INTRODUCTORY NOTE
On August 16, 2021, Joby Aviation, Inc. (the “Company”) filed a Current Report on Form 8-K (the “Original Report”) to report the closing of the Business Combination and related matters under Items 1.01, 2.01, 3.02, 3.03, 5.01, 5.02, 5.06, 7.01 and 9.01 of Form 8-K. Due to the large number of events to be reported under the specified items of Form 8-K, this Form 8-K/A is being filed to amend the Original Report to include additional matters related to the closing of the Business Combination under Items 4.01, 5.03, 5.05 and 8.01 of Form 8-K (as amended, this “Report”).
Capitalized terms used herein but not defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Original Report.
Item 4.01. Changes in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant.
For accounting purposes, the Transactions are treated as a reverse acquisition and, as such, the historical financial statements of the accounting acquirer, Joby, which have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, will become the historical financial statements of the Company. In a reverse acquisition, a change of accountants is presumed to have occurred unless the same accountant audited the pre-transaction financial statements of both the legal acquirer and the accounting acquirer, and such change is generally presumed to occur on the date the reverse acquisition is completed.
(a) Dismissal of independent registered public accounting firm.
On August 10, 2021, the Audit Committee of the Board dismissed WithumSmith+Brown, PC (“Withum”), RTP’s independent registered public accounting firm prior to the business combination, as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm effective following the filing of the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2021, which consists only of the accounts of the pre-Business Combination special purpose acquisition company, RTP.
The report of Withum on RTP’s, the Company’s legal predecessor, balance sheet as of December 31, 2020 and the statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the period from June 23, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020, did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainties, audit scope or accounting principles.
During the period from July 3, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020 and subsequent interim period through August 16, 2021, there were no disagreements between the Company and Withum on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to the satisfaction of Withum, would have caused it to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreements in its reports on RTP’s financial statements for such period.
During the period from July 3, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020 and subsequent interim period through August 16, 2021, there were no “reportable events” (as defined in Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act).
The Company has provided Withum with a copy of the foregoing disclosures and has requested that Withum furnish the Company with a letter addressed to the SEC stating whether it agrees with the statements made by the Company set forth above. A copy of Withum’s letter, dated August 16, 2021, is filed as Exhibit 16.1 to this Report.
(b) Disclosures regarding the new independent auditor.
On August 10, 2021, the Board approved the engagement of Deloitte & Touche LLP (“Deloitte”) and intends to appoint Deloitte as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2021. Deloitte served as independent registered public accounting firm of Joby Aero, Inc. prior to the Business Combination. During the period from July 3, 2020 (inception) to December 31, 2020 and subsequent interim period through August 10, 2021, neither the Company nor anyone on the Company’s behalf consulted with Deloitte with respect to (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either
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