Form of Underwriting Agreement

EX-1.1 2 tm2125950d16_ex1-1.htm EXHIBIT 1.1

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

Direct Digital Holdings, Inc.

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

[•], 2022

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

ROTH CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC

As Representatives of the several

Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto

 

c/o The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58^th Street, 17^th Floor

New York, New York 10155

 

c/o Roth Capital Partners, LLC

888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400

Newport Beach, CA 92660

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Direct Digital Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”) an aggregate of [•] units (the “Firm Units”), consisting of (i) an aggregate of [•] shares (the “Firm Shares”) of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company, and (ii) warrants exercisable to purchase an aggregate of [•] shares of Common Stock (the “Firm Warrants”), which Warrants shall have an exercise price of $[•], subject to adjustment as provided therein (the “Warrants”). The Firm Shares and the Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) consist of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to be issued and sold by the Company. The Company also proposes to grant to the several Underwriters an option to purchase up to [•] additional shares of Common Stock (the “Option Shares”) and/or Warrants (the “Option Warrants”), which may be purchased in any combination of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants at the Share Purchase Price or the Warrant Purchase Price (each as defined below), respectively, on the terms and for the purposes set forth in Section 3(b) hereof. The Firm Units, the Warrant Shares and any Option Shares and/or Option Warrants purchased pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement (this “Agreement”) are herein collectively called the “Securities.”

 

The Company and the several Underwriters hereby confirm their agreement as follows with respect to the sale of the Securities to the several Underwriters, for whom The Benchmark Company, LLC and Roth Capital Partners, LLC are acting as representatives (“you” or the “Representatives”). To the extent there are no additional underwriters named in Schedule I hereto other than you, the term Representatives as used herein shall mean you, as Underwriters, and the terms “Representatives” and “Underwriters” shall mean either the singular or the plural as the context requires.

 

 

1.          Registration Statement and Prospectus. A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-261059) with respect to the Securities, including a preliminary form of prospectus, has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the rules and regulations (the “Rules and Regulations”) of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) thereunder and has been filed with the Commission. Such registration statement, including the amendments, exhibits and schedules thereto, as of the time it became effective, including the Rule 430A Information (as defined below), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement.” The Company will prepare and file a prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations that discloses the information previously omitted from the prospectus in the Registration Statement in reliance upon Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations, which information will be deemed retroactively to be a part of the Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations (“Rule 430A Information”). If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations to increase the size of the offering registered under the Securities Act, the Company will prepare and file with the Commission a registration statement with respect to such increase pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations (such registration statement, including the contents of the Registration Statement incorporated by reference therein, is the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”). References herein to the “Registration Statement” will be deemed to include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement at and after the time of filing of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. “Preliminary Prospectus” means the prospectus dated [•] included in the Registration Statement prior to the effective time of the Registration Statement. “Prospectus” means the prospectus that discloses the public offering price and other final terms of the Securities and the offering and otherwise satisfies Section 10(a) of the Securities Act. All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing, is deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System or any successor system thereto (“EDGAR”).

 

All references herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or a Prospectus shall be deemed as of any time to include the documents and information incorporated therein by reference in accordance with the Rules and Regulations.

 

2.          Representations and Warranties of the Company.

 

(a)          Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the several Underwriters as follows:

 

(i)          Registration Statement and Prospectuses. No order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission. As of the time each part of the Registration Statement (or any post-effective amendment thereto) became or becomes effective, such part conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. Upon the filing or first use within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (or any supplement to either) conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations. The Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective under the Securities Act. The Company has complied to the Commission’s satisfaction with all requests of the Commission for additional or supplemental information. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or any part thereof is in effect, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission.

 

 

(ii)         Accurate Disclosure. The Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof or the time of first use within the meaning of the Rules and Regulations, did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Registration Statement nor any amendment thereto, at the effective time of each part thereof, at the First Closing Date (as defined below) or at the Second Closing Date (as defined below), contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. As of the Time of Sale (as defined below), neither (A) the Time of Sale Disclosure Package (as defined below) nor (B) any issuer free writing prospectus, when considered together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, included an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Neither the Prospectus nor any supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations, at the First Closing Date or at the Second Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The representations and warranties in this Section 2(a)(ii) shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, specifically for use in the preparation of such document, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(e).

 

“Time of Sale Disclosure Package” means the Preliminary Prospectus and the information on Schedule II, all considered together.

 

Each reference to a “free writing prospectus” herein means a free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

“Time of Sale” means [•]:00 [a/p].m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement.

 

 

(iii)        No Other Offering Materials. The Company has not distributed and will not distribute any prospectus or other offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or other materials permitted by the Securities Act to be distributed by the Company; provided, further, that the Company has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus and, except as set forth on Schedule III, the Company has not made and will not make any communication relating to the Securities that would constitute a Testing-the-Water Communication (as defined below), except in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(a)(v) of this Agreement.

 

(iv)       Emerging Growth Company. From the time of initial confidential submission of the Registration Statement to the Commission (or, if earlier, the first date on which the Company engaged directly or through any person authorized to act on its behalf in any Testing-the-Waters Communication (as defined below)) through the date hereof, the Company has been and is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act (an “Emerging Growth Company”). “Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any oral or written communication with potential investors undertaken in reliance on Section 5(d) of the Securities Act.

 

(v)        Testing-the-Waters Materials. The Company (i) has not alone engaged in any Testing-the-Waters Communications, other than Testing-the-Waters Communications with the prior consent of the Representatives with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act and (ii) has not authorized anyone other than the Representatives to engage in Testing-the-Waters Communications. The Company has not distributed any Written Testing-the-Waters Communications (as defined below) other than those listed on Schedule III hereto. “Written Testing-the-Waters Communication” means any Testing-the-Waters Communication that is a written communication within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Rules and Regulations. Any individual Written Testing-the-Waters Communication does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement or the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and when taken together with the Time of Sale Disclosure Package as of the Time of Sale, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

 

(vi)       Financial Statements. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes and schedules, set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations and fairly present the financial condition of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of operations and changes in cash flows and stockholders’ equity for the periods therein specified. The financial statements of the Company, together with the related notes, set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) consistently applied throughout the periods involved; all non-GAAP financial information included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus complies with the requirements of Regulation G and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act; and, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no material off-balance sheet arrangements (as defined in Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, Item 303(a)(4)(ii)) or any other relationships with unconsolidated entities or other persons, that may have a material current or, to the Company’s knowledge, material future effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources or significant components of revenue or expenses. No other financial statements or schedules are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. Each of Marcum LLP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, which has expressed its opinion with respect to certain of the financial statements and schedules filed as a part of the Registration Statement and included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, is (x) an independent public accounting firm within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations, (y) a registered public accounting firm (as defined in Section 2(a)(12) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”)) and (z) not in violation of the auditor independence requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

(vii)      Organization and Good Standing. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as an entity in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as currently being carried on and as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity in good standing in each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases real property or in which the conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary and in which the failure to so qualify would have a material adverse effect upon the business, prospects, management, properties, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Effect”).

 

(viii)     Absence of Certain Events. Except as contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; and there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of convertible securities), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt (other than as a result of the conversion of convertible securities), or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any material adverse change in the general affairs, condition (financial or otherwise), business, prospects, management, properties, operations or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (“Material Adverse Change”), or any development which could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Change.

 

 

(ix)        Absence of Proceedings. Except as set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, there is not pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat in writing of, any action, suit or proceeding (a) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or (b) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of the Company or any subsidiary, any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or any subsidiary or any property or assets owned or leased by the Company or any subsidiary before or by any court or Governmental Authority (as defined below), or any arbitrator, which, individually or in the aggregate, might result in any Material Adverse Change, or would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or which are otherwise material in the context of the sale of the Securities. There are no current or, to the knowledge of the Company, pending, legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings (x) to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject or (y) which has as the subject thereof any officer or director of the Company or any subsidiary, any employee plan sponsored by the Company or any subsidiary or any property or assets owned or leased by the Company or any subsidiary, that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations and that have not been so described.

 

(x)         Disclosure of Legal Matters. There are no statutes, regulations, contracts or documents that are required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement by the Securities Act or by the Rules and Regulations that have not been so described or filed.

 

(xi)        Authorization; No Conflicts; Authority. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, and constitutes a valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as rights to indemnity hereunder may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity. The Unit Purchase Option (as defined below), the Warrant Agent Agreement between the Company and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company with respect to the Warrants (the “Warrant Agent Agreement”), the Representatives’ Warrants (as defined below) and the Warrants have been duly authorized by the Company, and when executed and delivered, will constitute valid, legal and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, except as rights to indemnity may be limited by federal or state securities laws and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and subject to general principles of equity. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Unit Purchase Option, the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Representatives’ Warrants and the Warrants and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not (A) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument 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 the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, (B) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company’s charter or by-laws or (C) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule, regulation or decree of any court or arbitrator or federal, state, local or foreign governmental agency or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties or assets (each, a “Governmental Authority”), except in the case of clause (A) or (C) as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or registration or filing with any Governmental Authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement or for the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance or sale of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares (each as defined below) by the Company, except such as may be required under the Securities Act, the rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), The Nasdaq Capital Market or state securities or blue sky laws; and the Company has full power and authority to enter into this Agreement, the Unit Purchase Option, the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Representatives’ Warrants and the Warrants and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement and, with respect to the Warrant Shares, the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Warrants, and the authorization, issuance and sale of the Representatives’ Securities as contemplated by the Unit Purchase Option and, with respect to the Representatives’ Warrant Shares, the Representatives’ Warrants.

 

 

(xii)       Capitalization; the Securities; Registration Rights. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company, including the outstanding shares of Common Stock, are duly authorized and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal, state and foreign securities laws, were not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or purchase securities that have not been waived in writing (a copy of which, if any, has been delivered to counsel for the Underwriters), and the holders thereof are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Firm Shares, the Option Shares and the Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and, with respect to the Warrant Shares, the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Warrants, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Representatives’ Shares (as defined below) have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Unit Purchase Option, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable; the Representatives’ Warrant Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued, delivered and paid for in accordance with the terms of the Representatives’ Warrants, will have been validly issued and will be fully paid and nonassessable, and the holders of the Firm Shares, the Option Shares, the Warrant Shares, the Representatives’ Shares and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and the capital stock of the Company, including the Common Stock, the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares, conforms to the description thereof in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as otherwise stated in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (A) there are no preemptive rights or other rights to subscribe for or to purchase, or any restriction upon the voting or transfer of, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to the Company’s charter, by-laws or any agreement or other instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound; (B) neither the filing of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities or the Representatives’ Warrant Shares as contemplated by this Agreement, the Warrant Agent Agreement, the Representatives’ Warrants, the Warrants or the Unit Purchase Option gives rise to any rights for or relating to the registration of any shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (collectively “Registration Rights”); and (C) any person to whom the Company has granted Registration Rights has agreed not to exercise such rights until after expiration of the Lock-Up Period (as defined below). All of the issued and outstanding equity interests of each of the Company’s subsidiaries have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, and, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company owns of record and beneficially, free and clear of any security interests, claims, liens, proxies, equities or other encumbrances, all of the issued and outstanding equity interests of such subsidiaries. The Company has an authorized and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption “Capitalization.” The Common Stock (including the Firm Shares, the Option Shares, the Warrant Shares, the Representatives’ Shares and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares) conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(xiii)      Stock Options. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no options, warrants, agreements, contracts or other rights in existence to purchase or acquire from the Company or any subsidiary of the Company any shares of the capital stock of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company. The description of the Company’s stock option, stock bonus and other stock plans or arrangements (the “Company Stock Plans”), and the options or other rights granted thereunder (collectively, the “Awards”), set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus accurately and fairly presents the information required to be shown with respect to such plans, arrangements and Awards. Each grant of an Award (A) was duly authorized no later than the date on which the grant of such Award was by its terms to be effective by all necessary corporate action, including, as applicable, approval by the board of directors of the Company (or a duly constituted and authorized committee thereof) and any required stockholder approval by the necessary number of votes or written consents, and the award agreement governing such grant (if any) was duly executed and delivered by each party thereto and (B) was made in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Stock Plan, and all applicable laws and regulatory rules or requirements, including all applicable federal securities laws.

 

 

(xiv)      Compliance with Laws. The Company and each of its subsidiaries holds, and is operating in compliance in all material respects with, all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certificates and orders of any Governmental Authority or self-regulatory body (each, a “Permit”) required for the conduct of its business and all such franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, consents, certifications and orders are valid and in full force and effect, except where the failure to hold such Permit would not result in a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order or has reason to believe that any such franchise, grant, authorization, license, permit, easement, consent, certification or order will not be renewed in the ordinary course; and the Company and each of its subsidiaries is in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations, orders and decrees.

 

(xv)       Ownership of Assets. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all property (whether real or personal) described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned, leased or used by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, claims, security interests, other encumbrances or defects except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The property held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries is held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with only such exceptions with respect to any particular lease as do not interfere in any material respect with the conduct of the business of the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

(xvi)      Intellectual Property.

 

(A)          The Company and each of its subsidiaries owns or has the right to use pursuant to a valid and enforceable written license or other legally enforceable right, all Intellectual Property (as defined below) necessary for the conduct of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses as now conducted or as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus to be conducted, expect as such failure to own or right to use such rights would not result in a Material Adverse Effect (the “Company IP”). “Intellectual Property” means all patents, patent applications, trade and service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade names, copyrights, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, domain names, technology, know-how and other intellectual property.

 

(B)          To the knowledge of the Company, there is no infringement, misappropriation or violation by third parties of any Company IP. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat in writing of any, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ rights in or to any Company IP, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim. The Intellectual Property owned by the Company and its subsidiaries, and to the knowledge of the Company, the Intellectual Property licensed to the Company and its subsidiaries, has not been adjudged invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part, and there is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat in writing of any, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others challenging the validity or scope of any Company IP, and the Company is unaware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat in writing of any, action, suit, proceeding or claim by others that the Company or its subsidiaries infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate any Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights of others, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any written notice of such claim and the Company is unaware of any other fact which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim.

 

 

(C)          To the Company’s knowledge, no employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in or has ever been in material violation of any term of any employment contract, patent disclosure agreement, invention assignment agreement, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or any restrictive covenant to or with a former employer where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company or any of its subsidiaries or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

(D)          The Company and its subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their material Intellectual Property.

 

(E)          The Company has no patents or currently pending applications.

 

(xvii)     No Violations or Defaults. (a) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its respective charter, by-laws or other organizational documents, or in breach of or otherwise in default, and (b) no event has occurred which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default in the performance of any obligation, agreement or condition contained in any bond, debenture, note, indenture, loan agreement or any other material contract, lease or other instrument to which it is subject or by which any of them may be bound, or to which any of the material property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, except in the case of clause (b), where such default would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xviii)    Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have timely filed all federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns required to be filed and are not in default in the payment of any taxes which were payable pursuant to said returns or any assessments with respect thereto, other than any which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is contesting in good faith. There is no pending dispute with any taxing authority relating to any of such returns, and the Company has no knowledge of any proposed liability for any tax to be imposed upon the properties or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries for which there is not an adequate reserve reflected in the Company’s financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(xix)      Exchange Listing and Exchange Act Registration. The Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market upon official notice of issuance and, on the date the Registration Statement became effective, the Company’s Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other applicable form under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), became or was effective. Except as previously disclosed to counsel for the Underwriters or as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no affiliations with members of FINRA among the Company’s officers or directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, any five percent or greater stockholders of the Company or any beneficial owner of the Company’s unregistered equity securities that were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the initial filing date of the Registration Statement. The Company is currently in compliance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market for maintenance of inclusion of the Common Stock and Warrants thereon and has not received any notice regarding the removal of the Company’s listing, or the rejection of the Company’s application for such listing, with such exchange.

 

(xx)       Ownership of Other Entities. Other than the subsidiaries of the Company listed in Exhibit 21.1 to the Registration Statement or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company, directly or indirectly, owns no capital stock or other equity or ownership or proprietary interest in any corporation, partnership, association, trust or other entity that is material to the business of the Company on a consolidated basis.

 

(xxi)      Internal Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company’s board of directors and its audit committee is not aware of any “significant deficiencies” or “material weaknesses” (each as defined by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) in its internal control over financial reporting, or any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees of the Company or its subsidiaries who have a significant role in the Company’s internal controls; and since the end of the latest audited fiscal year, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) that has materially and adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially and adversely affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Company’s board of directors has, subject to the exceptions, cure periods and the phase in periods specified in the rules of The Nasdaq Capital Market, validly appointed an audit committee to oversee internal accounting controls whose composition satisfies the applicable requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market and the Company’s board of directors and/or the audit committee has adopted a charter that satisfies the requirements of The Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

 

(xxii)     No Brokers or Finders. Other than as contemplated by this Agreement, the Company has not incurred and will not incur any liability for any finder’s or broker’s fee or agent’s commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

(xxiii)     Insurance. The Company and each of its subsidiaries carries, or is covered by, insurance from reputable insurers in such amounts and covering such risks as is reasonably adequate for the conduct of its business and the value of its properties and the properties of its subsidiaries; all policies of insurance and any fidelity or surety bonds insuring the Company or any of its subsidiaries or its business, assets, employees, officers and directors are in full force and effect; the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies and instruments in all material respects; there are no claims by the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has 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 have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(xxiv)    Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares, will not be an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(xxv)     Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Company is in compliance in all materials respects with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

(xxvi)    Disclosure Controls. The Company has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14 under the Exchange Act) designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its subsidiaries, is made known to the principal executive officer and the principal financial officer and such controls and procedures are effective to perform the functions for which they were established. The Company has utilized such controls and procedures in preparing and evaluating the disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(xxvii)   Anti-Bribery and Anti-Money Laundering Laws. Each of the Company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective officers, directors, supervisors, managers, agents or employees has not violated, its participation in the offering will not violate and the Company and each of its subsidiaries has instituted and maintains policies and procedures designed to ensure continued compliance with each of the following laws: anti-bribery laws, including but not limited to, any applicable law, rule, or regulation of any locality, including but not limited to any law, rule, or regulation promulgated to implement the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, signed December 17, 1997, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.K. Bribery Act 2010, or any other law, rule or regulation of similar purposes and scope, or anti-money laundering laws, including but not limited to, applicable federal, state, international, foreign or other laws, regulations or government guidance regarding anti-money laundering, including, without limitation, Title 18 U.S. Code Section 1956 and 1957, the Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, and international anti-money laundering principles or procedures by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering, of which the United States is a member and with which designation the United States representative to the group or organization continues to concur, all as amended, and any executive order, directive, or regulation pursuant to the authority of any of the foregoing, or any orders or licenses issued thereunder. The Company has instituted, maintains and enforces policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with anti-bribery laws.

 

(xxviii)  OFAC.

 

(A)          Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries, nor any of their directors, officers or employees, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any agent, affiliate or representative of the Company or its subsidiaries, is an individual or entity that is, or is owned or controlled by an individual or entity that is:

 

(1)          the subject of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor

 

(2)          located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of an embargo by the foregoing authorities (including, without limitation, the Crimea Region of the Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria) (an “Embargo”).

 

(B)          Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries will, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other individual or entity:

 

(1)          to fund or facilitate any activities or business of or with any individual or entity that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject of Sanctions or is located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject of an Embargo; or

 

(2)          in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions or an Embargo by any individual or entity (including any individual or entity participating in the offering, whether as underwriter, advisor, investor or otherwise).

 

 

(C)          For the past five years, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has knowingly engaged in, and is not now knowingly engaged in, any dealings or transactions with any individual or entity that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject of Sanctions or is or was located, organized or resident in any country or territory that is the subject of an Embargo.

 

(xxix)     Compliance with Environmental Laws. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any Governmental Authority or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, “Environmental Laws”), owns or operates any real property contaminated with any substance that is subject to any Environmental Laws, is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any Environmental Laws, or is subject to any claim relating to any Environmental Laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company is not aware of any pending investigation which might lead to such a claim. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries anticipates incurring any material capital expenditures relating to compliance with Environmental Laws.

 

(xxx)      Compliance with Occupational Laws. The Company and each of its subsidiaries (A) is in compliance, in all material respects, with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations, treaties, statutes and codes promulgated by any and all Governmental Authorities (including pursuant to the Occupational Safety and Health Act) relating to the protection of human health and safety in the workplace (“Occupational Laws”); (B) has received all material permits, licenses or other approvals required of it under applicable Occupational Laws to conduct its business as currently conducted; and (C) is in compliance, in all material respects, with all terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals. No action, proceeding, revocation proceeding, writ, injunction or claim is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries relating to Occupational Laws, and the Company does not have knowledge of any facts, circumstances or developments relating to its operations or cost accounting practices that could reasonably be expected to form the basis for or give rise to such actions, suits, investigations or proceedings.

 

 

(xxxi)     ERISA and Employee Benefits Matters. (A) To the knowledge of the Company, except as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, no “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 406 of ERISA (as defined below) or Section 4975 of the Code (as defined below) and not exempt under ERISA Section 408 and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder has occurred with respect to any Employee Benefit Plan (as defined below). At no time has the Company or any ERISA Affiliate (as defined below) maintained, sponsored, participated in, contributed to or has or had any liability or obligation in respect of any Employee Benefit Plan subject to Part 3 of Subtitle B of Title I of ERISA, Title IV of ERISA, or Section 412 of the Code or any “multiemployer plan” as defined in Section 3(37) of ERISA or any multiple employer plan for which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate has incurred or could incur liability under Section 4063 or 4064 of ERISA. No Employee Benefit Plan provides or promises, or at any time provided or promised, retiree health, life insurance, or other retiree welfare benefits except as may be required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, or similar state law. Each Employee Benefit Plan is and has been operated in material compliance with its terms and all applicable laws, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred (including a “reportable event” as such term is defined in Section 4043 of ERISA) and no condition exists that would subject the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to any material tax, fine, lien, penalty or liability imposed by ERISA, the Code or other applicable law. Each Employee Benefit Plan intended to be qualified under Code Section 401(a) is so qualified and has a favorable determination or opinion letter from the Internal Revenue Service upon which it can rely, and any such determination or opinion letter remains in effect and has not been revoked; to the knowledge of the Company, nothing has occurred since the date of any such determination or opinion letter that is reasonably likely to adversely affect such qualification; (B) with respect to each Foreign Benefit Plan (as defined below), such Foreign Benefit Plan (1) if intended to qualify for special tax treatment, meets, in all material respects, the requirements for such treatment, and (2) if required to be funded, is funded to the extent required by applicable law, and with respect to all other Foreign Benefit Plans, adequate reserves therefor have been established on the accounting statements of the applicable Company or subsidiary; (C) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any obligations under any collective bargaining agreement with any union and no organization efforts are underway with respect to employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. As used in this Agreement, “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; “Employee Benefit Plan” means any “employee benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, including, without limitation, all stock purchase, stock option, stock-based severance, employment, change-in-control, medical, disability, fringe benefit, bonus, incentive, deferred compensation, employee loan and all other employee benefit plans, agreements, programs, policies or other arrangements, whether or not subject to ERISA, under which (1) any current or former employee, director or independent contractor of the Company or its subsidiaries has any present or future right to benefits and which are contributed to, sponsored by or maintained by the Company or any of its respective subsidiaries or (2) the Company or any of its subsidiaries has had or has any present or future obligation or liability; “ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended; “ERISA Affiliate” means any member of the Company’s controlled group as defined in Code Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o); and “Foreign Benefit Plan” means any Employee Benefit Plan established, maintained or contributed to outside of the United States of America or which covers any employee working or residing outside of the United States.

 

(xxxii)   Labor Matters. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or is threatened or imminent, and the Company is not aware of any existing or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its or its subsidiaries’ principal suppliers, contractors or customers, that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(xxxiii)   Restrictions on Subsidiary Payments to the Company. 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 equity interests, 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 Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(xxxiv)  Statistical Information. Any third-party statistical and market-related data included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(xxxv)   Forward-looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(xxxvi)  No Ratings. There are no debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries that are rated by a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.

 

(xxxvii)  Related-Party Transactions. To the Company’s knowledge, no transaction has occurred between or among the Company, on the one hand, and any of the Company’s officers, directors or five percent or greater stockholders or any affiliate or affiliates of any such officer, director or five percent or greater stockholders that is required to be described that is not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company has not, directly or indirectly, extended or maintained credit, or arranged for the extension of credit, or renewed an extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan to or for any of its directors or executive officers in violation of applicable laws, including Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

 

(xxxviii)  Cybersecurity. There has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of its customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries), equipment or technology owned, held or used by or for the Company or any of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “IT Systems and Data”), except for those that have been remedied without material cost or liability or the duty to notify any other person, nor are there any incidents under internal review or investigations relating to the same and (A) the Company has not been notified of, and has no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any material security breach or other material compromise to the IT Systems and Data; (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in material compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or Governmental Authority or other regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to (x) the collection, use, transfer, storage, protection, disposal and/or disclosure of personally identifiable information collected from or provided by third parties, (y) the privacy and security of the IT Systems and Data and (z) the protection of the IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except as would not, in the case of this clause (B), individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (C) the Company and its subsidiaries have taken commercially reasonable steps to protect the IT Systems and Data, including by implementing backup, security and disaster recovery plans, procedures and technology consistent with industry standards and practices.

 

(b)          Effect of Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to you or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

3.          Purchase, Sale and Delivery of Securities.

 

(a)          Firm Units. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell the Firm Units to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto. The purchase price for each Firm Unit shall be $[•], which shall be allocated as $[•] per Firm Share (the “Share Purchase Price”) and $[•] per Firm Warrant (the “Warrant Purchase Price”) and reflects an aggregate 7% discount to the offering price per Firm Unit to the public. In making this Agreement, each Underwriter is contracting severally and not jointly; except as provided in paragraph (d) of this Section 3, the agreement of each Underwriter is to purchase only the respective number of Firm Units specified in Schedule I.

 

(b)          Option Shares and/or Option Warrants. On the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements herein contained, but subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to purchase all or any portion of the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants at the Share Purchase Price and the Warrant Purchase Price, respectively. The option granted hereunder may be exercised in whole or in part at any time within 45 days after the effective date of this Agreement upon notice (confirmed in writing) by the Representatives to the Company setting forth the aggregate number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants as to which the several Underwriters are exercising the option and the date and time, as determined by you, when the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants are to be delivered, but in no event earlier than the First Closing Date (as defined below) nor (unless otherwise agreed by you and the Company) earlier than the second business day or later than the tenth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. The number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be the same percentage of the total number of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants to be purchased by the several Underwriters as the number of Firm Units to be purchased by such Underwriter is of the total number of Firm Units to be purchased by the several Underwriters, as adjusted by the Representatives in such manner as the Representatives deem advisable to avoid fractional shares. No Option Shares and/or Option Warrants shall be sold and delivered unless the Firm Units previously have been, or simultaneously are, sold and delivered.

 

 

(c)          Payment and Delivery.

 

(i)          The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in book-entry form in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as you may request upon at least forty-eight hours’ prior notice to the Company, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to you, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of such Underwriter, with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the transfer of the Securities to the Underwriters duly paid, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to you at least forty-eight hours in advance. The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Units, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on [•], 2022 or such other time and date as you and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified by you in each written notice given by you of the election to purchase such Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, or such other time and date as you and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Units is herein called the “First Closing Date,” each such time and date for delivery of the Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, if not the First Closing Date, is herein called a “Second Closing Date,” and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a “Closing” or a “Closing Date.”

 

(ii)         The documents to be delivered at each Closing by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 5 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 5(l) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of the Company, and the Securities will be delivered to you, through the facilities of the DTC, for the account of such Underwriter, all at such Closing.

 

(d)          Purchase by Representative on Behalf of Underwriters. It is understood that either Representative, individually and not as a Representative of the several Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of the purchase price to the Company on behalf of any Underwriter for the Securities to be purchased by such Underwriter. Any such payment by you shall not relieve any such Underwriter of any of its obligations hereunder. Nothing herein contained shall constitute any of the Underwriters an unincorporated association or partner with the Company.

 

 

(e)          Unit Purchase Option.

 

(i)          The Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to the Representatives on each Closing Date an option (the “Unit Purchase Option”) for the purchase of an aggregate number of units (each consisting of one share of Common Stock and one Warrant to purchase a share of Common Stock) representing five percent (5%) of (i) with respect to the First Closing Date, the Firm Units and (ii) with respect to the First Closing Date and each Second Closing Date, the sum of the Option Shares and the Option Warrants issued and sold pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof on such Closing Date. The Unit Purchase Option, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A, shall be exercisable, in whole or in part, commencing on a date that is 180 days after the effective date of this Agreement and expiring on the five-year anniversary of such effective date at an initial exercise price per unit equal to one hundred twenty percent (120%) of the initial public offering price of the Firm Units, on a cashless basis in certain circumstances as set forth in the Unit Purchase Option. The Warrants (the “Representatives’ Warrants”) and the Common Stock (the “Representatives’ Shares”) issuable upon exercise thereof are hereinafter collectively referred to together as the “Representatives’ Securities,” and the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Representatives’ Warrants is hereinafter referred to as the “Representatives’ Warrant Shares.” The Representatives understand and agree that there are significant restrictions pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 against transferring the Unit Purchase Option and the Representatives’ Securities during the 180 days after the effective date of this Agreement and by its acceptance thereof shall agree that no Representative will sell, transfer, assign, pledge or hypothecate the Unit Purchase Option, or any portion thereof, or be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the effective economic disposition of such securities for a period of 180 days following the effective date of this Agreement to anyone other than (i) an Underwriter or a selected dealer in connection with the offering, or (ii) a bona fide officer or partner of a Representative or of any such Underwriter or selected dealer; and only if any such transferee agrees to the foregoing lock-up restrictions.

 

(ii)         Delivery of the Unit Purchase Option shall be made on each Closing Date and shall be issued in the name or names and in such authorized denominations as the Representatives may request.

 

4.          Covenants.

 

The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters as follows:

 

(a)          Required Filings. The Company will prepare and file a Prospectus with the Commission containing the Rule 430A Information omitted from the Preliminary Prospectus within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rules 424(b) and 430A of the Rules and Regulations. If the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations to increase the size of the offering registered under the Securities Act and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has not yet been filed and become effective, the Company will prepare and file the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission within the time period required by, and otherwise in accordance with the provisions of, Rule 462(b) of the Rules and Regulations and the Securities Act. The Company will prepare and file with the Commission, promptly upon your request, any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or Prospectus that, in your opinion, may be necessary or advisable in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters; and the Company will furnish you and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of any proposed amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus and will not file any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus to which you shall reasonably object by notice to the Company after having been furnished a copy a reasonable time prior to the filing.

 

 

(b)          Notification of Certain Commission Actions. The Company will advise you, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any post-effective amendment thereto, or preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities or the Representatives’ Warrant Shares for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose; and the Company will promptly use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such a stop order should be issued.

 

(c)          Continued Compliance with Securities Laws.

 

(i)          Within the time during which a prospectus (assuming the absence of Rule 172 of the Rules and Regulations) relating to the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities or the Representatives’ Warrant Shares is required to be delivered under the Securities Act by any Underwriter or any dealer, the Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as now and hereafter amended, and by the Rules and Regulations, as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares as contemplated by the provisions hereof, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Prospectus (or if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) to comply with the Securities Act, the Company promptly will (x) notify you of such untrue statement or omission, (y)  amend the Registration Statement or supplement the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) (at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance and (z) notify you when any amendment to the Registration Statement is filed or becomes effective or when any supplement to the Prospectus (or, if the Prospectus is not yet available to prospective purchasers, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package) is filed.

 

(ii)         If at any time following issuance of a Written Testing-the-Waters Communication there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or included or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that subsequent time, not misleading, the Company (x) has promptly notified or promptly will notify the Representatives of such conflict, untrue statement or omission, (y) has promptly amended or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Written Testing-the-Waters Communication to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission and (z) has notified or promptly will notify you when such amendment or supplement was or is filed with the Commission where so required to be filed.

 

 

(d)          Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company shall take or cause to be taken all necessary action to qualify the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares for sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you reasonably designate and to continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities and the Representatives’ Warrant Shares, except that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any state.

 

(e)          Provision of Documents. The Company will furnish, at its own expense, to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, and to the Underwriters and any dealer the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements to such documents, in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as you may from time to time reasonably request.

 

(f)          Rule 158. The Company will make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement (which, for purposes of this paragraph, will be deemed to be the effective date of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if applicable) that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(g)          Payment and Reimbursement of Expenses. The Company shall be responsible for all documented, reasonable, necessary and accountable out-of-pocket expenses relating to the offering of the Securities including, but not limited to: (a) all filing fees and communication expenses associated with the review of this offering by FINRA; (b) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Securities offered under the securities laws of foreign jurisdictions designated by the Representatives; (c) the documented and reasonable fees and expenses of the Underwriters’ legal counsel (the “Legal Expenses”) up to a maximum of $175,000; (e) the Underwriters’ use of Ipreo’s book-building, prospectus tracking and compliance software for the public offering of the Securities; (f) “road show” expenses for the offering; and (g) the costs associated with receiving commemorative mementos and lucite tombstones (collectively, the “Actual Out-of-pocket Expenses”). The expenses to be paid by the Company and reimbursed to the Underwriters under this Section 4(g) as Actual Out-of-pocket Expenses shall not exceed $200,000 in the aggregate, less the $50,000 retainer previously advanced by the Company to the Representatives. In addition to the forgoing, the Company shall be responsible for the costs of background checks on its senior management in an amount not to exceed $7,500 in the aggregate. The Legal Expenses shall be paid in cash by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Representatives out of the closing of the public offering. In the event the offer and sale of the Securities is not consummated hereunder, the Company shall reimburse the outstanding Actual Out-of-pocket Expenses up to a maximum of $125,000 in the aggregate within fifteen (15) calendar days of receipt by the Company of the documented expenses.

 

 

(h)            Use of Proceeds. The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities to be sold by it hereunder for the purposes set forth in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus and will file such reports with the Commission with respect to the sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 of the Rules and Regulations.

 

(i)             Company Lock Up. The Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, from the date of execution of this Agreement and continuing to and including the date that is 180 days after the date of the Prospectus (the “Lock-Up Period”), (A) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock”), or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, or (B) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock or Class B Common Stock, whether any such transaction described in clause (A) or (B) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock, Class B Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise, except to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement and (i) grants of options, shares of Common Stock and other awards to purchase or receive shares of Common Stock under any Company Stock Plan that is in effect as of or prior to the First Closing Date, (ii) issuances of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of options or other awards granted under any Company Stock Plan, (iii) the issuance of securities in connection with mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing arrangements or any other similar non-capital raising transactions, provided that such securities shall be restricted from sale during the Lock-Up Period, (iv) the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exchange of shares of the Company’s Class B Common Stock as described in the Prospectus, provided that such Common Stock shall be restricted from sale during the Lock-Up Period, and (v) the filing of one or more registration statements on Form S-8. The Company agrees not to accelerate the vesting of any option or warrant or exercise any repurchase or expiry right in respect of any option, warrant or convertible promissory note prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period.

 

(j)             Stockholder Lock-Ups. The Company has caused to be delivered to you prior to the date of this Agreement a letter, in the form of Exhibit B hereto (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), from each individual or entity listed on Schedule IV. The Company will enforce the terms of each Lock-Up Agreement and issue stop-transfer instructions to the transfer agent and registrar for the Common Stock with respect to any transaction or contemplated transaction that would constitute a breach of or default under the applicable Lock-Up Agreement.

 

(k)            Lock-up Release or Waiver. If the Representatives, in their sole discretion, agree to release or waive the restrictions set forth in a Lock-Up Agreement described in Section 4(j) hereof for an officer or director of the Company and provide the Company with notice of the impending release or waiver at least three business days before the effective date of the release or waiver, the Company agrees to announce the impending release or waiver by a press release substantially in the form of Exhibit C hereto through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver.

 

 

(l)             No Market Stabilization or Manipulation. The Company has not taken and will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, or which has constituted, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities, and has not effected any sales of securities which are required to be disclosed in response to Item 701 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act which have not been so disclosed in the Registration Statement.

 

(m)           SEC Reports. The Company will file on a timely basis with the Commission such periodic and special reports as required by the Rules and Regulations.

 

(n)            Internal Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries will maintain such controls and other procedures, including without limitation those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable regulations thereunder, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its principal executive officer and its principal financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its subsidiaries, is made known to them by others within those entities.

 

(o)            Sarbanes-Oxley. The Company and its subsidiaries will comply with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations adopted thereunder.

 

(p)            Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, and each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an issuer free writing prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a free writing prospectus. Each Underwriter severally represents and agrees that (i) unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Company and the Representatives, it has not distributed, and will not distribute, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication other than those listed on Schedule III, and (ii) any Testing-the-Waters Communication undertaken by it was with entities that are qualified institutional buyers within the meaning of Rule 144A under the Securities Act or institutions that are accredited investors within the meaning of Rule 501 under the Securities Act.

 

(q)            Emerging Growth Company. The Company will promptly notify the Representatives if the Company ceases to be an Emerging Growth Company at any time prior to the later of (A) completion of the distribution of Securities within the meaning of the Securities Act and (B) completion of the Lock-Up Period.

 

 

(r)             Effectiveness. The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to remain effective with a current prospectus until the later of (a) the passage of nine (9) months after the Time of Sale and (b) the date on which the Representatives’ Shares, the Representatives’ Warrant Shares and the Warrant Shares have all been issued upon exercise of the Unit Purchase Option, the Representatives’ Warrants and the Warrants, respectively, or the Unit Purchase Option, the Representatives’ Warrants and the Warrants all shall have expired by their terms.

 

5.              Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy, as of the date hereof and at each of the First Closing Date and the Second Closing Date (as if made at such Closing Date), of and compliance with all representations, warranties and agreements of the Company contained herein, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)            Required Filings; Absence of Certain Commission Actions. The Registration Statement shall have become effective not later than 5:30 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, or such later time and date as you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, shall approve, and all filings required by Rules 424, 430A and 433 of the Rules and Regulations shall have been timely made (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) or Rule 164(b)); no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or any amendment thereof, nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus shall have been issued; no proceedings for the issuance of such an order shall have been initiated or threatened; and any request of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or otherwise) shall have been complied with to your satisfaction.

 

(b)            Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. No Underwriter shall have advised the Company that (i) the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a material fact which, in your opinion, is material or omits to state a material fact which, in your opinion, is required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or (ii) the Time of Sale Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, contains an untrue statement of fact which, in your opinion, is material, or omits to state a fact which, in your opinion, is material and is required to be stated therein, or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

 

(c)            Absence of Certain Events. Except as contemplated in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions, or declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock; and there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (subject to the requirements of Section 4(i) hereof, other than a change in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock due to the issuance of shares upon the exercise of outstanding options or warrants or conversion of convertible securities), or any material change in the short-term or long-term debt of the Company (other than as a result of the conversion of convertible securities), or any issuance of options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to purchase the capital stock of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any Material Adverse Change or any development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change (whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business), or any loss by strike, fire, flood, earthquake, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, incurred by the Company or any subsidiary, the effect of which, in any such case described above, in your judgment, makes it impractical or inadvisable to offer or deliver the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

 

(d)            Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Company Counsel. On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, the opinion and negative assurance statement of McGuireWoods LLP, counsel for the Company, dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

(e)            Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Underwriters’ Counsel. On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, such opinion and negative assurance statement from Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, counsel for the several Underwriters, dated such Closing Date and addressed to you, with respect to such matters as you reasonably may request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(f)             Comfort Letters. On the date hereof, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof and on each Closing Date you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, shall have received an accountant’s “comfort” letter of each of Marcum LLP and Baker Tilly US, LLP, dated such date and addressed to you, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

(g)            Officers’ Certificate. On each Closing Date, there shall have been furnished to you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, a certificate, dated as of such Closing Date and addressed to you, signed by the chief executive officer and by the chief financial officer of the Company, to the effect that:

 

(i)              The representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct as if made at and as of such Closing Date, and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to such Closing Date;

 

(ii)              No stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof or any amendment thereof or the qualification of the Securities, the Representatives’ Securities or the Representatives’ Warrant Shares for offering or sale nor suspending or preventing the use of the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus, has been issued, and no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or, to the best of their knowledge, is contemplated by the Commission or any state or regulatory body; and

 

(iii)              Affirms the accuracy of the matters set forth in Section 5(c).

 

 

(h)            Lock-Up Agreement. The Representatives shall have received all of the Lock-Up Agreements referenced in Section 4 and the Lock-Up Agreements shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(i)             FINRA No Objections. FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

(j)             Other Documents. The Company shall have furnished to you and counsel for the Underwriters such additional documents, certificates and evidence as you or they may have reasonably requested.

 

(k)            CFO Certificate. On the date hereof and on each Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to you, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, a certificate, dated as of such date, signed on behalf of the Company by its chief financial officer, regarding certain financial information in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, in form and substance satisfactory to you.

 

(l)             Exchange Listing. The Securities to be delivered on such Closing Date have been approved for listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, subject to official notice of issuance.

 

(m)           Unit Purchase Option. The Company shall have delivered to the Representatives executed copies of the Unit Purchase Option.

 

(n)            Warrant Agreements. The Company shall have delivered to American Stock Transfer & Trust Company executed copies of the Warrant Agent Agreement and the Warrants.

 

All such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents will be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to you, as Representatives for the several Underwriters, and counsel for the Underwriters. The Company will furnish you with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and other documents as you shall reasonably request.

 

 

6.              Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)            Indemnification by the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation if such settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company, subject to Section 6(c)), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon: (i) an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, including the Rule 430A Information and any other information deemed to be a part of the Registration Statement at the time of effectiveness and at any subsequent time pursuant to the Rules and Regulations, if applicable, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus, any issuer information that the Company has filed or is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or any roadshow as defined in Rule 433(h) under the Securities Act (a “roadshow”), or (ii) arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with investigating or defending against such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in reliance upon and in strict conformity with written information furnished to the Company by you, or by any Underwriter through you, specifically for use in the preparation thereof; it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by an Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(e).

 

(b)            Indemnification by the Underwriters. Each Underwriter will, severally and not jointly, indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise (including in settlement of any litigation, if such settlement is effected with the written consent of such Underwriter, subject to Section 6(c)), insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any issuer free writing prospectus, any issuer information that the Company has filed or is required to file pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Rules and Regulations, any Written Testing-the-Waters Communication, or any roadshow, or (ii) arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in strict conformity with written information furnished to the Company by you, or by such Underwriter through you, specifically for use in the preparation thereof (it being understood and agreed that the only information furnished by an Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 6(e)), and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred and documented by the Company in connection with investigating or defending against any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action as such expenses are incurred.

 

 

(c)            Notice and Procedures. Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability that it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent such indemnifying party has been materially prejudiced by such failure (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses). In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party, and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of the indemnifying party’s assumption of the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation; provided, however, that if, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, it is advisable for the Underwriters to be represented as a group by separate counsel, the Representatives shall have the right to employ a single counsel (in addition to local counsel) to represent the Representatives and all Underwriters who may be subject to liability arising from any claim in respect of which indemnity may be sought by the Underwriters under Section 6(a), in which event the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel (and local counsel) shall be borne by the indemnifying party or parties and reimbursed to the Underwriters as incurred. An indemnifying party shall not be obligated under any settlement agreement, consent to judgment or other compromise relating to any action under this Section 6 to which it has not agreed in writing. In addition, no indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party for all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and does not include a statement as to, or an admission of, fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of an indemnified party. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel pursuant to this Section 6(c), such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.

 

(d)            Contribution; Limitations on Liability; Non-Exclusive Remedy. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 6 is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in subsection (a) or (b) above, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Underwriters and the parties’ relevant intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were to be determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d). The amount paid by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending against any action or claim which is the subject of this subsection (d). Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the Securities purchased by it hereunder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that might otherwise be available to any indemnified party at law or in equity.

 

 

(e)            Information Provided by the Underwriters. The Underwriters severally confirm and the Company acknowledges and agrees that the statements with respect to the public offering of the Securities by the Underwriters set forth in the second, tenth, twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in the Time of Sale Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are correct and constitute the only information concerning such Underwriters furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters specifically for use or inclusion in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any issuer free writing prospectus.

 

7.              Representations and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All representations, warranties, and agreements of the Company herein or in certificates delivered pursuant hereto, including but not limited to the agreements of the several Underwriters and the Company contained in Section 6 hereof, shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person thereof, or the Company or any of its officers, directors, or controlling persons, and shall survive delivery of, and payment for, the Securities to and by the Underwriters hereunder and any termination of this Agreement.

 

 

8.              Termination of this Agreement.

 

(a)            Right to Terminate. You, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, shall have the right to terminate this Agreement by giving notice to the Company as hereinafter specified at any time at or prior to the First Closing Date, and the option referred to in Section 3(b), if exercised, may be cancelled at any time prior to the Second Closing Date, if (i) the Company shall have failed, refused or been unable, at or prior to such Closing Date, to perform any agreement on its part to be performed hereunder, (ii) any condition of the Underwriters’ obligations hereunder is not fulfilled as of the First Closing Date or the Second Closing Date, as applicable, (iii) trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended, (iv) minimum or maximum prices for trading shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities shall have been required, on the Nasdaq Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange, by such exchange or by order of the Commission or any other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction, (v) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or New York state authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, or (vi) there shall have occurred any attack on, outbreak or escalation of hostilities or act of terrorism involving the United States, any declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, any change in financial markets, any substantial change or development involving a prospective substantial change in United States or international political, financial or economic conditions, or any other calamity or crisis that, in your judgment, is material and adverse and makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the completion of the sale of and payment for the Securities. Any such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except that the provisions of Section 4(g) and Section 6 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.

 

(b)            Notice of Termination. If you elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 8, the Company shall be notified promptly by you by telephone, confirmed by letter.

 

9.              Default by the Company.

 

(a)            Default by the Company. If the Company shall fail at the First Closing Date to sell and deliver the Securities which it is obligated to sell hereunder, then this Agreement shall terminate without any liability on the part of any Underwriter.

 

(b)            No Relief from Liability. No action taken pursuant to this Section 9 shall relieve the Company from liability, if any, in respect of any default hereunder.

 

10.            Notices. Except as otherwise provided herein, all communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if to the Underwriters, shall be mailed via overnight delivery service, hand delivered via courier or sent via e-mail to the Representatives, c/o The Benchmark Company, LLC, 150 East 58th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10155, Attention: John J. Borer (e-mail: ***@***) and c/o Roth Capital Partners, LLC, 888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400, Newport Beach, California 92660, Attention: Equity Capital Markets (e-mail: ***@***), with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, 2200 Wells Fargo Center, 90 South Seventh Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention: Ben A. Stacke (e-mail: ***@***); if to the Company, shall be mailed or delivered to it at 1233 West Loop South, Suite 1170, Houston, Texas 77027, Attention: Chief Executive Officer (e-mail: ***@***), with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) to McGuireWoods LLP, 2000 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1400, Dallas, Texas 75201, Attention: Phyllis Young (e-mail: ***@***); or in each case to such other address as the person to be notified may have requested in writing. Any party to this Agreement may change such address for notices by sending to the parties to this Agreement written notice of a new address for such purpose.

 

11.            Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and the controlling persons, officers and directors referred to in Section 6. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give to any other person, firm or corporation any legal or equitable remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision herein contained. The term “successors and assigns” as herein used shall not include any purchaser, as such purchaser, of any of the Securities from any of the several Underwriters.

 

 

12.            Absence of Fiduciary Relationship. The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Underwriters have been retained solely to act as underwriters in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Underwriters has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Underwriters have advised or are advising the Company on other matters; (b) the price and other terms of the Securities set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Underwriters and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Underwriters and their affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions which may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Underwriters have no obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; (d) it has been advised that the Underwriters are acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, and not on behalf of the Company; and (e) it waives to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims it may have against the Underwriters for breach of fiduciary duty or alleged breach of fiduciary duty in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and agrees that the Underwriters shall have no liability (whether direct or indirect) to the Company in respect of such a fiduciary duty claim on behalf of or in right of the Company, including stockholders, employees or creditors of the Company.

 

13.            Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

14.            Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by electronic mail attaching a portable document file (.pdf)) in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

15.            General Provisions. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof, including that certain engagement letter (other than Sections 3(e), 4, 7, 10, 11, 12 and 14 thereof), dated January 17, 2022, by and between the Company and the Representatives. This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit. The section headings herein are for the convenience of the parties only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of this Agreement. The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

Please sign and return to the Company the enclosed duplicates of this letter whereupon this letter will become a binding agreement between the Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

 

	Very truly yours,
	Direct Digital Holdings, Inc.
	By:
	Name: Mark D. Walker
	Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

Confirmed as of the date first above mentioned, on behalf of itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.
The Benchmark Company, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:
Roth Capital Partners, LLC
By:
Name:
Title:

 

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

 

Underwriter			Number of Firm Units (1)
The Benchmark Company, LLC			[•]
Roth Capital Partners, LLC			[•]
[•]			[•]
Total			[•]

 

(1)

The Underwriters may purchase up to an additional [•] Option Shares and Option Warrants in any combination of Option Shares and/or Option Warrants, to the extent the option described in Section 3(b) of the Agreement is exercised, in the proportions and in the manner described in the Agreement.

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

Pricing Information

 

Firm Units: [•] shares

 

Option Shares: [•] shares

 

Option Warrants: [•] shares

 

Price to the Public: $[•] per unit

 

Price to the Underwriters: $[•] per unit, which shall be allocated as $[•] per share of Common Stock and $[•] per Warrant

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

Written Testing-the Waters Communications

 

[•]

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

List of Individuals and Entities Executing Lock-Up Agreements

 

Direct Digital Management, LLC

Mark D. Walker

Keith W. Smith

Anu Pillai

Susan Echard

Richard Cohen

Tonie Leatherberry

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Unit Purchase Option

 

(See attached.)

 

 

UNIT PURCHASE OPTION

 

 

THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES THAT THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED EXCEPT AS HEREIN PROVIDED AND THE REGISTERED HOLDER OF THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION AGREES THAT THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION WILL NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED, ASSIGNED, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED, OR BE THE SUBJECT OF ANY HEDGING, SHORT SALE, DERIVATIVE, PUT, OR CALL TRANSACTION THAT WOULD RESULT IN THE EFFECTIVE ECONOMIC DISPOSITION OF THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION OR THE SECURITIES EVIDENCED BY THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION, FOR A PERIOD OF ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY (180) DAYS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE (DEFINED BELOW) TO ANYONE OTHER THAN TO ANY MEMBER PARTICIPATING IN THE OFFERING AND THE OFFICERS OR PARTNERS THEREOF, IF ALL SECURITIES SO TRANSFERRED REMAIN SUBJECT TO THE LOCK-UP RESTRICTION SET FORTH ABOVE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME PERIOD.

 

 

DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC.

UNIT PURCHASE OPTION

 

FOR THE PURCHASE OF [●] UNITS

EACH UNIT CONSISTING OF ONE SHARE OF COMMON STOCK
AND ONE WARRANT TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

 

AND

 

FOR THE PURCHASE OF [●] ADDITIONAL WARRANTS TO PURCHASE
COMMON STOCK THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE UNITS

 

 

Unit Purchase Option No.: [●]

Number of Units: [●]

Number of Additional Warrants (not included in the Units): [●]

Date of Issuance: [●], 2022 (“Issuance Date”)

Date of Commencement of Sales Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement: [●], 2022

(“Sales Commencement Date”)

 

 

DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC. (THE “COMPANY”) HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT, in consideration of $100.00 duly paid by or on behalf of all of the recipients of Unit Purchase Options, [●] (“Holder”), as registered owner of this Unit Purchase Option (“Unit Purchase Option” or “UPO”), Holder is entitled, at any time or from time to time commencing on the “Commencement Date,” which shall be the effective date (the “Effective Date”) of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.: 333-261059) (the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to which units (each unit consisting of one share of the Company’s Common Stock (“Share”), and one Warrant of the Company) are offered for sale to the public (the “Offering”) by and at or before 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the fifth anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Expiration Date”), but not thereafter, to subscribe for, purchase and receive, in whole or in part, (i) up to [●] units (the “Units”), each Unit consisting of one Share and one Warrant of the Company and (ii) up to [●] additional Warrants not included in the Units. The Warrants (both those included in the Units and those that are not included in the Units) will be identical to the Warrants included in the Units offered to the public by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement. If the Expiration Date is a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law to close, then this UPO may be exercised on the next succeeding day which is not such a day in accordance with the terms herein. During the period ending on the Expiration Date, the Company agrees not to take any action that would terminate the UPO. This UPO is initially exercisable at (i) $[●] per Unit (or 120% of the public offering price of the Units being sold in the Offering) so purchased and (ii) $[●] per Warrant (or 120% of the public offering price of the Warrants being sold in the Offering); provided, however, that upon the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 5 hereof, the rights granted by this UPO, including the exercise price per Unit and per Warrant and the number of Units and Warrants to be received upon such exercise, shall be adjusted as therein specified. The term “Exercise Price” shall mean the initial exercise price or the adjusted exercise price, depending on the context. This UPO is one of the UPOs issued pursuant to (i) Section 3(e) of the Underwriting Agreement, dated as of [●], 2022, by and among the Company and The Benchmark Company, LLC and Roth Capital Partners, LLC, as the Representatives of the several underwriters, if any, named in Schedule I thereto (the “Underwriting Agreement”) and the Company’s Registration Statement. For the avoidance of doubt, references to “Units” shall include the Warrants not included in the Units that may be purchased pursuant to this UPO, unless the context dictates otherwise.

 

 

1.

EXERCISE OF UPO.

 

(a)               Mechanics of Exercise. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, this UPO may be exercised by the Holder on any day on or after the date that is 180 days after the Effective Date (the “Exercisability Date”), on one or more occasions, in whole or in part (but not as to fractional shares), by delivery of a written notice, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Exercise Notice”) of the Holder’s election to exercise this UPO. No ink-original Exercise Notice shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Exercise Notice form be required. Within two (2) Trading Days of the delivery of such Exercise Notice, if the Holder is not electing a Cashless Exercise (as defined below) pursuant to Section 1(d) of this UPO, the Holder shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the applicable Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Units or Warrants as to which this UPO is being exercised (the “Aggregate Exercise Price”) in cash or wire transfer of immediately available funds (a “Cash Exercise”). The Holder shall not be required to surrender this UPO in order to effect an exercise hereunder; provided, however, that in the event that this UPO is exercised in full or for the remaining unexercised portion hereof, the Holder shall deliver this UPO to the Company for cancellation within a reasonable time after such exercise. On or before the first Trading Day following the date on which the Company has received the Exercise Notice (the date upon which the Company has received the Exercise Notice, the “Exercise Date”), the Company shall transmit by facsimile or email transmission an acknowledgment of confirmation of receipt of the Exercise Notice to the Holder and the Company’s transfer agent for the Common Stock (the “Transfer Agent”). The Company shall deliver any objection to the Exercise Notice on or before the second Trading Day following the date on which the Company has received the Exercise Notice. On or before the second Trading Day following the date on which the Company has received the Exercise Notice, provided the Aggregate Exercise Price has been received by the Company prior to such Trading Day, the Company shall, (X) provided that the Transfer Agent is participating in The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) Fast Automated Securities Transfer Program (the “FAST Program”) and so long as the certificates therefor are not required to bear a legend regarding restriction on transferability, upon the request of the Holder, credit such aggregate number of shares of Common Stock and Warrants included in the Units or such aggregate number of Warrants to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with DTC through its Deposit Withdrawal Agent Commission system, or (Y), if the Transfer Agent is not participating in the FAST Program or if the certificates are required to bear a legend regarding restriction on transferability, issue and dispatch by overnight courier to the address as specified in the Exercise Notice, a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Shares and Warrants to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise. Upon delivery of the Exercise Notice and payment of the Aggregate Exercise Price, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Shares and Warrants with respect to which this UPO has been exercised, irrespective of the date such Shares and Warrants are credited to the Holder’s DTC account or the date of delivery of the certificates evidencing such Shares and Warrants, as the case may be. If this UPO is submitted in connection with any exercise pursuant to this Section 1(a) and the number of Units or Warrants represented by this UPO submitted for exercise is greater than the number of Units or Warrants being acquired upon an exercise, then the Company shall as soon as practicable and in no event later than three Trading Days after any such submission and at its own expense, issue a new UPO (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to purchase the number of Units and Warrants purchasable immediately prior to such exercise under this UPO, less the number of Units and Warrants with respect to which this UPO has been and/or is exercised. The Company shall pay any and all taxes and other expenses of the Company (including overnight delivery charges) that may be payable with respect to the issuance and delivery of Units or Warrants upon exercise of this UPO; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to pay any tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer involved in the registration of any certificates for Shares, Warrants or UPOs in a name other than that of the Holder or an affiliate thereof. The Holder shall be responsible for all other tax liability that may arise as a result of holding or transferring this UPO or receiving Units upon exercise hereof.

 

(b)               Exercise Price. For purposes of this UPO, “Exercise Price” means (i) with respect to the Units, $[●], subject to adjustment as provided herein, and (ii) with respect to the additional Warrants not included in the Units, $[●].

 

 

(c)               Company’s Failure to Timely Deliver Securities. If the Company shall fail for any reason or for no reason to issue to the Holder within five (5) Business Days of the Exercise Date certificates for the number of Shares and Warrants to which the Holder is entitled and register such Shares and Warrants on the Company’s share and warrant register, or to credit the Holder’s balance account with DTC for such number of Shares and Warrants to which the Holder is entitled upon the Holder’s exercise of this UPO, and if on or after such Trading Day the Holder purchases, or another Person purchasers on the Holder’s behalf or for the Holder’s account (in an open market transaction or otherwise) Shares and Warrants to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of Shares and Warrants issuable upon such exercise that the Holder anticipated receiving from the Company, then the Company shall, within three (3) Business Days after the Holder’s written request and in the Holder’s discretion, either (i) pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the Shares and Warrants so purchased (the “Buy-In Price”), at which point the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificates (and to issue such Shares and Warrants) shall terminate, or (ii) promptly honor its obligation to deliver to the Holder a certificate or certificates representing such Shares and Warrants and pay cash to the Holder in an amount equal to the excess (if any) of the Buy-In Price over the product of (A) such number of Shares and Warrants, respectively, times (B) the Weighted Average Price (as reported by Bloomberg) of the Shares and Warrants, respectively, on the date of the event giving rise to the Company’s obligation to deliver such certificates.

 

(d)               Cashless Exercise. In lieu of the payment of the Exercise Price multiplied by the number of Units or Warrants for which this UPO is exercisable (and in lieu of being entitled to receive Units) in the manner required by Section 1(a), the Holder shall have the right (but not the obligation) to convert any exercisable but unexercised portion of this UPO into Units or Warrants (the “Conversion Right”) as follows:

 

(A)             Upon exercise of the Conversion Right, the Company shall deliver to the Holder (without payment by the Holder of any of the Exercise Price in cash) that number of Units or Warrants equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the Value of the portion of the UPO being converted by (y) in the case of the Units, the combined Current Market Price of a Share and a Warrant or, in the case of the Warrants not included in the Units, the Current Market Price of a Warrant.

 

(B)              The “Value” of the portion of the UPO being converted shall equal the remainder derived by subtracting (a) (i) the Exercise Price multiplied by (i) the number of Units or Warrants underlying the portion of this UPO being converted, from (ii) in the case of the Units, the combined Current Market Value of a Share and a Warrant multiplied by the number of Units underlying the portion of the UPO being converted or, in the case of the Warrants not included in the Units, the Current Market Value of a Warrant multiplied by the number of Warrants underlying the portion of the UPO being converted.

 

(C)              As used herein, the term “Current Market Value” per Unit or Warrant at any date means the remainder derived by subtracting (x) the exercise price per Unit or Warrant from (y) in the case of the Units, the combined Current Market Price of a Share and a Warrant or, in the case of the Warrants not included in the Units, the Current Market Price of a Warrant.

 

(D)              The “Current Market Price” of a Share or a Warrant shall mean( i) if the Shares or Warrants are listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successor exchange or entity), the closing or last sale price of the Shares or Warrants (as applicable) in the principal trading market for the Shares or the Warrants on the last trading day preceding the day in question as reported by the exchange, the OTCQB or OTCQX, as the case may be; (ii) if the Shares or Warrants are not listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on the OTCQB or OTCQX, but are traded in the residual over-the-counter market, the closing bid price for the Shares or Warrants (as applicable) on the last trading day preceding the date in question for which such quotations are reported in the “pink sheets” published by OTC Markets Group Inc. or similar publisher of such quotations; and (iii) if the fair market value of the Shares or Warrants cannot be determined pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, such price as the Board of Directors of the Company shall determine, in good faith.

 

 

(E)   The Cashless Exercise Right may be exercised by the Holder on any business day on or after the Exercisability Date and not later than the Expiration Date by delivering the UPO with the duly executed Exercise Notice attached hereto with the cashless exercise section completed to the Company, exercising the Cashless Exercise Right and specifying the total number of Units or Warrants the Holder will purchase pursuant to such Cashless Exercise Right.

 

(e)               Rule 144. For purposes of Rule 144(d) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, as in effect on the date hereof, assuming the Holder is not an affiliate of the Company, it is intended that the Units or Warrants issued in a Cashless Exercise shall be deemed to have been acquired by the Holder, and the holding period for the Units or Warrants shall be deemed to have commenced, on the Issuance Date.

 

(f)                Disputes. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Units or Warrants, the Company shall promptly issue to the Holder the number of Units or Warrants that are not disputed.

 

(g)               Beneficial Ownership. The Company shall not effect the exercise of this UPO, and the Holder shall not have the right to exercise this UPO, to the extent that after giving effect to such exercise, such Person (together with such Person’s affiliates) would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to such exercise. For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by such Person and its affiliates shall include the number of shares of Common Stock and Warrants issuable upon exercise of this UPO with respect to which the determination of such sentence is being made, but shall exclude shares of Common Stock and Warrants which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, unexercised portion of this UPO beneficially owned by such Person and its affiliates and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or unconverted portion of any other securities of the Company beneficially owned by such Person and its affiliates (including, without limitation, any convertible notes or convertible preferred stock or warrants) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein. Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this paragraph, beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). For purposes of this UPO, in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in the most recent of (1) the Company’s most recent Form 10-K, Form 10-Q, Current Report on Form 8-K or other public filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, as the case may be, (2) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (3) any other notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. For any reason at any time, upon the written or oral request of the Holder, the Company shall within two (2) Business Days confirm to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding. In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this UPO, by the Holder and its affiliates since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. By written notice to the Company, the Holder may from time to time increase or decrease the Maximum Percentage to any other percentage not in excess of 9.99% specified in such notice; provided that (i) any such increase will not be effective until the sixty-first (61st) day after such notice is delivered to the Company, and (ii) any such increase or decrease will apply only to the Holder. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 1(g) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended beneficial ownership limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation.

 

 

2.                  ADJUSTMENT OF EXERCISE PRICE AND NUMBER OF SHARES. The Exercise Price and the number of Units and Warrants shall be adjusted from time to time as follows:

 

(a)               Voluntary Adjustment by Company. The Company may at any time during the term of this UPO reduce the then current Exercise Price to any amount and for any period of time deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(b)               Adjustment upon Subdivision or Combination of Common Stock. If the Company at any time on or after the Issuance Date subdivides (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme, arrangement or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a greater number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such subdivision will be proportionately reduced and the number of Units and Warrants will be proportionately increased. If the Company at any time on or after the Issuance Date combines (by any stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, reorganization, scheme, arrangement or otherwise) one or more classes of its outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares, the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to such combination will be proportionately increased and the number of Units and Warrants will be proportionately decreased. Any adjustment under this Section 2(b) shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.

 

(c)               Other Events. If any event occurs of the type contemplated by the provisions of this Section 2 but not expressly provided for by such provisions (including, without limitation, the granting of stock appreciation rights or phantom stock rights), then the Company’s Board of Directors will make an appropriate adjustment in the Exercise Price and the number of Units and Warrants so as to protect the rights of the Holder; provided that no such adjustment pursuant to this Section 2(c) will increase the Exercise Price or decrease the number of Units or Warrants as otherwise determined pursuant to this Section 2.

 

 

3.                  RIGHTS UPON DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS. If the Company, at any time while this UPO is outstanding, shall distribute to all holders of Common Stock (and not to the Holders) evidences of its indebtedness or assets (including cash and cash dividends) or rights or UPOs to subscribe for or purchase any security other than the Common Stock (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction), then in each such case the Exercise Price per Unit shall be adjusted by multiplying the Exercise Price in effect immediately prior to the record date fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to receive such distribution by a fraction of which the denominator shall be the Weighted Average Price determined as of the record date mentioned above, and of which the numerator shall be such Weighted Average Price on such record date less the then per share fair market value at such record date of the portion of such assets or evidence of indebtedness so distributed applicable to one outstanding share of Common Stock as determined by the Board of Directors in good faith. In either case the adjustments shall be described in a statement provided to the Holder of the portion of assets or evidences of indebtedness so distributed or such subscription rights applicable to one share of Common Stock. Such adjustment shall be made whenever any such distribution is made and shall become effective immediately after the record date mentioned above.

 

4.

PURCHASE RIGHTS; FUNDAMENTAL TRANSACTIONS.

 

(a)               Purchase Rights. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 2 above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Options, Convertible Securities or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this UPO (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this UPO) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights.

 

 

(b)               Fundamental Transactions. The Company shall not enter into or be party to a Fundamental Transaction unless the Successor Entity assumes in writing (unless the Company is the Successor Entity) all of the obligations of the Company under this UPO in accordance with the provisions of this Section (4)(b) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders and approved by the Required Holders prior to such Fundamental Transaction, including agreements to deliver to each holder of the UPOs in exchange for such UPOs securities of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this UPO, including, without limitation, adjusted exercise prices equal to the values for the Units and Warrants reflected by the terms of such Fundamental Transaction, and exercisable for a corresponding number of units and warrants of securities equivalent to the shares of Common Stock and Warrants acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this UPO (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this UPO) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders. Upon the occurrence of any Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this UPO referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this UPO with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein. Upon consummation of the Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall deliver to the Holder confirmation that there shall be issued upon exercise of this UPO at any time after the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction, in lieu of the shares of Common Stock (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) issuable upon the exercise of the UPO prior to such Fundamental Transaction, such shares of the publicly traded common stock or common shares (or its equivalent) and warrants (or its equivalent) of the Successor Entity (including its Parent Entity) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of such Fundamental Transaction had this UPO been converted immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction, as adjusted in accordance with the provisions of this UPO. In addition to and not in substitution for any other rights hereunder, prior to the consummation of any Fundamental Transaction pursuant to which holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to receive securities or other assets with respect to or in exchange for shares of Common Stock (a “Corporate Event”), the Company shall make appropriate provision to insure that the Holder will thereafter have the right to receive upon an exercise of this UPO at any time after the consummation of the Corporate Event but prior to the Expiration Date, in lieu of shares of Common Stock and Warrants (or other securities, cash, assets or other property) purchasable upon the exercise of this UPO prior to such Corporate Event, such shares of stock, securities, cash, assets or any other property whatsoever (including UPOs or other purchase or subscription rights) which the Holder would have been entitled to receive upon the happening of such Corporate Event had this UPO been exercised immediately prior to such Corporate Event. Provision made pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Required Holders. The provisions of this Section 4(b) shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events and shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this UPO.

 

(c)               Applicability to Successive Transactions. The provisions of this Section shall apply similarly and equally to successive Fundamental Transactions and Corporate Events and shall be applied without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this UPO.

 

5.                  NONCIRCUMVENTION. The Company hereby covenants and agrees that the Company will not, by amendment of its Certificate of Incorporation, Bylaws or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, scheme of arrangement, dissolution, issue or sale of securities, or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this UPO, and will at all times in good faith comply with all the provisions of this UPO and take all actions consistent with effectuating the purposes of this UPO. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company (i) shall not increase the par value of any shares of Common Stock receivable upon the exercise of this UPO or the Warrants issuable upon exercise of the UPO above the Exercise Price then in effect, (ii) shall take all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of this UPO, and (iii) shall, so long as this UPO is outstanding, take all action necessary to reserve and keep available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the exercise of this UPO and the Warrants issuable upon exercise of the UPO, 100% of the number of shares of Common Stock and Warrants issuable upon exercise of this UPO then outstanding (without regard to any limitations on exercise).

 

 

6.                  UPO HOLDER NOT DEEMED A STOCKHOLDER. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as a holder of this UPO, shall not be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed the holder of share capital of the Company for any purpose, nor shall anything contained in this UPO be construed to confer upon the Holder, solely in such Person’s capacity as the Holder of this UPO, any of the rights of a stockholder of the Company or any right to vote, give or withhold consent to any corporate action (whether any reorganization, issue of stock, reclassification of stock, consolidation, merger, conveyance or otherwise), receive notice of meetings, receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, prior to the issuance to the Holder of the Shares which such Person is then entitled to receive upon the due exercise of this UPO. In addition, nothing contained in this UPO shall be construed as imposing any liabilities on the Holder to purchase any securities (upon exercise of this UPO or otherwise) or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liabilities are asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

7.

REISSUANCE OF UPOS.

 

(a)               Transfer of UPO. If this UPO is to be transferred, the Holder shall surrender this UPO to the Company and deliver the completed and executed Assignment Form, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B, whereupon the Company will forthwith issue and deliver upon the order of the Holder a new UPO (in accordance with Section 7(d)), registered as the Holder may request, representing the right to purchase the number of Units being transferred by the Holder and, if less than the total number of Units and Warrants then underlying this UPO is being transferred, a new UPO (in accordance with Section 7(d)) to the Holder representing the right to purchase the number of Units and Warrants not being transferred.

 

(b)               Lost, Stolen or Mutilated UPO. Upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this UPO, and, in the case of loss, theft or destruction, of any indemnification undertaking by the Holder to the Company in customary form and, in the case of mutilation, upon surrender and cancellation of this UPO, the Company shall execute and deliver to the Holder a new UPO (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing the right to purchase the Units and Warrants then underlying this UPO.

 

(c)               Exchangeable for Multiple UPOs. This UPO is exchangeable, upon the surrender hereof by the Holder at the principal office of the Company, for a new UPO or UPOs (in accordance with Section 7(d)) representing in the aggregate the right to purchase the number of Units and Warrants then underlying this UPO, and each such new UPO will represent the right to purchase such portion of such Units and Warrants as is designated by the Holder at the time of such surrender; provided, however, that no UPOs for fractional shares of Common Stock and no fractional Warrants shall be given.

 

(d)               Issuance of New UPOs. Whenever the Company is required to issue a new UPO pursuant to the terms of this UPO, such new UPO (i) shall be of like tenor with this UPO, (ii) shall represent, as indicated on the face of such new UPO, the right to purchase the Units and Warrants then underlying this UPO (or in the case of a new UPO being issued pursuant to Section 7(a) or Section 7(c), the Units and Warrants designated by the Holder which, when added to the number of Units and Warrants underlying the other new UPOs issued in connection with such issuance, does not exceed the number of Units and Warrants then underlying this UPO), (iii) shall have an issuance date, as indicated on the face of such new UPO which is the same as the Issuance Date, and (iv) shall have the same rights and conditions as this UPO.

 

 

8.                  NOTICES. The Company shall provide Holder with prompt written notice of all actions taken pursuant to this UPO. Whenever notice is required to be given under this UPO, unless otherwise provided herein, such notice shall be given in writing, will be mailed (a) if within the domestic United States by first-class registered or certified airmail, or nationally recognized overnight express courier, postage prepaid, or by facsimile or (b) if delivered from outside the United States, by International Federal Express or facsimile, and (c) will be deemed given (i) if delivered by first-class registered or certified mail domestic, three business days after so mailed, (ii) if delivered by nationally recognized overnight carrier, one business day after so mailed, (iii) if delivered by International Federal Express, two business days after so mailed and

(iv)   if delivered by email, upon electronic confirmation of receipt, and will be delivered and addressed as follows:

 

(i)

if to the Company, to:

 

Direct Digital Holdings, Inc.

1233 West Loop South, Suite 1170

Houston, TX 77027

Attn:Mark Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Email: ***@***

 

with a copy to:

 

McGuireWoods LLP

1251 Avenue of the Americas, 20^th Floor

New York, NY 10020

	Attn:	Stephen E. Older, Esq.
		Rakesh Gopalan, Esq.
		David S. Wolpa, Esq.
	Email:	***@***
		***@***
		***@***

 

(ii)

if to the Holder, at the address of the Holder appearing on the books of the Company.

 

9.                  AMENDMENT AND WAIVER. Except as otherwise provided herein, the provisions of this UPO may be amended and the Company may take any action herein prohibited, or omit to perform any act herein required to be performed by it, only if the Company has obtained the written consent of the Required Holders. Any such amendment shall apply to all UPOs and be binding upon all registered holders of such UPOs.

 

 

10.              GOVERNING LAW; CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. This UPO shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without reference to the choice of law provisions thereof. The Company and, by accepting this UPO, the Holder, each irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of New York located in New York County and the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York for the purpose of any suit, action, proceeding or judgment relating to or arising out of this UPO and the transactions contemplated hereby. Service of process in connection with any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on each party hereto anywhere in the world by the same methods as are specified for the giving of notices under this UPO. The Company and, by accepting this UPO, the Holder, each irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in any such suit, action or proceeding and to the laying of venue in such court. The Company and, by accepting this UPO, the Holder, each irrevocably waives any objection to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such courts and irrevocably waives any claim that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, THE HOLDER HEREBY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO REQUEST A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LITIGATION WITH RESPECT TO THIS UPO AND REPRESENTS THAT COUNSEL HAS BEEN CONSULTED SPECIFICALLY AS TO THIS WAIVER.

 

11.              CONSTRUCTION; HEADINGS. This UPO shall be deemed to be jointly drafted by the Company and the Holder and shall not be construed against any person as the drafter hereof. The headings of this UPO are for convenience of reference and shall not form part of, or affect the interpretation of, this UPO.

 

12.              DISPUTE RESOLUTION. In the case of a dispute as to the determination of the Exercise Price or the arithmetic calculation of the Units or Warrants, the Company shall submit the disputed determinations or arithmetic calculations via email within two (2) Business Days of receipt of the Exercise Notice giving rise to such dispute, as the case may be, to the Holder. If the Holder and the Company are unable to agree upon such determination or calculation of the Exercise Price or the Units or Warrants within three Business Days of such disputed determination or arithmetic calculation being submitted to the Holder, then the Company shall, within two (2) Business Days submit via email (a) the disputed determination of the Exercise Price to an independent, reputable investment bank selected by the Company and approved by the Holder, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, or (b) the disputed arithmetic calculation of the Units or Warrants to the Company’s independent, outside accountant. The Company shall cause the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be, to perform the determinations or calculations and notify the Company and the Holder of the results no later than ten Business Days from the time it receives the disputed determinations or calculations. The prevailing party (which, for purposes of this UPO, is the party whose determinations or calculations is closest to those of the investment bank or the accountant, as the case may be) in any dispute resolved pursuant to this Section 12 shall be entitled to the full amount of all reasonable expenses, including all costs and fees paid or incurred in good faith, in relation to the resolution of such dispute. Such investment bank’s or accountant’s determination or calculation, as the case may be, shall be binding upon all parties absent demonstrable error.

 

13.              REMEDIES, OTHER OBLIGATIONS, BREACHES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF. The remedies provided in this UPO shall be cumulative and in addition to all other remedies available under this UPO, at law or in equity (including a decree of specific performance and/or other injunctive relief), and nothing herein shall limit the right of the Holder to pursue actual damages for any failure by the Company to comply with the terms of this UPO.

 

 

14.              TRANSFER. Subject to applicable laws and the restrictions set forth in this paragraph, this UPO may be offered for sale, sold, transferred or assigned without the consent of the Company. The Holder agrees that, pursuant to the Lock-Up Period (as defined below) contained in Rule 5110(e)(1) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), it will not (a) sell, transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate or otherwise transfer this UPO (including any Shares and Warrants issued or issuable hereunder); provided that the following will not be prohibited: (i) the transfer of this UPO or any Shares and/or Warrants to any member participating in the offering and/or to its officers or partners, its registered persons or affiliates, if all transferred securities remain subject to the lock-up restriction in Rule 5110(e)(1) for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period; (ii) the exercise of this UPO, if all securities received remain subject to the lock-up restriction in Rule 5110(e)(1) for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period; or (iii) the transfer or sale of this UPO or any Shares and/or Warrants to the Company in a transaction exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. As used herein, the term “Lock-Up Period” means the period beginning on the date of the commencement of sales of the public offering contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement under the registration statement registering this UPO (the “Sales Commencement Date”) and ending on the one hundred eighty day anniversary of the Sales Commencement Date. In addition, notwithstanding the other terms of this UPO or any agreement between the Company and the Holder, the Holder agrees that, as required by FINRA Rule 5110, (i) this UPO may not be exercised more than five years from the Sales Commencement Date; (ii) the Holder shall not have more than one demand registration right at the Company’s expense; (iii) the Holder shall not have the right to demand registration of this UPO or the Units or Warrants more than five years after the Sales Commencement Date; (iv) the Holder shall not have the right to piggyback registration with respect to this UPO or the Units or Warrants more than seven years from the Sales Commencement Date; (v) this UPO may not have anti-dilution terms that allow the Holder and related persons to receive more shares or to exercise at a lower price than originally agreed upon at the time of the Offering, when the public shareholders have not been proportionally affected by a stock split, stock dividend, or other similar event; and (vi) this UPO may not have anti-dilution terms that allow the Holder and related persons to receive or accrue cash dividends prior to the exercise or conversion of the security.

 

15.              CERTAIN DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this UPO, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

(a)

“Bloomberg” means Bloomberg Financial Markets.

 

(b)               “Business Day” means any day other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in The City of New York are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

(c)               “Closing Bid Price” and “Closing Sale Price” means, for any security as of any date, the last closing bid price and last closing trade price, respectively, for such security on the Principal Market, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Principal Market begins to operate on an extended hours basis and does not designate the closing bid price or the closing trade price, as the case may be, then the last bid price or the last trade price, respectively, of such security prior to 4:00:00 p.m., New York time, as reported by Bloomberg, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal securities exchange or trading market for such security, the last closing bid price or last trade price, respectively, of such security on the principal securities exchange or trading market where such security is listed or traded as reported by Bloomberg, or if the foregoing do not apply, the last closing bid price or last trade price, respectively, of such security in the over-the- counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no closing bid price or last trade price, respectively, is reported for such security by Bloomberg, the average of the bid prices, or the ask prices, respectively, of any market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” published by OTC Markets Group Inc. or similar publisher of such quotations. If the Closing Bid Price or the Closing Sale Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Closing Bid Price or the Closing Sale Price, as the case may be, of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. All such determinations to be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.

 

 

(d)               “Common Stock” means (i) the Company’s shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, and (ii) any share capital into which such Common Stock shall have been changed or any share capital resulting from a reclassification of such Common Stock.

 

(e)                 “Convertible Securities” means any stock or securities (other than Options) directly or indirectly convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of Common Stock.

 

(f)                “Eligible Market” means the Principal Market, The New York Stock Exchange, Inc., The NYSE MKT, The Nasdaq Global Market or The Nasdaq Global Select Market.

 

(g)               “Expiration Date” means the fifth (5th) anniversary of the Exercisability Date or, if such date falls on a day other than a Trading Day or on which trading does not take place on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Common Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Common Stock is then traded (a “Holiday”), the next date that is not a Holiday.

 

(h)             “Fundamental Transaction” means that the Company shall, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions, (i) consolidate or merge with or into (whether or not the Company is the surviving corporation) another Person (but excluding a migratory merger effected solely for the purpose of changing the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company), or (ii) sell, assign, transfer, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company to another Person, or (iii) allow another Person to make a purchase, tender or exchange offer that is accepted by the holders of more than the 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including 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 (iv) consummate a stock 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 purchase agreement or other business combination), (v)   reorganize, recapitalize or reclassify its Common Stock, or (vi) 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.

 

 

(i)                  “Options” means any rights, warrants or options to subscribe for or purchase shares of Common Stock or Convertible Securities.

 

(j)                 “Parent Entity” of a Person means an entity that, directly or indirectly, controls the applicable Person and whose common stock or equivalent equity security is quoted or listed on an Eligible Market, or, if there is more than one such Person or Parent Entity, the Person or Parent Entity with the largest public market capitalization as of the date of consummation of the Fundamental Transaction.

 

(k)               “Person” means an individual, a limited liability company, a partnership, a joint venture, a corporation, a trust, an unincorporated organization, any other entity and a government or any department or agency thereof.

 

(l)                 “Principal Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market.

 

(m)              “Required Holders” means, as of any date, the holders of at least a majority of the UPOs outstanding as of such date.

 

(n)               “Successor Entity” means the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) formed by, resulting from or surviving any Fundamental Transaction or the Person (or, if so elected by the Holder, the Parent Entity) with which such Fundamental Transaction shall have been entered into.

 

(o)               “Trading Day” means any day on which the Common Stock is traded on the Principal Market, or, if the Principal Market is not the principal trading market for the Common Stock, then on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which the Common Stock is then traded; provided that “Trading Day” shall not include any day on which the Common Stock is scheduled to trade on such exchange or market for less than 4.5 hours or any day that the Common Stock is suspended from trading during the final hour of trading on such exchange or market (or if such exchange or market does not designate in advance the closing time of trading on such exchange or market, then during the hour ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time).

 

(p)               “Warrants” means the Warrants (both those included in the Units and those that are not included in the Units) registered for offer and sale pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

 

(q)               “Weighted Average Price” means, for any security as of any date, the dollar volume-weighted average price for such security on the Principal Market during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York time (or such other time as the Principal Market publicly announces is the official open of trading), and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time (or such other time as the Principal Market publicly announces is the official close of trading), as reported by Bloomberg through its “Volume at Price” function or, if the foregoing does not apply, the dollar volume-weighted average price of such security in the over-the-counter market on the electronic bulletin board for such security during the period beginning at 9:30:01 a.m., New York time (or such other time as the Principal Market publicly announces is the official open of trading), and ending at 4:00:00 p.m., New York time (or such other time as the Principal Market publicly announces is the official close of trading), as reported by Bloomberg, or, if no dollar volume-weighted average price is reported for such security by Bloomberg for such hours, the average of the highest closing bid price and the lowest closing ask price of any of the market makers for such security as reported in the “pink sheets” published by OTC Markets Group Inc. or similar publisher of such quotations. If the Weighted Average Price cannot be calculated for a security on a particular date on any of the foregoing bases, the Weighted Average Price of such security on such date shall be the fair market value as mutually determined by the Company and the Holder. If the Company and the Holder are unable to agree upon the fair market value of such security, then such dispute shall be resolved pursuant to Section 12 with the term “Weighted Average Price” being substituted for the term “Exercise Price.” All such determinations shall be appropriately adjusted for any stock dividend, stock split, stock combination or other similar transaction during the applicable calculation period.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Unit Purchase Option to be duly executed as of the Issuance Date set out above.

 

	DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC.
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

EXERCISE NOTICE

 

TO BE EXECUTED BY THE REGISTERED HOLDER TO EXERCISE THIS UNIT PURCHASE OPTION TO PURCHASE COMMON STOCK

 

DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC.

 

The undersigned holder hereby exercises the right to purchase [Units (“Units”)][Warrants (“Warrants”)] of DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) securities, evidenced by the attached Unit Purchase Option. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in the Unit Purchase Option.

 

1.     Form of Exercise Price. The Holder intends that payment of the Exercise Price shall be made as:

 

                                a “Cash Exercise” with respect to                                                   [Units][Warrants]; and/or

 

                                a “Cashless Exercise” with respect to                                            [Units][Warrants].

 

2.      Payment of Exercise Price. In the event that the holder has elected a Cash Exercise with respect to some or all of the [Units][Warrants] to be issued pursuant hereto, the holder shall pay the Aggregate Exercise Price in the sum of $                                  to the Company in accordance with the terms of the Unit Purchase Option.

 

3.           Delivery of Units. The Company shall deliver to the holder                                     [Units][Warrants] in accordance with the terms of the Unit Purchase Option and, after delivery of such [Units][Warrants],                                       [ Units][Warrants] remain subject to the Unit Purchase Option.

 

Date:                          ,               

 

Name of Registered Holder

 

 

By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

DIRECT DIGITAL HOLDINGS, INC.

 

(To assign the foregoing Unit Purchase Option, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase Units or Warrants.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Unit Purchase Option and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:
	(Please Print)

 

Address:
	(Please Print)

 

Dated:                            ,            

Holder’s Signature:

Holder’s Address:

 

NOTE: The signature to this Assignment Form must correspond with the name as it appears on the face of the Unit Purchase Option, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever. Officers of corporations and those acting in a fiduciary or other representative capacity should file proper evidence of authority to assign the foregoing Unit Purchase Option.

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

Date: _____________________

 

The Benchmark Company, LLC

Roth Capital Partners, LLC

As Representatives of the several Underwriters named

in the Underwriting Agreement

 

c/o The Benchmark Company, LLC

150 East 58^th Street, 17^th Floor

New York, New York 10155

 

c/o Roth Capital Partners, LLC

888 San Clemente Drive, Suite 400

Newport Beach, CA 92660

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

As an inducement to The Benchmark Company, LLC and Roth Capital Partners, LLC to execute an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) in their capacities as representatives for the several underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the “Representatives”) providing for a public offering (the “Offering”) of Class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class A Common Stock”), or other securities, of Direct Digital Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any successor (by merger or otherwise) thereto (the “Company”), the undersigned hereby agrees that without, in each case, the prior written consent of the Representatives, during the period specified in the second succeeding paragraph (the “Lock-Up Period”), the undersigned will not: (1) offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, make any short sale or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Class A Common Stock or Class B common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “Class B Common Stock,” and together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”), or any securities convertible into, exercisable or exchangeable for or that represent the right to receive Common Stock (including without limitation, Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by the undersigned in accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and securities which may be issued upon exercise of a stock option or warrant) whether now owned or hereafter acquired (the “Undersigned’s Securities”); (2) enter into any swap or other agreement that transfers, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Undersigned’s Securities, whether any such transaction described in clause (1) or (2) above is to be settled by delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise; (3) make any demand for or exercise any right with respect to, the registration of any Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock; or (4) publicly disclose the intention to do any of the foregoing.

 

 

The undersigned agrees that the foregoing restrictions preclude the undersigned from engaging in any hedging or other transaction which is designed to, or which reasonably could be expected to lead to or result in a sale or disposition of the Undersigned’s Securities, even if such securities would be disposed of by someone other than the undersigned. Such prohibited hedging or other transactions would include without limitation any short sale or any purchase, sale or grant of any right (including without limitation any put or call option) with respect to any of the Undersigned’s Securities or with respect to any security that includes, relates to, or derives any significant part of its value from the Undersigned’s Securities.

 

The Lock-Up Period will commence on the date of this Lock-Up Agreement (this “Lock-Up Agreement”) and continue and include the date one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of the final prospectus used to sell the Class A Common Stock (or other securities) in the Offering pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the undersigned may transfer the Undersigned’s Securities (i) as a bona fide gift or gifts, (ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family (as defined below) of the undersigned, (iii) transfers or dispositions of the Undersigned’s Securities by operation of law, such as pursuant to a qualified domestic order, divorce settlement, divorce decree, separation agreement or other court order, (iv) transfers or dispositions of the Undersigned’s Securities to any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other entity all of the beneficial ownership interests of which are held by the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned, (v) if the undersigned is a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity (1) transfers to another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust or other business entity that is a direct or indirect affiliate (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) of the undersigned or (2) distributions of shares of Common Stock or any security convertible into or exercisable for Common Stock to limited partners, limited liability company members or stockholders of the undersigned, (vi) if the undersigned is a trust, transfers to the beneficiary of such trust, or (vii) transfers by testate succession or intestate succession, (viii) pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement; provided, in the case of clauses (i) through (vii), that (x) such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (y) the transferee agrees in writing with the Representatives to be bound by the terms of this Lock-Up Agreement, and (z) no filing by any party under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, shall be required or shall be made voluntarily in connection with such transfer prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period. For purposes of this Lock-Up Agreement, “immediate family” shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin.

 

In addition, the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to (i) the exercise of stock options granted pursuant to the Company’s equity incentive plans; provided that such restrictions shall apply to any of the Undersigned’s Securities issued upon such exercise, (ii) the establishment of any contract, instruction or plan (a “Plan”) that satisfies all of the requirements of Rule 10b5-1(c)(1)(i)(B) under the Exchange Act; provided that no sales of the Undersigned’s Securities shall be made pursuant to such a Plan prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, and such a Plan may only be established if no public announcement of the establishment or existence thereof and no filing with the SEC or other regulatory authority in respect thereof or transactions thereunder or contemplated thereby, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, shall be required, and no such announcement or filing is made voluntarily, by the undersigned, the Company or any other person, prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, or (iii) the contemplated reorganization of Direct Digital Holdings, LLC in connection with the Offering (the “Reorganization Transactions”) and subsequent thereto in connection with an exchange of Direct Digital Holdings, LLC units for shares of Class A Common Stock, all as contemplated by and described the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC; provided that such restrictions shall apply to any of the Undersigned’s Securities received in connection with the Reorganization Transactions.

 

 

Further, this Lock-Up Agreement shall not restrict the transfer of the Undersigned’s Securities pursuant to a bona fide Change of Control (as defined below) of the Company that has been approved by the board of directors of the Company, provided that all of the Undersigned’s Securities that are not so transferred shall remain subject to the restrictions set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement, and provided further that it shall be a condition of such transfer that in the event that the Change of Control is not completed, the Undersigned’s Securities shall remain subject to the restrictions set forth in this Lock-Up Agreement. “Change of Control” means the consummation of any bona fide third-party tender offer, merger, consolidation or other similar transaction or series of related transactions, the result of which is that any “person” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), or group of persons, other than the Company, Direct Digital Management, LLC or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates, becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 and 13d-5 of the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of the total voting power of the voting capital stock of the Company (or the surviving entity).

 

If the undersigned is an officer or director of the Company, the undersigned further agrees that the restrictions imposed by this Lock-Up Agreement shall be equally applicable to any issuer-directed shares of Class A Common Stock the undersigned may purchase in the Offering.

 

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company and its transfer agent and registrar are hereby authorized to decline to make any transfer of shares of Common Stock if such transfer would constitute a violation or breach of this Lock-Up Agreement.

 

The undersigned hereby represents and warrants that the undersigned has full power and authority to enter into this Lock-Up Agreement and that upon request, the undersigned will execute any additional documents necessary to ensure the validity or enforcement of this Lock-Up Agreement. All authority herein conferred or agreed to be conferred and any obligations of the undersigned shall be binding upon the successors, assigns, heirs or personal representatives of the undersigned.

 

The undersigned understands that the undersigned shall be released from all obligations under this Lock-Up Agreement if (i) the Company notifies the Representatives that it does not intend to proceed with the Offering, (ii) the Underwriting Agreement does not become effective, or if the Underwriting Agreement (other than the provisions thereof which survive termination) shall terminate or be terminated prior to payment for and delivery of the Class A Common Stock (or other securities) to be sold thereunder, or (iii) the Offering is not completed by March 31, 2022, provided, in the case of clause (iii), that the Company may, by written notice to the undersigned prior to such date, extend such date for a period of up to three additional months.

 

The undersigned understands that the Representatives are entering into the Underwriting Agreement and proceeding with the Offering in reliance upon this Lock-Up Agreement.

 

This Lock-Up Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

[The remainder of this page has intentionally been left blank.]

 

 

	Very truly yours,
	Printed Name of Holder
	Signature
	Printed Name and Title of Person Signing
	(if signing as custodian, trustee or on behalf of an entity)

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

Form of Company Press Release for Wavers of Releases

of Officer/Director Lock-Up Agreements

 

Direct Digital Holdings, Inc.

 

[Date]

 

Direct Digital Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), announced today that The Benchmark Company, LLC and Roth Capital Markets, LLC (the “Representatives”), as the representatives of the several underwriters pursuant to that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of [●], 2022, by and between the Company and the Representatives, are [waiving] [releasing] [a] lock-up restriction[s] with respect to an aggregate of [●] shares of common stock held by certain [officers] [directors] of the Company. These [officers] [directors] entered into lock-up agreements with the Representatives in connection with the Company’s initial public offering.

 

This [waiver] [release] will take effect on [date that is at least two business days following date of this press release].

 

This press release is not an offer for sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction where such offer is prohibited, and such securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an exemption from registration under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.