Form of Indemnification Agreement by and between the Company and its directors and officers
Exhibit 10.21
RIGETTI COMPUTING, INC.
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this Agreement) is dated as of _________________, 20__ and is between Rigetti Computing, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the Company), and ______________ (Indemnitee).
RECITALS
A. Indemnitees service to the Company substantially benefits the Company.
B. The Company believes that in order to attract and retain highly competent persons to serve as directors or in other capacities, including as officers, it must provide such persons with adequate protection through indemnification against the risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their services to and activities on behalf of the Company.
C. In order to induce Indemnitee to provide or continue to provide services to the Company, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company to contractually obligate itself to indemnify, and to advance expenses on behalf of, Indemnitee as permitted by applicable law.
D. This Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the indemnification provided in the Companys certificate of incorporation and bylaws, and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto, and this Agreement shall not be deemed a substitute therefor, nor shall this Agreement be deemed to limit, diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder.
E. In consideration of Indemnitees service to the Company, the covenants and agreements set forth below, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
The parties agree as follows:
1. Definitions.
(a) Beneficial Owner shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act); provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner solely by reason of (i) the stockholders of the Company approving a merger of the Company with another Person, or entering into tender or support agreements relating thereto, provided such merger was approved by the Companys board of directors, or (ii) the Companys board of directors approving a sale of securities by the Company to such Person.
(b) A Change in Control shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person (as defined below) becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities;
(ii) Change in Board Composition. During any period of two consecutive years (not including any period prior to the execution of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Companys board of directors and any Approved Directors cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Companys board of directors. Approved Directors means new directors (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in Sections 1(b)(i), 1(b)(iii) or 1(b)(iv)) whose election or nomination by the board of directors (or, if applicable, by the Companys stockholders) was approved by a vote of at least two thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of such two-year period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved;
(iii) Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other entity, other than a merger or consolidation that would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other governing body of such surviving entity; or
(iv) Liquidation. The approval by the Companys board of directors of a complete liquidation or the dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale, lease or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Companys assets; or
(v) Other Events. Any other event of a nature that would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act, whether or not the Company is then subject to such reporting requirement, except the completion of the Companys initial public offering shall not be considered a Change in Control.
(c) Corporate Status describes the status of a person who is or was a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise.
(d) DGCL means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.
(e) Disinterested Director means a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(f) Enterprise means the Company and any other corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary.
(g) Expenses include all reasonable and actually incurred attorneys fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees and costs of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, or otherwise participating in, a Proceeding. Expenses also include (i) Expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including without limitation the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersede as bond or other appeal bond or their equivalent, and (ii) for purposes of Section 11(d), Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the interpretation, enforcement or defense of Indemnitees rights under this Agreement or under any directors and officers liability insurance policies maintained by the Company. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments or fines against Indemnitee.
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(h) Independent Counsel means a law firm, or a partner or member of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been, retained to represent (i) the Company, any Enterprise or Indemnitee in any matter material to any such party (other than as Independent Counsel with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements), or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term Independent Counsel shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitees rights under this Agreement.
(i) Person shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the Company, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company, and (iii) any corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.
(j) Proceeding means any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or proceeding, whether brought in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative nature, whether formal or informal, including any appeal therefrom and including without limitation any such proceeding pending as of the date of this Agreement, in which Indemnitee was, is or will be involved as a party, a potential party, a non-party witness or otherwise by reason of (i) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer of the Company, (ii) any action taken by Indemnitee or any action or inaction on Indemnitees part while acting as a director or officer of the Company, or (iii) the fact that he or she is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise, in each case whether or not serving in such capacity at the time any liability or Expense is incurred for which indemnification or advancement of Expenses can be provided under this Agreement.
(k) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law means to the fullest extent permitted by all applicable laws, including without limitation: (i) the fullest extent permitted by DGCL as of the date of this Agreement and (ii) the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.
(l) In connection with any Proceeding relating to an employee benefit plan: references to fines shall include any excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to serving at the request of the Company shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and a person who acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan shall be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company as referred to in this Agreement.
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2. Indemnity in Third-Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 2 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or witness or other participant in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 2, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses, judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, with respect to any criminal action or Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
3. Indemnity in Proceedings by or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3 if Indemnitee is, or is threatened to be made, a party to or a witness or other participant in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this Section 3, Indemnitee shall be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on his or her behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Section 3 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the Delaware Court of Chancery or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application by Indemnitee that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as the Delaware Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.
4. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who is Wholly or Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, in circumstances where indemnification is not available under Section 2 or 3, as the case may be, to the fullest extent permitted by law and to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to, and is successful (on the merits or otherwise) in defense of, any Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitees behalf in connection with or related to each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter to the fullest extent permitted by law. For purposes of this Section 4, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.
5. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of Expenses, but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company will indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.
6. Exclusions. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnification payment in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding):
(a) for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any statute, insurance policy, indemnity provision, vote or otherwise, except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid;
(b) for an accounting or disgorgement of profits pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or similar provisions of federal, state or local statutory law or common law, if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements);
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(c) for any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation or of any profits realized by Indemnitee from the sale of securities of the Company, as required in each case under the Exchange Act (including any such reimbursements that arise from an accounting restatement of the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), or the payment to the Company of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of securities in violation of Section 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act), if Indemnitee is held liable therefor (including pursuant to any settlement arrangements), or any reimbursement of the Company by Indemnitee of any compensation pursuant to any compensation recoupment or clawback policy adopted by the Board or the compensation committee of the Board, including but not limited to any such policy adopted to comply with stock exchange listing requirements implementing Section 10D of the Exchange Act;
(d) on account of conduct by Indemnitee where such conduct has been determined by a final (not interlocutory) judgment or other adjudication of a court or arbitration or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as to which there is no further right or option of appeal or the time within which an appeal must be filed has expired without such filing to have been knowingly fraudulent or constitute willful misconduct;
(e) initiated by Indemnitee, including any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, employees, agents or other indemnitees, unless (i) the Companys board of directors authorized the Proceeding (or the relevant part of the Proceeding) prior to its initiation, (ii) the Company provides the indemnification, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law, (iii) otherwise authorized in Section 11(d), (iv) otherwise required by applicable law or (v) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitees rights to indemnification or advancement, of Expenses; provided, for the avoidance of doubt, Indemnitee shall not be deemed for purposes of this paragraph, to have initiated any Proceeding (or any part of a Proceeding) by reason of (i) having asserted any affirmative defenses in connection with a claim not initiated by Indemnitee or (ii) having made any counterclaim (whether permissive or mandatory) in connection with any claim not initiated by Indemnitee; or
(f) if prohibited by the DGCL or other applicable law.
7. Advances of Expenses. The Company shall advance, to the extent not prohibited by law, the Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding not initiated by Indemnitee or any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee if (i) the Proceeding or part of any Proceeding is to enforce Indemnitees rights to obtain indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company or Enterprise, including a proceeding initiated pursuant to Section 11 or (ii) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) prior to its initiation, prior to its final disposition, and such advancement shall be made as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 30 days, after the receipt by the Company of a written statement or statements requesting such advances from time to time (which shall include invoices received by Indemnitee in connection with such Expenses but, in the case of invoices in connection with legal services, any references to legal work performed or to expenditure made that would cause Indemnitee to waive any privilege accorded by applicable law shall not be included with the invoice). Advances shall be unsecured and interest free and made without regard to Indemnitees ability to repay such advances. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay any advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company, except, with respect to advances of expenses made pursuant to Section 11(c), in which case Indemnitee makes the undertaking provided in Section 11(c). This Section 7 shall not apply to the extent advancement is prohibited by law and shall not apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) for which indemnity is not permitted under this Agreement, but shall apply to any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) referenced in Section 6(b) or 6(c) prior to a determination that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company.
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8. Procedures for Notification and Defense of Claim.
(a) Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of any matter with respect to which Indemnitee intends to seek indemnification or advancement of Expenses as soon as reasonably practicable following the receipt by Indemnitee of notice thereof. The written notification to the Company shall include, in reasonable detail, a description of the nature of the Proceeding and the facts underlying the Proceeding and provide such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of such Proceeding. The failure by Indemnitee to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability that it may have to Indemnitee hereunder or otherwise than under this Agreement, and any delay in so notifying the Company shall not constitute a waiver by Indemnitee of any rights, except to the extent that such failure or delay materially prejudices the Company.
(b) If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a Proceeding pursuant to the terms hereof, the Company has directors and officers liability insurance in effect that may be applicable to the Proceeding, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of the Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all commercially reasonable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c) In the event the Company may be obligated to make any indemnity in connection with a Proceeding, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding with counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. After delivery of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee for any fees or expenses of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the same Proceeding. Notwithstanding the Companys assumption of the defense of any such Proceeding, the Company shall be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of Indemnitees separate counsel to the extent (i) the employment of separate counsel by Indemnitee is authorized by the Company, (ii) counsel for the Company shall have reasonably concluded that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense such that Indemnitee needs to be separately represented, (iii) the Company is not financially or legally able to perform its indemnification obligations, or (iv) the Company shall not have retained, or shall not continue to retain, counsel to defend such Proceeding. Regardless of any provision in this Agreement, Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in any Proceeding at Indemnitees personal expense. The Company shall not be entitled, without the consent of Indemnitee, to assume the defense of any claim brought by or in the right of the Company.
(d) Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation in connection with the Proceeding as may be reasonably appropriate.
(e) The Company shall not be liable to indemnify Indemnitee for any settlement of any Proceeding (or any part thereof) effected without the Companys prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed. The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in a settlement to which the Company has given its prior written consent, such settlement shall be treated as a success on the merits in the settled action, suit or proceeding.
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(f) The Company shall not settle any Proceeding (or any part thereof) in a manner that imposes any penalty or liability on Indemnitee not paid by the Company without Indemnitees prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
9. Procedures upon Application for Indemnification.
(a) To obtain indemnification, Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and as is reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification following the final disposition of the Proceeding. Any delay in providing the request will not relieve the Company from its obligations under this Agreement, except to the extent such failure is prejudicial.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a), a determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement thereto shall be made as follows, provided that a Change in Control shall not have occurred: (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Companys board of directors; (ii) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors, even though less than a quorum of the Companys board of directors; (iii) if there are no such Disinterested Directors or, if a majority of Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Companys board of directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (iv) if so directed by the Companys board of directors, by the stockholders of the Company. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, then a determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification shall be made by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Companys board of directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee. If it is determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within 30 days after such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to Indemnitees entitlement to indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information that is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and that is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any costs or expenses (including attorneys fees and disbursements) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such determination shall be borne by the Company, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(c) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 9(b), the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 9(c). If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Companys board of directors, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising him or her of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Companys board of directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of Independent Counsel as defined in Section 1, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within 30 days after the later of (i) submission by Indemnitee of a
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written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 9(a) and (ii) the final disposition of the Proceeding, the parties have not agreed upon an Independent Counsel, either the Company or Indemnitee may petition a court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection that shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the others selection of Independent Counsel and for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the court or by such other person as the court shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 9(b). Upon the due commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section 11(a), the Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
(d) The Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of any Independent Counsel and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to pay Expenses of more than one Independent Counsel in connection with all matters concerning a single Indemnitee, and such Independent Counsel shall be the Independent Counsel for any or all other Indemnitees unless (a) the Company otherwise determines or (B) any Indemnitee shall provide a written statement setting forth in detail a reasonable objection to such Independent Counsel representing other indemnitees under agreements similar to this Agreement.
10. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the person, persons or entity making such determination shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with this Agreement, and the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proof to overcome that presumption by clear and convincing evidence.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner that he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful.
(c) For purposes of any determination of good faith, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith to the extent Indemnitee relied in good faith on (i) the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, (ii) information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, (iii) the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise or its board of directors or counsel selected by any committee of the board of directors or (iv) information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise by an independent certified public accountant, an appraiser, financial advisor or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise or its board of directors or any committee of the board of directors. Further, Indemnitee will be deemed to have acted in a manner not opposed to the best interests of the Company, as referred to in this Agreement if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan. The provisions of this Section 10(c) shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement.
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(d) Neither the knowledge, actions nor failure to act of any other director, officer, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.
11. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) Subject to Section 11(e), in the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 10 that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 7 or 10(d), (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 within 60 days after the later of the receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification or the final disposition of the Proceeding, (iv) payment of indemnification pursuant to this Agreement is not made (A) within 30 days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (B) with respect to indemnification pursuant to Sections 4, 5 and 10(d), within 30 days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v) the Company or any other person or entity takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses absent (i) a knowing misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law. The 60-day determination period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional 30 days, if the person, persons or entity making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, such determination period may be extended an additional 15 days if the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders pursuant to this Agreement. Alternatively, Indemnitee, at his or her option, may seek an award in arbitration with respect to his or her entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses, to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an adjudication or an award in arbitration within 12 months following the date on which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to this Section 11(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his or her rights under Section 4. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitees right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration in accordance with this Agreement.
(b) Neither (i) the failure of the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the board of directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders to have made a determination that indemnification of Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor (ii) an actual determination by the Company, its board of directors, any committee or subgroup of the board of directors, Independent Counsel or stockholders that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable standard of conduct. In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 9 that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits, and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, the Company shall, to the fullest extent not prohibited by law, have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the burden of proof shall be by clear and convincing evidence.
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(c) To the fullest extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement. If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11 that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Section 11, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitees statements not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.
(d) To the extent not prohibited by law, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any action for indemnification or advancement of Expenses from the Company under this Agreement, any other agreement, the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws or under any directors and officers liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to the extent Indemnitee is successful in such action, and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (as soon as reasonably practicable, but in any event no later than 30 days, after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor) advance such Expenses to Indemnitee, subject to the provisions of Section 7. Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such advances to the extent the Indemnitee is ultimately unsuccessful in such action or arbitration.
(e) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, no determination as to entitlement to indemnification shall be required to be made prior to the final disposition of the Proceeding.
12. Contribution. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, if the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is unavailable to Indemnitee, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the amounts incurred by Indemnitee, whether for Expenses, judgments, fines or amounts paid or to be paid in settlement, in connection with any claim relating to an indemnifiable event under this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of all of the circumstances of such Proceeding in order to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the Company and Indemnitee as a result of the events and transactions giving rise to such Proceeding; and (ii) the relative fault of Indemnitee and the Company (and its other directors, officers, employees and agents) in connection with such events and transactions.
13. Non-Exclusivity. The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. To the extent that a change in Delaware law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Companys certificate of incorporation and bylaws and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change, subject to the restrictions expressly set forth herein or therein. Except as expressly set forth herein, no right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. Except as expressly set forth herein, the assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.
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14. Primary Responsibility. The Company acknowledges that Indemnitee may have certain rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses provided by a private equity or venture capital fund or other entity and/or certain of its affiliates (Secondary Indemnitors). The Company agrees that, as between the Company and the Secondary Indemnitors, the Company is primarily responsible for amounts required to be indemnified or advanced under the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement and any obligation of the Secondary Indemnitors to provide indemnification or advancement for the same amounts is secondary to those Company obligations. To the extent not in contravention of any insurance policy or policies providing liability or other insurance for the Company or any director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company or any other Enterprise, the Company waives any right of contribution or subrogation against the Secondary Indemnitors with respect to the liabilities for which the Company is primarily responsible under this Section 14. In the event of any payment by the Secondary Indemnitors of amounts otherwise required to be indemnified or advanced by the Company under the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement, the Secondary Indemnitors shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee for indemnification or advancement of expenses under the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws or this Agreement or, to the extent such subrogation is unavailable and contribution is found to be the applicable remedy, shall have a right of contribution with respect to the amounts paid. The Secondary Indemnitors are express third-party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 14.
(a) The Company irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases any Secondary Indemnitor with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated from any claim of contribution, subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration or indemnification, or any other recovery of any kind in respect of Expenses paid by the Company to Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement.
(b) In no event will payment of Expenses by any other Person with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated or their insurers affect the obligations of the Company hereunder or shift primary liability for the Companys obligation to indemnify or advance of Expenses to any Secondary Indemnitor with whom or which Indemnitee may be associated.
(c) The Companys obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee for any Proceeding concerning Indemnitees Corporate Status with an Enterprise will be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification or advancement of Expenses from such Enterprise. The Company and Indemnitee intend that any such Enterprise (and its insurers) be the indemnitor of first resort with respect to indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitees Corporate Status with such Enterprise. The Companys obligation to indemnify and advance Expenses to Indemnitee is secondary to the obligations the Enterprise or its insurers owe to Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to take all reasonably necessary and desirable action to obtain from an Enterprise indemnification and advancement of Expenses for any Proceeding related to or arising from Indemnitees Corporate Status with such Enterprise.
15. No Duplication of Payments. Subject to Section 14, the Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment for such amounts under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
16. Insurance. To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, trustees, general partners, managing members, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries of the Company or any other Enterprise, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies to the same extent as the most favorably-insured persons under such policy or policies in a comparable position.
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17. Subrogation. Subject to Section 14, in the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, including from any insurance carrier or Enterprise, and Indemnitee shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
18. Services to the Company. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a director or officer of the Company or, at the request of the Company, as a director, trustee, general partner, managing member, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another Enterprise, for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation or is removed from such position. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position. This Agreement shall not be deemed an employment contract between the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) and Indemnitee. Indemnitee specifically acknowledges that any employment with the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise) is at will, and Indemnitee may be discharged at any time for any reason, with or without cause, with or without notice, except as may be otherwise expressly provided in any executed, written employment contract between Indemnitee and the Company (or any of its subsidiaries or any Enterprise), any existing formal severance policies adopted by the Companys board of directors or, with respect to service as a director or officer of the Company, the Companys certificate of incorporation or bylaws or the DGCL. No such document shall be subject to any oral modification thereof.
19. Duration. All agreements and obligations of the Company contained herein will continue during the period Indemnitee is an Agent of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise) and will continue thereafter until and terminates upon the later of (a) 10 years after the date that Indemnitee ceases to have a corporate status or (b) 1 year after the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of which Indemnitee is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of Expenses hereunder and of any Proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11 of this Agreement relating thereto, so long as Indemnitee will be subject to any Proceeding by reason of his or her corporate status as an Agent, whether or not he or she is acting or serving in any such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification can be provided under this Agreement. This Agreement will be binding on and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties of this Agreement and their respective successors (including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company), assigns, spouses, heirs, executors, and personal and legal representatives.
20. Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns, including any direct or indirect successor, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitees heirs, executors and administrators. Further, the Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by written agreement, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
21. Severability. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation of applicable law. The Companys inability, pursuant to court order or other applicable law, to perform its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this Agreement. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself
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invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law; (ii) such provision or provisions shall be deemed reformed to the extent necessary to conform to applicable law and to give the maximum effect to the intent of the parties hereto; and (iii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of any section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested thereby.
22. Enforcement. The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve as a director or officer of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director or officer of the Company.
23. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof; provided, however, that this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Companys certificate of incorporation and bylaws and applicable law.
24. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or amendment to this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the parties hereto. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement shall adversely affect any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in his or her Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall constitute or be deemed a waiver of any other provision of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
25. Notices. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, sent by facsimile or electronic mail or otherwise delivered by hand, messenger or courier service addressed:
(a) if to Indemnitee, to Indemnitees address, facsimile number or electronic mail address as shown on the signature page of this Agreement or in the Companys records, as may be updated in accordance with the provisions hereof; or
(b) if to the Company, to c/o Rigetti Computing, Inc., 775 Heinz Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710, Attn: General Counsel, or at such other current address as the Company shall have furnished to Indemnitee, with a copy to Cooley LLP, 55 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Adam Dinow, Rupa Briggs, and Sarah Sellers.
Each such notice or other communication shall for all purposes of this Agreement be treated as effective or having been given (i) if delivered by hand, messenger or courier service, when delivered (or if sent via a nationally-recognized overnight courier service, freight prepaid, specifying next-business-day delivery, one business day after deposit with the courier), or (ii) if sent via mail, at the earlier of its receipt or five days after the same has been deposited in a regularly-maintained receptacle for the deposit of the United States mail, addressed and mailed as aforesaid, or (iii) if sent via facsimile, upon confirmation of facsimile transfer or, if sent via electronic mail, upon confirmation of delivery when directed to the relevant electronic mail address, if sent during normal business hours of the recipient, or if not sent during normal business hours of the recipient, then on the recipients next business day. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the Company in writing (email being sufficient) upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena, complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses covered hereunder. The failure of Indemnitee to so notify the Company does not relieve the Company of any obligation which it may have to the Indemnitee under this Agreement or otherwise.
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26. Applicable Law and Consent to Jurisdiction. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. Except with respect to any arbitration commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 11(a), the Company and Indemnitee hereby irrevocably and unconditionally (i) agree that any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement shall be brought only in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and not in any other state or federal court in the United States of America or any court in any other country, (ii) consent to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Delaware Court of Chancery for purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of or in connection with this Agreement, (iii) appoint, to the extent such party is not otherwise subject to service of process in the State of Delaware, The Corporation Trust Company, Wilmington, Delaware as its agent in the State of Delaware as such partys agent for acceptance of legal process in connection with any such action or proceeding against such party with the same legal force and validity as if served upon such party personally within the State of Delaware, (iv) waive any objection to the laying of venue of any such action or proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and (v) waive, and agree not to plead or to make, any claim that any such action or proceeding brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum.
27. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. This Agreement may also be executed and delivered by facsimile signature and in counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
28. Captions. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
(signature page follows)
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The parties are signing this Indemnification Agreement as of the date stated in the introductory sentence.
RIGETTI COMPUTING, INC. | ||
By: |
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Name: |
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Title: |
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[INDEMNITEE NAME] | ||
Address: |
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[Signature Page to Indemnification Agreement]