Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: ~~(813) 222-8996~~(844) 427-8100

Indicate by check mark if the Registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes☐No☒

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Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to submit such files). Yes☒No☐

Indicate by check mark whether the ~~Registrant~~registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the ~~definition~~definitions of “large accelerated ~~filer”,~~filer,” “accelerated ~~filer”,~~filer,” “smaller reporting ~~company”~~company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

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Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange ~~Act). YES~~ Act ). Yes ☐ No ☒NO ☐

The aggregate market value of the voting and ~~nonvoting~~non-voting common equity held by non-affiliates of the Registrant, ~~as of June 30, 2021, the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter, was approximately $103,914,000~~based on the closing ~~sales~~ price ~~as reported~~of the shares of common stock on ~~the NASDAQ~~Nasdaq Capital Market ~~as of such date.~~on June 30, 2022 was approximately $106,208,000

The number of shares of ~~the Registrant’s common stock~~Registrant's Common Stock outstanding as of March ~~25, 2022~~30, 2023, was ~~13,041,000 which comprises of 10,453,500 Class A shares and 2,587,500 of Class B shares.~~13,296,516

Table of ~~current or historical facts. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, but actual results may differ materially due to various factors, including, but not limited to our:~~Contents

The forward-looking statements contained in this annual report are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. Future developments affecting us may not be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) and 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 “~~Item 1A, 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. These risks and others described under “~~Item 1A, Risk Factors” may not be exhaustive.~~

By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. We caution you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in which we operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this annual report. In addition, even if our results or operations, financial condition and liquidity, and developments in the industry in which we operate are consistent with the forward-looking statements contained in this annual report, those results or developments may not be indicative of results or developments in subsequent periods.

Investors should consider the risks and uncertainties described below that may affect our business and future financial performance. These and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in “~~Item 1A, Risk Factors~~” in this Form 10-K. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect us. If any of these risks occur, our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

~~As more fully set forth under “Item 1A, Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K, principal risks and uncertainties that may affect our business, financial condition or results of operations include the following risks:~~

This Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Annual Report”) contains statements that are forward-looking and as such are not historical facts. These statements are based on the beliefs and assumptions of management. Although the Company believes that its plans, intentions, and expectations reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot assure you that it will achieve or realize these plans, intentions, or expectations. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the Company’s possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events, or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. In some instances, these statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “forecasts,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “plans,” “scheduled,” “anticipates” or “intends” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology.

Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. You should not put undue reliance on these statements which speak only as of the date hereof. You should understand that the following important factors, among others, could affect the Company’s future results and could cause those results or other outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the Company’s forward-looking statements:

These and other factors that could cause actual results to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report are more fully described in the “Risk Factors” section. The risks described in “Risk Factors” are not exhaustive. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all such risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all such risk factors on its business or the extent to which any factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the foregoing cautionary statements. The Company undertakes no obligations to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

InUnless the context otherwise requires, all references in this ~~Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Annual Report”), references~~section to "SeaStar Medical," the ~~“Company” and to~~“Company,” “we,” ~~“us,” and~~“us” or “our” refer to SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries following the Business Combination (as defined herein), other than certain historical information that refers to the business of SeaStar Medical prior t0o the consummation of the Business Combination.

We are a medical technology company developing a platform therapy to reduce the consequences of hyperinflammation on vital organs. The inflammatory response is critical to fend off infections and repair damaged tissue in the body. Central to inflammation are the cells within blood and lymph circulatory systems, called white blood cells (primarily neutrophils and monocytes) or also referred to commonly as “pus” cells. In a normal inflammatory response, neutrophils are the first immune cells to arrive at the site and are key to the entire immune response that kills pathogens and promotes tissue repair. These inflammatory cell release chemicals (cytokines) which trigger the immune system to eliminate the foreign pathogens or damaged tissue, enhancing the immune response. If the inflammatory response becomes excessive and dysregulated (referred as proinflammatory), normal neutrophil die off (“apoptosis”) may be delayed, allowing the inflammatory cells to continue to produce cytokines further enhancing the dysregulated immune response, altering feedback mechanisms that regulate the immune system. This results in damaging hyperinflammation spreading uncontrollably to other parts of the body, often leading to acute chronic solid organ dysfunction or failure, including heart, lung, kidney and liver diseases. This hyperinflammatory response is also known as the “cytokine storm,” referring to the body’s reaction to the category of small-secreted proteins released by hyperinflammatory cells that affect communication between cells. The cytokine storm, when left uncontrolled, can lead to organ damage and even death.

Based on clinical and preclinical studies conducted over the last 15 years, the Company’s technology has shown promise in modulating the degree of activity of proinflammatory cells to help reduce tissue damage and speed the repair and recovery of organ function. We believe this approach, if successful, will transform the ability of clinicians to treat acute organ failure in the intensive care unit (“ICU”) and to improve organ function in hospitalized patients. Currently few therapeutics are available to clinicians to address the issue of hyperinflammation and for those options that do exist, such options are either immunosuppressive or only target one cytokine. We believe our technology has the potential to overcome limitations in existing anti-inflammatory treatments and address the challenge in selectively targeting activated neutrophils and monocytes. We are leveraging our patent protected and scalable technology platform to develop proprietary therapies that are organ agnostic and target both acute and chronic indications.

We are using our proprietary Selective Cytopheretic Device ("SCD") technology platform initially to clinically validate several acute organ injury indications, including kidneys and lungs. Our investigational SCD is an extracorporeal synthetic membrane device designed to be easily integrated into existing continuous renal replacement therapy ("CRRT") systems that are commonly installed in hospitals, including in ICUs throughout the United States. Once approved and commercialized, our SCD would initially target acute kidney injury in both the pediatric CRRT population as well as adults on CRRT. In addition, we are developing our SCD to address inflammation associated with chronic dialysis and chronic heart failure.

Preclinically, our SCD was tested in various animal models, which include acute myocardial infarction, intracranial hemorrhage, chronic heart failure, sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The animal models showed the inflammatory response and how it was modified by our SCD. We will continue to explore the application of our SCD technology across a broad range of markets and indications whereproinflammatory activated neutrophils and monocytes may contribute to disease progression or severity in both acute and chronic indications.

There is substantial clinical demand for safe and effective control of hyperinflammation. Existing treatment options in hyperinflammation include the use of corticosteroids (immunosuppression) and absorbent technologies that either directly absorb cytokines, viruses, bacteria or endotoxins and pharmaceuticals that target cytokines and the immune cascade. None selectively addresses activated neutrophils or monocytes. The use of our SCD to reverse the cytokine storm in pediatric and adult patients with acute kidney injury on CRRT in clinical studies with more than 140

patients reduced mortality rates by 50%, and, of those patients who survive 60 days, none have required dialysis. The unique mechanism of action (modulation of neutrophils and monocytes) has exhibited consistent clinical outcomes in both adults as well as children. Given the clinical advantages of our SCD, we believe our SCD has the potential to become a preferred course of treatment by clinicians for hyperinflammatory indications based on its potential to improve patient outcomes, increase survival rates, reduce dialysis dependence, and ultimately lower healthcare costs.

As of December 31, 2022, our SCD has been used in approximately 170 adult and pediatric patients on an investigational basis. In June 2022, we submitted a humanitarian device exemption ("HDE") application with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ("FDA") for pediatric patients with acute kidney injury ("AKI") on CRRT. Based on the current timeline of the HDE application, we expect the FDA to complete its substantive review of our HDE application during the first half of 2023; however, there is no guarantee that the FDA will approve our HDE application. In addition, on February 9, 2023, we received approval from the FDA of our investigational device exemption ("IDE") application to conduct a pivotal study evaluating the effectiveness of SCD in reducing hyperinflammation in adults with AKI requiring CRRT. The Company plans to begin enrollment in Q2 2023 and expect to generate interim study results during the fourth quarter of 2023 and topline study results and submission of a Pre-market Approval ("PMA") application in the second half of 2024. On April 29, 2022, we received a Breakthrough Device Designation ("BDD") for the use of our SCD in the treatment of immunomodulatory dysregulation in adult patients (18 and older) with AKI, which is expected to accelerate the regulatory approval process for such trial.There is no guarantee that we will complete the AKI adult trial in a timely manner, or at all, nor will there be any assurance that positive data will be generated from such trial. Even if we are able to generate positive results from these trials, the FDA may require us to conduct additional trials to support the study, or disagree with the design of the trials and request changes or improvements to such design.

We believe that our novel therapeutic device is readily applicable for use in other indications, which will require additional clinical studies and FDA approval. As we continue our work to expand indications, we believe we will have the ability to take advantage of economies of scale to reduce costs of production. We believe our scalable manufacturing processdemonstrates a significant competitive advantage in the hyperinflammatory market.

We have pursued patent protection for our SCD technology as well as other technologies, which consists of 40 patents and 10 pending patent applications in the U.S. and certain foreign jurisdictions. Of these patents and patent applications 33 are owned exclusively by us, and 17 are co-owned with the University of Michigan ("UOM"). UOM has granted to us an exclusive worldwide, royalty bearing license to UOM’s interest in all of the co-owned patents and applications. This license permits us to commercialize our SCD in all human therapeutic indications. For more information, see “ — Intellectual Property” below.

We intend to continue to shape our commercial and distribution strategy by expanding indications and pursue collaborations with partners in markets where such partners provide strategic capabilities in launching our product candidates and enabling access to specific patient populations. On December 27, 2022, we entered into a license and distribution agreement (the “Distribution Agreement”) with Nuwellis, Inc. (“Nuwellis”), pursuant to which we appointed Nuwellis as our exclusive distributor for the sale and distribution of SCD product throughout the United States once we receive from the FDA a written authorization to market such product for pediatric use pursuant to our HDE application. Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, we received an upfront payment, and will receive milestone payments upon achievement of certain milestones and royalties on gross sales of the SCD product. The Distribution Agreement has an initial term commencing on December 27, 2022 and shall end on the three (3) year anniversary from the date that is the earlier of (a) ninety (90) days after we receive FDA authorization to market such SCD product for pediatric use and (b) the first commercial sale of the SCD product. The term of the Distribution Agreement may be automatically extended for additional terms of one (1) year and for a total of two (2) extensions. Each party has the right to terminate the Distribution Agreement for material breach if such breach is not cured within ninety (90) days after written notice and we have additional rights to terminate the Distribution Agreement in accordance with other terms set forth in the Distribution Agreement.

Our senior management team and Board have an average of more than 19 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including expertise in medical affairs, commercialization and distribution in our initial therapeutic priority areas. We are also supported by a group of well-respected scientific advisors who are experts in the development of our technology and products.

SeaStar Medical, Inc. was initially incorporated under the name Nephrion, Inc. on June 6, 2007. On August 3, 2007, we amended our corporate name to CytoPherx, Inc. On June 19, 2019, we amended our corporate name to SeaStar Medical, Inc.

On October 28, 2022,LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc. (“LMAO”), a Delaware corporation, consummated a series of transactions that resulted in the combination of LMF Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of LMAO (“Merger Sub”), and SeaStar Medical, Inc., a Delaware corporation, pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated April 21, 2022 (the “Merger Agreement”), by and among LMAO, Merger Sub and SeaStar Medical, Inc. (the "Closing"). Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, a business combination between LMAO and SeaStar Medical, Inc. was affected through the merger of Merger Sub with and into SeaStar Medical, Inc., with SeaStar Medical, Inc. surviving the merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of LMAO (the “Business Combination”). Following the consummation of the Business Combination, LMAO was renamed “SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation” (the “Company”).

The acute inflammatory response occurs in a well-defined coordinated sequential response. Neutrophils are the first responders followed by monocytes. The monocytes, as they egress into tissue also follow another sequence of differentiation into tissue macrophages. The first are proinflammatory macrophages, followed by patrolling, reparative macrophages.

This complex tightly coordinated process is critical for host defense and tissue repair but needs to be tightly regulated by the body’s inflammatory signaling and cellular apoptosis. If not, further tissue destruction may occur when uncontrolled hyperinflammation leads to degradative reparative processes with worsening tissue or organ function. If this excessive systemic inflammation is severe and prolonged, multi-organ failure, including cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, liver and neurologic dysfunction may occur, resulting in poor clinical outcomes. Prior therapeutic approaches to block soluble mediator targets, such as a cytokines or free radicals have not proven successful. We believe that our SCD approach, which targets activated cells, is a potentially transformative, if not disruptive, therapeutic approach to a range of acute and chronic inflammatory disorders.

Our SCD is an extracorporeal synthetic membrane device designed to bind activated leukocytes (neutrophils and monocytes) as part of a CRRT extracorporeal circuit. When added to the circuit and release of a standard CRRT system (using regional citrate anticoagulation) immediately following a standard hemofilter cartridge, blood within

the standard hemofilter cartridge enters our SCD and disperses among the fibers of the device. Upon exiting our SCD under a low calcium environment, the blood is returned to the patient’s body.

Our SCD delivers its therapeutic benefit by attenuating the excessive inflammatory response of activated neutrophils and monocytes. Uninterrupted, the excessive inflammatory response progresses to multi-organ failure (“MOF”), with documented increases in both morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Our initial lead product is focused on critically ill AKI pediatric and adult patients on CRRT. Our SCD leverages the existing footprint of CRRT pump systems in ICUs today, as well as the growing use and adoption of regional citrate as an anticoagulant. Citrate is used to bind the free ionized calcium within the extracorporeal circuit which is needed to impact the neutrophils and monocytes. A recent study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 2020 demonstrated that while the use of regional citrate anticoagulation has the same mortality profile as heparin, regional citrate anticoagulation now showed to be more effective in preserving filter life as used to create the low calcium environment for our SCD, which impacts the white cells interaction with the SCD membrane leading to the reduction in inflammation.

The mechanism of action of our SCD consists of two steps: 1) binding activated neutrophils and monocytes on our SCD biomimetic membrane and 2) deactivating the activated neutrophils by maintaining a specified ionized calcium level within our SCD. Our SCD utilizes clinically approved regional citrate anticoagulation protocols to lower the ionized calcium level, which prevents blood clogging within the circuit and immuno-modulates the activated

neutrophils, which are then returned to the patient. Calcium is then infused into the blood returning to the patient from the SCD, thereby maintaining normal calcium levels in the patient throughout the process.

Calcium plays a critical role in many biological processes. In the case of neutrophils, calcium can have a profound effect on their activity. It has been shown that lowering calcium levels in neutrophils can lead to higher levels of neutrophil apoptosis (deactivation). Our SCD is designed to selectively bind the most highly activated neutrophils (associated with hyperinflammation) and in a low iCa environment, the activated neutrophils are deactivated, which has the effect of reducing hyperinflammation. When neutrophils are in homeostasis, the normal half-life is six to eight hours, but in a hyperinflammatory state, neutrophil apoptosis is delayed leading to increased numbers of activated neutrophils in circulation. Through clinical and preclinical studies, our SCD has been shown to selectively sequester and deactivate the most highly activated neutrophils, allowing the body to restore neutrophil homeostasis.

We believe the role of circulating monocytes in systemic inflammation and organ specific injury is becoming more appreciated by healthcare professionals. Calcium also has an important influence on monocyte activity. A high percentage of the circulating monocyte subtypes (M1 proinflammatory versus M2 patrolling, reparative) has been shown to influence the degree of acute organ injury and chronic organ dysfunction. In vitro, our SCD membranes in a low iCa perfusion circuit binds the proinflammatory monocytes within the blood more selectively. This selective binding has been shown in clinical trials and results in less proinflammatory circulating monocytes in inflammatory disorders. It is important to note that our SCD does not sequester 100% of these monocytes as they are important to maintaining immune homeostasis.

Microscopy of our SCD after being used for patient treatment demonstrated the binding of leukocytes on the outer surface of the membranes of the cartridge along the blood flow path within the extracorporeal circuit. The bound leukocytes were dominated by neutrophils and monocytes (see Figure 1 below).

The ability of neutrophils and monocytes to bind to the outer walls of the hollow fiber membranes (figure below) rather than the inner walls, which is the conventional blood flow path, is due to the difference in shear forces of blood flow. The sheer force of our SCD is similar to capillary flow providing a microenvironment for the neutrophils and monocytes, enabling the cells to catch and release.

We are a ~~blank check~~therapeutic medical device company ~~incorporated~~with clinical data collected and available to support a HDE submission to the FDA to request the use of our SCD in ~~Delaware~~pediatric patients with AKI and additional clinical data intended to support the initiation of a pivotal PMA study in ~~October 2020~~adult AKI. In the long term, we intend to pursue the application of our SCD technology to additional indications, including, but not limited to, acute respiratory distress syndrome, chronic dialysis, cardiorenal syndrome and hepatorenal syndrome.

We believe AKI has increasingly received the attention of healthcare professionals and academic publications that reveal the devastating clinical and financial impact of what is most-often a multi-organ syndrome. A 2017 study by Samuel A. Silver and Glenn M Chertow titled “The Economic Consequences of Acute Kidney Injury” stated hospital costs associated with AKI in the U.S. are between $5.4 billion and $20 billion per year.

The kidneys are a silent killer within medical triage. They do not present clear symptoms or tell the body they are suffering like other major organs such as the heart or lungs. For example, one does not feel pain with a “kidney attack” and symptoms are delayed until irreversible damage may have already occurred. Kidneys also refrain from revealing the impact to the rest of body and organs (and vice-versa) and often are not considered systemically for co-treatment.

Globally consistent criteria for diagnosing AKI have recently emerged with Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease ("RIFLE"), an international consensus classification for AKI staging and diagnosing guidelines introduced in 2004, the Acute Kidney Injury Network ("AKIN") staging system in 2007, and finally the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes, AKI Staging and Diagnosing Guidelines published in 2012. These sources have helped clinicians to both improve recognition, staging, diagnosing and subsequent documentation of less obvious cases of AKI secondary diagnoses. While our initial market is focused on AKI patients on CRRT, future indications will likely benefit from improved characterization and diagnosis of patients.

As a result, demand for ICU renal replacement therapy is growing. CRRT is the newest of AKI dialysis modality in the market, first becoming available in 1997, and according to Fortune Business Insights, it is estimated that it has grown to a $986 million global market ($354 million market in the U.S.) as of 2019. The two largest operators in the CRRT market by revenue are Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc. and Baxter International, which represent over 80% of the market today in the U.S.

Since 2010, a significant amount of data has been published to quantify the clinical and financial impact of AKI, resulting in a broadening AKI treatment “boom” beyond dialysis to areas of diagnostics, complimentary therapies, and pharmacologics. As hospital administrators and government officials’ understanding of the impact and burden of AKI increases, we believe that attention will only continue to grow. According to Hobson in his article titled “Cost and Mortality Associated with Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury,” a 2015 study of 50,314 patients (over 11 years) found that upon greater scrutiny, AKI was found in 39% of post-surgical patients, and 19% of patients had stage 2 or 3 AKI with an average incremental cost of $29,800 per patient. Additionally, with historical mortality rates approximately 50%, treating AKI is increasingly of interest to clinicians, hospitals, and product manufacturers alike.

The AKI patient population is growing on average 6.9% per year according to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project commissioned by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a U.S. federal agency. According to Massicotte and Azarniouch in their 2015 work titled “Acute Kidney Injury in the Intensive Care Unit: Risk Factors and Outcomes of Physician Recognition Compared with KDIGO Classification,” around 80% of moderate or severe cases of AKI are not diagnosed and documented, suggesting the U.S. AKI patient population is higher than the estimated 6 million patients annually. The pediatric population for AKI patients on CRRT is estimated to be less than 8,000 patients per year, which is a substantially small sub-set of the 6 million AKI patient population.

The AKI market needs new and effective solutions, and hospitals continue to search and evaluate new products. For a product to succeed in the AKI space, it must demonstrate and achieve clear and significant clinical benefit to patients, while providing positive financial incentives for hospitals to generate revenue and profitability.

Key elements of our growth strategy include innovating and expand our applications through clinical trials; differentiation through medical education; business development and out-licensing activities and scaling production with manufacturing partners. We expect to employ several core growth strategies:

The following disclosure summarizes our SCD product candidates in clinical stages and other clinical studies. All trials and studies below are conducted under IDEs approved by the FDA.

We submitted an HDE application for SCD for the treatment of pediatric patients with acute kidney injury undergoing CRRT with the FDA in June 2022. We expect the FDA to complete substantive review of the HDE application by the first half of 2023.

We are in the process of initiating a pivotal clinical trial of the SCD for the treatment of AKI in adults under the recent grant of BDD by the FDA. This trial ("SCD 006") is a 200 patient, pivotal, prospective, multi-center, open

label, randomized, two-arm comparative study conducted in the United States. The SCD 006 trial is designed to assess a composite endpoint of both mortality and dialysis dependency at Day 60. Our target population will be adults with AKI in ICUs in hospital settings and has an estimated 60-day mortality rate of 40% to 50% and for those who survive, the probability of requiring dialysis at Day 60 will be 25%.

We submitted the SCD 006 IDE Protocol to the FDA on January 6, 2023. We anticipate the trial to begin enrollment late in the second quarter of 2023 and is anticipated to complete enrollment in 15 to 18 months. On April 29, 2022, we received a BDD for the use of our SCD in the treatment of immunomodulatory dysregulation in adult patients (18 and older) with AKI, which should accelerate the regulatory review and approval process for such trial. We currently anticipate generating interim results from this trial in late 2023 and topline study results and submission of a PMA application in the second half of 2024.

Additional clinical studies under IDEs include cardiorenal syndrome in congested heart failure, myocardial stunning in end-stage renal disease, and hepatorenal syndrome. We are conducting exploratory clinical research at the University of Michigan to define the patient population for potential treatment with SCD product candidates, and any future studies will be based upon initial clinical data collected in these studies.

With the exception of our SCD 003, all of our clinical studies to date have not had a randomized control arm.
AKI Safety, Mortality and Device Integrity Study (CHINA) (ASAIO Journal 57:426-432,2011)
(January 2009 to April 2010)

A study of the SCD was conducted by SeaStar Medical in collaboration with Huashan Hospital in Shanghai, China titled: An Exploratory Clinical Study to Assess Safety and Efficacy of the Double Hemofiltration Cartridge Device (DCD) in Patients with Acute Renal Failure. This study was a prospective, non-randomized, interventional study designed to evaluate the effect of treatment with the SCD on in-hospital mortality in the acute renal failure population being treated with CRRT with regional citrate anticoagulation (“RCA”). Up to seven days of therapy were allowed. All subjects received standard intensive care treatment for patients undergoing CRRT in addition to the SCD treatment.

In this nine-patient study, the SCD treatment was demonstrated to reduce the mortality rates of ICU patients with AKI in hospitals compared with case-matched controls from a national dataset, based on deaths resulting from all causes in the hospital setting. The study showed a 22% mortality rates in the SCD treatment arm versus a mortality rate of 78% in the case-matched control group. This improved survival rate was demonstrated to be independent of age and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (“SOFA”) Score, which is a scoring system used to predict ICU mortality based on lab results and clinical data. The results from this study indicated that treatment with SCD was well tolerated, without significant effects on hematological parameters, including white blood cell and platelet counts, and with an adverse event profile that was expected for a seriously ill population in the ICU with AKI.

In the nine subjects analyzed on SCD treatment, no neutropenic events were reported, and no serious adverse events (“SAEs”) were reported. Adverse events noted included hypercalcemia (8), hypocalcemia (1), hypophosphatemia (2), hypernatremia (1) and thrombocytopenia (1).

A multi-center pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of a SCD in Patients with Acute Renal Failure (ARF 002) (Seminars in Dialysis Vol 26, Issue 5 :616-623,2013) (May 2010 to January 2011)

This pilot study of the SCD device (ARF-002 Clinical Trial) was sponsored by SeaStar Medical with the support of a third-party contract research organization. The study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the SCD treatment after up to seven consecutive 24-hour SCD treatments. Outcomes were compared to historical data on in-hospital mortality based on all causes of deaths at day 28 and day 60 in the AKI population being treated with CRRT with RCA.

The study enrolled 35 adult subjects. The mean age was 56.3 and 71.4% of the subjects were Caucasian, 22.9% were Black and 5.7% were Hispanic. The average SOFA score was 11.3. The mortality rate from any cause at Day 60 was 31.4% with SCD versus 50% with the historical standard of care based on literature. Renal recovery, defined as dialysis independence, was observed in all the surviving subjects at Day 60. Based on the significantly lower mortality rate, the results of this pilot study indicate a potential for a substantial improvement in patient outcomes over historical standard of care therapy.

A total of 199 adverse events (“AEs”) were observed in 33 of the 35 subjects. Of these 199 AEs, 12 were deemed to be possibly related and one was deemed related (as determined by the investigator) to the study therapy. These included a worsening coagulation defect, hypotension, neutropenia, disseminated intravascular coagulation (“DIC”), thrombocytopenia, recurrent renal failure, hypophosphatemia, hypercalcemia, anemia, and cardiogenic shock. Of the 199 total adverse events, 34.7% were deemed to be mild and were experienced by 60% of the subjects, 51.8% were moderate and experienced by 71% of the subjects and 13.6% were severe, experienced by 54% of the subjects. The AEs observed were those that were expected for a critically ill patient population with acute renal failure and/or in an ICU setting. Twenty-eight SAEs were observed in 23 subjects (which included death). There were no unanticipated adverse device effects. Of these 28 SAEs, two were deemed to be possibly related to treatment (i.e., DIC and cardiogenic shock) and were severe in intensity. Of the SAEs, seven of the 28, or 25%, were deemed to be moderate and were experienced by 20% of the 35 subjects, and 21 (75%) were deemed to be severe, experienced by 51% of the 35 subjects. The following table lists all SAEs encountered during the study by category and the assessment of each SAE:

This was a controlled, randomized, and multicenter clinical trial that was initiated in September 2011 and terminated in September 2013 under an FDA approved IDE. For this trial, the control group received standard CRRT with RCA and the SCD-treated group received up to seven days of SCD therapy. The study was sponsored by SeaStar Medical with the support of a third-party contract research organization.

The primary objective of the study was to determine if the SCD, when used in conjunction with CRRT, results in clinical and statistical improvement in mortality rate based on all causes through Day 60. Secondary objectives included an assessment of renal replacement therapy dependency at Day 60, mortality at Day 28, the number of ventilator free days at Day 28, and the mortality of the subset of patients with severe sepsis at Day 60.

A total of 134 patients were enrolled in 21 United States medical centers. Patients receiving care in the ICU of each participating hospital were randomized to intensive care treatment for patients undergoing CRRT or CRRT + SCD. Each participating clinical site used their established RCA protocol for the CRRT + SCD circuits (treatment group) and for the CRRT only (control group). The recommended calcium (iCal) level (measured post SCD) in the CRRT

and SCD blood circuit was specified to be between 0.25 and 0.4 mmol/L. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were similar ~~business combination~~to the previous IDE multicenter pilot clinical study except for an age range of 8-80 years and body weight of over 135 kilograms. Once the patient met all eligibility criteria, including being on CRRT for a minimum of four hours, but no longer than 24 hours, and had signed an informed consent, the subject was randomized in a 1:1 allocation utilizing a random permuted block design into either the control or treatment group, stratified by study center and the presence of severe sepsis. An overall two-sided 0.05 level of significance at 80% power was used to calculate a sample size of 344 patients, assuming a mortality rate of 50% for the control group and 35% for the treatment group. Adaptive design and interim analysis were planned at the mid-point of enrollment (i.e., 172 patients). Several exploratory biomarkers were also compared between the control and treatment groups, including urine output, serum levels of elastase, cytokines, and total absolute white blood cell, neutrophil and platelet counts throughout treatment.

During the second quarter of the enrollment period, a national calcium shortage occurred in the United States due to certain FDA-related quality manufacturing issues at major U.S. suppliers. Due to the reliance of the SCD on a narrow intra-circuit iCa range for functional efficacy and the concern that patients randomized to the SCD were not receiving effective therapy due to insufficient iCa levels, the interim analysis was performed early after enrollment of 134 patients. Enrollment was paused on May 24, 2013 to assess the clinical impact of the calcium shortage on study endpoints. The shortage of calcium infusion solutions resulted in a tendency to minimize citrate infusion rates. Accordingly, the iCa levels within the blood circuit tended to be above the recommended range of 0.25 to 0.40 mmol/L. No significant differences were noted between the control and treatment groups in terms of baseline characteristics. Of the 134 patients in the analysis, 69 received CRRT alone and 65 received SCD therapy. No statistically significant difference was found between the treated and control patients with a 60-day mortality of 39% (27/69) and 36% (21/59), respectively. No statistically significant difference was found between the SAEs of the control and treatment groups. Furthermore, none of the SAEs were considered ‘definitely’ device related per the principal investigator. The amount of time patients in both the control and treatment group were maintained in the recommended iCa range (0.23 - 0.40 mmol/L), as specified in the study protocol, was substantially lower than expected. Of the 134 patients enrolled in the SCD-003 protocol at the time of the interim analysis, 19 SCD patients (CRRT + SCD) and 31 control patients (CRRT alone) were maintained in the protocol’s recommended range for greater or equal to 90% of the therapy time. The study was subsequently terminated.

No statistically significant difference was found between the SAEs of the control and treatment groups. The study reported 71 SAEs in the control group (40 of the 63 patients) and 80 SAEs in the SCD treatment group (45 of the 69 patients). The most frequent categories of SAEs were infections and infestations as well as cardiac, respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders. Furthermore, none of the SAEs were considered “definitely” related to the SCD device per the principal investigator. Overall adverse events did not differ between the treatment and control groups in the intent to treat analysis. The following table lists all SAEs encountered during the study by category and the assessment of each SAE:

When the iCa treated and control subgroups were compared for a composite index of 60-day mortality and dialysis dependency, the percentage of the SCD treated subjects was 16% versus 58% in the control subjects. The incidence of serious adverse events did not differ between the treated and control groups.

A new IDE was FDA approved on February 12, 2014 for a pivotal trial of 122 patients in up to 30 sites utilizing this primary composite endpoint. If this trial met safety and effectiveness criteria, the FDA stated that a premarket approval and clearance was supportable. This clinical trial was not initiated in 2014 due to continuing injectable calcium shortages, and the company limited the clinical focus to the pediatric indications, where less calcium was needed due to size of study (pediatric study had 15% of the patients compared to pivotal trial of 122 patients).

Safety and early efficacy trial of our SCD therapy in pediatric patients with AKI requiring CRRT (December 2016 and February 2020)

A multi-center, prospective pilot study was undertaken to assess the safety and efficacy of our SCD in pediatric patients with AKI being treated with continuous kidney replacement therapy with RCA. The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the safety of up to seven consecutive 24-hour treatments of our SCD. The secondary objective was to evaluate the efficacy of up to seven consecutive 24-hour SCD treatments on all-cause mortality and dialysis dependency at day 28 and day 60. This study was sponsored by SeaStar Medical with the support of a third-party contract research organization.

Sixteen patients (eight male and eight female) were enrolled in the study at four United States pediatric medical centers, which ran from December 2016 through February 2020. The most common diagnosis leading to ICU admission was septic shock followed by, in diminishing order, pneumonia, rhabdomyolysis, pulmonary hypertension, hemolytic uremic syndrome, encephalomyelitis, disseminated adenoviral infection, cardiac arrest, acute respiratory failure and acute liver failure.

Twelve of the 16 patients survived (75%) to hospital discharge (versus historical control of 50%) and none of the 12 patients required dialysis at 60 days (versus historical control of 15% to 20%). There were 14 SAEs that occurred in fourteen patients in the study. None of the SAEs were device related. There were 47 adverse events that occurred in 14 subjects in the study. The following table lists all SAEs encountered during the study by category and the assessment of each SAE:

A Multi-Center Pilot Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of a Selective Cytopheretic Device in Patients Developing AKI or Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Associated with COVID-19

Twenty-two subjects were enrolled in this pilot study at two leading medical centers. All enrolled patients were treated with corticosteroids, either dexamethasone or hydrocortisone. The majority of enrolled patients also received remdesivir. Sixteen patients were included in the contemporaneous control. Sixteen of the intent to treat (“ITT”) patients received greater than 96 hours of our SCD treatment per protocol (“PP”) since the inclusion criteria required

an intent to treat for at least 96 hours. This study was sponsored by SeaStar Medical with the support of a third-party contract research organization.

The mortality rate of the ITT group at 60 days post-initiation of our SCD treatment was 50% and was 31% for the PP group. The control group had a mortality rate of 81%, which was higher than both the ITT and PP treated groups. The patients in the control group on Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation treatment did not survive, while 44% survived in the ITT group. For dialysis dependency at 60 days, 60% of the survivors had not recovered renal function in the ITT group; however, a post-hoc follow up at 90 days demonstrated that only 30% of the survivors still required dialytic support.

Fifty SAEs occurred in 18 subjects. Of note, 22 nosocomial and opportunistic infections were reported in 12 subjects during the entire 60-day follow-up period. Sixteen of the 22 infections occurred after SCD treatment. None of these SAEs were device-related as determined by the site clinical investigators and the independent safety review committee. No RCA-related adverse events were observed with greater than 90% of measured circuit ionized calcium (iCa) values less than 0.4 mmol/L. Systemic iCa values were within the normal ranges required by the clinical protocol. Two circuit clotting events were reported; clotting was initiated in the hemodialysis catheter in one instance and in the hemofilter in the other. No SCD clotting episodes were reported. No episodes of thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, or leukopenia were observed. The following table lists all SAEs encountered during the study by category and the assessment of each SAE:

SeaStar Medical and the principal investigators of SCD-005 COVID-19 clinical study have recently been accepted and were recently published in Critical Care Exploration; a peer reviewed academic journal.

Pilot Feasibility Trial of SCD Therapy in ESRD Patients (May 2012 to April 2013)

Our SCD therapy was evaluated in a more ~~businesses,~~stable end stage renal disease (“ESRD”) patient cohort on chronic hemodialysis. Fifteen ESRD patients were enrolled to assess the safety and early efficacy signals on inflammatory biomarkers. Our SCD therapy promoted a monocyte shift from predominant proinflammatory to reparative phenotype.

Very few adverse events or SAEs were observed during SCD treatment and RCA. SCD treatment and RCA was associated with adverse events in four of the 13 patients. The adverse events were comprised of one episode each of

fever, chills, headache, itching, coughing, dizziness, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain. These adverse events are frequently experienced by patients undergoing standard hemodialysis treatment. No adverse events were definitively related to SCD therapy. SCD treatment and heparin anticoagulation, however, resulted in symptomatic and biochemical events. The initial two patients (Pt1 and Pt2) of this cohort, treated with SCD and heparin anticoagulation, demonstrated a large rise in C-reactive protein levels from 22 to 38 (Pt1) and 51–132 (Pt2) mg/L after four hours of SCD treatment. C-reactive protein levels continued to be elevated at 93 (Pt1) and 147 (Pt2) mg/L on day 1 post-SCD treatment. Because of these events, no further patients were recruited for SCD treatment and heparin anticoagulation. The following table lists all SAEs encountered during the study by category and the assessment of each SAE:

The initial research and translation of our SCD into clinical studies was targeted to treat the acute dysregulated systemic inflammation associated with AKI and MOF. Due to the broad applications of immunomodulatory therapy, preclinical models were developed to evaluate the efficacy of our SCD to ameliorate single organ tissue injury.

A Multi-Center, Randomized, Controlled, Pivotal Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of A Selective Cytopheretic Device in Patients with Acute Kidney Injury (SCD-003 – IDEG090189) (September 2011 to May 2013)

The initial research and translation of our SCD into clinical studies was targeted to treat the acute dysregulated systemic inflammation associated with AKI and Multi Organ Failure. Due to the broad applications of immunomodulatory therapy, preclinical models were developed to evaluate the efficacy of our SCD to ameliorate single organ tissue injury.

Prior preclinical and clinical evaluations of our SCD therapy have focused on acute inflammatory conditions related to organ dysfunction and failure. Extensions of the immunomodulatory approach to improve organ dysfunction related to chronic inflammation would be transformative. Over the past decade, a number of novel pharmacologic approaches have failed to prove clinical efficacy, accentuating the need to discover new, safe approaches to treat chronic heart failure (“CHF”). In this regard, our SCD was evaluated in a preclinical model of CHF to dampen the cardio-depressant effects of the chronic proinflammatory state of CHF. Chronic heart failure and acute decompensated heart failure have been increasingly recognized as associated with chronic systemic inflammation. Monocytes have been identified as critical sources of systemic inflammation in CHF and may cause a decrease in cardiac myocyte contractility.

Cardiorenal syndrome (“CRS”) is a clinical disorder in which therapy to relieve the congestive symptoms of chronic heart failure is limited by a decline in renal function. Up to one-third of patients with acute decompensated chronic heart failure present with this disorder; this condition is increasing in incidence with an estimated one million hospital admissions annually in the United States. Once hospitalized, these patients are treated with high dose intravenous diuretics to relieve the persistent congestion. The use of diuretics, however, frequently results in worsening renal function, progression of heart failure and death. Immune dysregulation plays a key role in cardiorenal syndrome.

A major cause of death in patients on chronic dialysis is due to cardiovascular disease. Novel interventions need to be identified and tested to ameliorate the high morbidity and mortality of myocardial disease in these patients. Multiple hemodynamic and inflammatory factors contribute to the elevated risk of cardiac disease in the chronic hemodialysis patient populations. Hemodialysis treatment is associated with repetitive ischemic events, or myocardial stunning, and is identified with regional wall motion abnormalities on echocardiograms. This repetitive ischemic stress results in progressive damage resulting in declines in left ventricular ejection fraction and risk for sudden cardiac death. Both acute and chronic inflammation and its cellular immunologic effector, the activated monocyte, are central to the accelerated cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic end-stage renal disease.

The CRS clinical trial is a safety and efficacy dose escalation study in 10 patients that was designed to evaluate whether ultrafiltration therapy in CRS, a disease with a dismal prognosis and currently ineffective therapy, with use of the SCD therapy will improve cardiac and renal (production of urine) functions. In the study, an improvement of cardiac function is measured by the rate of ejection fraction, which is the percentage of blood leaving the heart each time it contracts. An improvement of renal function is measured by the serum creatinine and blood urine nitrogen (two common biomarkers to assess renal function). In addition, a variety of other biomarkers will also be measured. The successful completion of this study is expected to demonstrate proof-of-concept for an innovative approach to the treatment of CRS. Initial results will provide important feasibility data for a follow-on study to undertake a controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate the clinical efficacy of our SCD in CRS patients that have failed ultrafiltration therapy.

Myocardial Ischemia in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis Clinical Trial

Pilot safety and efficacy study in 10 patients to evaluate the reduction in myocardial stunning events in hemodialysis patients. The primary outcome will measure the change in regional wall abnormalities identified on an echocardiogram. Initial results will provide important feasibility data for a follow-on study to undertake a controlled randomized clinical trial to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the SCD in myocardial stunning hemodialysis patients.

Our first generation SCD has been based upon the design of a synthetic hemofilter due to the reduced regulatory risk of an FDA approved polysulfone hollow fiber cartridge. Second generation prototypes will include flat end caps to allow consistent implementation of the therapy, which we ~~refer~~expect is more suitable as we scale up our operations.

We are currently evaluating altered configuration for differing clinical indication, so that pricing decisions can be made based upon unmet medical need and product specifications.

We source critical components from vendors that have been approved and qualified through our vendor management program. Fresenius Medical Care North America (“FMCNA”) is the current supplier of the filter used in our pediatric acute kidney injury indication. In March 2022, we entered into a supply agreement (the “Supply Agreement”) with an FMCNA affiliate, Fresenius USA Marketing, Inc. (“FUSA”), to ~~throughout this Annual Report~~supply certain filters at an agreed amount per case for use in our SCD product in our upcoming clinical trial and any additional clinical trials. We may resell the filters as part of the SCD system in both an Emergency Use Authorization application as well as a future PMA-approved product. The initial term of the Supply Agreement is for three years commencing on ~~Form 10-K~~March 31, 2022. Either party may terminate the Supply Agreement for uncured material breach or for the insolvency of the other party. In addition, either party may terminate the Supply Agreement if in the reasonable opinion of legal counsel for either party, any future changes in federal or state law or regulations make any portion of the Supply

Agreement invalid or illegal and the parties are not able to agree on mutually acceptable addendum to the Supply Agreement. We have agreed to indemnify FUSA against certain third-party claims.

We are in the process of developing a second source for the adult and pediatric filters, which will enable us to better manage any supply disruptions. In addition, we have secured a supplier to provide the tubing set required to assemble the SCD device, although we are able to identify and secure additional sources of supplies for the tubing set as it is readily available in the market.

The Supply Agreement contains a provision granting FUSA a first right of refusal for the first three years after regulatory approval of our SCD product candidate to distribute the pediatric and adult products in the United States. If during such period, SeaStar Medical elects to promote and sell the SCD through distributors, SeaStar Medical will be required to provide FUSA with a right of first refusal to be SeaStar Medical’s exclusive distributor of the SCD in the United States and its territories, provided that the SCD is not promoted or sold in a manner that is incompatible with any devices manufactured and/or sold by FUSA or its affiliates. On December 27, 2022, we entered into a license and distribution agreement with Nuwellis. We appointed Nuwellis as our ~~initial~~exclusive distributor for the sale and distribution of SCD product throughout the United States once we receive written authorization from the FDA to market our SCD for pediatric use pursuant to our HDE application.

We anticipate that coverage and reimbursement by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ("CMS") and private payors will be essential for most patients and health care providers to afford our treatments, particularly in the applications of continuous renal replacement therapy for dialysis access and the treatment of hyperinflammatory conditions, including AKI. Accordingly, future sales of our products will depend substantially, both domestically and abroad, on reimbursement by government authorities, private health coverage insurers and other third-party payors. Our strategy around reimbursement focuses on achieving alignment and agreement from CMS on coding and payment pathways; both are critical to influencing and achieving optimal reimbursement payment from private payor sources. Therefore, we continue to develop a comprehensive reimbursement strategy including CMS, private payors and other key stakeholders to ensure a clear and sustainable reimbursement path for all SCD product opportunities.

We are pursuing a regulatory reimbursement strategy to ensure separate Medicare payment for our SCD at an appropriate price. The regulatory strategy includes engaging CMS political and career staff directly on coverage, payment and coding followed by submission of formal applications in these areas once FDA approval is obtained. It is difficult to predict what CMS will decide with respect to coverage and reimbursement for fundamentally novel products. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to the Company’s Business Operations — Should the Company’s products be approved for commercialization, lack of third-party coverage and reimbursement for the Company’s devices could delay or limit their adoption.”

We strive to protect the proprietary technologies that we believe are important to our business. We have and will continue to seek patent protection for our SCD product and related technologies, as well for any future products. In addition to seeking patent protection, we also rely on trade secrets to protect aspects of our business ~~combination.~~that are not amenable to, or that we do not consider appropriate for, patent protection. We also rely on know-how, confidentiality agreements, license agreements and other agreements to establish and protect our proprietary rights. Our success depends in large part on our ability to protect our proprietary technology, including our SCD technologies, and to operate without infringing the proprietary rights of third parties.

AsThe term of individual patents depends on the legal term of the patents in the countries in which they are obtained. In most countries in which we file, the patent term is 20 years from the earliest date of filing a non-provisional patent application. In the United States, a patent’s term may be lengthened by patent term adjustment, which

compensates a patentee for administrative delays by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in granting a patent. A U.S. patent term may be shortened, if a patent is terminally disclaimed by its owner, over another patent.

The Company currently has 18 issued U.S. patents and 5 pending U.S. patent applications. The Company also has 22 issued foreign patents and has 5 pending foreign patent applications. The Company’s issued patents begin to expire in 2028, with the last of these patents expiring in 2034, although terminal disclaimers, patent term extension or patent term adjustment can shorten or lengthen the patent term.

The following table summarizes the number of our patents and patent applications as of December 31, ~~2021,~~2022:

With respect to our SCD technologies, we own patents and patent applications in five patent families. The patents and applications in Patent Family 1 are co-owned by the Company ~~had not yet commenced any operations. All activity for~~and UOM. The patents and applications in Patent Families 2-5 are solely owned by the ~~period from October 28, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates~~Company. The inventions disclosed in Patent Families 1-4 were developed with U.S. government funding and are subject to the ~~Company's formation~~obligations under the Bayh-Dole Act.

Patent Family 1 contains nine U.S. patents and one pending U.S. patent application directed to systems and methods for processing leukocytes and for treating subjects with various inflammatory conditions using a SCD cartridge, and to a SCD cartridge. These patents will expire from 2028-2031, and the ~~initial public offering ("IPO") described below.~~pending application, if granted, will expire in 2028, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. We also co-own with UOM counterpart patents granted in Canada, Japan and New Zealand, and one patent application pending in Europe. These counterpart patents, and applications, if granted, will expire in 2028, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. The ~~Company will not generate any operating revenues until after~~patents and applications in Patent Family 1 are as follows:

Pursuant to a license agreement with UOM (as amended, the ~~completion of its initial business combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income~~“UOM License Agreement”), UOM has granted us a worldwide, royalty bearing, exclusive license to their interest in the ~~form~~co-owned patents and applications in Patent Family 1 in the field of ~~interest income on cash~~medical devices for human therapeutics for certain technologies used in the SCD technology platform, including composition of matter and ~~cash equivalents from~~methods of use patents. In consideration for such exclusive license, during the ~~proceeds derived from the IPO and unrealized gains or losses from the revaluation~~term of the ~~warrant liability.~~

UOM License Agreement, we agreed to pay UOM a royalty fee equal to 1% of net sales and reimbursement of patent costs. To date, we have not paid and do not owe any royalty payments under the UOM License Agreement. We have paid approximately $124 thousand in patent costs reimbursement since January 1, 2020. The ~~registration statement for~~UOM License Agreement also imposes certain diligence obligations on us and requires us to achieve specified milestone events by a certain date. Under the ~~Company’s IPO was declared effective on January 25, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On January 28, 2021,~~UOM License Agreement, UOM’s liability is limited and we agreed to indemnify and hold UOM harmless in connection with the ~~Company consummated~~use of the ~~IPO of 10,350,000 units (the “Units”~~licensed technology and ~~with respect~~activities related to the ~~shares~~products created using such licensed patents and/or technology. The UOM License Agreement will remain in effect, unless earlier terminated, until the latter of ~~Class A common stock included in~~(i) the ~~Units sold,~~expiration of all licensed patents, (ii) the ~~“Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $103,500,000, which is described in Note 2.~~

~~Simultaneously with the closing~~tenth anniversary of the IPO, the Company consummated the sale of 5,738,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to LMFAO Sponsor LLC, a Florida limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $5,738,000.

Transaction costs for the IPO amounted to $6,211,902 consisting of $2,070,000 of underwriting discount, $3,622,500 of deferred underwriting fee, the fair value of the shares issued to the underwriters of $1,000 deemed as underwriters’ compensation, and $518,402 of other offering costs. In addition, $974,009 of cash was held outside of the Trust AccountEffective Date (as defined ~~below) as~~therein) or (iii) the seventh anniversary of the date of the ~~IPO~~First Commercial Sale (as defined therein). Either party may terminate the UOM License Agreement for the other party’s material breach of any covenant or promise therein that remains uncured for 90 days. We may also terminate the agreement by giving UOM 90-day advanced notice.

In addition to the co-owned patents and ~~became available for working capital purposes at such time.~~

~~Following the closing~~patent applications in Family 1, we also solely own four additional patent families (Families 2-5). Patent Family 2 includes one U.S. patent and one pending U.S. patent application directed to a second generation of the ~~IPO~~SCD cartridge and methods for using our SCD cartridge to process leukocytes. The patent will expire in 2032, and the application, if granted, will expire in 2031, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. Counterpart patents have been granted in Australia, Europe, and Japan with the European patent having been validated in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, and a patent application is pending in

Canada. These patents, and the application, if granted, will expire in 2031, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. The patents and the application in Patent Family 2 are as follows:

Patent Family 3 includes one U.S. patent directed to methods of treating chronic heart failure using a SCD cartridge, which will expire in 2032, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. A counterpart patent has been granted in Japan, that will expire in 2032, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. The patents and applications in Patent Family 3 are as follows:

Patent Family 4 includes two U.S. patents directed to methods of treating chronic heart failure and acute decompensated heart failure using a SCD cartridge. These patents will expire in 2032, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. Counterpart patents have been granted in Australia, and patent applications are pending in Canada and Europe. These patents, and patent applications, if granted, will expire in 2032, assuming that the required maintenance fees are paid. The patents and applications in Patent Family 4 are as follows:

Patent Family 5 includes three U.S. design patents, three European Community design patents, and three United Kingdom design patents directed to a medical device connector as follows:

With respect to our other technologies, we solely own patents and patent applications in five additional patent families (Patent Families 6-10) which are summarized as follows:

In addition to seeking patent protection, we also rely on ~~January 28, 2021, an amount~~trade secrets and other confidential information to protect aspects of ~~$105,570,000 ($10.20 per Unit)~~our business that are not amenable to, or that we do not consider appropriate for, patent protection.

The industry for treating inflammation is extremely competitive, and companies developing new treatment procedures face significant capital and regulatory challenges. As our SCD product is a clinical-stage device, we have the additional challenge of establishing medical industry support, which will be driven by treatment data resulting from human clinical studies. Should our device become market cleared by the FDA or the regulatory body of another country, we may face significant competition from well-funded pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Additionally, we would likely need to establish large-scale production of our device in order to be competitive. We believe that our SCD is able to compete effectively in the market and we are not aware of any similar device that has completed regulatory approval in any country for the treatment of adults or children with acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy.

In both the United States and international markets, the use of medical devices is dependent in part on the availability of reimbursement from third-party payors, such as government and private insurance plans. Healthcare providers that use medical devices generally rely on third-party payors to pay for all or part of the costs and fees associated with the medical procedures being performed or to compensate them for their patient care services. Lack of third-party coverage and reimbursement for the Company’s devices could delay or limit their adoption, and as such harm our competitive advantage in the market.

While currently we do not have a significant sales and marketing capability, we are actively pursuing resources and support for commercialization efforts in anticipation of obtaining the relevant regulatory approval from the ~~net proceeds of~~FDA, including for the ~~sale of the Units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants~~HDE application for pediatric AKI indications that was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) and was invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 185 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its franchise and income tax obligations (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), the proceeds from the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (a) the completion of the Company’s initial business combination, (b) the redemption of any Public Shares properly submitted in ~~connection~~June 2022. On December 29, 2022, we entered into a U.S. License and Distribution Agreement with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and (c) the redemption of the Company’s Public Shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of the IPO (or up to 21 months from the closing of the IPO if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in the prospectusNuwellis, for the ~~IPO), subject~~pediatric SCD that is under HDE review. We will leverage their existing sales team that has similar call points to ~~applicable law. The proceeds deposited in~~those needed for the ~~Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the Company’s public stockholders.~~

We have not selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target. We may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry or sector, but we expect to focus on acquiring a business combination target within the financial services industry and related sectors, including potentially the FinTech sector, with an enterprise value of approximately $100 million to $950 million. Our management believes that this relative size of target opportunities will enable us to pursue companies that are the most attractive from a return standpoint and are less pursued by larger, more established sources of capital.

pediatric SCD. We intend to capitalize on the seasoned operating experience of our management team, including Bruce Rodgers, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and Richard Russell, our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary, and a director. Our management team has extensive experience in leadership roles and financial services-related entrepreneurship, venture capital, and private equity. Mr. Rodgers spent several years as a business transactions lawyerbuild or contract for ~~several prominent firms and businesses, including in management positions, and he has a background in engineering~~medical education as well as ~~military service~~clinical training and support.

Our SCD product is subject to regulation by numerous regulatory bodies, primarily the FDA, and comparable international regulatory agencies. These agencies require manufacturers of medical devices to comply with applicable laws and regulations governing the development, testing, manufacturing, labeling, marketing, storage, distribution, advertising and promotion, and post-marketing surveillance reporting of medical devices. The SCD includes a system of cartridges to interact with the patient’s hyperinflammatory cells to allow them to become deactivated prior to their return to the patient. As the primary therapeutic mode of action of our SCD is attributable to the device’s impact on these autologous cells and their timely return to patients, FDA’s Center for Biological Evaluation and Research has primary jurisdiction over its premarket development, review and approval of our SCD as a medical device. Failure to comply with applicable requirements may subject a device and/or its manufacturer to a variety of administrative sanctions, such as issuance of warning letters, import detentions, mandatory safety notifications, repair/replace/refund actions, or recalls, civil monetary penalties and/or judicial sanctions, such as product seizures, injunctions and criminal prosecution.

Each medical device we seek to commercially distribute in the United States ~~Navy. Mr. Russell serves~~will require either a prior 510(k) clearance, unless it is exempt, a de novo request or a PMA from the FDA. Generally, if a new device has a predicate that is already on the market under a 510(k) clearance, the FDA will allow that new device to be marketed under a 510(k) clearance; otherwise, a de novo or PMA is required. Medical devices are classified into one of three classes—Class I, Class II or Class III—depending on the degree of risk associated with each medical device and ~~has served~~the extent of control needed to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Class I devices are deemed to be low risk and are subject to the general controls of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ("FD&C Act"), such as provisions that relate to: adulteration; misbranding; registration and listing; notification, including repair, replacement, or refund; records and reports; and good manufacturing practices. Most Class I devices are classified as exempt from pre-market notification under section 510(k) of the FD&C Act, and therefore may be commercially distributed without obtaining 510(k) clearance from the FDA. Class II devices are subject to both general controls and special controls to provide reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness. Special controls may include performance standards, post market surveillance, patient registries, and/or guidance documents. Most Class II devices require the manufacturer to submit to the FDA a pre-market notification requesting permission to commercially distribute the devices. Devices deemed by the FDA to pose the greatest risk, such as life-sustaining, life-supporting or implantable devices, are placed in ~~several executive management positions, including CEO~~Class III. In addition, novel devices that have not been previously classified by the FDA or that have deemed not substantially equivalent to a previously cleared 510(k) device are considered Class III by default, unless and ~~CFO~~

~~positions,~~until they are down-classified by the FDA (e.g., via the de novo request process). High risk devices formally classified as well as corporate boards, leveraging his advanced degrees and certifications in tax and accounting. While we may pursue an initial business combination target in any industry, our investment strategy will focus our effortsClass III by regulation or administrative order cannot be marketed in the ~~financial services industry, specifically within alternative lending, asset management, business~~U.S. unless the FDA approves the device after submission of a PMA. Novel devices that are Class III by default may be eligible for down-classification through the de novo request process, ~~outsourcing, housing~~if the device manufacturer can demonstrate that the device is lower risk and ~~commercial real estate finance, insurance,~~should therefore be classified as Class I or Class II. The FDA can also impose post-market sales, marketing, or other restrictions on devices in order to assure that they are used in a safe and ~~tech-enabled business opportunities.~~effective manner. We believe that SCD will be classified as a Class III device and as such will be subject to PMA submission and approval.

~~Our sponsor, LMFAO Sponsor, LLC,~~In accordance with the Orphan Drug Act of 1984, a rare disease is defined as a disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. Currently, in the U.S., only a portion of the 7,000 known rare diseases have approved treatments. By definition, rare diseases or conditions occur in a small number of patients. As a result, it has

been difficult to gather enough clinical evidence to meet the FDA standard of reasonable assurance of safety and effectiveness.

In order to address this challenge, Congress included a provision in the Safe Medical Devices Act of 1990 to create a new regulatory pathway for products intended for diseases or conditions that affect small (i.e., rare) populations, which is the Human Device Exemption program.

A Humanitarian Use Device ("HUD") is a ~~majority-owned and controlled subsidiary~~medical device intended to benefit patients in the treatment or diagnosis of ~~LM Funding America, Inc. (“LMFA”). LMFA~~a disease or condition that affects or is manifested in not more than 8,000 individuals in the U.S. per year.

The HDE is a ~~specialty finance company~~marketing application for an HUD under Section 520(m) of the FD&C Act. An HDE is exempt from the effectiveness requirements of Sections 514 and 515 of the FD&C Act and is subject to certain profit and use restrictions.

Under section 520(m)(6)(A)(i) of the FD&C Act, an HUD is only eligible to be sold for profit after receiving an HDE approval if the device is intended for the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition that ~~provides funding~~either:

HDE applicants whose devices meet one of the eligibility criteria and wish to ~~nonprofit community associations primarily located~~sell their HUD for profit should provide adequate supporting documentation to FDA in the ~~state of Florida.~~

~~Past performance by~~original HDE application. HDE holders who wish to sell their devices for profit and who did not submit the members of our management team in their other endeavors or the other entities with which they are or have been affiliated is not a guarantee of future success. We cannot assure you that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or that any business combination we consummate will be successful. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance, or the performance of any other entities with which our management team is or has been affiliated, as indicative of our future performance or how an investment in our company will perform or the returns our company will, or is likely to, generate going forward.

Our initial business combination and value creation strategy will be to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination, implement an operating strategy with a view of creating value for our stockholders through operational improvements, capital infusion, or future acquisitions. We intend to source initial business combination opportunities through our management team’s broad network of investorsrequest in the ~~financial services industry, board members, company executives, lawyers, accountants,~~original HDE application may submit a supplement and ~~brokers.~~provide adequate supporting documentation to demonstrate that the HUD meets the eligibility criteria.

~~With respect to our investment strategy, we intend to focus our efforts on assets and businesses with the following aspects, or within the following sectors,~~The number of ~~the financial services industry, in search of value-oriented and opportunistic transaction opportunities:~~

~~Our business combination criteria will not~~ be sold for profit is limited to a ~~particular industry~~quantity known as the Annual Distribution Number (“ADN”). If the FDA determines that an HDE holder is eligible to sell the device for profit, the FDA will determine the ADN and notify the HDE holder.

The ADN is calculated by taking the number of devices reasonably necessary to treat or ~~geographic sector,~~diagnose an individual per year and multiplying it by 8000. For example, if the typical course of treatment using an HDE device, in accordance with its intended use, requires the use of two devices per patient per year, then the ADN for that HDE device would be 16,000 (i.e., 2 x 8000).

If the number of devices distributed in a year exceeds the ADN, the sponsor can continue to sell the device but ~~given~~cannot earn a profit for the ~~experience~~remainder of the year.

We believe our ~~management team,~~SCD will be eligible to sell for a profit because we ~~expect~~are pursuing an HDE for the pediatric population.

A pre-market approval application must be submitted to ~~focus on acquiring~~the FDA for Class III devices for which the FDA has required a ~~business combination target within~~PMA. The pre-market approval application process is more extensive than the ~~financial services industry, like~~510(k)-pre-market notification and de novo request processes. A PMA application must be supported by extensive data, including but not limited to technical, preclinical, clinical trials, manufacturing and labeling to demonstrate to the ~~FinTech sector~~FDA’s satisfaction reasonable evidence of safety and effectiveness of the device.

After a pre-market approval application is submitted, the FDA has 45 days to determine whether the application is sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review and thus whether the FDA will file the application for review. The FDA has 180 days of FDA review time to review a filed pre-market approval application, although the review of an application generally occurs over a significantly longer period of time due to hold periods during which the submitting sponsor (the company) gathers information to address FDA requests for additional information. The total review process is highly variable and can take up to several years. During this review period, the FDA may request

additional information or ~~a related sector, with~~clarification of the information already provided. Also, an ~~enterprise value~~advisory panel of ~~approximately $250 million~~experts from outside the FDA may be convened to ~~$500 million. Our management team will look~~review and evaluate the application and provide recommendations to ~~identify business combination targets which are in need~~the FDA as to the approvability of strategic growth capital, will benefit from becoming a publicly listed company, may require creative business approaches to unlock additional value, or may need to repurchase debt, target strategic acquisitions or require working capital.the device.

~~Aligned with our business and investment strategies, we have identified~~Although the ~~following criteria that we believe~~FDA is not bound by the advisory panel decision, the panel’s recommendations are important ~~and that we intend~~ to ~~use in evaluating initial business combination opportunities. While we intend~~the FDA’s overall decision-making process. In addition, the FDA generally conducts a preapproval inspection of the manufacturing facilities to utilize these criteria in evaluating business combination opportunities, we expect that no individual criterion will entirely determine a decision to pursue a particular opportunity. Further, any particular initial business combination opportunity that we ultimately determine to pursueensure compliance with the Quality System Regulation (“QSR”). The agency also may ~~not meet~~inspect one or more ~~of these criteria. In assessing prospective target companies, we may consider various criteria, including whether such prospects:~~

~~These criteria are not intended~~clinical sites to be exhaustive. Any evaluation relating to the merits of a particular initial business combination may be based, to the extent relevant, on these general guidelines as well as other considerations, factors, and criteria that our management may deem relevant. In the event that we decide to enter into our initial business combinationassure compliance with a target business that does not meet the above criteria and guidelines, we will disclose that the target business does not meet the above criteria in our stockholder communications related to our initial business combination, which, as discussed in this Annual Report, would be in the form of proxy solicitation materials or tender offer documents that we would file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).

~~We believe~~Upon completion of the ~~sourcing, valuation, diligence, and execution capabilities of our management team will provide us~~PMA review, the FDA may: (i) approve the PMA that authorizes commercial marketing with ~~a significant pipeline of opportunities from which to evaluate and select a business that will benefit from our expertise.~~

~~Nasdaq rules require that we must complete~~ one or more ~~business combinations having~~indications, which can be more limited than those originally sought; (ii) issue an ~~aggregate fair market value~~approvable letter that indicates the FDA’s belief that the PMA is approvable and states what additional information the FDA requires, or the post-approval commitments that must be agreed to prior to approval; (iii) issue a not approvable letter that outlines steps required for approval, but which are typically more onerous than those in an approvable letter, and may require additional clinical trials that are often expensive and time consuming and can delay approval for months or even years; or (iv) deny the application. If the FDA issues an approvable or not approvable letter, the applicant has 180 days to respond, after which the FDA’s review clock is reset.

Clinical trials are almost always required to support pre-market approval and are sometimes required for 510(k) clearance. In the U.S., for significant risk devices, these trials require submission of at least 80% of the value of the assets held in the trust account (excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the trust account) at the time of our signing a definitive agreement in connection with our initial business combination. Our board of directors will make the determination asan application for an IDE to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm with respect to the satisfaction ofFDA. The IDE application must be supported by appropriate data, such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so ifas animal and laboratory testing results, showing it is ~~less familiar or experienced with~~safe to test the ~~business of a particular target or if there~~device in humans and that the testing protocol is ~~a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of a target’s assets or prospects. Additionally, pursuant to Nasdaq rules, any initial business combination~~scientifically sound. The IDE must be approved in advance by the FDA for a specific number of patients at specified study sites. During the trial, the sponsor must comply with the FDA’s IDE requirements for investigator selection, trial monitoring, reporting and recordkeeping. The investigators must obtain patient informed consent, rigorously follow the investigational plan and study protocol, control the disposition of investigational devices and comply with all reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Clinical trials for significant risk devices may not begin until the IDE application is approved by the FDA and the appropriate institutional review boards (“IRBs”) at the clinical trial sites. An IRB is an appropriately constituted group that has been formally designated to review and monitor medical research involving subjects and which has the authority to approve, require modifications in, or disapprove research to protect the rights, safety and welfare of human research subjects. The FDA or the IRB at each site at which a clinical trial is being performed may withdraw approval of a clinical trial at any time for various reasons, including a belief that the risks to study subjects outweigh the benefits or a failure to comply with FDA or IRB requirements. Even if a trial is completed, the results of clinical testing may not demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of the device, may be equivocal or may otherwise not be sufficient to obtain approval or clearance of the product.

Even after a device receives clearance or approval and is placed on the market, numerous regulatory requirements apply. These include:

Some changes to an approved PMA device, including changes in indications, labeling or manufacturing processes or facilities, require submission and FDA approval of a new PMA or PMA supplement, as appropriate, before the change can be implemented. Supplements to a PMA often require the submission of the same type of information required for an original PMA, except that the supplement is generally limited to that information needed to support the proposed change from the device covered by the original PMA. The FDA uses the same procedures and actions in reviewing PMA supplements as it does in reviewing original PMAs. PMA supplements also require the submission of a user fee, which varies depending on the type of supplement.

Failure by us or by our suppliers to comply with applicable regulatory requirements can result in enforcement action by the FDA or state authorities, which may include any of the following sanctions:

~~announcing the extension, at least three days prior to the deadline.~~ In addition, ~~we will issue a press release~~ the ~~day after the deadline, announcing whether the funds have been timely deposited. Our sponsor~~FDA imposes requirements on labeling and ~~its affiliates or designees are obligated to fund the trust account in order to extend the time~~promotion, including requirements that all statements be truthful, accurate, not misleading, adequately substantiated, and fairly balanced and prohibits an approved device from being marketed for ~~us to complete our initial business combination, but our sponsor will not be obligated to extend such time.~~

We anticipate structuring our initial business combination either: (i) in such a way so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses; or (ii) in such a way so that the post-transaction company owns or acquires 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. However, we will only complete an initial 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 initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. 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 would 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 taken into account for purposes of Nasdaq’s 80% of net assets test. If the initial business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the transactions and we will treat the target businesses together as the initial business combination for purposes of a tender offer or for seeking stockholder approval, as applicable.

In evaluating prospective business combinations, we expect to conduct a thorough due diligence review process that will encompass, among other things, a review of historical and projected financial and operating data, meetings with management and their advisors (if applicable), on-site inspection of facilities and assets, discussion with customers and suppliers, legal reviewsoff-label use. The FDA and other ~~reviews as we deem appropriate.~~

~~We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with~~agencies actively enforce the laws and regulations prohibiting the promotion of off-label uses, and a company that is ~~affiliated with our sponsor, officers~~found to have improperly promoted off-label uses may be subject to significant liability, including substantial monetary penalties and criminal prosecution.

Newly discovered or ~~directors. In~~developed safety or effectiveness data may require changes to a product’s labeling, including the ~~event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers~~addition of new warnings and contraindications, and also may require the implementation of other risk management measures. Also, new government requirements, including those resulting from new legislation, may be established, or ~~directors, we,~~the FDA’s policies may change, which could delay or ~~a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA~~prevent regulatory clearance or ~~an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.~~

~~Members~~approval of our ~~management team will directly or indirectly own founder shares and/or private placement warrants following our offering~~products under development.

In addition to the FDA’s restrictions on marketing of pharmaceutical products, the United States healthcare laws and ~~accordingly,~~regulations that 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 were to be included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination.

Members of our management team are employed by or otherwise work with our sponsor or with entities affiliated with it or with other entities. Our sponsor and these other entities and their respective affiliates are continuously made aware of potential business opportunities, one or more of which we may desire to pursue for an initial business combination; we have not, however, selected any specific business combination target and we have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business combination target.

Our sponsor and each of our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. We do not believe, however, that any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our sponsor and our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to ~~complete~~operate include: the federal fraud and abuse laws, including the federal anti-kickback and false claims laws, federal data privacy and security laws, and federal transparency laws related to payments and/or other transfers of value made to physicians and other healthcare professionals and teaching hospitals. Many states have similar laws and regulations that may differ from each other and federal law in significant ways, thus complicating compliance efforts. For example, states have anti-kickback and false claims laws that may be broader in scope than analogous federal laws and may apply regardless of payer. In addition, state data privacy laws that protect the security of health information may differ from each other and may not be preempted by federal law. Moreover, several states have enacted legislation requiring pharmaceutical manufacturers to, among other things, establish marketing compliance programs, file periodic reports with the state, make periodic public disclosures on sales and marketing activities, report information related to drug pricing, require the registration of sales representatives, and prohibit certain other sales and marketing practices. These laws may adversely affect our ~~initial business combination. Our certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered~~

sales, marketing, and other activities with respect to any ~~director or officer unless such opportunity~~product candidate for which we receive approval to market in the United States by imposing administrative and compliance burdens on us.

Because of the breadth of these laws and the narrowness of available statutory exceptions and regulatory safe harbors, it is ~~expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer~~possible that some of our ~~company~~business activities, particularly any sales and ~~such opportunity is one we~~marketing activities after a product candidate has been approved for marketing in the United States, could be subject to legal challenge and enforcement actions. If our operations are ~~legally~~found to be in violation of any of the federal and ~~contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be~~

~~reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director~~state laws described above or ~~officer is permitted to refer~~any other governmental regulations that ~~opportunity~~apply to us, we may be subject to significant civil, criminal, and administrative penalties, including, without ~~violating another legal obligation. Please see~~limitation, damages, fines, imprisonment, exclusion from participation in government healthcare programs, additional reporting obligations and oversight if we become subject to a corporate integrity agreement or other agreement to resolve allegations of non-compliance with these laws, and the ~~section~~curtailment or restructuring of ~~this Annual Report entitled “Management—Conflicts~~our operations, any of ~~Interest” for additional information.~~

~~Although COVID-19 is currently not material~~which could adversely affect our ability to operate our business and our results of ~~operations, there~~operations.

From time to time, legislation is ~~uncertainty relating~~drafted and introduced in Congress that could significantly change the statutory provisions governing the regulatory approval, manufacture and marketing of regulated products or the reimbursement thereof. For example, in the U.S., the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, among other things, reduced and/or limited Medicare reimbursement to certain providers and imposed an annual excise tax of 2.3% on any entity that manufactures or imports medical devices offered for sale in the ~~potential~~United States, with limited exceptions. The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, signed into law on December 20, 2019, has now permanently repealed the medical device excise tax. In addition, the Budget Control Act of 2011, as amended by subsequent legislation, further reduces Medicare’s payments to providers by two percent through fiscal year 2027. These reductions may reduce providers’ revenues or profits, which could affect their ability to purchase new technologies. Furthermore, the healthcare industry in the United States has experienced a trend toward cost containment as government and private insurers seek to control healthcare costs by imposing lower payment rates and negotiating reduced contract rates with service providers. Legislation could be adopted in the future ~~impact~~that limits payments for our products from governmental payors.

In both the United States and international markets, the use of medical devices is dependent in part on ~~our business. While our employees currently have~~ the ~~ability~~availability of reimbursement from third-party payors, such as government and ~~are encouraged~~private insurance plans. Healthcare providers that use medical devices generally rely on third-party payors to ~~work remotely, such measures have~~pay for all or part of the costs and ~~may continue to have an impact on employee attendance or productivity, which, along~~fees associated with the ~~possibility of employees’ illness,~~medical procedures being performed or to compensate them for their patient care services. Should our products under development be approved for commercialization by the FDA, any such products may adversely affect our operations. In addition to encouraging employees to work remotely, the Company has increased sanitation of its offices, provided hand gel and masks to its employees and has closed the offices during identified periods of high contagion.

~~The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our operations, or our ability to obtain financing should we require it, will depend on future developments which are uncertain and cannot~~not be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions taken by governments and private businesses to contain COVID-19 to treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 continue for an extended period of time, financial marketsconsidered cost-effective, reimbursement may not be available ~~to the Company for raising capital in order to fund future growth. Should the Company not be able to obtain financing when required,~~ in the ~~amounts necessary~~United States or ~~under terms which are economically feasible, we may be required to reduce planned future growth and/or the scope of our operations.~~

~~In identifying, evaluating~~other countries, if approved, and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter intense competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other blank check companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, and operating businesses seeking strategic business combinations. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than we do. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the initial business combination of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public stockholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent,reimbursement may not be ~~viewed favorably~~sufficient to allow sales of our future products on a profitable basis. The coverage decisions of third-party payors will be significantly influenced by ~~certain target businesses. Either~~the assessment of ~~these factors~~our future products by health technology assessment bodies. If approved for use in the United States, we expect that any products that we develop will be purchased primarily by medical institutions, which will in turn bill various third-party payors for the health care services provided to patients at their facility. Payors may ~~place us at a competitive disadvantage~~include CMS, which administers the Medicare program and works in ~~successfully negotiating an initial business combination~~

~~We currently have two officers. These individuals are not obligated~~partnership with state governments to ~~devote any specific number of hours to our matters but they intend to devote as much of their time as they deem necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination.~~administer Medicaid, other government programs and private insurance plans. The ~~amount of time they will devote~~process involved in ~~any time period will vary~~applying for coverage and reimbursement from CMS is lengthy and expensive. Further, Medicare coverage is based on ~~whether a target business has been selected~~our ability to demonstrate that the treatment is “reasonable and necessary” for Medicare beneficiaries. Even if products utilizing our ~~initial business combination~~technology receive FDA and other regulatory clearance or approval, they may not be granted coverage and reimbursement by any payor, including by CMS. Many private payors use coverage decisions and payment amounts determined by CMS as guidelines in setting their coverage and reimbursement policies and amounts. However, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement for medical devices exists among third-party payors in the ~~stage~~United States. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor.

As of ~~the initial business combination process~~December 31, 2022, we ~~are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the completion~~had 9 full-time employees. None of our ~~initial business combination.~~employees are represented by labor unions or covered by collective bargaining agreements.

We ~~are required to file annual reports~~make available free of charge on ~~Form 10-K, quarterly reports~~or through our website, https://seastarmedical.com, our Annual Reports, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, ~~current reports~~Current Reports on Form 8-K, proxy statements, and ~~other information, including our proxy statement,~~all amendments to those filings as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with, or furnished to, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The public can obtain copies of these materials by accessing the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. In addition, as soon as reasonably practicable after these materials are filed with or furnished to the SEC, we will make copies available to the public free of charge through our website, https://www.lmfacquisitions.com. The informationInformation contained on our website is not incorporated ~~into,~~by reference unless specifically stated therein.

In addition, the SEC maintains a website that contains reports, proxy statements, and ~~is not part of, this Annual Report on Form 10-K or our~~ other ~~filings with~~information about issuers, such as us, who file electronically within the SEC. The address of the website is www.sec.gov.

~~You~~Investing in our securities involves risks. Before you make a decision to buy our securities, in addition to the risks and uncertainties discussed above under “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” you should carefully consider ~~each of~~ the specific risks ~~described below, together with all of the other information contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, before making an investment decision with respect to our securities.~~set forth herein. If any of ~~the following~~these risks actually occur, it may materially harm our business, financial condition, liquidity and results of ~~operations, or cash flow~~operations. As a result, the market price of our securities could ~~be materially and adversely affected~~decline, and you ~~may~~could lose all or part of your investment.

~~RISKS RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS (“COVID-19”) PANDEMIC~~ Additionally, the risks and uncertainties described herein in any document incorporated by reference herein are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently believe to be immaterial may become material and adversely affect our business.

SeaStar Medical has incurred significant losses since its inception and anticipates that it will continue to incur significant losses for the foreseeable future.

The Company is a medical technology company focused primarily on developing and commercializing its lead product candidate, the SCD, for pediatric and adult AKI indications. The Company has submitted an HDE application with the FDA for pediatric patients with AKI on CRRT. In addition, on February 9, 2023, the Company received approval from the FDA of its IDE application to conduct a pivotal study evaluating the effectiveness of its SCD in reducing hyperinflammation in adults with AKI requiring CRRT. The Company plans to begin enrollment in Q2 2023 and expect to generate interim study results during the fourth quarter of 2023 and topline study results and submission of a PMA application in the second half of 2024. However, there is no guarantee that the Company will complete any planned clinical trial in a timely manner, or at all, nor will there be any assurance that positive data will be generated from such trial. Even if the Company is able to generate positive results from this trial, the FDA and other regulatory agencies may require the Company to conduct additional trials to support the study or disagree with the design of the trial and request changes or improvements to such design. To date, the Company has not obtained regulatory approval to commercialize or sell any of its SCD product candidates, and it does not expect to generate any significant revenue for the foreseeable future. SeaStar Medical has incurred significant net losses since its inception and had an accumulated deficit of $99.3 million and, $76.3 million as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The Company has devoted most of its financial resources to research and development, including clinical trials and non-clinical development activities, and to obtain regulatory approval of its SCD product candidates. Since the completion of the Business Combination, the Company relied primarily on the sales of securities to fund its operations, and are limited as the Company needs to meet certain conditions before such funding becomes available. The size of its future net losses will depend, in part, on the rate of future expenditures and its ability to generate revenues. To date, none of its product candidates have generated significant revenue, and if its product candidates are not successfully developed or commercialized, or if revenues are insufficient following marketing approval, it will not achieve profitability and its business may fail. Even if the Company successfully obtains regulatory approval to market its product candidates in the United States, its revenues are also dependent upon the size of the markets outside of the United States, regulatory approval outside of the United States, and its ability to obtain market approval and achieve commercial success.

The Company expects to continue to incur substantial and increased expenses as it expands research and development activities and advances clinical programs through the regulatory approval process. The Company also expects an increase in its expenses associated with preparing for the potential commercialization of its products and creating additional infrastructure to support operations as a public company. As a result of the foregoing, it expects to continue to incur significant and increasing losses and negative cash flows for the foreseeable future.

The Company has not generated any significant revenue and may never be profitable.

The Company’s ability to generate revenue and achieve profitability depends on its ability, alone or with collaborators, to successfully complete the development, obtain the necessary regulatory approvals of and commercialize its lead product candidate, the SCD. It does not anticipate generating revenues from its product

candidates’ sales for the foreseeable future. Its ability to generate future revenues from product sales depends heavily on its success with the following items:

Because of the numerous risks and uncertainties associated with medical device product development, the Company is unable to predict the timing or amount of increased expenses, when, or if, it will be able to achieve or maintain profitability. In addition, its expenses could increase beyond expectations if it is required by the FDA to perform additional, unanticipated studies.

Even if its product candidates are approved for commercial sale, the Company anticipates incurring significant costs associated with commercializing any approved product candidate. In the case of its SCD product candidate for the treatment of pediatric AKI, even if the Company receives approval from the FDA for its HDE application, the Company will be limited in its ability to sell and distribute its SCD units due to certain restrictions under the HDE requirements that limit the number of units that can be sold on an annual basis, which will further limit the amount of revenue that could be generated by the Company. Even if it is able to generate revenues from the sale of its products, the Company may not become profitable and may need to obtain additional funding to continue operations.

The Company has a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to forecast its future results of operations.

The Company has not received approval from the FDA and other regulatory authorities to sell its SCD product candidates and therefore it has a limited commercial operating history. According, the Company’s ability to accurately forecast future results of its operations is limited and subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, including its ability to plan for and model future growth. If the Company receives regulatory approval to market and sell its SCD product candidates, its revenue growth could slow in the future, or its revenue could decline or fluctuate for a number of reasons, including slowing demand for its products, increasing competition, changing demand in the markets, new scientific or technological developments, a decrease in the growth of its overall market, its failure to attract more customers, the inability to obtain reimbursement for its products by government agencies and insurers, or its failure, for any reason, to continue to take advantage of growth opportunities. If its assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties and its future revenue growth are incorrect or change, or if it does not address these risks successfully or forecast its results accurately, the Company’s operating and financial results could differ materially from its expectations, and its business ~~combination,~~could suffer.

If the Company fails to obtain additional financing, it would be forced to delay, reduce or eliminate its product development program, which may result in the cessation of its operations.

Developing medical device products, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, is expensive. The Company expects its research and development expenses to substantially increase in connection with its ongoing activities, particularly as it advances its clinical programs. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, SeaStar Medical had negative working capital of $2.3 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The Company currently does not have sufficient capital to support its operations and complete its planned regulatory approval process. The Company will need to secure additional capital to continue its operation, and such funding may not be available on acceptable terms, or at all. In addition, the Company incurred a significant amount of debt in connection with the Closing, including the issuance of unsecured and secured promissory notes to LM Funding America, Inc. (“LMFA”), LMFAO Sponsor (the "Sponsor") and Maxim ("Maxim"), and the Company may not have sufficient funds to repay these loans. Even if the Company obtains additional funding, the Company will be required to make certain

mandatory payments under such promissory notes, which will reduce the amount of proceeds available for the Company to operate its business.

On August 23, 2022, LMAO and SeaStar Medical, Inc. entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) with Tumim Stone Capital LLC (“Tumim”) for the purchase of up to $100.0 million in shares of the common stock ("Common Stock") after the consummation of the Business Combination. There are certain conditions and limitations on the Company’s ability to utilize the $100.0 million equity line with Tumim. The Company will be required to satisfy various conditions, which include, among others: (1) delivery of a compliance certificate; (2) filing of an initial registration statement; and (3) customary bring-down opinions and negative assurances, in order to commence the selling of Common Stock to Tumim under the Purchase Agreement. Once such conditions are satisfied, Tumim’s purchases are subject to various restrictions and other limitations, including a cap on the number of shares of Common Stock that we can sell based on the trading volume of our Common Stock, as well as certain beneficial ownership restrictions of Tumim. If any ~~target business with~~of these conditions are not satisfied or limitations are in effect, the Company may not be able to utilize all or part of the Tumim equity line, which ~~we ultimately consummate~~would have an adverse impact on the Company’s ability to satisfy its capital needs and could have a ~~business combination,~~material adverse impact on its business. The Company has received a total of $1.9 million from these forward purchase agreements through February 2023. However, this source of capital may be ~~materially adversely affected~~limited since it depends substantially on the trading volume and price of our Common Stock.

In addition, the Company recently completed a convertible note financing in which the Company may issue up to a principal amount of approximately $9.8 million of convertible notes in four separate tranches subject to certain conditions, and on March 15, 2023, the Company closed the first tranche of the financing by issuing a convertible note in a principal amount of $3.3 million, and a warrant to purchase up to 328,352 shares of Common Stock. However, there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to satisfy the conditions required to issue additional notes under the remaining three tranches, including the requirement to obtain stockholder approval of such financing at the next annual meeting of stockholders.

Even if the Company receives sufficient capital in the future, the Company will be required to raise additional funds to support its own operations and complete its planned regulatory approval process, and such funding may not be available in sufficient amounts or on acceptable terms to the Company, or at all. If it is unable to raise additional capital when required or on acceptable terms, the Company may be required to:

If it is unable to raise additional capital in sufficient amounts or on acceptable terms, the Company will be prevented from pursuing development and commercialization efforts, including completing the clinical trials and regulatory approval process for its SCD product candidates, which would have a material adverse impact on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s ability to use its net operating losses to offset future taxable income may be subject to certain limitations.

As of December 31, 2022, the Company had net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards for federal and state (Colorado, California, and Florida) income tax purposes of $82.3 million and $28.9 million, respectively, which may be available to offset taxable income in the future. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, as modified by the ~~COVID-19 pandemic.~~Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, federal NOLs incurred in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 may be carried forward indefinitely, but the deductibility of such federal net operating losses in tax years beginning after December 31, 2020, is limited to 80 percent of taxable income. Federal NOLs incurred before 2018 may be carried forward 20 years but are not subject to the taxable income limitation. Under current law, California NOLs generally may be carried forward 20 years (with a limited extension for California NOLs incurred in 2020-2021) without a taxable income limitation. The Company’s federal NOLs include $29.4 million that can also be

carried forward indefinitely, and the remaining $52.8 million of federal NOLs expire in various years beginning in 2027 for federal purposes. The ~~significant outbreak~~California NOLs expire beginning in 2039 if not utilized. A lack of ~~COVID-19~~future taxable income would adversely affect the Company’s ability to utilize these NOLs before they expire.

In general, under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code, a corporation that undergoes an “ownership change” (as defined in Section 382 of the Code and applicable Treasury Regulations) is subject to limitations on its ability to utilize its pre-change NOLs to offset future taxable income. The Company may experience a future ownership change under Section 382 of the Code that could affect its ability to utilize the NOLs to offset its income. The Company has ~~resulted~~not completed an ownership change analysis pursuant to IRC Section 382. If ownership changes within the meaning of IRC Section 382 are identified as having occurred, the amount of NOL and research tax credit carryforwards available to offset future taxable income and income tax liabilities in future years may be significantly restricted or eliminated. Further, deferred tax assets associated with such NOLs, and research tax credits could be significantly reduced upon realization of an ownership change within the meaning of IRC Section 382. Furthermore, the Company’s ability to utilize NOLs of companies that it may acquire in the future may be subject to limitations. There is also a ~~widespread health crisis~~risk that due to legislative or regulatory changes, such as suspensions on the use of NOLs or other unforeseen reasons, the Company’s existing NOLs could expire or otherwise be unavailable to reduce future income tax liabilities, including for state tax purposes. For these reasons, the Company may not be able to utilize a material portion of the NOLs reflected on its balance sheet, even if it attains profitability, which could potentially result in increased future tax liability to the Company and could adversely affect ~~the economies~~its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company has a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to forecast its future results of operations.

The Company has not received approval from the FDA and other regulatory authorities to sell its SCD product candidates and therefore it has a limited commercial operating history. According, the Company’s ability to accurately forecast future results of its operations is limited and subject to a number of uncertainties and risks, including its ability to plan for and model future growth. If the Company receives regulatory approval to market and sell its SCD product candidates, its revenue growth could slow in the future, or its revenue could decline or fluctuate for a number of reasons, including slowing demand for its products, increasing competition, changing demand in the markets, ~~worldwide,~~new scientific or technological developments, a decrease in the growth of its overall market, its failure to attract more customers, the inability to obtain reimbursement for its products by government agencies and insurers, or its failure, for any reason, to continue to take advantage of growth opportunities. If its assumptions regarding these risks and uncertainties and its future revenue growth are incorrect or change, or if it does not address these risks successfully or forecast its results accurately, the Company’s operating and financial results could differ materially from its expectations, and its business could suffer.

The Company has not received, and may never receive, approval from the FDA to market its product in the United States or abroad.

The Company may encounter various challenges and difficulties in its application to seek approval from the FDA to sell and market its SCD product candidates, including the application for HDE for pediatric AKI indication and the pivotal trial for adult AKI indication. The Company is required to submit a substantial amount of supporting documentation for its HDE application to demonstrate the eligibility of the SCD to treat pediatric patients. While the Company recently obtained approval from the FDA to conduct the AKI adult pivotal trial for SCE, there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to complete such trial in a timely manner, or at all, nor will there be any assurance that positive data will be generated from such trials. Even if the Company is able to generate positive results from this trial, the FDA and other regulatory agencies may require the Company to conduct additional trials to support the study or disagree with the design of the trial and request changes or improvements to such design. The Company is also subject to numerous other risks relating to the regulatory approval process, which include but are not limited to:

Even if the Company obtains approval, the FDA or other regulatory authorities may require expensive or burdensome post-market testing or controls. Any delay in, or failure to receive or maintain, clearance or approval for its future products could prevent the Company from generating revenue from these products or achieving profitability. Additionally, the FDA and other regulatory authorities have broad enforcement powers. Regulatory enforcement or inquiries, or other increased scrutiny on the Company, could dissuade some physicians from using its products and adversely affect its reputation and the perceived safety and efficacy of its products.

Delays or rejections may occur based on changes in governmental policies for medical devices during the period of product development. The FDA can delay, limit or deny approval of a PMA application for many reasons, including:

If the Company is not able to obtain regulatory approval of its SCD in a timely manner or at all, it may not be able to continue to operate its business and may be forced to shut down its operations.

The Company is subject to certain risks relating to pursuing an FDA approval via the HDE pathway, including limitations on the ability to profit from sales of ~~any potential target~~the product.

Except in certain circumstances, products approved under an HDE cannot be sold for an amount that exceeds the costs of the research and development, fabrication, and distribution of the device (i.e., for profit). Currently, under section 520(m)(6)(A)(i) of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, as amended (the “FD&C Act”) by the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act, a Humanitarian Use Device (“HUD”) is only eligible to be sold for profit after receiving HDE approval if the device (1) is intended for the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition that occurs in pediatric patients or in a pediatric subpopulation, and such device is labeled for use in pediatric patients or in a pediatric subpopulation in which the disease or condition occurs; or (2) is intended for the treatment or diagnosis of a disease or condition that does not occur in pediatric patients or that occurs in pediatric patients in such numbers that the development of the device for such patients is impossible, highly impracticable, or unsafe. If an HDE-approved device does not meet this eligibility criteria, the device cannot be sold for profit. With enactment of the FDA Reauthorization Act of 2017, Congress provided that the exemption for the HUD/HDE profitability is available as long as the request for an exemption is submitted on or before October 1, 2022. Not receiving an exemption for the HUD/HDE profitability would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

In addition, if the FDA subsequently approves a PMA or clears a 510(k) for the HUD or another comparable device with the same indication, the FDA may withdraw the HDE. Once a comparable device becomes legally marketed through PMA approval or 510(k) clearance to treat or diagnose the disease or condition in question, there may no longer be a need for the HUD and so the HUD may no longer meet the requirements of section 520(m)(2)(B) of the FD&C Act.

The Company plans to expand its operations and it may not be able to manage its growth effectively, which ~~we consummate~~could strain its resources and delay or derail implementation of its business objectives.

The Company will need to significantly expand its operations to implement its longer-term business plan and growth strategies, including building and expanding its internal organizational infrastructure to complete the regulatory approval process with the FDA. The Company will also be required to manage and form new relationships with various strategic partners, technology licensors, customers, manufacturers and suppliers, consultants and other third parties. This expansion and these new relationships will require the Company to significantly improve or replace its existing managerial, operational and financial systems, and procedures and controls; to improve the coordination between its various corporate functions; and to manage, train, motivate and maintain a growing employee base. The time and costs to effectuate these steps may place a significant strain on its management personnel, systems and resources, particularly if there are limited financial resources and skilled employees available at the time. The Company cannot assure that it will institute, in a timely manner or at all, the improvements to its managerial, operational and financial systems, procedures and controls necessary to support its anticipated increased levels of operations and to coordinate its various corporate functions, or that it will be able to properly manage, train, motivate and retain its anticipated increased employee base. If it cannot manage its growth initiatives, the Company will be unable to commercialize its products on a large-scale in a timely manner, if at all, and its business ~~combination~~could fail.

The Company will initially depend on revenue generated from a single product and in the foreseeable future will be significantly dependent on a limited number of products.

If the Company receives approval from the FDA and other regulatory authorities, the Company will initially depend on revenue generated from its SCD product candidate for pediatric and adult patients with AKI and in the foreseeable future will be significantly dependent on a single or limited number of products. Given that, for the foreseeable future, the Company’s business will depend on a single or limited number of products, to the extent a particular product is not well-received by the market, the Company’s sales volume, prospects, business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected. We

If the Company fails to comply with extensive regulations of United States and foreign regulatory agencies, the commercialization of its products could be delayed or prevented entirely.

The Company’s SCD product candidate and research and development activities are subject to extensive government regulations related to its development, testing, manufacturing and commercialization in the United States and other countries. The determination of when and whether a product is ready for large-scale purchase and potential use in the United States will be made by the United States government through consultation with a number of governmental agencies, including the FDA, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Company’s SCD has not received regulatory approval from the FDA, or any foreign regulatory agencies, to be commercially marketed and sold. The process of obtaining and complying with FDA and other governmental regulatory approvals and regulations in the United States and in foreign countries is costly, time consuming, uncertain and subject to unanticipated delays. Obtaining such regulatory approvals, if any, can take several years. Despite the time and expense exerted, regulatory approval is never guaranteed. The Company is also subject to the following risks and obligations, among others:

Failure to comply with these or other regulatory requirements of the FDA may subject the Company to administrative or judicially imposed sanctions, including:

Delays in successfully completing the Company’s planned clinical trials could jeopardize its ability to obtain regulatory approval.

The Company’s business prospects will depend on its ability to complete studies, clinical trials, including its planned pivotal trials of its SCD for adult AKI indication, obtain satisfactory results, obtain required regulatory approvals and successfully commercialize its SCD product candidate. The completion of the Company’s clinical trials, the announcement of results of the trials and its ability to obtain regulatory approvals could be delayed for a variety of reasons, including:

The Company’s development costs will increase if it has material delays in any clinical trial or if it needs to perform more or larger clinical trials than planned. If the delays are significant, or if any of its product candidates do not prove to be safe or effective or do not receive regulatory approvals, the Company’s financial results and the commercial prospects for its product candidates would be harmed. Furthermore, the Company’s inability to complete its clinical trials in a timely manner could jeopardize its ability to obtain regulatory approval.

Delays, interruptions, or the cessation of production by its third-party suppliers of important materials or delays in qualifying new materials, may prevent or delay the Company’s ability to manufacture or process its SCD device.

The Company currently relies on a single supplier for the filters used in the SCD device for the pediatric AKI indications pursuant to a supply agreement. In the event the current supplier is unable to provide filters for the SCD device or otherwise fails to meet its obligations under the agreement, the Company may not be able to obtain a sufficient number of filters to conduct its trials and commercialize its products. In addition, the supplier may decide to discontinue or terminate the specific type of filters that are required for its SCD for reasons beyond the Company’s control, in which case the Company will be forced to identify and secure an alternative source that may not be available immediately or at all. FDA review and approval of a new supplier may be required if these materials become unavailable from the Company’s current suppliers. Although there may be other suppliers that have

equivalent materials that would be available to the Company, FDA review of any alternate suppliers, if required, could take several months or more to obtain, if it is able to be obtained at all. Any delay, interruption, or cessation of production by the Company’s third-party suppliers of important materials, or any delay in qualifying new materials, if necessary, would prevent or delay the Company’s ability to manufacture its SCD.

The Company believes that it has sufficient access to the SCD inventory to conduct its current and near future clinical trials, but it is possible that the need for its SCD could increase that may require the Company to acquire more filters than it is currently able to purchase under its agreement with its supplier, and the Company may not be able to negotiate a new supply agreement successfully. If the Company is unable to find alternative sources of supply in a timely manner, any such delay could limit the Company’s ability to meet demand for the SCD and delay its ongoing clinical trials, which would have a material adverse impact on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company has limited experience in identifying and working with large-scale contracts with medical device manufacturers.

To achieve the levels of production necessary to commercialize its SCD and any other future products, the Company will need to secure large-scale manufacturing agreements with contract manufacturers that comply with the manufacturing standards prescribed by various federal, state, and local regulatory agencies in the United States and any other country of use. The Company has limited experience coordinating and overseeing the manufacturing of medical device products on a large-scale. Manufacturing and control problems could arise as the Company attempts to commercialize its products and manufacturing may not be completed in a timely manner or at a commercially reasonable cost. In addition, the Company may not be able to adequately finance the manufacturing and distribution of its products on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. If the Company cannot successfully oversee and finance the manufacturing of its products after receiving regulatory approval, it may not generate sufficient revenue to become profitable.

Difficulties in manufacturing the Company’s SCD could have an adverse effect upon its revenue and expenses.

The Company currently outsources all of the manufacturing of its SCD. The manufacturing of its SCD is difficult and complex. To support its current clinical trial needs, the Company complies with and intends to continue to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practice (“cGMP”) in the manufacturing of its products. The Company’s ability to adequately manufacture and supply its SCD in a timely matter is dependent on the uninterrupted and efficient operation of its third-party manufacturers, and those of the third parties producing raw materials and supplies upon which it relies on for the manufacturing of its products. The manufacturing of the Company’s products may be impacted by:

If efficient manufacture and supply of its SCD is interrupted, the Company may experience delayed shipments or supply constraints. If it is at any time unable to provide an uninterrupted supply of its products, the Company’s ongoing clinical trials may be delayed, which could materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s SCD product candidates may become obsolete prior to commercialization by new scientific or technological developments, or by others with new treatment modalities that are more efficacious and/or more economical than the Company’s products. Any one of the Company’s competitors could develop a more effective product which would render the Company’s technology obsolete. In addition, it is possible that competitors may use similar technologies, equipment or devices, including using certain “off-the-shelf” filters unauthorized by the FDA, to attempt to create a similar treatment mechanism as the SCD. Further, new technological and scientific developments within the hospital setting could cause the Company’s SCD product candidates to become obsolete. For example, the SCD relies on the existing footprint of CRRT pump systems in ICUs, as well as the growing use and adoption of regional citrate as an anticoagulant. Further developments in these areas could require the Company to reconfigure its SCD product candidates, which may not be commercially feasible, or cause them to become obsolete. Lastly, the Company’s ability to achieve significant and sustained growth in its key target markets will depend upon its success in hospital penetration, utilization, publication, its SCD’s reimbursement status and medical education. The Company’s products may not remain competitive with products based on new technologies. If it fails to sell products that satisfy its customers’ demands or respond effectively to new product announcements by its competitors, then market acceptance of the Company’s products could be reduced and its business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected.

The Company competes with numerous United States and foreign companies in the medical device industry, and many of its competitors have greater financial, personnel, operational and research and development resources than the Company. The Company believes that multiple competitors are or will be developing competing technologies to address cytokine storms. Progress is constant in the treatment of the immune system, which may reduce opportunities for the SCD. The Company’s commercial opportunities will be reduced or eliminated if its competitors develop and market products for any of the diseases it targets that:

Even if the Company is successful in developing the SCD and any other future products and obtains FDA and other regulatory approvals necessary for commercializing them, its products may not compete effectively with other products. Researchers are continually learning more about diseases, which may lead to new technologies for treatment. The Company’s competitors may succeed in developing and marketing products that are either more effective than those that it may develop or that are marketed before any SeaStar Medical products. The Company’s competitors include fully integrated pharmaceutical & medical device companies and biotechnology companies, universities, and public and private research institutions. Many of the organizations competing with the Company have substantially greater capital resources, larger research and development staffs and facilities, greater experience in product development and in obtaining regulatory approvals, and greater marketing capabilities. If the Company’s competitors develop more effective treatments for infectious disease or hyperinflammation or bring those treatments to market before the Company can commercialize the SCD for such uses, it may be unable to ~~complete~~obtain any market traction for its products, or the diseases it seeks to treat may be substantially addressed by competing treatments. If the Company is unable to successfully compete against larger companies in the pharmaceutical industry, it may never generate significant revenue or be profitable.

If the Company’s products, or the malfunction of its products, cause or contribute to a death or a serious injury, the Company will be subject to medical device reporting regulations, which can result in voluntary corrective actions or agency enforcement actions.

Under the FDA medical device reporting regulations, medical device manufacturers are required to report to the FDA that a device has or may have caused or contributed to a death or serious injury or has malfunctioned in a way that would likely cause or contribute to a death or serious injury. If the Company fails to report these events to the FDA within the required timeframes, or at all, the FDA could take enforcement action against the Company. Any such adverse event involving the Company’s products could also result in future voluntary corrective actions, such as recalls or customer notifications, or agency action, such as inspection or enforcement action. Any corrective action, whether voluntary or involuntary, as well as defending against potential lawsuits, will require the dedication of the Company’s time and capital, distract management from operating its business, ~~combination if continued concerns relating~~and may harm the Company’s reputation and financial results.

The Company outsources many of its operational and development activities for which it may not have full control.

The Company relies on third-party consultants or other vendors to manage and implement much of the day-to-day responsibilities of conducting clinical trials and manufacturing its current product candidates. Accordingly, the Company is and will continue to be dependent on the timeliness and effectiveness of the efforts of these third parties. The Company’s dependence on third parties includes key suppliers and third-party service providers supporting the development, manufacturing, and regulatory approval of its SCD, as well as support for its information technology systems and other infrastructure. While its management team oversees these vendors, the failure of any of these third parties to meet their contractual, regulatory, and other obligations, or the development of factors that materially disrupt the performance of these third parties, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. It is possible that the current COVID-19 ~~restrict travel, limit~~pandemic might constrain the ability of third-party vendors to ~~have meetings with potential investors, or~~provide services that the ~~target company’s~~Company requires.

If a clinical research organization that the Company utilizes is unable to allocate sufficient qualified personnel ~~vendors, and services providers are unavailable~~ to ~~negotiate and consummate a transaction~~its studies in a timely manner or if the work performed by it does not fully satisfy the requirements of the FDA or other regulatory agencies, the Company may encounter substantial delays and increased costs in completing its development efforts. Any manufacturer of the Company’s products may encounter difficulties in the manufacturing of enough new product to meet demand, including problems with product yields, product stability or shelf life, quality control, adequacy of control procedures and policies, compliance with FDA regulations and the need for FDA approval of new manufacturing processes and facilities. If any of these occur, the development and commercialization of the Company’s product candidates could be delayed, curtailed, or terminated because the Company may not have sufficient financial resources or capabilities to continue such development and commercialization on its own.

If the Company or its contractors or service providers fail to comply with laws and regulations, it or they could be subject to regulatory actions, which could affect its ability to develop, market and sell its product candidates and any other future product candidates and may harm its reputation.

If the Company or its manufacturers or other third-party contractors fail to comply with applicable federal, state or foreign laws or regulations, the Company could be subject to regulatory actions, which could affect its ability to successfully develop, market and sell its SCD product candidate or any future product candidates under development and could harm its reputation and lead to reduced or non-acceptance of its proposed product candidates by the market. Even technical recommendations or evidence by the FDA through letters, site visits, and overall recommendations to academia or biotechnology companies may make the manufacturing of a clinical product extremely labor intensive or expensive, making the product candidate no longer viable to manufacture in a cost-efficient manner. The mode of administration or the required testing of the product candidate may make that candidate no longer commercially viable. The conduct of clinical trials may be critiqued by the FDA, or a clinical trial site’s Institutional Review Board or Institutional Biosafety Committee, which may delay or make impossible the clinical testing of a product candidate. For example, the Institutional Review Board for a clinical trial may stop a trial or deem a product candidate unsafe to continue testing. This would have a material adverse effect on the value of the product candidate and the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

If the Company obtains approval for its products, SeaStar Medical may still be subject to enforcement action if it engages in improper marketing or promotion of its products.

The Company is not permitted to promote or market its product candidates until FDA approval is obtained. After approval, its promotional materials and training methods must comply with the FDA and other applicable laws and regulations, including the prohibition of the promotion of unapproved or off-label use. Practitioners may use the Company’s products off-label, as the FDA does not restrict or regulate a practitioner’s choice of treatment within the practice of medicine. However, if the FDA determines that the Company’s promotional materials or training constitutes promotion of an off-label use, it could request that the Company modify its training or promotional materials or subject the Company to regulatory or enforcement actions, including the issuance of an untitled letter, a warning letter, injunction, seizure, civil fine, or criminal penalties. Other federal, state, or foreign enforcement authorities might also take action if they consider the Company’s promotional or training materials to constitute promotion of an off-label use, which could result in significant fines or penalties under other statutory authorities, such as laws prohibiting false claims for reimbursement. In that event, the Company’s reputation could be damaged, which may lead to reduced or non-acceptance of its proposed product candidates by the market. In addition, the off-label use of the Company’s products may increase the risk of product liability claims. Product liability claims are expensive to defend and could divert the attention of the Company’s management, result in substantial damage awards against the Company, and harm its reputation.

The Company intends to outsource and rely on third parties for the clinical development and manufacture, sales and marketing of its SCD or any future product candidates that it may develop, and its future success will be dependent on the timeliness and effectiveness of the efforts of these third parties.

The Company does not have the required financial and human resources to carry out on its own all the pre-clinical and clinical development for its SCD product candidate or any other or future product candidates that it may develop, and do not have the capability and resources to manufacture, market or sell its SCD product candidate or any future product candidates that it may develop. The Company’s business model calls for the partial or full outsourcing of the clinical, development, manufacturing, sales, and marketing of its product candidates in order to reduce its capital and infrastructure costs as a means of potentially improving its financial position. The Company’s success will depend on the performance of these outsourced providers. If these providers fail to perform adequately, the Company’s development of product candidates may be delayed and any delay in the development of the Company’s product candidates may have a material and adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company is and will be exposed to product liability risks, and clinical and preclinical liability risks, which could place a substantial financial burden upon it should it be sued.

The Company’s business exposes it to potential product liability and other liability risks that are inherent in the testing, manufacturing, and marketing of medical devices. Claims may be asserted against it. A successful liability claim or series of claims brought against it could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. The Company may not be able to continue to obtain or maintain adequate product liability insurance on acceptable terms, if at all, and such insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Claims or losses in excess of any product liability insurance coverage that the Company may obtain could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s SCD product candidate may be used in connection with medical procedures where those products must function with precision and accuracy. If medical personnel or their patients suffer injury as a result of any failure of the Company’s products to function as designed, or its products are designed inappropriately, the Company may be subject to lawsuits seeking significant compensatory and punitive damages. The risk of product liability claims, product recalls and associated adverse publicity is inherent in the testing, manufacturing, marketing, and sale of medical products. The Company intends to obtain general clinical trial liability insurance coverage; however, its insurance coverage may not be adequate or available. In addition, the Company may not be able to obtain or maintain adequate product liability insurance on acceptable terms, if at all, and such insurance may not provide adequate coverage against potential liabilities. Any product recall or lawsuit in excess of any product liability insurance coverage that the Company may obtain could have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, a product recall could generate substantial negative

publicity about the Company’s products and business and inhibit or prevent commercialization of other future product candidates.

United States legislative or FDA regulatory reforms may make it more difficult and costly for the Company to obtain regulatory approval of its product candidates and to manufacture, market and distribute its products after approval is obtained.

From time to time, legislation is drafted and introduced in Congress that could significantly change the statutory provisions governing the regulatory approval, manufacture and marketing of regulated products or the reimbursement thereof. In addition, FDA regulations and guidance are often revised or reinterpreted by the FDA in ways that may significantly affect the Company’s business and its products. Any new regulations or revisions or reinterpretations of existing regulations may impose additional costs or lengthen review times of future products. It is impossible to predict whether legislative changes will be enacted, or FDA regulations, guidance or interpretations will be changed, and what the impact of such changes, if any, may be on the Company’s new product development efforts.

The Company is subject to stringent and changing privacy laws, regulations and standards as well as policies, contracts and other obligations related to data privacy and security.

The Company collects, receives, stores, processes, uses, generates, transfers, discloses, makes accessible, protects, and shares personal information and other information (“Process” or “Processing”), including information it collects in connection with clinical trials, as necessary to operate its business, for legal and marketing purposes, and for other business-related purposes.

There are numerous federal, state, local and international laws, regulations and guidance regarding privacy, information security and Processing, the number and scope of which is changing, subject to differing applications and interpretations, and which may be inconsistent. The Company is subject, and may become subject in the future, to certain of these laws, regulations, and guidance, and it is also subject to the terms of its external and internal privacy and security policies, representations, certifications, standards, publications, frameworks, and contractual obligations to third parties related to privacy, information security and Processing.

If the Company fails, or is perceived to have failed, to address or comply with such obligations, it could:

Additionally, given that these obligations impose complex and burdensome obligations and that there is substantial uncertainty over the interpretation and application of these obligations, the Company may be required to incur material costs, divert management attention, and change its business operations, including its clinical trials, in an effort to comply, which could materially adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (“CCPA”) is an example of the increasingly stringent data protection legislation in the United States. The CCPA gives California residents expanded rights to access and require deletion of their personal information, opt-out of certain personal information sharing, and receive detailed information about how their personal information is used. The CCPA created civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for data breaches and statutory damages ranging from $100 to $750 per violation, which is expected to increase data breach class action litigation and result in significant exposure to costly legal judgements and settlements. Although there are limited exemptions for clinical trial data under the CCPA, the CCPA and other similar laws could impact the Company’s business activities depending on how they are interpreted.

The Company’s business operations will be adversely affected if its security measures, or those maintained on its behalf, are compromised, limited or fails.

In the ordinary course of its business, the Company handles and processes proprietary, confidential and sensitive information, including personal data, intellectual property, trade secrets, and proprietary business information owned or controlled by us or other third parties, or collectively. The Company may use and share such sensitive information with service providers and other third parties. If the Company, its service providers, partners, or other relevant third parties have experienced, or in the future experience, any security incident or incidents that result in any data loss; deletion or destruction; unauthorized access to; loss, unauthorized acquisition, disclosure, or exposure of, confidential and sensitive information, it may adversely affect SeaStar Medical’s business, results of operations and financial condition, including the diversion of funds to address the breach, and interruptions, delays, or outages in its operations and development programs.

Cyberattacks, malicious internet-based activity and online and offline fraud are prevalent and continue to increase, including the possibility that the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine could result in cyberattacks or cybersecurity incidents that may have a direct or indirect impact on our operations. In addition to threats from traditional computer “hackers,” threat actors, software bugs, malicious code (such as viruses and worms), employee theft or misuse, denial-of-service attacks (such as credential stuffing) and ransomware attacks, sophisticated nation-state and nation-state supported actors now engage in attacks (including advanced persistent threat intrusions). The Company may also be the subject of phishing attacks, viruses, malware installation, server malfunction, software or hardware failures, loss of data or other computer assets, or other similar issues any of which could have a material and adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

Should the Company’s products be approved for commercialization, a lack of third-party coverage and reimbursement for the Company’s devices could delay or limit their adoption.

In both the United States and international markets, the use and success of medical devices is dependent in part on the availability of reimbursement from third-party payors, such as government and private insurance plans. Healthcare providers that use medical devices generally rely on third-party payors to pay for all or part of the costs and fees associated with the medical procedures being performed or to compensate them for their patient care services. Should the Company’s products under development be approved for commercialization by the FDA, reimbursement may not be available in the United States or other countries or, even if approved, the amount of reimbursement may not be sufficient to allow sales of the Company’s future products, including the SCD, on a profitable basis. The coverage decisions of third-party payors will be significantly influenced by the assessment of the Company’s future products by health technology assessment bodies. These assessments are outside the Company’s control, and any such evaluations may not be conducted or have a favorable outcome.

If approved for use in the United States, the Company expects that any products that it develops, including the SCD, will be purchased primarily by medical institutions through their operations budget. Payors may include the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”), which administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer Medicaid, other government programs and private insurance plans. The process involved in applying for coverage and incremental reimbursement from CMS is lengthy and expensive. Further, Medicare coverage is based on the Company’s ability to demonstrate that the treatment is “reasonable and necessary” for Medicare beneficiaries. Even if products utilizing the Company’s SCD technology receive FDA and other regulatory clearance or approval, they may not be granted coverage and reimbursement by any payor, including by CMS. For some governmental programs, such as Medicaid, coverage and adequate reimbursement differ from state to state and some state Medicaid programs may not pay adequate amounts for the procedure products utilizing the Company’s technology system, or any payment at all. Moreover, many private payors use coverage decisions and payment amounts determined by CMS as guidelines in setting their coverage and reimbursement policies and amounts. However, no uniform policy for coverage and reimbursement of medical devices exists among third-party payors in the United States. Therefore, coverage and reimbursement can differ significantly from payor to payor. If CMS or other agencies limit coverage or decrease or limit reimbursement payments for doctors and hospitals, this may affect coverage and reimbursement determinations by many private payors for any future SeaStar Medical products.

Should any of its future products, including the SCD, be approved for commercialization, adverse changes in reimbursement policies and procedures by payors may impact the Company’s ability to market and sell its products.

Healthcare costs have risen significantly over the past decade, and there have been and continue to be proposals by legislators, regulators and third-party payors to decrease costs. Third-party payors are increasingly challenging the prices charged for medical products and services and instituting cost containment measures to control or significantly influence the purchase of medical products and services.

For example, in the United States, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (collectively, the “ACA”), among other things, reduced and/or limited Medicare reimbursement to certain providers. However, on December 14, 2018, a Texas United States District Court Judge ruled that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional in its entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress as part of legislation enacted in 2017, informally titled the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Additionally, on June 17, 2021, the United States Supreme Court dismissed a challenge on procedural grounds that argued the ACA is unconstitutional in its entirety because the “individual mandate” was repealed by Congress. Thus, the ACA remains in effect without the “individual mandate.”

Further, prior to the United States Supreme Court ruling, on January 28, 2021, President Biden issued an executive order that initiated a special enrollment period for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage through the ACA marketplace, which began on February 15, 2021 and remained open through August 15, 2021. The executive order also instructed certain governmental agencies to review and reconsider their existing policies and rules that limit access to healthcare, including among others, reexamining Medicaid demonstration projects and waiver programs that include work requirements, and policies that create unnecessary barriers to obtaining access to health insurance coverage through Medicaid or the ACA. It is possible that the ACA will be subject to judicial or Congressional challenges in the future. It is unclear how any such challenges and litigation, and the healthcare reform measures of the Biden administration will impact the ACA and the Company’s business. The Budget Control Act of 2011, as amended by subsequent legislation, further reduces Medicare’s payments to providers by 2% through fiscal year 2031. However, COVID-19 relief legislation suspended the 2% Medicare sequester from May 1, 2020 through March 31, 2022. Under current legislation, the actual reduction in Medicare payments will vary from 1% in 2022 to up to 3% in the final fiscal year of this sequester. These reductions may reduce providers’ revenues or profits, which could affect their ability to purchase new technologies.

Furthermore, the healthcare industry in the United States has experienced a trend toward cost containment as government and private insurers seek to control healthcare costs by imposing lower payment rates and negotiating reduced contract rates with service providers. In addition, Congress is considering additional health reform measures. Legislation could be adopted in the future that limits payments for the Company’s products from governmental payors. It is also possible that additional governmental action is taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, commercial payors such as insurance companies, could adopt similar policies that limit reimbursement for medical device manufacturers’ products. Therefore, it is possible that SeaStar Medical’s products or the procedures or patient care performed using its products will not be reimbursed at a cost-effective level.

The Company faces similar risks relating to adverse changes in reimbursement procedures and policies in other countries where it may market its products. Reimbursement and healthcare payment systems vary significantly among international markets. The Company’s inability to obtain international reimbursement approval, or any adverse changes in the reimbursement policies of foreign payors, could negatively affect its ability to sell its products in foreign markets and have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company depends on key personnel and its inability to attract and retain qualified personnel could impede its ability to achieve its business objectives.

The Company’s success depends on the continuing service of key employees, especially its Chief Executive Officer, Eric Schlorff. The loss of any of these individuals could have a material and adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. The Company will also be required to hire and recruit highly skilled managerial, scientific, and administrative personnel to fully implement its business plan and growth

strategies. Due to the specialized scientific nature of its business, the Company is highly dependent upon its ability to attract and retain qualified scientific, technical and managerial personnel. Competition for these individuals is intense and the Company may not be able to attract, assimilate or retain additional highly qualified personnel in the future. The Company may not be able to engage the services of qualified personnel at competitive prices or at all, particularly given the risks of employment attributable to its limited financial resources and lack of an established track record. Also, if the Company is required to attract personnel from other parts of the United States or abroad, it may have significant difficulty doing so because of the costs associated with moving personnel to the area. If the Company cannot attract and retain qualified staff and executives, it may be unable to develop its products and achieve regulatory clearance, and its business could fail.

The FDA and similar foreign governmental authorities have the authority to require the recall of commercialized products in the event of material deficiencies or defects in their design or manufacture. For the FDA, the authority to require a recall must be based on a finding that there is reasonable probability that the device would cause serious injury or death. Manufacturers may, under their own initiative, recall a product if any material deficiency in a device is found. The FDA requires that certain classifications of recalls be reported to the FDA within ten working days after the recall is initiated. A government-mandated or voluntary recall could occur as a result of an unacceptable risk to health, component failures, malfunctions, manufacturing errors, design or labeling defects or other deficiencies and issues. Recalls of any of the Company’s products would divert managerial and financial resources and have an adverse effect on the Company’s reputation, business, results of operations and financial condition, which could impair its ability to produce its products in a cost-effective and timely manner in order to meet its customers’ demands.

The Company may also be subject to liability claims, be required to bear other costs, or take other actions that may have a negative impact on its future sales and its ability to generate profits. Companies are required to maintain certain records of recalls, even if they are not reportable to the FDA or the competent authority of another country. The Company may initiate voluntary recalls involving its products in the future that it determines do not require notification of the FDA or the competent authority of another country. If the FDA disagrees with the Company’s determinations, they could require the Company to report those actions as recalls. A future recall announcement could harm the Company’s reputation with customers and negatively affect its sales. Moreover, the FDA could take enforcement action for failing to report recalls. The Company is also required to follow detailed recordkeeping requirements for all firm-initiated medical device corrections and removals.

Worldwide pandemics have presented substantial public health and economic challenges and has affected the Company’s employees, patients, communities, and business operations, as well as the United States and global economy and financial markets.

A future pandemic may directly or indirectly impact the timeline for the launch of its SCD product candidate. The Company may experience disruptions that could severely impact its business, clinical trials, and manufacturing and supply chains, including:

In addition, the spread of a future pandemic may negatively impact the Company’s ability to raise additional capital on a timely basis or at all.

The extent to which ~~COVID-19 impacts our search for~~ a future pandemic may impact the Company’s business, ~~combination~~including its clinical trials, manufacturing and supply chains and financial condition will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted including new information that 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 matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with ~~which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.~~

Our public stockholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public stockholders do not support such a combination.

We may choose not to hold a stockholder vote to approve our initial business combination unless the initial business combination would require stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirements or if we decide to hold a stockholder vote for business or other legal reasons. Except as required by law, the decision as to whether we will seek stockholder approval of a proposed initial business combination or will allow stockholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors,confidence, such as the ~~timing~~continued geographic spread of the ~~transaction and whether~~disease, the ~~terms~~duration of the ~~transaction would otherwise require us~~pandemic, travel restrictions and social distancing in the United States and other countries, continued business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the United States and other countries to ~~seek stockholder approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if holders of a majority of our public shares do not approve~~contain and treat the disease.

A small number of the ~~initial business combination we complete. Please see~~Company’s stockholders, including its major stockholders, the ~~section~~Dow Pension Funds, could significantly influence its business.

The Company has a few significant stockholders who own a substantial percentage of ~~this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Proposed Business—Stockholders May Not Have the Ability to Approve Our Initial Business Combination” for additional information.~~

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial stockholders have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public stockholders vote.

Pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote their founder shares, as well as any public shares purchased during or after our initial public offering (including in open market and privately negotiated transactions), in favor of our initial business combination. As a result, in addition to our initial stockholders’ founder shares, we would need only 3,946,041, or approximately 30.3%, ~~(assuming all outstanding shares are voted) or 685,804, or approximately 5.3% (assuming only the minimum number of shares representing a quorum are voted),~~ ~~of the 10,350,000 public shares sold in our offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination. Our initial stockholders will own shares representing 20% of our~~its outstanding shares of ~~common stock immediately following the completion of our offering (or 19.8%~~Common Stock, including the shares of Class A common stock issuable to the underwriters upon the closing of our offering). Accordingly, if we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial stockholders to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite stockholder approval for such initial business combination.

~~If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors,~~Dow Employees’ Pension Plan Trust and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares from public stockholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed initial business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A common stock.

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors,Union Carbide Employees’ Pension Plan Trust. These few significant shareholders, either individually or ~~their affiliates~~

may purchase shares or public warrants or a combination thereof in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. However, they have no current commitments, plans, or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions.

Such a purchase may include a contractual acknowledgement that such stockholder, although still the record holder of our shares is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights. In the event that our sponsor, directors, officers, advisors, or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public stockholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling stockholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of such purchases could be to vote such shares in favor of the initial business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining stockholder approval of the initial business combination, or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. Any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.

In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A common stock or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing, or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.

~~Our initial stockholders may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.~~

As of March 22, 2022, our initial stockholders owned shares representing approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a stockholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our certificate of incorporation and approval of major corporate transactions. If our initial stockholders purchase any additional shares of common stock in the market or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our initial stockholders, is and will be divided into two classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of two years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the initial business combination. 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 initial stockholders, 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 completion of our initial business combination.

Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination will be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash, unless we seek stockholder approval of the initial business combination.

At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete an initial business combination without seeking stockholder approval, public stockholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the initial business combination, unless we seek such stockholder vote. Accordingly, if we do not seek stockholder approval, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public stockholders in which we describe our initial business combination.

The ability of our public stockholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into an initial business combination with a target.

We may seek to enter into an initial business combination agreement with a prospective target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. If too many public stockholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the initial business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of the underwriters’ fees and commissions (so that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of the underwriters’ fees and commissions or such greater amount necessary to satisfy a closing condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into an initial business combination with us.

The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.

At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares are submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third party financing. Raising additional third party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure. The amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriters will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per-share amount we will distribute to stockholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the per-share value of shares held by non-redeeming stockholders will reflect our obligation to pay the deferred underwriting commissions.

The ability of our public stockholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your stock.

If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your stock in the open market; however, at such time our stock may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with our redemption until we liquidate or you are able to sell your stock in the open market.

If a stockholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.

We will comply with the tender offer rules or proxy rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a stockholder fails to receive our tender offer or proxy materials, as applicable, such stockholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or redeem public shares. For example, we may require our public stockholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to either tender their certificates to our transfer agent prior to the date set forth in the tender offer documents mailed to such holders, or up to two business days prior to the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination in the event we distribute proxy materials, or to deliver their shares to the transfer agent electronically. In the event that a stockholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures, its shares may not be redeemed. See the section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Proposed Business—Business Strategy—Tendering Stock Certificates in Connection with a Tender Offer or Redemption Rights.”

You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. To liquidate your investment, therefore, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.

Our public stockholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earliest to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those shares of Class A common stock that such stockholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination); and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of the initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination), subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In no other circumstances will a public stockholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of stockholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock.

If we seek stockholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our certificate of incorporation provides that a public stockholder,acting together, with any affiliate of such stockholder or any other person with whom such stockholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in the initial public offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our stockholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your stock in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.

~~If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share.~~

Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third-party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (other than certain of our service providers, including, for example, our independent registered public accounting firm), prospective target businesses, and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public stockholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will perform an analysis of the alternatives available to it and will only enter into an agreement with a third party that has not executed a waiver if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be significantly more beneficial to us than any alternative.

Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may be brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public stockholders could be less than the $10.20 per share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such

creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of: (i) $10.20 per public share; and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.20 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. 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 cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.

~~Our stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.~~

Under the DGCL, stockholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination) may be considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law. If a corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Section 280 of the DGCL intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, including a 60-day notice period during which any third-party claims can be brought against the corporation, a 90-day period during which the corporation may reject any claims brought, and an additional 150-day waiting period before any liquidating distributions are made to stockholders, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the 18^th ~~month from the closing of our initial public offering in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with the foregoing procedures.~~

Because we will not be complying with Section 280, Section 281(b) of the DGCL requires us to adopt a plan, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us within the 10 years following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. If our plan of distribution complies with Section 281(b) of the DGCL, any liability of stockholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such stockholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the stockholder, and any liability of the stockholder would likely be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. 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 beyond the third anniversary of such date. Furthermore, if the pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public stockholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination) is not considered a liquidating distribution under Delaware law and such redemption distribution is deemed to be unlawful, then pursuant to Section 174 of the DGCL, the statute of limitations for claims of creditors could then be six years after the unlawful redemption distribution, instead of three years, as in the case of a liquidating distribution.

We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete an initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our stockholders do not agree.

Our certificate of incorporation does not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 immediately prior to or upon consummation of our initial business combination and after payment of the underwriters’ fees and commissions (such that we are not subject to the SEC’s “penny stock” rules) or any greater net tangible asset or cash requirement which may be contained in the agreement relating to our initial business combination. As a result, we may be able to ~~complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority~~exercise significant influence over matters requiring shareholder approval, including the election of ~~our public stockholders do not agree with the transaction~~directors and ~~have redeemed their shares or, if we seek stockholder~~ approval of ~~our initial business combination and do not conduct~~

redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisorssignificant corporate transactions, such as a merger or their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the initial business combination or redeem any shares, all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.

~~RISKS RELATED TO PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING A TARGET AND CONSUMMATING AN INITIAL BUSINESS COMBINATION~~

Due to our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on our redemption of our public shares, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.

~~We expect to encounter intense competition from~~ other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess greater technical, human and other resources or more industry knowledge than we do, and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable 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, because we are obligated to pay cash for the shares of Class A common stock which our public stockholders redeem in connection with our initial business combination, target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. This may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share upon our liquidation. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share.”

~~If the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the~~ sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 18 months (or 21 months), we may be unable to complete our initial business combination, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.20 per share,Company or ~~less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.~~

~~The funds available to us outside~~its assets. This concentration of the trust account may not be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 18 months (or 21 months), assuming that our initial business combination is not completed during that time. We believe that the funds available to us outside of the trust account will be sufficient to allow us to operate for at least the next 18 months (or 21 months); however, we cannot assure you that our estimate is accurate. Of the funds available to us, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed initial business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share upon our liquidation. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share” and other risk factors below.

If the net proceeds of our initial offering and the sale of the private placement warrants not being held in the trust account are insufficient, it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to

fund our search for an initial business combination, to pay our franchise and income taxes and to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination.

Of the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, only approximately $750,000 is initially available to us outside the trust account to fund our working capital requirements. If we are required to seek additional capital, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team, or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. None of our sponsor, members of our management team, nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such working capital loans may be convertible into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 1,500,000 warrants if $1,500,000 of notes were so converted), at the option of the lender. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor, as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we are unable to obtain these loans, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public stockholders may only receive approximately $10.20 per share on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share” and other risk factors below.

The securities in which we invest the proceeds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the interest income available for payment of taxes or reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.20 per share.

The net proceeds of our initial public offering and certain proceeds from the sale of the private placement warrants, in the amount of $105,570,000, are being held in an interest-bearing trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in U.S. Treasury obligations having a maturity of 180 days or less or in certain money market funds which invest only in direct U.S. Treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. 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 of very low or negative yields, the amount of interest of income (which we are permitted to use to pay our taxes and up to $100,000 of dissolution expenses) would be reduced. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income. If the balance of the trust account is reduced below $91,800,000 as a result of negative interest rates, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.20 per share.

Subsequent to the completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and 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.

Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will surface all material issues that may be present inside a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, 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 if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. 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 securities. 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 debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are successfully able to claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they

are successfully able to bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the initial business combination constituted an actionable material misstatement or omission.

Since we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.

While we intend to seek to complete an initial business combination with an attractive company or business within the financial services industry, including potentially the FinTech sector, we are not obligated to do so and may also pursue business combination opportunities in other industries, except that we will not, under our certificate of incorporation, be permitted to effectuate our initial business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Since we have not yet selected or approached any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition, or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development-stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.

~~We may seek business combination opportunities in industries outside of our management’s area of expertise.~~

Although we intend to focus on identifying an operating company or business within the financial services industry, including possibly the FinTech sector, we will consider an initial business combination outside of our management’s area of expertise if an initial business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company or we are unable to identify a suitable candidate in this sector after having expanded 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 securities will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to our stockholders than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in an initial business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation. As a result, our management may not be able to adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.

Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of stockholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if stockholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain stockholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain stockholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our

trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share” and related risk factors.

We may seek business combination opportunities with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenue, cash flow, or earnings, which could subject us to volatile revenues, cash flows, or earnings, and/or difficulty in retaining key personnel.

To the extent we complete our initial business combination with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of revenues or earnings, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the operations of the business with which we combine. These risks include volatile revenues or earnings and difficulties in obtaining and retaining key personnel. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we may not be able to properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors and we may not have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business.

We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from an independent accounting firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our company from a financial point of view.

Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses, we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA or from an independent accounting firm that the price we are paying is fair to our company from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our stockholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination.

Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.

We anticipate 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, consultants and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial 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. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share” and related risk factors.

Our ability to successfully effect our initial 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 our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, particularly Bruce Rodgers. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we employ after our initial 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 company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements. In addition, the officers and directors of an initial business combination candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The departure of an initial business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

The role of an initial business combination candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an initial business combination candidate’s management team will remain associated with the initial business combination candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an initial business combination candidate will not wish to remain in place. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.

~~The grant of registration rights to our initial stockholders~~ownership may make it more difficult for other shareholders to ~~complete our initial business combination,~~effect substantial changes in the Company, may have the effect of delaying, preventing or expediting, as the case may be, a change in control of the Company and ~~the future exercise of such rights~~ may adversely affect the market price of the Common Stock. Further, the possibility that one or more of these significant shareholders may sell all or a large portion of their Common Stock in a short period of time could adversely affect the trading price of our ~~Class A common stock.~~Common Stock.

~~Pursuant~~The Company’s forecasted operating and financial results rely in large part upon assumptions and analyses developed by the Company. If these assumptions and analyses prove to be incorrect, the Company’s actual operating and financial results may be significantly below its forecasts.

The Company has previously provided projected financial and operating information that reflected its estimates of future performance. Whether actual operating and financial results and business developments will be consistent

with the Company’s expectations and assumptions as reflected in its forecast depends on a number of factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, including, but not limited to:

Unfavorable changes in any of these or other factors, most of which are beyond the Company’s control, could materially and adversely affect its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The Company’s estimates of market opportunity, industry projections and forecasts of market growth may prove to be inaccurate.

The market opportunity estimates and growth forecasts included in this Annual Report, including information concerning the Company’s industry and the markets in which the Company intends to operate, are obtained from publicly available information released by independent industry and research organizations and other third party sources. Although the Company is responsible for the disclosure provided in this Annual Report and believes such third-party information is reliable, the Company has not independently verified any such third-party information. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of the future performance of the industry in which the Company operates are subject to uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors. As a result, inaccuracies in third-party information, or in the projections, may adversely impact the assumptions that are relied upon for the Company’s internal business planning and in the analysis of investors.

The Company relies upon exclusively licensed patent rights from third parties which are subject to termination or expiration. If licensors terminate the licenses or fail to maintain or enforce the underlying patents, the Company’s competitive position could be materially harmed.

The Company relies in part upon exclusively licensed patent rights for the development of its SCD technology. For example, the Company co-owns with, and exclusively licenses from, the University of Michigan patents related to the SCD technology. If UOM were to terminate its license with the Company, it would no longer have exclusive rights to the co-owned patents and UOM would be free to license UOM’s interest in the co-owned patents to a competitor of the Company.

The Company may become reliant in the future upon licenses to certain third-party patent rights and proprietary technologies necessary to develop and commercialize its SCD technology or other technologies. If the Company is unable to timely obtain these licenses on commercially reasonable terms, if at all, its ability to commercially exploit such products may be inhibited or prevented. If these licenses do not provide exclusive rights to use the subject intellectual property in all relevant fields of use and all territories in which the Company chooses to develop or commercialize its technology and products, it may not be able to prevent competitors from developing and commercializing competitive products in such territories. Even if the Company is able to obtain necessary licenses, it may be required to pay significant licensing fees in order to market its products.

Should any of the Company’s current or future licenses be prematurely terminated for any reason, or if the patents and intellectual property owned by its licensors are challenged or defeated by third parties, the Company’s research and commercialization efforts could be materially and adversely affected. The Company’s licenses may not continue in force for as long as is required to fully develop and market its products. It is possible that if the licenses are terminated or the underlying patents and intellectual property are challenged or defeated, suitable replacements may not be obtained or developed on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. There is also the related risk that the Company may not be able to make the required payments under any patent license, in which case the licensor may terminate the license.

Further, the Company’s licensors may not successfully prosecute the patent applications which it has licensed and on which the Company’s business depends or may prosecute them in a manner not in the best interests of the Company. Further, licensors may fail to maintain licensed patents, may decide not to pursue litigation against third-party infringers, may fail to prove infringement or may fail to defend against counterclaims of patent invalidity or unenforceability.

In addition, despite of the Company’s best efforts, a licensor could claim that the Company has materially breached a license agreement and terminate the license, thereby removing the Company’s ability to obtain regulatory approval for and to market any product covered by such license. If the Company’s licenses are terminated, or if the underlying patents fail to provide the intended market exclusivity, competitors would have the freedom to seek regulatory approval of, and to market, identical products.

Disputes may arise regarding intellectual property subject to a licensing agreement, including:

If disputes over intellectual property that the Company has licensed prevent or impair its ability to maintain its current licensing arrangements on acceptable terms, it may be unable to successfully develop and commercialize the affected product candidates.

If the Company is unable to obtain and maintain sufficient patent protection for its products, if the scope of the patent protection is not sufficiently broad, or if the combination of patents, trade secrets and contractual provisions upon which it relies to protect its intellectual property are inadequate, its competitors could develop and commercialize similar or identical products, and the Company’s ability to commercialize such products successfully may be adversely affected.

The Company’s success depends in large part on its ability to protect its proprietary rights to the technologies incorporated into its products, including its ability to obtain and maintain patent protection in the United States and other countries related to its SCD technology and other technologies that it deems important to its business. The Company relies on a combination of patent protection, trade secret laws and nondisclosure, confidentiality, and other contractual restrictions to protect its proprietary technology. If the Company does not adequately protect its intellectual property, competitors may be able to erode or negate any competitive advantage it may have, which could harm its business, result of operations and financial condition. To protect the Company’s proprietary technologies, it has pursued patent protection in the United States and abroad related to its SCD technology and other technologies that are important to its business. The patent application and approval process are expensive and

time-consuming. The Company may not be able to file and prosecute all necessary or desirable patent applications at a reasonable cost or in a timely manner. Failure to protect, obtain, maintain, or extend adequate patent and other intellectual property rights could materially adversely affect the Company’s ability to develop and market its products. The enforcement, defense and maintenance of such patents and other intellectual property rights may be challenging and costly.

The Company cannot be certain that any patents that it has been issued or granted will not later be found to be invalid and/or unenforceable. The Company cannot be certain that pending patent applications will be issued in a form that provides it with adequate protection to prevent competitors from developing competing products. As a medical device technology company, the Company’s patent position is uncertain because it involves complex legal and factual considerations. The standards applied by United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), and foreign patent offices in granting patents are not always applied uniformly or predictably. For example, there is no uniform worldwide policy regarding patentable subject matter or the scope of claims allowable as methods of medical treatment. Consequently, patents may not be issued from any applications that are currently pending or that are filed in the future. As such, the Company does not know the degree of future protection that it will have for its technology. As a result, the issuance, scope, validity, enforceability, and commercial value of the Company’s patent rights are highly uncertain.

Only issued patents can be enforced against third parties practicing the technology claimed in such patents. Pending patent applications cannot be enforced unless and until patents get issued from such applications. Assuming the other requirements for patentability are met, currently, patents are granted to the party who was the first to file a patent application. However, prior to March 16, 2013, in the United States, patents were granted to the party who was the first to invent the claimed subject matter. Publications of discoveries in the scientific literature often lag behind the actual discoveries, and patent applications in the United States and other jurisdictions are typically not published until 18 months after filing, or in some cases not at all. Therefore, the Company cannot be certain that it was the first to make the inventions claimed in its patents or pending patent applications, or that it was the first to file for patent protection of such inventions.

Moreover, because the issuance of a patent is not conclusive as to its inventorship, scope, validity or enforceability, the Company patents or pending patent applications may be challenged in the courts or by the USPTO or by foreign patent offices. For example, the Company may be subject to a third-party pre-issuance submission of prior art to the USPTO, or become involved in post-grant review procedures such as oppositions, derivations, reexaminations, inter parties review or interference proceedings, in the United States or elsewhere, challenging its patent rights or the patent rights of third parties. An adverse determination in any such challenges may result in the loss of exclusivity or in patent claims being narrowed, invalidated, or held unenforceable, in whole or in part, which could limit the Company’s ability to stop others from using or commercializing similar products, or limit the duration of the Company’s patent protection. In addition, given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of medical devices, the Company’s patents might expire before or shortly after such products receive FDA approval and are commercialized, or before it receives approval to market its products in a foreign country.

Patent applications may not result in patents being issued which protect any current and future product candidates, in whole or in part, or which effectively prevent others from commercializing competitive products. Changes in either the patent laws or interpretation of the patent laws in the United States and other countries may diminish the value of the Company’s patents or narrow the scope of its patent protection. In addition, the laws of foreign countries may not protect the Company’s rights to the same extent or in the same manner as the laws of the United States. For example, European patent law restricts the patentability of methods of treatment of the human body more than United States patent law.

Although the Company believes that certain of its patents and applications, if they are granted, will help protect the proprietary nature of its SCD technology, this protection may not be sufficient to protect the Company during the development of that technology. Even if the Company’s patent applications are issued as patents, they may not be issued in a form that will provide it with any meaningful protection, prevent competitors from competing with it or otherwise provide it with any competitive advantage. The Company’s competitors may be able to circumvent its patents by developing similar or alternative technologies or products in a non-infringing manner. The Company’s competitors may also seek approval to market their own products similar to or otherwise competitive with any of the

Company’s products. Thus, even if the Company has valid and enforceable patents, these patents still may not provide protection against competing products or technologies sufficient to achieve its business objectives.

If the Company does not obtain protection under the Hatch-Waxman Act and similar non-United States legislation for extending the term of patents covering its products, its business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially harmed.

Patents have a limited duration. In the United States, if all maintenance fees are timely paid, the natural expiration of a patent is generally 20 years from its earliest United States non-provisional filing date. Various extensions may be available, but the life of a patent, and the protection it affords, is limited. Even if patents related to the Company’s products, or their uses are obtained, once the patent life has expired, the Company may be open to competition from competitive products. Given the amount of time required for the development, testing and regulatory review of new product candidates, patents protecting the Company’s products might expire before or shortly after such products received FDA approval and are commercialized. As a result, the Company’s patent portfolio may not provide the company with sufficient rights to exclude others from commercializing similar or identical products.

Depending upon the timing, duration and requirements of FDA marketing approval of the Company’s product candidates, its United States patents, if issued, may be eligible for a limited patent term extension under the Hatch-Waxman Act, or under similar legislation in other countries. However, the Company’s patent and patent applications are only eligible for a patent term extension under the Hatch Waxman Act if they relate to a medical device classified by the FDA as a Class III device. Therefore, if the Company’s product candidates are not classified as Class III devices, it will not be able to apply for an extension of term for any patents covering such approved products. If eligible, the Hatch-Waxman Act permits a patent term extension of up to five years for a patent covering an approved product as compensation for effective patent term lost during product development and the FDA regulatory review process. The patent term extension cannot extend the remaining term of a patent beyond 14 years from the date of product candidate approval, and only one patent related to an ~~agreement~~approved product candidate may be extended. However, the Company may not receive an extension if it fails to apply within applicable deadlines, fails to apply prior to expiration of relevant patents or otherwise fails to satisfy applicable requirements. Moreover, the length of the extension could be less than requested.

Accordingly, if the Company is unable to obtain a patent term extension or the term of any such extension is less than requested, the period during which the Company can enforce its patent rights for that product will be shortened and competitors may obtain approval to market competing products sooner than expected. As a result, the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely and materially affected.

The Company could become involved in intellectual property litigation that could be costly, result in the diversion of management’s time and efforts, require the Company to pay damages, prevent it from selling its commercially available products and/or reduce the margins it may realize from its products.

The Company’s commercial success depends, in part, on its ability to develop and market its SCD technology, as well as any future technologies that it develops, without infringing the intellectual property and other proprietary rights of third parties.

The medical device industry is characterized by extensive litigation and administrative proceedings over patent and other intellectual property rights. Whether a product infringes a patent involves complex legal and factual issues, and the determination is often uncertain. There may be existing patents of which the Company is unaware that its products under development may inadvertently infringe. The likelihood that patent infringement claims may be brought against the Company increases as the number of competitors increases, as it introduces new products and achieves more visibility in the marketplace.

Any infringement claim against the Company, even if without merit, may cause the Company to incur substantial costs, and would place a significant strain on its financial resources, divert the attention of management from its core business, and harm its reputation. In some cases, litigation may be threatened or brought by a patent holding company or other adverse patent owner who has no relevant product revenues and against whom the Company’s patents may provide little or no deterrence. If the Company is found to infringe any patents, the Company could be required to pay substantial damages, including triple damages if an infringement is found to be willful. The

Company also could be forced, including by court order, to cease developing, manufacturing, or commercializing infringing products. The Company also could be required to pay royalties and could be prevented from selling its products unless it obtains a license or is able to redesign its products to avoid infringement. The Company may not be able to obtain a license enabling it to sell its products on reasonable terms, or at all. If the Company fails to obtain any required licenses or makes any necessary changes to its technologies or the products, the Company may be unable to commercialize one or more of its products or may have to withdraw products from the market, either of which would have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations and financial condition.

In the event a competitor infringes upon any of the Company’s patents or other intellectual property rights, enforcing its rights may be difficult, time consuming and expensive, and would divert management’s attention from managing its business. The Company may not be successful on the merits in any enforcement effort. In addition, the Company may not have sufficient resources to litigate, enforce or defend its intellectual property rights.

Issued patents covering one or more of the Company’s products could be found invalid or unenforceable if challenged in patent office proceedings, or in court.

Competitors may infringe the Company’s patents, trademarks, or other intellectual property. To counter infringement or unauthorized use of its intellectual property, the Company may be required to initiate legal proceedings against a third party to enforce its intellectual property rights. If the Company were to file a claim against a third party to enforce a patent covering one of its products, the defendant could counterclaim that the Company’s patent rights are invalid and/or unenforceable (a common practice in the United States).

Grounds for a validity challenge could be an alleged failure to meet one or more statutory requirements for patentability, including, for example, lack of novelty, obviousness, lack of written description or non-enablement. In addition, patent validity challenges may, under certain circumstances, be based upon non-statutory obviousness-type double patenting, which, if successful, could result in a finding that the claims are invalid for obviousness-type double patenting or the loss of patent term, including a patent term adjustment granted by the USPTO, if a terminal disclaimer is filed to obviate a finding of obviousness-type double patenting. Grounds for an unenforceability assertion could be based on an allegation that someone connected with prosecution of the patent intentionally withheld relevant information from the USPTO or made a misleading statement, during prosecution.

In any patent infringement proceeding, there is a risk that a court will decide that a Company patent is invalid or unenforceable, in whole or in part. There is also a risk that, even if the validity of such patents is upheld, the court will construe the patent’s claims narrowly or decide that the Company does not have the right to stop the other party from using the invention at issue on the grounds that the Company’s patent claims do not cover the invention at issue. An adverse outcome in a litigation or proceeding involving the Company’s patents could limit its ability to assert its patents against those other parties and other competitors, which may curtail or preclude its ability to exclude third parties from selling similar products. Any of these occurrences could adversely and materially affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

Even if the Company establishes infringement, the court may decide not to grant an injunction against further infringing activity and instead award only monetary damages, which may or may not be an adequate remedy. Furthermore, because of the substantial amount of discovery required in connection with intellectual property litigation, there is a risk that some of the Company’s confidential information could be compromised by disclosure during litigation.

Additionally, third parties are able to challenge the validity of issued patents through administrative proceedings in the patent offices of certain countries, including the USPTO and the European Patent Office.

Although the Company believes that it has conducted its patent prosecution in accordance with the duty of candor and in good faith, the outcome following legal assertions of invalidity and unenforceability during patent litigation is unpredictable. With respect to the validity question, for example, the Company cannot be certain that there is no invalidating prior art, of which it and the patent examiner were unaware during prosecution. If a defendant were to prevail on a legal assertion of invalidity and/or unenforceability, the Company would lose some or all of the patent protection for one or more of its products. Such a loss of patent protection could have a material adverse impact on

its business, results of operations and financial condition. Further, intellectual property litigation could lead to unfavorable publicity that could harm the Company’s reputation.

Other parties may challenge certain of the Company’s foreign patent applications. If any such parties are successful in opposing its foreign patent applications, the Company may not gain the protection afforded by those patent applications in particular jurisdictions and may face additional proceedings with respect to similar patents in other jurisdictions, as well as related patents. The loss of patent protection in one jurisdiction may influence the Company’s ability to maintain patent protection for the same technology in other jurisdictions.

Further, disputes may arise regarding the ownership or inventorship of the Company’s patents. While the Company has entered into ~~concurrently~~assignment of intellectual property agreements with its employees, consultants, and collaborators and believes that it owns its patents and applications, the assignment and other ownership agreements that it relies on could be challenged. If a court or administrative body determined that the Company’s does not own certain of its patents or patent applications, or that inventorship of certain of its patents its incorrect, the Company’s title to its patents could be invalidated and its ability to develop and commercialize its technology could be materially harmed.

If the Company is unable to protect the confidentiality of its trade secrets, the value of its technology could be adversely and materially affected, and its business could be harmed.

The Company has also entered into non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements with all of its employees, advisors, consultants, contract manufacturers, clinical investigators and other third parties involved in the development and commercialization of its technology in order to protect its intellectual property and other proprietary technologies some of which may not be amenable to patent protection. However, these agreements may not be enforceable or may not provide meaningful protection for the Company’s trade secrets or other proprietary information in the event of unauthorized use or disclosure or other breaches of the agreements. For example, trade secrets and confidential know-how can be difficult to maintain as confidential. Although the Company uses reasonable efforts to protect its trade secrets, any party with whom it has executed a confidentiality agreement could breach that agreement and disclose the Company’s confidential information.

Enforcing a claim that a party illegally disclosed or misappropriated a trade secret is difficult, expensive, and time consuming, and the outcome is unpredictable. Accordingly, the Company may not be able to obtain adequate remedies for such breaches, despite any legal action it might take against persons making such unauthorized disclosure. In addition, courts outside the United States sometimes are less willing than in the United States to protect trade secrets.

If any of the Company’s trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor, it would have no right to prevent such third party, or those to whom the third party communicates such technology or information, from using that technology or information to compete with the ~~issuance~~Company. If any of its trade secrets were to be disclosed to or independently developed by a competitor, its business, results of operations and ~~sale~~financial condition.

Those with whom the Company collaborates on research and development related to current and future technologies and products may have rights to publish data and other information to which the Company has rights. In addition, the Company sometimes engages individuals or entities to conduct research relevant to its business. The ability of these individuals or entities to publish or otherwise publicly disclose data and other information generated during the course of their research is subject to certain contractual limitations. But these contractual provisions may be insufficient or inadequate to protect the Company’s confidential information. If the Company does not apply for patent protection prior to such publication, or if it cannot otherwise maintain the confidentiality of its proprietary technology and other confidential information, then its ability to obtain patent protection or to protect its trade secret information may be jeopardized.

New technology may lead to the Company’s competitors developing superior products which would reduce demand for its products regardless of any patent protection it may have.

Research into technologies similar to the Company’s technologies is proceeding at a rapid pace, and companies and research institutions are actively engaged in the development of products similar to the Company’s products. These new technologies may, if successfully developed, offer significant performance or price advantages when compared with the Company’s technologies. The Company’s existing patents or its pending and proposed patent applications may not offer meaningful protection if a competitor develops a novel product based on a new technology.

The United States government may exercise certain rights with regard to the Company’s inventions, or licensors’ inventions, developed using federal government funding.

The United States federal government retains certain rights in inventions produced with its financial assistance under the Patent and Trademark Law Amendments Act (as amended, the “Bayh-Dole Act”). Certain of the ~~securities~~Company’s exclusively owned patents and patent applications and those patents and applications that it co-owns with and exclusively licenses from the University of Michigan were developed using federal funding from the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Defense, and/or the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. Consequently, pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act, the U.S. government has certain rights in ~~our initial public offering, our initial stockholders~~patents and ~~their permitted transferees~~applications that cover SeaStar Medical’s SCD technology, in particular, to those patents and applications identified in the section of this Annual Report titled “Business – Intellectual Property” belonging to Patent Families 1-4.

The U.S. federal government has certain rights, including so-called “march-in rights,” to any patent rights that were funded in part by the U.S. government and any products or technology developed from such patent rights. When new technologies are developed with U.S. government funding, the U.S. government generally obtains certain rights in any resulting patents, including a non-exclusive license authorizing the U.S. government to use the invention for non-commercial purposes. These rights may permit the U.S. government to disclose the Company’s confidential information to third parties and to exercise march-in rights to use or to allow third parties to use the Company’s licensed patents, including certain patents relating to SCD product candidates. The U.S. government can ~~demand~~exercise its march-in rights if it determines that ~~we register~~action is necessary because the ~~private placement warrants~~Company fails to achieve the practical application of government-funded technology, because action is necessary to alleviate health or safety needs, to meet requirements of federal regulations, or to give preference to U.S. industry. In addition, the Company’s rights in such inventions may be subject to certain requirements to manufacture products embodying such inventions in the United States. Furthermore, the U.S. government may have the right to take title to government-funded inventions if the Company fails to disclose the inventions to the government in a timely manner or fails to file a patent application within specified time limits.

If the U.S. government exercises such march-in rights, the Company may not be able to develop or commercialize its product candidates effectively or profitably, or at all, which could harm the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, if any intellectual property owned or licensed by the Company becomes subject to any of the rights or remedies available to the U.S. government or third parties pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act, this could impair the value of the Company’s intellectual property and could adversely affect its business.

The Company also sometimes collaborates with academic institutions to accelerate its research or development. While the Company tries to avoid engaging its academic partners in projects in which there is a risk that federal funds may be co-mingled, it cannot be sure that any co-developed intellectual property will be free from government rights pursuant to the Bayh-Dole Act. If, in the future, the Company co-owns or licenses technology which is critical to its business that is developed in whole or in part with federal funds subject to the Bayh-Dole Act, its ability to enforce or otherwise exploit patents covering such technology may be adversely and materially affected.

Changes to the patent law in the United States and other jurisdictions could diminish the value of patents in general, thereby impairing the Company’s ability to protect its products.

As is the case with other medical device companies, the Company’s success is heavily dependent on intellectual property, particularly patents. Obtaining and enforcing patents in the medical device industry involves both technological and legal complexity and is therefore costly, time consuming and inherently uncertain. Patent reform

legislation in the United States and other countries, including the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act, or the Leahy-Smith Act, signed into law in September 2011, could increase those uncertainties and costs. The Leahy-Smith Act included a number of significant changes to United States patent law. These include provisions that affect the way patent applications are prosecuted, redefine prior art and provide more efficient and cost-effective avenues for competitors to challenge the validity of patents, such as through post grant and inter parties review proceedings at the USPTO. In addition, the Leahy-Smith Act transformed the United States patent system into a “first to file” system effective March 2013. The Leahy-Smith Act and its implementation could make it more difficult for the Company to obtain patent protection for its inventions and increases the uncertainties and costs surrounding the prosecution of the Company’s patent applications and the ~~shares~~enforcement or defense of ~~Class A common stock issuable upon conversion~~its issued patents, all of which could harm its business, results of operations and financial condition.

The United States Supreme Court has ruled on several patent cases, either narrowing the scope of patent protection available or weakening the rights of patent owners in certain circumstances. Additionally, there have been proposals for additional changes to the patent laws of the ~~founder shares~~United States and ~~exercise~~other countries that, if adopted, could impact the Company’s ability to enforce its proprietary technology. Depending on future actions by Congress, the United States courts, the USPTO and the relevant law-making bodies in other countries, the laws and regulations governing patents could change in ways that would weaken the Company’s ability to obtain new patents or to enforce its existing and future patents.

Intellectual property rights do not necessarily address all potential threats to the Company’s competitive advantage.

The degree of future protection afforded by the Company’s intellectual property rights is uncertain because intellectual property rights have limitations, and may not adequately protect its business, or permit it to maintain its competitive advantage. The following examples are illustrative:

Obtaining and maintaining the Company’s patent protection depends on compliance with various procedural, document submissions, fee payment and other requirements imposed by governmental patent agencies, and its patent protection could be reduced or eliminated for noncompliance with these requirements.

Periodic maintenance fees on any issued patent are owed to the USPTO and foreign patent agencies in several stages over the lifetime of the patent. The USPTO and various foreign governmental patent agencies also require compliance with a number of procedural, documentary, fee payment and other similar provisions during the patent application process. While an inadvertent lapse can in many cases be cured by payment of a late fee or by other means in accordance with the applicable rules, there are situations in which noncompliance can result in abandonment or the lapse of a patent or patent application, resulting in the partial or complete loss of patent rights in the relevant jurisdiction. Noncompliance events that could result in abandonment or lapse of a patent or patent application include, but are not limited to, failure to respond to official actions within prescribed time limits, non-payment of fees and failure to properly legalize and submit formal documents. If the Company or its licensors fail to maintain the patents and patent applications covering the Company’s products, its competitive position would be adversely affected.

The Company may obtain only limited geographical protection with respect to certain patent rights, which may diminish the value of its intellectual property rights in those jurisdictions and prevent it from enforcing its intellectual property rights throughout the world.

Filing, prosecuting, and defending patents on product candidates in all countries throughout the world would be prohibitively expensive. Accordingly, the Company has not and in the future may not file for patent protection in all national and regional jurisdictions where such protection may be available. In addition, it may decide to abandon national and regional patent applications before grant, or to not pay maintenance fees on granted patents in certain jurisdictions. Finally, the ~~existence~~grant proceeding of each national/regional patent office is an independent proceeding that may lead to situations in which applications in some jurisdictions are refused by the relevant patent offices, while other applications are granted. It is also quite common that depending on the country, the scope of patent protection may vary for the same product candidate or technology.

Competitors may use the Company’s technologies to develop their own products in jurisdictions where the Company has not obtained patent protection and, further, may export otherwise infringing products to territories where the Company has patent protection, but where patent enforcement is not as strong as that in the United States. These products may also compete with the Company’s products in jurisdictions where it does not have any issued or licensed patents or where the Company’s patent or other intellectual property rights are not effective or sufficient to prevent these products from competing with the Company.

Additionally, some countries do not afford intellectual property protection to the same extent as the laws of the ~~registration~~United States and Europe. Many companies have encountered significant problems in protecting and defending intellectual property rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the stockholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock that is expected when the securities owned by our initial stockholders or holders of working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.

We may issue additional common stock or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon the conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our stockholders and likely present other risks.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of up to 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. As of March 25, 2022, there were 89,546,500 and 17,412,500 authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, available for issuance, which amount takes into account the shares of Class A common stock reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants, including the private placement warrants, but not the issuance of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of Class B common stock. As of March 25, 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. Shares of Class B common stock are convertible into shares of our Class A common stock initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein, including in certain ~~circumstances in which we issue Class A common stock or equity-linked securities related to our initial business combination. Shares~~foreign jurisdictions. The legal systems of ~~Class B common stock are also convertible at the option of the holder at any time.~~

We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of common or preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination (although our certificate of incorporation provides that we may not issue securities that can vote with common stockholders on matters related to our pre-initial business combination activity). We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our certificate of incorporation. However, our certificate of incorporation provides, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares of capital stock that would entitle the holders thereof to: (i) receive funds from the trust account; or (ii) vote on any initial business combination. These provisions of our certificate of incorporation, like all provisions of our certificate of incorporation, may be amended with the approval of our stockholders. However, our executive officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our certificate of incorporation: (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if wesome countries do not ~~complete our initial business combination within 18 months from~~favor the ~~closing~~enforcement of ~~our initial offering (or 21 months from~~patents and other intellectual property rights. This could make it difficult for the ~~closing, if we extend~~Company to stop the ~~period~~infringement of ~~time~~its patents or the misappropriation of its other intellectual property rights in these countries. For example, many foreign countries have compulsory licensing laws under which a patent owner must grant licenses to ~~consummate~~third parties. In these countries, the patent owner may have limited remedies, which could materially diminish the value of such patent. If the Company or any of its licensors is forced to grant a ~~business combination); or (B)~~license to third parties with respect to any ~~other provision relating~~patents relevant to ~~stockholders’ rights or pre-initial~~its business, ~~combination activity, unless we provide our public stockholders with~~its competitive position may be impaired and its business, results of operations and financial condition may be adversely affected. Consequently, the ~~opportunity~~Company may not be able to ~~redeem their shares of common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable~~prevent third parties from practicing its inventions in ~~cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares.~~

~~If we effect our initial business combination with a company with operations or opportunities~~certain countries outside of the United States ~~we would~~and Europe. Competitors may use the Company’s technologies to develop their own products in jurisdictions where the Company has not obtained patent protection. Furthermore, they may export otherwise infringing products to jurisdictions where the Company

has patent protection, if the Company’s ability to enforce its patents to stop the infringing activities in those jurisdictions is inadequate.

Proceedings to enforce the Company’s patent rights in foreign jurisdictions, whether or not successful, could result in substantial costs and divert its efforts and resources from other aspects of its business. Furthermore, while the Company intends to protect its intellectual property rights in major markets for its products, it may not be ~~subject~~able to ~~a variety of additional risks that~~initiate or maintain similar efforts in all jurisdictions in which it wishes to market its products. Accordingly, the Company’s efforts to protect its intellectual property rights in such countries may ~~negatively impact our operations.~~be inadequate.

~~If we effect our initial business combination with~~Risks Related to Being a ~~company with operations or opportunities outside of the~~Public Company

The Company does not have long-term experience operating as a United States ~~we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:~~

We may not be able to adequately ~~address~~implement the governance, compliance, risk management and control infrastructure and culture required for a public company, including compliance with the Sarbanes Oxley Act.

The Company is building experience operating as a United States public company, of which, the Company’s executive officers have limited experience in managing a United States public company, which makes their ability to comply with applicable laws, rules, and regulations uncertain. The Company’s failure to comply with all laws, rules and regulations applicable to United States public companies could subject the Company and its management to regulatory scrutiny or sanction, which could harm its reputation and share price.

Prior to the completion of the Business Combination in October 2022, the Company has not previously been required to establish and maintain the disclosure controls and procedures, and internal controls over financial reporting applicable to a public company in the United States, including the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Although the Company is developing and implementing governance, compliance, risk management and control framework and culture required for a public company, the Company may not be able to meet the requisite standards expected by the SEC and/or its investors. The Company may also encounter errors, mistakes, and lapses in processes and controls resulting in failures to meet the requisite standards expected of a public company.

As a United States public reporting company, the Company incurs significant legal, accounting, insurance, compliance, and other expenses. The Company cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional costs it may incur or the timing of such costs. Compliance with reporting, internal control over financial reporting and corporate governance obligations may require members of its management and its finance and accounting staff to divert time and resources from other responsibilities to ensure these ~~additional risks.~~ new regulatory requirements are fulfilled.

If ~~we were~~it fails to adequately implement the required governance and control framework, the Company could be at greater risk of failing to comply with the rules or requirements associated with being a public company. Such failure could result in the loss of investor confidence, could harm the Company’s reputation, and cause the market price of the Company’s securities to decline. Other challenges in complying with these regulatory requirements may arise because the Company may not be able to complete its evaluation of compliance and any required remediation in a timely fashion. Furthermore, any current or future controls may be considered as inadequate due to changes or increased complexity in regulations, the Company’s operating environment or other reasons.

Due to inadequate governance and internal control policies, misstatements, or omissions due to error or fraud may occur and may not be detected, which could result in failures to make required filings in a timely manner and make filings containing incorrect or misleading information. Any of these outcomes could result in SEC enforcement actions, monetary fines, or other penalties, as well as damage to the Company’s reputation, business, financial condition, operating results and share price.

The Company may not be able to consistently comply with all of Nasdaq’s Listing Rules.

As a public company, the Company is subject to Nasdaq listing rules. If it fails to meet the requirements of the applicable listing rules, such failure may result in the Company not being listed by Nasdaq, a suspension of the trading of its shares, or delisting in the future. This may further result in legal or regulatory proceedings, fines and other penalties, legal liability for the Company, the inability for the Company’s stockholders to trade their shares

and negatively impact the Company’s share price, reputation, operations, and financial position, as well as its ability to conduct future fundraising activities.

SeaStar Medical identified a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. If the Company is unable to ~~do so, our operations might suffer,~~develop and maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting, the Company may not be able to accurately report its financial results in a timely manner, which may materially and adversely ~~impact our~~affect the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.

WeThe Company’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal controls over financial reporting to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The Company’s management also evaluates the effectiveness of its internal controls, and the Company discloses any changes and material weaknesses identified through such evaluation of its internal controls. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in the internal controls over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the Company’s annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

In the course of preparing the consolidated financial statements that are included in this Annual Report, SeaStar Medical has identified material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, which relates to a deficiency in the design and operation of its financial accounting and reporting controls. Specifically, the material weakness resulted from a lack of segregation of duties within the financial accounting and reporting processes, including the absence of an independent review and approval process in recording transactions to the consolidated financial statements, disbursement and payroll systems. While the Company intends to implement measures to remediate the material weakness including hiring additional accounting staff with requisite experiences and skills, there is no guarantee that it can be remediated in a timely fashion or at all. The Company’s failure to correct this material weakness could result in inaccurate consolidated financial statements and could also impair its ability to comply with the applicable financial reporting requirements on a timely basis. These compliance issues could cause investors to lose confidence in the Company’s reported financial information and may ~~issue notes~~result in volatility in and a decline in the market price of the Company’s securities.

As discuss in Item 9A below, the Company was unable, without incurring unreasonable effort or ~~other debt securities,~~expense, to conduct an assessment of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. Accordingly, the Company is excluding management’s report on internal control over financial reporting pursuant to Section 215.02 of the SEC Division of Corporation Finance’s Regulation S-K Compliance & Disclosure Interpretations. While the Company is currently taking steps to develop and enhance its internal control process the Company’s management may conclude that its internal control over financial reporting is not effective, or ~~otherwise incur substantial debt,~~the level at which the Company’s controls are documented, designed, or reviewed is not adequate, and may result in the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm issuing a report that is qualified. In addition, the reporting obligations may place a significant strain on the Company’s management, operational and financial resources and systems for the foreseeable future. The Company may be unable to complete ~~an initial business combination, which~~its evaluation testing and any required remediation in a timely manner.

During the course of documenting and testing the Company’s internal control procedures, in order to satisfy the requirements of Section 404, the Company may ~~adversely affect our leverage and~~subsequently identify deficiencies in its internal control over financial ~~condition and thus negatively impact~~reporting. Moreover, if the ~~value~~Company fails to maintain the adequacy of ~~our stockholders’ investment in us.~~

~~Although we have no current commitments~~its internal control over financial reporting, as these standards are modified, supplemented, or amended from time to issue any notes or other debt securities, or to otherwise incur outstanding debt, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per-share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:

We may be able to complete only one business combination with the proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of services and limited operating activities. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operating results and profitability.

~~We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we~~time, it may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial 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. In addition, we intend to focus our search for an initial business combination in a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:

This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.

We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.

If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that 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 our initial business combination. We do not, however, intend to purchase multiple businesses in unrelated industries in conjunction with our initial 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.

We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

In pursuing our initial business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in an initial business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.

If we have inadequate cash simultaneously to meet the closing requirements of an initial business combination and redeem all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption, we will return all shares submitted for redemption and continue to pursue an alternative transaction.

In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed initial business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we would not be able to complete the business combination or redeem any such shares, all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption would be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead will search for an alternate initial business combination.

In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our certificate of incorporation or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our stockholders may not support.

In order to effectuate an initial business combination, blank check companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and modified governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, blank check companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our certificate of incorporation will require the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 65% of the public warrants. In addition, our certificate of incorporation requires us to provide our public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our certificate of incorporation to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination). To the extent any such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of any of our registered securities, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.

The provisions of our certificate of incorporation that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other blank check companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our stockholders may not support.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our initial public offering and the private placement of warrants into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public stockholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon, and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon. In all other instances, our certificate of incorporation may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the DGCL or applicable stock exchange rules. Our initial stockholders own shares representing approximately 20% of our issued and outstanding shares of common stock, will participate in any vote to amend our certificate of incorporation and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our certificate of incorporation which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other blank check companies, and this may increase our ability to complete an initial business combination with which you do not agree. Our stockholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our certificate of incorporation.

Our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed, pursuant to a written agreement with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our certificate of incorporation: (i) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination); or (ii) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-business combination activity, unless we provide our

public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem their shares of Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. These agreements are contained in a letter agreement that we have entered into with our sponsor, officers and directors. Our stockholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, officers or directors for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our stockholders would need to pursue a stockholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.

We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.

We have not selected any specific business combination target, but intend to target businesses larger than we could acquire with the proceeds in our trust account. As a result, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, the amount of additional financing we may be required to obtain could increase as a result of future growth capital needs for any particular transaction, the depletion of the available net proceeds in search of a target business, the obligation to repurchase for cash a significant number of shares from stockholders who elect redemption in connection with our initial business combination and/or the terms of negotiated transactions to purchase shares in connection with our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share plus any pro rata interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such 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 officers, directors or stockholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our trust account, and our warrants will expire worthless. Furthermore, as described in the risk factor entitled “If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share,” under certain circumstances our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share upon the liquidation of the trust account.

Because we must furnish our stockholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.

~~The federal proxy rules require that a proxy statement with respect to a vote~~conclude on an ~~initial business combination meeting certain~~ongoing basis that it has effective internal control over financial significance tests include historical and/or pro forma financial statement disclosure in periodic reports. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, or GAAP, or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board, 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. These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.

~~Changes in the market for directors and officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate and complete an initial business combination~~.

~~In recent months, the market for directors and officers liability insurance for special purpose acquisition~~ companies has changed. Fewer insurance companies are offering quotes for directors and officers liability coverage, the premiums charged for such policies have generally increased and the terms of such policies have generally become less favorable. There can be no assurance that these trends will not continue.

~~The increased cost and decreased availability of directors and~~ officers liability insurance could make it more difficult and more expensive for us to negotiate an initial business combination. In order to obtain directors and officers liability insurance or modify its coverage as a result of becoming a public company, the post-business combination entity might need to incur greater expense, accept less favorable terms or both. However, any failure to obtain adequate directors

~~and officers liability insurance could have an adverse impact on the post-business combination’s ability to attract and retain qualified officers and directors.~~

In addition, even after we were to complete an initial business combination, our directors and officers could still be subject to potential liability from claims arising from conduct alleged to have occurred prior to the initial business combination. As a result, in order to protect our directors and officers, the post-business combination entity may need to purchase additional insurance with respect to any such claims (“run-off insurance”). The need for run-off insurance would be an added expense for the post-business combination entity, and could interfere with or frustrate our ability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors.

As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination.

In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination.

In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause targets companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions, or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.

The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination and may decrease our ability to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our stockholders.

Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning an initial business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination). Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating an initial business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.

We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, in which case our public stockholders may only receive $10.20 per share, or less than such amount in certain circumstances, and our warrants will expire worthless.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we must complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination). We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within such time period. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, we will: (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible, but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, 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 to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders

(including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law; and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. In such case, our public stockholders may only receive $10.20 per share, and our warrants will expire worthless. In certain circumstances, our public stockholders may receive less than $10.20 per share on the redemption of their shares. See “— If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.20 per share” and other risk factors below.

~~We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our stockholders to elect directors.~~

In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. Under Section 211(b) of the DGCL, we are, however, required to hold an annual meeting of stockholders for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with our bylaws unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. We may not hold an annual meeting of stockholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, and thus we may not be in compliance with Section 211(b) of the DGCL, which requires an annual meeting. Therefore, if our stockholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Delaware Court of Chancery in accordance with Section ~~211(c) of~~404. If the ~~DGCL.~~

~~Our directors may decide not~~Company fails to ~~enforce the indemnification~~achieve and maintain an effective internal controls environment, it could result in material misstatements in its consolidated financial statements and a failure to meet its reporting obligations, ~~of our sponsor, 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 the lesser of: (i) $10.20 per share; and (ii) the actual amount per share held in the trust account, as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.20 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case net of the interest that may be withdrawn to pay taxes, 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 its indemnification obligations.

While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance if, for example, the cost of such legal action is deemed by the independent directors to be too high relative to the amount recoverable or if the independent directors determine that a favorable outcome is not likely. 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 $10.20 per share.

~~We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.~~

We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest, or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if: (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account; or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

~~Past performance by the members of our management team or entities with~~ which ~~they are or have been affiliated may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in the Company.~~

Past performance by the members of our management team in their other endeavors or the other entities with which they are or have been affiliated is not a guarantee of future success. We cannot assure you that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination or that any business combination we consummate will be successful. You should not rely on the historical record of our management team’s performance, or the performance of any other entities with which our management team is or has been affiliated, as indicative of our future performance or how an investment in our

company will perform or the returns our company will, or is likely to, generate going forward. None of our management team has had experience with blank check companies or special purpose acquisition companies in the past.

~~We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their departure could adversely affect our ability to operate.~~

Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our executive officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.

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 our initial business combination and as a result, may cause ~~them~~investors to ~~have conflicts of interest~~lose confidence in ~~determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.~~

Our key personnel may be able to remain with the company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the initial business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the initial 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 us after the completion of the initial business combination. The personal andits reported financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business. However, we believe the ability of such individuals to remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination will not be the determining factor in our decision as to whether or not we will proceed with any potential business combination. There is no certainty, however, that any of our key personnel will remain with us after the completion of our initial business combination. We cannot assure you that any of our key personnel will remain in senior management or advisory positions with us. The determination as to whether any of our key personnel will remain with us will be made at the time of our initial business combination.

We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company, whichinformation. This could in turn ~~negatively impact~~limit the ~~value~~Company’s access to capital markets and harm its results of ~~our stockholders’ investment in us.~~

~~When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management~~operations. The Company may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any stockholders who choose to remain stockholders following the initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such stockholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.

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 conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.

Our officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for an initial business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our officers is engaged in other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation and our officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. In particular, our officers and directors may be employed by or otherwise work with LMFAO Sponsor, LLC or other entities that are investment managers to various public and private investment funds, which make investments in securities or other interests of or relating to companies in industries we may target for our initial business combination. Our officers and directors may also serve as officers or board members for other entities. If our officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.

Certain of our officers and directors are now, and all of them may in the future become, affiliated with entities engaged in business activities similar to those intended to be conducted by us and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.

Until we consummate our initial business combination, we intend to engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Our sponsor and officers and directors are, and may in the future become, affiliated with entities that are engaged in a similar business. Subject to any pre-existing contractual or fiduciary obligations, our sponsor and officers and directors shall offer all suitable business combination opportunities within the financial services industry (and other related sectors, as discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K) to us before any other person or company until we have entered into a definitive agreement regarding our initial business combination or we have failed to complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination).

Our officers and directors also may become aware of business opportunities which may be appropriate for presentation to us and the other entities to which they owe certain fiduciary or contractual duties.

Accordingly, our officers and directors 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 another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.

~~Our officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.~~

We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into an initial business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or officers, although we do not intend to do so. We do not have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.

In particular, LMFAO Sponsor, LLC and its affiliates, as well as other entities affiliated with our officers and directors, may also invest in companies or businesses within the financial services industry, including the FinTech sector. As a result, there may be substantial overlap between companies that would be a suitable business combination for us and companies that would make an attractive target for such other affiliates.

We may engage in an initial business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.

In light of the involvement of our sponsor, officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities. Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no preliminary discussions concerning an initial business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for an initial business combination as set forth in the section of this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Proposed Business–Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of our Initial Business Combination” and such transaction was approved by a majority of our disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm that is a member of FINRA, or from an independent accounting firm, regarding the fairness to our stockholders from a financial point of view of an initial business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the initial business combination may not be as advantageous to our public stockholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.

Since our sponsor, officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.

On November 6, 2020, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 2,156,250 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.012 per share. In January 2021, we effected a stock dividend, resulting in our sponsor holding an aggregate of 2,587,500 founder shares (up to 337,500 of which are subject to forfeiture by our sponsor). The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 5,738,000 warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,738,000 that will also

be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. Holders of founder shares have agreed (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination and (B) not to redeem any founder shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or in connection with a tender offer. In addition, we may obtain loans from our sponsor, affiliates of our sponsor or an officer or director. The personal and financial interests of our officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination.

~~Our management may not be able to maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination.~~

We may structure an initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public stockholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, 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 us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our stockholders prior to the initial business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the initial business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares of common stock, our stockholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares of common stock subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority stockholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s stock than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not be able to maintain our control of the target business. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.

Provisions in our certificate of incorporation 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 Class A common stock and could entrench management.

Our certificate of incorporation contains provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred shares, which may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.

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 the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.

Our certificate of incorporation requires, 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 other similar 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; (C) for which the Court of Chancery does not have subject matter jurisdiction; or (D) any action arising under the Securities Act, as to which the Court of Chancery and the federal district court for the District of Delaware shall have concurrent 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 certificate of incorporation. This choice of forum provision may make it more costly for a stockholder to bring a claim, and it may also limit 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, although our stockholders cannot waive our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.

Alternatively, if a court were to find the choice of forum provision contained in our 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 certificate of incorporation provides that the exclusive forum provision will be applicable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or 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 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.

~~RISKS RELATED TO SPECIAL PURPOSE ACQUISITION COMPANIES (“SPACS”), GENERALLY~~

~~We are a newly formed company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.~~

We are a newly formed company with no operating results, and we just recently commenced operations following the closing of our initial public offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination with one or more target businesses. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning an initial business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.

~~You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.~~

Since the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants are intended to be used to complete an initial 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, because we have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, out stockholders will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units were immediately tradable following our initial public offering and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if our initial public offering was subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination.

If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that 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. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breachedrestate its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages, by paying public stockholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors.

If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our stockholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public stockholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition 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. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our stockholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.

~~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.

~~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.~~

Our units, Class A Common Stock and warrants are listed on Nasdaq. We cannot guarantee that our securities 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 $2,500,000) 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 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:

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 Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on Nasdaq, our units, Class A common stock 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.

If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.

~~If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:~~

~~In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:~~

In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading in securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our total assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete an initial business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.

We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 180 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. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend our certificate of incorporation: (A) to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination); or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity; or (iii) absent an initial business combination within 18 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or 21 months from the closing, if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination), our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public stockholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete an initial business combination or may result in our liquidation. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public stockholders may receive only approximately $10.20 per share on the liquidation of our trust account and our warrants will expire worthless.

We are an emerging growth company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.

We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our stockholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case

we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period, which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of ourconsolidated financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accountant standards used.from prior periods if such deficiencies are identified. Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Rule 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. We will remain a smaller reporting company until the last day of the fiscal year in which: (1) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $250 million as of the end of the prior June 30^th; or (2) our annual revenues equaled or exceeded $100 million during such completed fiscal year and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates equals or exceeds $700 million as of the prior June 30^th~~. To the extent we take advantage of such reduced disclosure obligations, it may also make comparison of our financial statements with other public companies difficult or impossible.~~

Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.

Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2021. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on ourineffective internal control over financial ~~reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required~~reporting could expose it to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirementsincreased risk of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target company with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisionsfraud or misuse of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.

~~An investment in our securities involves uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences.~~

An investment in our securities involves uncertain U.S. federal income tax consequences. For instance, the Internal Revenue Service could challenge the allocation an investor makes with respect to allocating the purchase price of a unit between the share of Class A common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of Class A common stock included in each unit. Furthermore, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of a cashless exercise of warrants included in the units is unclear under current law. Finally, it is unclear whether the redemption rights with respect to our shares of Class A common stock suspend the running of a U.S. Holder’s (as defined in “U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”) holding period for purposes of determining whether any gain or loss realized by such holder on the sale or exchange of Class A common stock is long-term capital gain or loss and for determining whether any dividend we pay would be considered a “qualified dividend” for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

~~We may reincorporate in another jurisdiction in connection with our initial business combination and such reincorporation may result in taxes imposed on stockholders.~~

~~We may, in connection with our initial business combination~~corporate assets and subject it to ~~requisite stockholder approval under Delaware law, reincorporate in~~potential delisting from Nasdaq, regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions. All of these consequences could adversely impact the ~~jurisdiction in which the target company or~~Company’s reputation, business, is located or in another jurisdiction. The transaction may require a stockholder to recognize taxable income in the jurisdiction in which the stockholder is a tax resident or in which its members are resident if it is a tax transparent entity. We do not intend to make any cash distributions to stockholders to pay such taxes. Stockholders may be subject to withholding taxes or other taxes with respect to their ownershipresults of ~~us after the reincorporation.~~

We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time, and such registration may not be in place when an investor desires to exercise warrants, thus precluding such investor from being able to exercise its warrants except on a cashless basis. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless.

We are not registering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement for the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our reasonable best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants, until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order. If the shares issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, we will be required to permit holders to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis. However, no warrant will be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration is available. Notwithstanding the above, if our Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a “cashless basis” in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, but we will be required to use our reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws and there is no exemption available. If the issuance of the shares upon exercise of the warrants is not so registered or qualified or exempt from registration or qualification, the holder of such warrant will not be entitled to exercise such warrant and such warrant may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the shares of Class A common stock included in the units. 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 underlying shares of Class A common stock for sale under all applicable state securities laws.

~~If you exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis,” you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.~~

There are circumstances in which the exercise of the public warrants may be required or permitted to be made on a cashless basis. First, if a registration statement covering the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants is not effective by the 60th business day after the closing of our initial business combination, warrant holders may, until such time as there is an effective registration statement, exercise warrants on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption. Second, if our Class A common stock is at any time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that it satisfies the definition of a “covered security” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, require holders of public warrants who exercise their warrants to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act and, in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the shares under applicable blue sky laws to the extent an exemption is not available. Third, if we call the public warrants for redemption, our management will have the option to require all holders that wish to exercise warrants

to do so on a cashless basis. In the event of an exercise on a cashless basis, a holder would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the difference between the exercise price of the warrants and the “fair market value” (as defined in the next sentence) by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported last sale price of the Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.

We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.

Our public warrants were 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, but requires the approval by the holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 65% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or stock, shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of our Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.

Our warrant agreement designates 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 provides 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 do 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 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 (a “foreign action”) 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 with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), 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,operations, financial condition and ~~results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.~~share price.

The Company 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 Company has the ability to redeem outstanding warrants 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 our ~~Class A common stock~~Common Stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which we give proper notice

of such redemption and provided certain other conditions are met. 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 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 placement warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by the ~~sponsor~~Sponsor or its permitted transferees.

~~Our warrants and founder shares~~We may ~~have an adverse effect on the market price~~suffer from lack of ~~our Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.~~availability of additional funds.

~~Our founder shares are convertible into shares of Class A common stock on a one-for-one basis, subject~~We expect to ~~adjustment as set forth herein. In addition, if our sponsor or its affiliates, or any of our officers or directors, makes any~~have ongoing needs for working capital ~~loans, up~~in order to ~~$1,500,000 of such loans may~~fund operations, continue to expand our operations and recruit experienced personnel. To that end, we will be converted into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 1,500,000 warrants if $1,500,000 of notes were so converted), at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identicalrequired to ~~the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period.~~

~~To the extent we issue shares of Class A common stock to effectuate an initial business combination, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of~~raise additional shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive business combination vehicle to a target business. Any such issuance will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of our Class A common stock and reduce the value of the shares of Class A common stock issued to complete the initial business combination. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate an initial business combinationfunds through equity or ~~increase the cost of acquiring the target business.~~

The private placement warrants are identical to the warrants sold as part of the units in our initial public offering except that, so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees, (i) they will not be redeemable by us, (ii) they (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by our sponsor until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination and (iii) they may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis.

Certain statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’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 “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “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 Annual Report on Form 10-K may include, for example, statements about:

~~The forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There~~debt financing. However, there can be no assurance that ~~future developments affecting us~~we will be ~~those~~successful in securing additional capital on favorable terms, if at all. If we are successful, whether the terms are favorable or unfavorable, there is a potential that we will fail to comply with the terms of such financing, which could result in severe liability for us. If we are unsuccessful, we may need to (a) initiate cost reductions; (b) forego business development opportunities; (c) seek extensions of time to fund liabilities, or (d) seek protection from creditors. In addition, any future sale of our equity securities would dilute the ownership and control of your shares and could be at prices substantially below prices at which our shares currently trade. Our inability to raise capital could require us to significantly curtail or terminate our operations altogether. We may seek to increase our cash reserves through the sale of additional equity or debt securities. The sale of convertible debt securities or additional equity securities could result in additional and potentially substantial dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations and liquidity. In addition, our ability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms is subject to a variety of uncertainties.

In addition, if we are unable to generate adequate cash from operations, and if we are unable to find sources of funding, it may be necessary for us to sell all or a portion of our assets, enter into a business combination, or reduce or eliminate operations. These possibilities, to the extent available, may be on terms that result in significant dilution to our shareholders or that result in our shareholders losing all of their investment in our Company.

Most members of our management team have ~~anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve~~limited experience operating a ~~number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond~~publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors and complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to public companies. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage our ~~control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance~~transition to ~~be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks~~being a public company subject to significant regulatory oversight and ~~uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those factors described~~reporting obligations under the ~~section~~federal securities laws and the continuous scrutiny of ~~this Annual Report on Form 10-K entitled “Risk Factors.” Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any~~securities analysts and investors. These new obligations and constituents will require significant attention from our senior management and could divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our ~~assumptions prove incorrect, actual~~business, which could adversely affect our business, 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.~~operations, cash flows and financial condition.

~~Our executive and administrative offices are~~We lease our headquarters located at ~~1200 Platt Street,~~3513 Brighton Boulevard, Suite ~~1000, Tampa, Florida 33602, and are provided~~#410, Denver, Colorado 80216 pursuant to ~~us, rent free, by~~a lease agreement on a month-to-month basis. We believe this property is adequate to operate our ~~sponsor. We consider out current office space adequate for our current operations.~~business.

~~None~~From time to time, we may become involved in various claims and legal proceedings. We are not currently a party to any legal proceedings that, in the opinion of our management, are likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations. Regardless of outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors.

Item 5. Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.

Our ~~units, Class A common stock and warrants are listed~~Common Stock trades on ~~the~~The Nasdaq Capital Market under the ~~symbols “LMAOU”, “LMAO” and “LMAOW”, respectively.~~symbol ICU (formerly LMAO).

~~On December 31, 2021~~As of March 25, 2023, there were ~~1 holders~~13,296,516 stockholders of record of our ~~units, 2~~Common Stock.

The number of record holders is based upon the actual number of holders registered on our books at such date and does not include holders of ~~record of our Class A common stock, and 1 holders of record of our warrants.~~shares in street name or persons, partnerships, associations, corporations, or other entities identified in security position listings maintained by depository trust companies.

We have not paid any cash dividends on Common Stock to date. Our Board may from time to time consider whether or not to institute a dividend policy. It is our ~~common stock~~present intention to ~~date~~retain any earnings for use in our business operations and accordingly, we do not ~~intend to pay cash~~anticipate the Board declaring any dividends in the foreseeable future. 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 our business combination.~~condition. The payment of any cash dividends ~~subsequent to our business combination~~ will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. In addition, our board of directors is not currently contemplating and does not anticipate declaring any stock dividends in the foreseeable future. Further, if we incur any indebtedness in connection with our business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.Board.

~~See “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in Part III, Item 12 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.~~

On August 23, 2022, following the execution of the Merger Agreement, LMAO entered into subscription agreements with three institutional investors (the “PIPE Investors”) whereby, the PIPE Investors collectively subscribed for an aggregate of 700,000 shares of Common Stock at $10.00 per share, and 700,000 warrants for aggregate gross proceeds of $7.0 million (the “PIPE Financing”). The PIPE Financing was consummated concurrently with the Closing of the Business Combination.

The shares of Common Stock issued to the PIPE Investors were issued in accordance with the exemption from registration under the Securities Act, under Section 4(a)(2) promulgated under the Securities Act.

The issuance of Class A Common Stock upon the automatic conversion of the Class B Common Stock and the issuance of Common Stock upon the automatic conversion of the Class A Common Stock at the Closing has not been registered under the Securities Act in reliance on the exemption from registration provided by Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act.

On March 15, 2023, the Company entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement (the “Securities Purchase Agreement”) with an institutional investor (the “Purchaser”), whereby the Company agreed to sell and issue to the Purchaser, in a series of up to four closings, senior unsecured convertible notes (the “Notes”), convertible into shares of the Company’s Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, in a principal amount of up to approximately $9.8 million and warrants (the “Warrants”) to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock. On March 15, 2023 (the “Initial Closing Date”), the Company issued a Note, convertible into 1,207,729 shares of Common Stock at an initial conversion price of $2.70, in a principal amount of $3,260,869.57, and a Warrant to purchase up to 328,352 shares of Common Stock.

At the second closing, the Company will issue and sell to the Purchaser (i) an additional Note in a principal amount of $2,173,913.04 and (ii) additional Warrants to purchase up to 218,901 shares of Common Stock. At each of the third and fourth closings, the Company may, at its option, issue and sell to the Purchaser (i) additional Notes, each in a principal amount of $2,173,913.04 and (ii) additional Warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock equal to 25% of the Purchaser’s shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes on the applicable closing date. Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company must satisfy certain additional conditions in order to sell and issue the additional Notes and additional Warrants at the second, third and fourth closings. Such additional conditions include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of a registration statement to be filed by the Company with the SEC to register shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes and exercise of the Warrants, and for the third and fourth closings, the approval by stockholders of the Company to issue more than 19.99% of issued and outstanding shares pursuant to applicable Nasdaq Rules. If the third closing and fourth closing do not occur within the one-year anniversary of the Initial Closing Date, the Company’s right to affect the third and fourth closings shall automatically terminate.

The Notes will be issued at an 8% original issue discount and bear an interest rate of 7%. The Notes mature fifteen (15) months after their issuance, or June 15, 2024, unless accelerated due to an event of default. The Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time at the discretion of the Company. At the Initial Closing Date, the Company received net proceeds, after the original issue discount and the Purchaser’s counsel fees, of $2.4 million.

The Notes contain standard and customary covenants and events of default. Such events of default include, but are not limited to, failure to make payments when due, failure to observe or perform covenants or agreements contained in the Notes, the breach of any material representation or warranty contain therein, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company, the suspension of trading of Common Stock, and the Company’s failure to file required reports with the SEC. If any such event of default occurs, subject to any cure period, the Purchaser shall have the right to redeem any portion of the Note for a redemption price, with a certain dollar amount available for conversion, at the Purchaser’s option, into shares of Common Stock.

The Warrants have an initial exercise price of $2.97 per share of Common Stock, are exercisable at any time before the close of business on the day five (5) years after their issuance and contain cashless exercise provisions.

The Notes, Warrants, and shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes and upon exercise of such Warrants, have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and were issued and sold to an accredited investor in reliance upon the exemption from registration contained in Regulation D promulgated under the Securities Act.

Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

The following discussion and analysis ofare intended to help you understand our business, financial condition, ~~and~~ results of operations, liquidity, and capital resources. You should be read this discussion in conjunction with ~~our~~the Company’s consolidated financial statements and ~~the~~ related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report. ~~Some of~~In connection with the ~~information contained in~~Business Combination, SeaStar Medical, Inc. was determined to be the accounting acquirer.

In addition to historical financial analysis, this discussion and analysis orcontains forward-looking statements based upon current expectations that involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, as described under the heading “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements.” Actual results and timing of selected events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, risks and uncertainties, including those set forth under “Risk Factors” included elsewhere (or incorporated by reference) in this Annual Report. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” to “SeaStar Medical,“ “we,“ “us,” “our,” and “the Company” are intended to mean the business and operations of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries following the Business Combination.

On October 28, 2022, LMAO consummated a series of transactions that resulted in the combination of LMF Merger Sub, Inc. and SeaStar Medical, Inc. pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger.

The Company is a medical technology company developing a platform therapy to reduce the consequences of hyperinflammation on vital organs. In a normal inflammatory response, neutrophils are the first immune cells to arrive at the site and are key to the entire immune response that kills pathogens and promotes tissue repair. If the inflammatory response becomes excessive and dysregulated, normal neutrophil die off may be delayed, altering feedback mechanisms that regulate the immune system. This results in damaging hyperinflammation spreading uncontrollably to other parts of the body, often leading to acute chronic solid organ dysfunction or failure, including heart, lung, kidney and liver diseases. This hyperinflammatory response is also known as the cytokine storm, referring to the body’s reaction to the category of small-secreted proteins released by hyperinflammatory cells that affect communication between cells. The cytokine storm, when left uncontrolled, can lead to organ damage and even death.

We are initially using our proprietary SCD technology platform to clinically validate several acute organ injury indications, including kidneys and lungs. Our investigational SCD is an extracorporeal synthetic membrane device designed to be easily integrated into existing CRRT systems that are commonly installed in hospitals, including in ICUs throughout the United States. Once approved and commercialized, the SCD would initially target acute kidney injury in both the pediatric CRRT population as well as adults on CRRT. In addition, we are developing our SCD to address inflammation associated with chronic dialysis and chronic heart failure.

We have incurred net losses in each year since our inception in 2007. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $99.3 million and $76.3 million, respectively. Our net losses were $23.0 million and $4.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. Substantially all of our net losses resulted from costs incurred in connection with our research and development programs and from general and administrative costs associated with our operations. For the year ended December 31, 2022, additional losses were related to the Business Combination, including costs to obtain the forward contracts and the change in fair value of the forward option derivatives.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had cash of $0.0 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

Our accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which contemplates the realization of assets and liabilities in the normal course of business. Our consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recoverability and classification of asset amounts or the classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

The recurring losses, working capital deficiency, the need for capital to fund our operations, including clinical trial and regulatory approval expenses, and the amount of cash reserve are factors that raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for the twelve-month period from the date the consolidated financial statements are made available. See Note 1 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 included elsewhere in this Annual Report for additional information on our assessment.

Our need for additional capital will depend in part on the scope and costs of our development activities. To date, we have not generated any significant revenue from the sale of commercialized products. Our ability to generate product revenue will depend on the successful development and eventual commercialization of our products. Until such time, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through the sale of equity or debt, borrowings under credit facilities, potential collaborations, other strategic transactions or government and other grants. Adequate capital may not be available to us when needed or on acceptable terms. If we are unable to raise capital, we could be forced to delay, reduce, suspend or cease our research and development programs or any future commercialization efforts, which would have a negative impact on our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition. See Part I, Item 1A “Risk Factors” for additional information.

To date, we have not generated any revenue from the sale of commercialized products. Revenue has been primarily derived from government and other grants. We may generate revenue in the future based on payments from future license or collaboration agreements and government and other grants, and, if our products receive regulatory approval for commercialization, from product sales. We expect that any revenue we generate will fluctuate from quarter to quarter. If we fail to complete the development of or obtain regulatory approval for commercialization of our products in a timely manner, our ability to generate future revenue and our results of operations and financial position, would be materially adversely affected.

Since our inception, we have focused our resources on our research and development activities, including conducting preclinical studies and clinical trials, and developing our process and activities related to regulatory filings for our products. Subject to the availability of additional funding, we plan to further increase our research and development expenses for the foreseeable future as we continue the development of our products.

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and related costs for employees in executive and finance roles, which also include stock-based compensation expenses and benefits for such employees.

Other significant general and administrative expenses include facilities costs, professional fees for accounting and legal services and expenses associated with obtaining and maintaining patents. As we continue to expand and grow our operations, we expect that our general and administrative expenses will increase, including for additional expenses relating to new hires, travel, a new enterprise resource planning platform, and branding.

Origination cost of forward contracts consists primarily of consideration related to the forward purchase agreements.

Loss from operations consists of the Company’s gross profit less its operating expenses. Operating margin is loss from the Company’s operations as a percentage of its net sales.

Total other income (expense), net primarily consists of interest expense relating to interest incurred on our convertible notes, gains from the forgiveness of Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, gains from early extinguishment of convertible notes changes in fair value of the derivative liability related to the conversion option of convertible notes and changes in fair value of the derivative liability related to the forward option on the prepaid forward agreements.

We believe that our performance and future success depend on a number of factors that present significant opportunities for us but also pose risks and challenges. Please see the factors discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report, including ~~information with respect to our plans and strategy~~those discussed in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors,” for our business, includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those made, projected or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please see

the “Risk Factors” section for a discussion of the uncertainties, risks and assumptions associated with these statements. For a complete discussion of forward-looking statements, see the section above entitled “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements; Risk Factor Summary.”additional information.

~~We are~~Comparison of Year Ended December 31, 2022 to Year Ended December 31, 2021

The following table sets forth a ~~blank check company incorporated~~summary of our results of operations. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related Notes included elsewhere in ~~Delaware in October 2020~~this Annual Report.

The following table discloses the breakdown of research and development expenses:

General and administrative expenses for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to throughout this Annual Report on Form 10-K as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business-combination target and hawse have not, nor has anyone on our behalf, initiated any substantive discussions, directly or indirectly, with any business-combination target.

~~As of~~years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 ~~the Company had not yet commenced any operations. All activity~~were $6.6 million and $1.7 million, respectively. The increase in general and administrative expenses of $4.9 million, or 292%, was driven by an increase in payroll expense of $1.9 million, commitment fees for equity line of credit of $2.5 million, an increase in legal fees of $0.2 million, and an increase in insurance of $0.3 million.

Other income (expense) for the ~~period from October 28, 2020 (inception) through~~years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 ~~relates to the Company's formation~~was expense of $11.4 million and ~~the initial public offering ("IPO") described below.~~expense of $0.2 million, respectively. The ~~Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion~~increase of ~~its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income~~$11.2 million primarily resulted from a loss in ~~the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the IPO.~~

The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective on January 25, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On January 28, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 10,350,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of Class A common stock includedchange in ~~the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $103,500,000, which offering is further described in Note 2.~~

Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO, the Company consummated the sale of 5,738,000 warrants (the “Private Placement Warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to LMFAO Sponsor LLC, a Florida limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), generating gross proceeds of $5,738,000.

~~Transaction costs for the IPO amounted to $6,211,902 consisting of $2,070,000 of underwriting discount, $3,622,500 of deferred underwriting fee, the~~ fair value of ~~the shares issued to the underwriters~~forward option of ~~$1,000 deemed as underwriters’ compensation,~~$10.2 million, a loss in change in fair value of convertible notes derivative liability of $0.6 million, and ~~$518,402~~an increase in interest expense of ~~other offering costs. In addition, $974,009~~$0.4 million.

SeaStar Medical recorded a provision for income taxes of ~~cash was held outside of the Trust Account (as defined below) as of the date of the IPO and became available for working capital purposes at such time.~~

Following the closing of the IPO on January 28, 2021, an amount of $105,570,000 ($10.20 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) which will be invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its franchise and income tax obligations (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), the proceeds from the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (a) the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, (b) the redemption of any Public Shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and (c) the redemption of the Company’s Public Shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the IPO (or up to 21 months from the closing of the IPO if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in the prospectus for the IPO), subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the Company’s public stockholders.

The full long-term impact of COVID-19 could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. We may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 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 a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information that 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 matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.

We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. Our only activities from October 28, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2021 were organizational activities, the initial public offering, and since the closing of our initial public offering, the search for a prospective initial business combination. We do not expect to generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial business combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and marketable securities held in trust account. We will incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as expenses in the pursuit of our acquisition plans.

~~For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had net income of approximately $75 thousand, which consisted of approximately $1.2~~$0.0 million gain on warrant liability revaluation, approximately $11 thousand of investment income earned on marketable securities held in trust account, and offset by approximately $1.1 million of operating expenses.

~~For the period from~~ ~~October 28, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020, we had a net loss of approximately $5 thousand, which consisted of operating and formation costs.~~

~~The Company did not generate any revenue during the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 or October 28, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2020.~~

~~During the year ended December 31, 2021, operating expenses were approximately $1.1 million from $5 thousand~~ for the year ended December 31, ~~2020. This change reflects formation, administrative~~2022, and ~~legal costs during the current year.~~

~~During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company recognized a gain on warrant liability revaluation equal to approximately $1.2~~an income tax benefit of $0.0 million ~~since the fair market value of the warrants were less than the face redemption value of such warrants.~~

~~During the year ended December 31, 2021, investment income earned in the Trust account was $11 thousand compared to $0 thousand~~ for the year ended December 31, ~~2020.~~2021.

~~The Company did not record an income tax benefit or expense for the year ended December 31, 2021 or 2020.~~

Under ~~ASC~~Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740-10-30-5, Income Taxes,, deferred tax assets should be reduced by a valuation allowance if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not (i.e., a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. ~~The Company~~SeaStar Medical considers all positive and negative evidence available in determining the potential realization of deferred tax assets including, primarily, the recent history of taxable earnings or losses. Based on operating losses reported ~~by the Company~~ during ~~2020~~2022 and 2021, the Company concluded there was not sufficient positive evidence to overcome this recent operating history. As a result, ~~the Company believes~~we believe that a valuation allowance continues to be necessary based on the more-likely-than-not threshold noted above. ~~The Company recorded a~~A valuation allowance of $23.8 million and $18.2 million was recorded for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

During the year ended December 31, 2022, SeaStar Medical had a net loss of $23.0 million compared to a net loss of $4.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increased net loss of $18.4 million primarily resulted from increases in general and administrative expenses of $4.9 million, increases in research and development expenses of $0.1 million, origination cost of forward contracts of $2.2 million, and increases in other expense of $11.2 million during the year ended December 31, 2022.

To date, we have financed our operations primarily through the sale of equity securities and convertible debt and, to a lesser extent, through grants from governmental and other agencies. Since our inception, we have incurred significant operating losses and negative cash flows. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we had an accumulated deficit of $99.3 million and $76.3 million, respectively.

As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, we had cash of $0.0 million and $0.5 million, respectively. We expect that our existing cash will be insufficient to fund our operations, including clinical trial expenses and capital expenditure requirements. We believe that this raises doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. To finance our operations beyond that point, we would need to raise additional capital, which cannot be assured. We have concluded that these circumstances raise doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the issuance date of this Annual Report. See Note 1 to our audited consolidated financial statements for the period ended December 31, 2022.

In April 2021 we received loan proceeds in the amount of $0.1 million, under the PPP as established under the CARES Act. The loan and accrued interest were forgivable as long as we used the loan proceeds for eligible

purposes, including payroll, employee benefits, rent and utilities, and maintained its payroll levels. During the year ended December 31, 2021, $0.1 million of our PPP loan was forgiven.

During the year ended December 31, 2021, we issued convertible notes totaling $2.9 million pursuant to certain note purchase agreements, including notes issued to our major stockholders, the Dow Pension Funds. During the year ended December 31, 2022, we issued convertible notes totaling $1.7 million to certain existing holders of our issued and outstanding preferred stock, including six convertible notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1.2 million to the Dow Pension Funds. The maturity dates for the convertible notes range from one to three years from their respective issuance dates. These notes are unsecured obligations of SeaStar Medical and borrowings on the convertible notes bear interest at 8.0 %. Immediately prior to the Closing, all principal amounts and accrued interest under the convertible notes were converted into shares of our Common Stock at a conversion price of $10.00 per share.

Upon consummation of the Business Combination, we received $17.0 million in cash, primarily due to $7.0 million in gross proceeds from the PIPE Investment and $10.0 million in proceeds from the trust account, partially offset by cash payments that were disbursed at the closing of the Business Combination which included Maxim’s deferred fee, professional service fees for the legal counsels, transfer agent, consultants, and auditors, a commitment fee, director and officer insurances, and prepayments to the forward purchase agreement sellers totaling approximately ~~$17 thousand and~~$16.6 million.

In connection with the Business Combination, over 8 million shares were submitted for redemption for an aggregate redemption amount of approximately $92.0 million. The proceeds we received in connection with the Business Combination were significantly less than ~~$1 thousand~~the total potential proceeds of $103.5 million (assuming no redemptions). The reduction in available cash upon the Closing due to share redemptions has negatively impacted our growth initiatives, our revenue and net loss projections prepared in connection with LMAO’s evaluation of the Business Combination, and our liquidity, including the likelihood that holders of warrants will exercise their warrants and the Company will receive cash proceeds from the warrants.

We would receive the proceeds from any exercise of any warrants that are exercised for cash pursuant to their terms. Assuming the exercise in full of all of the warrants for cash, we would receive an aggregate of approximately $185.0 million, but would not receive any proceeds from the sale of the shares of common stock issuable upon such exercise. To the extent any warrants are issued on a “cashless basis,” the amount of cash we would receive from the exercise of the warrants will decrease. We would expect to use any such proceeds received from warrants that are exercised for cash in the future for general corporate and working capital purposes, which would increase our liquidity. However, we will only receive such proceeds if and when the warrant holders exercise the warrants. The exercise of the warrants, and any proceeds we may receive from their exercise, are highly dependent on the price of our Common Stock and the spread between the exercise price of the warrant and the price of our Common Stock at the time of exercise. There is no assurance that the warrant holders will elect to exercise for cash any or all of such warrants, and we believe that any such exercise currently is unlikely to occur as described below. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have neither included nor intend to include any potential cash proceeds from the exercise of our warrants in our short-term or long-term liquidity projections. We will continue to evaluate the probability of warrant exercise over the life of our warrants and the merit of including potential cash proceeds from the exercise in our liquidity projections.

We do not expect to rely on the cash exercise of warrants to fund our operations. Instead, we intend to rely on our primary sources of cash discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report to continue to support our operations. The exercise price of the warrants is $11.50 per share and the closing price of our Common Stock was $4.10 as of December 31, 2022. Accordingly, we believe that it is currently unlikely that warrant holders will exercise their warrants. The likelihood that warrant holders will exercise the warrants, and therefore the amount of cash proceeds that we would receive, is dependent upon the trading price of our Common Stock. If the trading price for our Common Stock remains less than $11.50 per share, we believe our warrant holders will be unlikely to exercise their warrants. There is no guarantee that the warrants will be in the money following the time they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, and as such, the warrants may expire worthless, and we may not receive any proceeds

from the exercise of the warrants. To the extent that any of the warrants are exercised on a “cashless basis,” the amount of cash we would receive from the exercise of the warrants will decrease.

On March 15, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor, whereby the Company will issue a series of four senior unsecured convertible notes, with principal amounts totaling up to $9.8 million, and warrants to purchase shares of the Company’s Common Stock. On March 15, 2023, the Company issued the first senior unsecured convertible note in the amount of $3.3 million and warrants to purchase 328,352 shares of Common Stock. The senior unsecured convertible notes will be issued at an 8.0% discount and bear interest at 7.0% per annum and mature on June 15, 2024. The senior unsecured convertible notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time at the discretion of the Company. The warrants have an initial exercise price of $2.97 per share of Common Stock, expire 5 years from their issuance date, and contain cashless exercise provisions.

At the second closing, the Company will issue and sell to the Purchaser (i) an additional Note in a principal amount of $2.2 million and (ii) additional Warrants to purchase up to 218,901 shares of Common Stock. At each of the third and fourth closings, the Company may, at its option, issue and sell to the Purchaser (i) additional Notes, each in a principal amount of $2.2 million and (ii) additional Warrants to purchase shares of Common Stock equal to 25% of the shares issuable upon conversion of the Notes on the applicable closing date. Pursuant to the Securities Purchase Agreement, the Company must satisfy certain additional conditions in order to sell and issue the additional Notes and additional Warrants at the second, third and fourth closings. Such additional conditions include, but are not limited to, the effectiveness of a registration statement to be filed by the Company with the SEC to register shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of the Notes and exercise of the Warrants, and for the third and fourth closings, the approval by stockholders of the Company to issue more than 19.99% of issued and outstanding shares pursuant to applicable Nasdaq Rules.

On March 15, 2023, the Company amended its LMFA notes, LMFAO note and Maxim note, extending their maturity dates to June 15, 2024. Inconsideration for such extension, the Company agrees to pay the note holders an aggregate amount of $0.1 million in cash upon receipt of proceeds from the issuance of the notes at the second closing under the securities purchase agreement.

On March 13, 2023, the Company entered into a $0.1 millionpromissory note with LM Funding America Inc. with an interest rate of 7.0% per annum. The promissory note was payable on demand at any time after April 13, 2023 and had no prepayment penalty. The Company repaid the loan on March 24, 2023.

We expect to incur significant expenses in connection with our ongoing activities as we seek to (i) continue clinical development of our SCD product for FDA approval, and (ii) if regulatory approval is obtained, to launch and commercialize our product in the U.S. market, including subsequent launches in key international markets. We will need additional funding in connection with these activities. Our future funding requirements, both short-term and long-term, will depend on many factors, including:

Until such time, if ever, as we are able to successfully develop and commercialize our products, we expect to continue financing our operations through the sale of equity, debt, borrowings under credit facilities or through potential collaborations with other companies, other strategic transactions or government or other grants. Adequate capital may not be available to us when needed or on acceptable terms.

Based on our results of operations and liquidity as of December 31, 2022, we believe our cash and cash equivalents, including the cash we obtained from the Business Combination and the PIPE Investment, as well as potential proceeds available under the Purchase Agreement with Tumim and from the Forward Purchase Agreements ("FPA"), are not sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure requirements for a period of at least twelve months from the date of our audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2022. In addition, we do not expect to receive any cash proceeds from the exercise of warrants in the near term, because the trading price of our Common Stock is currently below the exercise price of such warrants. We are seeking additional cash to fund our growth through future debt or equity financing transactions; however, there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain additional capital on terms acceptable to us, if at all, or that we will generate sufficient future revenues and cash flows to fund our operations. Our estimates of our results of operations, working capital and capital expenditure requirements may be different than our actual needs, and those estimates may need to be revised if, for example, our actual revenue is lower, and our net operating losses are higher, than we project and our cash and cash equivalents position is reduced faster than anticipated. We do not currently have any committed external source of funds. To the extent that we raise additional capital through the sale of equity or convertible debt securities, the ownership interest of our stockholders will be diluted, and the terms of these securities may include liquidation or other preferences that adversely affect the rights of stockholders. Debt financing and preferred equity financing, if available, may involve agreements that include covenants limiting or restricting our ability to take specific actions, such as incurring additional debt, making acquisitions or capital expenditures. Debt financing would also result in fixed payment obligations. If we are unable to raise additional funds through equity or debt financings or other arrangements when needed, we may be required to delay, reduce, suspend or cease our research and development programs or any future commercialization efforts, which would have a negative impact on our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition. See the section titled “Risk Factors” for additional risks associated with our substantial capital requirements.

The following table shows a summary of our cash flows for each of the periods shown below:

Net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $7.8 million compared to $5.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2021. The increase in cash used for operating activities of $2.7 million is primarily due to the increase of accounts payable and accrued expenses of as of December 31, 2022.

Net cash provided by financing activities for the year ended December 31, 2022 was $7.3 million, primarily related to the Business Combination in the fourth quarter of 2022. Cash provided by financing activity for the year ended December 31, 2021 ~~and 2020, respectively.~~

~~During~~was $2.8 million, primarily from the ~~year ended December 31, 2021, the Company generated net income~~issuance of ~~$75 thousand as compared to a net loss of $5 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2020 for the reasons mentioned above.~~

As of December 31, 2021, we had cash and cash equivalents of approximately $52 thousand compared with $38 thousand at December 31, 2020. Our material cash requirements as of December 31, 2021 were expenses resulting from being a public

~~company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as expenses incurred in the pursuit of our acquisition plans.~~convertible notes.

~~Through December 31, 2021, our liquidity needs have been satisfied through the cash generated from our IPO~~66

Critical Accounting Policies and ~~held outside the trust account, a payment of $25,000 from our sale of our founder shares to our sponsor, and a loan from our sponsor for $151,413, which we repaid in full on January 28, 2021.~~Estimates

On January 28, 2021, we consummated our initial public offering of 10,350,000 units. Each unit consists of one share of our Class A common stock and one redeemable warrant, with each warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock for $11.50 per share. The ~~units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $103,500,000.~~

Simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, we consummated the sale of 5,738,000 private placement warrants, at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant, in a private placement to our sponsor, generating gross proceeds of $5,738,000.

~~Following the closing of our initial public offering and the sale~~preparation of the private placement warrants, an aggregate amount of $105,570,000 (which amount includes the deferred underwriting discount) was placed in the trust account established in connection with the initial public offering. Transaction costs amounted to $6,211,902, consisting of $2,070,000 in underwriting discount, $3,622,500 in deferred underwriting discount, the fair value of the shares issued to the underwriters of $1,000 deemed as underwriters’ compensation, and $518,402 of other offering costs.

~~Net cash used in operations was $1,169 thousand during the year ended December 31, 2021 compared with $113 thousand during the year ended December 31, 2020.~~ Net cash used in investing activities was approximately $105,570 thousand during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared to net cash used in investing activities of $0 during the year ended December 31, 2020. Net cash provided by financing activities was $106,753 thousand during the year ended December 31, 2021 as compared $151 thousand for the year ended December 31, 2020.

We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account not previously released to us (less taxes payable) to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest to pay our franchise and income taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.

As of December 31, 2021, we had cash of $52 thousand. We intend to use the funds held outside the trust account primarily to identify and evaluate target businesses, perform business due diligence on prospective target businesses, travel to and from the offices of prospective target businesses or their representatives or owners, review corporate documents and material agreements of prospective target businesses, and structure, negotiate, complete a business combination, and implement our plan of dissolution.

In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of the sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. Such loans, or working capital loans, would be convertible into private placement-equivalent warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 1,500,000 warrants if $1,500,000 of notes were so converted), at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. In the event that a business combination does not close, we may use a portion of proceeds held outside the trust account to repay the working capital loans but no proceeds held in the trust account would be used to repay the working capital loans.

~~We did not have any long-term debt obligations, capital lease obligations, operating lease obligations, purchase obligations or long-term liabilities at December 31, 2021 and 2020.~~

The underwriter of our initial public offering is entitled to underwriting discounts and commissions of 5.5%, of which 2.0% ($2,070,00) was paid at the closing of our initial public offering, and 3.5% ($3,622,500) was deferred. The deferred

underwriting discount will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that we complete a business combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement. The underwriter is not entitled to any interest accrued on the deferred underwriting discount.

~~The preparation of~~consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with ~~Generally Accepted Accounting Principles~~U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, assumptions and ~~assumptions~~judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. ~~Actual~~Although actual results could materially differ from those ~~estimates.~~estimates, such estimates are developed based on the best information available to management and management's best judgments at the time.

Significant estimates include the valuation of the forward option on forward purchase agreement, derivative liability, warrants, and the amount of share-based compensation expense.

The forward option in the forward purchase agreements is remeasured each reporting period using a Monte-Carlo Simulation in a risk-neutral framework (a special case of the Income Approach). Specifically, the future stock price is simulated assuming a Geometric Brownian Motion (“GBM”). For each simulated path, the forward purchase value is calculated based on the contractual terms and then discounted at the term-matched risk-free rate. Finally, the value of the forward is calculated as the average present value over all simulated paths.

The convertible notes derivative liabilities are remeasured each reporting period using a probability-weighted model and assumption related to the conversion price and timing of conversion. The put option liability is valued based on the calculated returns as a result of the various discounts included in the Company’s convertible notes and the related probability assessments of the various settlement scenarios. The convertible notes derivative liability was extinguished as of the Closing, as a result of the conversion of the convertible notes.

The fair value of stock options granted is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model, which requires the use of the following assumptions:

The expected term is based on the “simplified method” described in the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 14 which is determined as the midpoint between the vesting date and the contractual end of the option grant. Stock Price volatility was estimated based on the estimated stock price volatility of a peer group of publicly traded companies over a similar term. The risk-free interest rate for periods within the contractual life of the option is based on the U.S. Treasury yield in effect at the time of grant. The dividend yield was zero as the Company has never declared or paid dividends and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future.

The determination of fair value of restricted stock units is valued based on the value of the Company's Common Stock on the grant date.

We are an emerging growth company (“EGC”), as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (“JOBS”) Act. The JOBS Act permits companies with EGC status to take advantage of an extended transition period to comply with new or revised accounting standards, delaying the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies. We have elected to use this extended transition period to enable us to comply with new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date we (i) are no longer an emerging growth company or (ii) affirmatively and irrevocably opt out of the extended transition period provided in the JOBS Act. As a result, our consolidated financial statements may not ~~identified~~be comparable to companies that comply with the new or revised accounting standards as of public company effective dates.

In addition, we intend to rely on the other exemptions and reduced reporting requirements provided by the JOBS Act. Since we intend to rely on such exemptions, we are not required to, among other things: (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act; (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act; (iii) comply with any ~~critical accounting policies.~~requirement that may be adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the consolidated financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis); and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation-related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to median employee compensation.

We will remain an EGC under the JOBS Act until the earliest of (i) the last day of our first fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the closing of this offering, (ii) the last date of our fiscal year in which we have total annual gross revenue of at least $1.07 billion, (iii) the date on which we are deemed to be a “large-accelerated filer” under the rules of the SEC with at least $700.0 million of outstanding securities held by non-affiliates, or (iv) the date on which we have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt securities during the previous three-years.

On October 28, 2022, LMAO consummated a series of transactions that resulted in the combination of LMF Merger Sub, Inc. and SeaStar Medical, Inc. pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger as described further in this Annual Report. LMAO was renamed to "SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation." The Business Combination was treated as the equivalent of SeaStar Medical, Inc. issuing shares for the net assets of LMAO, accompanied by a recapitalization. The net assets of LMAO were stated at historical cost. Operations prior to the Business Combination are those of SeaStar Medical, Inc.

~~Management~~The aggregate consideration payable to the stockholders of SeaStar Medical, Inc. at the Closing was $85.4 million. The consideration consisted of $85.0 million; minus any SeaStar Medical, Inc. indebtedness; minus SeaStar Medical, Inc. transaction expenses in excess of a cap of $0.8 million; plus the aggregate exercise price of unexercised SeaStar Medical, Inc. warrants and options issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Closing; less the value of the shares of Common Stock underlying the assumed equity (the “Closing Consideration”). The Closing Consideration was payable solely in shares of LMAO Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, valued at $10.00 per share, resulting in the issuance of 8,540,552 shares of Common Stock to holders of stock of SeaStar Medical, Inc., immediately prior to the Closing. At the Closing, shares of class B Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of LMAO (“Class B Common Stock”) automatically converted into shares of class A Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share, of LMAO (“Class A Common Stock”) on a one-to-one basis, and pursuant to the charter of LMAO after the Business Combination, Class A and Class B Common Stock was reclassified as Common Stock.

At the Closing, each of SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s issued and outstanding convertible notes automatically converted into shares of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation Common Stock. Immediately prior to the effectiveness of the Business Combination, each share of SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s issued and outstanding preferred stock automatically converted into shares of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation Common Stock and those SeaStar Medical, Inc. warrants that would be exercised or exchanged in connection with the Business Combination were exercised for shares of SeaStar Medical, Inc. Common Stock. At Closing, the (i) SeaStar Medical, Inc. warrants that would not be exercised or exchanged in connection with the Business Combination were assumed by LMAO and converted into warrants to purchase Common Stock, (ii) outstanding options for shares of SeaStar Medical, Inc. Common Stock under SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s equity plan were assumed by LMAO and converted into options to purchase Common Stock, and (iii) issued and outstanding restricted stock unit awards under SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s current equity plan were assumed by LMAO and converted into LMAO restricted stock units.

The following table summarizes our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2022:

On October 17 and October 25, 2022, LMAO and SeaStar Medical, Inc. entered into forward purchase agreements (“FPA”) with Vellar Opportunity Fund SPV LLC – Series 4 (“Vellar”) and HB Strategies LLC (“HB Strategies” and together with Vellar, the “FPA Sellers”). According to the terms of the FPAs, the FPA Sellers purchased, through a broker in the open market, shares of Class A Common Stock from holders other than LMAO or affiliates of LMAO, including from holders who had previously elected to redeem shares pursuant to the redemption rights in connection with the Business Combination (such purchased shares, the “Recycled Shares”).

The FPA Sellers were paid directly, from LMAO’s trust account, a cash amount (the “Prepayment Amount”) equal to the number of shares purchased multiplied by the per-share redemption price. In addition to the Prepayment Amount, the FPA Sellers were repaid, directly from LMAO's trust account, for the purchase of 200,000 Shares of LMAO Common Stock bought from third parties in the open market, through a broker.

The FPA Sellers may in its discretion sell Recycled Shares they purchased, (the "Terminated Shares"). The Company is entitled to proceeds from sales of Terminated Shares equal to the number of Terminated Shares multiplied by the Reset Price (the "Reset Price"). Following the closing of the Business Combination (the "Closing"), the Reset Price will initially be $10.00 per Share, but will be adjusted on the last scheduled trading day of each month commencing on the first calendar month following the Closing to the lowest of (a) the then-current Reset Price, (b) $10.00 and (c) the volume weighted average price (“VWAP Price”) of the Shares of the last ten (10) trading days of the prior calendar month, but not lower than $5.00.

The maturity date of the FPA (the “Maturity Date”) will be the earliest of (a) the third anniversary of the Closing, and (b) after any occurrence during any 30 consecutive trading-day period, the VWAP Price for 20 trading days is less than $3.00 per Share, at the FPA Seller decision.

At the Maturity Date, the FPA Sellers will be entitled to retain a cash amount equal to the number of unsold Recycled Shares multiplied by $2.50, and the FPA Sellers will deliver to the Company the unsold Recycled Shares.

As of December 31, 2022, the FPA Sellers have paid the Company proceeds from sales of Terminated Shares of $0.0 million. While the Company may receive cash proceeds from sales of Terminated Shares by FPA Sellers, the FPA Sellers may not have any incentive to sell Terminated Shares unless the trading price of our Common Stock is above the Reset Price. The Reset Price on February 10, 2023 was $5.00 per share, and there is no guarantee that the trading price of our Common Stock will equal or exceed the current Reset Price, or that the future trading price of our Common Stock may equal or exceed the Reset Price in subsequent applicable periods. In such a case, the FPA Sellers may not sell Terminated Shares, in which case we will not be able to receive any cash proceeds from the FPAs. In addition, if the FPA Sellers decide to sell their shares into the market, it may cause the trading price of our Common Stock to decline significantly.

On October 28, 2022, the Sponsor and LMAO entered into the Director Nomination Agreement, providing the Sponsor certain director nomination rights, including the right to appoint or nominate for election to the Board, as applicable, two individuals, to serve as Class II directors of the Company, for a certain period following the Closing (the “Director Nomination Agreement”).

On August 23, 2022, SeaStar Medical, Inc., LMAO, and Tumim Stone Capital LLC ("Tumim") entered into an equity line financing arrangement through a Common Stock Purchase Agreement providing the right to sell Tumim up to $100 million worth of shares of Common Stock. The Common Stock Purchase Agreement is subject to certain limitations and conditions and provided for a $2.5 million commitment fee payable to Tumim. The Company paid $1.0 million of the commitment fee in cash at Closing. The Company has recorded an accrued expense for the remaining $1.5 million of the commitment fee as of December 31, 2022, of which $1.0 million will be paid in newly issued shares of Common Stock. The $2.5 commitment fee was recorded in general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2022.

On September 9, 2022, SeaStar Medical, Inc. entered into a Credit Agreement (“LMFA Note”) with LM Funding America, Inc. (“LMFA”) whereby LMFA agreed to make advances to SeaStar Medical, Inc. of up to $0.7 million for general corporate purposes at an interest rate of 15% per annum. All advances made to SeaStar Medical, Inc. under the LMFA Note and accrued interest were due and payable to LMFA on the maturity date, which is the earlier of (a) October 25, 2022, (b) the consummation of the Business Combination, and (c) the termination of the Merger agreement. As of December 31, 2022, the Company has borrowed $0.7 million under the LMFA Note.

On October 28, 2022, SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and LMFA entered into the First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated September 9, 2022 between LMFA and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation whereby (i) the maturity date of the loan under the LMFA Note was extended to October 30, 2023; (ii) the Company is required to use 5.0% of the gross cash proceeds received from any future debt and equity financing to pay outstanding balance of LMFA Note, provided that such repayment is not required for the first $0.5 million of cash proceeds; (iii) the interest rate of the LMFA Note is reduced from 15% to 7% per annum; and (iv) the default interest rate is reduced from 18% to 15%. Subsequent to December 31, 2022, the maturity date was extended to June 15, 2024 (Note 16). As such, the Company has classified the LMFA Note as long-term in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022. The LMFA Note contains customary representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants and events of default.

In addition, on October 28, 2022, the parties entered into a security agreement, pursuant to which SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation granted LMFA a security interest in substantially all of the assets and property of the Company, subject to certain exceptions, as collateral under the amended LMFA Note. In addition, the Company entered into a guaranty, dated October 28, 2022, whereby SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation unconditionally guarantees and promises to pay to LMFA the outstanding principal amount under the LMFA Note.

On November 2, 2022, The Company entered into an additional promissory note in the amount of $0.3 million with LMFA. The promissory note is noninterest bearing and is due on demand at any time on or after March 31, 2023. The note was paid in full in January 2023.

On October 28, 2022, the Company entered into a consolidated amended and restated promissory note with LMFAO Sponsor, LLC, LMAO’s sponsor and the sole holder of founding shares as the lender, for an aggregate principal amount of $2,785 (the “LMFAO Note”) to amend and restate in its entirety (i) the promissory note, dated July 29, 2022, for $1,035 in aggregate principal amount issued by LMAO to the Sponsor and (ii) the Amended and Restated Promissory Note, dated July 28, 2022, for $1,750 in aggregate principal amount, issued by LMAO to the Sponsor (collectively, the “Original Notes”). The LMFAO Note amended the Original Notes to: (i) extend maturity dates of

the Original Notes to October 30, 2023; (ii) permit outstanding amount due under the LMFAO Note to be prepaid without premium or penalty; and (iii) require the Company to use 20.0% of the gross cash proceeds received from any future debt and equity financing to pay the outstanding balance of LMFAO Note, provided that such repayment is not required for the first $500 of cash proceeds. Subsequent to December 31, 2022, the maturity date was extended to June 15, 2024 (Note 16). As such, the Company has classified the LMFAO Note as long-term in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022. The LMFAO Note carries an interest rate of 7% per annum and contains customary representations and warranties and affirmative and negative covenants.

The LMFAO Note is subject to events of default, which may result in the LMFAO Note becoming immediately due and payable, with interest of 15.0% per annum. In addition, on October 28, 2022, the parties entered into a security agreement whereby the Company granted the Sponsor a security interest in substantially all of the assets and property of the Company, subject to certain exceptions, as collateral to secure the Company’s obligations under the LMFAO Note.

On October 28, 2022, the Company entered into a promissory note with Maxim as the lender, for an aggregate principal amount of $4.2 million (the “Maxim Note”). The Maxim Note had a maturity date of October 30, 2023 and any outstanding amount may be prepaid without premium or penalty. If the Company receives any cash proceeds from a debt or equity financing transaction prior to the maturity date, then the Company is required to prepay the indebtedness equal to 25.0% of the gross amount of the cash proceeds, provided that such repayment obligation does not ~~believe~~apply to the first $0.5 million of the cash proceeds received by the Company. Subsequent to December 31, 2022, the maturity date was extended to June 15, 2024 (Note 16). As such, the Company has classified the Maxim Note as long-term in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022. Interest on the Maxim Note is due at 7.0% per annum.

The Maxim Note contains customary representations and warranties, and affirmative and negative covenants. The Maxim Note is subject to events of default, which may result in the Maxim Note becoming immediately due and payable, with interest of 15.0% per annum.

In October 2022, the Company entered into a financing agreement with a lender to finance a portion of the annual premium of an insurance policy in the amount of $0.9 million. Interest on the financing agreement is due at 7.35% per annum. The Company made payments of principal and interest of $0.1 million and $0.1 million in January 2023 and February 2023, respectively.

On October 28, 2022, Maxim, LMFA, the Sponsor (collectively, the “Creditors”), SeaStar Medical, Inc. and the Company entered into the Intercreditor Agreement in order to set their relative rights under the LMFA Note, LMFAO Note and Maxim Note, including the payments of amounts by the Company upon an event of default under such notes. Each Creditor agrees and acknowledges that ~~any recently issued, but not effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would~~LMFA and the Sponsor have ~~a material effect~~been granted liens on ~~our financial statements.~~the collateral as set forth in the applicable LMFA security agreement and the sponsor security agreement. Each creditor also agrees and acknowledges that Maxim’s indebtedness under the Maxim Note is unsecured.

The Financial Statements of the Company, the Notes thereto and the Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm thereon required by this Item 8 begin on page F-1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K located immediately following the signature page.

~~Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.~~

Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures pursuant to Rule 13a-15 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report. In designing and evaluating the disclosure controls and procedures, management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving the desired control objectives. In addition, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that thereWe are ~~resource constraints and that management is required to apply its judgment in evaluating the benefits of possible controls and procedures relative to their costs.~~

Based on management’s evaluation (in accordance with Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(b)), our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of December 31, 2021, due to the weakness in internal control over financial reporting described below, our disclosure controls and procedures are not designed at a reasonable assurance level or effective to provide reasonable assurance that information we are required to disclose in reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. As discussed below, we plan on increasing the size of our accounting staff at the appropriate time for our business and its size to ameliorate our auditor’s concern that the Company does not effectively segregate certain accounting duties, which we believe would resolve the material weakness in internal control over financial reporting and similarly improve disclosure controls and procedures, but there can be no assurances as to the timing of any such action or that the Company will be able to do so.

Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in Exchange Act Rule 13a-15(f). Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the criteria set

~~forth in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission.~~

Our management assessed the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2021. Based on that assessment, our management determined that, as of December 31, 2021, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting was not effective for the purposes for which it is intended. Specifically, management’s determination was based on the following material weaknesses which existed as of December 31, 2021.

The Company did not effectively segregate certain accounting duties due to the small size of its accounting staff and lack of multiple levels of review. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Notwithstanding the determination that our internal control over financial reporting was not effective, as of December 31, 2021, and that there was a material weakness as identified in this Annual Report, we believe that our financial statements contained in this Annual Report fairly present our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the years covered hereby in all material respects.

~~This Annual Report does not include an attestation report by MaloneBailey LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm, regarding internal control over financial reporting. As~~ a smaller reporting company ~~our management's report was not subject to attestation~~as defined by ~~our registered public accounting firm pursuant to rules~~Rule 12b-2 of the ~~SEC that permit us to provide only management’s report in this Annual Report.~~

~~We regularly review our system of internal control over financial reporting~~Exchange Act and make changes to our processes and systems to improve controls and increase efficiency. Changes may include such activities as implementing new, more efficient systems, consolidating activities, and migrating processes. There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the year ended December 31, 2021 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting. Although we plan to increase the size of our accounting staff at the appropriate time for our business and its size to ameliorate our auditor’s concern that the Company does not effectively segregate certain accounting duties, there can be no assurances as to the timing of any such action or that the Company will be able to do so.

~~This Annual Report does not include an attestation report by our independent registered public accounting firm due to our status as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act.~~

~~Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.~~

~~Bruce Rodgers~~ serves as our Chief Executive Officer and President and is Chairman of our Board of Directors. Since completion of its initial public offering in October 2015, Mr. Rodgers has served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of LMFA, an affiliate of our sponsor and publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market. LMFA is ~~a specialty finance company that provides funding to nonprofit community associations primarily located in the state of Florida.~~ Mr. Rodgers was instrumental in developing LMFA’s business model prior to its inception and was one of its primary investors. As LMFA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rodgers has guided LMFA through its initial public offering, subsequent public offerings, and acquisitions of complementary businesses. Mr. Rodgers is a former business transactions attorney counseling numerous businesses with respect to mergers, acquisitions and capital raising transactions. In this capacity, Mr. Rodgers was an associate of Macfarlane, Ferguson, & McMullen, P.A. from 1991 to 1995 and a partner from 1995-1998 and was an equity partner of Foley & Lardner LLP from 1998 to 2003. Originally from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Mr. Rodgers holds an engineering degree from Vanderbilt University (1985) and a Juris Doctor, with honors, from the University of Florida (1991). Mr. Rodgers also served as an officer in the United States Navy from 1985-1989 rising to the rank of Lieutenant, Surface Warfare Officer. Mr. Rodgers is a member of the Florida Bar and holds an AV-Preeminent rating from Martindale Hubbell. We believe that Mr. Rodgers is well-qualified to serve on our Board due to his experience in sourcing, negotiating and consummating acquisitions, and investment in and management of a financial services business.

~~Richard Russell~~ serves as our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary and as a director. Mr. Russell has also served as Chief Financial Officer of LMFA, an affiliate of our sponsor and publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market since 2017. Since 2016, he has provided financial and accounting consulting services with a focus on technical and external reporting, internal auditing, mergers & acquisitions, risk management, and CFO and controller services. Mr. Russell also served as Chief Financial Officer for Mission Health Communities, offering management services for nursing and post-acute care facilities, from 2013 to 2016 and, before that, Mr. Russell served in a variety of roles for Cott Corporation, an American-Canadian beverage and food service company, from 2007 to 2013, including Senior Director Finance, Senior Director of Internal Auditing, and Assistant Corporate Controller. Mr. Russell’s extensive professional experience with public companies includes his position as Director of Financial Reporting for Quality Distribution, a transportation and logistics company, from 2004 – 2007, and as Director of Financial Reporting for Danka Business Systems PLC, a supplier of photocopiers and office imaging equipment, from 2001 to 2004. Mr. Russell also served as Chief Financial Officer of Generation Income Properties, Inc., which is a real estate investment company that is publicly traded on the Nasdaq, a position he has held since December 2019 to February 2022. Mr. Russell earned his bachelor of science in accounting and a master’s in tax accounting from the University of Alabama, a bachelor of arts in international studies from the University of South Florida, and a master’s in business administration from the University of Tampa. On March 1, 2020, Mr. Russell was appointed to the board of directors for TDNT, a publicly held consumer products company that has been trading on the OTCQB Venture Market since April 2015. Mr. Russell was also Chairman of the Hillsborough County Internal Audit Committee since January 2020 to April 2021 and has been a board member since August 2016. We believe that Mr. Russell is well-qualified to serve on our Board due to his experience in ~~public company operations, including in the financial services industry, financial analysis and reporting, mergers and acquisitions and risk management.~~

~~Bruce H. Bennett~~ is one of our directors. Mr. Bennett currently serves as CEO and Chairman of Mad Mobile, Inc., a global leader in point-of-sale modernization and technology solutions for the retail and restaurant industries, which he founded in 2010. As CEO and Chairman of Mad Mobile, Mr. Bennett is responsible for providing leadership and oversight over all functions of the company, including areas such as financial, sales, marketing, hiring, and compensation for the company’s 250 employees globally. Prior to 2010, Mr. Bennett served as the Chief Operating Officer and as a member of the board of directors of SOE Software, a nationally recognized leader of e-Government focused software solutions, from 2005 to 2010. In addition, Mr. Bennett has founded, grown, operated, and sold multiple high-growth technology companies,

including: GoSolutions, Inc., a provider of voice and data communications services, from 2002 to 2004; Mediacentric Group, Inc., an e-commerce delivery service network provider, from 1998 to 2003; eAngler.com, an online fishing resource, providing anglers with content, community, and e-commerce, from 1994 to 1999; and Image Technologies Group, Inc., a provider of strategic consulting, website-design services, database programming, back-end integration, multimedia services, and wireless applications, from 1989 to 1993. A veteran of the software industry, with over two decades of experience, Mr. Bennett is well-versed at both the board of directors and executive levels of public and private sector companies, and he strives to maximize organizations’ key value propositions and enhance their greatest asset: their people. Mr. Bennett received his Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1983. We believe that Mr. Bennett is well-qualified to serve on our Board due to his experience founding, growing, operating, and selling high-growth technology companies, his prior board of directors experience, his successful history of addressing the complex needs of large retail and technology brands, and his proven ability to undertake complex mergers and acquisitions.

~~Craig Burson~~ is one of our directors. Mr. Burson is currently the founder and Managing Member of Peak 8 Capital, LLC and Ski Mountain Properties, LLC, two commercial real estate businesses founded by Mr. Burson and his wife. From January 2000 to March 2020, Mr. Burson worked for H.I.G. Capital, LLC (“H.I.G.”), a leading global alternative investment firm with approximately $42 billion of equity capital under management and a focus on the small cap and mid cap segments of the market. From June 2003 until March 2020, Mr. Burson served as a Managing Director in H.I.G.’s Growth Equity and VC funds. During his 20 year career at H.I.G., Mr. Burson focused on making investments in the business services, consumer, healthcare, and technology sectors. Mr. Burson was involved with over 20 investments while at H.I.G., sat on many of the boards of companies in which investments were made, and was a member of the audit and compensation committees for a number of his investments. Prior to H.I.G., Mr. Burson was a member of the Raymond James & Associates technology investment banking practice, where he was active in public offerings, private placements, and mergers & acquisitions. In addition, Mr. Burson had a 15-year career with the Dow Chemical Company, holding management positions in engineering, sales, marketing, and new business development. His focus at the Dow Chemical Company was on the healthcare, semiconductor, water treatment, mining, and oil & gas industries. Mr. Burson also served as a development leader at Dowell Schlumberger, where he was involved with advanced oil & gas treatment technologies. In addition, he spent time in the trenches working as a roust-a-bout for Phillips Petroleum while earning his engineering degree. Mr. Burson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mining Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. We believe that Mr. Burson is well-qualified to serve on our Board due to his experience in finance and investments, including investments in the technology sector, as well as his board and audit committee service.

~~Martin Traberis one of our directors~~. Mr. Traber currently serves as a director of Mad Mobile, Inc., a global leader in point-of-sale modernization and technology solutions for the retail and restaurant industries, a position he has held since March 2019. Since February 2017, Mr. Traber has served as Chairman of Skyway Capital Markets, LLC a Tampa, Florida-based investment banking firm. Mr. Traber previously served as a director of ~~LMFA, an affiliate of our sponsor and publicly traded company on the Nasdaq Capital Market,~~ since its initial public offering in October 2015 through the date of our initial public offering. Also, From 1994 until 2016, Mr. Traber was a partner of Foley & Lardner LLP, in Tampa, Florida, representing clients in securities law matters and corporate transactions. Mr. Traber was a founder of NorthStar Bank in Tampa, Florida and from 2007 to 2011 served as a member of the Board of Directors of that institution. From 2012 to 2013, he served on the Board of Directors of Exeter Trust Company, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Mr. Traber holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Juris Doctor from Indiana University. He has counseled and observed numerous businesses in a wide range of industries. The knowledge gained from his observations and his knowledge and experience in business transactions and securities law will assist in monitoring our performance and when we consider and pursue business acquisitions and financial transactions. As a former corporate and securities lawyer, Mr. Traber has a fundamental understanding of governance principles and business ethics. His knowledge of other businesses and industries are useful in determining management and director compensation. We believe that ~~Mr. Traber is well-qualified to serve on our Board due to his strong background in law, finance,~~ ~~mergers and acquisitions,~~ ~~and business~~.

We have five directors. Our board of directors is divided into two classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year and each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of stockholders) serving a two-year term. In accordance with Nasdaq corporate governance requirements, we are not required to ~~hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on Nasdaq. The term of office of~~provide the first class of directors, consisting of Mr. Bruce H. Bennett, Mr. Craig E. Burson, and Mr. Martin A. Traber, will expire at our first annual meeting of stockholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Messrs. Bruce M. Rodgers and Richard Russell, will expire at the second annual meeting of stockholders.

Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint persons to the offices set forth in our bylaws as it deems appropriate. Our bylaws provide that our officers may consist of a Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Secretaries, and such other offices as may be determined by the board of directors.information required under this item.

Our board of directors has two standing committees: an audit committee and a compensation committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, Nasdaq rules and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors, and Nasdaq rules require that the compensation committee of a listed company be comprised solely of independent directors.

Our board of directors has established an audit committee of the board of directors. Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber serve as members of our audit committee, and Mr. Burson chairs the audit committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least three members of the audit committee, all of whom must be independent. Each of Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber meet the independent director standard under Nasdaq listing standards and under Rule 10-A-3(b)(1) of the Exchange Act.

Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Mr. Bennett and Mr. Burson both qualify as “audit committee financial experts,” as defined in applicable SEC rules.

~~We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the principal functions of the audit committee, including:~~

Our board of directors has established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber serve as members of our compensation committee. Under the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules, we are required to have at least two members of the compensation committee, all of whom must be independent. Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber are independent, and Mr. Traber chairs the compensation committee.

~~We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:~~

Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting, or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing stockholders, officers, directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination.

Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.

The charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by Nasdaq and the SEC.

We do not have a standing nominating committee though we intend to form a corporate governance and nominating committee as and when required to do so by law or Nasdaq rules. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, a majority of the independent directors may recommend a director nominee for selection by the board of directors. The board of directors believes that the independent directors can satisfactorily carry out the responsibility of properly selecting or approving director nominees without the formation of a standing nominating committee. The directors who will participate in the consideration and recommendation of director nominees are Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber. In accordance with Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq rules, all such directors are independent. As there is no standing nominating committee, we do not have a nominating committee charter in place.

The board of directors will also consider director candidates recommended for nomination by our stockholders during such times as they are seeking proposed nominees to stand for election at the next annual meeting of stockholders (or, if applicable, a special meeting of stockholders). Our stockholders that wish to nominate a director for election to our board of directors should follow the procedures set forth in our bylaws.

We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our stockholders.

~~None of our officers currently serves, or in the past year has served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more officers serving on our board of directors.~~

~~We have adopted a Code of Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees.~~ ~~The Code of Ethics is available under the “Governance” section of our website,~~ ~~www.lmfacquisitions.com. We will also provide a copy of the Code of Ethics to stockholders upon request.~~

None of our officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. No compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers, and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account. Other than quarterly audit committee review of such payments, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination.

After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer materials or proxy solicitation materials furnished to our stockholders in connection with a proposed initial business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed initial business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.

We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.

~~Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.~~

~~The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 25, 2022, by:~~

Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the warrants offered in our initial public offering or the private placement warrants as such warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of March 25, 2022.

Our initial stockholders beneficially own approximately 20% of the issued and outstanding shares of our common stock. Because of this ownership block, our initial stockholders may be able to effectively influence the outcome of all matters requiring approval by our stockholders, including the election of directors, amendments to our certificate of incorporation and approval of significant corporate transactions, including approval of our initial business combination.

The holders of the founder shares have agreed: (A) to vote any shares owned by them in favor of any proposed initial business combination; and (B) not to redeem any shares in connection with a stockholder vote to approve a proposed initial business combination or in connection with a tender offer.

~~Our sponsor and our executive officers and directors are deemed to be our “promoters” as such term is defined under the federal securities laws.~~

The founder shares, private placement warrants, and any shares of Class A common stock issued upon conversion or exercise thereof are each subject to transfer restrictions pursuant to lock-up provisions in a letter agreement with us entered into by our sponsor, officers and directors. Our initial stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares

until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the date of the consummation of our initial business combination; or (ii) the date on which we consummate a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, or other similar transaction that results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Class A common stock for cash, securities, or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of our initial stockholders with respect to any founder shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of our shares of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after our initial business combination, the founder shares will no longer be subject to such transfer restrictions. In addition, the lock-up provisions of the insider letter provide that the founder shares and the private placement warrants, and any shares of Class A common stock issued upon conversion or exercise thereof are not transferable or salable until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination. However, any such securities may be transferred or sold: (a) to our officers or directors, any affiliates or family members of any of our officers or directors, any members of our sponsor, or any affiliates of our sponsor; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of one of the individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such person or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of our liquidation prior to the completion of our initial business combination; (g) by virtue of the laws of Florida or our sponsor’s limited liability company agreement upon dissolution of our sponsor; or (h) in the event of our liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of our stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e) or (g) these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement agreeing to be bound by these transfer restrictions and the other restrictions contained in the letter agreements, and by the same agreements entered into by our sponsor with respect to such securities (including provisions relating to voting, the trust account, and liquidation distributions).

The holders of the founder shares, private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement executed in connection with our initial public offering. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that we register such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by us.

~~Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence.~~

On November 6, 2020, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 2,156,250 founder shares for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000, or approximately $0.012 per share. In January 2021, we effected a stock dividend, resulting in our initial stockholder holding an aggregate of 2,587,500 founder shares. The number of founder shares issued was determined based on the expectation that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares upon completion of our initial public offering. The founder shares (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holder until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.

Simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering, our sponsor purchased an aggregate of 5,738,000 warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant, for an aggregate purchase price of $5,738,000. The private placement warrants are be identical to the warrants underlying the units sold in our initial public offering except that the private placement warrants, so long as they are held by our sponsor, the underwriters or their permitted transferees: (i) will not be redeemable by us; (ii) may not (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of these warrants), subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold by the holders until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination; (iii) may be exercised by the holders on a cashless basis; and (iv) will be entitled to registration rights. The private placement warrants (including the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise thereof) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned, or sold by the holder.

As more fully discussed below under “—Conflicts of Interest,” if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity that falls within the line of business of any entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. Our officers and directors currently have certain relevant fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may take priority over their duties to us.

Unless disclosed herein, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates and will determine which expenses and the amount of expenses that will be reimbursed. There is no cap or ceiling on the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by such persons in connection with activities on our behalf.

~~Prior to the closing of our initial public offering,~~ we issued an unsecured promissory note to our sponsor, pursuant to which we were able to borrow up to an aggregate principal amount of $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of our initial public offering. This loan was non-interest bearing, unsecured and due at the earlier of June 30, 2021 or the closing of the initial public offering. As of January 27, 2021, we had drawn down $151,413 under the promissory note with our sponsor to pay for offering expenses. On January 28, 2021, in connection with the closing of the initial public offering, we repaid the full $151,413 loan to the sponsor. ~~The value of our sponsor’s interest in this transaction corresponds to the principal amount outstanding under such loan.~~

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. 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 proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into warrants at a price of $1.00 per warrant (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued warrants to purchase 1,500,000 shares if $1,500,000 of notes were so converted), at the option of the lender. Such warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants, including as to exercise price, exercisability and exercise period. The terms of such loans by our officers and directors, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. We do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.

After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our stockholders, to the extent then known, in the tender offer or proxy solicitation materials, as applicable, furnished to our stockholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a stockholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.

We have entered into a registration rights agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, the warrants issuable upon conversion of working capital loans (if any) and the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the foregoing and upon conversion of the founder shares, which is described above under the section entitled “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters—Registration Rights.”

We have not yet adopted a formal policy for the review, approval or ratification of related party transactions. Accordingly, the transactions discussed above were not reviewed, approved or ratified in accordance with any such policy.

We have adopted a code of ethics requiring us to avoid, wherever possible, all conflicts of interests, except under guidelines or resolutions approved by our board of directors (or the appropriate committee of our board) or as disclosed in our public filings with the SEC. Under our code of ethics, conflict of interest situations will include any financial transaction, arrangement or relationship (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) involving the company.

In addition, our audit committee, pursuant to its written charter, will be responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions to the extent that we enter into such transactions. An affirmative vote of a majority of the members

of the audit committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present will be required in order to approve a related party transaction. A majority of the members of the entire audit committee will constitute a quorum. Without a meeting, the unanimous written consent of all of the members of the audit committee will be required to approve a related party transaction. We also require each of our directors and executive officers to complete a directors’ and officers’ questionnaire that elicits information about related party transactions.

These procedures are intended to determine whether any such related party transaction impairs the independence of a director or presents a conflict of interest on the part of a director, employee or officer.

To further minimize conflicts of interest, we have agreed not to consummate an initial business combination with an entity that is affiliated with any of our sponsor, officers or directors unless we, or a committee of independent directors, have obtained an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. Furthermore, no finder’s fees, reimbursements or cash payments will be paid by us to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, for services rendered to us prior to or in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. However, the following payments will be made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates, none of which will be made from the proceeds of our trust account prior to the completion of our initial business combination:

~~Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.~~

Our initial stockholders, including our sponsor and certain of our directors and officers, shall agree to offer all suitable business combination opportunities within the financial services industry (and other related sectors) to the Company before any other person or company until the consummation by the Company of a business combination, subject to any pre-existing contractual or fiduciary obligations they may have.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.

~~Our stockholders should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:~~

~~In general, officers and directors of a corporation incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware are required to present business opportunities to a corporation if:~~

Accordingly, as a result of multiple business affiliations, our officers and directors may have similar legal obligations relating to presenting business opportunities meeting the above-listed criteria to multiple entities. Furthermore, our certificate of incorporation provides that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of our company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation.

~~Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations that may present a conflict of interest:~~

Accordingly, if any of the above executive officers or directors becomes aware of an initial business combination opportunity which is suitable for any of the above entities to which he or she has current fiduciary or contractual obligations, he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity, and only present it to us if such entity rejects the opportunity.

We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or with any of our officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor or any of our officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or an independent accounting firm that our initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.

If we submit our initial business combination to our public stockholders for a vote, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed pursuant to the letter agreement to vote any founder shares and public shares held by them in favor of our initial business combination.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that our officers and directors will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by Delaware law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our certificate of incorporation provides that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us or our stockholders for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law as the same exists or may hereafter be amended.

We have entered into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our certificate of incorporation. Our bylaws also permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, regardless of whether Delaware law would permit such indemnification. We will purchase a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors.

These provisions may discourage stockholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our stockholders. Furthermore, a stockholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.

~~We believe that these provisions, the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.~~

Nasdaq listing standards require that a majority of our board of directors be independent. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person other than an officer or employee of the company or its subsidiaries or any other individual having a relationship which in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, would interfere with the director’s exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. Our board of directors has determined that Mr. Bennett, Mr. Burson, and Mr. Traber are “independent directors” as defined in the Nasdaq listing standards and applicable SEC rules. Our independent directors will have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.

~~The following table sets forth the aggregate fees for services related to the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 provided by MaloneBailey, LLP, our principal accountants:~~

The audit committee pre-approved 100% of all auditing services and non-auditing services. The audit committee has delegated this authority to the chairman of the audit committee for situations when pre-approval by the full audit committee is inconvenient. Any decisions by the chairman of the audit committee must be disclosed at the next audit committee meeting.

~~(b)~~ ~~Exhibits. The exhibits listed on the Exhibit Index, which appears at the end of this report, are filed as part of, or are incorporated by reference into, this report.~~

To the ~~Shareholders~~Stockholders and the Board of Directors of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of ~~LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc. (~~SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and subsidiary (collectively the “Company”) as of December 31, ~~2021~~2022 and ~~2020,~~2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, ~~stockholders’ equity (deficit),~~changes in convertible preferred stock and stockholders' deficit, and cash flows for the ~~year~~years then ended, ~~December 31, 2021 and the period from October 27, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020,~~ and the related notes (collectively referred to as the ~~“financial statements”)~~consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the Company as of December 31, ~~2021~~2022 and ~~2020,~~2021, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the ~~year~~years in the two-year period ended December 31, ~~2021 and the period from October 27, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020,~~2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) ~~("PCAOB")~~(PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.

We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the ~~audits~~audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Company is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the ~~Company's~~Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern. As discussed in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has incurred recurring significant losses that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management's plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 1. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

~~LMF ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES, INC.~~For the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021

~~STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS~~(in thousands, except for share and per-share amounts)

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

Additional

Class A Common Stock

Class B Common Stock

paid

Accumulated

Total

Shares

Amount

Shares

Amount

in capital

Deficit

Equity (Deficit)

Balance as of December 31, 2020

—

$
—

2,156,250

$
215

$
24,785

$
(5,236
)

$
19,764

Class A Units issued for cash

10,350,000

1,035

—

—

103,498,965

—

103,500,000

Representative shares issued

103,500

10

—

—

(10
)

—

—

Class A Units subject to possible redemption
��

(10,350,000)

(1,035
)

(105,568,965
)

—

(105,570,000
)

Private placement warrants issued for cash

5,738,000

—

5,738,000

Class B shares dividend issued to Sponsor

431,250

44

(44
)

—

—

Warrants classified as liabilities

(8,116,680
)

—

(8,116,680
)

Underwriting fee & offering costs

(6,211,902
)

—

(6,211,902
)

Reclass APIC to retained earnings

10,635,851

(10,635,851
)

—

Net income

—

—

—

—

—

75,317

75,317

Balance – December 31, 2021

103,500

$
10

2,587,500

$
259

$
-

$
(10,565,770
)

$
(10,565,501
)

Consolidated Statements of Changes in Convertible Preferred Stock and Stockholders' Deficit

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements

The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

SeaStar Medical, Inc. was incorporated as a Delaware corporation in June 2007, and it is headquartered in Denver, Colorado. The Company is principally engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of a platform medical device technology designed to modulate inflammation in various patient populations. The primary target of this technology is for the treatment of acute kidney injuries.

SeaStar Medical, Inc. is in the pre-revenue stage focused on product development.

On October 28, 2022, LMF Merger Sub, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc., (“LMAO”) merged with and into SeaStar Medical, Inc. (the ~~“Company”~~"Business Combination") ~~was incorporated in Delaware in October 2020 for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination~~, with ~~one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”).~~

~~As of December 31, 2021,~~SeaStar Medical, Inc. surviving the Company had not yet commenced any operations. All activity for the period from October 28, 2020 (inception) through December 31, 2021 relates to the Company's formation and the initial public offering ("IPO") described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination atas a wholly owned subsidiary of LMAO (see Note 3). Following the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the IPO and unrealized gains or losses from the revaluationconsummation of the ~~warrant liability.~~

The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective on January 25, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On January 28, 2021, the Company consummated the IPO of 10,350,000 units (the “Units” and, with respect to the shares of Class A common stock included in the Units sold, the “Public Shares”), at $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $103,500,000, which is described in Note 2.

Following the closing of the IPO on January 28, 2021, an amount of $105,570,000 ($10.20 per Unit) from the net proceeds of the sale of the Units in the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants was placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) was invested in U.S. government securities, within the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act, with a maturity of 180 days or less or in any open-ended investment company that holds itself out as a money market fund meeting the conditions of Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to the Company to pay its franchise and income tax obligations (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), the proceeds from the IPO and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest of (a) the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination, ~~(b)~~ LMAO was renamed to "SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation" ("the redemption of any Public Shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation, and (c) the redemption of the Company’s Public Shares if the Company is unable to complete the initial Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the IPO (or up to 21 months from the closing of the IPO if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a business combination, as described in more detail in the prospectus for the IPO)Company", subject to applicable law. The proceeds deposited in the Trust Account could become subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, if any, which could have priority over the claims of the Company’s public stockholders."we", "SeaStar Medical").

As of December 31, 2022, the Company has an accumulated deficit of $99,325 and cash of $47. We do not believe that will be sufficient to enable us to fund our operations, including clinical trial expenses and capital expenditure requirements for at least 12 months from the issuance of these consolidated financial statements. We believe that this raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.

Our need for additional capital will depend in part on the scope and costs of our development activities. To date, we have not generated any significant revenue from the sales of commercialized products. Our ability to generate product revenue will depend on the successful development and eventual commercialization of our product. Until such time, if ever, we expect to finance our operations through the sale of equity or debt, borrowing under credit facilities, or through potential collaborations, other strategic transactions or government and other grants. Adequate capital may not be available to us when needed or on acceptable terms.

If we are unable to raise capital, we could be forced to delay, reduce, suspend, or cease our research and development programs or any future commercialization efforts, which would have a negative impact on our business, prospects, operating results and financial condition. The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern and do not include adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. This basis of accounting contemplates the recovery of the Company’s assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business.

The Company is ~~an “emerging growth company,” as defined~~subject to risks common to early-stage companies in ~~Section 2(a) of~~ the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”), as modified by the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth

not limited to, ~~not being required~~new medical and technological innovations, dependence on key personnel, protection of proprietary technology, and product liability. There can be no assurance that the Company's products or services will be accepted in the marketplace, nor can there be any assurance that any future products or services can be developed or deployed at an acceptable cost and with appropriate performance characteristics, or that such products or services will be successfully marketed, if at all. These factors could have a materially adverse effect on the Company's future financial results, financial position and cash flows.

The Company cannot at this time predict the specific extent, duration, or full impact that a future pandemic will have on its financial condition and operations. A future pandemic may affect our ability to ~~comply with the auditor attestation requirements~~initiate and complete preclinical studies, delay our clinical trials or future clinical trials, disrupt regulatory activities, or have other adverse effects on our business and operations.

Note 2. Summary of ~~Section 404~~Significant Accounting Policies

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

~~Use of Estimates~~

~~The preparation of~~consolidated financial statements in conformity with USU.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates, assumptions and ~~assumptions~~judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and ~~the~~ reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the ~~reporting~~ period. ~~Actual~~Significant estimates include the valuation of the forward option on prepaid forward contracts, derivative liability, warrants, tax provision, and the amount of share-based compensation expense. Although actual results could differ from those ~~estimates.~~estimates, such estimates are developed based on the best information available to management and management's best judgments at the time.

Cash

~~Cash and Cash Equivalents~~

The Company ~~considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be~~maintains its cash ~~equivalents. The Company did 0t have any cash equivalents as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.~~

~~Cash and Marketable Securities Held~~ in ~~Trust Account~~

~~At December 31, 2021, substantially all of the assets held~~commercial banks in the ~~Trust Account were held in~~ United States ("U.S. ~~Treasury Securities Money Market Funds.~~") which are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250.

Concentrations of credit risk

~~Class A Ordinary Shares Subject to Possible Redemption~~

The Company accounts for the Class A Ordinary Shares subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480, “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” Class A Ordinary Shares subject to mandatory redemption are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable Class A Ordinary Shares (including Class A Ordinary Shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A Ordinary Shares are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Class A Ordinary Shares feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, 10,350,000 and 0, respectively, Class A Ordinary Shares subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the shareholders’ equity section of the Company’s condensed balance sheets. The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts carrying value of redeemable Ordinary Shares to equal the redemption value at the end of the reporting period. Immediately upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount value. The change in the carrying value of the redeemable Class A Ordinary Shares resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital and accumulated deficit.

~~Concentration of Credit Risk~~

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to ~~concentrations~~significant concentration of credit risk consist primarily of ~~a cash account~~cash. Periodically, the Company may maintain deposits in a financial ~~institution, which, at times, may exceed the Federal Depository Insurance Coverage~~institutions in excess of ~~$250,000. As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the~~government insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on ~~this account~~deposits since inception.

Income taxes

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and ~~management believes~~liabilities for the ~~Company~~expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the consolidated financial statements or tax returns. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the difference between the consolidated financial statement carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the periods in which such differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is provided when the realization of net deferred tax assets is not ~~exposed to significant risks on such account.~~

~~Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption~~

The Company accounts for its Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 480 "Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity." Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as a liability instrument and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable common stock (including common stock that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon

the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company's control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, common stock are classified as stockholders' equity. The Company's common stock feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company's control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, 10,350,000 Class A common stock subject to possible redemption are presented at redemption value as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders' equity section of the Company's balance sheet.deemed more likely than not.

~~Derivative Warrant Liabilities~~

The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market, or foreign currency risks. The Company evaluates all of its financial instruments, including issued stock purchase warrants, to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives, pursuant to ASC 480 and ASC 815-15. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is re-assessed at the end of each reporting period. In accordance with ASC 825-10 “Financial Instruments”, offering costs attributable to the issuance of the derivative warrant liabilities have been allocated based on their relative fair value of total proceeds and are recognized in the statement of operations as incurred.

The 10,350,000 warrants issued in connection with the IPO (the “Public Warrants”) and the 5,768,000 Private Placement Warrants are recognized as derivative liabilities in accordance with ASC 815-40. Accordingly, the Company recognizes the warrant instruments as liabilities at fair value and adjust the instruments to fair value at each reporting period. The liabilities are subject to re-measurement at each balance sheet date until exercised. The fair value of the Public Warrants issued and Private Placement Warrants have been estimated using a Monte Carlo simulation model each measurement date. Derivative warrant liabilities are classified as non-current liabilities as their liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of current assets or require the creation of current liabilities.

~~Offering Costs~~

The Company complies with the ~~requirements~~provisions of "Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 740, Income Taxes, which provides a comprehensive model for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure in consolidated financial statements of uncertain income tax positions that a company has taken or expects to take on a tax return. Under this guidance, a company can recognize the benefit of an income tax position only if it is more likely than not (greater than 50%) that the tax position will be sustained upon tax examination, based solely on the technical merits of the ~~ASC 340-10-S99-1~~tax position; otherwise, no benefit can be recognized. The tax benefits recognized are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. Additionally, the Company accrues interest and ~~SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin ("SAB") Topic 5A - "Expenses of Offering". Offering costs consist principally of professional~~related penalties, if applicable, on all tax exposures for which reserves have been established consistent with jurisdictional tax laws. Interest and ~~registration fees incurred through~~penalties are classified as income tax expense in the ~~balance sheet date that are related~~consolidated financial statements.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the ~~IPO~~Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and that were charged to stockholders' equity upon the completion of the IPO. Accordingly, on December 31, 2021, offering costs totaling $6,211,902 have been charged to stockholders' equity (consisting of $2,070,000 in underwriters' discount, $3,622,500 in deferred underwriters' fee, the fairper-share amounts)

Fair value ~~of the shares issued to the underwriters of $1,000 deemed as underwriters’ compensation, and approximately $518,402 of other cash expenses).~~measurements

~~Fair Value of Financial Instruments~~

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received ~~for sale of~~to sell an asset or paid ~~for~~to transfer of a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement ~~date. GAAP establishes a three-tier~~date (exit price). Inputs used to measure fair value ~~hierarchy, which prioritizes~~are classified into the ~~inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted~~following hierarchy:

Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets ~~or liabilities (Level 1 measurements)~~ and ~~the lowest priority to unobservable~~liabilities.

Level 2 – other significant observable inputs ~~(Level 3 measurements). These tiers include:~~

•

~~Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets;~~

•

~~Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as~~(including quoted prices for similar ~~instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and~~

•

Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable.

~~Income Taxes~~

The Company complies with the accounting and reporting requirements of ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes,” which requires an asset and liability approach to financial accounting and reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities, ~~are computed for differences between~~interest rate, credit risk, etc.).

Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs (including the ~~financial statement and tax bases~~Company’s own assumptions in determining the fair value of assets and ~~liabilities that will result~~liabilities).

The fair value of the forward option on prepaid forward contracts and the convertible notes derivative liability are classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy.

The following table presents the changes in the forward option and the convertible notes derivative liability for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 (in thousands):



	Forward Option			Convertible Notes
	On Prepaid			Derivative
Level 3 Rollforward	Forward Contracts			Liability
Balance December 31, 2020	$	—		$	—
Additions		—			(499	)
Changes in fair value		—			(27	)
Balance December 31, 2021		—			(526	)
Additions		11,940			(52	)
Sale of recycled shares		(41	)		—
Changes in fair value		(10,170	)		(602	)
Reclassified to additional paid-in capital		—			1,180
Balance December 31, 2022	$	1,729		$	—

The forward option in the amount of $11,940 was recorded on October 28, 2022, for the forward option in the forward purchase agreements (see Note 4). The forward option is remeasured each reporting period using a Monte-Carlo Simulation in a risk-neutral framework (a special case of the Income Approach). Specifically, the future ~~taxable or deductible amounts,~~stock price is simulated assuming a Geometric Brownian Motion (“GBM”). For each simulated path, the forward purchase value is calculated based on ~~enacted tax laws~~the contractual terms and ~~rates applicable~~then discounted at the term-matched risk-free rate. Finally, the value of the forward is calculated as the average present value over all simulated paths.

Convertible notes derivative liabilities in the amounts of $4, $0, $35 and $13, were recorded on January 31, 2022, February 28, 2022, March 16, 2022 and March 31, 2022, respectively, for the issuance of convertible notes along with a corresponding debt discount (see Note 8). The convertible notes liabilities are remeasured each reporting period using a probability-weighted model and assumption related to the ~~periods in which~~conversion price and timing of conversion. The put option liability was valued based on the ~~differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to~~calculated returns as a result of the ~~amount expected to be realized.~~

ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.

In assessing realizable deferred tax assets, management assesses the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income, and to the extent that recovery is not likely or there is insufficient operating history, a valuation allowance is established. The Company adjusts the valuation allowancevarious discounts included in the ~~period management determines it is more likely than not that net deferred tax assets will or will not be realized. As~~Company’s convertible notes and the related probability assessments of ~~December 31,~~the various settlement scenarios. The convertible notes derivative liability was extinguished as of the closing of the Business Combination (the"Closing"), as a result of the conversion of the convertible notes. On October 28, 2022, the put option liability was settled upon the Closing and reclassified to additional paid-in capital.

Derivative liabilities in the amounts of $80, $364, and $55 were recorded on June 10, 2021, ~~the Company determined that a valuation allowance should be established.~~

~~As of December 31,~~September 10, 2021 and December 31, ~~2020,~~2021, respectively, for the issuance of convertible notes along with a corresponding debt discount.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

The change in fair value of the derivative liabilities were recorded in change in fair value of convertible notes derivative liability in the consolidated statements of operations.

The estimated fair value of prepaid expenses, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair value because of the short-term nature of these instruments.

Stock-based compensation

In accordance with ASC Topic 718, Compensation – Stock Compensation, the Company ~~did not~~recognizes compensation expense for all stock-based awards issued to employees based on the estimated grant-date fair value, which is recognized as expense on a graded vesting approach over the requisite service period. The Company has elected to recognize ~~any assets or liabilities~~forfeitures as they occur. The fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The determination of fair value for stock options on the date of grant using an option-pricing model requires management to make certain assumptions including expected volatility, expected term, risk-free interest rate and expected dividends in addition to the Company’s common stock valuation. The determination of fair value of restricted stock units is valued based on the value of the Company's common stock on the grant date (see Note 12).

Prior to the Business Combination, due to the absence of an active market for the Company’s common stock, the Company utilized methodologies, approaches and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Audit and Accounting Practice Aid Series: Valuation of Privately Held Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation to estimate the fair value of its common stock. In determining the exercise prices for options granted, the Company considered the fair value of the Company as of the grant date. The fair value of the Company was determined based upon a variety of factors, including the Company’s financial position, historical performance and operating results, the Company’s stage of development, the progress of the Company’s research and development programs, the prices at which the Company sold its convertible preferred stock, the superior rights, preferences and privileges of the Company’s convertible preferred stock relative to ~~uncertain tax positions. Interest or penalties, if any,~~its common stock, external market conditions affecting the biotechnology industry, the lack of marketability of the Company’s common stock and the prospects of a liquidity event and the analysis of initial public offering and market performance of similar companies as well as recently completed mergers and acquisition of peer companies. Significant changes to the key assumptions underlying the factors used could result in different fair values of the Company at each valuation date.

Research and development expenses

Expenditures made for research and development are charged to expense as incurred. External costs consist primarily of payments for laboratory supplies purchased in connection with the company’s discovery and preclinical activities, and process development and clinical development activities. Internal costs consist primarily of employee-related costs, consultants fees and costs related to compliance with regulatory requirements. Nonrefundable advance payments for goods and services that will be ~~recognized~~used in ~~income tax expense. Since there~~future research and development activities are ~~0 significant unrecognized tax benefits~~capitalized and recorded as a result of tax positions taken, there are 0 accrued penalties or interest. Tax positions are positions taken in a previously filed tax return or positions expected to be taken in a future tax return that are reflected in measuring current or deferred income tax assets and liabilities reportedexpense in the ~~financial statements.~~

~~The Company reflects tax benefits, only if it is more likely than not~~period that the Company ~~will be able~~receives the goods or when services are performed.

The Company records expenses related to ~~sustain the tax return position,~~external research and development services based on services received and efforts expended pursuant to invoices and contracts with consultants that supply, conduct, and manage preclinical studies and clinical trials on its ~~technical merits. If a tax benefit meets~~behalf.

Emerging growth company status

The Company is an “emerging growth company”, as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 ("JOBS Act"). Under the JOBS Act, emerging growth companies can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards, delaying the adoption of these accounting standards until they would apply to private companies. The Company has elected to use this ~~criterion,~~extended transition period for complying with certain new or revised accounting standards that have different effective dates for public and private companies until the earlier of the date that it is ~~measured~~(1) no longer an emerging growth company or (2) affirmatively and ~~recognized based on~~irrevocably opt out of the ~~largest amount of benefit that is cumulatively greater than 50% likely to be realized. Management does 0t believe that there are any uncertain tax positions at December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020.~~

~~The Company may be subject to potential examination by federal, state and city taxing authorities~~extended transition period provided in the ~~areas of income taxes. These potential examinations may include questioning~~JOBS Act.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the ~~timing~~Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and ~~amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal, state and city tax laws.~~ per-share amounts)

Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders

The Company’s ~~management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.~~

~~Net Income (Loss) Per Share of Common Stock~~

~~Net income (loss)~~basic net loss per share ofattributable to common ~~stock~~stockholders is ~~computed~~calculated by dividing the net ~~income (loss)~~loss attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. The diluted net loss per share attributable to common stockholders is computed by giving effect to all potential dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding for the period. The dilutive effect of these potential common shares is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method.

Recently issued accounting standards not yet adopted

In August 2020, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity ("ASU 2020-06"). ASU 2020-06 addresses issues identified as a result of the complexity associated with applying US GAAP for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. In addressing the complexity, ASU 2020-06 focused on amending the guidance on convertible instruments and the guidance on the derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity. The amendments in this Update are effective for public business entities that meet the definition of a Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filer, excluding entities eligible to be smaller reporting companies as defined by the SEC, for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. For all other entities, the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. In accordance with the JOBS Act, the Company ~~applies~~has delayed adoption of ASU 2020-06. As a result, these consolidated financial statements may not be comparable to those companies that comply with the ~~two-class~~new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

Note 12. Stock-Based Compensation Awards

Equity incentive plan - stock options

The Company’s board of directors adopted the SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s 2019 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Stock Incentive Plan") on February 25, 2019 to provide long-term incentive for its key employees and ~~in the case~~non-employee service providers. As of ~~any such issuance to the Company’s Sponsor or its affiliates, without taking into account any founder~~December 31, 2022 and 2021, 547,717 shares held by the Company’s Sponsor or its affiliates, prior to such issuance) (the “Newly Issued Price”); (y) the aggregate gross proceeds from such issuances represent more than 60% of the total equity proceeds, and interest thereon, availablewere reserved for the ~~funding~~issuance of stock options to key employees and non-employee service providers for the ~~Business Combination on~~purchase of SeaStar Medical, Inc.’s common stock. The vesting of stock options is stated in each individual grant agreement, which is generally four years. Options granted expire 10 years after the date of ~~the consummation~~grant. There were 260,355 shares available for future grant as of the Business Combination (net of redemptions); and (z) the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s common stock during the 20 trading day period starting on the trading day prior to the day on which the Company consummates the 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 higher of the Market~~ ~~Value~~ and the Newly Issued Price, and the $18.00 per share redemption trigger price described below under “Redemption of warrants” will be adjusted (to the nearest cent) to be equal to 180% of the higher of the Market ~~Value~~ ~~and the Newly Issued Price.~~

~~The warrants will become exercisable on the later of 12 months from~~ December 31, ~~2021, or 30 days after~~2021.

Upon the ~~completion of its Business Combination, and will expire five years after~~Closing, the ~~completion of the Business Combination, at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, or earlier upon redemption or liquidation.~~

The Company will not be obligated to deliver any shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the exercise of a warrant and will have no obligation to settle such warrant exercise unless a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to the shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants is then effective and a prospectus is current. No warrant will be exercisableStock Incentive Plan was terminated, and the Company will not grant any further awards under such plan. However, the outstanding awards under the Stock Incentive Plan will be ~~obligated~~assumed and continued in connection with the Business Combination.

Each SeaStar Medical, Inc. Option to ~~issue~~purchase shares of ~~Class A~~SeaStar Medical, Inc. common stock ~~upon exercise of a warrant unless Class A~~or SeaStar Medical, Inc. Preferred Stock (“SeaStar Option”) that was outstanding and unexercised immediately prior to the Business Combination converted into an option to purchase common stock, ~~issuable upon such warrant exercise has been registered, qualified, or deemed~~par value $0.0001 per share, of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation in accordance with its terms. The increase in the number of stock options was accounted for as a modification. The incremental fair value from the stock option modification increased stock-based compensation expense by $134 for the year ended December 31, 2022, and increased unrecognized stock-based compensation cost by $223 as of December 31, 2022.

The Company's Board of Directors adopted, and the shareholders approved SeaStar Medical, Inc.'s 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the "Equity Incentive Plan") to provide long-term incentive for its key employees and non-employee service providers. As of December 31, 2022, 1,270,000 shares were reserved for the issuance of stock options to key employees and non-employee service providers for the purchase of the Company’s common stock. The vesting of stock options is stated in each individual grant agreement, which is generally four years. Options granted expire 10 years after the date of grant. There were 743,720 options available for future grant as of December 31, 2022.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

Option activity for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, are as follows:


								Weighted
				Weighted				Average
				Average		Total		Remaining
				Exercise		Intrinsic		Contractual
($ in thousands)	Options			Price		Value		Life (Years)

Outstanding as of December 31, 2020		141,851		$	5.34

Granted		153,504		$	0.55
Forfeited		(7,973	)	$	10.00

Outstanding as of December 31, 2021		287,382		$	2.65	$	—		8.61

Forfeited prior to merger conversion		(83,928	)	$	4.63
Additional options issued in merger conversion		41,338		$	1.84

Outstanding as of December 31, 2022		244,792		$	1.84	$	751,851		7.65

Options exercisable as of December 31, 2022		145,365		$	2.46	$	412,681		7.48

The Company recognized $148 and $14 in stock-based compensation expense in connection with the Equity Incentive Plan for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. As of December 31, 2022, there was unrecognized stock-based compensation cost of $246, which is expected to be ~~exempt under~~recognized over a term of three years. There were no options exercised during the ~~securities laws~~years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. For options granted during the year ended December 31, 2021, the weighted-average grant date fair value was $0.40 per share. No options were granted during the year ended December 31, 2022, other than the additional options issued in the Business Combination.

Stock-based compensation expense for options included in the consolidated statements of operations is as follows:


($ in thousands)	2022		2021
Research and development	$	7	$	1
General and administrative		141		13
Total	$	148	$	14

Equity incentive plan - restricted stock units

In April 2022, the board of directors granted employees and members of the ~~state~~board restricted stock units ("RSUs"), under which the holders have the right to receive an aggregate of ~~residence~~255,000 shares of common stock. The majority of the ~~registered holder~~RSUs granted vest 50% on the first anniversary of the ~~warrants. In no event will~~grant date, with the ~~Company be required~~remaining 50% of the awards vesting monthly over a 12-to-24 month period following the first anniversary of the grant date. At grant date, the fair market value of an RSU was $8.00 per share.

Each SeaStar Medical, Inc. RSU that was outstanding immediately prior to ~~net cash settle any warrant. In~~ the ~~event that~~Business Combination converted into an RSU to receive common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation in accordance with its terms. The increase in the number of RSUs was accounted for as a ~~registration statement is not effective~~modification. The incremental fair value from the modification increased stock-based compensation expense increased by $130 for the ~~exercised warrants,~~year ended December 31, 2022, and increased unrecognized stock-based compensation cost by $373 as of December 31, 2022.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the ~~purchaser of a unit containing such warrant will have paid the full purchase price~~Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

RSU activity for the ~~unit solely for the share of Class A common stock underlying such unit.~~year ended December 31, 2022, was as follows:

~~Once the warrants become exercisable, the Company may call the warrants for redemption (excluding the Private Placement Warrants):~~


•Outstanding as of December 31, 2021	~~in whole and not in~~	~~part;~~	—

Granted			255,000
Forfeited prior to merger conversion			(7,000	)
Additional RSUs issued in merger conversion			50,389

Outstanding as of December 31, 2022			298,389

Vested as of December 31, 2022			—

Shares subject to repurchase as of December 31, 2022			298,389

•

~~at a price of $0.01 perwarrant;~~

•

~~upon not less than 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption to each warrant holder;and~~

•

~~if, and only if, the reported last sale price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for~~stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending three business days before the Company send the notice of redemption to the warrant~~holders.~~

If the Company calls the warrants for redemption as described above, the management will have the option to require any holder that wishes to exercise its warrant to do so on a “cashless basis.” If the management takes advantage of this option, all holders of warrants would pay the exercise price by surrendering their warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing: (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A 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 Class A common stock for the 10 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.

The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable on exercise of the warrants may be adjusted in certain circumstances, including in the event of a stock dividend, extraordinary dividend, or the Company’s recapitalization, reorganization, merger, or consolidation. However, the warrants will not be adjusted for issuances of shares of common stock at a price below their respective exercise prices.

~~Warrants Classified as Derivative Liabilities~~

The Company ~~previously accounted for its outstanding Public Warrants (as defined~~recognized $1,163 in ~~Note 2) and Private Placement Warrants issued~~stock-based compensation expense in connection with ~~its IPO as components~~the RSUs for the year ended December 31, 2022. As of ~~derivative liabilities.~~December 31, 2022, there was unrecognized stock-based compensation cost of $1,353, which is expected to be recognized over a term of 2.2 years. For RSUs granted during the year ended December 31, 2022, the weighted-average grant date fair value was $8.00 per share. The warrant agreement governing the warrants includes a provision that provides for potential changes to the settlement amounts dependent upon the characteristics of the holder of the warrant. In addition, the warrant agreement includes a provision that in the event of a tender or exchange offer made to and accepted by holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of a single class of common shares, all holders of the warrants would be entitled to receive cash for their warrants (the “tender offer provision”).

The Company’s management has evaluated both the Public Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants using ASC Subtopic 815-40, Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity. ASC Section 815-40-15 addresses equity versus liability treatment and classification of equity-linked financial instruments, including warrants, and states that a warrant may be classified as a component of equity only if, among other things, the warrant is indexed to the issuer’s common stock. Under ASC Section 815-40-15, a warrant is not indexed to the issuer’s common stock if the terms of the warrant require an adjustment to the exercise price upon a specified event and that event is not an input to theweighted-average fair value of the ~~warrant. The Company concluded that the Company’s Private Placement Warrants are not indexed to the Company’s common shares~~additional RSUs issued in the manner contemplated by ASC Section 815-40-15 because the holder of the instrument is not an input into the pricing of a fixed-for-fixed option on equity shares. In addition, based on management’s evaluation, the Company also concluded the tender offer provisionBusiness Combination conversion was $10.00 per share.

Stock-based compensation expense for RSUs included in the ~~warrant~~consolidated statements of operations is as follows:


($ in thousands)	2022		2021
Research and development	$	89	$	—
General and administrative		1,074		—
Total	$	1,163	$	—

Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies

License and distribution agreement ~~fails~~

On December 27, 2022, the ~~“classified~~Company entered into a license and distribution agreement (“License Agreement”) with a distributor, appointing the distributor as the exclusive distributor to promote, advertise, market, distribute and sell the Selective Cytopheretic Device (“SCD”) in ~~stockholders’ equity” criteria as contemplated by ASC Section 815-40-25.~~

~~As a result~~the United States. The Company received an upfront payment of $100 on January 3, 2023. If the Company does not receive written authorization to market the SCD, prior to the first anniversary of the ~~above,~~effective date, the Company will repay the $100. The Company shall also receive milestone payments in the amounts of $450 and $350 for obtaining FDA approval and for selling the first sixty units to any third parties. The term of the agreement is three years.

Lease agreements

The Company is part of a membership agreement for shared office space and can cancel at any time. Rent expense was $32 for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.

Litigation

Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, penalties, and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. From time to time, the Company may become involved in legal proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company was not subject to any material legal proceedings during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 and no material legal proceedings are currently pending or threatened.

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

Note 14. Income Taxes

The Company recorded $1 of current income tax expense and $1 of current income tax benefit for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The effective income tax rate of the Company’s provision for income taxes differed from the federal statutory rate as follows:


	2022	2021
Federal tax at statutory rate	21.0%	21.0%
State income tax	4.4%	3.6%
Interest on convertible notes	(0.6)%	0.0%
Change in fair value of convertible notes derivative liability	(0.7)%	0.0%
Other	0.3%	(0.8)%
Change in valuation allowance	(24.4)%	(23.8)%
Total effective income tax rate	(0.0)%	(0.0)%

Significant components of deferred tax assets for federal and state income taxes were as follows:


	December 31,			December 31,
($ in thousands)	2022			2021
Deferred tax assets:
Net operating losses	$	18,627		$	17,538
Forward option-prepaid forward contracts, net		2,585			—
Finance charges and origination fees		1,028			—
Accrued compensation		130			—
Stock-based compensation		311			3
Section 174 research and development capitalization		434			—
Tax credits		715			648
Total deferred tax assets		23,830			18,189
Valuation allowance		(23,830	)		(18,189	)
Net deferred tax assets	$	—		$	—

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, a valuation allowance should be provided if it is more likely than not that some or all of the Company’s deferred tax assets will not be realized. The Company’s ability to realize the benefit of its deferred tax assets will depend on the generation of future taxable income. Due to the uncertainty of future profitable operations and taxable income, the Company has ~~classified~~recorded a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets. For the ~~warrants as derivative liabilities.~~years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the net increase in the valuation allowance was $5,641 and $869, respectively.

As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had federal net operating loss carryforwards of $82,265 and $78,127, respectively, of which $29,425 of federal net operating loss carryforwards post 2017 will be carried forward indefinitely. The remaining $52,840 of federal net operating loss carryforwards begin expiring in 2027. The Company also had $28,896 of state (Colorado, California, and Florida) net operating loss carryforwards, which will begin expiring in 2039. The Company has not used any net operating loss carryforwards to date.

The ~~following table presents fair value information~~Company had federal energy credit carryforwards of $647 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, ~~and January 28, 2021 of the Company’s warrants.~~which will expire starting in 2027 if not utilized. The Company ~~used a Monte Carlo simulation model to value the Public Warrants~~has federal research and a modified Black-Scholes model to value the Private Placement Warrants. The Company’s warrant liability is based on a valuation model utilizing management judgment and pricing inputs from observable and unobservable markets with less volume and transaction frequency than active markets. These pricing inputs include the publicly traded valuedevelopment credit carryforwards of ~~the Public Warrants~~$68 as of December 31, ~~2021 ($0.43 per warrant)~~2022, which will expire starting in 2042 if not utilized.

Pursuant to Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Sections 382 and ~~January 28, 2021 ($0.50 per warrant for~~383, the ~~public warrants~~Company's ability to use NOL and ~~$0.51 per warrant for~~research tax credit carry forwards to offset future taxable income may be limited if the ~~private warrants). Significant deviations from these estimates and inputs could result in~~Company experiences a ~~material~~cumulative change in ~~fair value.~~

~~The assumptions for the valuation~~ownership of ~~the warrants were:~~

As of December 31, 2021
As of January 28, 2021
Class A Common stock price
$10.04
$9.90
Term in years
5.07
6.00
Risk free rate
1.27%
0.58%
Implied Volatility
11.6%
12.1%

~~The fair value of the warrant liability is classified~~more than 50% within ~~Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.~~

As of December 31, 2021
As of January 28, 2021
Public Warrants
$   4,450,500
$   5,175,000
Private Placement Warrants
2,480,240
2,941,680

$  6,930,740
$  8,116,680

a three-year testing period. The Company ~~recognized~~has not completed an ~~approximately $1,185,940 gain~~ownership change analysis pursuant to IRC Section 382. If ownership changes within the meaning of IRC Section 382 are identified as having occurred, the amount of NOL and research tax credit carryforwards available to offset

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

future taxable income and income tax liabilities in future years may be significantly restricted or eliminated. Further, deferred tax assets associated with such NOLs, and research tax credits could be significantly reduced upon realization of an ownership change within the ~~revaluation~~meaning of IRC Section 382.

The Company files U.S. federal and state tax returns with varying statutes of limitations. Due to net operating loss and credit carryforwards, the ~~warrants~~2019 to 2022 tax years remain subject to examination by the U.S. federal and some state authorities. The actual amount of any taxes due could vary significantly depending on the ultimate timing and nature of any settlement.

Uncertain Tax Benefits

The Company uses the “more likely than not” criterion for recognizing the income tax benefit of uncertain income tax positions and establishing measurement criteria for income tax benefits. The Company had no uncertain tax benefits as of December 31, 2022 and 2021. The Company ~~will remeasure these warrants at~~does not anticipate any significant changes to unrecognized tax benefits over the ~~end~~next 12 months as of ~~each reporting~~December 31, 2022.

Note 15. Net Loss Per Share

Basic net loss per common share is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period, without consideration of potentially dilutive securities. Diluted net loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss by the weighted-average number of common shares and ~~recognize changes~~potentially dilutive securities outstanding for the period. For purposes of the diluted net loss per share calculation, the convertible preferred stock and common stock options are considered to be potentially dilutive securities. Basic and diluted net loss per share is presented in conformity with the ~~fair value from~~two-class method required for participating securities as the ~~prior period~~convertible preferred stock is considered a participating security. The Company’s participating securities do not have contractual obligation to share in the Company’s ~~operating results for~~losses. As such, the ~~current period.~~

~~NOTE 8. FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS~~

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.

~~The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that~~net loss was attributed entirely to common stockholders. As the Company ~~would have received in connection with~~has reported net loss for all periods presented, diluted net loss per common share is the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). same as basic net loss per common share for those periods.

The following ~~fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:~~

~~Level 1:~~

Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

~~Level 2:~~

Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.

~~Level 3:~~

~~Unobservable inputs based on the Company’s assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.~~

The following table presents information about the Company’s assets that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2021, and indicates the fair value hierarchy of the valuation inputs the Company utilized to determine such fair value:

Level

December 31, 2021

January 28, 2021

Assets:

Government securities held in Trust Account

1

$
105,581,820

$
105,570,833

Liabilities:

Private Placement Warrants

3

2,480,240

2,941,680

Public Warrants

3

4,450,500

5,175,000

~~Note 9. Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit)~~

~~Preferred Stock~~ ~~— The Company is authorized to issue a total of 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock at par value of $0.0001 each. On December 31, 2021, there were 0 shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.~~

~~Class A Common Stock~~ — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock at par value of $0.0001 each. On December 31, 2021, there were 103,500 shares of Class A common stock issued and outstanding~~, excluding 10,350,000 shares of Class A common shares subject to possible redemption.~~

~~Class B Common Stock~~ — The Company is authorized to issue a total of 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock at par value of $0.0001 each. On November 6, 2020, the Company issued 2,156,250 shares of Class B common stock to its initial stockholder, the Sponsor, for $25,000, or approximately $0.012 per share. In January 2021, the Company effected a stock dividend, resulting in the initial stockholder holding an aggregate of 2,587,500 founder shares of Class B common stock. At December 31, 2021, there were 2,587,500 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding.

The Sponsor has agreed not to transfer, assign, or sell any of its founder shares until the earlier of: (i) one year after the date of the consummation of the Business Combination; or (ii) the date on which the Company consummates a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, or other similar transaction that results in all of its stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Class A common stock for cash, securities, or other property. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Sponsor with respect to any founder shares. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of the Company’s

Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations, and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing 150 days after the Business Combination, the founder shares will no longer be subject to such transfer restrictions. Any permitted transferees will be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Sponsor with respect to any founder shares.

The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of the Company’s Class A common stock at the time of its Business Combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations, and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the IPO and related to the closing of the Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of theweighted-average outstanding shares of ~~Class B~~potentially dilutive securities were excluded from the computation of diluted net loss per share attributable to common ~~stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that~~stockholders for the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon the completion of our offering (notperiods presented because including them would have been anti-dilutive:


	2022		2021
Public Stockholders' warrants		10,350,000		—
Private Placement warrants		5,738,000		—
PIPE Investor warrants		700,000		—
SeaStar warrants		69,714		69,714
Options to purchase common stock		244,792		345,773
Restricted stock units		298,389		—
Total		17,400,895		415,487

Net loss per share is calculated using the shares ~~of Class A common stock issuable to Maxim) plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued~~ in connection with the Business Combination ~~(excluding any~~and related transactions, assuming the shares ~~or equity-linked securities issued, or to be issued, to any seller in~~were outstanding since January 1, 2021. As the Business Combination ~~or any private placement-equivalent units~~and related transactions are being reflected as if they had occurred at the beginning of the period presented, the calculation of weighted average shares outstanding for basic and diluted net loss per share assumes that the shares issued in

SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Notes to the ~~Sponsor,~~Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for shares and per-share amounts)

connection with the Business Combination have been outstanding for the entire period presented.


Year Ended December 31:	2022			2021
Net loss	$	(23,013	)	$	(4,596	)
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic		8,211,256			7,238,767
Basic net loss per share	$	(2.80	)	$	(0.63	)
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted		8,211,256			7,238,767
Diluted net loss per share	$	(2.80	)	$	(0.63	)

Note 16. Subsequent Events

On January 3, 2023, the Company received an upfront payment of $100 as part of its ~~affiliates, or certain~~License Agreement (Note 13).

On March 13, 2023, the Company entered into a $100 promissory note with LM Funding America Inc. with an interest rate of ~~officers~~7.0% per annum. The promissory note was payable on demand at any time after April 13, 2023 and ~~directors upon conversion~~had no prepayment penalty. The Company repaid the loan on March 24, 2023.

On March 15, 2023, the Company entered into a securities purchase agreement with an institutional investor, whereby the Company will issue a series of ~~working capital loans made~~four senior unsecured convertible notes, with principal amounts totaling up to ~~the Company).~~

~~Holders~~$9,800, and warrants to purchase shares of the ~~Class A~~Company’s common stock. On March 15, 2023, the Company issued a note, convertible into 1,207,729 shares of common stock at an initial conversion price of $2.70, in a principal amount of $3,261, and ~~holders~~a warrant to purchase up to 328,352 shares of common stock. The senior unsecured convertible note was issued at an 8.0% discount, bears interest at 7.0% per annum, and matures on June 15, 2024. The senior unsecured convertible notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time at the discretion of the ~~Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote~~Company. The warrants have an initial exercise price of ~~the Company's stockholders, with each~~$2.97 per share of common stock, ~~entitling the holder to one vote.~~expire five years from their issuance date, and contain cashless exercise provisions.

~~Representative’s Common Stock~~

On ~~January 25, 2021,~~March 15, 2023, the Company ~~issued~~amended its LMFA notes, LMFAO note and Maxim note, extending their maturity dates to ~~Maxim and/or its designees, 103,500 shares~~June 15, 2024. Inconsideration for such extension, the Company agrees to pay the note holders an aggregate amount of ~~Class A common stock.~~ $~~The Company estimated~~0.1 million in cash upon receipt of proceeds from the ~~fair value~~issuance of the ~~stock to be $1,000 based upon~~notes at the ~~price~~second closing under the securities purchase agreement.

In March 2023, a VWAP trigger event occurred, and the Forward Purchase Agreements could mature on the date specified by the FPA Sellers at the FPA Sellers’ discretion. The FPA Sellers have not specified the Maturity Date of the ~~Founder Shares issued to the Sponsor. The stock were treated~~Forward Purchase Agreements as ~~underwriters’ compensation and charged directly to stockholders’ equity.~~ ~~These shares are valued at par per equity statement and are treated as representative shares issued to sponsor for no compensation.~~

~~Maxim has agreed not to transfer, assign, or sell any such shares until the completion~~ of the ~~Business Combination. In addition, Maxim has agreed: (i)~~issuance of these consolidated financial statements.

During the period from January 1, 2023 through March 30, 2023 , the Company made payments of $2,701 on notes payable that were outstanding as of December 31, 2022.

Item 9. Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.

None.

Item 9A. Controls and Procedures.

This Item 9A includes information concerning the controls and controls evaluation referred to ~~waive its redemption rights with respect to such shares~~ in ~~connection with~~ the ~~completion~~certifications of our Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer required by Rule 13a-14 of the ~~Business Combination;~~Exchange Act included in this Annual Report as Exhibits 31.1 and ~~(ii) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete its Business Combination within 18 months from the closing~~31.2.

Evaluation of ~~the IPO (or 21 months from the closing, if the Company extends the period of time to consummate a Business Combination.~~Disclosure Controls and Procedures

~~The shares~~Our management, including our Chief Executive Officer and Interim Chief Financial Officer, have ~~been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date~~conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of the ~~registration~~design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) as of December 31, 2022 and based on this evaluation, have concluded that, as a result of the material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting as described below, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective as of December 31, 2022.

Pursuant to Rule 13a-15(e), the term “disclosure controls and procedures” means controls and other procedures of an issuer that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by an issuer in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the issuer’s management, including its Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Management is responsible for designing, implementing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. The management of the Company has designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Internal control over financial reporting, no matter how well designed, has inherent limitations. Therefore, even those systems determined to be effective can provide only reasonable assurance with respect to financial statement preparation and presentation. Further, because of changes in conditions, the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting may vary over time.

As discussed elsewhere in this report, we completed the Business Combination on October 28, 2022. Prior to the Business Combination, SeaStar Medical, Inc. was a private company and therefore its controls were not required to be designed or maintained in accordance with Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act. The design and implementation of internal control over financial reporting for the ~~IPO~~Company post-Business Combination has required and will continue to require significant time and resources from management and other personnel. Because of this, the design and ongoing development of our framework for implementation and evaluation of internal control over financial reporting is in its preliminary stages. As a result, management was unable, without incurring unreasonable effort or expense to conduct an assessment of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. Accordingly, we are excluding management’s report on internal control over financial reporting pursuant to ~~Rule 5110(e)(1)~~Section 215.02 of ~~FINRA’s NASD Conduct Rules. Pursuant~~the SEC Division of Corporation Finance’s Regulation S-K Compliance & Disclosure Interpretations.

Identification of Material Weaknesses

In the course of preparing the consolidated financial statements that are included in this Annual Report, the Company has identified material weaknesses in its internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022, which relates to ~~FINRA Rule 5110(e)(1), these securities~~a deficiency in the design and operation of its financial accounting and reporting controls. A material weakness is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of our annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. Specifically, the ~~subject~~Company identifieddeficiencies in internal controls over financial reporting which were determined to rise to the level of ~~any hedging, short sale, derivative, put, or call transaction~~material weakness. The Company has identified that ~~would result~~additional headcount will be addressed in the ~~economic disposition~~near term to allow for further research and internal dialogue on complex accounting transactions prior to final conclusion. The Company will also continue to review the overall internal control environment as we develop the requisite internal control framework.

Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) during the period ended December 31, 2022 that materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

Item 9B. Other Information.

None.

Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections.

Not applicable.

PART III

Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance.

The information required under this item is incorporated herein by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement pursuant to Regulation 14A, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of the ~~securities~~Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

We have adopted a Code of Ethics that applies to all officers, directors, and employees in connection with their work for us. The full text of our Code of Ethics is posted on the investor relations page of our website at https://investors.seastarmedical.com/governance/governance-documents/default.aspx.

We intend to satisfy any disclosure requirements under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding an amendment to, or waiver from, a provision of this Code of Ethics by ~~any person for a period of 180~~posting such information on our website, at the Internet address and location specified above.

Item 11. Executive Compensation.

The information required under this item is incorporated by reference to the Company's definitive proxy statement pursuant to Regulation 14A, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days ~~immediately following~~after the ~~effective date~~close of the ~~registration~~Company's fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters.

The information required under this item is incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement ~~for~~pursuant to Regulation 14A, which proxy statement will be filed with the ~~IPO, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged, or hypothecated for a period of 180~~Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days ~~immediately following~~after the ~~effective date~~close of the ~~registration~~Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, And Director Independence.

The information required under this item is incorporated by reference to the Company’s definitive proxy statement ~~for~~pursuant to Regulation 14A, which proxy statement will be filed with the ~~IPO, except~~Securities and Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services.

The information required under this item is incorporated by reference to ~~any underwriter~~the Company’s definitive proxy statement pursuant to Regulation 14A, which proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and ~~selected dealer participating~~Exchange Commission no later than 120 days after the close of the Company’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2022.

PART IV

Item 15. Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules.

(1) For a list of the financial statements included herein, see Index to the Consolidated Financial Statements on page F-1 of this Annual Report, incorporated into this Item by reference.

(2) Financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are either not required or not applicable or the information is included in the ~~offering and their bona fide officers~~consolidated financial statements or ~~partners~~the notes thereto.

(3) Exhibits

~~Note 10. Subsequent Events~~

~~The Sponsor loaned $340,000 to the Company from January 2022 to March 2022 for working capital purposes as part of its $1.5 million working capital loan.~~100

Exhibit Index


~~Exhibit~~ ~~Number~~		~~Description~~
~~3.1~~Exhibit No.		Description

2.1†		Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 21, 2022, by and among LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc. (“LMAO”), LMF Merger Sub, Inc. and SeaStar Medical, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on April 26, 2022).
3.1		Third Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation, filed with the Secretary of State of Delaware on October 28, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
3.2		Amended and Restated ~~Certificate~~Bylaws of ~~Incorporation~~SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation (incorporated by reference to ~~the Company’s Current Report on~~Exhibit 3.2 to Form 8-K filed ~~with~~by the ~~SEC~~registrant on ~~January 28, 2021)~~
~~3.2~~		~~Bylaws (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 8, 2021)~~November 4, 2022).
4.1		Specimen ~~Unit~~Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed by the ~~Company’s Registration Statement~~registrant on ~~Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on January 19, 2021)~~November 4, 2022).
4.2		~~Specimen Class A common stock Certificate (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on January 19, 2021)~~
~~4.3~~		Specimen Warrant Certificate (included in Exhibit ~~4.4) (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 28, 2021)~~4.3).
~~4.4~~4.3		Warrant Agreement, dated January 25, 2021, between ~~the Company~~LMAO and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (incorporated by reference to ~~the Company’s Current Report on~~Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed ~~with~~by the ~~SEC~~registrant on January 28, 2021).
4.4		Form of Common Stock Purchase Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on March 16, 2023).
4.5		Description of Securities ~~(incorporated~~(included under "Description of Securities" in Form S-1 filed by ~~reference to~~ the ~~Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC~~registrant on ~~March 31, 2021)~~January 20, 2023.
10.1		~~Letter~~Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated ~~January 25, 2021,~~as of April 21, 2022, by and among ~~the Company~~LMAO, SeaStar Medical, Inc., and ~~our officers, directors, and LMFAO Sponsor, LLC~~certain stockholders of SeaStar Medical, Inc. (incorporated by reference to ~~the Company’s Current Report on~~Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed ~~with~~by the ~~SEC~~registrant on ~~January 28, 2021)~~April 26, 2022).
10.2		~~Promissory Note, dated November 6, 2020, issued to LMFAO Sponsor, LLC (incorporated by reference to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 8, 2021)~~
~~10.3~~		Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated January 25, 2021, between ~~the Company~~LMAO and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, ~~LLC,~~ as trustee (incorporated by reference to ~~the Company’s Current Report on~~Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K filed ~~with~~by the ~~SEC~~registrant on January 28, 2021)).
10.3		Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of January 25, 2021, by and among LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc., SeaStar Medical, Inc. and certain stockholders of SeaStar Medical, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on January 28, 2021).
10.4		~~Registration Rights Agreement, dated January 25, 2021, among the Company, LMFAO Sponsor, LLC, and Maxim Partners LLC~~SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation 2022 Omnibus Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Annex D of Form S-4 filed by the ~~Company’s Current Report~~registrant on ~~Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 28, 2021))~~May 16, 2022).
10.5		~~Securities~~SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation 2022 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (incorporated by reference to Annex E of Form S-4 filed by the registrant on May 16, 2022).
10.6		Promissory Note, dated effective as of March 1, 2022, between LMFAO Sponsor LLC and LMAO (previously filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 10-Q filed by LMAO to the SEC on May 19, 2022).
10.7		Amended and Restated Promissory Note, dated July 28, 2022, issued by LMAO to LMFAO Sponsor, LLC (previously filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed by LMAO with the SEC on August 1, 2022).
10.8		Form of Subscription Agreement, dated August 23, 2022, between LMAO, SeaStar Medical, Inc. and certain investors (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.29 to Form S-4/A filed by the registrant on August 24, 2022).
10.9		Common Stock Purchase Agreement by and among Tumim Stone Capital LLC, LMAO, and SeaStar Medical, Inc., dated August 23, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.30 to Form S-4/A filed by the registrant on August 24, 2022).
10.10		Registration Rights Agreement by and among Tumim Stone Capital LLC, LMAO and SeaStar Medical, Inc., dated August 23, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.31 to Form S-4/A filed by the registrant on August 24, 2022).
10.11		Credit Agreement, between SeaStar Medical, Inc. and LM Funding America, Inc., dated September 9, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.34 to Form S-4/A filed by the registrant on September 13, 2022).
10.12		Amendment No. 1 to Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement and Waiver of Lock-up Period, dated October 25, 2022, by and among LMAO and the investors listed on the signature pages thereto (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November ~~6, 2020~~4, 2022).

101


10.13		Letter Agreement, dated October 28, 2022, by and among LMAO, SeaStar Medical, Inc., and Tumim Stone Capital LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.14		Director Nomination Agreement, dated as of October 28, 2022, by and among LMFAO Sponsor LLC and LMAO (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.14 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.15		First Amendment to Credit Agreement, dated October 28, 2022, by and between SeaStar Medical, Inc. and LM Funding America, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.15 to Form 8-K filed by the ~~Registrant~~registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.16		Amended and Restated Promissory Note, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical, Inc. to LM Funding America, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.16 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.17		Security Agreement, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical, Inc. and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation to LM Funding America, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.17 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.18		Guaranty, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation to LM Funding America, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.18 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.19		Consolidated Amended and Restated Promissory Note, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation to LMFAO Sponsor, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.19 to Form 8-K filed by the ~~Company’s Registration Statement~~registrant on ~~Form S-1 filed with the SEC on January 8, 2021)~~November 4, 2022).
~~10.6~~10.20		~~Private Placement Warrants Purchase~~Security Agreement, ~~between the Company~~dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical, Inc. and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation to LMFAO Sponsor, LLC (incorporated by reference to ~~the Company’s Current Report on~~Exhibit 10.20 to Form 8-K filed ~~with~~by the ~~SEC~~registrant on ~~January 28, 2021)~~November 4, 2022).
~~10.7~~10.21		Guaranty, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical, Inc. to LMFAO Sponsor, LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.21 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.22		Promissory Note, dated October 28, 2022, issued by SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation to Maxim Group LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.22 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.23		Intercreditor Agreement, dated October 28, 2022, by and among Maxim Group LLC, LM Funding America, Inc., LMFAO Sponsor, LLC, SeaStar Medical, Inc. and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.23 to Form 8-K filed by the Company with the registrant on November 4, 2022).
10.24		Confirmation for Prepaid Forward Transaction, dated October 26, 2022, by and among LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc., SeaStar Medical, Inc. and HB Strategies LLC (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on October 27, 2022).
10.25		Confirmation for Prepaid Forward Transaction, dated October 17, 2022, by and among LMF Acquisition Opportunities, Inc., SeaStar Medical, Inc. and Vellar Opportunity Fund SPV LLC—Series 4 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on October 17, 2022).
10.26		Amendment No. 1 to Common Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 9, 2022, by and among Tumim Stone Capital, LLC, SeaStar Medical, Inc., and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 10, 2022).
10.27		Amendment No. 1 to Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of November 9, 2022, by and among Tumim Stone Capital LLC, SeaStar Medical, Inc., and SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on November 10, 2022).
10.28		Securities Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2023, by and among SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and 3i, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on March 16, 2023).
10.29		Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 15, 2023, by and among SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation and 3i, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Form 8-K filed by the registrant on March 16, 2023).
10.30		Form of ~~Indemnity Agreement (Incorporated~~Senior Unsecured Convertible Note (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Form 8-K filed by the ~~Company’s Registration Statement~~registrant on ~~Form S-1/A filed with the SEC on January 19, 2021)~~March 16, 2023).
31.1*21.1		~~Rule 13a – 14(a) Certification~~List of Subsidiaries (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to Form 8-K filed by the ~~Principal Executive Officer~~registrant on November 4, 2022).
31.223.1*		~~Rule 13a – 14(a) Certification~~Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm of SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

102


24.1**		Power of Attorney (included on the ~~Principal Financial Officer~~signature page hereto).
32.131.1*		~~Written Statement~~Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
31.2**		Certification of Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Rules 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.1**		Certification of Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2**	��	~~Written Statement~~Certification of ~~the~~ Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS		Inline XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because ~~its~~ XBRL tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL ~~document~~document.
101.SCH		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE		Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
104		~~The cover page for the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, has been formatted in Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101~~

#	~~Indicates a management contract or compensatory arrangement.~~Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)

*	~~Filed herewith.~~

~~EX-1~~

+ Indicates management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.

† Schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(2) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC upon request.

** Filed herewith

ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY.

None.

103

SIGNATURES

~~Signatures~~

Pursuant to the requirements ~~of Section 13 or 15(d)~~ of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this ~~report~~Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly ~~authorized:~~authorized.


	~~LMF ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES, INC.~~SeaStar Medical Holding Corporation

Date: ~~April 6, 2022~~March 30, 2023	By:		/s/ ~~Bruce M. Rodgers~~Eric Schlorff
			~~Bruce M. Rodgers~~Eric Schlorff
			Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

Date: March 30, 2023	By:	/s/ Caryl Baron
		Caryl Baron
		Interim Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and ~~Chairman of the Board~~Accounting Officer)

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL ~~THESE PERSONS~~MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each ~~person whose signature appears below~~of the undersigned constitutes and appoints ~~Bruce M. Rodgers~~Eric Schlorff his or her true and ~~Richard Russell~~lawful attorney-in-fact and ~~each of them, jointly and severally, his attorneys-in-fact, each~~agent, with full power of substitution and revocation, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to ~~sign~~execute any ~~and~~or all amendments to this Annual Report on Form 10-K, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that ~~each~~ said ~~attorneys-in-fact~~attorney-in-fact and agent, or his or her substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities ~~Exchange~~ Act of ~~1934,~~1933, as amended, this ~~Report~~report has been signed below by the following persons ~~on behalf of the Registrant~~ in the capacities and on the dates indicated.


~~Name~~	~~Title~~		~~Date~~
Name	Title		Date
~~/s/ Bruce M. Rodgers~~
~~Bruce M. Rodgers~~/s/ Eric Schlorff Eric Schlorff	Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)		March 30, 2023

/s/ Caryl Baron Caryl Baron	Interim Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)		March 30, 2023

/s/ Rick Barnett Rick Barnett	Chairman of the Board of Directors		March 30, 2023
		~~(Principal Executive Officer)~~		~~April 6, 2022~~
/s/ Kenneth Van Heel Kenneth Van Heel	Director		March 30, 2023

/s/ Andres Lobo Andres Lobo	Director		March 30, 2023

/s/ Allan Collins Allan Collins	Director		March 30, 2023

/s/ Bruce Rodgers Bruce Rodgers	Director		March 30, 2023


/s/ Richard Russell Richard Russell	Director
~~Richard Russell~~	~~Chief Financial Officer, Member of the Board of Directors~~
	~~(Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)~~	~~April 6, 2022~~

~~/s/ Martin Traber~~
~~Martin Traber~~	~~Member of the Board of Directors~~	~~April 6, 2022~~


~~/s/ Craig Burson~~
~~Craig Burson~~	~~Member of the Board of Directors~~	~~April 6, 2022~~



~~/s/ Bruce Bennett~~	~~Member of the Board of Directors~~	~~April 6, 2022~~
~~Bruce Bennett~~		March 30, 2023

~~Signature Page 1~~104


Delaware	85-3681132
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
~~1200 Platt Street~~3513 Brighton Blvd.,Suite 410 ~~Suite 1000 Tampa, FL~~Denver, CO	~~33602~~80216
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)


Title of each ~~class:~~class		Trading ~~symbol~~ Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
~~Units, each consisting of one share of Class A~~ Common Stock, ~~and one Warrant~~$0.0001 par value	~~LMAOU~~	ICU	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
~~Class A~~Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Common Stock ~~par value $0.0001~~for $11.50 per share	~~LMAO~~	ICUCW	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
~~Warrants, each Warrant exercisable for one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share~~	~~LMAOW~~	~~The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC~~

	●	~~ability to complete our initial business combination;~~

	●	~~success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following an initial business combination;~~

	●	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;

	●	~~potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete an initial business combination;~~

	●	~~pool of prospective target businesses;~~

	●	failure to maintain the listing on, or the delisting of our securities from, Nasdaq or an inability to have our securities listed on Nasdaq or another national securities exchange following our initial business combination;

	●	~~the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential investment opportunities;~~

	●	~~potential change in control if we acquire one or more target businesses for stock;~~

	●	~~public securities’ potential liquidity and trading;~~

	●	~~lack of a market for our securities;~~

	●	~~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.~~

		Page
	~~PART I~~Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements		1
PART I
Item 1.	Business	12
Item 1A.	Risk Factors	729
Item 1B.	Unresolved Staff Comments	3357
Item 2.	Properties	3457
Item 3.	Legal Proceedings	3457
Item 4.	Mine Safety Disclosures	3457

PART II
Item 5.	Market for Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities	3458
Item 6.	~~Reserved~~[Reserved]	3459
Item 7.	Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	3460
Item 7A.	Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	3871
Item 8.	Financial Statements and Supplementary Data	38
Item 9.	Changes in and Disagreements ~~with~~With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure	3897
Item 9A.	Controls and Procedures	3897
Item 9B.	Other Information	3998
Item 9C.	Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions ~~That~~that Prevent Inspections	3998

PART III
Item 10.	Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance	4099
Item 11.	Executive Compensation	4499
Item 12.	Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters	4499
Item 13.	Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence	4699
Item 14.	Principal Accounting Fees and Services	5199

PART IV
Item 15.	Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules	51100
Item 16.	Form 10-K Summary	51
		103


	Study Related
List of Serious Adverse Events	Definitely		Probably		Possibly		Definitely Not
Blood and lymphatic system disorders						1		2
Cardiac Disorders						1		1
Gastrointestinal Disorders								1
General disorders and administration site conditions
Infections and infestations								5
Injury, poisoning and procedural complications								3
Metabolism and nutrition disorders								2
Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Nervous system disorders								1
Other								3
Renal and Urinary Disorders
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders								8
Vascular Disorders
Total		0		0		2		26


☒	ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


☐	TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM TOTO


Large accelerated filer	☐		Accelerated filer	☐
~~Non-accelerated filer~~		☒			~~Smaller reporting company~~	☒
Non-accelerated filer	☒		Smaller reporting company	☒

Emerging growth company	☒


	●	If we do not complete our initial business combination by August 25, 2022 (or such later date as may be approved by our stockholders), we will be required to cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, and we would redeem our public shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account, and we would liquidate. In such event, our warrants would expire worthless.


	●	~~Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to convert your shares to cash.~~


	●	~~Our Sponsor controls a substantial interest in us and thus may influence certain actions requiring a stockholder vote.~~


	●	We may require stockholders who wish to convert their shares 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.


	●	We may issue additional shares of capital stock or debt securities to complete a business combination, which would reduce the equity interest of our stockholders and likely cause a change in control of our ownership.


	●	~~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.~~


	●	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.


	●	~~Resources could be wasted in researching acquisitions that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business.~~


	●	Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the recent coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and other events, and the status of debt and equity markets.


	●	~~We may issue our shares to investors in connection with our initial business combination at a price that is less than the prevailing market price of our shares at that time.~~


	●	If we consummate a business combination with a target company with assets located outside of the United States, our results of operations and prospects could be subject to the economic, political, and legal policies, developments, and conditions in the country in which we operate. Further, exchange rate fluctuations and currency policies may cause our ability to succeed in the international markets to be diminished.


	●	~~There may be tax consequences to our business combinations that may adversely affect us.~~


	●	Our officers and directors presently have fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.


	●	~~Our officers and directors may have interests in a potential business combination that are different than yours, which may create conflicts of interest.~~


	●	~~We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by a majority of the then outstanding warrants.~~


	●	~~We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.~~


	●	If third parties bring claims against us, and if our directors decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of the Sponsor, or if the Sponsor does not have the funds to indemnify us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by stockholders may be less than $10.00 per share.


	●	Provisions in our charter 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 charter provides, subject to limited exceptions, that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware is the sole and exclusive forum for certain stockholder litigation matters, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or stockholders.


	●	We are an emerging growth company and smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.


	Granted Patents				Pending Applications
	US		Foreign		US		Foreign
SCD Technology (Patent Families 1-5)		16		22		2		5
Other Technology (Patent Families 6-10)		2		0		3		0
Total		18		22		5		5


Jurisdiction	Status	Expiration Date	Subject Matter
United States	Granted	2031	Methods for processing leukocytes and methods for treating subjects having inflammatory conditions using such methods
United States	Granted	2029	Methods for treating subjects undergoing a cardiopulmonary bypass
United States	Granted	2029	Methods for treating subjects with end-stage renal disease
United States	Granted	2029	Methods for treating subjects with acute renal failure
United States	Granted	2029	Methods for treating subject with sepsis
United States	Granted	2031	A device that processes activated leukocytes and platelets
United States	Granted	2029	Methods for treating acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome
United States	Granted	2029	Systems for treating activated platelets
United States	Granted	2028	Systems for treating activated leukocytes
United States	Pending	2028*	Systems for treating leukocytes and platelets and methods for treating subject having inflammatory conditions by processing leukocytes or platelets
Canada	Granted	2028	Systems and methods for processing leukocytes and platelets and systems for treating inflammatory conditions
Canada	Granted	2028	A device for processing activated leukocytes and platelets
Japan	Granted	2028	A device and methods for treating leukocytes
Japan	Granted	2028	A device for processing activated leukocytes
New Zealand	Granted	2028	Systems and methods for processing leukocytes and platelets and for treating inflammatory conditions
Europe	Pending	2028*	A device that processes platelets or leukocytes
Hong Kong	Pending	2028*	A device that processes platelets or leukocytes


*	Expiration date if application is granted.
†	This patent family was developed with U.S. federal government funding and is subject to obligations under the Bayh-Dole Act.


†	This patent family was developed withU.S. federal government funding and is subject to obligations under the Bayh-Dole Act.


	Year Ended
	December 31,						Change
($ in thousands)	2022			2021			$			%
Revenue	$	—		$	—		$	—			—
Operating expenses
Research and development		2,819			2,766			53			2	%
General and administrative		6,600			1,683			4,917			292	%
Origination cost of forward contracts		2,190			—			2,190
Total operating expenses		11,609			4,449			7,160			161	%
Loss from operations		(11,609	)		(4,449	)		(7,160	)		161	%
Total other income (expense)		(11,403	)		(148	)		(11,255	)		7605	%
Loss before income tax provision		(23,012	)		(4,597	)		(18,415	)		401	%
Income tax provision (benefit)		1			(1	)		2
Net loss	$	(23,013	)	$	(4,596	)	$	(18,417	)		401	%


($ in thousands)	Total		Less than 1 year		1-3 years		3-5 years		More than 5 years
Contractual Obligations:
LMFA note payable		968		268		700		—		—
LMFAO note payable		2,785		0		2,785		—		—
Maxim note payable		4,167		—		4,167		—		—
Insurance Financing		910		910		—		—		—
Total contractual obligations	$	8,830	$	1,178	$	7,652	$	—	$	—


~~Name~~	~~Age~~	~~Position~~
~~Bruce Rodgers~~	59	~~Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman of the Board of Directors~~
~~Richard Russell~~	61	~~Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Secretary and Director~~
~~Bruce Bennett~~	61	~~Director~~
~~Craig Burson~~	60	~~Director~~
~~Martin Traber~~	76	~~Director~~