Promissory Note dated as of July 18, 2023
Exhibit 10.1
THIS PROMISSORY NOTE (THIS “NOTE”) HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”). THIS NOTE HAS BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT ONLY AND MAY NOT BE SOLD, TRANSFERRED OR ASSIGNED IN THE ABSENCE OF REGISTRATION OF THE RESALE THEREOF UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL REASONABLY SATISFACTORY IN FORM, SCOPE AND SUBSTANCE TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.
PROMISSORY NOTE
Principal Amount: Up to $720,000 | Dated as of July 18, 2023 |
Hudson Acquisition I Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Maker”), promises to pay to the order of Hudson SPAC Holding, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, or its registered assigns or successors in interest (collectively, “Payee”), or order, the principal balance as set forth on Schedule A hereto in cash in lawful money of the United States of America, on the terms and conditions described below; which schedule shall be updated from time to time by the parties hereto to reflect all advances outstanding under this Note; provided that at no time shall the aggregate of all advances outstanding under this Note exceed Seven Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($720,000) (the “Maximum Amount”). Any advance hereunder shall be made by the Payee pursuant to Section 2 below and shall be set forth on Schedule A. All payments on this Note shall be made by check or wire transfer of immediately available funds or as otherwise determined by Maker to such account as Payee may from time to time designate by written notice in accordance with the provisions of this Note.
1. Principal. The entire unpaid principal balance of this Note shall be due and payable on the earlier of: (i) date on which the Maker consummates its initial business combination and (ii) the date of the liquidation of the Company (such date, the “Maturity Date”), unless accelerated upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined below). The principal balance may be prepaid at any time by Maker, at its election and without penalty. Under no circumstances shall any individual, including but not limited to any officer, director, employee or shareholder of Maker, be obligated personally for any obligations or liabilities of Maker hereunder.
2. Drawdowns. Payee shall advance to Maker, beginning on July 18, 2023, and thereafter on the 18th of each month until the date on which Maker must complete its initial business combination, an amount equal to $80,000, such amounts in the aggregate not to exceed the Maximum Amount.
3. Interest. No interest shall accrue on the unpaid principal balance of this Note.
4. Application of Payments. All payments shall be applied first to payment in full of any costs incurred in the collection of any sum due under this Note, including (without limitation) reasonable attorney’s fees, then to the payment in full of any late charges and finally to the reduction of the unpaid principal balance of this Note.
5. Events of Default. The following shall constitute an event of default (“Event of Default”):
(a) Failure to Make Required Payments. Failure by Maker to pay the principal amount due pursuant to this Note on the Maturity Date.
(b) Voluntary Bankruptcy, Etc. The commencement by Maker of a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, rehabilitation or other similar law, or the consent by it to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian, sequestrator (or other similar official) of Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of any assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the failure of Maker generally to pay its debts as such debts become due, or the taking of corporate action by Maker in furtherance of any of the foregoing.
(c) Involuntary Bankruptcy, Etc. The entry of a decree or order for relief by a court having jurisdiction in the premises in respect of Maker in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of Maker or for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days.
6. Remedies.
(a) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Section 5(a) hereof, Payee may, by written notice to Maker, declare this Note to be due immediately and payable, whereupon the unpaid principal amount of this Note, and all other amounts payable thereunder, shall become immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived, anything contained herein or in the documents evidencing the same to the contrary notwithstanding.
(b) Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default specified in Sections 5(b) or 5(c), the unpaid principal balance of this Note, and all other sums payable with regard to this Note, shall automatically and immediately become due and payable, in all cases without any action on the part of Payee.
7. Waivers. Maker and all endorsers and guarantors of, and sureties for, this Note waive presentment for payment, demand, notice of dishonor, protest, and notice of protest with regard to the Note, all errors, defects and imperfections in any proceedings instituted by Payee under the terms of this Note, and all benefits that might accrue to Maker by virtue of any present or future laws exempting any property, real or personal, or any part of the proceeds arising from any sale of any such property, from attachment, levy or sale under execution, or providing for any stay of execution, exemption from civil process, or extension of time for payment; and Maker agrees that any real estate that may be levied upon pursuant to a judgment obtained by virtue hereof, on any writ of execution issued hereon, may be sold upon any such writ in whole or in part in any order desired by Payee.
8. Unconditional Liability. Maker hereby waives all notices in connection with the delivery, acceptance, performance, default, or enforcement of the payment of this Note, and agrees that its liability shall be unconditional, without regard to the liability of any other party, and shall not be affected in any manner by any indulgence, extension of time, renewal, waiver or modification granted or consented to by Payee, and consents to any and all extensions of time, renewals, waivers, or modifications that may be granted by Payee with respect to the payment or other provisions of this Note, and agrees that additional makers, endorsers, guarantors, or sureties may become parties hereto without notice to Maker or affecting Maker’s liability hereunder.
9. Notices. All notices, statements or other documents which are required or contemplated by this Note shall be: (i) in writing and delivered personally or sent by first class registered or certified mail, overnight courier service or facsimile or electronic transmission to the address designated in writing by such party, (ii) by facsimile to the number most recently provided to such party or such other address or fax number as may be designated in writing by such party or (iii) by electronic mail, to the electronic mail address most recently provided to such party or such other electronic mail address as may be designated in writing by such party. Any notice or other communication so transmitted shall be deemed to have been given on the day of delivery, if delivered personally, on the business day following receipt of written confirmation, if sent by facsimile or electronic transmission, one (1) business day after delivery to an overnight courier service or five (5) days after mailing if sent by mail.
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10. Construction. THIS NOTE SHALL BE CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF.
11. Severability. Any provision contained in this Note which is prohibited or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.
12. Trust Waiver. Reference is made to the final prospectus of the Maker, dated as of October 14, 2022 and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (File No. 333-264557) on October 17, 2022 (the “Prospectus”). Payee represents and warrants that it has received the Prospectus and understands that the Maker has established a trust account (the “Trust Account”) containing the proceeds of its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and the over-allotment shares acquired by its underwriters and from certain private placements occurring simultaneously with the IPO (including interest accrued from time to time thereon) for the benefit of the Maker’s public stockholders (including over-allotment shares acquired by the Maker’s underwriters, the “Public Stockholders”), and that, except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, the Maker may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (a) to the Public Stockholders in the event they elect to redeem their shares of the Maker in connection with the consummation of the Maker’s initial business combination or in connection with an extension of its deadline to consummate a business combination, (b) to the Public Stockholders if the Maker fails to consummate a business combination within fifteen (15) months after the closing of the IPO, subject to extension by amendment to the Maker’s organizational documents, (c) with respect to any interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, as necessary to pay any taxes or (d) to the Maker after or concurrently with the consummation of a business combination. For and in consideration of the Maker entering into this agreement and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, Payee hereby agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this agreement, that neither Payee nor any of its affiliates do now or shall at any time hereafter have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the Trust Account or distributions therefrom, or make any claim against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom), regardless of whether such claim arises as a result of, in connection with or relating in any way to, this agreement or any proposed or actual business relationship between the Maker or its representatives, on the one hand, and Payee or its representatives, on the other hand, or any other matter, and regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (collectively, the “Released Claims”). Payee on behalf of itself and its affiliates hereby irrevocably waive any Released Claims that it or any of its affiliates may have against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) now or in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Maker or its representatives and will not seek recourse against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) for any reason whatsoever (including for an alleged breach of any agreement with the Maker or its affiliates). Payee agrees and acknowledges that such irrevocable waiver is material to this agreement and specifically relied upon by the Maker and its affiliates to induce the Maker to enter into this agreement, and Payee further intends and understands such waiver to be valid, binding and enforceable against Payee and each of its affiliates under applicable law. To the extent Payee or any of its affiliates commence any action or proceeding based upon, in connection with, relating to or arising out of any matter relating to the Maker or its representatives, which proceeding seeks, in whole or in part, monetary relief against the Maker or its representatives, Payee hereby acknowledges and agrees that Payee and its affiliates’ sole remedy shall be against funds held outside of the Trust Account and that such claim shall not permit Payee or its affiliates (or any person claiming on any of their behalves or in lieu of any of them) to have any claim against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) or any amounts contained therein.
13. Amendment; Waiver. Any amendment hereto or waiver of any provision hereof may be made with, and only with, the written consent of Maker and Payee.
14. Assignment. No assignment or transfer of this Note or any rights or obligations hereunder may be made by any party hereto (by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior written consent of the other party hereto and any attempted assignment without the required consent shall be void.
[Signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Maker, intending to be legally bound hereby, has caused this Note to be duly executed by the undersigned as of the day and year first above written.
HUDSON ACQUISITION I CORP. | ||
By: | /s/ Jiang Hui | |
Name: | Jiang Hui | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
HUDSON SPAC HOLDING, LLC | ||
By: | /s/ Xiaoyue Zhang | |
Name: | Xiaoyue Zhang | |
Title: | Authorized Signatory |
[Signature Page to Promissory Note]
SCHEDULE A
Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Note to which this schedule is attached, the principal balance due under the Note shall be set forth in the table below and shall be updated from time to time to reflect all advances and re-advances outstanding under the Note.
Date | Drawing | Principal Balance | ||
[Signature Page to Promissory Note]