Merger Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated as of January 5, 2023 by and among FG Merger Corp., FG Merger Sub Inc. and iCoreConnect Inc

EX-2.1 2 tm2232936d1_ex2-1.htm EXHIBIT 2.1

 

Exhibit 2.1

 

Execution Copy

 

MERGER AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

 

BY AND AMONG

 

FG MERGER CORP.,

 

FG MERGER SUB INC.,

 

AND

 

ICORECONNECT INC.

 

DATED AS OF JANUARY 5, 2023

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Article I DEFINITIONS		2
Section 1.01	Certain Definitions	2
Section 1.02	Further Definitions	14
Section 1.03	Construction	16
Article II AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER		17
Section 2.01	The Merger	17
Section 2.02	Effective Times; Closing	17
Section 2.03	Effect of the Merger	17
Section 2.04	Governing Documents	17
Section 2.05	Directors and Officers	18
Section 2.06	Closing Deliverables	18
Article III CONVERSION OF SECURITIES; EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SECURITIES		19
Section 3.01	Pre-Closing Conversions	19
Section 3.02	Conversion of Securities	19
Section 3.03	Exchange of Company Securities	21
Section 3.04	Stock Transfer Books	23
Section 3.05	Payment of Expenses	24
Section 3.06	Adjustments to Aggregate Merger Consideration	24
Section 3.07	Appraisal Rights	25
Article IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY		25
Section 4.01	Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries	26
Section 4.02	Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws	26
Section 4.03	Capitalization	26
Section 4.04	Authority Relative to This Agreement	27
Section 4.05	No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents	28
Section 4.06	Permits; Compliance	28
Section 4.07	Financial Statements	29
Section 4.08	Absence of Certain Changes or Events	31
Section 4.09	Absence of Litigation	31
Section 4.10	Employee Benefit Plans	32
Section 4.11	Labor and Employment Matters	32
Section 4.12	Real Property; Title to Assets	33
Section 4.13	Intellectual Property	34
Section 4.14	Taxes	37
Section 4.15	Environmental Matters	39
Section 4.16	Material Contracts	39
Section 4.17	Insurance	42
Section 4.18	Board Approval; Vote Required	42

 

 

Section 4.19	Certain Business Practices	42
Section 4.20	Interested Party Transactions	43
Section 4.21	Brokers	43
Section 4.22	SEC Filings; Sarbanes-Oxley	43
Section 4.23	Books and Records	44
Section 4.24	Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties	44

Article V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF Parent AND MERGER SUB		45
Section 5.01	Corporate Organization	45
Section 5.02	Governing Documents	45
Section 5.03	Capitalization	45
Section 5.04	Authority Relative to this Agreement	47
Section 5.05	No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents	47
Section 5.06	Compliance	48
Section 5.07	SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley	48
Section 5.08	Absence of Certain Changes or Events	50
Section 5.09	Absence of Litigation	50
Section 5.10	Board Approval; Vote Required	50
Section 5.11	No Prior Operations of Merger Sub	51
Section 5.12	Brokers	51
Section 5.13	Parent Trust Fund	51
Section 5.14	Employees	52
Section 5.15	Taxes	52
Section 5.16	Registration and Listing	54
Section 5.17	Parent’s and Merger Sub’s Investigation and Reliance	55
Section 5.18	Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties	55
Article VI CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER		55
Section 6.01	Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger	55
Section 6.02	Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger	59
Section 6.03	Claims Against Trust Account	61
Article VII ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS		62
Section 7.01	Proxy Statement; Registration Statement	62
Section 7.02	Parent Stockholders’ Meeting; Merger Sub Stockholder’s Approval	65
Section 7.03	Company Stockholders’ Meeting	65
Section 7.04	Access to Information; Confidentiality	66
Section 7.05	SEC Filings	66
Section 7.06	Financial Information	67
Section 7.07	Exclusivity	67
Section 7.08	[Intentionally Omitted]	69
Section 7.09	Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification	69
Section 7.10	Notification of Certain Matters	70

 

 

Section 7.11	Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts	70
Section 7.12	Public Announcements	71
Section 7.13	Tax Matters	71
Section 7.14	Stock Exchange Listing	72
Section 7.15	Antitrust	72
Section 7.16	Trust Account	74
Section 7.17	Directors	74
Section 7.18	Equity Incentive Plan	74
Section 7.19	Related Party Agreements	74
Article VIII CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER		75
Section 8.01	Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party	75
Section 8.02	Conditions to the Obligations of Parent, Merger Sub	76
Section 8.03	Conditions to the Obligations of the Company	77
Article IX TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER		78
Section 9.01	Termination	78
Section 9.02	Effect of Termination	79
Section 9.03	Amendment	79
Section 9.04	Waiver	79
Article X GENERAL PROVISIONS		80
Section 10.01	Notices	80
Section 10.02	Nonsurvival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants	81
Section 10.03	Severability	81
Section 10.04	Entire Agreement; Assignment	81
Section 10.05	Parties in Interest	81
Section 10.06	Governing Law	81
Section 10.07	Waiver of Jury Trial	82
Section 10.08	Headings	82
Section 10.09	Counterparts; Electronic Delivery	82
Section 10.10	Specific Performance	82
Section 10.11	No Recourse	83

 

Exhibit A	Form of Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement
Exhibit B	Form of Lock-Up Agreement
Exhibit C	Form of Amended and Restated Charter of the Surviving Corporation
Exhibit D	Form of Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Parent
Exhibit E	Form of Parent Bylaws
Schedule A	Key Employees

 

 

MERGER AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION

 

This MERGER AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF REORGANIZATION, dated as of January 5, 2023, (this “Agreement”), is made by and among FG Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), FG Merger Sub Inc., a Nevada corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of Parent (“Merger Sub”), and iCoreConnect Inc., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”). Certain terms used herein are defined in Article I.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the Nevada Revised Statutes encompassing the General Corporation Law of the State of Nevada, as amended (“NRS”), Parent and the Company will enter into a business combination transaction pursuant to which Merger Sub will merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company being the surviving corporation of the Merger (the Company, in its capacity as the surviving corporation of the Merger, is sometimes referred to herein as the “Surviving Corporation”);

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) has (a) determined that the Merger is fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its stockholders and has approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the Merger and the other Transactions, and (b) has recommended the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Merger by the stockholders of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Parent (the “Parent Board”) has (a) approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the payment of the Per Share Merger Consideration to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to this Agreement and the other Transactions, and (b) adopted a resolution recommending that the stockholders of Parent vote in favor of all Parent Proposals, including, without limitation, adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Merger Sub (the “Merger Sub Board”) has (a) determined that the Merger is fair to, and in the best interests of Merger Sub and its sole stockholder, and approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and (b) recommended the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Merger by the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, respectively;

 

WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent, the Company, and the Specified Stockholders, shall enter into Stockholder Support Agreements (the “Stockholder Support Agreements”), providing that, among other things, the Specified Stockholders will provide their written consent to adopt and approve this Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Closing, Parent and the stockholders of Parent shall have effectuated an equity conversion, whereby the Parent Common Stock outstanding as of the date thereof is converted into a single class of Parent preferred stock with the rights and obligations outlined in the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Parent (“Parent Common Conversion”);

 

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Closing, Parent, certain stockholders of the Company (the “Company Initial Stockholders”) and certain stockholders of Parent (the “Parent Initial Stockholders”), shall enter into that certain Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A;

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the Closing, the Lock-Up Stockholders and FG Merger Investors LLC (the “Sponsor”) shall each enter into a Lock-Up Agreement (collectively, the “Lock-Up Agreements”) substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B;

 

WHEREAS, the officers and directors of Parent and the Sponsor have entered into a Sponsor Support Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, the persons indicated on the signature pages thereof have agreed to vote their Parent Common Stock in favor of this Agreement, the Merger and the other Transactions;

 

WHEREAS, at or prior to Closing, each individual listed on Schedule A (each, a “Key Employee”) will have accepted and executed (and not revoked, rescinded, or otherwise repudiated) an employment offer letter (collectively, the “New Employment Agreements”); and

 

WHEREAS, for U.S. federal and applicable state income Tax purposes, the parties hereto intend that (i) the Parent Common Conversion qualifies as a “recapitalization” described in Section 368(a)(1)(E) of the Code and (ii) the Merger shall qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Intended Tax Treatment”).

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

Article I

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01            Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:

 

“Accounting Principles” the same accounting principles, practices, procedures, policies and methods (with consistent classifications, judgments, elections, inclusions, exclusions and valuation and estimation methodologies) used and applied by the Company in the preparation of the latest Annual Financial Statements.

 

“Action” means any litigation, suit, claim, action, proceeding, audit or investigation by or before any Governmental Authority.

 

“affiliate” of a specified person means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified person; provided that, in no event shall the Company be considered an affiliate of any portfolio company of any investment fund affiliated with any direct or indirect equity holder of the Company.

 

 

“Aggregate Merger Consideration” means the aggregate Per Share Merger Consideration payable pursuant to this Agreement to Participating Securityholders.

 

“Ancillary Agreements” means the Stockholder Support Agreements, the Sponsor Support Agreement, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Lock-Up Agreements, the New Employment Agreements and all other agreements, certificates and instruments executed and delivered by Parent, Merger Sub, or the Company in connection with the Transactions and specifically contemplated by this Agreement.

 

“Anti-Corruption Laws” means, as applicable (i) the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, (ii) the UK Bribery Act 2010, (iii) anti-bribery legislation promulgated by the European Union and implemented by its member states, (iv) legislation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, and (v) similar legislation applicable to the Company from time to time.

 

“Books and Records” means all books and records, ledgers, employee records, customer lists, files, correspondence, and other records of every kind (whether written, electronic, or otherwise embodied) owned or controlled by a Person in which a Person’s assets, its business or its transactions are otherwise reflected, other than stock books.

 

“Bridge Financing” means short term financing on terms and conditions satisfactory to the Company in an aggregate amount not to exceed $3,000,000.

 

“Business Data” means all business information and data, including Personal Information that is Processed by any of the Business Systems or otherwise in the course of the conduct of the business of the Company.

 

“Business Day” means any day on which the principal offices of the SEC in Washington, D.C. are open to accept filings, or, in the case of determining a date when any payment is due, any day on which banks are not required or authorized to close in New York, NY; provided that banks shall not be deemed to be required or authorized to be closed due to a “shelter in place”, “non-essential employee” or similar closure of physical branch locations at the direction of any Governmental Authority if such banks’ electronic funds transfer systems (including for wire transfers) are open for use by customers on such day.

 

“Business Systems” means all Software, firmware, middleware, equipment, workstations, routers, hubs, computer hardware (whether general or special purpose), electronic data processors, databases, communications, telecommunications, networks, interfaces, platforms, servers, peripherals, and computer systems, including any outsourced systems and processes, and any Software and systems provided via the cloud or “as a service,” that are owned or controlled by the Company.

 

“Capital Stock” means the Company Common Stock and the Company Preferred Stock.

 

 

“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Company Awards” means Company Options and shares of Company Restricted Stock granted under the Company Equity Incentive Plan or otherwise.

 

“Company Bylaws” means the bylaws of the Company.

 

“Company Charter” means the Certificate of Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada on June 29, 2017, effective June 30, 2017, as may be amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

“Company Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value of $0.001 per share, designated as Common Stock in the Company Charter.

 

“Company Convertible Notes” means all convertible promissory notes of the Company that are outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.

 

“Company Equity Incentive Plan” means the Company 2016 Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Report on Form 10/A filed on August 17, 2018), as such may have been amended, supplemented or modified from time to time.

 

“Company Equity Value” means $98,000,000.

 

“Company IP” means, collectively, all Company Owned IP and Company Licensed IP.

 

“Company Licensed IP” means all Intellectual Property rights owned or purported to be owned by a third party that are licensed to the Company.

 

“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance, change or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with any one or more other events, circumstances, changes and effects, (i) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, financial condition, or results of operations of the Company taken as a whole or (ii) would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transactions; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed to constitute, alone or in combination, or be taken into account in the determination of whether, there has been or will be a Company Material Adverse Effect: (a) any change or proposed change in or change in the interpretation of any Law or GAAP; (b) events or conditions generally affecting the industries or geographic areas in which the Company operates; (c) any downturn in general economic conditions, including changes in the credit, debt, securities, financial or capital markets (including changes in interest or exchange rates, prices of any security or market index or commodity or any disruption of such markets); (d) any geopolitical conditions, outbreak of hostilities, acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest, cyberterrorism, terrorism, military actions, earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, wild fires or other natural disasters, weather conditions, epidemics, pandemics or other outbreaks of illness or public health events (including, for the avoidance of doubt, COVID-19 and any impact of COVID-19) and other force majeure events (including any escalation or general worsening of any of the foregoing); (e) any actions taken or not taken by the Company as required by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; (f) any event, circumstance, change or effect attributable to the announcement or execution, pendency, negotiation or consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transactions (including the impact thereof on relationships with customers, suppliers, employees or Governmental Authorities); (g) any failure to meet any projections, forecasts, guidance, estimates, milestones, budgets or financial or operating predictions of revenue, earnings, cash flow or cash position (provided that this clause (g) shall not prevent a determination that any event, circumstance, change or effect underlying such failure has resulted in a Company Material Adverse Effect); (h) any change in the market price or trading volume, or the downgrade in any rating, of the Company’s securities (i) any matter set forth in the Company SEC Documents that are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR System prior to the date of this Agreement (but excluding any disclosure contained in such Company SEC Documents under the heading “Risk Factors” and “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements”); or (j) any actions taken, or failures to take action, or such other changes or events, in each case, which Parent has requested or to which it has consented, except in the cases of clauses (a) through (d), to the extent that the Company, taken as a whole, are disproportionately and adversely affected thereby as compared with other participants in the industries in which the Company operates (in which case, only the incremental disproportionate adverse effect may be taken into account in determining whether a Company Material Adverse Effect has occurred).

 

 

“Company Options” means all options to purchase Company Common Stock, whether or not exercisable and whether or not vested, that are outstanding immediately prior to the Closing granted under the Company Equity Incentive Plan or otherwise, excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company Warrants.

 

“Company Organizational Documents” means the Company Charter and the Company Bylaws, in each case, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Company Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property rights owned by the Company.

 

“Company Preferred Stock” means shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Preferred Stock in the Company Charter.

 

“Company Reference Share Value” means a dollar amount equal to (i) the sum of the Company Equity Value, plus any amount by which the Estimated Working Capital exceeds the Target Working Capital, minus any amount by which the Target Working Capital exceeds the Estimated Working Capital, minus all outstanding Indebtedness of the Company as of the Closing Date divided by (ii) the number of Fully Diluted Company Shares.

 

“Company Restricted Stock” means shares of Company Common Stock subject to vesting, forfeiture or similar conditions granted under the Company Equity Incentive Plan or otherwise.

 

“Company SEC Documents” means all forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents, including any exhibits thereto, filed by the Company with the SEC, together with any amendments, restatements or supplements thereto.

 

 

“Company Securities” means the Company Common Stock, the Company Preferred Stock, the Company Awards and the Company Warrants.

 

“Company Warrants” means the warrants to purchase Company Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.

 

“Confidential Information” means any information, knowledge or data concerning the businesses and affairs of the Company or any Suppliers or customers of the Company or Parent or its subsidiaries (as applicable) that is not already generally available to the public, including any Intellectual Property rights.

 

“Contracts” means any legally binding contracts, agreements, subcontracts, instruments, conditional sales contracts, indentures, notes, bonds, loans, credit agreements, licenses, sublicenses, mortgages, deeds of trust, powers of attorney, guaranties, leases and subleases and all amendments, modifications, supplements, schedules, annexes and exhibits thereto.

 

“control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, or as trustee or executor, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.

 

“DGCL” means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

 

“Disabling Devices” means Software, viruses, time bombs, logic bombs, trojan horses, trap doors, back doors, spyware, malware, worms, other computer instructions, intentional devices, techniques, other technology, disabling codes, instructions, or other similar code or software routines or components that are designed to threaten, infect, assault, vandalize, defraud, disrupt, damage, disable, delete, maliciously encumber, hack into, incapacitate, perform unauthorized modifications, infiltrate or slow or shut down a computer system or data, software, system, network, other device, or any component of such computer system, including any such device affecting system security or compromising or disclosing user data in an unauthorized manner, other than those incorporated by the Company or the applicable third party intentionally to protect Company Owned IP or Business Systems from misuse.

 

“Employee Benefit Plan” means each “employee benefit plan,” as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA (whether or not subject to ERISA), any nonqualified deferred compensation plan subject to Section 409A of the Code, and each other retirement, health, welfare, cafeteria, bonus, commission, stock option, stock purchase, restricted stock, other equity or equity-based compensation, performance award, incentive, deferred compensation, retiree medical or life insurance, death or disability benefit, supplemental retirement, severance, retention, change in control, employment, consulting, fringe benefit, sick pay, vacation, and similar plan, program, policy, practice, agreement, or arrangement, whether written or unwritten.

 

“Environmental Laws” means any United States federal, state or local or non-United States Laws relating to: (i) releases or threatened releases of, or exposure of any person to, Hazardous Substances or materials containing Hazardous Substances; (ii) the manufacture, handling, transport, use, treatment, storage or disposal of Hazardous Substances or materials containing Hazardous Substances; or (iii) pollution or protection of the environment, natural resources or human health and safety.

 

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

“Ex-Im Laws” means all applicable Laws relating to export, re-export, transfer, and import controls, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, the customs and import Laws administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the EU Dual Use Regulation.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

“Exchange Ratio” means the following ratio: the quotient obtained by dividing (i) the Company Reference Share Value by (ii) the Parent Per Share Value.

 

“fraud” means actual and intentional common law fraud committed by a party to the Agreement with respect to the making of the representations and warranties by such party set forth in Article IV or Article V as applicable. Under no circumstances shall “fraud” include any equitable fraud, constructive fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unfair dealings, or any other fraud or torts based on recklessness or negligence.

 

“Fully Diluted Company Shares” means, as of the Effective Time, the sum of: (i) the number of shares of Company Common Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock issuable in respect of all issued and outstanding Company Options and Company Warrants and upon conversion of the Company Convertible Notes.

 

“Hazardous Substance(s)” means: (i) any substances, wastes, or materials defined, identified or regulated as hazardous or toxic or as a pollutant or a contaminant under any Environmental Law; (ii) petroleum and petroleum products, including crude oil and any fractions thereof; (iii) natural gas, synthetic gas, and any mixtures thereof; (iv) polychlorinated biphenyls, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, asbestos and radon; and (v) any other substance, material or waste regulated by, or for which standards of care may be imposed under any Environmental Law.

 

“HIPAA” means the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and its implementing regulations, including as amended by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Pub. Law No. 111-5 and its implementing regulations.

 

“HSR Act” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.

 

 

“Intellectual Property” means (i) issued patents and pending patent applications (including provisional and non-provisional applications), design patents, certificates of invention and patent disclosures, together with all reissues, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisionals, renewals, substitutions, revisions, extensions (including supplementary protection certificates) or reexaminations thereof (“Patents”), (ii) trademarks and service marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, corporate names, brands, slogans, and other source identifiers together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, combinations and other variants of the foregoing, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith, together with all of the goodwill associated with the foregoing (“Trademarks”), (iii) copyrights, and other works of authorship (whether or not copyrightable), and moral rights, and registrations and applications for registration, renewals and extensions thereof (“Copyrights”), (iv) trade secrets, know-how (including ideas, formulas, compositions, inventions (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice)), customer and supplier lists, improvements, protocols, processes, methods and techniques, research and development information, industry analyses, algorithms, architectures, layouts, drawings, specifications, designs, plans, methodologies, proposals, industrial models, technical data, financial and accounting and all other data, databases, database rights, including rights to use any Personal Information, pricing and cost information, business and marketing plans and proposals, and customer and supplier lists (including lists of prospects) and related information (“Trade Secrets”), (v) rights in Software, Internet domain names and social media accounts, (vi) rights of publicity and all other intellectual property or proprietary rights of any kind or description, (vii) copies and tangible embodiments of any of the foregoing, in whatever form or medium, including all Software, and (viii) all legal rights arising from items (i) through (vi), including the right to prosecute, enforce and perfect such interests and rights to sue, oppose, cancel, interfere, enjoin and collect damages based upon such interests, including such rights based on past infringement, if any, in connection with any of the foregoing.

 

“IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service of the United States.

 

“knowledge” or “to the knowledge” of a person means in the case of the Company, the actual knowledge of Robert McDermott, Archit Shah, Carly Garrison, Murali Chakravarthi, David Fidanza and Jeff Stellinga and in the case of Parent, the actual knowledge of Marvin Wesley Schrader.

 

“Leased Real Property” means the real property leased by the Company as tenant, together with, to the extent leased by the Company, all buildings and other structures, facilities or improvements located thereon and all easements, licenses, rights and appurtenances of the Company relating to the foregoing.

 

“Lien” means any lien, security interest, mortgage, deed of trust, defect of title, easement, right of way, pledge, adverse claim or other encumbrance of any kind that secures the payment or performance of an obligation (other than those created under applicable securities Laws).

 

“Lock-Up Stockholders” means the persons or entities listed on Section 1.01(B) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

 

“Merger Sub Organizational Documents” means the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of Merger Sub, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Off-the-Shelf Software” means any commercially available, off-the-shelf Software that is licensed other than through a written agreement executed by the licensee (such as via clickwrap, browsewrap, or shrinkwrap licenses) or that has license or user-fees less than $50,000.

 

 

“Open Source Software” means any Software in source code form that is licensed pursuant to (i) any license that is a license now or in the future approved by the open source initiative and listed at http://www.opensource.org/licenses, which licenses include all versions of the GNU General Public License (GPL), the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL), the GNU Affero GPL, the MIT license, the Eclipse Public License, the Common Public License, the CDDL, the Mozilla Public License (MPL), the Artistic License, the Netscape Public License, the Sun Community Source License (SCSL), and the Sun Industry Standards License (SISL), (ii) any license to Software that is considered “free” or “open source software” by the open source foundation or the free software foundation, (iii) the Server Side Public License, or (iv) any Reciprocal License.

 

“Parent Bylaws” means the Bylaws of Parent, dated as of February 25, 2022.

 

“Parent Certificate of Incorporation” means the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Parent, dated as of February 25, 2022.

 

“Parent Common Conversion” means the conversion of all shares of Parent Common Stock to Parent Preferred Stock in accordance with the Parent Charter Amendment.

 

“Parent Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance, change or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with any one or more other events, circumstances, changes and effects, (i) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, financial condition or results of operations of Parent; or (ii) would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the performance by Parent or Merger Sub of their respective obligations under this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transactions; provided, however, that none of the following shall be deemed to constitute, alone or in combination, or be taken into account in the determination of whether, there has been or will be a Parent Material Adverse Effect: (a) any change or proposed change in or change in the interpretation of any Law or GAAP; (b) events or conditions generally affecting the industries or geographic areas in which Parent operates; (c) any downturn in general economic conditions, including changes in the credit, debt, securities, financial or capital markets (including changes in interest or exchange rates, prices of any security or market index or commodity or any disruption of such markets); (d) any geopolitical conditions, outbreak of hostilities, acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest, cyberterrorism, terrorism, military actions, earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, mudslides, wild fires or other natural disasters, weather conditions, epidemics, pandemics or other outbreaks of illness or public health events and other force majeure events (including any escalation or general worsening of any of the foregoing); (e) any actions taken or not taken by Parent as required by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (f) any event, circumstance change or effect attributable to the announcement or execution, pendency, negotiation or consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transactions or (g) any actions taken, or failures to take action, or such other changes or events, in each case, which the Company has requested or to which it has consented or which actions are expressly contemplated by this Agreement, except in the cases of clauses (a) through (c), to the extent that Parent is disproportionately and adversely affected thereby as compared with other participants in the industry in which Parent operates.

 

“Parent Organizational Documents” means the Parent Certificate of Incorporation and the Parent Bylaws, in each case, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.

 

“Parent Per Share Value” means $10.00.

 

 

“Parent Units” means the units issued in the IPO or the overallotment consisting of one (1) share of Parent Common Stock and three-fourths (3/4) of one (1) Parent Warrant.

 

“Parent Stockholder Approval” means the approval of the Parent Proposals by an affirmative vote of the holders of the requisite number of shares of Parent Common Stock (as determined in accordance with applicable Law and the Parent Governing Documents) at a Parent Stockholders’ Meeting duly called by the Parent Board and held for such purpose.

 

“Participating Securityholder” means, as of immediately prior to the Closing, each (i) holder of shares of Company Common Stock (including shares of Company Restricted Stock) as of immediately prior to the Effective Time, (ii) holder of Company Warrant(s), (iii) holder of Company Option(s), and (iv) holder of Company Convertible Note.

 

“PCI DSS” means the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, issued by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council.

 

“Permitted Liens” means (i) such imperfections of title, easements, encumbrances, Liens or restrictions that do not materially impair or interfere with the current use of the Company’s assets that are subject thereto, (ii) materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, landlord’s and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business, or deposits to obtain the release of such Liens, (iii) Liens for Taxes not yet due and delinquent or, if delinquent, being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP, (iv) zoning, entitlement, conservation restriction and other land use and environmental regulations promulgated by Governmental Authorities that are not violated in any material respect by the Company’s current use of the assets that are subject thereto, (v) revocable, non-exclusive licenses (or sublicenses) of Company Owned IP granted in the ordinary course of business, (vi) non-monetary Liens, encumbrances and restrictions on real property (including easements, covenants, rights of way and similar restrictions of record) that do not materially interfere with the present uses of such real property, (vii) Liens identified in the Annual Financial Statements, and (viii) Liens on leases, subleases, easements, licenses, rights of use, rights to access and rights of way arising from the provisions of such agreements or benefiting or created by any superior estate, right or interest.

 

“person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, syndicate, person (including, without limitation, a “person” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), trust, association or entity or government, political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of a government.

 

“Personal Information” means “personal information,” “personal data,” “personally identifiable information” or equivalent terms as defined by applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws.

 

 

“Privacy/Data Security Laws” means all Laws applicable to the Company and governing the creation, receipt, collection, use, storage, maintenance, protection, processing, sharing, security, disclosure, disposal or transfer (collectively, “Processing”) of Personal Information, such as, to the extent applicable, the following Laws and their implementing regulations: the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Federal Trade Commission Act, the CAN-SPAM Act, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, California Consumer Privacy Act, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Data Protection Law Enforcement Directive, HIPAA, state data security Laws, state data breach notification Laws, applicable Laws relating to the transfer of Personal Information, and any applicable Laws concerning requirements for website and mobile application privacy policies and practices, call or electronic monitoring or recording or any outbound communications (including outbound calling and text messaging, telemarketing, and e-mail marketing). “Privacy/Data Security Laws” shall also include, to the extent applicable, PCI DSS.

 

“Products” means any products or services under development, developed, manufactured, performed, out-licensed, sold, distributed or otherwise made available by or on behalf of the Company, including those from which the Company has derived previously, is currently deriving or is scheduled or intends to derive, revenue from the sale or provision thereof and the products and product candidates set out on Section 1.01(C) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

 

“Reciprocal License” means a license of an item of Software that requires or that conditions any rights granted in such license upon (i) the disclosure, distribution or licensing of any other Software (other than such item of Software as provided by a third party in its unmodified form), (ii) a requirement that any disclosure, distribution or licensing of any other Software (other than such item of Software in its unmodified form) be at no charge, (iii) a requirement that any other licensee of the Software be permitted to access the source code of, modify, make derivative works of, or reverse-engineer any such other Software, (iv) a requirement that such other Software be redistributable by other licensees, or (v) the grant of any patent rights (other than patent rights in such item of Software), including non-assertion or patent license obligations (other than patent obligations relating to the use of such item of Software).

 

“Redemption Date” means the deadline for exercising Redemption Rights in connection with the Merger.

 

“Redemption Rights” means the redemption rights provided for in Section 9.02 of Article IX of the Parent Certificate of Incorporation.

 

“Registered Intellectual Property” means all Intellectual Property that is the subject of an issued patent or registration (or a patent application or an application for registration), including domain names.

 

“Required Parent Stockholder Approval” means the approval of those Parent Proposals identified in clauses (A) and (B) of Section 7.01(a) by the affirmative vote of holders of a majority of the then outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, assuming a quorum is present and clause (C) of Section 7.01(a) by an affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding Parent Common Stock entitled to vote (as determined in accordance with applicable Law and the Parent Organizational Documents) at a Parent Stockholders’ Meeting duly called by the Parent Board and held for such purpose.

 

“Requisite Approval” means the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the shares of outstanding Company Common Stock voting as a single class.

 

“Sanctioned Person” means at any time any person (i) listed on any Sanctions-related list of designated or blocked persons, (ii) the government of, resident in, or organized under the laws of a country or territory that is the subject of comprehensive restrictive Sanctions from time to time (which includes, as of the date of this Agreement, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea region), or (iii) majority-owned or controlled by any of the foregoing.

 

 

“Sanctions” means those applicable, economic and financial sanctions Laws, regulations, embargoes, and restrictive measures administered or enforced by (i) the United States (including without limitation the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control), (ii) the European Union and enforced by its member states, (iii) the United Nations, (iv) Her Majesty’s Treasury, or (v) any other similar governmental authority with jurisdiction over the Company from time to time.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“Software” means all computer software (in object code or source code format), data and databases, and related documentation and materials.

 

“Specified Stockholders” means the persons or entities listed on Section 1.01(D) of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

 

“stockholder” means a holder of stock or shares, as appropriate.

 

“Subsequent Transaction” means any transaction or series of transactions occurring after the Closing (a) following which a person or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of persons (other than Parent, the Surviving Corporation or any of their respective Subsidiaries), has direct or indirect beneficial ownership of securities (or rights convertible or exchangeable into securities) representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the voting power of Parent, (b) constituting a sale, merger, liquidation, exchange offer or other similar transaction, however effected, following which the voting securities of Parent immediately prior to such transaction do not continue to represent or are not converted into fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the person resulting from such transaction or, if the surviving company is a Subsidiary, the ultimate parent thereof.

 

“Subsidiary” or “Subsidiaries” of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any other person means an affiliate controlled by such person, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries.

 

“Supplier” means any person that supplies inventory or other materials or personal property, components, or other goods or services (including, design, development and manufacturing services) that comprise or are utilized in, including in connection with the design, development, manufacture or sale of, the Products of the Company.

 

“Target Working Capital” means $1,000,000.

 

 

“Tax” or “Taxes” means any and all taxes (including any duties, levies or other similar governmental fees, assessments or charges of any kind in the nature of taxes), including, but not limited to, income, estimated, business, occupation, corporate, capital, gross receipts, transfer, stamp, registration, employment, payroll, social security (or similar), unemployment, withholding, occupancy, license, severance, capital, production, ad valorem, excise, windfall profits, customs, duties, environmental, premium, real property gains, real property, personal property, sales, use, turnover, value added and franchise taxes, in each case imposed by any Governmental Authority, whether disputed or not, together with all interest, penalties, and additions to tax imposed with respect to such amounts thereto.

 

“Tax Return” means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund or information return or statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto and any amendment thereof, in each case filed or required to be filed with a Governmental Authority.

 

“Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Parent Common Stock is actually traded on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which shares of Parent Common Stock are then traded.

 

“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, including all schedules and exhibits hereto, the Company Disclosure Schedule and the Ancillary Agreements.

 

“Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (other than those disclosed on the Company Disclosure Schedule that are not specifically contemplated by this Agreement).

 

“Transfer Taxes” means any transfer, documentary, sales, use, real property, stamp, registration and other similar Taxes, fees and costs (including any associated penalties and interest) payable in connection with the Transactions.

 

“Treasury Regulations” means the regulations promulgated under the Code.

 

“Virtual Data Room” means the virtual data room established by the Company or its Representatives, hosted by iDeals, with access made available to Parent and its Representatives.

 

“Willful Breach” means, with respect to any agreement, a party’s material breach of any of its representations or warranties as set forth in such agreement, or such party’s material breach of any of its covenants or other agreements set forth in such agreement, which material breach, in each case, constitutes, or is a consequence of, a purposeful act or failure to act by such party with the knowledge that the taking of such act or failure to take such act would, or would reasonably be expected to, cause a material breach of such agreement.

 

“Working Capital” means all current assets of the Company minus all current liabilities of the Company (excluding, without duplication, Indebtedness and unpaid Outstanding Company Transaction Expenses).

 

 

Section 1.02         Further Definitions. The following terms have the meaning set forth in the Sections set forth below:

 

Defined Term	Location of Definition
Acquisition Proposal	§ Section 7.07(b)
Agreement	Preamble
Annual Financial Statement	§ Section 4.07(a)
Antitrust Laws	§ 7.15(a)
Articles of Merger	§ Section 2.02(a)
Blue Sky Laws	§ 4.05(b)
Business Combination	§ 6.03
Business Combination Proposal	§ Section 7.07(a)
Certificates	§ 3.03(a)
Closing	§ 2.02(b)
Closing Date	§ 2.02(b)
Company	Preamble
Company Board	Recitals
Company Disclosure Schedule	Article IV
Company Initial Stockholders	Recitals
Company Material Adverse Effect	§ Section 8.02(a)
Company Officer’s Certificate	§ 8.02(c)
Company Permits	§ Section 4.06(a)
Company SEC Reports	§ Section 4.22(a)
Company Service Provider	§ 6.01(b)(vii)
Company Stockholder Approval	§ 4.18
Company Stockholder Approval Matters	§ 7.01(a)
Company Stockholders’ Meeting	§ 7.01(a)
Converted Option	§ 3.02(a)(iv)
Data Security Requirements	§ Section 4.13(l)
DGCL	§ Section 1.01
Effective Time	§ 2.02(a)
Environmental Permits	§ 4.15
Estimated Closing Statement	§ Section 3.06
Estimated Working Capital	§ Section 3.06
Exchange Agent	§ 3.03(a)
Exchange Agent Agreement	§ 3.03(a)
Exchange Fund	§ Section 3.03(b)(i)
Extension	§ Section 6.02(b)
Extension Date	§ Section 6.02(b)
FTC	§ 8.01(d)
GAAP	§ 4.07(a)
Governmental Authority	§ 4.05(b)
Intended Tax Treatment	Recitals
Interim Financial Statements	§ 4.07(b)
Interim Financial Statements Date	§ 4.07(b)
Interim Period	§ Section 6.01(a)
IPO	§ 6.03
Key Employee	Recitals
Law	§ 4.05(a)
Lease	§ 4.12(b)

 

 

Defined Term	Location of Definition
Lease Documents	§ 4.12(b)
Lock-Up Agreements	Recitals
Material Contracts	§ 4.16(a)
Maximum Annual Premium	§ Section 7.09(b)
Merger	Recitals
Merger Payment Schedule	§ 3.03(i)
Merger Sub	Preamble
Merger Sub Board	Recitals
Merger Sub Common Stock	§ 5.03(b)
New Employment Agreements	Recitals
Non-Disclosure Agreement	§ 7.04(b)
Nonparty Affiliate	§ 10.11
NRS	Recitals
Ordinary Commercial Agreement	§ Section 4.14(b)
Outside Date	§ 9.01(b)
Outstanding Company Transaction Expenses	§ 3.05(a)
Outstanding Parent Transaction Expenses	§ 3.05(b)
Outstanding Transaction Expenses	§ 3.05(b)
Parent	Preamble
Parent Assumed Warrant	§ Section 3.02(a)(vi)
Parent Board	Recitals
Parent Board Recommendation	§ Section 7.02(a)
Parent Common Conversion	Recitals
Parent Common Stock	§ 5.03(a)
Parent Disclosure Schedule	Article V
Parent Equity Incentive Plan	§ 7.01(a)
Parent Initial Stockholders	Recitals
Parent Material Adverse Effect	§ Section 8.03(a)
Parent Preferred Stock	§ 5.03(a)
Parent Proposals	§ 7.01(a)
Parent Public Warrants	§ 5.16
Parent Restricted Stock	§ Section 3.02(a)(i)
Parent SEC Reports	§ 5.07(a)
Parent Stockholders’ Meeting	§ 7.01(a)
Parent Warrants	§ 5.03(a)
Per Share Merger Consideration	§ 3.02(a)(i)
Permitted Financings	§ Section 6.01(b)(ii)
Prospectus	§ 6.03
Proxy Statement	§ 7.01(a)
Public Stockholders	§ 6.03
Registration Rights Agreement	Recitals
Registration Statement	§ 7.01(a)
Related Party	§ Section 7.19
Released Claims	§ 6.03
Remedies Exceptions	§ 4.04

 

 

Defined Term	Location of Definition
Representatives	§ 7.04(a)
Sarbanes-Oxley Act	§ Section 4.22(a)
SEC	§ Section 4.22(a)
Sponsor	Recitals
Sponsor Support Agreement	Recitals
Stockholder Support Agreements	Recitals
Surviving Corporation	Recitals
Surviving Provisions	§ Section 9.02(a)
Tax Claim	§ Section 4.14(a)
Terminating Company Breach	§ 9.01(e)
Terminating Parent Breach	§ Section 9.01(f)
Trust Account	§ 5.13
Trust Agreement	§ 5.13
Trust Fund	§ 5.13
Trustee	§ 5.13

 

Section 1.03         Construction.

 

(a)          Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (i) words of any gender include each other gender, (ii) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, (iii) the definitions contained in this agreement are applicable to the other grammatical forms of such terms, (iv) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereto” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, (v) the terms “Article,” “Section,” “Schedule” and “Exhibit” refer to the specified Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit of or to this Agreement, (vi) the word “including” means “including without limitation,” (vii) the word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive, (viii) references to agreements and other documents shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments and other modifications thereto and references to any Law shall include all rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and (ix) references to any Law shall be construed as including all statutory, legal, and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending or replacing such Law.

 

(b)         The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.

 

(c)         Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such number shall refer to calendar days unless Business Days are specified, and when counting days, the date of commencement will not be included as a full day for purposes of computing any applicable time periods (except as otherwise may be required under any applicable Law). If any action is to be taken or given on or by a particular calendar day, and such calendar day is not a Business Day, then such action may be deferred until the next Business Day.

 

(d)         All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined herein shall have the meanings given to them under GAAP.

 

 

Article II

 

AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER

 

Section 2.01         The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Article VIII, and in accordance with the NRS, at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation of the Merger (provided that references to the Company for periods after the Effective Time shall include the Surviving Corporation).

 

Section 2.02         Effective Times; Closing.

 

(a)          As promptly as practicable, but in no event later than three (3) Business Days, after the satisfaction or, if permissible, waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VIII (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, it being understood that the occurrence of the Closing shall remain subject to the satisfaction or, if permissible, waiver of such conditions at the Closing), the parties hereto shall cause the Merger to be consummated by filing articles of merger (the “Articles of Merger”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Nevada, in such form as is required by, and executed in accordance with, the relevant provisions of the NRS and mutually agreed by the parties (the date and time of the filing of such Articles of Merger (or such later time as may be agreed by each of the parties hereto and specified in such Articles of Merger) being the “Effective Time”).

 

(b)         Immediately prior to such filing of the Articles of Merger in accordance with Section 2.02(a), the closing (the “Closing”) shall be held by electronic exchange of deliverables and release of signatures, for the purpose of confirming the satisfaction or waiver, as the case may be, of the conditions set forth in Article VIII. The date on which the Closing shall occur is referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”

 

Section 2.03         Effect of the Merger. At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall be as provided herein and in the applicable provisions of the NRS. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges, immunities, powers, franchises, licenses and authority of the Company and Merger Sub shall vest in the Surviving Corporation, and all debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities and duties of the Company and Merger Sub shall become the debts, liabilities, obligations, restrictions, disabilities and duties of the Surviving Corporation.

 

Section 2.04         Governing Documents.

 

(a)          At the Effective Time, the Company Charter, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be amended and restated in its entirety to read as set forth on Exhibit C attached hereto and, as so amended and restated, shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as provided by the NRS and such Company Charter (subject to Section 7.09).

 

 

(b)           At the Closing, Parent shall amend and restate, effective as of the Effective Time, the Parent Certificate of Incorporation to read as set forth on Exhibit D.

 

(c)           At the Closing, Parent shall amend and restate, effective as of the Effective Time, the Parent Bylaws to read as set forth on Exhibit E.

 

Section 2.05           Directors and Officers.

 

(a)           The parties will take all requisite actions such that the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation and the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation immediately after the Effective Time shall be the individuals indicated on Section 2.05(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each to hold office in accordance with the provisions of the NRS and the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation and until their respective successors are, in the case of the initial directors, duly elected or appointed and qualified and, in the case of the initial officers, duly appointed.

 

(b)           The parties shall cause the officers of Parent as of immediately following the Effective Time to be the individuals set forth on Section 2.05(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, each to hold office in accordance with the DGCL and the Parent Certificate of Incorporation and the Parent Bylaws and until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified. The parties shall cause the Parent Board to be comprised as of immediately following the Effective Time of the directors designated by the Company by written notice to Parent and reasonably acceptable to Parent with a majority of the directors on the Parent Board each qualifying as an “independent director” under the rules of the Nasdaq Global Market (such written designations in each case to be made at least five (5) Business Days prior to the expected Effective Time), with each such director to hold office in accordance with the DGCL and the Parent Certificate of Incorporation and the Parent Bylaws and until their respective successors are duly elected or appointed and qualified.

 

Section 2.06           Closing Deliverables.

 

(a)           At the Closing, the Company will deliver or cause to be delivered to Parent:

 

(i)            the executed written resignations effective as of the Effective Time of all members of the Company Board, other than for those persons identified as continuing directors on Section 2.05(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; and

 

(ii)           copies of the Ancillary Agreements duly executed by duly authorized representatives of the Company and each party thereto (other than Parent and the Parent stockholders party thereto).

 

(b)           At the Closing, Parent will deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company:

 

(i)            the executed written resignations effective as of the Effective Time of all members of the Parent Board and officers of Parent; and

 

(ii)           the Ancillary Agreements duly executed by duly authorized representatives of any of Parent, Merger Sub or Parent stockholders party thereto.

 

 

Article III

 

CONVERSION OF SECURITIES; EXCHANGE OF COMPANY SECURITIES

 

Section 3.01           Pre-Closing Conversions.

 

(a)           The Company shall take all actions, including the amendment of any award agreements for Company Options, necessary to cause each Company Option that is vested and issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time to be automatically exercised immediately prior to the Effective Time into a number of shares of Company Common Stock at the then-effective exercise price set forth in the Company Equity Incentive Plan or any award agreement on a cashless basis utilizing a market price per share equal to the Parent Per Share Value (the “Company Option Exercise”). All of such vested Company Options exercised into shares of Company Common Stock shall be canceled, shall no longer be outstanding and shall cease to exist and each such holder of Company Options shall thereafter cease to have any rights with respect to such securities.

 

(b)           The Company shall take all actions, including the amendment of any Company Warrants, necessary to cause each Company Warrant that is outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time to be automatically exercised immediately prior to the Effective Time into a number of shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the terms of such Company Warrants on a cashless basis utilizing a market price per share equal to the Parent Per Share Value (the “Company Warrant Exercise”). All of the Company Warrants so converted into shares of Company Common Stock shall be canceled, shall no longer be outstanding and shall cease to exist and each holder of Company Warrants shall thereafter cease to have any rights with respect to such Company Warrants.

 

(c)           The Company shall take all actions necessary to cause the outstanding principal together with all accrued and unpaid interest under each Company Convertible Note as of the time immediately prior to the Effective Time to be converted immediately prior to the Effective Time into the right to receive a number of shares of Company Common Stock determined in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Convertible Note (the “Company Convertible Note Conversion”). All of the Company Convertible Notes so converted into shares of Company Common Stock shall be canceled, shall no longer be outstanding and shall cease to exist and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect thereto, and each holder of a Company Convertible Note shall thereafter cease to have any rights with respect thereto.

 

Section 3.02           Conversion of Securities.

 

(a)           At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any of the following securities:

 

(i)            each share of Company Common Stock (including shares of Company Restricted Stock) that is issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be canceled and converted into the number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio (which consideration shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Per Share Merger Consideration”); provided, that the Per Share Merger Consideration is subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 3.06; provided further that each share of Parent Common Stock that is issued upon the conversion of Company Restricted Stock pursuant to this Section 3.02(a)(i) (“Parent Restricted Stock”) shall continue to have, and be subject to, the same terms and conditions of such share Company Restricted Stock immediately prior to the Effective Time, including any vesting or forfeiture conditions;

 

 

(ii)           each share of Capital Stock held in the treasury of the Company shall be canceled without any conversion thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect thereto;

 

(iii)          each share of Merger Sub Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and exchanged for one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation; and

 

(iv)          each Company Option that is unvested and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be assumed by Parent and converted into an option to purchase shares of Parent Common Stock (each, a “Converted Option”), provided that the assumption and conversion of any such Company Options that are incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code will be effected in a manner that is intended to be consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 424 of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. Each Converted Option will have and be subject to the same terms and conditions (including vesting and exercisability terms in accordance with the terms of the Company Option and Company Equity Incentive Plan) as were applicable to such Company Option immediately before the Effective Time, except that (x) each Converted Option will be exercisable for that number of shares of Parent Common Stock equal to the product (rounded down to the nearest whole number) of (1) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to the Company Option immediately before the Effective Time and (2) the Exchange Ratio; and (y) the per share exercise price for each share of Parent Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Converted Option will be equal to the quotient (rounded up to the nearest whole cent) obtained by dividing (1) the exercise price per share of Company Common Stock of such Company Option immediately before the Effective Time by (2) the Exchange Ratio; provided, however, that the exercise price and the number of shares of Parent Common Stock purchasable under each Converted Option will be determined in a manner consistent with the requirements of the stock rights exemption under Treasury Regulations 1.409A-1(b)(5);

 

(b)           Prior to the Effective Time and subject to the prior reasonable review and approval of Parent (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned), the Company shall take all actions reasonably necessary to effect the transactions anticipated by Section 3.02(a) under the Company Charter, bylaws of the Company and Company Equity Incentive Plan or Company Awards (whether written or oral, formal or informal), including delivering all required notices, obtaining all necessary approvals and consents, and delivering evidence reasonably satisfactory to Parent that all necessary determinations by the Company Board or applicable committee of the Company Board to assume and convert such Company Award in accordance with Section 3.02(a) have been made.

 

 

Section 3.03           Exchange of Company Securities.

 

(a)           Exchange Agent. Parent shall appoint an exchange agent reasonably acceptable to the Company (the “Exchange Agent”) (it being understood and agreed, for the avoidance of doubt, that Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (or any of its affiliates) shall be deemed to be acceptable to the Company) and enter into a paying and exchange agent agreement, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent and the Company (the “Exchange Agent Agreement”) for the purpose of exchanging certificates for Capital Stock (collectively, the “Certificates”), if any, representing the Capital Stock and each share of Capital Stock held in book-entry form on the stock transfer books of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time, in either case, for the portion of the Per Share Merger Consideration issuable in respect of such Capital Stock pursuant to Section 3.02(a) and on the terms and subject to the other conditions set forth in this Agreement. The Company shall reasonably cooperate with Parent and the Exchange Agent in connection with the appointment of the Exchange Agent, the entry into the Exchange Agent Agreement (including, if necessary or advisable, as determined in good faith by Parent, by also entering into the Exchange Agent Agreement in the form agreed to by Parent and the Exchange Agent) and the covenants and agreements in the Exchange Agent Agreement (including the provision of any information, or the entry into any agreements or documentation, necessary or advisable, as determined in good faith by Parent, or otherwise required by the Exchange Agent Agreement for the Exchange Agent to fulfill its duties as the Exchange Agent in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby).

 

(b)           Exchange Procedures.

 

(i)            On the Closing Date, Parent shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with the Exchange Agent, for the benefit of the holders of Company Common Stock, for exchange in accordance with this Article III, the number of shares of Parent Common Stock sufficient to deliver the aggregate Per Share Merger Consideration payable pursuant to this Agreement (such shares of Parent Common Stock being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Fund”).

 

(ii)           Parent shall cause the Exchange Agent, pursuant to irrevocable instructions, to pay such Per Share Merger Consideration out of the Exchange Fund in accordance with the Merger Payment Schedule and the other applicable provisions contained in this Agreement. The Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.

 

(iii)          If the Merger Payment Schedule is delivered to the Exchange Agent in accordance with Section 3.03(i) on or prior to the date that is (i) at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, then Parent and the Company shall take reasonable steps to cause the applicable Per Share Merger Consideration to be issued to the applicable holder of Capital Stock in book-entry form as soon as reasonably practicable following the Closing Date, or (ii) less than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, then Parent and the Company shall take all necessary actions to cause the applicable Per Share Merger Consideration to be issued to the applicable holder of Capital Stock in book-entry form within two (2) Business Days after such delivery; provided that the Per Share Merger Consideration shall not be issued with respect to shares of Capital Stock represented by a Certificate until the applicable holder of such Capital Stock has surrendered such Certificate to the Exchange Agent.

 

 

(iv)          If any Per Share Merger Consideration is to be issued to a person other than the holder of Capital Stock in whose name the surrendered Certificate or the transferred shares of Capital Stock in book-entry form is registered, it shall be a condition to the issuance of the applicable portion of such Per Share Merger Consideration that, in addition to any other requirements set forth in the Exchange Agent Agreement, (i) either such Certificate shall be properly endorsed or shall otherwise be in proper form for transfer or such share of Capital Stock in book-entry form shall be properly transferred and (ii) the person requesting such consideration pay to the Exchange Agent any transfer or similar Taxes required as a result of such consideration being issued to a person other than the registered holder of such Certificate or share of Capital Stock in book-entry form or establish to the satisfaction of the Exchange Agent that such transfer or similar Taxes have been paid or are not payable.

 

(c)            No Further Rights in Capital Stock or Company Options. The Per Share Merger Consideration issuable upon conversion of the Capital Stock (including shares of Company Restricted Stock) in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been paid and issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Capital Stock.

 

(d)            Adjustments to Per Share Merger Consideration. The Per Share Merger Consideration shall be equitably adjusted to reflect the effect of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend (including any dividend or distribution of securities convertible into shares of Parent Common Stock), reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, combination, merger, sale or exchange of shares or other like change with respect to shares of Parent Common Stock occurring on or after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time.

 

(e)            Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains undistributed to the Participating Securityholders for one (1) year after the Effective Time shall be delivered to Parent, upon demand, and any Participating Securityholder who has not theretofore complied with this Section 3.03 shall thereafter look only to Parent for such holder’s Per Share Merger Consideration. Any portion of the Aggregate Merger Consideration remaining unclaimed by Participating Securityholders as of a date which is immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any Governmental Authority shall, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of Parent free and clear of any claims or interest of any person previously entitled thereto.

 

(f)             No Liability. None of the Exchange Agent, Parent or the Surviving Corporation shall be liable to any Participating Securityholder for any Parent Common Stock (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) or cash delivered to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or similar Law.

 

 

(g)            Withholding Rights. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each of Parent, Merger Sub, the Company, the Surviving Corporation, and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from amounts (including shares, options or other property) otherwise payable, issuable or transferable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to such payment, issuance or transfer under the Code or any provision of state, local or non-U.S. Tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so deducted or withheld and timely paid to the applicable Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Law, such deducted or withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid, issued or transferred to the holder of the Company Securities (or intended recipients) in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made. The parties hereto shall cooperate in good faith to eliminate or reduce any such deduction or withholding.

 

(h)            Fractional Shares. No certificates or scrip or shares representing fractional shares of Parent Common Stock shall be issued upon the exchange of Capital Stock and such fractional share interests will not entitle the owner thereof to vote or to have any rights of a stockholder of Parent or a holder of shares of Parent Common Stock. In lieu of any fractional share of Parent Common Stock to which any holder of Capital Stock would otherwise be entitled, the Exchange Agent shall round up or down to the nearest whole share of Parent Common Stock, as applicable, with a fraction of 0.5 rounded up. No cash settlements shall be made with respect to fractional shares eliminated by rounding.

 

(i)             Merger Payment Schedule. At least two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to Parent and the Exchange Agent a schedule (the “Merger Payment Schedule”) of beneficial ownership of Company Common Stock and the percentage allocation of the Aggregate Merger Consideration payable to each Participating Securityholder at the Closing. The Company agrees that Parent and the Exchange Agent shall be entitled to rely conclusively on information set forth in the Merger Payment Schedule and any amounts delivered by Parent or the Exchange Agent to an applicable Participating Securityholder in accordance with the Merger Payment Schedule shall be deemed for all purposes to have been delivered to the applicable Participating Securityholder in full satisfaction of the obligations of Parent under this Agreement and Parent shall not be responsible or liable for the calculations or the determinations regarding such calculations set forth therein.

 

Section 3.04           Stock Transfer Books. At the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and there shall be no further registration of transfers of Company Common Stock thereafter on the records of the Company. From and after the Effective Time, the holders of the Capital Stock outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Capital Stock, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or by Law.

 

 

Section 3.05           Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)            No sooner than five (5) nor later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall provide to Parent a written report setting forth a list of all of the following fees and expenses incurred by or on behalf of the Company in connection with the preparation, negotiation and execution of this Agreement, the other Transaction Documents, the performance and compliance with all Transaction Documents and conditions contained herein to be performed or complied with by the Company at or before Closing, and the consummation of the Transactions (together with written invoices and wire transfer instructions for the payment thereof), solely to the extent such fees and expenses are incurred and expected to remain unpaid as of the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date: (i) the fees and disbursements of outside counsel to the Company incurred in connection with the Transactions and (ii) the fees and expenses of any other agents, advisors, consultants, experts, financial advisor and other service providers engaged by the Company in connection with the Transactions (collectively, the “Outstanding Company Transaction Expenses”) which shall not exceed (x) $2,700,000 plus (y) any fees payable pursuant to (1) that letter agreement dated as of February 16, 2022 between the Company and Maxim Group LLC and/or (2) that certain Finder’s Fee Agreement, dated June 16, 2022 between the Company and PIGI Solutions, LLC (such resulting amount, the “Company Expenses Cap”). In the event that the Outstanding Company Transaction Expenses exceed the Company Expense Cap, the Aggregate Merger Consideration shall be reduced by the amount of shares equal to the amount of such excess divided by the Per Share Merger Consideration.

 

(b)            No sooner than five (5) nor later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, Parent shall provide to the Company a written report setting forth a list of all fees, expenses and disbursements incurred by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub prior to and through the Closing Date, including (i) outside counsel to Parent in connection with the Transactions, (ii) agents, advisors, consultants, experts, financial advisors and other service providers engaged by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub in connection with the Transactions or otherwise in connection with Parent’s operations (together with written invoices and wire transfer instructions for the payment thereof), (iii) any amounts due to the underwriters of Parent’s IPO, (iv) any loans owed by Parent for amounts borrowed from its directors, officers or stockholders (including the Sponsor), (v) fees relating to all SEC and other regulatory filings (including those incurred in connection with the Proxy Statement, Registration Statement and the filing fee for the Notification and Report Forms filed under the HSR Act and any other applicable Antitrust Law) and (vi) all premiums for directors’ and officers’ liability insurance (collectively, the “Outstanding Parent Transaction Expenses” and together with the Outstanding Company Transaction Expenses, the “Outstanding Transaction Expenses”) which shall not exceed $5,500,000 (the “Parent Expense Cap”). The Outstanding Parent Transaction Expenses shall not include any transaction, monitoring, management or other similar fees payable by Parent to the Sponsor or its affiliates. In the event that the Outstanding Parent Transaction Expenses exceed the Parent Expense Cap, the Aggregate Merger Consideration shall be increased by the amount of shares equal to the amount of such excess divided by the Per Share Merger Consideration.

 

(c)            On the Closing Date, the Surviving Company shall pay or cause to be paid, by wire transfer of immediately available funds, all Outstanding Transaction Expenses.

 

Section 3.06           Adjustments to Aggregate Merger Consideration. At least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver to the Parent a statement certified by the Company’s Chief Financial Officer (the “Estimated Closing Statement”) setting forth a good faith calculation of the Company’s estimate of Working Capital as of the close of business on the Closing Date, including in reasonable detail, the components thereof (the “Estimated Working Capital”), and the resulting Aggregate Merger Consideration and Per Share Merger Consideration Amount based on such estimates, in reasonable detail including for each component thereof, along with the amount owed to each creditor of the Company, and bank statements and other evidence reasonably necessary to confirm such calculations. Promptly after delivery of the Estimated Closing Statement to Parent, if requested by Parent, the Company will meet with the Parent to review and discuss the Estimated Closing Statement and the Company will consider in good faith the Parent’s comments to the Estimated Closing Statement and make any appropriate adjustments to the Estimated Closing Statement prior to the Closing, which adjusted Estimated Closing Statement, as mutually approved by the Company and Parent both acting reasonably and in good faith, shall thereafter become the Estimated Closing Statement for all purposes of this Agreement. The Estimated Closing Statement and the determinations contained therein shall be prepared in accordance with the Accounting Principles and otherwise in accordance with this Agreement.

 

 

Section 3.07           Appraisal Rights.

 

(a)            Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and to the extent available under the NRS, shares of Company Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and that are held by stockholders of the Company who shall have neither voted in favor of the Merger nor consented thereto in writing and who shall have demanded properly in writing appraisal for such Company Common Stock in accordance with NRS Section 92A.380 and otherwise complied with all of the provisions of the NRS relevant to the exercise and perfection of dissenters’ rights shall not be converted into, and such stockholders shall have no right to receive, the Per Share Merger Consideration unless and until such stockholder fails to perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses his, her or its right to appraisal and payment under the NRS. Shares held by any stockholder of the Company who fails to perfect or who effectively withdraws or otherwise loses his, her or its dissenters’ rights to appraisal of such shares of Company Common Stock under NRS Section 92A.380, shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted into, and to have become exchangeable for, as of the Effective Time, the applicable Per Share Merger Consideration, without any interest thereon.

 

(b)            Prior to the Closing, the Company shall give Parent (i) prompt notice of any demands for appraisal received by the Company and any withdrawals of such demands, and (ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the NRS. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal or offer to settle or settle any such demands.

 

Article IV

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY

 

Except as set forth (i) the Company SEC Documents that are publicly available on the SEC’s EDGAR System prior to the date of this Agreement (but excluding disclosures referred to in “Forward-Looking Statements,” and any other disclosures therein to the extent they are of a predictive or related to forward-looking statements) and (ii) in the Company’s disclosure schedule delivered by the Company to Parent and Merger Sub in connection with this Agreement (the “Company Disclosure Schedule”), (each of which qualifies (a) the correspondingly numbered representation, warranty or covenant specified therein and (b) such other representations, warranties or covenants where its relevance as an exception to (or disclosure for purposes of) such other representation, warranty or covenant is reasonably apparent on its face or cross-referenced), the Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and Merger Sub as follows:

 

 

Section 4.01           Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.

 

(a)            The Company is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the requisite corporate or other organizational power and authority and all necessary governmental approvals to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. The Company is duly qualified or licensed as a foreign corporation or other organization to do business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction where the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except for such failures to be so qualified or licensed and in good standing that would not, individually or in the aggregate, be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 4.02           Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws. The Company has prior to the date of this Agreement made available to Parent in the Virtual Data Room a complete and correct copy of the Company Organizational Documents. Such certificates of incorporation, bylaws or equivalent organizational documents are in full force and effect. The Company is not in violation of any of the provisions of its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or equivalent organizational documents.

 

Section 4.03           Capitalization.

 

(a)            The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 610,000,000 shares of Capital Stock, consisting of (i) 600,000,000 shares of Company Common Stock, and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Company Preferred Stock. As of the date hereof, (x)(i) 173,663,691 shares of Company Common Stock are issued and outstanding (including 1,750,000 shares of Company Restricted Stock), and (ii) no shares of Company Preferred Stock are issued and outstanding (y) no shares of Capital Stock are held in the treasury of the Company and (z) (i) 32,235,000 shares of Company Common Stock are subject to outstanding Company Options granted under the Company Equity Incentive Plan or otherwise, and (iii) 10,978,438 shares of Company Common Stock are subject to outstanding Company Warrants. The Company has no subsidiaries.

 

(b)            Except as set forth on Section 4.03(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, calls, convertible securities, conversion rights or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued share capital of the Company or obligating the Company to issue or sell any shares of, or other equity or voting interests in, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for shares or other equity or other voting interests in, the Company. As of the date hereof, except as set forth on Section 4.03(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company is not a party to, or otherwise bound by, nor has the Company granted, any outstanding equity appreciation rights, participations, phantom equity, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance shares, contingent value rights or similar securities or rights that are derivative of, or provide economic benefits based, directly or indirectly, on the value or price of, any shares, or other securities or ownership interests in, the Company. There are no voting trusts, voting agreements, proxies, stockholder agreements or other agreements to which the Company is a party, or to the Company’s knowledge, among any holder of Capital Stock or any other equity interests or other securities of the Company to which the Company is not a party, with respect to the voting or transfer of the Capital Stock or any of the equity interests or other securities of the Company.

 

 

(c)            Section 4.03(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth the following information with respect to each outstanding Company Award, as applicable: (i) the name of the Company Award recipient; (ii) whether the Company Award was granted pursuant to the Company Equity Incentive Plan and if not, the exemption from registration under applicable securities laws upon which the Company is relying; (iii) the number of shares of the Company with respect to such Company Award that are not yet vested; (iv) the exercise or purchase price of such Company Award; (v) the date on which such Company Award was granted; and (vi) the date on which such Company Award will expire. The Company has made available to Parent in the Virtual Data Room an accurate and complete copy of the Company Equity Incentive Plan and all forms of award agreements evidencing all outstanding Company Awards. No Company Option was granted with an exercise price per share less than the fair market value of the underlying Company Common Stock as of the date such Company Option was granted, determined in a manner not inconsistent with Section 409A of the Code. All shares of the Company subject to issuance as aforesaid, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(d)            There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of the Company or to provide funds to or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in any person.

 

(e)            (i) There are no commitments or agreements of any character to which the Company is bound obligating the Company to accelerate the vesting of any Company Award as a result of the Transactions, except as otherwise provided by the Company Equity Incentive Plan or the applicable award agreement thereunder, and (ii) all outstanding Capital Stock, all outstanding Company Awards have been issued and granted in compliance with (A) all applicable securities Laws and other applicable Laws and (B) all preemptive rights and other requirements set forth in applicable Contracts to which the Company is a party and the organizational documents of the Company, as applicable.

 

Section 4.04           Authority Relative to This Agreement. The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and, subject to receiving the Company Stockholder Approval, to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the Transactions have been, and each Ancillary Agreement to which the Company is a party will be, duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which it is a party or to consummate the Transactions (other than, with respect to the Merger, the Company Stockholder Approval and the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the NRS). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and Merger Sub, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other Laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (the “Remedies Exceptions”). The Company Board has approved this Agreement and the Transactions. To the knowledge of the Company, no other state takeover Law is applicable to the Merger or the other Transactions.

 

 

Section 4.05           No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.

 

(a)            The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company does not, and subject to receipt of the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the NRS and of the consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, filings and notifications, expiration or termination of waiting periods after filings and other actions contemplated by Section 4.05(b) and assuming all other required filings, waivers, approvals, consents, authorizations and notices set forth on Section 4.05(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, have been made, obtained or given, the performance of this Agreement by the Company will not (i) conflict with or violate the Company Organizational Documents, (ii) conflict with or violate any United States or non-United States statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, executive order, injunction, judgment, decree or other order (“Law”) applicable to the Company or by which any property or asset of the Company is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien (other than any Permitted Lien) on any material property or asset of the Company pursuant to, any Material Contract, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or other occurrences which would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)            The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company does not, and the performance of this Agreement by the Company will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, or expiration or termination of any waiting period by, any United States federal, state, county or local or non-United States government, governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, agency, instrumentality or commission or any court, tribunal, or judicial or arbitral body (a “Governmental Authority”), except (i) for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, state securities or “blue sky” laws (“Blue Sky Laws”) and state takeover Laws, the pre-merger notification requirements of the HSR Act, and filing with and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the NRS, and (ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 4.06           Permits; Compliance.

 

(a)            To the Company’s knowledge, the Company is in possession of all currently-required material franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, certificates, registrations, approvals and orders of any Governmental Authority necessary for the Company to own, lease and operate its properties or to carry on its business as it is now being conducted (the “Company Permits”), except where the failure to have such Company Permits would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company does not have knowledge of any suspension or cancellation of any of the Company Permits that is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing.

 

 

(b)            The Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any representative or other Person acting on behalf of the Company, is or since January 1, 2020, has been in violation in any material respect of, and, no such Person has failed to be in compliance in all material respects with, all applicable Laws and Orders. Since January 1, 2020, (a) no event has occurred or circumstance exists that (with or without notice or due to lapse of time) would reasonably constitute or result in a violation by the Company of, or failure on the part of the Company to comply with, or any liability suffered or incurred by the Company in respect of any violation of or material noncompliance with, any Law or policies by Governmental Authority that are or were applicable to it or the conduct or operation of its business or the ownership or use of any of its assets and (b) no Action is pending, or to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, alleging any such violation or noncompliance by the Company. Since January 1, 2020, the Company has not been threatened in writing or, to the Knowledge of the Company, orally to be charged with, or given written or, to the Company’s Knowledge, oral notice of any violation of any Law or any judgment, order or decree entered by any Governmental Authority.

 

Section 4.07           Financial Statements.

 

(a)            The Company SEC Documents contain true and complete copies of the audited consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and as of December 31, 2020, and the related consolidated statements of operations and cash flows of the Company for each of the years then ended, including the notes thereto (collectively, the “Annual Financial Statements”). Each of the Annual Financial Statements (including the notes thereto) (i) was prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and (ii) fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of and at the date thereof and for the period indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein.

 

(b)            The Company SEC Documents contain true and complete copies of the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of September 30, 2022 (the “Interim Financial Statements Date”), and the related unaudited consolidated statements of operations and cash flows of the Company for the nine-month period then ended (collectively, the “Interim Financial Statements”), which are attached as Section 4.07(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. The Interim Financial Statements (i) were prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except for the omission of footnotes and subject to year-end adjustments) and (ii) fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of and at the date thereof and for the period indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein and subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments.

 

(c)            Except as otherwise noted therein, the Annual Financial Statements and the Interim Financial Statements (i) were prepared from the Books and Records of the Company; (ii) contain and reflect all necessary adjustments and accruals for a fair presentation in all material respects of the Company’s financial condition as of their dates; and (iii) contain and reflect adequate provisions for all material liabilities applicable to the Company with respect to the periods then ended.

 

 

(d)            Except as and to the extent set forth on the Annual Financial Statements or the Interim Financial Statements, the Company does not have any liability or obligation of a nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for: (i) liabilities that were incurred in the ordinary course of business since the Interim Financial Statements Date or in connection with the consummation of the Transactions, (ii) obligations for future performance under any Contract to which the Company is a party or (iii) such other liabilities and obligations which are not, individually or in the aggregate, expected to result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(e)            In the past three (3) years, (i) neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or Representative of the Company, has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any complaint, allegation, assertion or claim, whether written or, to the knowledge of the Company, oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of the Company or its respective internal accounting controls, including any such complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the Company has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices and (ii) there have been no internal investigations regarding accounting or revenue recognition discussed with, reviewed by or initiated at the direction of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or general counsel of the Company, the Company Board or any committee thereof.

 

(f)             To the knowledge of the Company, no employee of the Company has provided or is providing information to any law enforcement agency regarding the commission or possible commission of any crime or the violation or possible violation of any applicable Law. None of the Company or, to the knowledge of the Company, any officer, employee, contractor, subcontractor or agent of the Company has discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed or in any other manner discriminated against an employee of the Company in the terms and conditions of employment because of any act of such employee described in 18 U.S.C. sec. 1514A(a).

 

(g)            All accounts receivable of the Company reflected on the Interim Financial Statements or arising thereafter have arisen from bona fide transactions in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices and in accordance with GAAP and are collectible, subject to bad debts reserved in the Interim Financial Statements. To the knowledge of the Company, such accounts receivables are not subject to valid defenses, setoffs or counterclaims, other than routine credits granted for errors in ordering, shipping, pricing, discounts, rebates, returns in the ordinary course of business and other similar matters. The Company’s reserve for contractual allowances and doubtful accounts is adequate in all material respects and has been calculated in a manner consistent with past practices. Since December 31, 2021, the Company has not modified or changed in any material respect its sales practices or methods including, without limitation, such practices or methods in accordance with which the Company sell goods, fill orders or record sales.

 

 

(h)            All accounts payable of the Company reflected on the Interim Financial Statements or arising thereafter are the result of bona fide transactions in the ordinary course of business and have been paid or are not yet due or payable. Since December 31, 2021, the Company has not altered in any material respects their practices for the payment of such accounts payable, including the timing of such payment.

 

(i)             The Company has established and maintains a system of internal accounting controls designed to provide reasonable assurance that (i) all transactions are executed in accordance with management’s specific authorization; (ii) the preparation of the Company’s financial statements for external purposes are in conformity with GAAP and maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is only permitted in accordance with management’s specific authorization and (iv) the Company’s records accurately reflect the transaction and disposition of assets, in all material respects.

 

(j)             Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents, neither the Company (including any employee thereof) nor the Company’s independent auditors has identified or been made aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal accounting controls utilized by the Company, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves the Company’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by the Company or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.

 

(k)            Since December 31, 2021, except as required by applicable Law or U.S. GAAP, there has been no material change in any accounting principle, procedure or practice followed by the Company or in the method of applying any such principle, procedure or practice.

 

(l)             All financial projections delivered by the Company to Parent have been reasonably prepared and reflect the best currently available estimates and good faith judgments of the management of the Company, and as to the future financial performance of the Company.

 

Section 4.08           Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since September 30, 2022 through and until the date of this Agreement, except as otherwise reflected in the Company SEC Documents, or as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, (a) the Company has conducted its businesses in all material respects in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice, other than due to any actions taken due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar direction of any Governmental Authority, (b) the Company has not sold, assigned, transferred, permitted to lapse, abandoned, or otherwise disposed of any right, title or interest in or to any of their respective material assets (including Company Owned IP) other than revocable non-exclusive licenses or sublicenses of Company Owned IP granted in the ordinary course of business in which grants of rights to use such Company Owned IP are incidental to performance under the agreement, (c) there has not been a Company Material Adverse Effect, and (d) the Company has not taken any action that, if taken after the date of this Agreement, would constitute a material breach of any of the covenants set forth in Section 6.01(b), excluding the covenants set forth in Section 6.01(b)(i), (vii), (viii), (ix) or (xiii).

 

Section 4.09           Absence of Litigation. Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Documents, there are no material Actions pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company, or any property or asset of the Company. Neither the Company nor any property or asset of the Company is subject to any continuing order of, consent decree, settlement agreement or other similar written agreement with, or, to the knowledge of the Company, continuing investigation by, any Governmental Authority, or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Authority. This Section 4.09 shall not apply to Tax matters.

 

 

Section 4.10           Employee Benefit Plans. The Company has no Employee Benefit Plans.

 

Section 4.11           Labor and Employment Matters.

 

(a)            Section 4.11(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedules sets forth a true, correct and complete list of all employees of the Company as of the date hereof, including any employee who is on a leave of absence of any nature, authorized or unauthorized, and sets forth for each such individual the following, on a no name basis: (i) title or position (including whether full or part time); (ii) hire date and service commencement date (if different); (iii) current annualized base salary or (if paid on an hourly basis) hourly rate of pay; and (iv) commission, bonus or other incentive based compensation. As of the date hereof, all compensation, including wages, commissions and bonuses, due and payable to all employees of the Company for services performed on or prior to the date hereof have been paid in full (or accrued in full in the Company’s financial statements).

 

(b)            (i) There are no material Actions pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company by any of its respective current or former employees; (ii) the Company is not, nor has the Company been in the past three (3) years, a party to, bound by, or negotiating any collective bargaining agreement or other contract with a union, works council or labor organization applicable to persons employed by the Company, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, are there any activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any such employees; (iii) there are no unfair labor practice complaints pending against the Company before the National Labor Relations Board; and (iv) there has never been, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, has there been any threat in writing of, any strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, concerted refusal to work overtime or other similar labor disruption or dispute affecting, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threat thereof, by or with respect to any employees of the Company.

 

(c)            The Company is and has been during the past three (3) years in material compliance in all respects with all applicable Laws relating to the employment, employment practices, employment discrimination, terms and conditions of employment, mass layoffs and plant closings (including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended, or any similar state or local Laws), immigration, meal and rest breaks, pay equity, workers’ compensation, family and medical leave, and occupational safety and health requirements, payment of wages, hours of work, and collective bargaining as required by the appropriate Governmental Authority and are not liable for any material arrears of wages, penalties or other sums for failure to comply with any of the foregoing.

 

(d)            The Company is not delinquent in material payments to any of its current or former employees for any wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses or other direct compensation for any services performed by them or amounts required to be reimbursed to such employees or in payments owed upon any termination of the employment of any such employees.

 

 

(e)            To the Knowledge of the Company, (i) no employee of the Company is a party to or is bound by any confidentiality agreement, non-competition agreement or other contract (with any Person) that would materially interfere with: (A) the performance by such employee of any of his or her duties or responsibilities as an officer or employee of the Company or (B) the Company’s business or operations; or (ii) no employee of the Company has given written notice of their intent to terminate their employment with the Company, nor does the Company have any intention to terminate the employment of any of the foregoing.

 

(f)             Since January 1, 2020, with regard to any individual who performs or performed services for the Company and who is not treated as an employee for Tax purposes by the Company, to the Knowledge of the Company, the Company has complied in all material respects with applicable Laws concerning independent contractors, including for Tax withholding purposes. Since January 1, 2018, to the Knowledge of the Company, each of the employees of the Company has been properly classified by the Company as “exempt” or “non-exempt” under applicable Law except as would not be material and adverse to the Company.

 

Section 4.12            Real Property; Title to Assets.

 

(a)            The Company does not own any real property.

 

(b)            Section 4.12(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists the street address of each parcel of Leased Real Property, and sets forth a list of each lease, sublease, license or occupancy agreement pursuant to which the Company leases, subleases, licenses or occupies any real property (each, a “Lease”), with the name of the lessor or any other party thereto, and the date of the Lease in connection therewith and each material amendment to any of the foregoing (collectively, the “Lease Documents”). True, correct and complete copies of all Lease Documents have been made available to Parent in the Virtual Data Room.  Except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.12(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, (i) there are no leases, subleases, sublicenses, concessions or other contracts granting to any person other than the Company the right to use or occupy any Leased Real Property, and (ii) all such Leases are in full force and effect, are valid and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the Remedies Exceptions, and there is not, under any of such Leases, any existing default or event of default (or event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by the other party to such Leases, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company taken as a whole. The Company has not subleased, sublicensed or otherwise granted to any person any right to use, occupy or possess any portion of the Leased Real Property.

 

(c)            Other than any actions taken due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar direction of any Governmental Authority, there are no contractual or legal restrictions that preclude or restrict the ability of the Company to use any Leased Real Property by such party for the purposes for which it is currently being used, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company taken as a whole. To the Knowledge of the Company, there are no latent defects or adverse physical conditions affecting the Leased Real Property, and improvements thereon.

 

 

(d)            The Company has legal and valid title to, or, in the case of Leased Real Property and assets, valid leasehold or subleasehold interests in, all of its properties and assets, tangible and intangible, real, personal and mixed, used or held for use in its business, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company taken as a whole.

 

Section 4.13           Intellectual Property.

 

(a)            Section 4.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true, correct and complete list of all of the following that are (as applicable) owned or purported to be owned, used or held for use by the Company: (i) Registered Intellectual Property constituting Company Owned IP (showing in each, as applicable, the filing date, date of issuance, expected expiration date if all annuities and maintenance fees are paid through the life of such Registered Intellectual Property, and registration number, patent number, or application number, and jurisdiction), (ii) material, unregistered trademarks and brand names constituting Company Owned IP, (iii) domain names and social media accounts used or held for use by the Company in the conduct of the business (iv) all material Contracts to use any Company Licensed IP (other than (x) Contracts for Off-the-Shelf Software, (y) commercially available service agreements to Business Systems (other than Software), and (z) any Intellectual Property licenses ancillary to the purchase or use of services, equipment, reagents or other materials incorporated into the Products; and (v) any material Software or Business Systems constituting Company Owned IP that are incorporated into the Products or otherwise material to the business of the Company as currently conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted.

 

(b)            Except as set forth in Section 4.13(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company owns, has valid and enforceable licenses for or otherwise has adequate rights to use all technology (including but not limited to patented, patentable and unpatented inventions and unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), designs, processes, licenses, patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade and service mark registrations, trade secrets, trade names, know how, copy rights and other works of authorship, computer programs, technical data and information and other Intellectual Property that are or would reasonably be expected to be material to their business as currently conducted or as currently proposed to be conducted (including upon the commercialization of products or services described in the Registration Statement, the Company Disclosure Schedule or the Prospectus as under development) or to the development, manufacture, operation and sale of any products and services sold or proposed to be sold by the Company, and the consummation of the Transactions will not conflict with, alter or impair any such rights. No Company IP has been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part. The Company IP constitutes all Intellectual Property rights necessary for, or to the knowledge of the Company, otherwise used in, the operation of the business of the Company as currently conducted or as contemplated to be conducted and is sufficient for the conduct of such business as currently conducted and contemplated to be conducted as of the date hereof, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not conflict with, alter or impair any such rights.

 

 

(c)            Other than as set forth in Section 4.13(c) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company (i) exclusively owns (beneficially and, with respect to Registered Intellectual Property, as record owner) and possesses, free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens), all right, title and interest in and to the Company Owned IP and (ii) has the right to use, pursuant to a valid and enforceable Contract, all Company Licensed IP. All Company Owned IP or Company Licensed IP is subsisting and, to the Company’s knowledge, valid and enforceable. No loss or expiration of any of the Company Owned IP or exclusivity in-licensed Company IP is threatened in writing, or, to the Company’s knowledge, pending, and, to the Company’s knowledge, no loss or expiration of exclusively in-licensed Company IP is threatened in writing or pending. The Company has complied with the terms of each agreement pursuant to which Intellectual Property has been licensed to the Company, and all such agreements are in full force and effect.

 

(d)            The Company has taken and takes reasonable actions to maintain, protect and enforce the secrecy, confidentiality and value of its Trade Secrets and other material Confidential Information, including requiring all persons having access thereto to execute written non-disclosure agreements. The Company has not disclosed any Trade Secrets or other Confidential Information to any other person other than pursuant to a written confidentiality agreement under which such other person agrees to maintain the confidentiality of and protect such Confidential Information. To the knowledge of the Company, no Trade Secrets of the Company have been disclosed in a manner that has resulted or is likely to result in the loss of trade secret or other rights in and to such information.

 

(e)            (i) There have been no claims filed or claims threatened in writing, against the Company, by any person (A) contesting the validity, use, ownership, enforceability, scope, patentability or registrability of any of the Company IP, or (B) alleging any infringement or misappropriation of, or other violation of, any valid Intellectual Property rights of other persons (including any unsolicited written demands or written offers to license any Intellectual Property rights from any other person); (ii) to the Company’s knowledge,  the operation of the business of the Company (including the Products) as currently conducted and as contemplated to be conducted has not, does not and will not infringe, misappropriate or violate, any Intellectual Property rights of other persons; (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, no other person has infringed, misappropriated or violated any of the Company IP, and no such action, suit, proceeding or claim has been filed or threatened in writing by the Company against any other person; and (iv) the Company has not received written notice of any of the foregoing or received any formal written opinion of counsel regarding the foregoing, and the Company is unaware of any facts which could form a reasonable basis for any such action, suit, proceeding or claim.

 

(f)             To the Company’s knowledge, there is no prior art or other information that may render any Patent within the Company IP that is either (x) Company Owned IP or (y) exclusively in-licensed Company Licensed IP invalid or unenforceable or that may render any Patent application within such Intellectual Property unpatentable that has not been disclosed to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or any foreign equivalent thereto. To the Company’s knowledge, there are no material defects in any of the Company IP that is either (x) Company Owned IP or (y) exclusively in-licensed Company Licensed IP.

 

(g)            No funding, facilities or personnel of any Governmental Authority were used, directly or indirectly, to develop or create, in whole or in part, any Company Owned IP or, to the Company’s knowledge, any exclusively in-licensed Company Licensed IP.

 

 

(h)            All persons who have contributed, developed or conceived any Company Owned IP have executed valid and enforceable written agreements with the Company, and pursuant to which such persons assigned to the Company all of their entire right, title, and interest in and to any Intellectual Property created, conceived or otherwise developed by such person in the course of or related to his, her or its relationship with the Company, without further ongoing consideration or any restrictions or obligations whatsoever, including on the use or other disposition or ownership of such Intellectual Property; or, with respect to Intellectual Property rights that cannot be assigned (e.g., “moral rights” in certain jurisdictions), such person has unconditionally and irrevocably waives the enforcement thereof, and no such person has excluded works or inventions from such assignment. To the Company’s knowledge, no current or former employee, director or officer of the Company or any consultant who has contributed, developed or conceived of any Company Owned IP is or has been in violation of any term of any employment or consulting 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 or other engagement with the Company.

 

(i)             No Related Party, nor any current or former partner, director, stockholder, officer or employee of the Company or of any Related Party will, after giving effect to the transactions contemplated hereby, own, license or retain any rights in any of the Intellectual Property owned, used or held for use (including for defensive purposes) by the Company in the conduct of the business as currently conducted and as contemplated to be conducted.

 

(j)             Section 4.13(j) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a list of all Open Source Software that has been used in connection with any Products, and for each such item of Open Source Software, the name and version number of the applicable license.

 

(k)            The Company owns, leases, licenses, or otherwise has the legal right to use all Business Systems, and such Business Systems are sufficient in all material respects for the current needs of the business of the Company as currently conducted by the Company. The Company maintains commercially reasonable disaster recovery, business continuity and risk assessment plans, procedures and facilities. To the Company’s knowledge in the past three (3) years, there has not been any failure with respect to any of the Business Systems that are material to the conduct of the Company’s business that has not been remedied or replaced in all material respects.

 

(l)             The Company is, and during the past three (3) years has, materially complied with (i) all Privacy/Data Security Laws, (ii) any applicable privacy or other policies of the Company, published on a Company website or otherwise made publicly available by the Company concerning the Processing of Personal Information, (iii) industry standards to which the Company is required to adhere, and (iv) all Contracts that the Company has entered into or is otherwise bound with respect to privacy or data security (collectively, the “Data Security Requirements”). The Company has implemented reasonable data security safeguards that are designed to protect the security and integrity of the Business Systems and any Personal Information and that are otherwise materially consistent with the Data Security Requirements. The Company’s employees and contractors receive training on information security issues. To the Company’s knowledge there is no Disabling Device in any of the Business Systems constituting Company Owned IP or Product components. In the past three (3) years, the Company has not (i) experienced any material data security breaches, unauthorized access or use of any of the Business Systems, or unauthorized acquisition, destruction, damage, disclosure, loss, corruption, alteration, or use of any Personal Information or Business Data; or (ii) been subject to or received written notice of any audits, proceedings or investigations by any Governmental Authority or any customer, or received any material claims or complaints regarding the Processing of Personal Information, or the violation of any applicable Data Security Requirements. All Processing of payment card data by or for the Company is compliant with PCI DSS.

 

 

(m)           The Company (i) owns the Business Data constituting Company Owned IP free and clear of any restrictions other than those imposed by applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws, or (ii) has the right, as applicable, to use, exploit, publish, reproduce, distribute, license, sell, and create derivative works of and otherwise Process the other Business Data, in whole or in part, in the manner in which the Company receive and use such Business Data prior to the Closing Date. The Company is not subject to any material legal obligations, including based on the Transactions contemplated hereunder, that would prohibit Merger Sub or Parent from receiving, using or otherwise Processing Personal Information after the Closing Date, in a similar manner in which the Company receives, uses and otherwise Processes such Personal Information immediately prior to the Closing Date or result in material liabilities in connection with Data Security Requirements.

 

Section 4.14           Taxes

 

(a)            The Company: (i) has duly filed all material Tax Returns that it is required to have filed as of the date hereof (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) and all such filed Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate in all material respects; (ii) has accrued or paid all Taxes that are shown as due on such filed Tax Returns and any other material Taxes that it is required to have paid as of the date hereof; (iii) with respect to all material Tax Returns filed by the Company, has not waived any statute of limitations with respect to material Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a material Tax assessment or deficiency (other than pursuant to customary extensions of the due date for filing a Tax Return obtained in the ordinary course of business); and (iv) does not have any material deficiency, assessment, claim, audit, examination, investigation, litigation or other proceeding in respect of Taxes (each, a “Tax Claim”) pending or asserted, proposed or threatened in writing for a Tax period for which the statute of limitations for a Tax assessment remains open, other than any Tax Claims that have since been resolved. The unpaid Taxes of the Company that are not due and payable as of the Interim Financial Statements Date did not materially exceed the reserves for Taxes (other than any reserves for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and taxable income) of the Company set forth in the Interim Financial Statements.

 

(b)            The Company is not a party to, is not bound by nor does it have an obligation under any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement, Tax allocation agreement or similar contract or arrangement, in each case other than an agreement, contract or arrangement the primary purpose of which does not relate to Taxes (each, an “Ordinary Commercial Agreement”).

 

(c)            There is no outstanding power of attorney from the Company authorizing anyone to act on behalf of the Company in connection with any Tax, Tax Return or Tax Claim relating to any Tax or Tax Return of the Company.

 

 

(d)            The Company will not be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any Tax period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) adjustment under Section 481(c) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) by reason of any change in method of accounting made prior to the Closing; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) executed prior to the Closing; (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made prior to the Closing; (iv)  excess loss account described in the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) created prior to the Closing; or (v) prepaid amount received or deferred revenue booked prior to the Closing not in the ordinary course of business.

 

(e)            The Company has withheld and paid to the appropriate Governmental Authority all material Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any current or former employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or other third party and, to the Company’s knowledge, have complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to the reporting and withholding of Taxes.

 

(f)             The Company has not been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary income Tax Return.

 

(g)            The Company does not have any material liability for the Taxes of any person (other than the Company) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law), as a transferee or successor.

 

(h)            The Company has been in compliance in all respects with all applicable transfer pricing laws and legal requirements.

 

(i)             The Company does not have any outstanding request for a “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) or private letter ruling from any Governmental Authority.

 

(j)             The Company has made available to Parent complete and accurate copies of the U.S. federal income Tax Returns filed by the Company for the Tax year ended December 31, 2021, and each of the four Tax years prior to such Tax year.

 

(k)            The Company has not in any year for which the applicable statute of limitations remains open distributed stock of another person, or has had its stock distributed by another person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or 361 of the Code.

 

(l)             The Company has not engaged in or entered into a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).

 

 

(m)           Neither the IRS nor any other Governmental Authority has asserted in writing against the Company any deficiency or claim for any material Taxes or interest thereon or penalties in connection therewith, in each case, that has not been paid or resolved in full.

 

(n)            There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Permitted Liens) upon any assets of the Company.

 

(o)            The Company has not been a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.

 

(p)            The Company has not received any written notice from a non-U.S. Governmental Authority that it has a permanent establishment (within the meaning of an applicable Tax treaty) or otherwise has an office or fixed place of business in a country other than the country in which it is organized.

 

(q)            The Company has not received any written claim from a Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction in which the Company does not file Tax Returns stating that the Company is or may be subject to Tax in such jurisdiction.

 

(r)             For U.S. federal income Tax purposes, the Company is, and has been since its formation, classified as a corporation.

 

(s)            The Company, after consultation with its Tax advisors, does not have knowledge of any fact or circumstance, or has taken (or failed to take) any action, that would reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.

 

Section 4.15            Environmental Matters. (a)  The Company is, and during the past three (3) years has been in compliance in all material respects with applicable Environmental Laws; (b) to the knowledge of the Company, none of the properties currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company (including, without limitation, soils and surface and ground waters) are contaminated with, and the Company has not released, any Hazardous Substance which requires reporting, investigation, remediation, monitoring or other response action by the Company pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws; (c) to the Company’s knowledge, none of the Company is, in any material respect, actually, potentially or allegedly liable pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws for any off-site contamination by Hazardous Substances; (d) the Company has all material permits, licenses and other authorizations required of the Company under applicable Environmental Law (“Environmental Permits”), and the Company is in compliance in all material respects with such Environmental Permits; and (e) the Company is not the subject of any pending or, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened Action, nor has the Company received any written notice, alleging any material violation of or, or material liability under, Environmental Laws.

 

Section 4.16           Material Contracts.

 

(a)            Section 4.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists, as of the date of this Agreement, the following types of Contracts to which the Company is a party, excluding for this purpose, any purchase orders submitted by customers (such Contracts as are required to be set forth in Section 4.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, along with any Plan listed on Section 0 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, being the “Material Contracts”):

 

(i)            all Contracts with consideration payable to the Company of more than $500,000, in the aggregate, over any 12-month period;

 

 

(ii)           each Contract requiring payment by or to the Company after the date of this Agreement in excess of $500,000 pursuant to its express terms relating to (A) any agreement involving provision of services or products or (B) any alliance, joint venture, cooperation, development or other agreement currently in force under which the Company has continuing obligations to develop any product, technology or service, or any agreement pursuant to which the Company has continuing obligations to develop any Intellectual Property rights that will not be owned, in whole or in part, by the Company;

 

(iii)          all Contracts pursuant to which the Company has engaged any third party to manage the business of the Company (excluding contracts for employment), to the extent material to the business of the Company;

 

(iv)          all Contracts with any Governmental Authority to which the Company is a party or which otherwise govern the use of any Company Owned IP, other than any Company Permits;

 

(v)           all Contracts evidencing indebtedness for borrowed money in an amount greater than $500,000, and any pledge agreements, security agreements or other collateral agreements in which the Company granted to any person a security interest in or Lien on any of the property or assets of the Company, and all agreements or instruments guaranteeing the debts or other obligations of any person;

 

(vi)          all Contracts pursuant to which the Company has continuing obligations or interests involving (A) “milestone” or other similar contingent payments, including upon the achievement of regulatory or commercial milestones which would result in a payment in excess of $500,000 or (B) payment of royalties or other amounts calculated based upon any revenues or income of the Company, in each case that cannot be terminated by the Company without penalty, or without more than sixty (60) days’ notice without material payment or penalty;

 

(vii)         all Contracts establishing any partnership, joint venture, strategic alliance or other collaboration or similar arrangement between the Company, on the one hand, and any third party, on the other hand (including with respect to the Products);

 

(viii)        any Contract relating to the acquisition or disposition of any business or asset (whether by merger, sale of stock, sale of assets or otherwise) under which the Company or any of its affiliates has or will have obligations with respect to an “earn out,” contingent purchase price or similar contingent payment obligation;

 

(ix)           all Contracts that limit, or purport to limit, the ability of the Company to compete in any line of business or with any person or entity or in any geographic or therapeutic area or during any period of time excluding customary confidentiality clauses;

 

 

(x)            all Contracts that result in any person or entity holding a power of attorney from the Company that materially relates to the Company, or materially impacts their respective business;

 

(xi)           all Leases, and all leases or master leases of personal property, reasonably likely to result in annual payments of $500,000 or more in a 12-month period;

 

(xii)          all Contracts involving use of or granting licenses to the Company with respect to any Company Licensed IP that are material to the business of the Company;

 

(xiii)         all Contracts which involve the license or grant of rights to Company Owned IP by the Company, other than (A) collaboration agreements entered into on the form of such agreement made available in the Virtual Data Room or (B) and license agreements granted in the ordinary course of business to customers in connection with Products or to suppliers or service providers in the ordinary course of business solely for the purpose of enabling such suppliers or service providers to provide services for the benefit of the Company;

 

(xiv)        all Contracts under which the Company has agreed to purchase goods or services from a vendor, Supplier or other person on a preferred supplier or “most favored supplier” basis or which otherwise establishes any exclusive sale or distribution obligation with respect to any Product or geographic area;

 

(xv)         all Contracts for the development of Company Owned IP for the benefit of the Company that are material to the Company, other than employment, consulting and collaboration agreements entered into on the form of such agreement made available in the Virtual Data Room, without material modification;

 

(xvi)        all Contracts under which any broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions, or which has a fee tail still in effect, based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company;

 

(xvii)       all Contracts that provide for the settlement of any material Action that contains any ongoing material obligation on the Company; and

 

(xviii)      all Contracts between the Company and any holders of more than ten (10%) of the Company’s Capital Stock (assuming the full conversion or exercise of all Company Securities held by such person) that relate to such stockholder’s ownership of Company Securities.

 

 

(b)            Each Material Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, the other parties thereto, and the Company is not in material breach or violation of, or material default under, any Material Contract nor has any Material Contract been canceled by the other party; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no other party is in material breach or violation of, or material default under, any Material Contract; and (iii) the Company has not received any written, or to the knowledge of the Company, oral claim of any material default under any such Material Contract. The Company has furnished or made available to Parent in the Virtual Data Room true and complete copies, in all respects, of all Material Contracts, including amendments thereto that are material in nature.

 

Section 4.17           Insurance.

 

(a)            Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth, with respect to each material insurance policy under which the Company is an insured, a named insured or otherwise the principal beneficiary of coverage as of the date of this Agreement (i) the names of the insurer, the principal insured and each named insured, (ii) the policy number, (iii) the period, scope and amount of coverage and (iv) the premium most recently charged.

 

(b)           With respect to each such insurance policy: (i) the policy is legal, valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with its terms (subject to the Remedies Exceptions) and, except for policies that have expired under their terms in the ordinary course, is in full force and effect; (ii) the Company is not in material breach or default (including any such breach or default with respect to the payment of premiums or the giving of notice), and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a material breach or default, or permit termination or modification, under the policy; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no insurer on the policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship or liquidation.

 

Section 4.18           Board Approval; Vote Required. The Company Board, by resolutions duly adopted by a vote of those voting at a meeting duly called and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has duly (a) determined that this Agreement and the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, (b) approved this Agreement and the Merger and declared their advisability and (c) recommended that the stockholders of the Company approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and directed that this Agreement and the Transactions (including the Merger) be submitted for consideration by the Company’s stockholders. The Requisite Approval (the “Company Stockholder Approval”) is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock or other securities of the Company necessary to adopt this Agreement and approve the Transactions.

 

Section 4.19           Certain Business Practices.

 

(a)            In the past three (3) years, none of the Company, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of its respective directors, officers, employees or agents, while acting on behalf of the Company, has: (i) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to political activity; (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns or violated any provision of any applicable Anti-Corruption Law; or (iii) to the extent not covered by subclause (i) and (ii), made any payment in the nature of criminal bribery.

 

 

(b)            In the past three (3) years, none of the Company, or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective directors, officers, employees or agents (i) is or has been a Sanctioned Person; (ii) has transacted business with or for the benefit of any Sanctioned Person or has otherwise violated applicable Sanctions, while acting on behalf of the Company; or (iii) has violated any Ex-Im Laws while acting on behalf of the Company.

 

(c)            There are no, and in the past three (3) years, there have not been any, material internal investigations, external investigations to which the Company has knowledge of, audits, actions or proceedings pending, or any voluntary or involuntary disclosures made to a Governmental Authority, with respect to any apparent or suspected violation by the Company, or any of its respective officers, directors, employees, or agents with respect to any Anti-Corruption Laws, Sanctions, or Ex-Im Laws.

 

Section 4.20           Interested Party Transactions. Except for employment relationships and the payment of compensation, benefits and expense reimbursements and advances in the ordinary course of business, no director, officer or other affiliate of the Company, or any immediate family of any of the foregoing, to the Company’s knowledge, has or has had, directly or indirectly: (a) an economic interest in any person that has furnished or sold, or furnishes or sells, services or Products that the Company furnishes or sells, or proposes to furnish or sell; (b) an economic interest in any person that purchases from or sells or furnishes to, the Company, any goods or services; (c) a beneficial interest in any Contract disclosed in Section 4.16(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; or (d) any Contract with the Company, other than customary indemnity arrangements; provided, however, that ownership of no more than five percent (5%) of the outstanding voting stock of a publicly traded corporation shall not be deemed an “economic interest in any person” for purposes of this Section 4.20.

 

Section 4.21           Brokers. Except as set forth on Section 4.21 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company.

 

Section 4.22           SEC Filings; Sarbanes-Oxley.

 

(a)            The Company has filed all forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents, including any exhibits thereto, required to be filed by it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), together with any amendments, restatements or supplements thereto (collectively, the “Company SEC Reports”). The Company has heretofore furnished to Parent true and correct copies of all amendments and modifications that have not been filed by the Company with the SEC to all agreements, documents and other instruments that previously had been filed by Parent with the SEC and are currently in effect. As of their respective filing dates, or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment was filed, the Company SEC Reports (i) complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), and (ii) did not, at the time they were filed, or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. .

 

 

(b)            Except as disclosed in the Company SEC Reports, neither Company (including any employee thereof) nor the Company’s independent auditors has identified or been made aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal accounting controls utilized by the Company, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves the Company management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by the Company or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.

 

(c)            As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding SEC comments from the SEC with respect to the Company SEC Reports. To the Knowledge of the Company, none of the Company SEC Reports filed on or prior to the date hereof is subject to ongoing SEC review or investigation as of the date hereof.

 

(d)            The Company is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the OTC Bulletin Board.

 

Section 4.23           Books and Records. The Books and Records of the Company accurately and fairly, in reasonable detail, reflect the transactions and dispositions of assets of and the providing of services by the Company in all material respects. The Books and Records of the Company have been maintained, in all material respects in accordance with reasonable business practices.

 

Section 4.24           Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Article IV (as modified by the Company Disclosure Schedule) or in the Company Officer’s Certificate, the Company hereby expressly disclaims and negates, any other express or implied representation or warranty whatsoever (whether at Law or in equity) with respect to the Company, its affiliates, and any matter relating to any of them, including their affairs, the condition, value or quality of the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations, or with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any other information made available to Parent, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives by, or on behalf of, the Company, and any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement (as modified by the Company Disclosure Schedule) or in the Company Officer’s Certificate, neither the Company nor any other person on behalf of the Company has made or makes, any representation or warranty, whether express or implied, with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates or budgets made available to Parent, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives of future revenues, future results of operations (or any component thereof), future cash flows or future financial condition (or any component thereof) of the Company (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing), whether or not included in any management presentation or in any other information made available to Parent, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives or any other person, and any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed.

 

 

Article V

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF Parent AND MERGER SUB

 

Except as set forth in Parent’s disclosure schedule delivered by Parent to the Company in connection with this Agreement (the “Parent Disclosure Schedule”) and in Parent SEC Reports (to the extent the qualifying nature of such disclosure is readily apparent from the content of such Parent SEC Reports, but excluding disclosures referred to in “Forward-Looking Statements,” “Risk Factors” and any other disclosures therein to the extent they are of a predictive or cautionary nature or related to forward-looking statements), Parent hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:

 

Section 5.01           Corporate Organization.

 

(a)            Each of Parent and Merger Sub is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the requisite corporate power and authority and all necessary governmental approvals to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, except where the failure to have such power, authority and governmental approvals would not result in a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)           Merger Sub is the only subsidiary of Parent. Except for Merger Sub, Parent does not directly or indirectly own any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture, business association or other person.

 

Section 5.02           Governing Documents. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has heretofore furnished to the Company complete and correct copies of the Parent Organizational Documents and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents. The Parent Organizational Documents and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents are in full force and effect. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is in violation of any of the provisions of the Parent Organizational Documents or Merger Sub Organizational Documents.

 

Section 5.03           Capitalization.

 

(a)            The authorized capital stock of Parent consists of (i) 400,000,000 shares of Parent Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Parent Common Stock”), and (ii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Parent Preferred Stock”). As of the date of this Agreement (i) 10,157,750 shares of Parent Common Stock are issued and outstanding, all of which are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive rights, (ii) no shares of Parent Common Stock are held in the treasury of Parent, (iii) 4,201,438 private placement warrants (as described in the Prospectus) are issued and outstanding, each exercisable for one share of Parent Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50, (iv) 1,000,000 private placement warrants (as described in the Prospectus) are issued and outstanding, each exercisable for one share of Parent Common Stock at an exercise price of $15.00 (the “$15 Exercise Price Warrants”), and (v) 6,037,500 Parent Public Warrants are issued and outstanding and 6,037,500 shares of Parent Common Stock are issuable in respect of the Parent Public Warrants (the warrants described in clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), the “Parent Warrants”). As of the date of this Agreement, there are no shares of Parent Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.

 

 

(b)           As of the date of this Agreement, the authorized share capital of Merger Sub consists of 1,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Merger Sub Common Stock”). As of the date hereof, 100 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock are issued and outstanding. All outstanding shares of Merger Sub Common Stock have been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and are non-assessable and are not subject to nor have been issued in violation of, any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal, preemptive right, subscription right or any similar rights, and are held by Parent free and clear of all Liens, other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities Laws and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents.

 

(c)            All outstanding Parent Units, shares of Parent Common Stock and Parent Warrants have been issued and granted in compliance with all applicable securities Laws and other applicable Laws and were issued free and clear of all Liens other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities Laws and the Parent Organizational Documents and are non-assessable and are not subject to, nor have been issued in violation of, any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal, preemptive right, subscription right or any similar rights.

 

(d)           The Per Share Merger Consideration being delivered by Parent hereunder shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and each such share or other security shall be issued free and clear of preemptive rights and all Liens, other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities Laws and the Parent Organizational Documents. The Per Share Merger Consideration will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities Laws and other applicable Laws and without contravention of any other person’s rights therein or with respect thereto.

 

(e)            Except for securities issued pursuant to or as permitted by this Agreement, the Parent Units and the Parent Warrants, (i) Parent has not issued any options, warrants, preemptive rights, calls, convertible securities or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of Parent or obligating Parent to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, Parent and (ii) neither Parent nor any subsidiary of Parent is a party to, or otherwise bound by, and neither Parent nor any subsidiary of Parent has granted, any equity appreciation rights, participations, phantom equity or similar rights. All shares of Parent Common Stock subject to issuance as aforesaid, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will not be subject to, or be issued in violation of, any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal, preemptive right, subscription right or any similar rights. Except for the agreements contemplated hereby (including the Registration Rights Agreement and the Sponsor Support Agreement), Parent is not a party to any voting trusts, voting agreements, proxies, stockholder agreements or other agreements with respect to the voting or transfer of Parent Common Stock or any of the equity interests or other securities of Parent or any of its subsidiaries. The Parent Warrants have been validly issued, and constitute valid and binding obligations of Parent, enforceable against Parent in accordance with their terms, subject to the Remedies Exceptions. Except with respect to the Parent Organizational Documents, the Redemption Rights and the Parent Warrants, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of Parent to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of Parent Common Stock. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of Parent to make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any person.

 

 

Section 5.04          Authority Relative to this Agreement. Each of Parent and Merger Sub has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which they are a party, to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder and to consummate the Transactions, in each case subject to obtainment of the Parent Stockholder Approval. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub and the consummation by each of Parent and Merger Sub of the Transactions have been, and each Ancillary Agreement to which they are a party will be, duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize this Agreement and each Ancillary Agreement to which they are a party or to consummate the Transactions (other than (a) with respect to the Merger, (i) the Parent Stockholder Approval and the approval by Parent, as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub, either at a duly convened meeting of the sole stockholder of Merger Sub or by written consent, and (ii) the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the NRS, and (b) with respect to the issuance of Parent Common Stock and the amendment and restatement of the Parent Certificate of Incorporation pursuant to this Agreement, the Parent Stockholder Approval). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Parent and Merger Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of Parent and Merger Sub enforceable against Parent or Merger Sub, in accordance with its terms subject to the Remedies Exceptions.

 

Section 5.05          No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.

 

(a)          The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub will not, (i) conflict with or violate the Parent Organizational Documents or the Merger Sub Organizational Documents, (ii) assuming that all consents, approvals, authorizations, expiration or termination of waiting periods and other actions described in Section 5.05(b) have been obtained and all filings and obligations described in Section 5.05(b) have been made, conflict with or violate any Law applicable to each of Parent or Merger Sub or by which any of their property or assets is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien on any property or asset of each of Parent or Merger Sub pursuant to, any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which each of Parent or Merger Sub is a party or by which each of Parent or Merger Sub or any of their property or assets is bound or affected, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or other occurrences which would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

  

(b)          The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement by each of Parent and Merger Sub will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, or expiration or termination of any waiting period by, any Governmental Authority, except (i) for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, the Securities Act, Blue Sky Laws and state takeover Laws, the pre-merger notification requirements of the HSR Act, and filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the NRS and (ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay consummation of any of the Transactions or otherwise prevent Parent or Merger Sub from performing its material obligations under this Agreement.

  

Section 5.06          Compliance. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is or has been in conflict with, or in default, breach or violation of, (a) any Law applicable to Parent or Merger Sub or by which any property or asset of Parent or Merger Sub is bound or affected, or (b) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which Parent or Merger Sub is a party or by which Parent or Merger Sub or any property or asset of Parent or Merger Sub is bound, except, in each case, for any such conflicts, defaults, breaches or violations that would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Parent Material Adverse Effect. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is in possession of all material franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, certificates, approvals and orders of any Governmental Authority necessary for each of Parent and Merger Sub to own, lease and operate its properties or to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. This Section 5.06 shall not apply to Tax matters.

 

Section 5.07          SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley.

 

(a)          Parent has filed all forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents, including any exhibits thereto, required to be filed by it with the SEC, together with any amendments, restatements or supplements thereto (collectively, the “Parent SEC Reports”). Parent has heretofore furnished to the Company true and correct copies of all amendments and modifications that have not been filed by Parent with the SEC to all agreements, documents and other instruments that previously had been filed by Parent with the SEC and are currently in effect. As of their respective filing dates, or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment was filed, the Parent SEC Reports (i) complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and (ii) did not, at the time they were filed, or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each director and executive officer of Parent has filed with the SEC on a timely basis all documents required with respect to Parent by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act.

 

(b)          Each of the financial statements (including, in each case, any notes thereto) contained in the Parent SEC Reports (if amended, as so amended) was prepared in accordance with GAAP (applied on a consistent basis) and Regulation S-X and Regulation S-K, as applicable, throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited financial statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) and each fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations, changes in stockholders equity and cash flows of Parent as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein, (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments which have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to individually or in the aggregate be material). Parent has no off-balance sheet arrangements that are not disclosed in the Parent SEC Reports. No financial statements other than those of Parent are required by GAAP to be included in the consolidated financial statements of Parent.

 

  

(c)          Except as and to the extent set forth in the Parent SEC Reports, neither Parent, Merger Sub, nor has any liability or obligation of a nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for liabilities and obligations arising in the ordinary course of Parent’s business.

 

(d)          Parent is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable listing and corporate governance rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

(e)          Parent has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to Parent and other material information required to be disclosed by Parent in the reports and other documents that it files or furnishes under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated and communicated to Parent’s principal executive officer and its principal financial officer as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications required pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Reports, such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting Parent’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer to material information required to be included in Parent’s periodic reports required under the Exchange Act.

 

(f)          Parent maintains systems of internal control over financial reporting that are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including policies and procedures sufficient to provide reasonable assurance: (i) that Parent maintains records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect, in all material respects, its transactions and dispositions of assets; (ii) that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP; (iii) that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and its board of directors; and (iv) regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of its assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. Parent has delivered to the Company a true and complete copy of any disclosure (or, if unwritten, a summary thereof) by any representative of Parent to Parent’s independent auditors relating to any material weaknesses in internal controls and any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls that would adversely affect the ability of Parent to record, process, summarize and report financial data. Parent has no knowledge of any fraud or whistle-blower allegations, whether or not material, that involve management or other employees or consultants who have or had a significant role in the internal control over financial reporting of Parent. Since March 1, 2022, there have been no material changes in Parent internal control over financial reporting.

 

(g)          There are no outstanding loans or other extensions of credit made by Parent to any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) or director of Parent and Parent has not taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

 

(h)          Except as disclosed in the Parent SEC Reports, neither Parent (including any employee thereof) nor Parent’s independent auditors has identified or been made aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal accounting controls utilized by Parent, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves Parent’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by Parent or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.

 

(i)          As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding SEC comments from the SEC with respect to the Parent SEC Reports. To the knowledge of Parent, none of the Parent SEC Reports filed on or prior to the date hereof is subject to ongoing SEC review or investigation as of the date hereof.

 

Section 5.08          Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since December 31, 2021, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, (a) Parent has conducted its business in all material respects in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice, other than due to any actions taken due to a “shelter in place,” “non-essential employee” or similar direction of any Governmental Authority, (b) Parent has not sold, assigned, transferred, permitted to lapse, abandoned, or otherwise disposed of any right, title, or interest in or to any of its material assets, (c) there has not been any Parent Material Adverse Effect, and (d) Parent has not taken any action that, if taken after the date of this Agreement, would constitute a material breach of any of the covenants set forth in Section 6.02(b).

 

Section 5.09          Absence of Litigation. There is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened against Parent, or any property or asset of Parent, before any Governmental Authority. Neither Parent nor any material property or asset of Parent is subject to any continuing order of, consent decree, settlement agreement or other similar written agreement with, or, to the knowledge of Parent, continuing investigation by, any Governmental Authority, or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Authority.

 

Section 5.10          Board Approval; Vote Required.

 

(a)          The Parent Board, by resolutions duly adopted by a vote of the members of the Parent Board at a meeting duly called and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions are fair to and in the best interests of Parent and its stockholders, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Transactions and declared their advisability, and (iii) recommended that the stockholders of Parent approve and adopt this Agreement and the Merger, and directed that this Agreement and the Merger, be submitted for consideration by the stockholders of Parent at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting.

 

(b)          The only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Parent necessary to approve the Transactions is the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock.

 

 

(c)          The Merger Sub Board, by resolutions duly adopted by unanimous written consent and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, have each duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Merger is fair to and in the best interests of Merger Sub and its sole stockholder, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Merger and declared their advisability, and (iii) recommended that the sole stockholder of Merger Sub approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and directed that this Agreement and the Transactions be submitted for consideration by the sole stockholder of Merger Sub.

  

(d)          The only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Merger Sub that is necessary to approve this Agreement, the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement is the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Merger Sub Common Stock.

 

Section 5.11          No Prior Operations of Merger Sub. Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in the Transactions and has not engaged in any business activities or conducted any operations or incurred any obligation or liability, other than as contemplated by this Agreement.

 

Section 5.12          Brokers. Other than ThinkEquity LLC, no broker, finder or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub.

 

Section 5.13          Parent Trust Fund. As of the date of this Agreement, Parent has no less than $82,512,500 held in the trust fund established by Parent for the benefit of its public stockholders (the “Trust Fund”) maintained in a trust account (the “Trust Account”). The monies of such Trust Account are invested in United States Government securities or money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and held in trust by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”) pursuant to the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of February 25, 2022, between Parent and the Trustee (the “Trust Agreement”). Except as set forth in Section 5.13, the Trust Agreement has not been amended or modified and is valid and in full force and effect and is enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Remedies Exceptions. Parent has complied in all material respects with the terms of the Trust Agreement and is not in breach thereof or default thereunder and there does not exist under the Trust Agreement any event which, with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default by Parent or, to the knowledge of Parent, the Trustee. There are no separate contracts, agreements, side letters or other understandings (whether written or unwritten, express or implied): (i) between Parent and the Trustee that would cause the description of the Trust Agreement in the Parent SEC Reports to be inaccurate in any material respect; or (ii) to the knowledge of Parent, that would entitle any person (other than stockholders of Parent who shall have elected to redeem their shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents) to any portion of the proceeds in the Trust Account. Prior to the Closing, none of the funds held in the Trust Account have been released except: (A) to pay income and franchise Taxes from any interest income earned in the Trust Account; and (B) upon the exercise of Redemption Rights in accordance with the provisions of the Parent Organizational Documents. As of the date hereof, there are no Actions pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing with respect to the Trust Account. Upon consummation of the Merger and notice thereof to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement, Parent shall cause the Trustee to, and the Trustee shall thereupon be obligated to, release to Parent as promptly as practicable, the Trust Funds in accordance with the Trust Agreement at which point the Trust Account shall terminate; provided, however that the liabilities and obligations of Parent due and owing or incurred at or prior to the Effective Time shall be paid as and when due, including all amounts payable (a) to stockholders of Parent who shall have exercised their Redemption Rights, (b) with respect to filings, applications and/or other actions taken pursuant to this Agreement required under Law, (c) to the Trustee for fees and costs incurred in accordance with the Trust Agreement; and (d) to third parties (e.g., professionals, printers, etc.) who have rendered services to Parent in connection with its efforts to effect the Merger. As of the date hereof, assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein and the compliance by the Company with its obligations hereunder, Parent has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the use of funds in the Trust Account will not be satisfied or funds available in the Trust Account will not be available to Parent at the Effective Time.

 

  

Section 5.14          Employees. Other than any officers as described in the Parent SEC Reports and consultants and advisors in the ordinary course of business, Parent, and Merger Sub have never employed any employees or retained any contractors. Other than reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Parent’s officers and directors in connection with activities on Parent’s behalf in an aggregate amount not in excess of the amount of cash held by Parent outside of the Trust Account, Parent has no unsatisfied material liability with respect to any officer or director. Parent, and Merger Sub have never and do not currently maintain, sponsor, or contribute to or have any direct or material liability under any Employee Benefit Plan.

 

Section 5.15         Taxes.

 

(a)          Parent and Merger Sub (i) have duly and timely filed all material Tax Returns that they are required to have filed as of the date hereof (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) and all such filed Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate in all material respects; (ii) have paid all Taxes that are shown as due on such filed Tax Returns and any other material Taxes that they are required to have paid as of the date hereof to avoid penalties or charges for late payment; (iii) with respect to all material Tax Returns filed by them, have not waived any statute of limitations with respect to material Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a material Tax assessment or deficiency (other than pursuant to customary extensions of the due date for filing a Tax Return obtained in the ordinary course of business); and (iv) do not have any material Tax Claims pending or asserted, proposed or threatened in writing for a Tax period for which the statute of limitations for a Tax assessment remains open, other than any Tax Claims that have since been resolved. The unpaid Taxes of Parent and Merger Sub as of the date of the most recent consolidated financial statements of Parent did not materially exceed the reserves for Taxes (other than any reserves for deferred Taxes established to reflect timing differences between book and taxable income) of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in such consolidated financial statements.

 

(b)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is a party to, is bound by or has an obligation under any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement, Tax allocation agreement or similar contract or arrangement, in each case other than an Ordinary Commercial Agreement.

 

(c)          There is no outstanding power of attorney from Parent or Merger Sub authorizing anyone to act on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub in connection with any Tax, Tax Return or Tax Claim relating to any Tax or Tax Return of Parent or Merger Sub.

 

 

(d)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub will be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any Tax period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) adjustment under Section 481(c) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) by reason of any change in method of accounting made prior to the Closing; (ii) “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) executed prior to the Closing; (iii) installment sale or open transaction disposition made prior to the Closing; (iv) intercompany transaction or excess loss account described in the Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 1502 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) entered into or created, respectively, prior to the Closing; or (v) prepaid amount received or deferred revenue booked prior to the Closing outside the ordinary course of business.

  

(e)          Parent and Merger Sub have withheld and paid to the appropriate Governmental Authority all material Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any current or former employee, independent contractor, creditor, stockholder or other third party and, to Parent’s knowledge, have complied in all material respects with all applicable Laws relating to the reporting and withholding of Taxes.

 

(f)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary income Tax Return (other than a group of which Parent or Merger Sub was the common parent).

 

(g)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has any liability for the Taxes of any person (other than Parent and Merger Sub) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law), as a transferee or successor, or, except pursuant to an Ordinary Commercial Agreement, by contract.

 

(h)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has any request outstanding for a “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) or private letter ruling from any Governmental Authority.

 

(i)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has in any year for which the applicable statute of limitations remains open distributed stock of another person, or has had its stock distributed by another person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Sections 355 or 361 of the Code.

 

(j)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has engaged in or entered into a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).

 

(k)          Neither the IRS nor any other Governmental Authority has asserted in writing against Parent or Merger Sub any deficiency or claim for any material Taxes or interest thereon or penalties in connection therewith, in each case, that has not been paid or resolved in full.

 

 

(l)          There are no Liens for Taxes (other than Permitted Liens) upon any assets of Parent or Merger Sub.

  

(m)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has been a “United States real property holding corporation” within the meaning of Section 897(c)(2) of the Code during the applicable period specified in Section 897(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Code.

 

(n)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has received any written notice from a non-U.S. Governmental Authority that it has a permanent establishment (within the meaning of an applicable Tax treaty) or otherwise has an office or fixed place of business in a country other than the country in which it is organized.

 

(o)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub has received any written claim from a Governmental Authority in a jurisdiction in which Parent or Merger Sub does not file Tax Returns stating that Parent or Merger Sub is or may be subject to Tax in such jurisdiction.

 

(p)          For U.S. federal income Tax purposes, (i) Parent is, and has been since its formation, classified as a corporation, and (ii) Merger Sub is, and has been since its formation, classified as a corporation.

 

(q)          Merger Sub is, and has been since its formation, wholly owned by Parent.

 

(r)          Neither Parent nor Merger Sub, after consultation with their Tax advisors, is aware of any fact or circumstance, or has taken (or failed to take) any action, that would reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.

 

Section 5.16          Registration and Listing. The issued and outstanding shares of Parent Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FGMC.” The issued and outstanding Parent Warrants that were included as part of the Parent Units (the “Parent Public Warrants”) are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the symbol “FGMCW.” As of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of Parent, threatened in writing against Parent by the Nasdaq Global Market or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the shares of Parent Common Stock or the Parent Public Warrants or terminate the listing of Parent on the Nasdaq Global Market. None of Parent or any of its affiliates has taken any action in an attempt to terminate the registration of the shares of Parent Common Stock or the Parent Public Warrants under the Exchange Act.

 

 

Section 5.17          Parent’s and Merger Sub’s Investigation and Reliance. Each of Parent and Merger Sub is a sophisticated purchaser and has made its own independent investigation, review and analysis regarding the Company and the Transactions, which investigation, review and analysis were conducted by Parent and Merger Sub, together with expert advisors, including legal counsel, that they have engaged for such purpose. Parent, Merger Sub and their Representatives have been provided with full and complete access to the Representatives, properties, offices, plants and other facilities, Books and Records of the Company and other information that they have requested in connection with their investigation of the Company and the Transactions. Neither Parent nor Merger Sub is relying on any statement, representation or warranty, oral or written, express or implied, made by the Company or any of its Representatives, except as expressly set forth in Article IV (as modified by the Company Disclosure Schedule) or the Company Officer’s Certificate. Neither the Company nor any of its respective stockholders, affiliates or Representatives shall have any liability to Parent, Merger Sub, or any of their respective stockholders, affiliates or Representatives resulting from the use of any information, documents or materials made available to Parent, Merger Sub, or any of their Representatives, whether orally or in writing, in any confidential information memoranda, “data rooms,” management presentations, due diligence discussions or in any other form in expectation of the Transactions.

  

Section 5.18          Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Article V, Parent and Merger Sub hereby expressly disclaims and negates, any other express or implied representation or warranty whatsoever (whether at Law or in equity) with respect to the Parent, Merger Sub, their affiliates, and any matter relating to any of them, including their affairs, the condition, value or quality of the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations, or with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any other information made available to the Company, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives by, or on behalf of, Parent or Merger Sub, and any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither Parent, Merger Sub nor any other person on behalf of Parent or Merger Sub has made or makes, any representation or warranty, whether express or implied, with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates or budgets made available to the Company, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives of future revenues, future results of operations (or any component thereof), future cash flows or future financial condition (or any component thereof) of Parent or Merger Sub (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing), whether or not included in any information made available to the Company, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives or any other person, and any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed.

 

Article VI

 

CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER

 

Section 6.01         Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.

 

(a)          The Company agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time or the earlier termination of this Agreement (the “Interim Period”), except as (1) expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (2) as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (3) as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), unless Parent shall otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed):

 

(i)          the Company shall conduct its business in the ordinary course of business; and

 

 

(ii)          the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact the business organization of the Company, to keep available the services of the current officers and Key Employees of the Company and to preserve the current relationships of the Company with customers, Suppliers and other persons with which the Company has significant business relations.

  

(b)          By way of amplification and not limitation, except as (1) expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (2) as set forth in Section 6.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, and (3) as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), the Company shall not, during the Interim Period, directly or indirectly, do any of the following without the prior written consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed):

 

(i)          amend or otherwise change its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or equivalent organizational documents;

 

(ii)         issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant or encumber or subject to any Lien, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, or otherwise amend (except as set forth in Section 3.01(a) or Section 3.01(b)) any terms of, (A) any shares of any class of capital stock of the Company, or any options, warrants, restricted stock units, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of the Company, provided (1) the exercise, settlement or vesting of any Company Awards in the ordinary course of business, (2) the issue of convertible promissory notes on the same terms and conditions as the Company Convertible Notes, (3) the issue of warrants to purchase Company Common Stock on the same terms and conditions as the Company Warrants issued in connection with the issue of Company Convertible Notes, or (4) entering into the Bridge Financing (collectively, the “Permitted Financings”) shall require the consent of Parent, provided, further, that the Company shall be permitted to grant Company Awards in accordance with Section 6.01(b)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; or (B) any material assets of the Company;

 

(iii)        adopt a plan of, or otherwise enter into or effect a, complete or partial liquidation, dissolution, restructuring, recapitalization or other reorganization of the Company (other than the Merger), acquire any equity interest or other interest in any other entity or enter into a joint venture, partnership, business association or other similar arrangement with any other entity;

 

(iv)         declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, excluding any dividend payable in the form of shares of Capital Stock;

 

(v)          reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock, other than redemptions of equity securities from former employees upon the terms set forth in the underlying agreements governing such equity securities;

 

 

(vi)         (A) acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or substantially all of the assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof, in each case; or (B) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise become responsible for, the obligations of any person, or make any loans or advances, or grant any security interest in any of its assets, in excess of $3,000,000 in the aggregate or in a Permitted Financing;

  

(vii)        (A) except as provided for through the New Employment Agreements or a promotion, grant any increase in the compensation or incentives payable or to become payable to any current or former director, officer, employee (including any Key Employee) or service provider of the Company that has a base salary or compensation in excess of $425,000 (each, a “Company Service Provider”), (B) except through or in connection with the New Employment Agreements or a promotion, enter into any new, or terminate or amend any existing, employment, retention, bonus, change in control, or termination agreement with any Company Service Provider, (C) except as provided for through the New Employment Agreements, accelerate or commit to accelerate the funding, payment, or vesting of any compensation or benefits to any Company Service Provider, (D) establish or become obligated under any collective bargaining agreement or other contract or agreement with a labor union, trade union, works council, or other representative of employees, (E) hire any new employee whose individual base compensation shall exceed $250,000, provided that such new employee receives compensation and benefits that are no more favorable than those provided to similarly situated employees of the Company, (F) terminate the employment (other than for cause) of any Company Service Provider whose individual base compensation exceeds $125,000, except that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company may (1) provide increases in salary, wages, bonuses or benefits to employees as required under the terms of any Plan in existence as of the date of this Agreement and reflected on Section 0 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or, for employees (other than Key Employees) whose base compensation is less than $125,000, in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (2) change the title of its employees (other than Key Employees) in the ordinary course of business, and (3) make annual or quarterly bonus or commission payments in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and in accordance with the bonus or commission plans existing on the date of this Agreement;

 

(viii)       other than as required by Law or pursuant to the terms of a Plan entered into prior to the date of this Agreement and reflected on Section 0 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or as provided for through the New Employment Agreements, grant any severance or termination pay to (A) any Key Employee or any director or officer of the Company or (B) other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, any other current employee of the Company;

 

(ix)         adopt, amend or terminate any material Plan or any Employee Benefit Plan that would be a Plan if in effect as of the date hereof except (A) as may be required by applicable Law, (B) as is required in order to consummate the Transactions, or (C) in connection with health and welfare plan renewals in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice (provided that such renewals do not materially increase the cost to the Company of providing such benefits);

 

  

(x)          waive the restrictive covenant obligations of any employee of the Company;

 

(xi)         materially amend or change any of the Company’s accounting policies or procedures, other than reasonable and usual amendments in the ordinary course of business or as may be required by a change in GAAP;

 

(xii)        make, change or revoke any material Tax election, amend any income or other material Tax Return, settle or compromise any material income Tax liability, adopt or change any accounting method in respect of material Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the statute of limitations applicable to any claim or assessment in respect of material Taxes, execute any material “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) or enter into any Tax sharing or similar agreement in respect of material Taxes (other than, in each case, an Ordinary Commercial Agreement);

 

(xiii)       materially amend, or modify or consent to the termination (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms) of any Material Contract or amend, waive, modify or consent to the termination (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms) of the Company’s material rights thereunder, in each case in a manner that is adverse to the Company, taken as a whole, except in the ordinary course of business;

 

(xiv)        fail to use reasonable efforts to prosecute, protect, enforce and maintain, material Company IP;

 

(xv)         (x) acquire, license, sublicense, waive, covenant not to assert, pledge, sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose of, divest or spin-off, any material item of Company IP or other Intellectual Property used or held for use in the business of the Company, (y) abandon, relinquish, permit to lapse or to be abandoned, invalidated, dedicated to the public, or disclaimed, or otherwise become unenforceable or fail to perform or make any applicable filings, recordings or other similar actions or filings, or fail to pay all required fees and Taxes required or advisable to maintain and protect its interest in, each and every material item of Company IP or other Intellectual Property used or held for use in the business of the Company or (z) disclose or otherwise make available to any person who is not subject to a written agreement to maintain the confidentiality of such trade secrets any material Trade Secret included in the Company IP or other Intellectual Property used or held for use in the business of the Company;

 

(xvi)        waive, release, assign, settle or compromise any Action, other than waivers, releases, assignments, settlements or compromises that are solely monetary in nature and do not exceed $100,000 individually or $1,000,000 in the aggregate; or

 

(xvii)       enter into any formal or informal agreement or otherwise make a binding commitment to do any of the foregoing.

 

 

Nothing herein shall require the Company to obtain consent from Parent to do any of the foregoing if obtaining such consent might reasonably be expected to violate applicable Law, and nothing contained in this Section 6.01 shall give to Parent, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the ordinary course of business operations of the Company prior to the Closing Date. During the Interim Period, each of Parent and the Company shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions hereof, complete control and supervision of its respective operations.

  

Section 6.02          Conduct of Business by Parent and Merger Sub Pending the Merger.

 

(a)          Except as expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement and as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), Parent agrees that during the Interim Period, unless the Company shall otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), the businesses of Parent and Merger Sub shall be conducted in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice.

 

(b)          By way of amplification and not limitation, except as expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, as set forth on Section 6.02 of the Parent Disclosure Schedule or as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), neither Parent nor Merger Sub shall, during the Interim Period, directly or indirectly, do any of the following without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned:

 

(i)          amend or otherwise change the Parent Organizational Documents or the Merger Sub Organizational Documents or form any Subsidiary of Parent other than Merger Sub;

 

(ii)         declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock, other than redemptions from the Trust Fund that are required pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents;

 

(iii)       reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the Parent Common Stock or Parent Warrants except for redemptions from the Trust Fund that are required pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents;

 

(iv)         issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant or encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, any shares of any class of capital stock or other securities of Parent or Merger Sub, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of Parent or Merger Sub;

 

(v)          acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or enter into any strategic joint ventures, partnerships or alliances with any other person;

 

  

(vi)         incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another person or persons, issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or other rights to acquire any debt securities of Parent, as applicable, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing, in each case, except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice; provided, that this Section 6.02(a)(vi) shall not prevent Parent from borrowing funds necessary to finance (i) its ordinary course administrative costs and expenses and Outstanding Parent Transaction Expenses incurred in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and (ii) the costs and expenses necessary for an Extension (as defined below);

 

(vii)        make any change in any method of financial accounting or financial accounting principles, policies, procedures or practices, except as required by a concurrent amendment in GAAP or applicable Law made subsequent to the date hereof, as agreed to by its independent accountants;

 

(viii)       make, change or revoke any material Tax election, amend any income or other material Tax Return, settle or compromise any material income Tax liability, adopt or change any accounting method in respect of material Taxes, consent to any extension or waiver of the statute of limitations applicable to any claim or assessment in respect of material Taxes, execute any material “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or non-U.S. income Tax Law) or enter into any Tax sharing or similar agreement in respect of material Taxes (other than, in each case, an Ordinary Commercial Agreement);

 

(ix)         liquidate, dissolve, reorganize or otherwise wind up the business and operations of Parent or Merger Sub;

 

(x)          amend the Trust Agreement or any other agreement related to the Trust Account;

 

(xi)         (A) enter into, materially amend, or modify or consent to the termination (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms) of any Contracts to which Parent or Merger Sub is party (including engagement letters with financial advisors) in a manner that would materially and adversely affect Parent or any of its Subsidiaries after the Closing or would impose material liabilities on any Parent or any of its Subsidiaries after the Closing or (B) enter into any Contract that would entitle any third party to any bonuses, payments or other fees upon or conditioned upon the consummation of the Closing, other than any services providers or advisors engaged by Parent in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement prior to the Closing; or

 

(xii)        enter into any formal or informal agreement or otherwise make a binding commitment to do any of the foregoing.

 

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.02(b), nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit or restrict Parent from extending, in accordance with the Parent Organizational Documents and the Prospectus (as defined below), the deadline by which it must complete its Business Combination (as defined below) (an “Extension,” and such deadline, the “Extension Date”), and no consent of the Company shall be required in connection therewith; provided that Parent shall provide to the Company drafts of all material documents related to an Extension, and shall consider in good faith all reasonable comments to such documents provided by the Company. Nothing in this Section 6.02 shall give to the Company, directly or indirectly, the right to control or direct the ordinary course of business operations of Parent prior to the Closing Date. Prior to the Closing Date, each of Parent and the Company shall exercise, consistent with the terms and conditions hereof, complete control and supervision of its respective operations, as required by Law.

  

Section 6.03          Claims Against Trust Account. Reference is made to the final prospectus of Parent, dated as of February 25, 2022 and filed with the SEC (Registration No. 333-262298) on March 1, 2022 (the “Prospectus”). The Company hereby represents and warrants that it understands that Parent has established the Trust Account containing the proceeds of its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and the overallotment 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 Parent’s public stockholders (including overallotment shares acquired by Parent’s underwriters, the “Public Stockholders”), and that, except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, Parent may disburse monies from the Trust Account only: (a) to the Public Stockholders in the event they elect to redeem their Parent Common Stock in connection with the consummation of Parent’s initial business combination (as such term is used in the Prospectus) (the “Business Combination”) or in connection with an extension of its deadline to consummate a Business Combination, (b) to the Public Stockholders if Parent fails to consummate a Business Combination within 15 months (or 18 months, as applicable) from the closing of the IPO, or 18 months from the closing of the IPO if the time to complete a business combination is extended as described in the Prospectus, subject to extension by amendment to Parent’s organizational documents, (c) with respect to any interest earned on the amounts held in the Trust Account, amounts as necessary to pay any Taxes and up to $100,000 in dissolution expenses, or (d) to Parent after or concurrently with the consummation of a Business Combination. For and in consideration of Parent entering into this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company hereby agrees on behalf of itself and its affiliates that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, neither the Company 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 Parent or its Representatives, on the one hand, and the Company 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 (any and all such claims are collectively referred to hereafter as the “Released Claims”). The Company on behalf of itself and its affiliates hereby irrevocably waives any Released Claims that the Company 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 Parent 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 (including a Willful Breach) of this Agreement or any other agreement with Parent or its affiliates). The Company agrees and acknowledges that such irrevocable waiver is material to this Agreement and specifically relied upon by Parent and its affiliates to induce Parent to enter into this Agreement, and the Company further intends and understands such waiver to be valid, binding and enforceable against the Company and each of its affiliates under applicable Law. To the extent the Company or any of its affiliates commences any action or proceeding based upon, in connection with, relating to or arising out of any matter relating to Parent or its Representatives, which proceeding seeks, in whole or in part, monetary relief against Parent or its Representatives, the Company hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Company’s and its affiliates’ sole remedy shall be against funds held outside of the Trust Account and that such claim shall not permit the Company 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. In the event the Company or any of its affiliates commences any action or proceeding based upon, in connection with, relating to or arising out of any matter relating to Parent or its Representatives, which proceeding seeks, in whole or in part, relief against the Trust Account (including any distributions therefrom) or the Public Stockholders of Parent, whether in the form of money damages or injunctive relief, Parent and its Representatives, as applicable, shall be entitled to recover from the Company and its affiliates the associated legal fees and costs in connection with any such action, in the event Parent or its Representatives, as applicable, prevails in such action or proceeding. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, the provisions of this paragraph shall survive indefinitely with respect to the obligations set forth in this Agreement.

 

  

Article VII

 

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

 

Section 7.01          Proxy Statement; Registration Statement.

 

(a)          As soon as reasonably practicable following the date of this Agreement, (i) Parent and the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to jointly prepare and file with the SEC a joint proxy statement (as amended or supplemented, the “Proxy Statement”) to be sent to the stockholders of Parent and of the Company, in which (I) Parent shall solicit proxies from Parent’s stockholders to vote at the special meeting of Parent’s stockholders called for the purpose of voting on the following matters (the “Parent Stockholders’ Meeting”) in favor of (A) the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including the Merger, (B) the approval and adoption of the restated Parent Certificate of Incorporation to read as set forth on Exhibit D, (C) the approval and adoption of an equity incentive plan, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent and the Company that provides for grant of awards to employees and other service providers of the Surviving Corporation in the form of options, restricted stock, restricted stock units or other equity-based awards based on Parent Common Stock with a total pool of awards of Parent Common Stock not exceeding, together with the number of shares of Parent Common Stock that would be issuable immediately after the Effective Time upon the vesting of all Converted Options, the greater of (x) 10% of the sum of (1) shares of Parent Common Stock outstanding at the Closing and (2) the number of shares of Parent Preferred Stock outstanding at the Closing or (y) 980,000 (the “Parent Equity Incentive Plan”), (D) the approval and adoption of an amendment to the Parent Certificate of Incorporation to effectuate the Parent Common Conversion, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Parent and the Company and (F) any approval of other proposals the Company and Parent shall hereafter mutually determine to be necessary or appropriate in order to effect the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (collectively, the “Parent Proposals”) and (II) the Company shall solicit proxies from the Company’s stockholders to vote at the special meeting of the Company’s stockholders called for the purpose of voting on the following matters (the “Company Stockholders’ Meeting”) in favor of (A) the adoption and approval of this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby, including the Merger, by the holders of the Capital Stock in accordance with the Company Organizational Documents, the Laws of the state of Nevada and the rules and regulations of the SEC and Nasdaq, (B) such other matters as the Company and Parent shall hereafter mutually determine to be necessary or appropriate in order to effect the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the approvals described in foregoing clauses (A) through (B), collectively, the “Company Stockholder Approval Matters”), and (C) the adjournment of the Company Stockholders’ Meeting, if necessary or desirable in the reasonable determination of the Company, and (ii) Parent and the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to jointly prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 (together with all amendments thereto, the “Registration Statement”), which Registration Statement shall include the Proxy Statement in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued to the stockholders and optionholders of the Company pursuant to this Agreement. Parent and the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause the Proxy Statement and Registration Statement when filed with the SEC to comply in all material respects with all legal requirements applicable thereto, (ii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to and resolve all comments received from the SEC concerning the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement, (iii) cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable and (iv) to keep the Registration Statement effective as long as is necessary to consummate the Transactions. As promptly as practicable after the Registration Statement becomes effective, (i) Parent shall distribute the Proxy Statement to its stockholders, and, pursuant thereto, shall call the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting in accordance with Delaware Law and (ii) the Company shall distribute the Proxy Statement to the Company’s stockholders, and, pursuant thereto, shall call the Company Stockholders’ Meeting in accordance with Nevada Law. Each of Parent and the Company shall promptly furnish all information concerning it as may reasonably be requested by the other party in connection with such actions and the preparation of the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement.

 

  

(b)          No filing of, or amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement will be made by Parent or the Company without the approval of the other party (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed); provided, however, that subject to prior compliance with this clause (b), Parent will be permitted to make such filing or response in the absence of such approval if the basis of the Company’s failure to consent is the Company’s unwillingness to permit the inclusion in such filing or response of information that, based on the advice of outside counsel to Parent, is required by the SEC and United States securities Laws to be included therein. Parent and the Company each will advise the other, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or amendment thereto has been filed, of the issuance of any stop order, of the suspension of the qualification of the Parent Common Stock to be issued or issuable to the stockholders and optionholders of the Company in connection with this Agreement for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of any request by the SEC for amendment of the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement or comments thereon and responses thereto or requests by the SEC for additional information. Each of Parent and the Company shall cooperate and mutually agree upon (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), any response to comments of the SEC with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement and any amendment to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement filed in response thereto; provided, however, that subject to prior compliance with this clause (b), Parent will be permitted to make such filing or response in the absence of such approval if the basis of the Company’s failure to consent is the Company’s unwillingness to permit the inclusion in such filing or response of information that, based on the advice of outside counsel to Parent, is required by the SEC and United States securities Laws to be included therein.

 

  

(c)          Parent represents that the information supplied by Parent for inclusion in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or fail to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading at (i) the time the Registration Statement is declared effective, (ii) the time the Proxy Statement (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to the stockholders of Parent and (iii) the time of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting. If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event or circumstance relating to Parent or Merger Sub, or their respective officers or directors, should be discovered by Parent which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Registration Statement or the Proxy Statement, Parent shall promptly inform the Company. Parent shall promptly correct any information provided by it for use in the Registration Statement (and other related materials) if and to the extent that such information is determined to have become false or misleading in any material respect or as otherwise required by applicable Laws. All documents that Parent is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

(d)          The Company represents that the information supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or fail to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, at (i) the time the Registration Statement is declared effective, (ii) the time the Proxy Statement (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to the stockholders of Parent and (iii) the time of the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting. If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event or circumstance relating to the Company, or their respective officers or directors, should be discovered by the Company which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Registration Statement or the Proxy Statement, the Company shall promptly inform Parent. The Company shall promptly correct any information provided by it for use in the Registration Statement (and other related materials) if and to the extent that such information is determined to have become false or misleading in any material respect or as otherwise required by applicable Laws. All documents that the Company is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

  

Section 7.02          Parent Stockholders’ Meeting; Merger Sub Stockholder’s Approval.

 

(a)          Parent shall call and hold the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting as promptly as practicable after the date on which the Registration Statement becomes effective (but in any event no later than 45 days after the date on which the Proxy Statement is mailed to stockholders of Parent) for the purpose of voting solely upon the Parent Proposals; provided that Parent may postpone or adjourn the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting on one or more occasions upon the good faith determination by the Parent Board that such postponement or adjournment is necessary to solicit additional proxies to obtain approval of the Parent Proposals or otherwise take actions consistent with Parent’s obligations pursuant to Section 7.11 of this Agreement. Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the approval of the Parent Proposals at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting, including by soliciting from its stockholders proxies as promptly as possible in favor of the Parent Proposals. The Parent Board shall recommend to its stockholders that they approve the Parent Proposals (the “Parent Board Recommendation”) and shall include such recommendation in the Proxy Statement. The Parent Board shall not (and no committee or subgroup thereof shall) (i) change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify the Parent Board Recommendation, (ii) publicly propose to change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify the Parent Board Recommendation or (iii) fail to include the Parent Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement.

 

(b)          Promptly following the execution of this Agreement, Parent shall approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement, in its capacity as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub.

 

Section 7.03          Company Stockholders’ Meeting. The Company shall call and hold the Company Stockholders’ Meeting as promptly as practicable after the date on which the Registration Statement becomes effective (but in any event no later than 45 days after the date on which the Proxy Statement is mailed to stockholders of Company) for the purpose of voting solely upon the Company Stockholder Approval Matters; provided that Company may postpone or adjourn the Company Stockholders’ Meeting on one or more occasions upon the good faith determination by the Company Board that such postponement or adjournment is necessary to solicit additional proxies to obtain approval of the Company Stockholder Approval Matters or otherwise take actions consistent with Company’s obligations pursuant to Section 7.11 of this Agreement. Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the approval of the Company Stockholder Approval Matters at the Company Stockholders’ Meeting, including by soliciting from its stockholders proxies as promptly as possible in favor of the Company Stockholder Approval Matters. The Company Board shall recommend to its stockholders that they approve the Company Stockholder Approval Matters (the “Company Board Recommendation”) and shall include such recommendation in the Proxy Statement. The Company Board shall not (and no committee or subgroup thereof shall) (i) change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify the Company Board Recommendation, (ii) publicly propose to change, withdraw, withhold, qualify or modify the Company Board Recommendation or (iii) fail to include the Company Board Recommendation in the Proxy Statement.

 

 

Section 7.04          Access to Information; Confidentiality.

 

(a)          During the Interim Period, the Company and Parent shall (and shall cause their respective Subsidiaries to): (i) provide to the other party (and the other party’s officers, directors, employees, accountants, consultants, legal counsel, agents and other representatives, collectively, “Representatives”) reasonable access at reasonable times upon prior notice to the officers, employees, agents, properties, offices and other facilities of such party and its subsidiaries and to the Books and Records thereof; and (ii) furnish promptly to the other party such information concerning the business, properties, contracts, assets, liabilities, personnel and other aspects of such party and its subsidiaries as the other party or its Representatives may reasonably request, including in connection with any Tax disclosure in any statement, filing, notice or application relating to the Intended Tax Treatment or any Tax opinion requested or required to be filed pursuant to Section 7.13(c). Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Company nor Parent shall be required to provide access to or disclose information where the access or disclosure would jeopardize the protection of attorney-client privilege or contravene applicable Law (it being agreed that the parties shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause such information to be provided in a manner that would not result in such jeopardy or contravention). Prior to the Closing, without the prior written consent of the Company, neither Parent, nor any of its Representatives shall contact any payors, customers, suppliers, employees or agents of the Company.

 

(b)          All information obtained by the parties pursuant to this Section 7.04 shall be kept confidential in accordance with the Nondisclosure Agreement, dated as of November 4, 2022 (the “Non-Disclosure Agreement”), between Parent and the Company.

 

(c)          Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each party hereto (and its respective Representatives) may consult any Tax advisor as is reasonably necessary regarding the Tax treatment and Tax structure of the Transactions and may disclose to such Tax advisor as reasonably necessary such treatment and structure of the Transactions and all materials (including any Tax analysis) that are provided relating to such treatment or structure, in each case in accordance with the Non-Disclosure Agreement.

 

Section 7.05          SEC Filings.

 

(a)          Each party acknowledges that: (i) each of the Company’s and Parent’s shareholders must approve the transactions contemplated by this Agreement prior to the Merger contemplated hereby being consummated and that, in connection with such approval, each party must call a meeting of its shareholders requiring such party to prepare and file with the SEC a Proxy Statement; (ii) such other party will be required to file quarterly and annual reports that may be required to contain information about the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and (iii) such other party will be required to file a Form 8-K to announce the transactions contemplated hereby and other significant events that may occur in connection with such transactions.

 

(b)          In connection with any filing Parent or the Company make with the SEC that requires information about the transactions contemplated by this Agreement to be included, the other party will, and will use its best efforts to cause its Affiliates to, in connection with the disclosure included in any such filing or the responses provided to the SEC in connection with the SEC’s comments to a filing, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) cooperate with such party, (ii) respond to questions about itself required in any filing or requested by the SEC, and (iii) provide any information requested by such party in connection with any filing with the SEC.

 

 

(c)            The Company and Parent each acknowledge that a substantial portion of the filings with the SEC and mailings to Parent’s shareholders with respect to the Proxy Statement shall include disclosure regarding the other party and its management, operations and financial condition. Accordingly, each party agrees to, as promptly as reasonably practical, provide the other party with such information as shall be reasonably requested for inclusion in or attachment to the Proxy Statement, that is accurate in all material respects and complies as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and in addition shall contain substantially the same financial and other information about itself and its stockholders or shareholders as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies. Each party understands that such information shall be included in the Proxy Statement and/or responses to comments from the SEC or its staff in connection therewith and mailings. Each party shall cause its managers, directors, officers and employees to be reasonably available to the other party and its counsel in connection with the drafting of such filings and mailings and responding in a timely manner to comments from the SEC.

 

Section 7.06           Financial Information. The Company will provide additional financial information as reasonably requested by Parent for inclusion in any filings to be made by Parent with the SEC. If reasonably requested by Parent, the Company shall use its best efforts to cause such information to be reviewed or audited by the Company’s auditor, and if required by applicable SEC rules or regulations, the Company agrees such financial information provided by the Company will be reviewed or audited by the Company’s auditors.

 

Section 7.07           Exclusivity.

 

(a)            During the Interim Period, Parent shall not, shall cause its Subsidiaries not to and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its and their respective Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit, propose or knowingly induce the making, submission or announcement of, or knowingly encourage, facilitate or assist, any inquiries or requests for information with respect to, or the making of, any inquiry regarding, or any proposal or offer that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, any Business Combination other than the Transactions (a “Business Combination Proposal”), (ii) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, business, assets, books, records or any confidential information or data to, any person relating to any proposal, offer, inquiry or request for information that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, any Business Combination Proposal, (iii) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any Business Combination Proposal, (iv) execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, confidentiality agreement, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, exchange agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement, option agreement or other similar agreement for or relating to any Business Combination Proposal or (v) propose, resolve or agree to do, or do, any of the foregoing. If a party or any of its Subsidiaries or any of its or their respective Representatives receives any inquiry or proposal with respect to a Business Combination Proposal at any time prior to the Closing, then such party shall promptly (and in no event later than twenty-four (24) hours after such party becomes aware of such inquiry or proposal) notify such person in writing of the terms of this Section 7.07. Without limiting the foregoing, it is understood that any violation of the restrictions contained in Section 7.07 by any of Parent’s Subsidiaries, or any of Parent’s or its Subsidiaries’ respective Representatives acting on Parent’s or one of its Subsidiaries’ behalf, shall be deemed to be a breach of this Section 7.07 by Parent. Parent shall, and shall cause its affiliates and Representatives to, immediately cease any and all existing discussions or negotiations with any person conducted prior to the date hereof with respect to, or which is reasonably likely to give rise to or result in, a Business Combination Proposal.

 

 

(b)            During the Interim Period, the Company shall not, and shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause its Representatives not to, directly or indirectly, (i) initiate, solicit, propose or knowingly induce the making, submission or announcement of, or knowingly encourage, facilitate or assist, any inquiries or requests for information with respect to, or the making of, any inquiry regarding, or any proposal or offer that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or lead to an Acquisition Proposal, (ii) engage in, continue or otherwise participate in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, business, assets, books, records or any confidential information or data to, any person relating to any proposal, offer, inquiry or request for information that constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to result in or lead to, any Acquisition Proposal, (iii) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any Acquisition Proposal, (iv) execute or enter into, any letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, agreement in principle, confidentiality agreement, merger agreement, acquisition agreement, exchange agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement, option agreement or other similar agreement for or relating to any Acquisition Proposal or (v) propose, resolve or agree to do, or do, any of the foregoing. If the Company or any of its Representatives receives any inquiry or proposal with respect to an Acquisition Proposal at any time prior to the Closing, then such party shall promptly (and in no event later than twenty-four (24) hours after such party becomes aware of such inquiry or proposal) notify such person in writing of the terms of this Section 7.07(b). The Company shall, and shall cause its affiliates and Representatives to, immediately cease any and all existing discussions or negotiations with any person conducted prior to the date hereof with respect to, or which is reasonably likely to give rise to or result in, an Acquisition Proposal.

 

(c)            For purposes of this Agreement, “Acquisition Proposal” means any proposal or offer from any person or “group” (as defined in the Exchange Act) (other than Parent, Merger Sub, or their respective affiliates) relating to, in a single transaction or series of related transactions, (i) any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of a business that constitutes fifty percent (50%) or more of the net revenues, net income or assets of the Company, (ii) any direct or indirect acquisition of fifty percent (50%) or more of the consolidated assets of the Company, (C) acquisition of beneficial ownership, or the right to acquire beneficial ownership, of fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the equity securities of the Company, any tender offer or exchange offer that if consummated would result in any person beneficially owning fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the equity securities of the Company, or any merger, reorganization, consolidation, share exchange, business combination, recapitalization, liquidation, dissolution or similar transaction involving the Company or (D) any issuance or sale or other disposition (including by way of merger, reorganization, division, consolidation, share exchange, business combination, recapitalization or other similar transaction) of fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power of the equity securities of the Company; provided that, for the avoidance of doubt, no Permitted Financing shall constitute an Acquisition Proposal.

 

 

Section 7.08           [Intentionally Omitted].

 

Section 7.09           Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification.

 

(a)            The certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation shall each contain provisions no less favorable with respect to indemnification, advancement or expense reimbursement than are set forth in the Company Charter and its bylaws, which provisions shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time in any manner that would affect adversely the rights thereunder of individuals who, at or prior to the Effective Time, were directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries or agents of the Company, unless such modification shall be required by applicable Law. From and after the Effective Time, Parent agrees that it shall indemnify and hold harmless each present and former director and officer of the Company against any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred in connection with any claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective Time, to the fullest extent that the Company would have been permitted under applicable Law and the Company Charter in effect on the date of this Agreement to indemnify such person (including the advancing of expenses as incurred to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law).

 

(b)            For a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, Parent shall maintain in effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance with respect to claims arising from facts or events that occurred on or before the Closing covering (as direct beneficiaries) those persons who are currently covered by the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy (true, correct and complete copies of which have been heretofore made available to Parent or its agents or Representatives in the Virtual Data Room) on terms not less favorable than the terms of such current insurance coverage, except that in no event shall Parent be required to pay an annual premium for such insurance in excess of 250% of the aggregate annual premium payable by the Company for such insurance policy for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the “Maximum Annual Premium”); provided, however, that (i) Parent may cause coverage to be extended under the current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance by obtaining a six (6)-year “tail” policy containing terms not less favorable than the terms of such current insurance coverage with respect to claims existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time and (ii) if any claim is asserted or made within such six (6)-year period, any insurance required to be maintained under this Section 7.09(b) shall be continued in respect of such claim until the final disposition thereof.

 

(c)            On the Closing Date, to the extent not already entered into, Parent shall enter into customary indemnification agreements reasonably satisfactory to each of the Company and Parent with the post-Closing directors and officers of Parent, which indemnification agreements shall continue to be effective following the Closing.

 

 

Section 7.10           Notification of Certain Matters. The Company shall give prompt notice to Parent, and Parent shall give prompt notice to the Company, of any event which a party becomes aware of between the date of this Agreement and the Closing (or the earlier termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article IX), the occurrence, or non-occurrence of which causes or would reasonably be expected to cause any of the conditions set forth in Article VIII to fail.

 

Section 7.11           Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts.

 

(a)            Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto shall use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, such things as are necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws or otherwise, and each shall cooperate with the other, to consummate and make effective the Transactions, including using its reasonable best efforts to make all filings with, respond to questions from, obtain all permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of, and the expiration or termination of waiting periods by, Governmental Authorities and parties to Contracts with the Company as set forth in Section 4.05 necessary for the consummation of the Transactions and to fulfill the conditions to the Merger. If at any time after the Effective Time further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, the proper officers and directors of each party shall use their reasonable best efforts to take all such action.

 

(b)            During the Interim Period, each of the parties shall keep each other apprised of the status of matters relating to the Transactions, including promptly notifying the other parties of any communication it or any of its affiliates receives from any Governmental Authority relating to the matters that are the subject of this Agreement and permitting the other parties to review in advance, and to the extent practicable consult about, any proposed communication by such party to any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions. During the Interim Period, no party to this Agreement shall agree to participate in any meeting, video or telephone conference, or other communications with any Governmental Authority in respect of any filings, investigation or other inquiry unless it consults with the other parties in advance and, to the extent permitted by such Governmental Authority, gives the other parties the opportunity to attend and participate at such meeting, conference or other communications. Subject to the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement, during the Interim Period, the parties will coordinate and cooperate fully with each other in exchanging such information and providing such assistance as the other parties may reasonably request in connection with the foregoing. Subject to the terms of the Non-Disclosure Agreement, the parties will provide each other with copies of all material correspondence, filings or communications, including any documents, information and data contained therewith, between them or any of their Representatives, on the one hand, and any Governmental Authority, on the other hand, with respect to this Agreement and the Transactions contemplated hereby during the Interim Period. No party shall take or cause to be taken any action before any Governmental Authority that is inconsistent with or intended to delay its action on requests for a consent or the consummation of the Transactions.

 

(c)            During the Interim Period, the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to cause the consummation, effective prior to the Closing, of the conversion of all Company Convertible Notes outstanding as of immediately prior to the Closing.

 

 

(d)            During the Interim Period, Parent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause holders of Parent Common Stock not to exercise or otherwise waive their Redemption Rights, including by entry into binding non-redemption agreements. Parent shall not enter into any Contracts between Parent or any of its affiliates and any holder of Parent Common Stock or any of its affiliates relating to any such waiver of Redemption Rights without the prior written consent of the Company; provided that the Sponsor shall be expressly permitted to transfer, assign or convey shares of Parent Common Stock beneficially owned by the Sponsor in connection with such Contracts to secure waivers of the Redemption Rights.

 

Section 7.12           Public Announcements. The initial press release relating to this Agreement shall be a joint press release, the text of which has been agreed to by each of Parent and the Company. Thereafter, between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date (or the earlier termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article IX) unless otherwise prohibited by applicable Law or the requirements of the Nasdaq Global Market, each of Parent and the Company shall each use its reasonable best efforts to consult with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statements (including through social media platforms) with respect to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other Transactions, and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statement (including through social media platforms) without the prior written consent of the other party. Furthermore, nothing contained in this Section 7.12 shall prevent Parent or the Company or its respective affiliates from furnishing customary or other reasonable information concerning the Transactions to their investors and prospective investors that is substantively consistent with public statements previously consented to by the other party in accordance with this Section 7.12.

 

Section 7.13           Tax Matters.

 

(a)            None of the parties hereto shall (and each shall cause its affiliates not to) take or cause to be taken (or fail to take or cause to be taken) any action, which action (or failure to act), whether before or after the Effective Time, would reasonably be expected to prevent or impede the Merger from qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment.

 

(b)            For U.S. federal and applicable state income Tax purposes, the parties hereto intend that (i) the Parent Common Conversion qualifies as a “recapitalization” described in Section 368(a)(1)(E) of the Code and (ii)  the Merger shall qualify as a “reorganization” within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, and that this Agreement shall constitute, and the parties hereto hereby adopt this Agreement as, a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.368-2(g) and 1.368-3(a). The parties hereto shall prepare and file all Tax Returns and otherwise report the Merger consistent with the Intended Tax Treatment, including attaching the statement described in Treasury Regulations Section 1.368-3(a) on or with their Tax Returns for the Tax year of the Merger, unless otherwise required pursuant to a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code. Each party hereto shall promptly notify the other party in writing of any challenge to the Intended Tax Treatment by any Governmental Authority.

 

 

(c)            Each party hereto shall promptly notify the other party in writing if, before the Closing, such party knows or has reason to believe that the Merger may not qualify for the Intended Tax Treatment (and whether the terms of this Agreement could be reasonably amended in order to facilitate the Merger qualifying for the Intended Tax Treatment). In the event (i) the Company seeks a Tax opinion from its Tax advisor regarding the Intended Tax Treatment or (ii) the SEC requests or requires such Tax opinion, each party hereto shall use reasonable efforts to execute and deliver customary Tax representation letters as the applicable Tax advisor may reasonably request in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Tax advisor. In the event the SEC requests or requires a Tax opinion with respect to the Merger, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause ArentFox Schiff LLP to deliver such Tax opinion, subject to customary assumptions and limitations, to the Company. In the event the SEC requires a tax opinion regarding the Parent Common Conversion, Parent will use its reasonable best efforts to cause Loeb & Loeb LLP to deliver such tax opinion to Parent. Parent shall use reasonable best efforts to execute and deliver customary Tax representation letters to its tax advisor in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such advisor. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Loeb & Loeb LLP shall not be required to provide any opinion to any party regarding the Merger and ArentFox Schiff LLP shall not be required to provide any opinion to any party regarding the Parent Common Conversion.

 

(d)            At or prior to the Closing, the Company shall deliver to Parent in a form reasonably acceptable to Parent a properly executed certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, conforming to the requirements of Treasury Regulations Sections 1.1445-2(c)(3) and 1.897-2(h), together with a properly executed notice to the IRS (which shall be timely filed by Parent with the IRS following the Closing).

 

(e)            Any Transfer Taxes incurred in connection with the Transactions shall be borne and paid fifty percent (50%) by the Company and fifty percent (50%) by Parent. The Parties shall cooperate in the execution and delivery of all instruments and certificates reasonably necessary to minimize the amount of any Transfer Taxes and to enable any of the foregoing to comply with any Tax Return filing requirements for such Transfer Taxes. The Person(s) required by applicable Law to file any necessary Tax Returns and other documentation with respect to any Transfer Taxes shall timely file, or shall cause to be timely filed, with the relevant Governmental Authority each such Tax Return and shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority all Transfer Taxes due and payable thereon. Any costs and expenses incurred in connection with the filing any such Tax Return shall be borne fifty percent (50%) by the Company and fifty percent (50%) by Parent).

 

Section 7.14           Stock Exchange Listing. Parent will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Parent Common Stock issued in connection with the Transactions to be approved for listing on the Nasdaq Global Market at the Closing and to satisfy all applicable initial listing requirements of Nasdaq. During the Interim Period, Parent shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Parent Common Stock and Parent Warrants listed for trading on the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

Section 7.15           Antitrust.

 

(a)            To the extent required under any Laws that are designed to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade, including the HSR Act (“Antitrust Laws”), each party hereto agrees to promptly make any required filing or application under Antitrust Laws, as applicable as promptly as reasonably practicable and no later than ten (10) Business Days after the date of this Agreement, the Company and Parent each shall file (or cause to be filed) with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission a Notification and Report Form as required by the HSR Act. The parties hereto agree to supply as promptly as reasonably practicable any additional information and documentary material that may reasonably be requested pursuant to Antitrust Laws and to take all other actions necessary, proper or advisable to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods or obtain required approvals, as applicable under Antitrust Laws as soon as practicable, including by requesting early termination of the waiting period provided for under the HSR Act.

 

 

(b)            During the Interim Period, Parent and the Company each shall, in connection with its efforts to obtain all requisite approvals and expiration or termination of waiting periods for the Transactions under any Antitrust Law, use its reasonable best efforts to: (i) cooperate in all respects with each other party or its affiliates in connection with any filing or submission and in connection with any investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding initiated by a private person; (ii) keep the other promptly informed of any substantive communication with any Governmental Authority (and if oral provide an accurate summary of the communication) and of any communication received or given in connection with any proceeding by a private person, in each case regarding any of the Transactions, and promptly furnish the other with copies of all such written communications; (iii) permit the other to review in advance and consider in good faith any edits or comments for any substantive written communication to be given by it to, and consult with each other in advance of any oral communication and consider in good faith any comments with, any Governmental Authority or, in connection with any proceeding by a private person, with any other person, and to the extent permitted by such Governmental Authority or other person, give the other party the opportunity to attend and participate in such meetings and conferences; (iv) in the event a party is prohibited from participating in or attending any meetings or conferences, the other shall keep such party promptly and reasonably apprised with respect thereto; and (v) use reasonable best efforts to cooperate in the filing of any memoranda, white papers, filings, correspondence or other written communications explaining or defending the Transactions, articulating any regulatory or competitive argument, or responding to requests or objections made by any Governmental Authority; provided that materials to be provided pursuant to this Section 7.15(b) may be limited to outside counsel and may be redacted (i) to remove references to the valuation of the Company, (ii) competitively sensitive information, and (iii) as necessary to comply with contractual arrangements or the Law.

 

(c)            No party hereto shall take any action that could reasonably be expected to adversely affect or materially delay the approval of any Governmental Authority, or the expiration or termination of any waiting period of any required filings or applications under Antitrust Laws, including by agreeing to merge with or acquire any other person or acquire a substantial portion of the assets of or equity in any other person. The parties hereto further covenant and agree, with respect to a threatened or pending preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling or statute, rule, regulation or executive order that would adversely affect the ability of the parties to consummate the Transactions, to use reasonable best efforts to prevent or lift the entry, enactment or promulgation thereof, as the case may be.

 

 

Section 7.16           Trust Account. As of the Effective Time, the obligations of Parent to dissolve or liquidate within a specified time period as contained in the Parent Certificate of Incorporation will be terminated and Parent shall have no obligation whatsoever to dissolve and liquidate the assets of Parent by reason of the consummation of the Merger or otherwise, and, except to the extent they elect to redeem their shares of Parent Common Stock in connection with the Merger pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents, no stockholder of Parent shall be entitled to receive any amount from the Trust Account; provided that the foregoing shall not modify or restrict the obligations of Parent to consummate the redemption of any shares of Parent Common Stock pursuant to a valid exercise of Redemption Rights prior to the Effective Time in accordance with the Parent Organizational Documents. At least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall provide notice to the Trustee in accordance with the Trust Agreement and shall deliver any other documents, opinions or notices required to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement and cause the Trustee prior to the Effective Time to, and the Trustee shall thereupon be obligated to, transfer all funds held in the Trust Account to Parent (other than funds required to be paid from the Trust Account to stockholders of the Parent that elected to redeem their shares of Parent Common Stock in connection with the Merger pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents pursuant to the Trust Agreement) (to be held as available cash on the balance sheet of Parent, and to be used to pay (a) as and when due all amounts payable to the stockholders of Parent holding shares of Parent Common Stock in the event they elect to redeem their Parent Common Stock pursuant to the Parent Organizational Documents, (b) any Outstanding Transaction Expenses payable by Parent on the Closing Date pursuant to Section 3.05 or (c) for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the business following the Closing) and thereafter shall cause the Trust Account and the Trust Agreement to terminate.

 

Section 7.17           Directors. Parent and the Company shall take all necessary action so that immediately after the Effective Time, the Parent Board is comprised the individuals designated by Parent and the Company pursuant to Section 2.05(b).

 

Section 7.18           Equity Incentive Plan . Prior to the Closing and effective as of the Closing, Parent will adopt the Parent Equity Incentive Plan.

 

Section 7.19           Related Party Agreements. Prior to the Closing, the Company shall have terminated, or caused to be terminated, all Contracts set forth in Section 4.20 of the Company Disclosure Schedule and any other Contracts between the Company and any of its directors, officers or holder of more than ten percent (10%) of the Capital Stock (assuming the full conversion or exercise of all Company Securities held by such person), or any immediate family member of any of the foregoing (whether directly or indirectly through an affiliate of such person) (a “Related Party”) or that would otherwise be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K without any liability to the Company, other than (a) ordinary course agreements relating to director and employee compensation and benefits and (b) the Contracts set forth on Section 7.19 of the Company Disclosure Schedule.

 

 

Article VIII

 

CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER

 

Section 8.01           Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party. The obligations of the Company, Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible) at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:

 

(a)            Company Stockholder Approval. The Company Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with the Proxy Statement, the NRS, the Company Organizational Documents.

 

(b)            Parent Stockholders’ Approval. The Required Parent Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained in accordance with the Proxy Statement, the DGCL, the Parent Organizational Documents and the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Global Market.

 

(c)            No Order. No Governmental Authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any Law, rule, regulation, judgment, decree, executive order or award which is then in effect and has the effect of making the Transactions, including the Merger, illegal or otherwise prohibiting consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger.

 

(d)            Antitrust Approvals and Waiting Periods. All required filings under the HSR Act shall have been completed and any applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) applicable to the consummation of the Transactions under the HSR Act shall have expired or been terminated. For the avoidance of doubt, the receipt of a letter from the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) or the U.S. Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division similar to the content of the form letter announced and disclosed by the FTC on August 3, 2021 shall not be used as, or deemed to be, the basis for concluding that any closing condition is not, or will not be, satisfied for the purposes of this Section 8.01.

 

(e)            Governmental Consents. All consents, approvals and authorizations set forth on Section 8.01(e) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, shall have been obtained from and made with all applicable Governmental Authorities.

 

(f)            Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for purposes of suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been initiated or be threatened by the SEC.

 

(g)            Parent Net Tangible Assets. Parent shall have at least $5,000,001 of net tangible assets following the exercise of Redemption Rights in accordance with the Parent Organizational Documents.

 

 

Section 8.02           Conditions to the Obligations of Parent, Merger Sub. The obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible) at or prior to the Closing of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)            Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in (i) Section 4.01 (Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries) and Section 4.04 (Authority Relative to this Agreement) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of such date (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Company Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein), except to the extent of any changes that reflect actions permitted in accordance with Section 6.01 of this Agreement and except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, (ii) Section 4.03 (Capitalization) shall be true and correct in all respects except for de minimis inaccuracies as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of such date (except to the extent of any changes that reflect actions constituting Permitted Financings and any other actions permitted in accordance with Section 6.01 of this Agreement and except to the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specified date) and (iii) all other representations and warranties of the Company set forth in Article IV shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Company Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date, except (A) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (B) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)            Agreements and Covenants. The Company shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Effective Time.

 

(c)            Officer’s Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to Parent a certificate (the “Company Officer’s Certificate”), dated as of the Closing Date, signed by an officer of the Company, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 8.02(a), Section 8.02(b) and Section 8.02(e).

 

(d)            FIRPTA Tax Certificates. The Company shall have delivered to Parent the certificate and notice specified in Section 7.13(d).

 

(e)            Material Adverse Effect. Since the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any Company Material Adverse Effect that is continuing on the Closing Date.

 

(f)            Lock-Up Agreements. The stockholders of the Company listed in Section 2.05(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule shall have delivered, or have caused to be delivered, to Parent duly executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements.

 

(g)            Company Option Exercise. The Company shall have effected the Company Option Exercise pursuant to Section 3.01(a).

 

(h)            Company Warrant Exercise. The Company shall have effected the Company Warrant Exercise pursuant to Section 3.01(b).

 

(i)            Company Convertible Note Conversion. The Company shall have effected the Company Convertible Note Conversion pursuant to Section 3.01(c).

 

 

(j)            Parent Warrants. The $15 Exercise Price Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated as of February 25, 2022, between Parent and the Sponsor shall have been amended to provide that each $15 Exercise Price Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one share of Parent Preferred Stock at the exercise price of $15.00 per shares of Parent Preferred Stock.

 

(k)            Closing Deliverables. The Company shall have delivered all of the closing deliverables set forth in Section 2.06(a).

 

Section 8.03           Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligations of the Company to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible) at or prior to Closing of the following additional conditions:

 

(a)            Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in (i) Section 5.01 (Corporation Organization) and Section 5.04 (Authority Relative to this Agreement) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of such date (without giving effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Parent Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein), except to the extent that any changes that reflect actions permitted in accordance with Section 6.02 of this Agreement and except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date, (ii) Section 5.03 (Capitalization) shall be true and correct in all respects except for de minimis inaccuracies as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though made on and as of such date (except to the extent of any changes that reflect actions permitted in accordance with Section 6.02 of this Agreement and except to the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly is made as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such specified date) and (iii) other representations and warranties of Parent and Merger Sub contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Parent Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) in all respects as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of such date, except (A) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (B) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in a Parent Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)            Agreements and Covenants. Parent and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Effective Time.

 

(c)            Officer’s Certificate. Parent shall have delivered to the Company a certificate, dated as of the Closing Date, signed by an officer of Parent, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 8.03(a), Section 8.03(b) and Section 8.03(d).

 

(d)            Material Adverse Effect. Since the date hereof, there shall not have occurred any Parent Material Adverse Effect that is continuing on the Closing Date.

 

 

(e)            Stock Exchange Listing. The shares of Parent Common Stock to be issued in connection with the Transactions shall be listed on the Nasdaq Global Market as of the Closing Date.

 

(f)            Lock-Up Agreement. Parent shall have delivered, or have caused to be delivered, to the Company a duly executed Lock-Up Agreement, executed by the Sponsor.

 

(g)            Closing Deliverables. Parent shall have delivered all of the closing deliverables set forth in Section 2.06(b).

 

Article IX

 

TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

 

Section 9.01           Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger and the other Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, notwithstanding any requisite approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions by the stockholders of the Company or Parent, as follows:

 

(a)            by mutual written consent of Parent and the Company;

 

(b)            by written notice from either Parent or the Company to the other if the Effective Time shall not have occurred prior to the later of (i) June 1, 2023 or (ii) the Extension Date (such date, as may be so extended, the “Outside Date”); provided further, that this Agreement may not be terminated under this Section 9.01(b) by or on behalf of any party that either directly or indirectly through its affiliates is in breach or violation of any representation, warranty, covenant, agreement or obligation contained herein and such breach or violation is the principal cause of the failure of a condition set forth in Article VIII on or prior to the Outside Date;

 

(c)            by written notice from either Parent or the Company to the other if any Governmental Authority in the United States shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any injunction, order, decree or ruling (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent) which has become final and nonappealable and has the effect of making consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger, illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the Transactions;

 

(d)            by written notice from either Parent or the Company to the other if any of the Parent Proposals shall fail to receive the requisite vote for approval at the Parent Stockholders’ Meeting;

 

(e)            by written notice from Parent to the Company upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of the Company shall have become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.02(a) and 8.02(b) would not be satisfied (“Terminating Company Breach”); provided that Parent has not waived such Terminating Company Breach and Parent and Merger Sub are not then in material breach of their representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement; provided, further, that if such Terminating Company Breach is curable by the Company, Parent may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.01(e) for so long as the Company continues to exercise its reasonable efforts to cure such breach, unless such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after notice of such breach is provided by Parent to the Company;

 

 

(f)            by written notice from the Company to Parent upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of Parent and Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of Parent and Merger Sub shall have become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.03(a) and 8.03(b) would not be satisfied (“Terminating Parent Breach”); provided that the Company has not waived such Terminating Parent Breach and the Company are not then in material breach of their representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement; provided, further, that if such Terminating Parent Breach is curable by Parent and Merger Sub, the Company may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.01(f) for so long as Parent and Merger Sub continue to exercise their reasonable efforts to cure such breach, unless such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after notice of such breach is provided by the Company to Parent.

 

Section 9.02           Effect of Termination.

 

(a)            In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.01, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability on the part of any party hereto or its respective affiliates, officers, directors, employees or stockholders. The provisions of Section 6.03, and Article X (collectively, the “Surviving Provisions”) and the Non-Disclosure Agreement, and any other Section or Article of this Agreement referenced in the Surviving Provisions, which are required to survive in order to give appropriate effect to the Surviving Provisions, shall in each case survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

Section 9.03           Amendment. This Agreement may be amended in writing by the parties hereto at any time prior to the Effective Time. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties hereto.

 

Section 9.04           Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, (i) Parent may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of the Company, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in any document delivered by the Company pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of the Company or any condition to its own obligations contained herein and (ii) the Company may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of Parent or Merger Sub, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of Parent or Merger Sub contained herein or in any document delivered by Parent or Merger Sub pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of Parent or Merger Sub or any condition to its own obligations contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. No failure or delay by any party in exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

 

 

Article X

 

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 10.01           Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by email or by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 10.01):

 

if to Sponsor, Parent, or Merger Sub:

 

FG Merger Corp.
105 S. Maple Street
Itasca, Illinois 60143

Attention: Wesley Schrader
Email: ***@***

 

with a copy to:

 

Loeb & Loeb LLP

345 Park Avenue

New York, NY 10154

Attention: Mitchell Nussbaum
Email: ***@***

 

if to the Company:

 

iCoreConnect Inc.
529 E Crown Point Road, Suite 250

Ocoee, FL 34761
Attention: Archit Shah, CFO
Email: ***@***

 

with a copy to:

 

ArentFox Schiff LLP
1717 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Attention: Ralph V. De Martino
Email: ***@***

 

 

Section 10.02           Nonsurvival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants. None of the representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or other agreements in this Agreement or in any certificate, statement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, including any rights arising out of any breach of such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations, agreements and other provisions, shall survive the Closing and all such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or other agreements shall terminate and expire upon the occurrence of the Closing (and there shall be no liability after the Closing in respect thereof), except for (a) those covenants and agreements contained herein that by their terms expressly apply in whole or in part after the Closing and then only with respect to any breaches occurring after the Closing and (b) this Article X and any corresponding definitions set forth in Article I.

 

Section 10.03           Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the Transactions be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.

 

Section 10.04           Entire Agreement; Assignment. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof, except for the Non-Disclosure Agreement. This Agreement shall not be assigned (whether pursuant to a merger, by operation of law or otherwise) by any party without the prior express written consent of the other parties hereto.

 

Section 10.05           Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, other than Section 7.09 (which is intended to be for the benefit of the persons covered thereby and may be enforced by such persons).

 

Section 10.06           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed in that State. All legal actions and proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be heard and determined exclusively in any Delaware Chancery Court; provided that, if jurisdiction is not then available in the Delaware Chancery Court, then any such legal Action may be brought in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court. The parties hereto hereby (a) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for themselves and with respect to their respective properties for the purpose of any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party hereto, and (b) agree not to commence any Action relating thereto except in the courts described above in Delaware, other than Actions in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any judgment, decree or award rendered by any such court in Delaware as described herein. Each of the parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Delaware as described herein for any reason, (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) that (i) the Action in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such Action is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.

 

 

Section 10.07           Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law any right it may have to a trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions. Each of the parties hereto (a) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce that foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the other hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement and the Transactions, as applicable, by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this Section 10.07.

 

Section 10.08           Headings. The descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

 

Section 10.09           Counterparts; Electronic Delivery. This Agreement and each other Transaction Document may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or portable document format (pdf) transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery by email to counsel for the other parties of a counterpart executed by a party shall be deemed to meet the requirements of the previous sentence.

 

Section 10.10           Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof, and, accordingly, that the parties shall be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof (including the parties’ obligation to consummate the Merger) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware without proof of actual damages or otherwise, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity as expressly permitted in this Agreement. Each of the parties hereby further waives (a) any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any Law to post security or a bond as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.

 

 

Section 10.11           No Recourse. Except in the case of fraud, all actions, claims, obligations, liabilities or causes of actions (whether in contract or in tort, in law or in equity, or granted by statute whether by or through attempted piercing of the corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company veil) that may be based upon, in respect of, arise under, out or by reason of, be connected with, or relate in any manner to: (a) this Agreement, (b) the negotiation, execution or performance of this Agreement (including any representation or warranty made in, in connection with, or as an inducement to, this Agreement), (c) any breach of this Agreement and (d) any failure of the Merger to be consummated, may be made only against (and, without prejudice to the rights of any express third party beneficiary to whom rights under this Agreement inure pursuant to Section 10.11), are those solely of the persons that are expressly identified as parties to this Agreement and not against any Nonparty Affiliate (as defined below). Except in the case of fraud, no other person, including any director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, manager, stockholder, optionholder, affiliate, agent, attorney or representative of, or any financial advisor or lender to, any party to this Agreement, or any director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, manager, stockholder, affiliate, agent, attorney or representative of, or any financial advisor or lender to (each of the foregoing, a “Nonparty Affiliate”) any of the foregoing shall have any liabilities (whether in contract or in tort, in law or in equity, or granted by statute whether by or through attempted piercing of the corporate, limited partnership or limited liability company veil) for any claims, causes of action, obligations or liabilities arising under, out of, in connection with or related in any manner to the items in the immediately preceding clauses (a) through (d) and each party, on behalf of itself and its affiliates, hereby irrevocably releases and forever discharges each of the Nonparty Affiliate from any such liability or obligation.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Parent, Merger Sub, and the Company have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.

 

	FG MERGER CORP.
	By:	/s/ M. Wesley Schrader
		Name:	M. Wesley Schrader
		Title:	Chief Executive Officer
	FG MERGER SUB INC.
	By:	/s/ M. Wesley Schrader
		Name:	M. Wesley Schrader
		Title:	President

 

 

	ICORECONNECT INC.
	By:	/s/ Robert McDermott
		Name:	Robert McDermott
		Title:	President and CEO

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement

 

[See attached.]

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

[See attached.]

 

 

Exhibit C

 

Form of Amended and Restated Charter of the Surviving Corporation

 

[See attached.]

 

 

Exhibit D

 

FORM OF

AMENDED AND RESTATED 

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION 

OF 

FG MERGER CORP.,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

FG Merger Corp., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), hereby certifies as follows:

 

A.    The Corporation was originally incorporated under the name FG Merger Corporation. The Corporation’s original certificate of incorporation was filed with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 23, 2020.

 

B.    This amended and restated certificate of incorporation was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended (the “DGCL”), restates and amends the provisions of the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation and has been duly approved by the written consent of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with Section 228 of the DGCL.

 

C.    The text of the certificate of incorporation of this Corporation is hereby amended and restated to read in its entirety as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
NAME

 

The name of the Corporation is iCoreConnect Inc.

 

ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE

 

The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware, 19808. The name of its registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.

 

ARTICLE III
PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the DGCL.

 

 

ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK

 

4.1   Authorized Capital Stock. The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is [___] shares, consisting of [___] shares of common stock, par value $[___] per share (“Common Stock”), and [___] shares of preferred stock, par value $[___] per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

4.2   Increase or Decrease in Authorized Capital Stock. The number of authorized shares of Common Stock or Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), voting together as a single class, without a separate vote of the holders of the class or classes the number of authorized shares of which are being increased or decreased, unless a vote by any holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock is required by the express terms of any series of Preferred Stock as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Section 4.4 of this amended and restated certificate of incorporation of the Corporation (as further amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof and including, without limitation, the terms of any certificate of designation with respect to any series of Preferred Stock, this “Certificate of Incorporation”).

 

4.3   Common Stock.

 

(a)   The holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to one vote for each such share on each matter properly submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation on which the holders of shares of Common Stock are entitled to vote. The holders of shares of Common Stock shall not have cumulative voting rights. Except as otherwise required by law or this Certificate of Incorporation, and subject to the rights of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock, if any, at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall have the right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders; provided, however, that, except as otherwise required by law, holders of shares of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation that relates solely to the terms, number of shares, powers, designations, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights (including, without limitation, voting rights), or to qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation or pursuant to the DGCL. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this amended and restated Certificate of Incorporation, as may be amended from time to time, the holders of shares of Common Stock may not vote to repeal, change, or otherwise amend any terms, rights, and privileges pertaining to any series of then outstanding Preferred Stock that is detrimental to the Preferred Stock holders.

 

(b)   Subject to the rights of the holders of shares of Preferred Stock, the holders of shares of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive such dividends and other distributions (payable in cash, property or capital stock of the Corporation) when, as and if declared thereon by the board of directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) from time to time out of any assets or funds of the Corporation legally available therefor and shall share equally on a per share basis in such dividends and distributions.

 

 

4.4   Preferred Stock. [________] shares of the authorized and unissued Preferred Stock of the Corporation are hereby designated “Series A Preferred Stock” with the following rights, preferences, powers, privileges and restrictions, qualifications and limitations. Unless otherwise indicated, references to “Preferred Stock” in this Section 4.4 mean the Series A Preferred Stock. The holders of Preferred Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any matters submitted to the stockholders of the Corporation.

 

(a)   From and after the date of the issuance of any shares of Preferred Stock, dividends shall accrue at the rate per annum of 12% of the Original Issue Price (as defined below) for each share of Preferred Stock, prior and in preference to any declaration or payment of any other dividend (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Preferred Stock) (the “Accruing Dividends”). The “Original Issue Price” shall mean, as to the Series A Preferred Stock, $10 per share. Accruing Dividends shall accrue from day to day, whether or not declared, and shall be cumulative and shall be payable within fifteen business days (15) days after the end of each anniversary of the date of the original issuance of the Preferred Stock to each holder of Preferred Stock as of such date, provided that the Board of Directors shall be permitted to declare a dividend under applicable law. From the date hereof until the second anniversary of the date of the original issuance of the Preferred Stock, the Company may, at its option, pay all or part of the Accruing Dividends on the Preferred Stock by issuing and delivering additional Preferred Stock to the holders hereof (valuing such additional Preferred Stock at the Original Issue Price). The Corporation shall not declare, pay or set aside any dividends on shares of any other class or series of capital stock of the Corporation unless (in addition to the obtaining of any consents required elsewhere in this Certificate of Incorporation) the holders of the Preferred Stock then outstanding shall first receive, or simultaneously receive, a dividend on each outstanding share of Preferred Stock in an amount at least equal to the sum of (i) the amount of the aggregate Accruing Dividends then accrued on such share of Preferred Stock and not previously paid and (ii) (A) in the case of a dividend on Common Stock or any class or series that is convertible into Common Stock, that dividend per share of Preferred Stock as would equal the product of (1) the dividend payable on each share of such class or series determined, if applicable, as if all shares of such class or series had been converted into Common Stock and (2) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of a share of Preferred Stock, in each case calculated on the record date for determination of holders entitled to receive such dividend or (B) in the case of a dividend on any class or series that is not convertible into Common Stock, at a rate per share of Preferred Stock determined by (1) dividing the amount of the dividend payable on each share of such class or series of capital stock by the original issuance price of such class or series of capital stock (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to such class or series) and (2) multiplying such fraction by an amount equal to the applicable Conversion Price (as defined below); provided that if the Corporation declares, pays or sets aside, on the same date, a dividend on shares of more than one (1) class or series of capital stock of the Corporation, the dividend payable to the holders of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 4.4(a) shall be calculated based upon the dividend on the class or series of capital stock that would result in the highest Preferred Stock dividend.

 

 

The “Conversion Price” shall initially mean, as to the Series A Preferred Stock, $10 per share; provided that the Conversion Price shall be reset to the lesser of $10.00 or 20% above the simple average of the volume weighted average price on the 20 trading days following 12 months after the later of (x) the date hereof or (y) the registration of the Common Stock underlying the Series A Preferred Stock; provided further that such Conversion Price shall be no greater than $10.00 and no less than $2.00 and subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the applicable Preferred Stock.

 

(b)   In the event of any voluntary or involuntary, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of shares of Preferred Stock then outstanding shall be entitled to be paid out of the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders, before any payment shall be made to the holders of Common Stock by reason of their ownership thereof, an amount per share equal to the greater of (i) one times the applicable Original Issue Price, plus any dividends accrued but unpaid thereon, or (ii)  such amount per share as would have been payable had all shares of Preferred Stock been converted into Common Stock pursuant to Section 4.5(a)  immediately prior to such liquidation, dissolution or winding up (the amount payable pursuant to this sentence is hereinafter referred to as the “Liquidation Amount”). If upon any such liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, the assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders shall be insufficient to pay the holders of shares of Preferred Stock the full amount to which they shall be entitled under this Section 4.4(b), the holders of shares of Preferred Stock shall share ratably in any distribution of the assets available for distribution in proportion to the respective amounts which would otherwise be payable in respect of the shares held by them upon such distribution if all amounts payable on or with respect to such shares were paid in full.

 

(c)    In the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after the payment in full of all Liquidation Amounts required to be paid to the holders of shares of Preferred Stock, the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of shares of Common Stock, pro rata based on the number of shares held by each such holder.

 

4.5.  Conversion.

 

(a)   Mandatory Conversion.

 

(i)          After the period that is 24 months from the date hereof, in the event the closing share price of the Common Stock shall exceed 140% of the Conversion Price then in effect (“Mandatory Conversion Event”), then (i) each outstanding share of Preferred Stock shall automatically be converted into such number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock as is determined by dividing the Original Issue Price by the Conversion Price (as defined above) in effect at the time of conversion and (ii) such shares may not be reissued by the Corporation, subject to adjustment as provided below.

 

 

(ii)         All holders of record of shares of Preferred Stock shall be sent written notice within ten business days of the of the Mandatory Conversion Event and the place designated for mandatory conversion of all such shares of Preferred Stock pursuant to this Section 4.5(a). Upon receipt of such notice, each holder of shares of Preferred Stock in certificated form shall surrender his, her or its certificate or certificates for all such shares (or, if such holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate) to the Corporation at the place designated in such notice. If so required by the Corporation, any certificates surrendered for conversion shall be endorsed or accompanied by written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Corporation, duly executed by the registered holder or by his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing. All rights with respect to the Preferred Stock converted pursuant to Section 4.5, including the rights, if any, to receive notices and vote (other than as a holder of Common Stock), will terminate at the date and time set forth such notice (notwithstanding the failure of the holder or holders thereof to surrender any certificates at or prior to such time), except only the rights of the holders thereof, upon surrender of any certificate or certificates of such holders (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) therefor, to receive the items provided for in the next sentence of this Section 4.5(a). The Corporation shall declare and pay all of the Accruing Dividends that are accrued and unpaid as of the time of the occurrence of a Mandatory Conversion Event by either, at the option of the Corporation, (i) issuing additional Preferred Stock to the holders thereof (valuing such additional Preferred Stock at the Original Issue Price), which additional Preferred Stock shall also be automatically converted into shares of Common Stock using the then in effect Conversion Price; or (ii) paying cash. As soon as practicable after the Mandatory Conversion Event and, if applicable, the surrender of any certificate or certificates (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) for Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall issue and deliver to such holder, or to his, her or its nominees, the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable on such conversion in accordance with the provisions hereof. Such converted Preferred Stock shall be retired and cancelled and may not be reissued as shares of such series, and the Corporation may thereafter take such appropriate action (without the need for stockholder action) as may be necessary to reduce the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock accordingly.

 

(b)   Optional Conversion.

 

(i)          Each share of Preferred Stock shall be convertible, at the option of the holder thereof, at any time and from time to time, and without the payment of additional consideration by the holder thereof, into such number of fully paid and non-assessable shares of Common Stock as is determined by dividing the Original Issue Price by the Conversion Price (as defined above) in effect at the time of conversion, subject to adjustment as provided below.

 

 

(ii)         In order for a holder of Preferred Stock to voluntarily convert shares of Preferred Stock into shares of Common Stock, such holder shall (a) provide written notice to the Corporation’s transfer agent at the office of the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock that such holder elects to convert all or any number of such holder’s shares of Preferred Stock and, if applicable, any event on which such conversion is contingent and (b), if such holder’s shares are certificated, surrender the certificate or certificates for such shares of Preferred Stock (or, if such registered holder alleges that such certificate has been lost, stolen or destroyed, a lost certificate affidavit and agreement reasonably acceptable to the Corporation to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against the Corporation on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of such certificate), at the office of the transfer agent for the Preferred Stock. Such notice shall state such holder’s name or the names of the nominees in which such holder wishes the shares of Common Stock to be issued. If required by the Corporation, any certificates surrendered for conversion shall be endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer, in form satisfactory to the Corporation, duly executed by the registered holder or his, her or its attorney duly authorized in writing. The close of business on the date of receipt by the transfer agent (or by the Corporation if the Corporation serves as its own transfer agent) of such notice and, if applicable, certificates (or lost certificate affidavit and agreement) shall be the time of conversion (the “Conversion Time”), and the shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the specified shares shall be deemed to be outstanding of record as of such date. Immediately prior to the Conversion Time the Corporation shall pay all of the Accruing Dividends on the Preferred Stock being converted voluntarily by the holder that are accrued and unpaid as of such Conversion Time by, either, at the option of the Corporation: (i) issuing additional Preferred Stock to such holder (valuing such additional Preferred Stock at the Original Issue Price), which additional Preferred Stock shall also be voluntarily converted into shares of Common Stock as if included in the notice provided by the holder using the then in effect Conversion Price, or (ii) paying cash. The Corporation shall, as soon as practicable after the Conversion Time issue and deliver to such holder of Preferred Stock, or to his, her or its nominees the number of full shares of Common Stock issuable upon such conversion in accordance with the provisions hereof. Such converted Preferred Stock shall be retired and cancelled and may not be reissued as shares of such series, and the Corporation may thereafter take such appropriate action (without the need for stockholder action) as may be necessary to reduce the authorized number of shares of Preferred Stock accordingly. Any shares of Preferred Stock not converted shall remain outstanding and continue to have all of the rights of such Preferred Stock.

 

(c)   No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock. In lieu of any fractional shares to which the holder would otherwise be entitled, the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of the Preferred Stock shall be rounded down to the nearest whole share.

 

(d)   The Corporation shall at all times when the Preferred Stock shall be outstanding, reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued capital stock, for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the Preferred Stock, such number of its duly authorized shares of Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding Preferred Stock; and if at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock shall not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then outstanding shares of the Preferred Stock, the Corporation shall take such corporate action as may be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock to such number of shares as shall be sufficient for such purposes, including, without limitation, engaging in best efforts to obtain the requisite stockholder approval of any necessary amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation.

 

 

(e)   If the Corporation shall at any time or from time to time after the issuance of Preferred Stock effect a subdivision of the outstanding Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect immediately before that subdivision shall be proportionately decreased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be increased in proportion to such increase in the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. If the Corporation shall at any time or from time to time after the issuance of Preferred Stock combine the outstanding shares of Common Stock, the Conversion Price in effect immediately before the combination shall be proportionately increased so that the number of shares of Common Stock issuable on conversion of each share of such series shall be decreased in proportion to such decrease in the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock outstanding. Any adjustment under this Section shall become effective at the close of business on the date the subdivision or combination becomes effective.

 

ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

5.1   General Powers. The business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.

 

5.2   Number of Directors; Election; Term.

 

(a)   The number of directors that shall consist of one (1) or more members and the number of members of the entire Board shall be fixed, from time to time, exclusively by the Board in accordance with the bylaws of the Corporation (as amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions hereof and thereof, the “Bylaws”), subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, if any.

 

(b)   At each annual meeting of stockholders, commencing with the first annual meeting of stockholders following the effectiveness of this Article V, each of the successors elected to replace the directors of the board shall be elected to hold office until the next annual meeting and until his or her respective successor shall have been duly elected and qualified.

 

(c)   Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 5.2, and subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, each director shall serve until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

(d)   Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.

 

 

(e)   Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this Article V, whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately by series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, filling of vacancies and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of the certificate of designation for such series of Preferred Stock. During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock have the right to elect additional directors as provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of this Article V, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues; (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to such provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to such provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such series of stock, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate, and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

 

5.3   Removal. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, a director may be removed from office by the stockholders of the Corporation with or without cause by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

5.4   Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock with respect to the election of directors, vacancies occurring on the Board for any reason and newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the number of directors may be filled only by vote of a majority of the remaining members of the Board, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director, at any meeting of the Board and not by the stockholders. A person so elected by the Board to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the Board and until such person’s successor shall be duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

ARTICLE VI
AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS

 

6.1   In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board is expressly authorized to adopt, amend, alter or repeal the Bylaws. The Bylaws may also be adopted, amended, altered or repealed by the stockholders of the Corporation by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class.

 

ARTICLE VII
STOCKHOLDERS

 

7.1   No Action by Written Consent of Stockholders. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock permitting the holders of such series of Preferred Stock to act by written consent, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation and may not be effected by written consent in lieu of a meeting.

 

 

7.2   Special Meetings. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the terms of any series of Preferred Stock permitting the holders of such series of Preferred Stock to call a special meeting of the holders of such series, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the chairperson of the Board, the chief executive officer of the Corporation or the Board, and the ability of the stockholders to call a special meeting of the stockholders is hereby specifically denied.

 

7.3   Advance Notice. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of business to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

 

ARTICLE VIII
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION

 

8.1   Limitation of Personal Liability. No director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time. If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director or officer of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended. For purposes of this Section 8.1, “officer” shall have the meaning provided in Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended from time to time.

 

8.2   Indemnification and Advancement of Expenses. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL, as now or hereafter in effect, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of such person’s heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. A director’s right to indemnification conferred by this Section 8.2 shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition, provided that such director presents to the Corporation a written undertaking to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that such director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under this Article VIII or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, except for proceedings to enforce any director’s or officer’s rights to indemnification or any director’s rights to advancement of expenses, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer, or advance expenses of any director, (or such director’s or officer’s heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with any proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board.

 

8.3   Non-Exclusivity of Rights. The rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses conferred in Section 8.2 of this Certificate of Incorporation shall neither be exclusive of, nor be deemed in limitation of, any rights to which any person may otherwise be or become entitled or permitted under this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.

 

8.4   Insurance. To the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the DGCL, the Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any current or former director or officer of the Corporation against any liability asserted against such person, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such liability under the provisions of this Article VIII or otherwise.

 

 

8.5   Persons Other Than Directors and Officers. This Article VIII shall not limit the right of the Corporation, to the extent and in the manner permitted by law, to indemnify and to advance expenses to, or to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of, persons other than those persons described in the first sentence of Section 8.2 of this Certificate of Incorporation or to advance expenses to persons other than directors of the Corporation.

 

8.6   Effect of Modifications. Any amendment, repeal or modification of any provision contained in this Article VIII shall, unless otherwise required by law, be prospective only (except to the extent such amendment or change in law permits the Corporation to further limit or eliminate the liability of directors or officers) and shall not adversely affect any right or protection of any current or former director or officer of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such amendment, repeal or modification.

 

ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS

 

9.1     Forum for Certain Actions.

 

(a)     Forum. Unless a majority of the Board, acting on behalf of the Corporation, consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (which consent may be given at any time, including during the pendency of litigation), the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, if the Court of Chancery does not have jurisdiction, another state court located within the State of Delaware or, if no court located within the State of Delaware has jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware), to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation under Delaware law, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any current or former director, officer or other employee of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or other employees arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, this Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (in each case, as may be amended from time to time), (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any of its directors, officers or other employees governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware or (v) any other action asserting an “internal corporate claim,” as defined in Section 115 of the DGCL, in all cases subject to the court’s having personal jurisdiction over all indispensable parties named as defendants. Unless a majority of the Board, acting on behalf of the Corporation, consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum (which consent may be given at any time, including during the pendency of litigation), the federal district courts of the United States of America, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall be the sole and exclusive forum for the resolution of any action asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

 

(b)     Personal Jurisdiction. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of subparagraph (a) of this Section 9.1 is filed in a court other than a court located within the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (i) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located within the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce subparagraph (a) of this Section 9.1 (an “Enforcement Action”) and (ii) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such Enforcement Action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.

 

(c)     Enforceability. If any provision of this Section 9.1 shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any person, entity or circumstance for any reason whatsoever, then, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Section 9.1, and the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

(d)     Notice and Consent. For the avoidance of doubt, any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring or holding any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 9.1.

 

9.2   Amendment. The Corporation reserves the right to amend, alter or repeal any provision contained in this Certificate of Incorporation, in the manner now or hereafter prescribed by this Certificate of Incorporation and the DGCL, and all rights, preferences and privileges herein conferred upon stockholders of the Corporation by and pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation in its present form or as hereafter amended are granted subject to the right reserved in this Section 9.2. In addition to any other vote that may be required by law, applicable stock exchange rule or the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter, repeal or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Certificate of Incorporation, and in addition to any other vote that may be required by law, applicable stock exchange rule or the terms of any series of Preferred Stock, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 75% of the voting power of all then outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, voting together as a single class, shall be required to amend, alter, repeal or adopt any provision of this Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with the purpose and intent of Article VII, Article VIII or this Article IX (including, without limitation, any such Article as renumbered as a result of any amendment, alternation, repeal or adoption of any other Article).

 

9.3   Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation on this        day of ____________, 20__.

 

	FG MERGER CORP.
	By:
	Its:

 

 

Exhibit E

 

Form of Parent Bylaws

 

[See attached.]

 

 

Schedule A

 

Robert P. McDermott, Chief Executive Officer and President

 

David Fidanza, Chief Information Officer

 

Muralidar Chakravarthi, Chief Technology Officer

 

Jeffery Stellinga, Chief Operating Officer

 

Archit Shah, Chief Financial Officer

 

Carly Garrison, Director of Sales