Letter Agreement Between Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp. and HCFP/Brenner Securities LLC Regarding IPO and Insider Obligations
This agreement is between Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp. and HCFP/Brenner Securities LLC, with an officer, director, and security holder of the company as the undersigned. It outlines the undersigned's obligations in connection with the company's initial public offering (IPO), including waiving rights to certain funds if a business combination is not completed within a set timeframe, presenting business opportunities to the company first, and restrictions on compensation and sale of insider securities. The agreement also covers indemnification, background representations, and confidentiality of personal information.
Exhibit 10.1
Dated as of February 9, 2006
Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp.
Yahalom Tower, 28th Floor
3a Zabotinski St.
Ramat Gan 52520
Israel
HCFP/Brenner Securities LLC
888 Seventh Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, New York 10106
Re: | Initial Public Offering |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
The undersigned officer, director and security holder of Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp. (the Company), in consideration of HCFP/Brenner Securities LLCs (Brenner) willingness to underwrite an initial public offering of the securities of the Company (the IPO) and embarking on the IPO process, hereby agrees as follows (certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in paragraph 10 hereof):
1. In the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the effective date (Effective Date) of the registration statement relating to the IPO (or 24 months under the circumstances described in the prospectus relating to the IPO), the undersigned will take all reasonable actions within his power to (i) cause the Trust Fund to be liquidated and distributed to the holders of the shares of Class B common stock sold in the Companys IPO and (ii) liquidate as soon as reasonably practicable. The undersigned waives any and all right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any distribution of the Trust Fund as a result of such liquidation with respect to his Insider Securities (each a Claim) and hereby waives any Claim he may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any contracts or agreements with the Company and will not seek recourse against the Trust Fund for any reason whatsoever. The undersigned agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claims, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by any vendor or other person who is owed money by the Company for services rendered or products sold, or by any target business, only in the event that such vendor, other person or target business did not execute an agreement waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any amounts held in the Trust Fund, and only to the extent necessary to ensure that such loss, liability, claim, damage or expense does not reduce the amount in the Trust Fund; provided, however, that such indemnification obligation shall not extend to claims of target businesses brought under Israeli law or in Israeli courts.
Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp.
HCFP/Brenner Securities LLC
February 9, 2006
Page 2
2. In order to minimize potential conflicts of interest which may arise from multiple affiliations, the undersigned agrees to present to the Company for its consideration, prior to presentation to any other person or entity, any suitable opportunity to acquire an operating business, until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination, the liquidation of the Trust Fund or until such time as the undersigned ceases to be an officer or director of the Company, subject to any pre-existing fiduciary obligations the undersigned might have.
3. The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that the Company will not consummate any Business Combination which involves a company which is affiliated with any of the Insiders unless the Company obtains an opinion from an independent investment banking firm reasonably acceptable to Brenner that the business combination is fair to the Companys stockholders from a financial perspective.
4. Neither the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned, nor any affiliate (Affiliate) of the undersigned will be entitled to receive and will not accept any compensation or fees of any kind, including finders and consulting fees, prior to, or for services they rendered in order to effectuate, the Business Combination. The undersigned shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Company for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with seeking and consummating a Business Combination.
5. Neither the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned, or any Affiliate of the undersigned will be entitled to receive or accept a finders fee or any other compensation in the event the undersigned, any member of the family of the undersigned or any Affiliate of the undersigned originates a Business Combination.
6. The undersigned agrees not to sell any of his Insider Securities until the Companys completion of a Business Combination.
7. The undersigned agrees to be the Chairman of the Company until the earlier of the consummation by the Company of a Business Combination or the distribution of the Trust Fund. The undersigneds biographical information furnished to the Company and Brenner and attached hereto as Exhibit A is true and accurate in all respects, does not omit any material information with respect to the undersigneds background and contains all of the information required to be disclosed pursuant to Section 401 of Regulation S-K, promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933. The undersigneds Questionnaire furnished to the Company and Brenner and annexed as Exhibit B hereto is true and accurate in all respects. The undersigned represents and warrants that:
(a) he is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction;
Israel Growth Partners Acquisition Corp.
HCFP/Brenner Securities LLC
February 9, 2006
Page 3
(b) he has never been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any crime (i) involving any fraud or (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and he is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding; and
(c) he has never been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked.
8. The undersigned has full right and power, without violating any agreement by which he is bound, to enter into this letter agreement and to serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Company.
9. The undersigned authorizes any employer, financial institution, or consumer credit reporting agency to release to Brenner and its legal representatives or agents (including any investigative search firm retained by Brenner) any information they may have about the undersigneds background and finances (Information). Neither Brenner nor its agents shall be violating my right of privacy in any manner in requesting and obtaining the Information and the undersigned hereby releases them from liability for any damage whatsoever in that connection. Brenner shall only use such Information for the limited purpose of reviewing the history and background of the undersigned in connection with his position as an officer, director or securityholder of the Company and shall keep such Information confidential and shall use its best efforts to cause any of its employees and other authorized persons, who have access to such Information, to observe the same restrictions described herein.
10. As used herein, (i) a Business Combination shall mean an acquisition by merger, capital stock exchange, asset or stock acquisition, reorganization or otherwise, of an operating business selected by the Company; (ii) Insiders shall mean all officers, directors and securityholders of the Company immediately prior to the IPO; (iii) Insider Securities shall mean all of the shares of common stock, Class W Warrants and Class Z Warrants (and all shares of common stock underlying such securities) of the Company owned by an Insider prior to the IPO; and (iv) Trust Fund shall mean that portion of the net proceeds of the IPO placed in trust for the benefit of the holders of the shares of Class B common stock issued in the Companys IPO as contemplated by the Companys prospectus relating to the IPO.
Matty Karp Print Name of Insider |
/s/ Matty Karp |
Signature |
Exhibit A
Matty Karp has been our Chairman since our inception. In 1997, Mr. Karp co-founded Concord Ventures, an Israeli venture capital fund focused on Israeli early stage technology companies, and has served as its Managing Partner since its formation. From 1994 to June 1999, Mr. Karp served as Chief Executive Officer of Kardan Technologies, Ltd., a technology investment company, and continued to serve as a Director until October 2001. From 1994 to 1997, Mr. Karp served as the President of Nitzanim Venture Fund, an Israeli venture capital fund focused on early-stage high technology companies. From 1987 to 1994, Mr. Karp served as Corporate Vice President for Business Development, Marketing and Sales, General Manager of the Airbornes Systems Division and Head of the Systems and Products Group at Elbit Computers Ltd., an Israeli high-tech company with a worldwide presence in the defense and health care sectors. Mr. Karp has served on the Board of Directors of Galileo Technology Ltd. (1994 to 2001) which was acquired by Marvel Technology Group, Ltd., a Nasdaq listed company; Accord Networks Ltd. (1994 to 2001) which was acquired by Polycom Inc., a Nasdaq listed company; and Saifun Semiconductors (2000 to present). Mr. Karp has also served on the Board of Directors of El Al Israel Airlines from 2000 to 2003. He also served as a jet fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force. Mr. Karp received a B.S., cum laude, in Electrical Engineering from the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.