Registration Rights Agreement, dated May 17, 2021, by and among Nuvve Holding Corp., Stonepeak Rocket Holdings LP and Evolve Transition Infrastructure LP
Exhibit 10.17
Execution Version
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
among
NUVVE HOLDING CORP.
and
THE HOLDERS PARTY HERETO
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Article I DEFINITIONS2
Section 1.01Definitions2
Section 1.02Registrable Securities4
Article II REGISTRATION RIGHTS5
Section 2.01Shelf Registration5
Section 2.02Piggyback Registration7
Section 2.03Underwritten Offering10
Section 2.04Further Obligations10
Section 2.05Cooperation by Holders15
Section 2.06Restrictions on Public Sale by Holders of Registrable Securities15
Section 2.07Expenses15
Section 2.08Indemnification16
Section 2.09Rule 144 Reporting18
Section 2.10Transfer or Assignment of Registration Rights19
Section 2.11Limitation on Subsequent Registration Rights19
Article III MISCELLANEOUS19
Section 3.01Communications19
Section 3.02Binding Effect21
Section 3.03Assignment of Rights21
Section 3.04Recapitalization, Exchanges, Etc. Affecting Units21
Section 3.05Aggregation of Registrable Securities21
Section 3.06Specific Performance21
Section 3.07Counterparts21
Section 3.08Governing Law, Submission to Jurisdiction22
Section 3.09Waiver of Jury Trial22
Section 3.10Entire Agreement22
Section 3.11Amendment23
Section 3.12No Presumption23
Section 3.13Obligations Limited to Parties to Agreement23
Section 3.14Interpretation23
Section 3.15Severability of Provisions24
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REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of May 17, 2021 (this “Agreement”) is entered into by and among NUVVE HOLDING CORP., a Delaware corporation (including such Person’s successors by merger, acquisition, reorganization or otherwise, the “Company”), and each of the undersigned Holders (collectively, “Stonepeak Purchasers”).
WHEREAS, this Agreement is made in connection with (i) the issuance of the Series B, C, D, E and F Warrants of the Company (the “Warrants”), and (ii) the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 17, 2021, by and among the Company and Stonepeak Purchasers (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”); and
WHEREAS, the Company has agreed to provide the registration and other rights set forth in this Agreement for the benefit of Stonepeak Purchasers in connection with its entry into Securities Purchase Agreement and issuance of the Warrants.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereby agree as follows:
DEFINITIONS
“Affiliate” shall have the meaning ascribed to it, on the date hereof, in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; provided, that for purposes of this Agreement, Stonepeak Purchasers (and their respective Affiliates) shall not be Affiliates of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall be an Affiliate of any Stonepeak Purchaser (or any of such Stonepeak Purchaser’s respective Affiliates).
“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Agreement.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, any federal legal holiday or day on which banking institutions in the State of New York or State of California are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.
“Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Commitment Shares” means the Common Stock issuable pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement.
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share.
“Company Cooperation Event” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(r).
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“Effective Date” means the date of effectiveness of any Registration Statement.
“Effectiveness Period” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Existing Registration Rights Agreement” means the Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of the March 19, 2021, by and among the Company and the parties listed under Investor on the signature page thereto.
“Financial Counterparty” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(r).
“Holder” means the record holder of any Registrable Securities.
“Holder Underwriter Registration Statement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(q).
“In-the-Money Registrable Securities” means Warrant Shares to the extent the exercise price for the Warrant Shares is less than the Market Value (as defined in the Warrants) of the Common Stock and Commitment Shares to the extent the purchase price is less than the Market Value (as defined in the Warrants) of the Common Stock, in each case as of the date of determination.
“Included Registrable Securities” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
“Issue Date” shall mean May 17, 2021.
“Liquidated Damages” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.01(b).
“Liquidated Damages Multiplier” means the product of (i) the Purchased Common Stock Price and (ii) the number of In-the-Money Registrable Securities then held by the applicable Holder and included on the applicable Registration Statement.
“Losses” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(a).
“Managing Underwriter” means, with respect to any Underwritten Offering, the book running lead manager of such Underwritten Offering.
“Nasdaq” means the Nasdaq Capital Market.
“Other Holder” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a)
“Person” means any individual, corporation, company, voluntary association, company, joint venture, trust, limited liability company, unincorporated organization, government or any agency, instrumentality or political subdivision thereof or any other form of entity.
“Piggyback Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
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“Piggyback Opt-Out Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
“Piggyback Registration” has the meaning specified in Section 2.02(a).
“Purchased Common Stock Price” means the weighted average exercise price of the In-the-Money Registrable Securities.
“Registration” means any registration pursuant to this Agreement, including pursuant to a Registration Statement or a Piggyback Registration.
“Registrable Securities” means, collectively, (a) the Warrants, (b) the Warrant Shares, and (c) the Commitment Shares, all of which are subject to the rights provided herein until such time as such securities cease to be Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 1.02.
“Registration Expenses” has the meaning specified in Section 2.07(a).
“Registration Statement” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01(a).
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.
“Securities Purchase Agreement” has the meaning specified in the Preamble of this Agreement.
“Selling Expenses” has the meaning specified in Section 2.07(a).
“Selling Holder” means a Holder who is selling Registrable Securities pursuant to a registration statement.
“Selling Holder Indemnified Persons” has the meaning specified in Section 2.08(a).
“Stonepeak Purchasers” has the meaning specified in the Preamble of this Agreement.
“Target Effective Date” has the meaning specified therefor in Section 2.01(a).
“Underwritten Offering” means an offering (including an offering pursuant to a Registration Statement) in which Common Stock are sold to an underwriter on a firm commitment basis for reoffering to the public or an offering that is a “bought deal” with one or more investment banks.
“Warrant” has the meaning specified in the Recitals of this Agreement.
“Warrant Shares” means the Common Stock issuable on exercise of the Warrants.
“WKSI” means a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in the rules and regulations of the Commission).
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covering such Registrable Security becomes or has been declared effective by the Commission and such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of pursuant to such effective registration statement, (b) when such Registrable Security has been disposed of (excluding transfers or assignments by a Holder to an Affiliate or to another Holder or any of its Affiliates or to any assignee or transferee to whom the rights under this Agreement have been transferred pursuant to Section 2.10) pursuant to any section of Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in effect) under the Securities Act, (c) when such Registrable Security is held by the Company or one of its direct or indirect subsidiaries, and (d) when such Registrable Security has been sold or disposed of in a private transaction in which the transferor’s rights under this Agreement are not assigned to the transferee of such securities pursuant to Section 2.10. In addition, any Registrable Securities shall not be considered Registrable Securities for so long as such Registrable Securities may be sold by a Holder without volume or manner of sale limitations pursuant to any section of Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in effect) under the Securities Act.
REGISTRATION RIGHTS
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Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.04, the Company will not name a Holder as an underwriter (as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act) in any Registration Statement or Holder Underwriter Registration Statement, as applicable, without such Holder’s consent. If the staff of the Commission requires the Company to name any Holder as an underwriter (as defined in Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act), and such Holder does not consent thereto, then such Holder’s Registrable Securities shall not be included on the applicable Registration Statement and the Company shall have no further obligations hereunder with respect to Registrable Securities held by such Holder, unless such Holder has not had an opportunity to conduct customary underwriter’s due diligence as set forth in subsection (q) of this Section 2.04 with respect to the Company at the time such Holder’s consent is sought.
Each Selling Holder, upon receipt of notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in subsection (f) of this Section 2.04, shall forthwith discontinue offers
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and sales of the Registrable Securities by means of a prospectus or prospectus supplement until such Selling Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by subsection (f) of this Section 2.04 or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the prospectus may be resumed and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings incorporated by reference in the prospectus, and, if so directed by the Company, such Selling Holder will, or will request the Managing Underwriter or Managing Underwriters, if any, to deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies in their possession or control, other than permanent file copies then in such Selling Holder’s possession, of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities current at the time of receipt of such notice.
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MISCELLANEOUS
Stonepeak Partners LP
55 Hudson Yards
550 W. 34th Street, 48th Floor
New York, NY 10001
Attention: Trent Kososki, William Demas and Adrienne Saunders
Email: ***@***; ***@***; ***@***
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
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Kirkland & Ellis LLP
609 Main Street
Houston, TX 77002
Attention: Julian J. Seiguer, P.C. and John D. Pitts, P.C.
Email: ***@***; ***@***
Evolve Transition Infrastructure LP
1360 Post Oak Blvd
Suite 2400
Houston, TX 77056
Attention: Charles Ward
Email: ***@***
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Sidley Austin LLP
1000 Louisiana Street
Suite 5900
Houston, TX 77002
Attention: Cliff Vrielink and George Vlahakos
Email: ***@***; ***@***
Nuvve Holding Corp.
2468 Historic Decatur Road
San Diego, California 92106
Attention: Gregory Poilasne and Stephen Moran
Email: ***@*** and ***@***
with a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):
Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.
One Financial Center
Boston, Massachusetts 02110
Attention: Sahir Surmeli and Eric Macaux
Email: ***@***, ***@***
and
Graubard Miller
The Chrysler Building
405 Lexington Ave., 11th Floor
New York, NY 10174
Attention: Eric Schwartz
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Email: ***@***
or to such other address as the Company or any Holder may designate to each other in writing from time to time or, if to a transferee or assignee of any Stonepeak Purchaser or any transferee or assignee thereof, to such transferee or assignee at the address provided pursuant to Section 2.10. All notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; upon actual receipt if sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or regular mail, if mailed; upon actual receipt of the facsimile or email copy, if sent via facsimile or email; and upon actual receipt when delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
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when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, taken together, shall constitute but one and the same agreement.
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action shall be in such Holder’s sole discretion, unless otherwise specified in this Agreement. If any provision in this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable, (a) such provision shall be fully severable and this Agreement shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, not binding or unenforceable provision had never comprised a part of this Agreement, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect, and (b) 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 an acceptable manner in order that the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated as originally contemplated to the greatest extent possible. When calculating the period of time before which, within which or following which any act is to be done or step taken pursuant to this Agreement, the date that is the reference date in calculating such period shall be excluded. If the last day of such period is a non-Business Day, the period in question shall end on the next succeeding Business Day. Any words imparting the singular number only shall include the plural and vice versa. The words such as “herein,” “hereinafter,” “hereof” and “hereunder” refer to this Agreement as a whole and not merely to a subdivision in which such words appear unless the context otherwise requires. The provision of a Table of Contents, the division of this Agreement into Articles, Sections and other subdivisions and the insertion of headings are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect or be utilized in construing or interpreting this Agreement.
[Remainder of Page Left Intentionally Blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto execute this Agreement, effective as of the date first above written.
COMPANY:
NUVVE HOLDING CORP.
By: /s/ Gregory Poilasne
Name: Gregory Poilasne
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
HOLDERS:
STONEPEAK ROCKET HOLDINGS LP
By: STONEPEAK ASSOCIATES IV LLC,
its general partner
By: /s/ Jack Howell
Name: Jack Howell
Title: Senior Managing Director
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement
EVOLVE TRANSITION INFRASTRUCTURE LP
By: Evolve Transition Infrastructure GP LLC, its
general partner
By: /s/ Charles C. Ward
Name: Charles C. Ward
Title: Chief Financial Officer & Secretary
Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement