As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2021
Registration No. 333-253108
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
___________________
FORM S-1/A
(Amendment No. 1)
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
___________________
ARCHIMEDES TECH SPAC PARTNERS CO.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
___________________
Delaware |
6770 |
86-1286799 |
||
(State or other jurisdiction of |
(Primary Standard Industrial |
(I.R.S. Employer |
Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners Co.
2093 Philadelphia Pike #1968
Claymont, DE 19703
(650) 560 4753
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
___________________
Stephen N. Cannon
Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners Co.
c/o Corporation Service Company
251 Little Falls Drive
Wilmington, DE 19808
(650) 560 4753
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
___________________
Copies to:
Mitchell S. Nussbaum Giovanni Caruso Loeb & Loeb LLP 345 Park Avenues New York, New York 10145 (212) 407-4000 (212) 407-4990 — Facsimile |
David Alan Miller, Esq. Jeffrey M. Gallant, Esq. Graubard Miller The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Avenue New York, New York 10174 (212) 818-8800 (212) 818-8881 — Facsimile |
___________________
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 check the following box. £
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. £
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer |
£ |
Accelerated filer |
£ |
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Non-accelerated filer |
S |
Smaller reporting company |
S |
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Emerging growth company |
S |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. £
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of each Class of Security being registered |
Amount being |
Proposed |
Proposed |
Amount of |
||||||||
Units, each consisting of one Subunit and one-quarter of one Warrant(2) |
11,500,000 Units(2) |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
115,000,000 |
$ |
12,547 |
|
||||
Redeemable Warrants included as part of the Units(3)(4) |
2,875,000 Warrants |
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Shares of common stock underlying warrants included in the units |
2,875,000 Shares |
|
11.50 |
|
33,062,500 |
|
3,608 |
|
||||
Subunits included as part of the Units, each consisting of one share of common stock, $.0001 par value, and one-quarter of one Warrant |
11,500,000 Subunits |
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Shares of common stock included as part of the Subunits(3) |
11,500,000 Shares |
|
— |
|
— |
|
— |
(5) |
||||
Redeemable Warrants included as part of the Subunits(3) |
2,875,000 Warrants |
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Shares of common stock underlying warrants included in the subunits |
2,875,000 Shares |
|
11.50 |
|
33,062,500 |
|
3,608 |
|
||||
Total |
|
$ |
181,125,000 |
$ |
19,763 |
(7) |
____________
(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
(2) Includes 1,500,000 Units, 1,500,000 Subunits, 1,500,000 shares of common stock and an aggregate of 750,000 Redeemable Warrants underlying such Units and Subunits which may be issued on exercise of a 45-day option granted to the underwriter.
(3) Pursuant to Rule 416, there are also being registered an indeterminable number of additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions.
(4) Excludes the 2,875,000 redeemable warrants included as part of the subunits underlying the units.
(5) No fee pursuant to Rule 457(g).
(6) Calculated pursuant to Rule 457(a) under the Securities Act, based on an estimate of the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.
(7) Previously paid.
___________________
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state or jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MARCH 1, 2021
PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS
$100,000,000 Archimedes Tech 10,000,000 Units ___________________ |
Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners Co. is a blank check company formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as a “target business.” Our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not be limited to a particular industry or geographic region although we intend to focus our search for target businesses in the technology industry. We do not have any specific business combination under consideration and we have not (nor has anyone on our behalf), directly or indirectly, contacted any prospective target business or had any substantive discussions, formal or otherwise, with respect to such a transaction. If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, we will redeem 100% of the public subunits (as defined below) for a pro rata portion of the trust account, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us, divided by the number of then outstanding public subunits, subject to applicable law and as further described herein.
This is an initial public offering of our securities. Each unit that we are offering has a price of $10.00 and consists of one subunit and one-quarter of a warrant. Each subunit consists of one share of our common stock and one-quarter of a warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Each whole warrant will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination and will expire on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. We have granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,500,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any.
Archimedes Tech SPAC Sponsors LLC, our sponsor, and EarlyBirdCapital, Inc., or EarlyBirdCapital, the representative of the underwriters in this offering, have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase from us an aggregate of 350,000 units, or “private units,” at $10.00 per unit, for a total purchase price of $3,500,000 in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. Each private unit will consist of one subunit and one-quarter of a warrant. Each such subunit, or “private subunit,” will consist of one share of our common stock or “private shares,” and one-quarter of a warrant. The warrants included in the private units and private subunits are referred to as the “private warrants.” They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they and/or their designees will purchase from us additional private units (up to a maximum of 30,000 private units at a price of $10.00 per private unit) in an amount that is necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private units will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The private units (and underlying securities) are identical to the units (and underlying securities) sold in this offering, subject to certain limited exceptions as described in this prospectus.
There is presently no public market for our units, subunits, shares of common stock or warrants. We intend to apply to have our units listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “ATSPU” on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. The securities comprising the units will begin separate trading on the 90th day following the date of this prospectus unless EarlyBirdCapital informs us of its decision to allow earlier separate trading, subject to our filing a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds of this offering and issuing a press release announcing when such separate trading will begin; provided that no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the subunits and public warrants included in the units will be traded on Nasdaq under the symbols “ATSPT” and “ATSPW,” respectively. The common stock will not trade separately unless and until we consummate an initial business combination. Upon consummation of our initial business combination, we anticipate the common stock will be traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “ATSP.”
We are an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act and will therefore be subject to reduced public company reporting requirements.
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 20 of this prospectus for a discussion of information that should be considered in connection with an investment in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
Per Unit |
Total |
|||||
Public offering price |
$ |
10.00 |
$ |
100,000,000 |
||
Underwriting discounts and commissions(1) |
$ |
0.20 |
$ |
2,000,000 |
||
Proceeds, before expenses, to us |
$ |
9.80 |
$ |
98,000,000 |
____________
(1) The underwriters have received and will receive compensation in addition to the underwriting discount, including 350,000 shares of common stock, which we refer to herein as the “representative shares.” See “Underwriting” for further information relating to the underwriting compensation we will pay in this offering.
Upon consummation of the offering, an aggregate of $100,000,000 (or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) or $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering will be deposited into a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee. Except as described in this prospectus, these funds will not be released to us until the earlier of the completion of a business combination and our redemption of our public shares.
EarlyBirdCapital has a “conflict of interest” within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 5121(f)(5)(B) in this offering because it beneficially owns more than 10% of our shares. Due to this conflict of interest, I-Bankers Securities, Inc. is acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” in accordance with FINRA Rule 5121, which requires, among other things, that a qualified independent underwriter participate in the preparation of, and exercise the usual standards of “due diligence” with respect to, this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part. I-Bankers will be paid a fee from the total underwriting discount in this offering in consideration for its services and expenses as qualified independent underwriter. See “Underwriting — Conflicts of Interest” for further information.
The underwriters are offering the units on a firm commitment basis. The underwriters expect to deliver the units to purchasers on or about [•], 2021.
Sole Book-Running Manager
EarlyBirdCapital, Inc.
Co-Manager
I-Bankers Securities, Inc.
[•], 2021
You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.
ARCHIMEDES TECH SPAC PARTNERS CO.
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F-1 |
i
This summary only highlights the more detailed information appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. As this is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making an investment decision. You should read this entire prospectus carefully, including the information under “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus, before investing. References in this prospectus to “we,” “us” or “our company” refer to Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners Co. References in this prospectus to our “public subunits” refer to the subunits sold as part of the units in this offering (each subunit consisting of one share of our common stock and one-quarter of a warrant), references to our “public shares” refer to shares of our common stock sold as part of the subunits contained in the units sold in this offering (in each case, whether they are purchased in this offering or thereafter in the open market as part of the subunits) and references to “public stockholders” refer to the holders of our subunits which are being sold as part of the units in this public offering, including our sponsor (as defined below), officers and directors to the extent they purchase such subunits, provided that their status as “public stockholders” shall only exist with respect to such subunits. References in this prospectus to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our offıcers and directors, references to our “initial stockholders” refer to our stockholders prior to this offering excluding the holders of the representative shares and references to our “sponsor” refer to Archimedes Tech SPAC Sponsors LLC, a Delaware limited liability company affiliated with Stephen N. Cannon, our Chief Executive Officer, President and Director. The term “equity-linked securities” refers to any debt or equity securities issued in a transaction, including but not limited to a private placement of equity or debt, that are convertible, exercisable or exchangeable for shares of common stock. Unless we tell you otherwise, the information in this prospectus assumes that the underwriters will not exercise their over-allotment option.
Introduction
We are a blank check company formed under the laws of the State of Delaware on September 15, 2020. We were formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, recapitalization, reorganization or other similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities, which we refer to as a “target business.” To date, our efforts have been limited to organizational activities as well as activities related to this offering. None of our officers, directors, promoters and other affiliates has engaged in any substantive discussions on our behalf with representatives of other companies regarding the possibility of a potential business combination with us. Our initial business combination and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination, assist in the growth of a technology business in the United States. Our focus will be on the artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology sectors. However, we are not limited to the technology industry, or the named sectors, and we may pursue a business combination opportunity in any business or industry we choose and we may pursue a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States.
Our Chairman, Dr. Eric R. Ball, and special advisor, Mr. Brent Callinicos, both have long track records of senior management leadership in high growth technology companies. Within the technology industry, our initial focus will be on the artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology sectors. Our management team possesses a strong understanding of the SPAC structure and market. Our Chief Executive Officer, Stephen N. Cannon, has served as a member of management for five SPACs that have completed initial public offerings, four of which have consummated a business combination.
Dr. Eric R Ball, our Chairman, is the founder and General Partner of Impact Venture Capital, or Impact VC. Impact VC is a Silicon Valley based venture firm investing in early-stage applied artificial intelligence startup companies since 2016. Previously Mr. Ball held several senior level management positions in high growth technology companies. He was the Chief Financial Officer for C3.AI from 2015 to 2016. Prior to that Dr. Ball spent over a decade with Oracle Corp, including acting as Senior Vice President & Treasurer, and previously was a senior financial professional for Flextronics International, Cisco Systems, Avery Dennison, and AT&T. Dr. Ball has served as advisor and board member of several technology companies, including currently serving as chairman of the audit committee for the board of Glu Mobile Inc, a company that develops, publishes and markets a portfolio of free-to-play mobile games.
Mr. Brent Callinicos is our special advisor. Mr. Callinicos is currently an angel investor, active in investing in early-stage technology companies. Mr. Callinicos was formerly the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Virgin Hyperloop One, an autonomous transportation company. Prior to that, Mr. Callinicos was the Chief Financial Officer of Uber Technologies Inc., an on-demand car service company. Prior to that, Mr. Callinicos was the Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Accountant of Google Inc., now known as Alphabet Inc. Prior to that, Mr. Callinicos held several
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senior management roles at Microsoft, including as Treasurer, Vice President of Worldwide Licensing and Pricing, and CFO of the Platforms and Services Division. Mr. Callinicos has served as an advisor to several technology companies and currently sits on several boards.
Stephen N. Cannon, our Chief Executive Officer, has served as a member of management for five SPACs that have completed initial public offerings, four of which have consummated a business combination. The fifth SPAC, Ackrell SPAC Partners I Co., completed its IPO in December 2020 and is searching for target businesses with which to consummate a potential business combination with a focus on the branded fast-moving consumer goods industry.
Daniel L Sheehan, our Chief Operating Officer, and Long Long, our Chief Financial Officer, are also currently serving as members of the board and management, respectively, for Ackrell SPAC Partners I Co.
Bryant B. Edwards, a director of ours, served as Chief Operating Officer and director for Twelve Seas Investment Co., a SPAC which successful closed its business combination in December 2019.
While we may pursue a business combination target in any business, industry or geographical location, we intend to focus our search for businesses in the technology industry, and our focus will be on the artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology sectors.
Our management team consists of seasoned professionals who have experience spanning the technology industry, including the sectors within the technology industry that we intend to focus on initially, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, corporate governance and compliance, legal and regulatory matters and investment management. See “Management” for additional information about our directors and executive officers. We believe that our officers’ and directors’ industry expertise, transaction experience and relationships may provide us with a substantial number of attractive potential business combination targets.
The past performance of our management team or of their affiliates is not a guarantee either (i) that we will be able to identify a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or (ii) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s or their affiliates’ performance as indicative of our future performance.
Business Strategy
We believe that there are a range of target businesses that could benefit from our industry knowledge, relationships, capital and public vehicle. Our strategy is to identify and complete our initial business combination with a target operating in the technology industry. Our focus will be on the artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology sectors. While we intend to initially focus on potential opportunities in the United States, the technology industry is global and we may pursue opportunities internationally.
Following the completion of this offering, our management team plans to identify and contact potential target businesses and start to evaluate and pursue a possible business combination. In addition, we will communicate the parameters of our search to our network of relationships and transaction sources to help us identify potential target businesses. We intend to leverage our team’s collective experience in the technology industry and capital markets to successfully complete a business combination, and then continue to support our target business with our industry relationships, insights and regulatory knowledge, financial expertise and capital resources.
Competitive Strengths
We believe that our management team is well positioned to identify attractive target businesses within the technology industry and to facilitate a successful business combination for the following reasons:
Experience recognizing key technology trends: Our team has demonstrated a long history of managing and growing businesses at the epicenter of major technology trends. More recently, certain team members have been active in identifying and investing, at earlier stages, in companies focus on the next big trend, such as artificial intelligence, cloud services and automotive technology.
Experience identifying strong management teams: With key members of our team having had significant senior executive roles at key technology companies, we believe we have an ability to identify the characteristics of successful business leaders, and effective in engaging with these management teams. In addition, key members of our team have more recently been investing in many founder led businesses.
2
History of operating experience: The members of our team are seasoned operators having held executive level roles in various companies. We have experience in developing and executing strategy, building and retaining teams, and executing business combinations among other activities.
Deep network and connections to company founders: Our team has numerous existing connections to company founders and business leaders across sectors within the technology industry. We have invested in many companies, served on many boards and have worked with many influential founders and senior management teams within the technology industry, and specifically the sectors we intend to initially focus on.
Significant Prior SPAC Experience: Our management team possesses a strong understanding of the SPAC structure and market. Our CEO, Stephen N. Cannon, has served as a member of management for five SPACs that have completed initial public offerings, four of which have consummated business combinations. In the case of his most recent SPAC merger, Twelve Seas Investment Co, the common shares are currently trading approximately five percent above its SPAC IPO price. However, the stock price performance of Mr. Cannon’s prior SPACs has not always been positive for investors. For example, the common shares of the three other SPACs that previously consummated business combinations are currently trading below $10.00 per share. Further, Mr. Cannon’s other SPAC never consummated its IPO due to market conditions.
Investment Criteria
We intend to leverage the extensive network and experience of our management team in identifying a suitable target within the technology industry and structuring a business combination that is attractive to both the target and our public stockholders. We have identified the following general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses. While we intend to use these criteria and guidelines in evaluating prospective businesses, we may deviate from these criteria and guidelines should we see fit to do so:
Clear and Sustainable Competitive Advantages
We intend to target businesses that differentiate themselves from their peers in ways that are difficult to replicate and have clear competitive advantages.
High Growth Potential and Cash Flow
We intend to seek businesses that are well positioned to grow in their respective markets and which have clear plans on how to leverage additional capital to accelerate growth. We expect to target businesses that have had, or expect to have, strong cash flow generation.
Experienced Management Teams
We intend to seek to target businesses that have strong, experienced management teams who we believe may benefit from our financial, managerial and investment expertise as well as our extensive industry networks and insights. We believe that identifying such management teams is particularly important given our target industry.
Attractive Valuations
We will only evaluate a business that, based on our due diligence and industry experience, represents an attractive valuation relative to publicly listed companies with similar characteristics or in similar industry segments.
Will Benefit from Being a Public Company
We intend to pursue a business that will benefit from being a public company, including potentially having broader access to capital and a public currency for acquisitions.
Effecting a Business Combination
We will either (1) seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which stockholders may seek to convert their subunits, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or do not vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the
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trust account (net of taxes payable) or (2) provide our stockholders with the opportunity to sell their subunits to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described herein. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of our proposed business combination or allow stockholders to sell their subunits to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. If we decide to allow stockholders to sell their subunits to us in a tender offer, we will file tender offer documents with the SEC which will contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination as is required under the SEC’s proxy rules. We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon such consummation and, if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
We will have up to 24 months to consummate an initial business combination from the closing of this offering. If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination within such time period, we will redeem 100% of the outstanding public subunits for a pro rata portion of the funds held in the trust account, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us, divided by the number of then outstanding public subunits, subject to applicable law and as further described herein, and then seek to dissolve and liquidate. We expect that the pro rata redemption price to be approximately $10.00 per subunit (regardless of whether or not the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option), without taking into account any interest earned on such funds. However, we cannot assure you that we will in fact be able to distribute such amounts as a result of claims of creditors which may take priority over the claims of our public stockholders.
Nasdaq listing rules require that our initial business combination must occur with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if we are not then listed on the Nasdaq for whatever reason, we would no longer be required to meet the foregoing 80% fair market value test. The fair market value of the target or targets will be determined by our board of directors based upon one or more standards generally accepted by the financial community (such as actual and potential sales, earnings, cash flow and/or book value). Even though our board of directors will rely on generally accepted standards, our board of directors will have discretion to select the standards employed. In addition, the application of the standards generally involves a substantial degree of judgment. Accordingly, investors will be relying on the business judgment of the board of directors in evaluating the fair market value of the target or targets. The proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents used by us in connection with any proposed transaction will provide public stockholders with our analysis of the fair market value of the target business, as well as the basis for our determinations. If our board is not able independently to determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm, or another independent entity that commonly renders valuation opinions, with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
We currently anticipate structuring a business combination to acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination where we merge directly with the target business or a newly formed subsidiary or where we acquire less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or stockholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we could acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target; however, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our stockholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be valued for purposes of the 80% fair market value test.
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Unlike other blank check company offerings, we have structured our offering to be an offering of units that consist of one subunit (consisting of one share of common stock and one-quarter of a warrant) and one-quarter of a warrant. We have structured our offering in this fashion for two primary reasons:
• To Maximize Cash Available for Use Following Business Combination. We are effectively providing an incentive to our stockholders to not redeem their subunits in connection with either our stockholder vote or our pre-business combination tender offer as they would forfeit one-quarter of a warrant underlying the subunit in the event they elect to redeem. The goal of the foregoing is to seek to maximize the amount of cash in trust that will be available for our use following our business combination.
• To Minimize Dilution. This structure may reduce the total number of warrants outstanding, as compared to a structure in which one unit consists of one share and one full warrant, if a portion of our stockholders elect to redeem their subunits in connection with either our stockholder vote or our pre-business combination tender offer as any stockholder that redeems its subunits will forfeit one-quarter of a warrant underlying the subunit.
We believe this structure will be viewed more favorably by potential business combination candidates than the traditional structure as it provides an additional incentive for stockholders to not redeem and in the event a portion of them do redeem, it reduces overall dilution, as compared to a structure in which one unit consists of one share and one full warrant, due to a reduction in the number of warrants outstanding.
Potential Conflicts
Members of our management team will directly or indirectly own shares of our common stock, or other instruments, such as units, subunits or warrants, linked to our common stock, following this offering and, accordingly, may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. Further, each of our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors have agreed to present to us all target business opportunities that have a fair market value of at least 80% of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account), subject to any pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations. As more fully discussed in “Management — Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that might be attractive to any entity to which he has pre-existing fiduciary or contractual obligations, he may be required to present such initial business combination opportunity to such entity prior to presenting such initial business combination opportunity to us. Certain of our other officers and directors currently may have certain relevant pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations. For more information on the relevant pre-existing fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our management team, see the section titled “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
In addition, some of our officers and directors, including our Chief Executive Officer, are currently officers and/or directors in other SPACs and may participate in the formation of, or become an officer or director of, additional blank check companies prior to completion of our initial business combination. As a result, our officers and/or directors currently have conflicts of interest in determining whether to present business combination opportunities to us or to any other blank check company with which they may become involved and could have additional conflicts in the future.
JOBS Act
We are an emerging growth company as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (which we refer to herein as the JOBS Act) and will remain such for up to five years. However, if our annual gross revenue is $1.07 billion or more, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three year period exceeds $1 billion or the market value of our shares of common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we have elected, under Section 107(b) of the JOBS Act, to take advantage of the extended transition period provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, for complying with new or revised accounting standards.
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Private Placements
On January 4, 2021, we issued 2,875,000 shares of common stock to Archimedes Tech SPAC Sponsors LLC for $25,000, at a purchase price of approximately $0.009 per share, in connection with our formation, that include up to 375,000 shares subject to forfeiture to the extent that the underwriters’ over-allotment is not exercised in full or in part, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as the “founder shares”, owned by our sponsor and director nominees.
On January 13, 2021, we issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees an aggregate of 350,000 shares of common stock at $0.0001 per share, which we refer to throughout this prospectus as the “representative shares,” owned by EarlyBirdCapital, the representative of the underwriters in this offering. The representative shares are deemed to be underwriters’ compensation by FINRA pursuant to Rule 5110 of the FINRA Manual.
In addition, our sponsor and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase from us an aggregate of 350,000 units, or “private units,” at $10.00 per unit, for a total purchase price of $3,500,000 in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. Each private unit consists of one subunit and one-quarter of a warrant. Each such subunit, or “private subunit” consists of one share of our common stock or “private shares,” and one-quarter of a warrant. The warrants included in the private units and private subunits are referred to as the “private warrants.” Of the 350,000 private units, 300,000 will be purchased by our sponsor and 50,000 will be purchased by EarlyBirdCapital and/or its designees.
Our sponsor and EarlyBirdCapital have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they and/or their designees will purchase from us additional private units (up to a maximum of 30,000 private units at a price of $10.00 per private unit, of which up to 22,500 will be purchased by our sponsor and 7,500 will be purchased by EarlyBirdCapital and/or its designees) in an amount that is necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private units will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The proceeds from the private placement of the private units will be added to the proceeds of this offering and placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as trustee. If we do not complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, the proceeds from the sale of the private units will be included in the liquidating distribution to our public stockholders and the private units will be worthless.
Our executive offices are located at 2093 Philadelphia Pike #1968, Claymont, DE 19703 and our telephone number is (650) 560 4753.
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The Offering
Securities offered |
10,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, each unit consisting of (i) one subunit, each subunit consisting of one share of common stock and one-quarter of one warrant, and (ii) one-quarter of one warrant; each whole warrant will be exercisable to purchase one share of common stock. |
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Listing of our securities and proposed symbols |
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Trading commencement and separation of securities |
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Once the subunits and warrants commence separate trading, holders will have the option to continue to hold units or separate their units into the component pieces. Holders will need to have their brokers contact our transfer agent in order to separate the units into subunits and warrants. No fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole warrants will trade. Accordingly, unless you purchase a multiple of four units, the number of tradeable warrants issuable to you upon separation of the units will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of warrants. |
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In no event will the subunits and warrants be traded separately until we have filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC containing an audited balance sheet reflecting our receipt of the gross proceeds at the closing of this offering. We will file the Current Report on Form 8-K promptly after the closing of this offering, which is anticipated to take place three business days from the date of this prospectus. If the underwriters’ over-allotment option is exercised following the initial filing of such Current Report on Form 8-K, a second or amended Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed to provide updated financial information to reflect the exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option. We will also include the Form 8-K, or amendment thereto, or in a subsequent Form 8-K, information indicating if EarlyBirdCapital has allowed separate trading of the subunits and warrants prior to the 90th day after the date of this prospectus. |
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The subunits will continue to trade as a subunit consisting of one share of common stock and one-quarter of a warrant until we consummate an initial business combination, at which time they (to the extent not redeemed) will automatically separate and the subunits will no longer be outstanding. The common stock will not trade separately unless and until we consummate an initial business combination. At such time, every four one-quarter warrants will automatically be combined to form a whole warrant and fractional warrants will no longer exist. Since no fractional warrants will then exist and only whole warrants will trade, investors will need to have a number of subunits divisible by four at that time or they will lose any fractions of a warrant they hold. Accordingly, in order to avoid such a situation, investors that do not intend to transfer the component pieces of the units prior to the consummation of a business combination should continue to hold their securities as a combined unit in multiples of four so as to ensure that no portion of the warrant is lost. |
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Units: |
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Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be sold in private placement |
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Number outstanding after this offering and private placement |
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Subunits: |
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Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be sold in private placement |
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Number outstanding after this offering and private placement |
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Shares of common stock: |
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Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be sold in private placement |
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Number to be outstanding after this offering and private placement |
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Warrants: |
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Number outstanding before this offering |
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Number to be sold as part of units and subunits in private |
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Number to be sold as part of units and subunits in this offering and private placement |
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Exercisability |
Each whole warrant is exercisable for one share of common stock at a price of $11.50 per share and only whole warrants are exercisable. The warrants will become exercisable 30 days after the completion of an initial business combination. The warrants will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the fifth anniversary of our completion of an initial business combination, or earlier upon redemption. |
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(1) Represents 2,875,000 founder shares and 350,000 representative shares. The 2,875,000 founder shares include an aggregate of up to 375,000 founder shares that are subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option is not exercised by the underwriters in full.
(2) Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founder shares have been forfeited.
(3) Each unit consists of one subunit and one-quarter of a warrant. Each subunit consists of one share of our common stock and one-quarter of a warrant. The subunits will continue to trade as a subunit consisting of one share of common stock and one-quarter of a warrant until we consummate an initial business combination, at which time they (to the extent not redeemed) will automatically separate and the subunits will no longer be outstanding. At such time, every four one-quarter warrants will automatically be combined to form a whole warrant and fractional warrants will no longer exist. Since no fractional warrants will then exist and only whole warrants will trade, investors will need have a number of subunits divisible by four at that time or they will lose any fractions of a warrant they hold.
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We structured each unit to consist of one subunit (consisting of one share of common stock and one-quarter of a warrant) and one-quarter of a warrant. We have structured our offering in this fashion to attempt to (i) maximize the amount of cash in trust that will be available for our use following our business combination and (ii) to reduce the total number of warrants outstanding, as compared to a structure in which one unit consists of one share and one-half of a full warrant, in the event a portion of our stockholders elect to redeem their subunits in connection with either our stockholder vote or our pre-business combination tender offer as any stockholder that redeems its subunits will forfeit one-quarter of a warrant underlying the subunit. We believe this structure will be viewed more favorably by potential business combination candidates than the traditional structure as it provides an additional incentive for stockholders to not redeem and in the event a portion of them do redeem, it reduces overall dilution, as compared to a structure in which one unit consists of one share and one-half of a full warrant, due to a reduction in the number of warrants outstanding. |
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Exercise price |
$11.50 per share, subject to adjustment as described herein. In addition, if (x) we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share (with such issue price or effective issue price to be determined in good faith by our board of directors, and in the case of any such issuance to our sponsor, initial stockholders or their affiliates, without taking into account any founder shares held by them prior to such issuance), (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions) and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of our shares during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day after the day on which we consummate our initial business combination (such price, the “Market Value”) is below $9.20 per share, the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 115% of the greater of (i) the Market Value or (ii) the price at which we issue the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities, and the $18.00 redemption trigger price will be adjusted to 180% of this amount. |
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No warrants will be exercisable for cash unless we have an effective and current registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to such shares of common stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a registration statement covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective within 90 days following the consummation of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement and during any period when we shall have failed to maintain an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis pursuant to the exemption provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, provided that such exemption is available. If that exemption, or another exemption, is not available, holders will not be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. |
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Redemption |
We may redeem the outstanding warrants (excluding the private warrants underlying the private units and private subunits, and any warrants underlying additional units issued to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us) in whole and not in part, at a price of $0.01 per warrant at any time after the warrants become exercisable, upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, if, and only if, the last sales price of our shares of common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending three business days before we send the notice of redemption; and if, and only if, there is a current registration statement in effect with respect to the shares of common stock underlying such warrants. |
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If the foregoing conditions are satisfied and we issue a notice of redemption, each warrant holder can exercise his, her or its warrant prior to the scheduled redemption date. However, the price of the shares of common stock may fall below the $18.00 trigger price as well as the $11.50 warrant exercise price after the redemption notice is issued. |
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If we call the warrants for redemption as described above, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants to do so on a “cashless basis.” In such event, each holder would pay the exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value”(defined below) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” shall mean the average reported last sale price of the shares of common stock for the five trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants. |
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Securities purchased, or being purchased, by insiders in connection with this offering |
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The founder shares are identical to the shares of common stock included in the units being sold in this offering. However, our initial stockholders and officers and directors have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination, (B) not to convert any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or sell any shares to us in a tender offer in connection with a proposed initial business combination and (C) that the founder shares will not participate in any liquidating distributions from our trust account upon winding up if a business combination is not consummated. |
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Simultaneously with the consummation of this offering, our sponsor and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase from us an aggregate of 350,000 private units at $10.00 per unit, for a total purchase price of $3,500,000 in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. Each private unit will consist of one private subunit (consisting of one private share and one-quarter of a private warrant) and one-quarter of a private warrant. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they and/or their designees will purchase from us additional private units (up to a maximum of 30,000 private units at a price of $10.00 per private unit) in an amount that is necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private units will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The amounts to be paid upon consummation of the private placement will be placed in escrow with our counsel prior to the consummation of this offering. The private units (and underlying private subunits, private shares and private warrants) are identical to the units (and underlying securities) sold in this offering except that the private warrants included in the private units: (i) will not be redeemable by us and (ii) may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis, as described in this prospectus, in each case so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees. If the private warrants are held by holders other than the initial purchasers or any of their permitted transferees, the private warrants will be redeemable by us and exercisable by the holders on the same basis as the warrants included in the units being sold in this offering. Furthermore, our initial stockholders have agreed (A) to vote the private shares contained in the subunits, in favor of any proposed business combination, (B) not to convert any private subunits in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or sell any private shares to us in a tender offer in connection with a proposed initial business combination and (C) that the private subunits shall not participate in any liquidating distribution from our trust account upon winding up if a business combination is not consummated. In the event of a liquidation prior to our initial business combination, the private units will likely be worthless. |
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If we sought stockholder approval of a proposed transaction we could need as little as 100,001 of our public shares (or approximately 1.0% of our public shares) to be voted in favor of the transaction in order to have such transaction approved (assuming that only a quorum is present at the meeting, that the over-allotment option is not exercised, that the initial stockholders do not purchase any units in this offering or units or subunits in the after-market and that the 350,000 representative shares are voted in favor of the transaction). In the event of a liquidation prior to our initial business combination, the private warrants will likely be worthless. |
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Restrictions on transfer of founder shares and private units |
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upon its liquidation, (iii) by bona fide gift to a member of the holder’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is the holder or a member of the holder’s immediate family, for estate planning purposes, (iv) by virtue of the laws of descent and distribution upon death, (v) pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, (vi) to us for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination, or (vii) in connection with the consummation of a business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the shares were originally purchased, in each case (except for clause (vi) or with our prior consent) where the transferee agrees to the terms of the escrow agreement and to be bound by these transfer restrictions, but will retain all other rights as our stockholders, including, without limitation, the right to vote their shares of common stock and the right to receive cash dividends, if declared. If dividends are declared and payable in shares of common stock, such dividends will also be placed in escrow. If we are unable to effect a business combination and liquidate, there will be no liquidation distribution with respect to the founder shares. |
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The purchasers of the private units have also agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of the private units, including the underlying private subunits, private shares and private warrants (except in connection with the same limited exceptions that the founder shares may be transferred as described above), until after the completion of our initial business combination. |
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Representative shares |
On January 13, 2021, we issued to EarlyBirdCapital and its designees an aggregate of 350,000 representative shares at $0.0001 per share. The holders of the representative shares have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares without our prior consent until the completion of our initial business combination. In addition, the holders of the representative shares have agreed (i) to waive their conversion rights (or right to participate in any tender offer) with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. |
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Offering proceeds to be held in trust |
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, there can be released to us from the trust account any interest earned on the funds in the trust account that we need to pay our income or other tax obligations. With these exceptions, expenses incurred by us may be paid prior to a business combination only from the net proceeds of this offering not held in the trust account (initially estimated to be $750,000). Additionally, in order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering if the funds not held in the trust account are insufficient, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units would consist of one share of our common stock and one warrant, which common stock and warrants would be identical to the common stock and warrants included in the private units. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no other proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. |
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None of the warrants may be exercised until 30 days after the consummation of a business combination and, thus, after the proceeds of the trust account have been disbursed. Accordingly, the warrant exercise price will be paid directly to us and not placed in the trust account. |
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Limited payments to insiders |
There will be no fees, reimbursements or other cash payments paid to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates for any services they render prior to, or in order to effectuate the consummation of, an initial business combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is) other than the following payments, none of which will be made from the proceeds of this offering held in the trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination: |
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• repayment at the closing of this offering of an aggregate of up to $300,000 of non-interest-bearing loans made by our sponsor, Archimedes Tech SPAC Sponsors LLC; |
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• payment of $10,000 per month to an affiliate of our Chief Executive Officer for office space and related services; |
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• payment of consulting, success or finder fees to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination; we may pay such fees in the event such parties bring specific target company, industry or market expertise, as well as insights or relationships that we believe are necessary in order to locate, assess, negotiate and consummate an initial business combination; the amount of any fee we pay to such parties will be based upon the prevailing market for similar services for such transactions at such time, and will be subject to the review of our audit committee pursuant to the audit committee’s policies and procedures relating to transactions that may present conflicts of interest; and |
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• payment to EarlyBirdCapital of the 2% underwriting discount and 3.5% business combination marketing agreement fee (a portion of the business combination marketing fee may be paid to other parties) as described under the section “Underwriting”; and |
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• reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates in connection with certain activities on our behalf, such as our formation, identifying and investigating possible target businesses and business combinations. |
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There is no limit on the amount of consulting, success or finder fees payable by us upon consummation of an initial business combination. Additionally, there is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us; provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account, such expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements and payments made to our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or our or their respective affiliates, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval. |
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Stockholder approval of, or tender offer in connection with, initial business combination |
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We chose our net tangible asset threshold of $5,000,001 to ensure that we would avoid being subject to Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act. However, if we seek to consummate an initial business combination with a target business that imposes any type of working capital closing condition or requires us to have a minimum amount of funds available from the trust account upon consummation of such initial business combination, we may need to have more than $5,000,001 in net tangible assets either immediately prior to or upon consummation and this may force us to seek third party financing which may not be available on terms acceptable to us or at all. As a result, we may not be able to consummate such initial business combination and we may not be able to locate another suitable target within the applicable time period, if at all. |
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Our initial stockholders and officers and directors and their affiliates have agreed (i) to vote any shares included in any subunits owned by them in favor of any proposed business combination, (ii) not to convert any subunits in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination and (iii) not to sell any subunits to us in a tender offer in connection with any proposed business combination. |
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None of our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates has indicated any intention to purchase units in this offering or any units, subunits or warrants from persons in the open market or in private transactions. However, if we hold a meeting to approve a proposed business combination and a significant number of stockholders vote, or indicate an intention to vote, against a proposed business combination, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates could make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions in order to influence any vote held to approve a proposed initial business combination. Notwithstanding the foregoing, our officers, directors, sponsor and their affiliates will not make purchases of units, subunits or warrants if the purchases would violate Section 9(a)(2) or Rule 10b-5 of the Exchange Act, which are rules designed to stop potential manipulation of a company’s stock. |
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Conversion rights |
In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, each public stockholder will have the right, regardless of whether he or she is voting for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all, to demand that we convert his or her subunits into a pro rata share of the trust account. However, any stockholder redeeming its subunits will forfeit the one-quarter of a warrant included in such subunit, without the payment of any additional consideration. |
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We may require public stockholders, whether they are a record holder or hold their subunits in “street name,” to either (i) physically tender their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their subunits to the transfer agent electronically using Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holder’s option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. There is a nominal cost associated with this tendering process and the act of certificating the subunits or delivering them through the DWAC system. The transfer agent will typically charge the tendering broker $45 and it would be up to the broker whether or not to pass this cost on to the converting holder. |
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Liquidation if no business combination |
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challenge the enforceability of these waivers and bring claims against the trust account for monies owed them. Our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced below $10.00 per subunit by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us. The agreement entered into by our sponsor specifically provides for two exceptions to the indemnity it has given: it will have no liability (1) as to any claimed amounts owed to a target business or vendor or other entity who has executed an agreement with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind they may have in or to any monies held in the trust account or (2) as to any claims for indemnification by the underwriters of this offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Marcum LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, and the underwriters of the offering will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account. We have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we believe that it is unlikely that our sponsor will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. |
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The holders of the founder shares, representative shares and private subunits (or underlying securities) will not participate in any redemption distribution from our trust account with respect to such securities. |
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If we are unable to consummate an initial business combination and we expend all of the net proceeds of this offering not deposited in the trust account, we expect that the initial per-subunit redemption price will be approximately $10.00 (which is equal to the anticipated aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account excluding interest earned on the funds held in the trust account). The proceeds deposited in the trust account could, however, become subject to claims of our creditors that are in preference to the claims of our stockholders. In addition, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. Therefore, we cannot assure you that the actual per-subunit redemption price will not be less than approximately $10.00. |
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We will pay the costs of any subsequent liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, our sponsor has contractually agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than approximately $15,000) and has contractually agreed not to seek repayment for such expenses. |
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Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers and directors have agreed that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert or sell their subunits to us in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public subunits if we do not complete a business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering, unless we provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to convert their subunits upon the approval of any such amendment at a per-subunit price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest not previously released to us but net of franchise and income taxes payable, divided by the number of then outstanding public subunits. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment, whether proposed by our sponsor, initial stockholders, executive officers, directors or any other person. |
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Conflict of Interest |
EarlyBirdCapital has a “conflict of interest” within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121(f)(5)(B) in this offering because it and its affiliates collectively own more than 10% of our shares. Due to this conflict of interest, I-Bankers Securities, Inc. is acting as a “qualified independent underwriter” in accordance with FINRA Rule 5121, which requires, among other things, that a qualified independent underwriter participate in the preparation of, and exercise the usual standards of “due diligence” with respect to, this prospectus and the registration statement of which it forms a part. I-Bankers will receive no other compensation in this offering other than customary underwriting commissions. We have agreed to indemnify I-Bankers against certain liabilities incurred in connection with acting as qualified independent underwriter, including liabilities under the Securities Act. In addition, no underwriter with a conflict of interest will confirm sales to any account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the specific prior written approval of the account holder. See “Underwriting — Conflicts of Interest” for further information. |
Risks
In making your decision on whether to invest in our securities, you should take into account the special risks we face as a blank check company focused on the hemp industry, as well as the fact that this offering is not being conducted in compliance with Rule 419 promulgated under the Securities Act, and, therefore, you will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors in Rule 419 blank check offerings. For additional information concerning how Rule 419 blank check offerings differ from this offering, please see “Proposed Business — Comparison to offerings of blank check companies subject to Rule 419.” You should carefully consider these and the other risks set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 20 of this prospectus.
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Summary of Risk Factors
Our business is subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted in the section titled “Risk Factors,” that represent challenges that we face in connection with the successful implementation of our strategy. The occurrence of one or more of the events or circumstances described in the section titled “Risk Factors,” alone or in combination with other events or circumstances, may adversely affect our ability to effect a business combination, and may have an adverse effect on our business, cash flows, financial condition and results of operations. Such risks include, but are not limited to:
• our lack of operating history;
• our ability to continue as a “going concern;”
• our public stockholders will forfeit a portion of their warrants if they redeem their subunits
• our potential delay in receiving distributions from the trust account;
• our stockholders’ potential lack of opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination;
• the lack of protections afforded to investors of blank check companies that comply with Rule 419;
• the potential deviation from our acquisition criteria;
• the potential issuance of additional equity and/or debt securities to complete a business combination;
• our potential lack of working capital;
• the potential for third-party claims to reduce the per-share redemption price for our common stock;
• the potential for negative interest rates for securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account;
• our stockholders’ potential to be held liable for claims by third parties against us;
• the potential failure to enforce our sponsor’s indemnification obligations;
• the potential for our warrant holders to be limited to exercising warrants only on a “cashless basis;”
• the potential inability of our warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company;
• our dependence on key personnel;
• potential conflicts of interest of our sponsor, officers and directors and EarlyBirdCapital;
• the possible delisting of our securities by Nasdaq;
• our potential dependence on a single target business with a limited number of products or services;
• our stockholders’ inability to vote or redeem their shares in connection with our extensions;
• the potential of our shares being redeemed and warrants becoming worthless;
• our competitors potentially with advantages over us in seeking business combinations;
• ability to obtain additional financing;
• our initial stockholders controlling a substantial interest in us;
• the potential adverse effect of the warrants on the market price of our common stock;
• disadvantageous timing for redeeming warrants;
• the potential adverse effect of registration rights on the market price of our common stock;
• the potential impact of COVID-19 and related risks;
• our potential business combination with a company located in a foreign jurisdiction;
• potential changes in laws or regulations; tax consequences to business combinations; and
• the exclusive forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation.
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The following table summarizes the relevant financial data for our business and should be read with our financial statements, which are included in this prospectus. We have not had any significant operations to date, and accordingly only balance sheet data is presented.
January 4, 2021 |
|||||||
Actual |
As Adjusted |
||||||
Balance Sheet Data: |
|
|
|
||||
Working (deficiency) capital(1) |
$ |
(716 |
) |
$ |
100,774,319 |
||
Total assets(2) |
|
25,000 |
|
|
100,774,319 |
||
Total liabilities |
|
716 |
|
|
— |
||
Value of common stock subject to possible redemption(3) |
|
— |
|
|
95,774,310 |
||
Stockholders’ equity(4) |
|
24,284 |
|
|
5,000,009 |
____________
(1) The “as adjusted” calculation includes $100,000,000 of cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private units, plus $750,000 of cash held outside the trust account, plus $35 from the issuance of the representative shares, plus $24,284 of actual stockholders’ equity at January 4, 2021.
(2) The “as adjusted” calculation equals $100,000,000 of cash held in trust from the proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private units, plus $750,000 in cash held outside the trust account, $35 from the issuance of the representative shares, plus $24,284 of actual stockholders’ equity at January 4, 2021.
(3) The “as adjusted” calculation equals the “as adjusted” total assets, less the “as adjusted” total liabilities, less the “as adjusted” stockholders’ equity, which is set to approximate the minimum net tangible assets threshold of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination.
(4) Excludes 9,577,431 shares of common stock included in the subunits which are subject to conversion in connection with our initial business combination. The “as adjusted” calculation equals the “as adjusted” total assets, less the “as adjusted” total liabilities, less the value of shares of common stock included in the subunits that may be converted in connection with our initial business combination ($10.00 per subunit).
The “as adjusted” information gives effect to the issuance of representative shares, the sale of the units we are offering and the sale of the private units, including the application of the related gross proceeds and the payment of the estimated remaining costs from such sale and the repayment of the accrued and other liabilities required to be repaid.
The “as adjusted” total assets amount includes the $100,000,000 to be held in the trust account (or $115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) which, except for limited situations described in this prospectus, will be available to us only upon the consummation of a business combination within the time period described in this prospectus. If a business combination is not so consummated, the trust account, less amounts we are permitted to withdraw from interest earned on the funds in the trust account as described in this prospectus, will be distributed solely to our public stockholders (subject to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors).
We will consummate our initial business combination only if we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 either immediately prior to or upon such consummation and, solely if we seek stockholder approval, a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the business combination.
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An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully the risks described below, which we believe represent the material risks related to the offering, together with the other information contained in this prospectus, before making a decision to invest in our units. This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements as a result of specific factors, including the risks described below.
Risks Associated with Our Business and Securities
We are a company with no operating history and, accordingly, you will not have any basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a company with no operating results to date. Therefore, our ability to commence operations is dependent upon obtaining financing through the public offering of our securities. Since we do not have an operating history, you will have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective, which is to acquire an operating business. We have not conducted any substantive discussions and we have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective acquisition candidates. We will not generate any revenues until, at the earliest, after the consummation of a business combination.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
As of January 4, 2021, we had no cash and a working capital deficit of $716. Further, we have incurred and expect to continue to incur significant costs in pursuit of our finance and acquisition plans. Management’s plans to address this need for capital through this offering are discussed in the section of this prospectus titled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.” We cannot assure you that our plans to raise capital or to consummate an initial business combination will be successful. These factors, among others, raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements contained elsewhere in this prospectus do not include any adjustments that might result from our inability to consummate this offering or our inability to continue as a going concern.
Public stockholders exercising their redemption rights with respect to the subunits included in the units sold in this offering will forfeit the portion of warrants included in the subunits without the payment of any additional consideration.
Pursuant to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, public stockholders will be entitled to redeem their subunits for a portion of the trust account if the business combination is consummated. Accordingly, the warrants included in the subunits are subject to forfeiture, without the payment of any additional consideration, if the holder elects to cause us to redeem the subunit of which the warrant forms a part. This is different than in other similarly structured blank check companies where a redeeming stockholder is able to keep any warrants he may still hold, whether included within a unit or held separately. Accordingly, investors may have a disincentive to exercise their redemption rights because they will automatically forfeit the one-quarter warrant included in the subunit.
If we are unable to consummate a business combination, our public stockholders may be forced to wait more than 24 months before receiving distributions from the trust account.
We have 24 months from the closing of this offering in which to complete a business combination. We have no obligation to return funds to investors prior to such date unless we consummate a business combination prior thereto and only then in cases where investors have sought to convert or sell their subunits to us. Only after the expiration of this full time period will public security holders be entitled to distributions from the trust account if we are unable to complete a business combination. Accordingly, investors’ funds may be unavailable to them until after such date and to liquidate your investment, public security holders may be forced to sell their public subunits or warrants, potentially at a loss.
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Our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed business combination.
We will either (1) seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination at a meeting called for such purpose at which public stockholders may seek to convert their subunits, regardless of whether they vote for or against the proposed business combination or do not vote at all, into their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), or (2) provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to sell their subunits to us by means of a tender offer (and thereby avoid the need for a stockholder vote) for an amount equal to their pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account (net of taxes payable), in each case subject to the limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus. Accordingly, it is possible that we will consummate our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public subunits do not approve of the business combination we consummate. The decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow stockholders to sell their subunits to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek stockholder approval. For instance, Nasdaq rules currently allow us to engage in a tender offer in lieu of a stockholder meeting but would still require us to obtain stockholder approval if we were seeking to issue more than 20% of our outstanding shares to a target business as consideration in any business combination. Therefore, if we were structuring a business combination that required us to issue more than 20% of our outstanding shares, we would seek stockholder approval of such business combination instead of conducting a tender offer.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of this offering are intended to be used to complete a business combination with a target business that has not been identified, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, since we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the successful consummation of this offering and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors of blank check companies such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules which would, for example, completely restrict the transferability of our securities, require us to complete a business combination within 24 months of the effective date of the initial registration statement and restrict the use of interest earned on the funds held in the trust account. Because we are not subject to Rule 419, our units will be immediately tradable, we may have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419 and we will be entitled to withdraw amounts from the funds held in the trust account prior to the completion of a business combination.
If we determine to change our acquisition criteria or guidelines, many of the disclosures contained in this prospectus would not be applicable and you would be investing in our company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire.
We could seek to deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines disclosed in this prospectus although we have no current intention to do so. For instance, we currently anticipate acquiring a target business operating in the technology industry. However, we are not obligated to do so and may determine to merge with or acquire a company in another industry if the terms of the transaction are determined by us to be favorable to our public stockholders. In such event, many of the acquisition criteria and guidelines set forth in this prospectus would not be applicable. Accordingly, investors may be making an investment in our company without any basis on which to evaluate the potential target business we may acquire. Regardless of whether or not we deviate from the acquisition criteria or guidelines in connection with any proposed business combination, investors will always be given the opportunity to convert their subunits or sell them to us in a tender offer in connection with any proposed business combination as described in this prospectus.
We may issue shares of our capital stock to complete a business combination, which would reduce the equity interest of our stockholders and likely cause a change in control of our ownership.
Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 31,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $.0001 per share. Immediately after this offering and the purchase of the private units (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option), there will be 9,037,500 authorized but unissued shares of common stock available for issuance (after appropriate reservation for the issuance of the shares underlying the public and private subunits and warrants). Although we have no commitment as of the date of this offering, we may issue a substantial
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number of additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock, or a combination of common stock and preferred stock, to complete a business combination. The issuance of additional shares of common stock will not reduce the per-subunit conversion amount in the trust account. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or preferred stock in a business combination:
• may significantly reduce the equity interest of investors in this offering;
• may subordinate the rights of holders of shares of common stock if we issue shares of preferred stock with rights senior to those afforded to our shares of common stock;
• may cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of common stock are issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and
• may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our securities.
We may issue debt securities to complete a business combination, which could restrict our operations thereafter.
If we issue debt securities to complete a business combination, it could result in:
• default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after a business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations;
• acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant;
• our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt security is payable on demand; and
• our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt security contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt security is outstanding.
If we incur indebtedness, our lenders will not have a claim on the cash in the trust account and such indebtedness will not decrease the per-subunit conversion amount in the trust account.
If the net proceeds of this offering not being held in trust, together with the interest earned on the funds in the trust account available to us, are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months, we may be unable to complete a business combination.
Of the net proceeds of this offering, only approximately $750,000 will be available to us initially outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. We will also have access to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account for taxes. We believe that, upon closing of this offering, such funds will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 24 months; however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Accordingly, if we use all of the funds held outside of the trust account and all interest available to us, we may not have sufficient funds available with which to structure, negotiate or close an initial business combination. In such event, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers or directors or their affiliates to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount that they deem reasonable in their sole discretion for our working capital needs. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into units at a price of $10.00 per unit.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in trust could be reduced and the per-subunit redemption price received by stockholders may be less than $10.00.
Our placing of funds in trust may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors and service providers we engage and prospective target businesses we negotiate with execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account
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for the benefit of our public stockholders, they may not execute such agreements. Furthermore, even if such entities execute such agreements with us, they may seek recourse against the trust account. A court may not uphold the validity of such agreements. Accordingly, the proceeds held in trust could be subject to claims which could take priority over those of our public stockholders. If we are unable to complete a business combination and distribute the proceeds held in trust to our public stockholders, our sponsor has agreed (subject to certain exceptions described elsewhere in this prospectus) that it will be liable to ensure that the proceeds in the trust account are not reduced below $10.00 per subunit by the claims of target businesses or claims of vendors or other entities that are owed money by us for services rendered or contracted for or products sold to us. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we believe it is unlikely that our sponsor will be able to satisfy its indemnification obligations if it is required to do so. As a result, the per-subunit distribution from the trust account may be less than $10.00, plus interest, due to such claims.
Additionally, if we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our stockholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, we may not be able to return to our public stockholders at least $10.00.
The securities in which we invest the funds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
The proceeds held in the trust account will be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest). Negative interest rates could reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders may be less than $10.00 per share.
Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that we will continue in existence only until 24 months from the closing of this offering. If we are unable to complete an initial business combination by 24 months, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the outstanding public subunits, at a per-subunit price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including any interest not previously released to us (net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public subunits, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as holders of subunits (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law. Public stockholders will also forfeit the one-quarter warrant included in the subunits being redeemed. As promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, we will dissolve and liquidate, subject to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our stockholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our stockholders may extend well beyond the third anniversary of the date of distribution. Accordingly, we cannot assure you that third parties will not seek to recover from our stockholders amounts owed to them by us.
23
If we are forced to file a bankruptcy case or an involuntary bankruptcy case is filed against us which is not dismissed, any distributions received by stockholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover all amounts received by our stockholders. Furthermore, because we intend to distribute the proceeds held in the trust account to our public stockholders promptly after expiration of the time we have to complete an initial business combination, this may be viewed or interpreted as giving preference to our public stockholders over any potential creditors with respect to access to or distributions from our assets. Furthermore, our board may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors and/or may have acted in bad faith, and thereby exposing itself and our company to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors. We cannot assure you that claims will not be brought against us for these reasons.
Our directors may decide not to enforce our sponsor’s indemnification obligations, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below $10.00 per public subunit and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce such indemnification obligations. It is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public stockholders may be reduced below $10.00 per subunit.
If we do not file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, holders will only be able to exercise such warrants on a “cashless basis.”
If we do not file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants at the time that holders wish to exercise such warrants, they will only be able to exercise them on a “cashless basis” provided that an exemption from registration is available. As a result, the number of shares of common stock that holders will receive upon exercise of the warrants will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. Further, if an exemption from registration is not available, holders would not be able to exercise on a cashless basis and would only be able to exercise their warrants for cash if a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is available. Under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed to use our best efforts to meet these conditions and to file and maintain a current and effective prospectus relating to the common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to do so. If we are unable to do so, the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company may be reduced or the warrants may expire worthless.
Our warrant agreement will designate the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement will provide that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope of the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection
24
with any “enforcement action” brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions, and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
An investor will only be able to exercise a warrant if the issuance of shares of common stock upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or is deemed exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants.
No warrants will be exercisable and we will not be obligated to issue shares of common stock unless the shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise has been registered or qualified or deemed to be exempt under the securities laws of the state of residence of the holder of the warrants. If the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not qualified or exempt from qualification in the jurisdictions in which the holders of the warrants reside, the warrants may be deprived of any value, the market for the warrants may be limited and they may expire worthless if they cannot be sold.
The private warrants may be exercised at a time when the public warrants may not be exercised.
Once the private warrants become exercisable, such warrants may immediately be exercised on a cashless basis, at the holder’s option, so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees. The public warrants, however, will only be exercisable on a cashless basis at the option of the holders if we fail to register the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act within 90 days following the closing of our initial business combination. Accordingly, it is possible that the holders of the private warrants could exercise such warrants at a time when the holders of public warrants could not.
We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants, including warrants included in the public subunits.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder to cure any ambiguity or correct any defective provision. The warrant agreement requires the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants, including warrants included in the public subunits, in order to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders.
A provision of our warrant agreement may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
If
• we issue additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities for capital raising purposes in connection with the closing of our initial business combination at an issue price or effective issue price of less than $9.20 per share,
• the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, available for the funding of our initial business combination on the date of the consummation of our initial business combination (net of redemptions), and
• the Market Value is below $9.20 per share,
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then the exercise price of the warrants will be adjusted to be equal to 115% of the higher of the Market Value and the price at which we issue the additional shares of common stock or equity-linked securities, and the $18.00 redemption trigger price will be adjusted to 180% of this amount. This may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
Since we have not yet selected a particular industry or target business with which to complete a business combination, we are unable to currently ascertain the merits or risks of the industry or business in which we may ultimately operate.
We may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any business industry or sector, although we intend to focus on companies in the industry as described in this prospectus. Accordingly, there is no current basis for you to evaluate the possible merits or risks of the particular industry in which we may ultimately operate or the target business which we may ultimately acquire. To the extent we complete a business combination with a financially unstable company or an entity in its development stage, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations of those entities. If we complete a business combination with an entity in an industry characterized by a high level of risk, we may be affected by the currently unascertainable risks of that industry. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular industry or target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a target business.
Our ability to successfully effect a business combination and to be successful thereafter will be totally dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following a business combination. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct.
Our ability to successfully effect a business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our key personnel, at least until we have consummated our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain with us for the immediate or foreseeable future. In addition, none of our officers is required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, our officers will have conflicts of interest in allocating management time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have employment agreements with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our officers. The unexpected loss of the services of our key personnel could have a detrimental effect on us.
The role of our key personnel after a business combination, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may serve in senior management or advisory positions following a business combination, it is likely that most, if not all, of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after a business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a public company which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. This could be expensive and time-consuming and could lead to various regulatory issues which may adversely affect our operations.
Our officers and directors may not have significant experience or knowledge regarding the jurisdiction or industry of the target business we may seek to acquire.
We may consummate a business combination with a target business in any geographic location or industry we choose, although we intend to focus our search for businesses in the technology industry that are compliant with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulation of those jurisdictions in which it is located or operates. We cannot assure you that our officers and directors will have enough experience or have sufficient knowledge relating to the jurisdiction of the target or its industry to make an informed decision regarding a business combination.
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Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following a business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel will be able to remain with the company after the consummation of a business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements or other appropriate arrangements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to the company after the consummation of the business combination. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business.
Our officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate a business combination.
Our officers and directors will not commit their full time to our affairs. We presently expect each of our officers and directors to devote such amount of time as they reasonably believe is necessary to our business. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. The foregoing could have a negative impact on our ability to consummate our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is appropriate for a business combination.
Our sponsor has waived its right to convert its founder shares or any other shares purchased in this offering or thereafter, or to receive distributions from the trust account with respect to its founder shares upon our liquidation if we are unable to consummate a business combination. Accordingly, the shares acquired prior to this offering, as well as the private units (and underlying securities) and any warrants purchased by our officers or directors in the aftermarket, will be worthless if we do not consummate a business combination. The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination and in determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our stockholders’ best interest.
Our officers and directors or their affiliates have pre-existing fiduciary and contractual obligations and may in the future become affiliated with other entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us (and they may also become affiliated another blank check company that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours). Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Certain of our officers and directors or their affiliates have pre-existing fiduciary and contractual obligations to other companies. For example, Messrs. Cannon, Long and Sheehan are officers or director of Ackrell SPAC Partners I Co., which is a black check company which completed an IPO in December 2020 raising $139 million, with the stated focus on potential business combinations in the branded fast-moving consumer goods industry. Accordingly, they may participate in transactions and have obligations that may be in conflict or competition with our consummation of our initial business combination. As a result, a potential target business may be presented by our management team to another entity prior to its presentation to us and we may not be afforded the opportunity to engage in a transaction with such target business. Additionally, our officers and directors may in the future become affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business, including another blank check company that may have acquisition objectives that are similar to ours. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to other entities prior to its presentation to us, subject to our officers’ and directors’ fiduciary duties under Delaware law. For a more detailed description of our officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, see the sections titled “Management — Directors and Executive Officers” and “Management — Conflicts of Interest.”
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EarlyBirdCapital may have a conflict of interest in connection with our initial business combination.
We have engaged EarlyBirdCapital to assist us in connection with our initial business combination. We will pay EarlyBirdCapital a cash fee for such services in an aggregate amount equal to up to 3.5% of the total gross proceeds raised in the offering only if we consummate our initial business combination. The private units purchased by EarlyBirdCapital and/or its designees and the representative shares issued to EarlyBirdCapital and/or its designees will also be worthless if we do not consummate an initial business combination. These financial interests may result in EarlyBirdCapital having a conflict of interest when providing the services to us in connection with an initial business combination.
Nasdaq may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
We intend to apply to have our units listed on Nasdaq. We expect that our units will be listed on Nasdaq on or promptly after the date of this prospectus. Following the date the subunits and warrants are eligible to trade separately, we anticipate that the subunits and warrants will be separately listed on Nasdaq. We cannot guarantee that our securities will be approved for listing on Nasdaq. Although after giving effect to this offering we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, the minimum initial listing standards set forth in the Nasdaq listing standards, we cannot assure you that our securities will be, or will continue to be, listed on Nasdaq in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on Nasdaq prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in stockholders’ equity (generally $2.5 million) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with Nasdaq’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than Nasdaq’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on Nasdaq. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $4.00 per share, our stockholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $5.0 million and we would be required to have a minimum of 300 round lot holders (with at least 50% of such round lot holders holding securities with a market value of at least $2,500) of our securities. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If Nasdaq delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• a limited availability of market quotations for our securities;
• reduced liquidity for our securities;
• a determination that our common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our common stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities;
• a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and
• a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future.
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our subunits and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, subunits and warrants will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on Nasdaq, our securities would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities, including in connection with our initial business combination.
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We are an “emerging growth company” and we cannot be certain if the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies will make our subunits less attractive to investors.
We are an “emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act. We will remain an “emerging growth company” for up to five years. However, if our non-convertible debt issued within a three year period or revenues exceed $1.07 billion, or the market value of our shares of common stock that are held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million on the last day of the second fiscal quarter of any given fiscal year, we would cease to be an emerging growth company as of the following fiscal year. As an emerging growth company, we are not required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, we have reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements and we are exempt from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. Additionally, as an emerging growth company, we have elected to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until those standards apply to private companies. As such, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with public company effective dates. We cannot predict if investors will find our subunits less attractive because we may rely on these provisions. If some investors find our subunits less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our subunits and our subunit price may be more volatile.
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of this offering, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services.
It is likely we will consummate a business combination with a single target business, although we have the ability to simultaneously acquire several target businesses. By consummating a business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, or
• dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services.
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to a business combination.
Alternatively, if we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses and such businesses are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete the business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
The ability of our stockholders to exercise their conversion rights or sell their subunits to us in a tender offer may not allow us to effectuate the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
If our business combination requires us to use substantially all of our cash to pay the purchase price, because we will not know how many stockholders may exercise conversion rights or seek to sell their subunits to us in a tender offer, we may either need to reserve part of the trust account for possible payment upon such conversion, or we may need to arrange third party financing to help fund our business combination. In the event that the acquisition involves the issuance of our stock as consideration, we may be required to issue a higher percentage of our stock to make up for a shortfall in funds. Raising additional funds to cover any shortfall may involve dilutive equity financing or incurring indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. This may limit our ability to effectuate the most attractive business combination available to us.
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In connection with any vote to approve a business combination, we will offer each public stockholder the option to vote in favor of a proposed business combination and still seek conversion of his, her or its subunits.
In connection with any vote to approve a business combination, we will offer each public stockholder (but not our sponsor, officers or directors) the right to have his, her or its subunits converted to cash (subject to the limitations described elsewhere in this prospectus) regardless of whether such stockholder votes for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all. The ability to seek conversion while voting in favor of our proposed business combination may make it more likely that we will consummate a business combination.
We do not have a specified maximum conversion threshold. The absence of such a conversion threshold may make it easier for us to consummate a business combination even where a substantial number of public stockholders seek to convert their shares to cash in connection with the vote on the business combination.
We have no specified percentage threshold for conversion in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. As a result, we may be able to consummate a business combination even though a substantial number of our public stockholders do not agree with the transaction and have converted their shares. However, in no event will we consummate an initial business combination unless we have net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination.
In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, we may require stockholders who wish to convert their subunits in connection with a proposed business combination to comply with specific requirements for conversion that may make it more difficult for them to exercise their conversion rights prior to the deadline for exercising their rights.
In connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed initial business combination, each public stockholder will have the right, regardless of whether he or she is voting for or against such proposed business combination or does not vote at all, to demand that we convert his or her subunits into a pro rata share of the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination. However, any stockholder redeeming its subunits will forfeit the one-quarter of a warrant included in such subunit, without the payment of any additional consideration. We may require public stockholders who wish to convert their subunits in connection with a proposed business combination to either (i) tender their certificates to our transfer agent or (ii) deliver their subunits to the transfer agent electronically using the Depository Trust Company’s DWAC (Deposit/Withdrawal At Custodian) System, at the holders’ option, in each case prior to a date set forth in the tender offer documents or proxy materials sent in connection with the proposal to approve the business combination. In order to obtain a physical certificate, a stockholder’s broker and/or clearing broker, DTC and our transfer agent will need to act to facilitate this request. It is our understanding that stockholders should generally allot at least two weeks to obtain physical certificates from the transfer agent. However, because we do not have any control over this process or over the brokers or DTC, it may take significantly longer than two weeks to obtain a physical stock certificate. While we have been advised that it takes a short time to deliver subunits through the DWAC System, we cannot assure you of this fact. Accordingly, if it takes longer than we anticipate for stockholders to deliver their subunits, stockholders who wish to convert may be unable to meet the deadline for exercising their conversion rights and thus may be unable to convert their subunits.
If, in connection with any stockholder meeting called to approve a proposed business combination, we require public stockholders who wish to convert their subunits to comply with specific requirements for conversion, such converting stockholders may be unable to sell their securities when they wish to in the event that the proposed business combination is not approved.
If we require public stockholders who wish to convert their subunits to comply with specific requirements for conversion and such proposed business combination is not consummated, we will promptly return such certificates to the tendering public stockholders. Accordingly, investors who attempted to convert their subunits in such a circumstance will be unable to sell their securities after the failed acquisition until we have returned their securities to them. The market price for our subunits may decline during this time and you may not be able to sell your securities when you wish to, even while other stockholders that did not seek conversion may be able to sell their securities.
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Because of our structure, other companies may have a competitive advantage and we may not be able to consummate an attractive business combination.
We expect to encounter intense competition from entities other than blank check companies having a business objective similar to ours, including venture capital funds, leveraged buyout funds and operating businesses competing for acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe that there are numerous potential target businesses that we could acquire with the net proceeds of this offering, our ability to compete in acquiring certain sizable target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, seeking stockholder approval or engaging in a tender offer in connection with any proposed business combination may delay the consummation of such a transaction. Additionally, our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Any of the foregoing may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination.
We may be unable to obtain additional financing, if required, to complete a business combination or to fund the operations and growth of the target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
Although we believe that the net proceeds of this offering, together with interest earned on the funds held in the trust account available to us to pay our income or other tax obligations, will be sufficient to allow us to consummate a business combination, because we have not yet identified any prospective target business, we cannot ascertain the capital requirements for any particular transaction. If the net proceeds of this offering prove to be insufficient, either because of the size of the business combination, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, or the obligation to convert into cash a significant number of subunits from dissenting stockholders, we will be required to seek additional financing. Such financing may not be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to consummate a particular business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. In addition, if we consummate a business combination, we may require additional financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our sponsor, officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after a business combination.
Our initial stockholders will control a substantial interest in us and thus may influence certain actions requiring a stockholder vote.
Upon consummation of our offering, our initial stockholders will own approximately 21.2% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock (assuming they do not purchase any units in this offering and assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised). None of our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates have indicated any intention to purchase units in this offering or any units, subunits or warrants from persons in the open market or in private transactions. However, our sponsor, officers, directors, initial stockholders or their affiliates could determine in the future to make such purchases in the open market or in private transactions, to the extent permitted by law, in order to influence the vote or magnitude of the number of stockholders seeking to tender their subunits to us. In connection with any vote for a proposed business combination, our initial stockholders, as well as all of our officers and directors, have agreed to vote their founder shares and shares of common stock included in subunits owned by them immediately before this offering as well as any shares of common stock included in subunits acquired in this offering or in the aftermarket in favor of such proposed business combination.
Our board of directors is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. It is unlikely that there will be an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of a business combination, in which case all of the
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current directors will continue in office until at least the consummation of the business combination. Accordingly, you may not be able to exercise your voting rights under corporate law for up to 24 months from the closing of this offering. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our sponsor, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our initial stockholders will continue to exert control at least until the consummation of a business combination.
Our initial stockholders and the holders of the representative shares paid a nominal price for the founder shares and representative shares and, accordingly, you will experience immediate and substantial dilution from the purchase of our shares of common stock.
The difference between the public offering price per share and the pro forma net tangible book value per share of common stock after this offering constitutes the dilution to the investors in this offering. Our initial stockholders and the holders of the representative shares acquired the founder shares and representative shares at a nominal price, significantly contributing to this dilution. Upon consummation of this offering, you and the other new investors will incur an immediate and substantial dilution of approximately 86.2% or $8.62 per share (the difference between the pro forma net tangible book value per share $1.38, and the initial offering price of $10.00 per unit). This is because investors in this offering will be contributing approximately 96.6% of the total amount paid to us for our outstanding securities after this offering but will only own approximately 75.8% of our outstanding securities (assuming the over-allotment option is not exercised) and this becomes exacerbated to the extent that public stockholders seek to convert their subunits into a pro rata share of the trust proceeds. Accordingly, the per-share purchase price you will be paying substantially exceeds our per share net tangible book value.
Our outstanding warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our subunits and make it more difficult to effect a business combination.
We will be issuing warrants to purchase an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of common stock as part of the units and subunits offered by this prospectus and private warrants to purchase an aggregate of 175,000 shares of common stock. We may also issue other units to our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates in payment of working capital loans made to us as described in this prospectus. To the extent we issue shares of common stock to effect a business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle in the eyes of a target business. Such securities, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of common stock and reduce the value of the shares issued to complete the business combination. Accordingly, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business. Additionally, the sale, or even the possibility of sale, of the shares underlying the warrants could have an adverse effect on the market price for our securities or on our ability to obtain future financing. If and to the extent these warrants are exercised, you may experience dilution to your holdings.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem outstanding warrants (excluding the private warrants and any warrants underlying additional units issued to our sponsor, officers or directors in payment of working capital loans made to us) at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the last reported sales price of the common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations and recapitalizations) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period commencing once the warrants become exercisable and ending on the third business day prior to proper notice of such redemption provided that on the date we give notice of redemption and during the entire period thereafter until the time we redeem the warrants, we have an effective registration statement under the Securities Act covering the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and a current prospectus relating to them is available. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the
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underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. Redemption of the outstanding warrants could force you (i) to exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) to sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) to accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, is likely to be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private warrants (or any warrants underlying additional units issued to our sponsor, officers or directors in payment of working capital loans made to us) will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the initial purchasers or their permitted transferees.
Our management’s ability to require holders of our warrants to exercise such warrants on a cashless basis will cause holders to receive fewer shares of common stock upon their exercise of the warrants than they would have received had they been able to exercise their warrants for cash.
If we call our public warrants for redemption after the redemption criteria described elsewhere in this prospectus have been satisfied, our management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise his warrant (including any private warrants) to do so on a “cashless basis.” If our management chooses to require holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis, the number of shares of common stock received by a holder upon exercise will be fewer than it would have been had such holder exercised his warrant for cash. This will have the effect of reducing the potential “upside” of the holder’s investment in our company.
If our security holders exercise their registration rights, it may have an adverse effect on the market price of our shares of common stock and the existence of these rights may make it more difficult to effect a business combination.
Our initial stockholders are entitled to make a demand that we register the resale of the founder shares at any time commencing three months prior to the date on which their shares may be released from escrow. Additionally, the holders of representative shares, the private units and any units our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors, or their affiliates may be issued in payment of working capital loans made to us, are entitled to demand that we register the resale of the representative shares, private units and any other units we issue to them (and the underlying securities) commencing at any time after we consummate an initial business combination. The presence of these additional securities trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our securities. In addition, the existence of these rights may make it more difficult to effectuate a business combination or increase the cost of acquiring the target business, as the stockholders of the target business may be discouraged from entering into a business combination with us or will request a higher price for their securities because of the potential effect the exercise of such rights may have on the trading market for our securities.
If we are deemed to be an investment company, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete a business combination.
A company that, among other things, is or holds itself out as being engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, trading or holding certain types of securities would be deemed an investment company under the Investment Company Act, as amended, or the Investment Company Act. Since we will invest the proceeds held in the trust account, it is possible that we could be deemed an investment company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in trust may be invested by the trustee only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, we intend to meet the requirements for the exemption provided in Rule 3a-1 promulgated under the Investment Company Act.
If we are nevertheless deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be subject to certain restrictions that may make it more difficult for us to complete a business combination, including:
• restrictions on the nature of our investments; and
• restrictions on the issuance of securities.
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In addition, we may have imposed upon us certain burdensome requirements, including:
• registration as an investment company;
• adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and
• reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy, compliance policies and procedures and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations.
Compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expense for which we have not allotted.
Our search for an initial business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate an initial business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and other events, and the status of debt and equity markets.
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected, and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) could adversely affect, the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate an initial business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete an initial business combination if concerns relating to COVID-19 continue to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable
to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for an initial business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases) continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate an initial business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate an initial business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on our ability to raise additional equity and debt financing which may be impacted by COVID-19 and other events (such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters or a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases), including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
Because there are numerous companies with business plans similar to ours seeking to effectuate business combinations, it may be more difficult for us to do so.
In 2020, based upon publicly available information, in excess of 240 blank check companies similarly structured to us completed initial public offerings, and many others have filed registration statements for initial public offerings that were completed in the beginning of 2021. Very few of these companies have consummated a business combination. Accordingly, there are many other blank check companies that are seeking to carry out a business plan similar to our business plan. While, like us, some of those companies may focus on specific industries, all of them, like us, may consummate a business combination in any industry they choose. We may, therefore, be subject to competition from these and other companies with a business plan similar to ours, which, as a result, may increase demand for privately-held companies to combine with companies structured similarly to ours. However, it is also possible that there are only a limited number of attractive target businesses available to such entities, or that many privately-held target businesses may not be inclined to enter into business combinations with publicly held blank check companies like us. We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully compete for an attractive business combination. Additionally, because of this competition, we cannot assure you that we will be able to effectuate a business combination within the required time periods. If we are unable to find a suitable target business within such time periods, we will be forced to liquidate.
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The determination for the offering price of our units is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities for an operating company in a particular industry.
Prior to this offering there has been no public market for any of our securities. The public offering price of the units and the terms of the subunits and warrants were negotiated between us and EarlyBirdCapital. Factors considered in determining the prices and terms of the units, including the securities underlying the units, include:
• the history and prospects of companies whose principal business is the acquisition of other companies;
• prior offerings of those companies;
• our prospects for acquiring an operating business at attractive values;
• our capital structure;
• an assessment of our management and their experience in identifying operating companies; and
• general conditions of the securities markets at the time of the offering.
However, although these factors were considered, the determination of our offering price is more arbitrary than the pricing of securities for an operating company in a particular industry since we have no historical operations or financial results to compare them to.
If we do not conduct an adequate due diligence investigation of a target business, we may be required to subsequently take write-downs or write-offs or incur restructuring, impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and our stock price, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
We must conduct a due diligence investigation of the target businesses we intend to acquire. Intensive due diligence is time consuming and expensive due to the operations, accounting, finance and legal professionals who must be involved in the due diligence process. Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business, this diligence may not reveal all material issues that may affect a particular target business, and factors outside the control of the target business and outside of our control may later arise. If our diligence fails to identify issues specific to a target business, industry or the environment in which the target business operates, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our common stock. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining post-combination debt financing.
The requirement that we complete an initial business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination.
We have 24 months to complete an initial business combination from the closing of this offering. Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware of this requirement. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete a business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete a business combination with any other target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the time limit referenced above.
We may not obtain a fairness opinion with respect to the target business that we seek to acquire and therefore you may be relying solely on the judgment of our board of directors in approving a proposed business combination.
We will only be required to obtain a fairness opinion with respect to the target business that we seek to acquire if it is an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors or their affiliates. In all other instances, we will have no obligation to obtain an opinion. Accordingly, investors will be relying solely on the judgment of our board of directors in approving a proposed business combination.
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Resources could be spent researching acquisitions that are not consummated, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
It is anticipated that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting, and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents, and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If a decision is made not to complete a specific business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, even if an agreement is reached relating to a specific target business, we may fail to consummate the business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.
Compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 will require substantial financial and management resources and may increase the time and costs of completing an acquisition.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls and may require that we have such system of internal controls audited beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2022. If we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal controls, we could be subject to regulatory scrutiny, civil or criminal penalties and/or stockholder litigation. Any inability to provide reliable financial reports could harm our business. Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act also requires that our independent registered public accounting firm report on management’s evaluation of our system of internal controls.
A target company may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of their internal controls. The development of the internal controls of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such acquisition. Furthermore, any failure to implement required new or improved controls, or difficulties encountered in the implementation of adequate controls over our financial processes and reporting in the future, could harm our operating results or cause us to fail to meet our reporting obligations. Inferior internal controls could also cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information, which could have a negative effect on the trading price of our stock.
If we effect a business combination with a company located in a foreign jurisdiction, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we are successful in consummating a business combination with a target business in a foreign country, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in the target business’ home jurisdiction, including any of the following:
• rules and regulations or currency conversion or corporate withholding taxes on individuals;
• tariffs and trade barriers;
• regulations related to customs and import/export matters;
• longer payment cycles;
• tax issues, such as tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States;
• currency fluctuations and exchange controls;
• challenges in collecting accounts receivable;
• cultural and language differences;
• employment regulations;
• crime, strikes, riots, civil disturbances, terrorist attacks and wars; and
• deterioration of political relations with the United States.
We cannot assure you that we would be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, our operations might suffer.
36
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws applicable to such company will likely govern all of our material agreements and we may not be able to enforce our legal rights.
If we effect a business combination with a company located outside of the United States, the laws of the country in which such company operates will govern almost all of the material agreements relating to its operations. We cannot assure you that the target business will be able to enforce any of its material agreements or that remedies will be available in this new jurisdiction. The system of laws and the enforcement of existing laws in such jurisdiction may not be as certain in implementation and interpretation as in the United States. The inability to enforce or obtain a remedy under any of our future agreements could result in a significant loss of business, business opportunities or capital. Additionally, if we acquire a company located outside of the United States, it is likely that substantially all of our assets would be located outside of the United States and some of our officers and directors might reside outside of the United States. As a result, it may not be possible for investors in the United States to enforce their legal rights, to effect service of process upon our directors or officers or to enforce judgments of United States courts predicated upon civil liabilities and criminal penalties of our directors and officers under federal securities laws.
Provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and Delaware law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our common stock and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. Our board of directors is divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. As a result, at a given annual meeting only a minority of the board of directors may be considered for election. Since our “staggered board” may prevent our stockholders from replacing a majority of our board of directors at any given annual meeting, it may entrench management and discourage unsolicited stockholder proposals that may be in the best interests of stockholders. Moreover, our board of directors has the ability to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock.
We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Delaware law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
Because we must furnish our stockholders with target business financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards, we will not be able to complete a business combination with prospective target businesses unless their financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards.
The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote on a business combination meeting certain financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards, or IFRS, depending on the circumstances, and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with any tender offer documents we use, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. Additionally, to the extent we furnish our stockholders with financial statements prepared in accordance with IFRS, such financial statements will need to be audited in accordance with U.S. GAAP at the time of the consummation of the business combination. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire.
There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Stockholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. Following this offering, the price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
37
Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, investments and results of operations.
We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, investments and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or regulations, as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
There may be tax consequences to our business combinations that may adversely affect us.
While we expect to undertake any merger or acquisition so as to minimize taxes both to the acquired business and/or asset and us, such business combination might not meet the statutory requirements of a tax-free reorganization, or the parties might not obtain the intended tax-free treatment upon a transfer of shares or assets. A non-qualifying reorganization could result in the imposition of substantial taxes.
An investment in this offering may involve adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences because the redemption price per subunit is greater than an investor’s initial tax basis in a subunit.
Although we intend to take a contrary position, if our subunits are not viewed as participating in our corporate growth (i.e. our future earnings or increases in our net asset value) to any significant extent (other than by reason of any “conversion” feature) due to our limited potential for corporate growth prior to a business combination, there is a risk that an investor’s entitlement to receive payments upon a redemption of its subunits in excess of the investor’s initial tax basis in its subunits (see “Taxation — Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations — Allocation of Purchase Price of a Unit and Characterization of a Unit and its Components”) will result in constructive income to the investor. This could affect the timing and character of income recognition and result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the investor without the investor’s receipt of cash from us. Prospective investors are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to these tax risks, as well as the specific tax consequences to them of purchasing, holding or disposing of our securities.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and certain other actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will, subject to certain exceptions, be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel, which may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will require, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty and certain other actions may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware and, if brought outside of Delaware, the stockholder bringing the suit will be deemed to have consented to service of process on such stockholder’s counsel except any action (A) as to which the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware determines that there is an indispensable party not subject to the jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery (and the indispensable party does not consent to the personal jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery within ten days following such determination), (B) which is vested in the exclusive jurisdiction of a court or forum other than the Court of Chancery or (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the forum provisions in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation. This choice of forum provision may limit or make more costly a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or stockholders, which may discourage lawsuits with respect to such claims. Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our amended and restated certificate of incorporation to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such action in other jurisdictions, which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation will provide that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, subject to certain exceptions. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or
38
liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. As a result, the exclusive forum provision will not apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. In addition, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides that, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. We note, however, that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce this provision and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for state and federal courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries outside of the technology industry and related sectors (which may or may not be outside of our management’s areas of expertise).
We intend to focus our search for a target business or businesses in the technology industry and related sectors. Because we have not yet identified or approached any specific target business or industry, we cannot provide specific risks of any business combination. However, risks inherent in investments in the technology industry include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Significant competition in the industry, which could cause a loss of market share, lower prices or an increase in advertising and promotional expenditures;
• Ability to predict, identify and interpret changes in technology trends or preferences and develop and offer new competitive products rapidly enough to meet those changes;
• Uncertain global economic conditions decreasing demand for products or causing customers and other business partners to suffer financial hardship;
• Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates;
• Failure to optimize the supply chain or disruption of the supply chain;
• Cost fluctuations, including due to changes in the costs of labor, transportation, energy, pension and healthcare;
• Product recalls or product liability claims should products prove defective;
• Significant changes in customer relationships or in end user demand for products;
• Ability to maintain and expand reputation and brand image;
• Reliance on third parties, such as suppliers, distributors and contractors, for certain functions; and
• Ability to obtain, maintain and enforce necessary intellectual property protections and to avoid infringing upon the intellectual property rights of others.
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We may seek business combination opportunities in industries outside of the technology industry and related sectors (which may or may not be outside of our management’s areas of expertise).
Although we intend to focus on identifying business combination candidates in the technology industry and related sectors, we will consider a business combination outside of the technology industry and related sectors if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive acquisition opportunity for our company or we are unable to identify a suitable candidate in the technology industry and related sectors after having expended a reasonable amount of time and effort in an attempt to do so. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in this offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue an initial business combination outside of the technology industry and related sectors, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained herein regarding the technology industry and related sectors would not be relevant to an understanding of the initial business combination we elect to consummate.
40
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
The statements contained in this prospectus that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intends,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predicts,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Forward-looking statements in this prospectus may include, for example, statements about:
• our ability to complete our initial business combination in the technology industry;
• our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination;
• our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination, as a result of which they would then receive expense reimbursements and other benefits;
• our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete a business combination in the technology industry;
• our pool of prospective target businesses;
• the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential investment opportunities in the technology industry;
• potential changes in control of us if we acquire one or more target businesses for stock;
• our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;
• the lack of a market for our securities;
• our expectations regarding the time during which we will be an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act;
• our use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; or
• our financial performance following this offering or following our initial business combination.
The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described under the heading “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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We estimate that the net proceeds of this offering, in addition to the funds we will receive from the sale of the private units (all of which will be deposited into the trust account), will be as set forth in the following table:
Without |
Over-Allotment Option Exercised |
|||||||
Gross proceeds |
|
|
|
|
||||
From offering |
$ |
100,000,000 |
|
$ |
115,000,000 |
|
||
From private placement |
|
3,500,000 |
|
|
3,800,000 |
|
||
Total gross proceeds |
|
103,500,000 |
|
|
118,800,000 |
|
||
Offering expenses(1) |
|
|
|
|
||||
Underwriting discount payable at closing (2.0% of gross proceeds from units offered to public) |
|
2,000,000 |
(2) |
|
2,300,000 |
(2) |
||
Legal fees and expenses |
|
225,000 |
|
|
225,000 |
|
||
Nasdaq listing fees (including deferred portion) |
|
75,000 |
|
|
75,000 |
|
||
Printing and engraving expenses |
|
40,000 |
|
|
40,000 |
|
||
Accounting fees and expenses |
|
35,000 |
|
|
35,000 |
|
||
FINRA filing fee |
|
32,629 |
|
|
32,629 |
|
||
SEC registration fee |
|
19,763 |
|
|
19,763 |
|
||
D&O Insurance |
|
300,000 |
|
|
300,000 |
|
||
Miscellaneous expenses |
|
22,608 |
|
|
22,608 |
|
||
Total expenses |
|
2,750,000 |
|
|
3,050,000 |
|
||
Net proceeds |
|
|
|
|
||||
Held in trust |
|
100,000,000 |
|
|
115,000,000 |
|
||
Not held in trust |
|
750,000 |
|
|
750,000 |
|
||
Total net proceeds |
$ |
100,750,000 |
|
$ |
115,750,000 |
|
Amount |
Percentage |
|||||
Use of net proceeds not held in trust(3)(4) |
|
|
||||
Legal, accounting and other expenses attendant to the search for target businesses and to the due diligence, investigation, structuring and negotiation of a business combination |
$ |
240,000 |
32.0 |
% |
||
Legal, accounting, audit and other fees relating to SEC reporting obligations |
|
180,000 |
24.0 |
|
||
Payment of administrative fee to an affiliate of our Chairman ($10,000 per month for up to 24 months) |
|
240,000 |
32.0 |
|
||
Working capital to cover miscellaneous expenses |
|
30,000 |
4.0 |
|
||
Total |
$ |
750,000 |
100.0 |
% |
____________
(1) A portion of the offering expenses, including the SEC registration fee, the FINRA filing fee, the non-refundable portion of the Nasdaq listing fee and a portion of the legal and audit fees, will have been paid from the loan we received from our sponsor described below. These funds will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering available to us.
(2) No discounts or commissions will be paid with respect to the purchase of the private units.
(3) The amount of proceeds not held in trust will remain constant at approximately $750,000 even if the over-allotment option is exercised. The amount in the table above does not include interest available to us from the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may be invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. We estimate that the after-tax interest earned on the trust account will be approximately $100,000 per year, assuming an interest rate of 0.1% per year; however, we can provide no assurances regarding this amount.
(4) These are estimates only. Our actual expenditures for some or all of these items may differ from the estimates set forth herein. For example, we may incur greater legal and accounting expenses than our current estimates in connection with negotiating and structuring our initial business combination based upon the level of complexity of that business combination. We do not anticipate any change in our intended use of proceeds, other than fluctuations among the current categories of allocated expenses, which fluctuations, to the extent they exceed current estimates for any specific category of expenses, would be deducted from our excess working capital.
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Our sponsor and EarlyBirdCapital have committed that they and/or their designees will purchase the private units (for an aggregate purchase price of $3,500,000) from us on a private placement basis simultaneously with the consummation of this offering. They have also agreed that if the over-allotment option is exercised by the underwriters in full or in part, they will purchase from us an additional number of private units (up to a maximum of 30,000 private units at a price of $10.00 per private unit) necessary to maintain in the trust account $10.00 per unit sold to the public in this offering. These additional private units will be purchased in a private placement that will occur simultaneously with the purchase of units resulting from the exercise of the over-allotment option. The private units (and underlying securities) are identical to the units (and underlying securities) sold in this offering subject to certain limited exceptions as described elsewhere in this prospectus. All of the proceeds we receive from these purchases will be placed in the trust account described below.
$100,000,000, or 115,000,000 if the over-allotment option is exercised in full, of net proceeds of this offering and the sale of the private units will be placed in a U.S.-based trust account maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, New York, New York, as trustee. The funds held in trust will be invested only in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, so that we are not deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the trust account that may be released to us to pay our income or other tax obligations, the proceeds will not be released from the trust account until the earlier of the completion of a business combination or our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public subunits if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period. The proceeds held in the trust account may be used as consideration to pay the sellers of a target business with which we complete a business combination. Any amounts not paid as consideration to the sellers of the target business may be used to finance operations of the target business.
The payment to an affiliate of our Chief Executive Officer of a monthly fee of $10,000 is for general and administrative services including office space, utilities and secretarial support. This arrangement is being agreed to by such party for our benefit and is not intended to provide our Chairman with compensation in lieu of a salary. We believe, based on rents and fees for similar services in other comparable areas, that the fee charged by such party is at least as favorable as we could have obtained from an unaffiliated person. This arrangement will terminate upon completion of our initial business combination or the distribution of the trust account to our public stockholders.
Our officers and directors will also receive reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by them in connection with activities on our behalf, such as identifying potential target businesses, performing business due diligence on suitable target businesses and business combinations as well as traveling to and from the offices, plants or similar locations of prospective target businesses to examine their operations. There is no limit on the amount of out-of-pocket expenses reimbursable by us provided, however, that to the extent such expenses exceed the available proceeds not deposited in the trust account, such expenses would not be reimbursed by us unless we consummate an initial business combination. Our audit committee will review and approve all reimbursements made to our sponsor, officers, directors or their respective affiliates, with any interested director abstaining from such review and approval.
Regardless of whether the over-allotment option is exercised in full, the net proceeds from this offering available to us out of trust for our working capital requirements in searching for a business combination will be approximately $750,000. We intend to use the proceeds for miscellaneous expenses such as paying for director and officer liability insurance premiums and for due diligence, legal, accounting and other expenses of structuring and negotiating business combinations, as well as for reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by our sponsor, officers and directors in connection with activities on our behalf as described above. The allocation of the net proceeds available to us outside of the trust account represents our best estimate of the intended uses of these funds. In the event that our assumptions prove to be inaccurate, we may reallocate some of such proceeds within the above described categories.
We may use substantially all of the net proceeds of this offering, including the funds held in the trust account, to acquire a target business and to pay our expenses relating thereto, including a fee payable to EarlyBirdCapital upon consummation of our initial business combination for assisting us in connection with our initial business combination, as described under the section titled “Underwriting — Business Combination Marketing Agreement.”. To the extent that our capital stock is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect a business combination, the proceeds held in the trust account which are not used to consummate a business combination will be disbursed to the combined company and will, along with any other net proceeds not expended, be used as working capital to finance the operations of the
43
target business. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways including continuing or expanding the target business’ operations, for strategic acquisitions and for marketing and research and development of existing or new products.
To the extent we are unable to consummate a business combination, we will pay the costs of liquidation from our remaining assets outside of the trust account. If such funds are insufficient, our sponsor has agreed to advance us the funds necessary to complete such liquidation (currently anticipated to be no more than $15,000) and has agreed not to seek repayment of such expenses.
Our sponsor has agreed to loan us an aggregate of up to $300,000, which will be used to pay a portion of the expenses of this offering referenced in the line items above for SEC registration fee, FINRA filing fee, the non-refundable portion of the Nasdaq listing fee and a portion of the legal and audit fees and expenses. The note governing the loan is non-interest bearing and is payable on the earlier to occur of March 31, 2021, the consummation of this offering, or the abandonment of this offering. The loan will be payable without interest. The loan will be repaid out of the proceeds of this offering available to us for payment of offering expenses. As of the date of this prospectus, no loans had been made to us by our sponsor.
We believe that, upon consummation of this offering, we will have sufficient available funds to operate for the next 24 months from the closing of this offering, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time. However, if necessary, in order to meet our working capital needs following the consummation of this offering if the funds not held in the trust account are insufficient, our sponsor, initial stockholders, officers, directors and their affiliates may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds, from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion. Each loan would be evidenced by a promissory note. The notes would either be paid upon consummation of our initial business combination, without interest, or, at the holder’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of the notes may be converted into units at a price of $10.00 per unit. The units would consist of one share of our common stock and one warrant, which common stock and warrants would be identical to the common stock and warrants included in the private units. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts, but no other proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment.
A public stockholder will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account (including interest earned on his, her or its portion of the trust account to the extent not previously released to us) only in the event of (i) our redemption of 100% of the outstanding public subunits if we have not completed a business combination in the required time period, (ii) if that public stockholder converts such subunits, or sells such subunits to us in a tender offer, in connection with a business combination which we consummate or (iii) we seek to amend any provisions of our amended and restated certificate of incorporation that would affect our public stockholders’ ability to convert or sell their subunits to us in connection with a business combination as described herein or affect the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public subunits if we do not complete a business combination within 24 months from the closing of this offering. This redemption right shall apply in the event of the approval of any such amendment to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation, whether proposed by our sponsor, initial stockholders, executive officers, directors or any other person. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind to or in the trust account.
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We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of an initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of a business combination. Further, if we incur any indebtedness, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith. The payment of any dividends subsequent to a business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. It is the present intention of our board of directors to retain all earnings, if any, for use in our business operations and, accordingly, our board of directors does not anticipate declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future, except if we increase the size of the offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, in which case we will effect a stock dividend immediately prior to the consummation of the offering in such amount as to maintain the ownership of our sponsor at 20.0% of our issued and outstanding shares of our common stock upon the consummation of this offering (not including the private units and underlying securities and the representative shares and assuming the initial stockholders do not purchase units in this offering).
45
The difference between the public offering price per share, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units and subunits we are offering by this prospectus, and the pro forma net tangible book value per share after this offering constitutes the dilution to investors in this offering. Such calculation does not reflect any dilution associated with the sale and exercise of warrants. Net tangible book value per share is determined by dividing our net tangible book value, which is our total tangible assets less total liabilities (including the value of shares of common stock which may be converted into cash or sold in a tender offer), by the number of outstanding shares of common stock.
At January 4, 2021, our net tangible book deficit was $716, or approximately a net tangible book deficit of $0.00 per share of common stock. After giving effect to the sale of 10,000,000 shares of common stock included in the subunits we are offering by this prospectus, the sale of the private units, the issuance of the representative shares and the deduction of underwriting commissions and estimated expenses of this offering, our pro forma net tangible book value at January 4, 2021 would have been $5,000,009 or $1.38 per share, representing an immediate increase in net tangible book value (as decreased by the value of the approximately 9,577,431 shares of common stock included in subunits that may be converted to cash and assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) of $1.38 per share to our initial stockholders and an immediate dilution of $8.62 per share or 86.2% to our public stockholders not exercising their conversion rights. The decrease attributable to public shares subject to conversion is included in the calculation below at $10.00 per subunit, as all public stockholders have the right to convert.
The following table illustrates the dilution to the new investors on a per-share basis, assuming no value is attributed to the warrants included in the units:
Without |
With |
|||||||
Public offering price |
$ |
10.00 |
|
$ |
10.00 |
|
||
Net tangible book deficit before this offering |
$ |
(0.00 |
) |
$ |
(0.00 |
) |
||
Increase attributable to public stockholders and sale of the private units |
$ |
1.38 |
|
$ |
1.24 |
|
||
Pro forma net tangible book value after this offering |
$ |
1.38 |
|
$ |
1.24 |
|
||
Dilution to public stockholders |
$ |
8.62 |
|
$ |
8.76 |
|
||
Percentage of dilution to public stockholders |
|
86.2 |
% |
|
87.6 |
% |
For purposes of presentation, we have reduced our pro forma net tangible book value after this offering (assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option) by $95,774,310 because holders of up to approximately 95.8% of our public shares may redeem their shares for a pro rata share of the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account at a per share redemption price equal to the amount in the trust account as set forth in our tender offer or proxy materials (initially anticipated to be the aggregate amount held in trust two days prior to the commencement of our tender offer or stockholders meeting, including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes), divided by the number of shares of common stock sold in this offering.
The following table sets forth information with respect to our existing stockholders and the public stockholders:
Purchased |
Total Consideration |
Average Price Per Share |
||||||||||||
Number |
Percentage |
Amount |
Percentage |
|||||||||||
Initial stockholders(1) |
2,500,000 |
18.94 |
% |
$ |
25,000 |
0.02 |
% |
$ |
0.01 |
|||||
Representative shares(2) |
350,000 |
2.65 |
% |
|
35 |
0.00 |
% |
|
0.00 |
|||||
Private stockholders |
350,000 |
2.65 |
% |
|
3,500,000 |
3.38 |
% |
|
10.00 |
|||||
Public stockholders |
10,000,000 |
75.76 |
% |
|
100,000,000 |
96.60 |
% |
$ |
10.00 |
|||||
13,200,000 |
100.00 |
% |
$ |
103,525,035 |
100.00 |
% |
|
____________
(1) Assumes the over-allotment option has not been exercised and an aggregate of 375,000 founder shares have been forfeited as a result thereof.
(2) Assumes the issuance of an additional 350,000 shares underlying the representative shares.
46
The pro forma net tangible book value after the offering is calculated as follows:
Without |
With |
|||||||
Numerator: |
|
|
|
|
||||
Net tangible book deficit before this offering |
$ |
(716 |
) |
$ |
(716 |
) |
||
Net proceeds from this offering and sale of the private units |
|
100,750,000 |
|
|
115,750,000 |
|
||
Plus: Proceeds from the issuance of representative shares |
|
35 |
|
|
35 |
|
||
Plus: Offering costs paid in advance, excluded from tangible book value before this offering |
|
25,000 |
|
|
25,000 |
|
||
Less: Proceeds held in trust subject to redemption |