supersedes all other prior oral or written agreements between the Purchaser, the Company, their affiliates and persons acting on their behalf with respect to the matters discussed herein. This Agreement and the instruments referenced herein contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the matters covered herein and therein and, except as specifically set forth herein or therein, neither the Company nor any Purchaser makes any representation, warranty, covenant or undertaking with respect to such matters. No provision of this Agreement may be amended other than by an instrument in writing signed by the Company and the Purchaser or its assigns or, if prior to the Closing Date, the Purchaser is being obligated to purchase at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Preferred Shares. No provision hereof may be waived other than by an instrument in writing signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought. No such amendment shall be effective to the extent that it applies to less than all of the holders of the Preferred Shares or Warrants then outstanding. No consideration shall be offered or paid to any person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents or the Certificate of Designation unless the same consideration also is offered to all of the parties to the Transaction Documents or holders of the Preferred Shares, as the case may be.
8.6. Notices. Any notices, consents, waivers or other communications required or permitted to be given under the terms of this Agreement must be in writing and will be deemed to have been delivered (i) upon receipt, when delivered personally or by electronic mail; (ii) upon receipt, when sent by facsimile (provided confirmation of transmission is mechanically or electronically generated and kept on file by the sending party); or (iii) one (1) Business Day after deposit with a nationally recognized overnight delivery service, in each case properly addressed to the party to receive the same. The addresses and facsimile numbers for such communications shall be:
If to the Company:
CrowdGather, Inc.
c/o Sanjay Sabnani, President
20300 Ventura Blvd., Suite 330
Woodland Hills, CA 91364
Telephone: (818) 435-2472
Facsimile: (818) 435-2473
If to a Purchaser, to it at the business address, email or facsimile number set forth on the signature page hereto or at such other address and/or facsimile number and/or to the attention of such other person(s) as the recipient party has specified by written notice given to each other party five (5) calendar days prior to the effectiveness of such change. Written confirmation of receipt (A) given by the recipient of such notice, consent, waiver or other communications, (B) mechanically or electronically generated by the sender’s facsimile machine containing the time, date, recipient facsimile number and an image of the first page of such transmission or (C) provided by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service shall be rebuttable evidence of personal service, receipt by facsimile or receipt from a nationally recognized overnight delivery service in accordance with clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above, respectively.
8.7. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their respective successors and assigns, including any purchasers of the Preferred Shares. The Company shall not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder, including by merger or consolidation, without the prior written consent of the Purchaser which purchased at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Preferred Shares on the Closing Date, or their assigns. The rights under this Agreement are assignable by a Purchaser without the consent of the Company; provided, however, that any such assignment shall not release the Purchaser from its obligations hereunder unless such obligations are assumed by such assignee and the Company has consented to such assignment and assumption, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Transaction Documents or the Certificate of Designation, Purchaser shall be entitled to pledge the Securities in connection with a bona fide margin account or other loan secured by the Securities.
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8.8. No Third Party Beneficiaries. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective permitted successors and assigns, and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person.
8.9. Survival. Unless this Agreement is terminated under Section 8.12, the representations and warranties of the Company and the Purchaser contained in Sections 2 and 3, the agreements and covenants set forth in Sections 4 and 8, and the indemnification provisions set forth in Section 7, shall survive the Closing. Each Purchaser shall be responsible only for its own representations, warranties, agreements and covenants hereunder.
8.10. Publicity. The Company and the Purchaser shall have the right to approve before issuance any press releases or any other public statements with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby; provided, however, that the Company shall be entitled, without the prior approval of any Purchaser, to make any press release or other public disclosure with respect to such transactions as the Company reasonably believes, after consulting with its counsel, to be required by applicable law and regulations (although the Purchaser shall be consulted by the Company in connection with any such press release or other public disclosure prior to its release and shall be provided with a copy thereof).
8.11. Further Assurances. Each party shall do and perform, or cause to be done and performed, all such further acts and things, and shall execute and deliver all such other agreements, certificates, instruments and documents, as the other party may reasonably request in order to carry out the intent and accomplish the purposes of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.12. Termination. In the event that the Closing shall not have occurred with respect to a Purchaser on or before one (1) Business Day after the Closing Date due to the Company’s or the Purchaser’s failure to satisfy the conditions set forth in Sections 5 and 6 above (and the non-breaching party’s failure to waive such unsatisfied condition(s)), the non-breaching party shall have the option to terminate this Agreement with respect to such breaching party at the close of business on such date without liability of any party to any other party.
8.13. Placement Agent. The Company acknowledges that it has not engaged a placement agent in connection with the sale of the Preferred Shares and the Warrants.
8.14. Remedies. Each Purchaser and each holder of the Securities shall have all rights and remedies set forth in the Transaction Documents and the Certificate of Designation and all rights and remedies which such holders have been granted at any time under any other agreement or contract and all of the rights which such holders have under any law. Any person having any rights under any provision of this Agreement shall be entitled to enforce such rights specifically (without posting a bond or other security), to recover damages by reason of any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to exercise all other rights granted by law.
The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
CROWDGATHER, INC. | Address for Notice: |
By:__________________________________________ Name: Sanjay Sabnani Title: President | Fax: |
[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
SIGNATURE PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]
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[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGE TO CRWG SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.
Name of Purchaser:
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser: __________________________________
Name of Authorized Signatory: _________________________________________________
Title of Authorized Signatory: __________________________________________________
Email Address of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________
Facsimile Number of Authorized Signatory: ________________________________________
Address for Notice to Purchaser:
Address for Delivery of Securities to Purchaser (if not same as address for notice):
Subscription Amount:
Shares:
EIN Number: _______________________
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