Exhibit 2.1
Execution Version
BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT
by and among
Golden Arrow Merger Corp.,
Beam Merger Sub, Inc.,
and
Bolt Threads, Inc.
Dated as of October 4, 2023
Table of Contents
Page | ||||
Article I. DEFINITIONS | 3 | |||
Section 1.01 | Certain Definitions | 3 | ||
Section 1.02 | Further Definitions | 13 | ||
Section 1.03 | Construction | 15 | ||
Article II. AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER | 16 | |||
Section 2.01 | The Merger | 16 | ||
Section 2.02 | Effective Time; Closing | 16 | ||
Section 2.03 | Effect of the Merger | 16 | ||
Section 2.04 | Certificate of Incorporation; By-laws | 16 | ||
Section 2.05 | Directors and Officers | 17 | ||
Article III. CONVERSION OF SECURITIES; Exchange of certificates | 17 | |||
Section 3.01 | Conversion of Securities | 17 | ||
Section 3.02 | Exchange of Certificates | 19 | ||
Section 3.03 | Stock Transfer Books | 21 | ||
Section 3.04 | Payment of Expenses | 21 | ||
Section 3.05 | Appraisal Rights | 22 | ||
Article IV. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY | 22 | |||
Section 4.01 | Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries | 22 | ||
Section 4.02 | Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws | 23 | ||
Section 4.03 | Capitalization | 23 | ||
Section 4.04 | Authority Relative to this Agreement | 24 | ||
Section 4.05 | No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 24 | ||
Section 4.06 | Permits; Compliance | 25 | ||
Section 4.07 | Financial Statements. | 25 | ||
Section 4.08 | Absence of Certain Changes or Events | 27 | ||
Section 4.09 | Absence of Litigation | 27 | ||
Section 4.10 | Employee Benefit Plans | 27 | ||
Section 4.11 | Labor and Employment Matters | 29 | ||
Section 4.12 | Real Property; Title to Assets | 29 | ||
Section 4.13 | Intellectual Property | 30 | ||
Section 4.14 | Data Protection. | 32 | ||
Section 4.15 | Taxes | 32 | ||
Section 4.16 | Environmental Matters | 34 | ||
Section 4.17 | Material Contracts | 35 | ||
Section 4.18 | Insurance | 37 | ||
Section 4.19 | Company Stockholder Approval; Board Approval; Vote Required | 37 |
-i-
Section 4.20 | Anti-Corruption Compliance; Certain Business Practices | 37 | ||
Section 4.21 | Sanctions and Export Control Compliance | 38 | ||
Section 4.22 | Interested Party Transactions | 38 | ||
Section 4.23 | Exchange Act | 38 | ||
Section 4.24 | Brokers | 38 | ||
Section 4.25 | Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties | 39 | ||
Article V. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF GAMC AND MERGER SUB | 39 | |||
Section 5.01 | Corporate Organization | 39 | ||
Section 5.02 | Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws | 39 | ||
Section 5.03 | Capitalization | 40 | ||
Section 5.04 | Authority Relative to This Agreement | 41 | ||
Section 5.05 | No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents | 41 | ||
Section 5.06 | Compliance | 41 | ||
Section 5.07 | SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley | 42 | ||
Section 5.08 | Absence of Certain Changes or Events | 43 | ||
Section 5.09 | Absence of Litigation | 43 | ||
Section 5.10 | Board Approval; Vote Required | 43 | ||
Section 5.11 | No Prior Operations of Merger Sub | 44 | ||
Section 5.12 | Brokers | 44 | ||
Section 5.13 | GAMC Trust Fund | 45 | ||
Section 5.14 | Employees | 45 | ||
Section 5.15 | Taxes | 46 | ||
Section 5.16 | Listing | 47 | ||
Section 5.17 | GAMC’s and Merger Sub’s Investigation and Reliance | 47 | ||
Section 5.18 | Certain Business Practices | 47 | ||
Section 5.19 | Investment Company Act | 48 | ||
Section 5.20 | Takeover Statutes and Charter Provisions | 48 | ||
Article VI. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER | 48 | |||
Section 6.01 | Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger | 48 | ||
Section 6.02 | Conduct of Business by GAMC and Merger Sub Pending the Merger | 50 | ||
Section 6.03 | Claims Against Trust Account | 52 |
-ii-
Article VII. ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS | 52 | |||
Section 7.01 | Proxy Statement; Registration Statement | 52 | ||
Section 7.02 | GAMC Stockholder Approval; Merger Sub Stockholder’s Approval | 55 | ||
Section 7.03 | Access to Information; Confidentiality | 56 | ||
Section 7.04 | Company Solicitation | 56 | ||
Section 7.05 | Employee Benefits Matters | 57 | ||
Section 7.06 | Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification; D&O Tail | 58 | ||
Section 7.07 | Notification of Certain Matters | 59 | ||
Section 7.08 | Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts | 59 | ||
Section 7.09 | Public Announcements | 60 | ||
Section 7.10 | Tax Matters | 60 | ||
Section 7.11 | Stock Exchange Listing | 61 | ||
Section 7.12 | Antitrust | 61 | ||
Section 7.13 | Required Financials | 62 | ||
Section 7.14 | Exclusivity | 62 | ||
Section 7.15 | Trust Account | 63 | ||
Section 7.16 | Equity Incentive Plan | 63 | ||
Section 7.17 | Employee Stock Purchase Plan | 63 | ||
Section 7.18 | Form S-8 Registration Statement | 63 | ||
Section 7.19 | Company Convertible Notes | 64 | ||
Section 7.20 | PIPE Investment | 64 | ||
Section 7.21 | GAMC Extension | 65 | ||
Section 7.22 | GAMC Public Filings | 65 | ||
Section 7.23 | Stockholder Litigation | 65 | ||
Section 7.24 | Ginkgo Indebtedness | 65 | ||
Article VIII. CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER | 66 | |||
Section 8.01 | Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party | 66 | ||
Section 8.02 | Conditions to the Obligations of GAMC and Merger Sub | 66 | ||
Section 8.03 | Conditions to the Obligations of the Company | 67 | ||
Article IX. TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER | 68 | |||
Section 9.01 | Termination | 68 | ||
Section 9.02 | Effect of Termination | 69 | ||
Section 9.03 | Expenses | 69 | ||
Section 9.04 | Amendment | 70 | ||
Section 9.05 | Waiver | 70 | ||
Article X. GENERAL PROVISIONS | 70 | |||
Section 10.01 | Notices | 70 | ||
Section 10.02 | Nonsurvival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants | 71 | ||
Section 10.03 | Severability | 71 | ||
Section 10.04 | Entire Agreement; Assignment | 71 | ||
Section 10.05 | Parties in Interest | 71 | ||
Section 10.06 | Governing Law | 71 | ||
Section 10.07 | Waiver of Jury Trial | 72 | ||
Section 10.08 | Headings | 72 | ||
Section 10.09 | Counterparts | 72 | ||
Section 10.10 | Specific Performance | 72 | ||
Section 10.11 | Legal Representation | 72 | ||
Section 10.12 | No Recourse | 73 | ||
Section 10.13 | Company Disclosure Schedule and GAMC Disclosure Schedule | 73 |
-iii-
EXHIBIT A | Form of Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement |
EXHIBIT B-1 | Form of GAMC Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation |
EXHIBIT B-2 | Form of GAMC Amended and Restated Bylaws |
EXHIBIT C | Form of Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation |
EXHIBIT D | Form of Regulated Stockholder PIPE Subscription Agreement |
SCHEDULE A | Company Knowledge Parties |
SCHEDULE B | Key Company Stockholders |
-iv-
BUSINESS COMBINATION AGREEMENT, dated as of October 4, 2023 (this “Agreement”), by and among Golden Arrow Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation (“GAMC”), Beam Merger Sub, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Merger Sub”), and Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”).
WHEREAS, GAMC is a blank check company and was incorporated for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses;
WHEREAS, Merger Sub is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of GAMC;
WHEREAS, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement and in accordance with the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), (i) GAMC and the Company shall enter into a business combination, pursuant to which Merger Sub shall merge with and into the Company (the “Merger”), with the Company surviving the Merger as a wholly-owned subsidiary of GAMC; and (ii) GAMC will change its name to “Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.”;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Company Board”) has unanimously (a) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger, are fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its stockholders and has approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the Transactions, including the Merger, and (b) has recommended the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger, by the stockholders of the Company;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of GAMC (the “GAMC Board”) has unanimously (a) approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the payment of the Transaction Consideration to the stockholders of the Company pursuant to this Agreement and the other Transactions, and (b) has recommended the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions by the stockholders of GAMC;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of Merger Sub (the “Merger Sub Board”) has unanimously (a) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger, are fair to, and in the best interests of, Merger Sub and GAMC (the sole stockholder of Merger Sub) and has approved and adopted this Agreement and declared its advisability and approved the Transactions, including the Merger, and (b) has recommended the approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger, by GAMC, as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub;
WHEREAS, GAMC, the Company and the Key Company Stockholders, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, are entering into the Stockholder Support Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Stockholder Support Agreement”), providing that, among other things, the Key Company Stockholders have agreed to, among other things, vote to adopt and approve this Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby and the Transactions, including the Merger, promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) following the time at which the Registration Statement shall have been declared effective and delivered or otherwise made available to stockholders;
WHEREAS, the Company, GAMC and the Sponsor, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, are entering into the Sponsor Support Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the “Sponsor Support Agreement”), providing that, among other things, the Sponsor shall (a) vote all of its shares of GAMC Common Stock to adopt and approve this Agreement and the other documents contemplated hereby and the Transactions, including the Merger, (b) waive its anti-dilution protection with respect to its shares of GAMC Common Stock, (c) not redeem its shares of GAMC Common Stock, and (d) subject a certain number of its shares of New GAMC Common Stock to an “earnout”, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;
1
WHEREAS, in connection with the Closing, GAMC, certain stockholders of the Company, Sponsor and certain stockholders of GAMC shall enter into a Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement (the “Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement”), substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement or otherwise pursuant to Section 7.20 of this Agreement (with respect to any Regulated Stockholder (as defined in the Company Certificate of Incorporation)), certain investors (collectively, the “PIPE Investors”) are entering into subscription agreements (each, a “PIPE Subscription Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, each PIPE Investor shall agree to subscribe for and purchase on the Closing Date, and GAMC shall agree to issue and sell to each such PIPE Investor on the Closing Date, the number of GAMC Class A Common Stock or securities or indebtedness exercisable or exchangeable for, or convertible into, GAMC Class A Common Stock, as applicable, set forth in the applicable PIPE Subscription Agreement in exchange for the purchase price set forth therein (the aggregate purchase price under all PIPE Subscription Agreements, collectively, the “PIPE Financing Amount,” and the equity financing under all PIPE Subscription Agreements, collectively, the “PIPE Financing”), in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, certain investors (collectively, the “Bridge Investors”) are entering into a note purchase agreement (the “Bridge Financing Agreement”), pursuant to which, among other things, each Bridge Investor (a) has agreed to purchase for cash from the Company on the date hereof a convertible promissory note issued by the Company in the principal amount set forth in the Bridge Financing Agreement (the aggregate principal amounts under the Bridge Financing Agreement, collectively, the “Bridge Financing Amount” and the bridge financing under the Bridge Financing Agreement, collectively, the “Bridge Financing”) on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, and (b) such convertible promissory note shall be a “Company Convertible Note” (as defined below), which shall be converted into shares of Company Common Stock prior to the Effective Time pursuant to their respective terms and condition as part of the Company Convertible Note Conversion (as defined below);
WHEREAS, immediately prior to the Effective Time, all of the outstanding principal and accrued interest under the Company Convertible Notes will be converted into shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to their respective terms and conditions (the “Company Convertible Note Conversion”);
WHEREAS, immediately prior to the Effective Time, all shares of Company Preferred Stock (as defined below) will be converted into shares of Company Common Stock pursuant to the terms of the Company Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below) (“the “Company Preferred Stock Conversion”);
WHEREAS, prior to the Closing, in connection with the Transactions, GAMC and/or the Company and certain employees of the Company may enter into employment agreements, effective as of the Closing, in form and substance acceptable to GAMC and the Company; and
WHEREAS, for United States federal income tax purposes, it is intended that the Merger shall qualify as a reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(a) of the Code, that the Company, Merger Sub and GAMC are parties to such reorganization within the meaning of Section 368(b) of the Code and that this Agreement is, and is hereby adopted as, a “plan of reorganization” within the meaning of Sections 354, 361 and 368 of the Code (collectively, the “Merger Intended Tax Treatment”).
2
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Article I.
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.01 Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
“affiliate” of a specified person means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, such specified person.
“Aggregate Fully Diluted Company Common Stock” means, without duplication, (a) the aggregate number of shares of Company Common Stock that are (i) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (after giving effect to the Company Convertible Note Conversion and Company Preferred Stock Conversion) and (ii) issuable upon the exercise or settlement of Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Warrants, including the Company Warrants that will be issued to the Bridge Investors in connection with the Bridge Financing (in each case, whether or not vested or currently exercisable), that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time; minus (b) the Treasury Shares as of immediately prior to the Effective Time; minus (c) a number of shares equal to (x) the aggregate exercise price of the Company Options described in clause (a)(ii) above divided by (y) the Per Share Transaction Consideration Value (provided that any Company Option with an exercise price equal to or greater than the Per Share Transaction Consideration Value shall not be counted under clauses (a)(ii) or (c)(x) for purposes of determining the number of Aggregate Fully Diluted Company Common Stock); minus (d) a number of shares equal to (x) the aggregate exercise price of the Company Warrants described in clause (a)(ii) above divided by (y) the Per Share Transaction Consideration Value (provided that any Company Warrant with an exercise price equal to or greater than the Per Share Transaction Consideration Value shall not be counted under classes (a)(ii) or (d)(x) for purposes of determining the number of Aggregate Fully Diluted Company Common Stock).
“Ancillary Agreements” means the Stockholder Support Agreement, the Sponsor Support Agreement, the Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement, the PIPE Subscription Agreements, the Bridge Financing Agreement, and all other agreements, certificates and instruments executed and delivered by GAMC, Merger Sub and/or the Company in connection with the Transactions and expressly contemplated by this Agreement.
“Anti-Corruption Laws” means the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the provisions of any other applicable domestic or foreign anti-corruption laws.
“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which the SEC or banks are not required to be closed in New York, New York.
“Business Systems” means all Software, computer hardware (whether general or special purpose), electronic data processing, information, record keeping, communications, telecommunications, networks, interfaces, platforms, servers, peripherals, and computer systems, including any outsourced systems and processes, that are owned or used in the conduct of the business of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries.
3
“Class B Conversion Ratio” means the ratio at which the shares of GAMC Class B Common Stock are automatically convertible into shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock pursuant to Section 4.3(b) of the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Acquisition Proposal” means any proposal or offer from any person or “group” (as defined in the Exchange Act) (other than GAMC, Merger Sub or their respective affiliates) relating to, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, (a) any direct or indirect acquisition or purchase of a business that constitutes 20% or more of the assets of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole (based on the fair market value thereof, as determined by the Company Board in good faith), or (b) acquisition of beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the total voting power of the equity securities of the Company, whether by way of merger, asset purchase, equity purchase or otherwise.
“Company Capital Stock” means the Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock.
“Company Certificate of Incorporation” means the certificate of incorporation of the Company, October 3, 2023, as such may have been amended, supplemented or modified from time to time.
“Company Common Stock” means shares of common stock of the Company, par value of $0.0001 per share.
“Company Convertible Notes” means, collectively, the convertible notes issued by the Company to the holders identified therein as set forth on Section 1.01 of the Company Disclosure Schedule.
“Company Equity Plans” means the (a) 2009 Equity Incentive Plan and (b) Company 2019 Equity Incentive Plan, as such may have been amended, supplemented or modified from time to time.
“Company IP” means, collectively, all Company-Owned IP and Company-Licensed IP.
“Company-Licensed IP” means all Intellectual Property rights owned or purported to be owned by a third party and licensed to the Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries or to which the Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries otherwise has a right to use.
“Company Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance, change or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with all other events, circumstances, changes and effects, (a) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, liabilities or results of operations of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (b) would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the performance by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries of their respective obligations under this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger and the other Transactions; provided, however, that none of the following (or the effect of any of the following) shall be deemed to constitute, alone or in combination, or be taken into account in the determination of whether, there has been or will be a Company Material Adverse Effect: (i) any change or proposed change in, or change in the interpretation of, any Law or GAAP; (ii) events or conditions generally affecting the industries or geographic areas in which the Company and the Company Subsidiaries operate; (iii) any downturn in general economic conditions, including changes in the credit, debt, securities, financial or capital markets (including changes in interest or exchange rates, prices of any security or market index or commodity or any disruption of such markets); (iv) acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest or terrorism, or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest or terrorism, or changes in global, national, regional, state or local political or social conditions; (v) any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, wild fire or other natural disaster, epidemic, disease outbreak, pandemic, or acts of God; (vi) any actions taken or not taken by the Company as required by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; (vii) any effect attributable to the announcement or execution, pendency, negotiation or consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transaction (including the impact thereof on relationships with customers, Suppliers, employees or Governmental Authorities); (viii) any failure to meet any projections, forecasts, guidance, estimates, milestones, budgets or financial or operating predictions, provided that this clause (viii) shall not prevent a determination that any change, event, or occurrence underlying such failure has resulted in a Company Material Adverse Effect; or (ix) any actions taken, or failures to take action, or such other changed or events, in each case, which GAMC has requested in writing or to which it has consented in writing or which actions are expressly contemplated by this Agreement, except in the cases of clauses (i) through (iii), to the extent that the Company is disproportionately affected thereby as compared to other participants in the industries in which the Company operates.
4
“Company Option” means an option to purchase shares of Company Common Stock, whether or not exercisable and whether or not vested, granted under the Company Equity Plans or otherwise, that is outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.
“Company-Owned IP” means all Intellectual Property rights owned or purported to be owned by the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries.
“Company Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, including Company Series A Preferred Stock, Company Series B Preferred Stock, Company Series C Preferred Stock, Company Series D Preferred Stock, and Company Series E Preferred Stock.
“Company RSU” means a restricted stock unit relating to a share of Company Common Stock, granted under the Company Equity Plans or otherwise, that is outstanding immediately prior to the Closing.
“Company Series A Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Series A Preferred Stock in the Company Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Series B Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Series B Preferred Stock in the Company Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Series C Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Series C Preferred Stock in the Company Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Series D Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Series D Preferred Stock in the Company Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Series E Preferred Stock” means the shares of the Company’s preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, designated as Series E Preferred Stock in the Company Certificate of Incorporation.
“Company Series A Preferred Stock Warrant” means warrants to purchase shares of Company Class A Preferred Stock.
“Company Series B Preferred Stock Warrant” means warrants to purchase shares of Company Class B Preferred Stock.
“Company Series C Preferred Stock Warrant” means warrants to purchase shares of Company Class C Preferred Stock.
“Company Series D Preferred Stock Warrant” means warrants to purchase shares of Company Class D Preferred Stock.
“Company Series E Preferred Stock Warrant” means warrants to purchase shares of Company Class E Preferred Stock.
5
“Company Share Awards” means all outstanding Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Warrants.
“Company Transaction Expenses” means all out-of-pocket fees and expenses payable by the Company, any Company Subsidiary, or their respective affiliates (whether or not billed or accrued for) as a result of or in connection with the negotiation, documentation and consummation of the Transactions (together with written invoices and wire transfer instructions for the payment thereof), including (a) all fees, costs, expenses, brokerage fees, commissions, finders’ fees and disbursements of financial advisors, investment banks, data room administrators, attorneys, accountants and other advisors and service providers; (b) any change in control bonus, transaction bonus, retention bonus, termination or severance payment, in any case, payable by the Company or any Company Subsidiary to any current or former employee, independent contractor, director or officer of the Company, or any Company Subsidiary, which become payable (including if subject to continued employment) as a result of the execution of this Agreement or the consummation of the Transactions (excluding any payments tied to any subsequent event or condition, such as a termination of service), plus any employer portion of any payroll Taxes required to be paid thereon; (c) Transfer Taxes; (d) fifty percent (50%) of any and all filing fees paid to Governmental Authorities in connection with the Transactions, including fees towards filings to be made pursuant to the HSR Act; (e) fifty percent (50%) of the costs for the preparation, filing and mailing of the Proxy Statement and Registration Statement (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the fees and expenses of any other party’s outside counsels, financial advisors, consultants and other advisors); and (f) the premium and other costs and expenses associated with the Company D&O Tail Policy.
“Company Value” means an amount equal to two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000).
“Company Warrants” means the Company Series A Preferred Stock Warrant, Company Series B Preferred Stock Warrant, Company Series C Preferred Stock Warrant, Company Series D Preferred Stock Warrant and Company Series E Preferred Stock Warrant.
“Confidential Information” means any information, knowledge or data concerning the businesses and affairs of the Company or any Suppliers or customers of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries or GAMC or its subsidiaries (as applicable) that is not already generally available to the public.
“control” (including the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) means the possession, directly or indirectly, or as trustee or executor, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, as trustee or executor, by contract or otherwise.
“Data Security Breach” means (a) the unauthorized or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, disclosure of, or access to, Personal Information; or (b) a “breach,” “data breach,” “personal data breach” as defined by Privacy/Data Security Laws.
“Deferred Underwriting Commission” means the deferred underwriting commission payable upon the consummation of the Transactions from the Trust Account to the underwriters of GAMC’s initial public offering.
“Disabling Devices” means Software viruses, time bombs, logic bombs, trojan horses, trap doors, back doors, or other computer instructions, intentional devices or techniques that are designed to threaten, infect, assault, vandalize, defraud, disrupt, damage, disable, maliciously encumber, hack into, incapacitate, infiltrate or slow or shut down a computer system or any component of such computer system, including any such device affecting system security or compromising or disclosing user data in an unauthorized manner.
6
“Environmental Laws” means any United States federal, state or local or non-United States laws, rulings, regulations, or orders from a Governmental Authority relating to public health and safety, worker health and safety, and pollution or protection of the environment (including ambient air, soil, surface water or groundwater, or subsurface strata), including all those relating to the presence, use, production, generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, disposal, distribution, labeling, testing, processing, discharge, release, threatened release, control or cleanup of, or exposure to, any Hazardous Substances, substances or wastes, chemical substances or mixtures, pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, toxic chemicals, petroleum products or byproducts, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, noise, odor, per- and poly-fluoroakyl substances, mold or radiation, as previously, now or hereafter in effect relating to the protection of the environment, natural resources or human health or safety in connection with environmental protection, including, without limitation, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 9601 et seq.; the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, 42 U.S.C. §§ 6901 et seq.; the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1972, as amended by the Clean Water Act of 1977, 33 U.S.C. §§ 1251 et seq.; the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 2601 et seq.; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11001 et seq.; and the Clean Air Act of 1966, as amended by the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 7401 et seq.
“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
“ERISA Affiliate” means, with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, each entity, trade or business that is a member of a group described in Section 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Code or Section 4001(b)(1) of ERISA that includes or included at the relevant time the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or that is a member of the same “controlled group” as the Company or any Company Subsidiary pursuant to Section 4001(a)(14) of ERISA.
“Exchange Ratio” means the quotient obtained by dividing (a) the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock constituting the Transaction Consideration, by (b) the number of shares of Aggregate Fully Diluted Company Common Stock.
“Export Control Laws” means (a) the U.S. Export Control Reform Act of 2018, U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Arms Export Control Act, U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and their respective implementing rules and regulations administered by the U.S. State Department, U.S. Commerce Department, and (b) other similar non-U.S. export control Laws or restrictions applicable to the Company, its subsidiaries, and their operations from time to time, except to the extent inconsistent with U.S. law.
“GAMC Certificate of Incorporation” means the Amended and Restated GAMC Certificate of Incorporation, dated March 16, 2021, as amended on March 15, 2023.
“GAMC Class A Common Stock” means GAMC’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
“GAMC Class B Common Stock” means GAMC’s Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share.
7
“GAMC Common Stock” means GAMC Class A Common Stock and GAMC Class B Common Stock.
“GAMC Extension Expenses” means, without duplication, (a) any out-of-pocket fees and expenses paid or payable by GAMC or its affiliates (whether or not billed or accrued for) as a result of or in connection with the negotiation, documentation and consummation of a GAMC Extension (including (i) submitting a proposal to GAMC’s stockholders pursuant to a definitive proxy statement filed by GAMC with the SEC and (ii) providing such definitive proxy statement to GAMC’s stockholders) and (b) any cash deposits made or to be made into the Trust Account by GAMC, the Sponsor or its affiliates or permitted designees for the purpose of extending the time period for GAMC to consummate a business combination, as approved by GAMC’s stockholders.
“GAMC Material Adverse Effect” means any event, circumstance, change or effect that, individually or in the aggregate with all other events, circumstances, changes and effects, (a) is or would reasonably be expected to be materially adverse to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), assets, liabilities or results of operations of GAMC; or (b) would prevent, materially delay or materially impede the performance by GAMC or Merger Sub of their respective obligations under this Agreement or the consummation of the Merger and the other Transactions; provided, however, that none of the following (or the effect of any of the following) shall be deemed to constitute, alone or in combination, or be taken into account in the determination of whether, there has been or will be an GAMC Material Adverse Effect: (i) any change or proposed change in or change in the interpretation of any Law or GAAP; (ii) events or conditions generally affecting the industries or geographic areas in which GAMC operates; (iii) any downturn in general economic conditions, including changes in the credit, debt, securities, financial or capital markets (including changes in interest or exchange rates, prices of any security or market index or commodity or any disruption of such markets); (iv) acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest or terrorism, or any escalation or worsening of any such acts of war, sabotage, civil unrest or terrorism, or changes in global, national, regional, state or local political or social conditions; (v) any hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, wild fire or other natural disaster, epidemic, disease outbreak, pandemic, or acts of God; (vi) any actions taken or not taken by GAMC as required by this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement; (vii) any effect attributable to the announcement or execution, pendency, negotiation or consummation of the Merger or any of the other Transaction (including the impact thereof on relationships with customers, suppliers, employees or Governmental Authorities); (viii) any actions taken, or failures to take action, or such other changed or events, in each case, which the Company has requested or to which it has consented or which actions are contemplated by this Agreement, or (ix) any event, circumstance, change or effect arising from or related to the GAMC Share Redemption or the Redemption Rights, except in the cases of clauses (i) through (iii), to the extent that GAMC is disproportionately affected thereby as compared to other participants in the industry in which GAMC operates.
“GAMC Organizational Documents” means the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation, by-laws, and Trust Agreement of GAMC, in each case as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
“GAMC Private Placement Warrants” means GAMC Warrants sold by GAMC at a price of $1.50 per warrant in a private placement to the Sponsor.
“GAMC Share Redemption” means the election of an eligible (as determined in accordance with the GAMC Organizational Documents) holder of GAMC Class A Common Stock to redeem all or a portion of the shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock held by such holder at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to a pro rata share of the aggregate amount on deposit in the Trust Account (including any interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account) (as determined in accordance with the GAMC Organizational Documents) in connection with the GAMC Proposals.
8
“GAMC Stockholder Approval” means the approval, as determined in accordance with the GAMC Organizational Documents, the DGCL and the rules of Nasdaq, as applicable, of (1) the GAMC Proposal identified in clause (A) of Section 7.02(a)(ii) by the affirmative vote of the holders of (i) at least a majority of the outstanding shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock and GAMC Class B Common Stock, voting together as a single class, (ii) a majority in voting power of the holders of Class A Common Stock, voting separately as a single class and (iii) a majority in voting power of the holders of Class B Common Stock, voting separately as a single class (as also required by Section 4.3(b)(iii) of the GAMC Certification of Incorporation), at a stockholders’ meeting duly called by the Board of Directors of GAMC and held for such purpose, (2) those GAMC Proposals identified in clauses (B), (C), (D) and, if necessary, (G), of Section 7.02(a)(ii), in each case, by an affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by the holders of GAMC Common Stock present in person (or virtually) or represented by proxy and entitled to vote thereon, and (3), those GAMC Proposals identified in clause (E) and (F) of Section 7.02(a)(ii) by the applicable requisite votes, in each case, at a stockholders’ meeting duly called by the Board of Directors of GAMC and held for such purpose. The vote at the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting on any other matter than those described in the first sentence of this definition, including a vote on any separate or unbundled advisory proposals, shall not affect whether the GAMC Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained.
“GAMC Transaction Expenses” means any out-of-pocket fees and expenses payable by GAMC or Merger Sub (whether or not billed or accrued for) as a result of or in connection with the negotiation, documentation and consummation of the Transactions, including (a) all fees, costs, expenses, brokerage fees, commissions (including the Deferred Underwriting Commission), finders’ fees and disbursements of financial advisors, underwriters, investment banks, data room administrators, attorneys, accountants and other advisors and service providers, (b) fifty percent (50%) of any and all filing fees paid to Governmental Authorities in connection with the Transactions, including fees towards filings to be made pursuant to the HSR Act, (c) fifty percent (50%) of the costs for the preparation, filing and mailing of the Proxy Statement and Registration Statement (excluding, for the avoidance of doubt, the fees and expenses of any other party’s outside counsels, financial advisors, consultants and other advisors), (d) the aggregate amount owed by GAMC to Sponsor under any GAMC Working Capital Loans (for the avoidance of doubt, excluding such amounts elected to be converted into GAMC Warrants in connection with the Closing pursuant to the terms of the GAMC Working Capital Loans); (e) fees and expenses incurred in connection with obtaining approval of Nasdaq (or such other national securities exchange mutually acceptable to GAMC and the Company) pursuant to Section 7.11, (f) fees and expenses incurred in connection with obtaining the GAMC Stockholder Approval and any GAMC Extension Expenses; and (g) the premium and other costs and expenses associated with the GAMC D&O Tail Policy.
“GAMC Units” means one share of GAMC Class A Common Stock and one-third of one GAMC Warrant.
“GAMC Warrant Agreement” means that certain warrant agreement dated March 16, 2021, by and between GAMC and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
“GAMC Warrants” means warrants to purchase shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock as contemplated under the GAMC Warrant Agreement, with each warrant exercisable for one share of GAMC Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per share.
“GAMC Working Capital Loans” means the working capital loans as described in GAMC’s final prospectus filed with the SEC on March 18, 2021, in connection with GAMC’s initial public offering.
9
“Government Official” means any officer or employee of a government or any department, agency or instrumentality thereof, or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity or on behalf of any such government, department, agency or instrumentality or for, or on the behalf of, such public international organization, including but not limited to directors, officers, managers, employees and other agents of any enterprise owned directly or indirectly by a government or public international organization.
“Hazardous Substance(s)” means any materials, substances, pollutants, or contaminants, including any hazardous, toxic, dangerous, flammable, explosive, infectious or radioactive substances or wastes that are regulated by, defined, declared, or controlled in or under, or may give rise to standards of conduct or liability pursuant to, any Environmental Laws or order from a Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, any petroleum products or byproducts, asbestos, lead, polychlorinated biphenyls or related waste, per- and poly-fluoroakyl substances, mold, or radon.
“HSR Act” means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended.
“Intellectual Property” means: (a) patents, patent applications and patent disclosures, together with all reissues, continuations, continuations-in-part, divisionals, revisions, extensions or reexaminations thereof (“Patents”); (b) trademarks and service marks, trade dress, logos, trade names, corporate names, brands, slogans, and other source identifiers together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, combinations and other variants of the foregoing, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith (“Trademarks”); (c) copyrights and registrations and applications for registration, renewals and extensions thereof (“Copyrights”) and other works of authorship (whether or not copyrightable) and moral rights; (d) trade secrets and know-how (including ideas, formulas, compositions, inventions (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice)), customer and supplier lists, improvements, protocols, processes, methods and techniques, research and development information, industry analyses, algorithms, architectures, layouts, drawings, specifications, designs, plans, methodologies, proposals, industrial models, technical data, financial and accounting and all other data, databases and database rights; (e) Internet domain names and social media accounts; (f) all other intellectual property or proprietary rights of any kind or description; (g) copies and tangible embodiments of any of the foregoing, in whatever form or medium; and (h) all legal rights arising from items (a) through (f), including the right to prosecute and perfect such interests and rights to sue, oppose, cancel, interfere and enjoin based upon such interests, including such rights based on past infringement, if any, in connection with any of the foregoing.
“Key Company Stockholders” means the persons and entities listed on Schedule B.
“knowledge” or “to the knowledge” of a person means, in the case of the Company, the actual knowledge of the persons listed on Schedule A after reasonable investigation, and in the case of GAMC, the actual knowledge of Timothy Babich after reasonable investigation.
“Leased Real Property” means the real property leased by the Company or any Company Subsidiary as tenant, together with, to the extent leased by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, all buildings and other structures, facilities or improvements located thereon and all easements, licenses, rights and appurtenances of the Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to the foregoing.
“Lien” means any lien, security interest, mortgage, deeds of trust, pledge, adverse claim or other encumbrance of any kind that secures the payment or performance of an obligation (other than those created under applicable securities laws, and not including any license of Intellectual Property).
“Merger Sub Organizational Documents” means the certificate of incorporation and by-laws of Merger Sub, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
10
“New GAMC Common Stock” means the common stock of GAMC, par value $0.0001 per share, as set forth in the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of GAMC.
“PCAOB” means the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and any division or subdivision thereof.
“Permitted Liens” means: (a) such defects or imperfections of title, easements, encroachments, covenants, rights-of-way, conditions, matters that would be apparent from a physical inspection or current, accurate survey of such real property, restrictions, Liens and other similar charges or encumbrances that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the current use, value or occupancy of the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s assets that are subject thereto; (b) materialmen’s, mechanics’, carriers’, workmen’s, warehousemen’s, repairmen’s, landlord’s and other similar Liens arising in the ordinary course of business, for which deposits to obtain the release of such Liens have been made in accordance with GAAP; (c) Liens for Taxes (i) not yet due and payable, or (ii) being contested in good faith and for which appropriate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP; (d) zoning, entitlement, conservation restriction and other land use and environmental regulations promulgated by Governmental Authorities which do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially impair the current use, value or occupancy of the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s assets that are subject thereto; (e) non-exclusive licenses, sublicenses or other rights to Intellectual Property owned by or licensed to the Company granted in the ordinary course of business; (f) non-monetary Liens, encumbrances and restrictions on real property (including easements, covenants, rights of way and similar restrictions of record) that do not individually or in the aggregate, materially interfere with the present use, value or occupancy of such real property; (g) Liens on leases, subleases, easements, licenses, rights of use, rights to access and rights of way arising from the provisions of such agreements or benefiting or created by any superior estate, right or interest for which a commercially reasonable non-disturbance agreement has been obtained; (h) ordinary course purchase money Liens and Liens securing rental payments under operating or capital lease arrangements for amounts not yet due or payable; and (i) other Liens arising in the ordinary course of business and not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other types of social security.
“Per Share Transaction Consideration Value” means the Exchange Ratio multiplied by $10.00.
“person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, syndicate, person (including, without limitation, a “person” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), trust, association or entity or government, political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of a government.
“Personal Information” means (a) information related to an identified or identifiable individual (e.g., name, address telephone number, email address, financial account number, government-issued identifier), (b) information that can reasonably identify, contact, or precisely locate an individual, including any internet protocol address or other persistent identifier, and (c) “personal data,” “personal information,” “personally identifiable information” as defined by applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws.
“Plan” means each “employee benefit plan” (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA, whether or not subject to ERISA), and each other equity or equity-based, incentive, bonus, commission, deferred compensation, retirement, profit sharing, employment, individual consulting, severance, termination, retention, change of control, health, welfare, vacation, paid time off, fringe or other benefit or compensation plan, program, contract, policy, agreement or arrangement providing compensation or other benefits to any current or former director, individual consultant, or employee of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, in each case that is maintained, sponsored or contributed to by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or with respect to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has any current or contingent liability, but excluding any statutory plan, program or arrangement that is required under applicable law and maintained by any Governmental Authority.
11
“Privacy/Data Security Laws” means all laws governing the receipt, collection, use, storage, processing, sharing, security, disclosure, or transfer of Personal Information.
“Products” mean any products or services, licensed, sold, distributed other otherwise made available by or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiaries, from which the Company or any Company Subsidiaries has derived previously or is currently deriving revenue from the sale or provision thereof, including products currently under development by the Company or any Company Subsidiaries.
“Redemption Rights” means the redemption rights provided for in Section 9.2 of the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation.
“Regulation S-K” means Regulation S-K promulgated under the Securities Act.
“Regulation S-X” means Regulation S-X promulgated under the Exchange Act.
“Requisite Approval” means the affirmative vote or written consent of (a) the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Company Capital Stock voting together as a single class; (b) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Series A Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis; (c) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Series B Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis; (d) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Series C Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis; (e) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Series D Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis; (f) the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Company Series E Preferred Stock on an as-converted basis; and (g) the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares of Company Preferred Stock, voting together as a single class on an as-converted basis, in each case, pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of the governing documents of the Company and applicable Law.
“Sanctioned Country” means any country or territory that is the subject or target of comprehensive Sanctions (at the time of this agreement, the Crimea, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, and the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria).
“Sanctioned Person” means any person that has been or is designated on OFAC’s List of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons, Sectoral Sanctions Identification List, or Foreign Sanctions Evader List, or any other similar list of designated persons established pursuant to Sanctions.
“Sanctions” means economic sanctions laws, regulations, and executive orders of the United States (including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of State), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, any European Union member state, or the United Kingdom.
“Software” means all computer software (in object code or source code format), data and databases, and related documentation and materials.
“Sponsor” means Golden Arrow Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
“subsidiary” or “subsidiaries” of the Company, the Surviving Corporation, GAMC or any other person means an affiliate controlled by such person, directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries.
12
“Supplier” means any person that supplies inventory or other materials or personal property, components, or other goods or services that are utilized in or comprise the Products of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries.
“Transaction Consideration” means a number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock equal to the quotient of (i) the Company Value divided by (ii) $10.00.
“Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, including all Schedules and Exhibits hereto, the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Ancillary Agreements, and all other agreements, certificates and instruments executed and delivered by GAMC, Merger Sub or the Company in connection with the Transaction and specifically contemplated by this Agreement.
“Transactions” means the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Transaction Documents.
“Treasury Regulations” means the United States Treasury regulations issued pursuant to the Code.
Section 1.02 Further Definitions. The following terms have the meaning set forth in the Sections set forth below:
Defined Term | Location of Definition | |
2023 Balance Sheet | § 4.07(b) | |
Action | § 4.09 | |
Agreement | Preamble | |
Antitrust Laws | § 7.12(a) | |
Blue Sky Laws | § 4.05(b) | |
Bridge Financing Agreement | Recitals | |
Bridge Financing Amount | Recitals | |
Business Combination Proposal | § 7.14 | |
Certificate of Merger | § 2.02(a) | |
Certificates | § 3.02(b) | |
Claims | § 6.03 | |
Closing | § 2.02(b) | |
Closing Date | § 2.02(b) | |
Code | § 3.02(h) | |
Company | Preamble | |
Company Board | Recitals | |
Company Disclosure Schedule | Article IV | |
Company D&O Tail Policy | § 7.06(b) | |
Company Permits | § 4.06 | |
Company Stockholder Approval | § 4.19 | |
Company Subsidiary | § 4.01(a) | |
Company Unaudited Financials | § 7.13 | |
Company Waiving Parties | § 10.11(b) | |
Confidentiality Agreement | § 7.03(b) | |
Continuing Employees | § 7.05(a) | |
Converted Warrant | § 3.01(d)(i) | |
Conversion Effective Time | § 3.01(b) | |
Data/Privacy Security Requirements | § 4.14(a) | |
DGCL | Recitals | |
Dissenting Shares | § 3.05(a) |
13
Defined Term | Location of Definition | |
Effective Time | § 2.02(a) | |
Equity Incentive Plan | § 7.16 | |
Environmental Permits | § 4.16(e) | |
ESPP | § 7.17 | |
Exchange Act | § 4.23 | |
Exchange Agent | § 3.02(a) | |
Exchange Fund | § 3.02(a) | |
Financial Statements | § 4.07(a) | |
GAMC | Preamble | |
GAMC Amended Bylaws | § 5.07(a) | |
GAMC Board | Recitals | |
GAMC Business Combination Deadline | § 7.21(a) | |
GAMC D&O Tail Policy | § 7.06(b) | |
GAMC Disclosure Schedule | § 6.02 | |
GAMC Extension Proxy Statement | § 7.21(a) | |
GAMC Preferred Stock | § 5.03(a) | |
GAMC Proposals | § 7.01(a) | |
GAMC SEC Reports | § 5.07(a) | |
GAMC Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation | § 5.07(a) | |
GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting | § 7.01(a) | |
GAMC Waiving Parties | § 10.11(a) | |
Ginkgo | § 4.07(g) | |
Governmental Authority | § 4.05(b) | |
IRS | § 4.10(b) | |
Law | § 4.05(a) | |
Lease | § 4.12(b) | |
Lease Documents | § 4.12(b) | |
Letter of Transmittal | § 3.02(b) | |
Material Contracts | § 4.17(a) | |
Merger | Recitals | |
Merger Intended Tax Treatment | Preamble | |
Merger Sub | Preamble | |
Merger Sub Board | Recitals | |
Merger Sub Common Stock | § 5.03(b) | |
Nasdaq | § 5.07(d) | |
Outside Date | § 9.01(b) | |
Payment Spreadsheet | § 3.01(a) | |
PCAOB Audited Financials | § 7.13 | |
PIPE Financing | Recitals | |
PIPE Financing Amount | Recitals | |
PIPE Investors | Recitals | |
PIPE Subscription Agreements | Recitals | |
PPACA | § 4.10(k) | |
Privacy Policies | § 4.14(a) | |
Proxy Statement | § 7.01(a) | |
Registered IP | § 4.13(a) | |
Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement | Recitals | |
Registration Statement | § 7.01(a) | |
Remedies Exceptions | § 4.04 |
14
Defined Term | Location of Definition | |
Representatives | § 7.03(a) | |
Required Financials | § 7.13 | |
Rollover Options | § 3.01(d)(i) | |
Rollover RSU | § 3.01(d)(ii) | |
SEC | § 5.07(a) | |
Securities Act | § 5.07(a) | |
Sponsor Support Agreement | Recitals | |
Stockholder Support Agreement | Recitals | |
Surviving Corporation | § 2.01 | |
Tax | § 4.15(o) | |
Tax Return | § 4.15(o) | |
Terminating Company Breach | § 9.01(e) | |
Terminating GAMC Breach | § 9.01(h) | |
Transfer Taxes | § 7.10(b) | |
Trust Account | § 5.13 | |
Trust Agreement | § 5.13 | |
Trust Fund | § 5.13 | |
Trustee | § 5.13 | |
Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses | § 3.04(a) | |
Unpaid GAMC Transaction Expenses | § 3.04(b) | |
Written Consent | Recitals |
Section 1.03 Construction.
(a) Unless the context of this Agreement otherwise requires, (i) words of any gender include each other gender, (ii) words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number, respectively, (iii) the terms “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby,” “hereto” and derivative or similar words refer to this entire Agreement, (iv) the terms “Article,” “Section,” “Schedule” and “Exhibit” refer to the specified Article, Section, Schedule or Exhibit of or to this Agreement, (v) the word “including” means “including without limitation,” (vi) the word “or” shall be disjunctive but not exclusive, (vii) references to agreements and other documents shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments and other modifications thereto, (viii) references to statutes shall include all regulations promulgated thereunder and references to statutes or regulations shall be construed as including all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending or replacing the statute or regulation, (ix) the word “extent” in the phrase “to the extent” shall mean the degree to which a subject or other thing extends, and such phrase shall not mean simply “if”, (x) references to “dollar”, “dollars” or “$” shall be to the lawful currency of the United States, and (xi) the word “shall” and the word “will” indicate a mandatory obligation.
(b) The language used in this Agreement shall be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against any party.
(c) Whenever this Agreement refers to a number of days, such number shall refer to calendar days unless Business Days are specified. If any action is to be taken or given on or by a particular calendar day, and such calendar day is not a Business Day, then such action may be deferred until the next Business Day.
(d) All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined herein shall have the meanings given to them under GAAP.
15
Article II.
AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER
Section 2.01 The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Article VIII, and in accordance with the DGCL, at the Effective Time, Merger Sub shall be merged with and into the Company. As a result of the Merger, the separate corporate existence of Merger Sub shall cease and the Company shall continue its existence under the DGCL as the surviving corporation of the Merger (the “Surviving Corporation”) and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of GAMC.
Section 2.02 Effective Time; Closing.
(a) As promptly as practicable, but in no event later than three (3) Business Days, after the satisfaction or, if permissible, waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VIII (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the Closing, it being understood that the occurrence of the Closing shall remain subject to the satisfaction or, if permissible, waiver of such conditions at the Closing), the parties hereto shall cause the Merger to be consummated by the due execution, acknowledgement and filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware of a certificate of merger in the form required by Section 251 of the DGCL (the “Certificate of Merger”), with the Merger becoming effective immediately upon the filing of the Certificate of Merger with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware or such other subsequent date and time as GAMC and the Company agree and specify in the Certificate of Merger in accordance with the DGCL (the “Effective Time”).
(b) Immediately prior to such filing of the Certificate of Merger in accordance with Section 2.02(a), the closing of the Transactions (the “Closing”) shall be effected remotely by the exchange of documents and signatures in PDF format by electronic mail for the purpose of confirming the satisfaction or waiver, as the case may be, of the conditions set forth in Article VIII. The date on which the Closing shall occur is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.
Section 2.03 Effect of the Merger. At the Effective Time, the effect of the Merger shall be as provided in the applicable provisions of the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and subject thereto, at the Effective Time, all the property, rights, privileges, immunities, powers, franchises, licenses and authority of the Company and Merger Sub shall (as applicable) be vested in and become the property of the Surviving Corporation, which shall include the assumption by the Surviving Corporation of any and all agreements, covenants, duties and obligations of any and all agreements, covenants, duties and obligations of Merger Sub and the Company set forth in this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents to which Merger Sub or the Company is a party.
Section 2.04 Certificate of Incorporation; By-laws.
(a) The Company Certificate of Incorporation as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, at the Effective Time, be amended and restated to read in its entirety as set forth in Exhibit C attached hereto and, as so amended, shall be the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended as provided by applicable Law and such certificate of incorporation.
(b) At the Effective Time, the Company’s bylaws of the Company as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be amended and restated to read in their entirety as those of Merger Sub as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, until thereafter amended as provided by applicable Law, the certificate of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation and such bylaws, as applicable.
(c) At the Effective Time, GAMC shall amend and restate, effective as of the Effective Time, (i) the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation in the form as set forth on Exhibit B-1 (the “GAMC Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation”) and (ii) the bylaws of GAMC in the form as set forth on Exhibit B-2 (the “GAMC Amended Bylaws”) (which such changes as may be agreed in writing by GAMC and the Company), until thereafter amended as provided therein and under the DGCL.
16
Section 2.05 Directors and Officers.
(a) Immediately after the Effective Time, the board of directors and officers of the Surviving Corporation shall be those individuals as the Company may determine, each to hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the certificate of incorporation and bylaws of the Surviving Corporation.
(b) GAMC shall take all lawful actions so that, at the Effective Time, (i) the directors of GAMC shall consist of a total of seven (7) directors, of which (A) two (2) directors shall be designated by the Company, who shall be the founders of the Company, (B) one (1) director shall be designated by Sponsor, who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company, and (C) four (4) directors shall qualify as an “independent director” as such term is defined in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(a)(2) and shall be designated by the Chief Executive Officer of the Company in good faith consultation with GAMC, and (ii) the officers of GAMC shall be those individuals that are designated by the Company in good faith consultation with GAMC, in each case, each to hold office until his or her successor is elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation or removal in accordance with the GAMC Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the GAMC Amended Bylaws.
Article III.
CONVERSION OF SECURITIES; Exchange of certificates
Section 3.01 Conversion of Securities.
(a) Payment Spreadsheet. Not less than five (5) Business Days prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall deliver to GAMC a schedule (the “Payment Spreadsheet”) setting forth (i) the calculation of the Transaction Consideration and the Exchange Ratio, (ii) the allocation of the Transaction Consideration among the holders of Company Common Stock, (iii) the portion of Transaction Consideration payable to each holder of Company Common Stock, and (iv) the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock that will be subject to each Rollover Option, Rollover RSU, and Converted Warrants, which shall be determined in accordance with Section 3.01(d), in each case, prepared in good faith by the Company and in a form and substance reasonably satisfactory to GAMC and accompanied by documentation reasonably satisfactory to GAMC. The Company shall provide GAMC with reasonable access to the relevant books, records, and personnel of the Company to enable GAMC to review the Payment Spreadsheet. The Company shall consider all reasonable comments of GAMC and its representatives in good faith and the parties shall make such amendment to the Payment Spreadsheet as the parties may mutually and in good faith agree. The allocations and calculations set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet (as may be amended in accordance with the preceding sentence) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, be binding on all parties hereto and be used by GAMC for purposes of issuing all consideration in accordance with this Agreement, absent manifest error. In issuing all consideration pursuant to this Article III, GAMC and Merger Sub shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, be entitled to rely fully on the information set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet, absent manifest error.
(b) Immediately prior to the Effective Time, the Company Convertible Note Conversion and Company Preferred Stock Conversion shall have been consummated (the “Conversion Effective Time”).
17
(c) At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of GAMC, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any of the following securities:
(i) Company Common Stock. Each share of Company Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the Conversion Effective Time (excluding (i) Dissenting Shares; (ii) Treasury Shares; and (iii) any shares of Company Capital Stock subject to Company Share Awards (which shall be subject to Section 3.01(d))) shall be canceled and converted into the right to receive, in accordance with the Payment Spreadsheet, the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock equal to the Exchange Ratio set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet; each holder of Company Common Stock shall receive the right to receive the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock opposite such holder’s name as set forth on the Payment Spreadsheet;
(ii) Treasury. All shares of Company Capital Stock held in the treasury of the Company (“Treasury Shares”) shall be canceled without any conversion thereof and no payment or distribution shall be made with respect thereto;
(iii) Merger Sub Common Stock. Each share of Merger Sub Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be converted into and exchanged for one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the Surviving Corporation; and
(iv) GAMC Class B Share Conversion. Each share of GAMC Class B Common Stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will automatically be converted into and exchanged for a number of validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock equal to the Class B Conversion Ratio (for the avoidance of doubt, after taking into account the Sponsor Support Agreement and the waiver of Section 4.3(b)(ii) of the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation contained therein).
(d) Treatment of Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Warrants. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of GAMC, Merger Sub, the Company or the holders of any of the following securities:
(i) Company Options. Each Company Option shall automatically be converted into an option to purchase a number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet (each, a “Rollover Option”) equal to the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded down to the nearest whole share), with an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Company Option in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, divided by the Exchange Ratio (rounded up to the nearest full cent). Each holder of Company Options shall receive Rollover Options to purchase the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock set forth opposite such holder’s name on the Payment Spreadsheet. Each Rollover Option shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including applicable vesting, expiration and forfeiture provisions) that applied to the corresponding Company Option immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the adjustments required by this Section 3.01(d)(i). Such assumption and conversion shall occur in a manner intended to comply with any applicable requirements of Section 409A of the Code; provided that, in the case of any Company Option to which Section 422 of the Code applies, such assumption and conversion shall occur in a manner intended to satisfy the requirements of Section 424(a) of the Code;
18
(ii) Company RSUs. Each award of Company RSUs shall automatically be converted into an award of restricted stock units covering the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet (each, an award of “Rollover RSUs”) equal to the number of shares of Company Common Stock underlying such award of Company RSUs immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded down to the nearest whole share). Each holder of Company RSUs shall receive Rollover RSUs covering a number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock set forth opposite such holder’s name on the Payment Spreadsheet. Each award of Rollover RSUs shall be subject to the same terms and conditions (including applicable vesting and forfeiture provisions) that applied to the corresponding award of Company RSUs immediately prior to the Effective Time, subject to the adjustments required by this Section 3.01(d)(ii); and
(iii) Company Warrants. Unless otherwise exercised into Company Capital Stock prior to the Effective Time, each Company Warrant issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time, will, by virtue of the Merger and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, be assumed by GAMC, and shall automatically be converted into a warrant to purchase shares of New GAMC Common Stock as set forth in the Payment Spreadsheet, equal to the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Warrant immediately prior to the Effective Time, multiplied by the Exchange Ratio (rounded down to the nearest whole share) (each, a “Converted Warrant”) with each holder of Company Warrants to receive warrants to purchase the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock set forth opposite such holder’s name on the Payment Spreadsheet with an exercise price per share equal to the exercise price per share of such Company Warrant in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, divided by the Exchange Ratio (rounded up to the nearest full cent). Each Converted Warrant shall continue to have and be subject to the same terms and conditions as were applicable to such Company Warrant immediately before the Effective Time (including expiration date and exercise provisions).
(iv) Company Actions. The Company shall take all necessary actions to effect the treatment of Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Warrants pursuant to Section 3.01(d) in accordance with the Company Option, Company RSU and Company Warrant award agreements. Effective as of the Effective Time, all Company Options, Company RSUs and Company Warrants shall no longer be outstanding (and the corresponding Rollover Options, Rollover RSUs and Converted Warrants shall be outstanding) and each holder of Company Options, Company RSUs, and Company Warrants, as applicable, shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Company Options, Company RSUs, and Company Warrants, except as set forth in this Section 3.01(d).
Section 3.02 Exchange of Certificates.
(a) Exchange Agent. On the Closing Date, GAMC shall deposit, or shall cause to be deposited, with a bank or trust company that shall be designated by GAMC and is reasonably satisfactory to the Company (the “Exchange Agent”), it being agreed that Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company is satisfactory to all parties, for the benefit of the holders of Company Common Stock for exchange in accordance with this Article III, the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock sufficient to deliver the Transaction Consideration payable pursuant to this Agreement (such certificates for shares of New GAMC Common Stock, together with any dividends or distributions with respect thereto pursuant to Section 3.02(c), being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Fund”). GAMC shall cause the Exchange Agent pursuant to irrevocable instructions, to pay the Transaction Consideration out of the Exchange Fund in accordance with this Agreement. Except as contemplated by Section 3.02(c), the Exchange Fund shall not be used for any other purpose.
19
(b) Exchange Procedures. Promptly after the Closing, GAMC shall use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Agent to mail to each holder of Company Common Stock entitled to receive the Transaction Consideration pursuant to Section 3.01, a letter of transmittal, which shall be in a form reasonably acceptable to GAMC and the Company (the “Letter of Transmittal”) and shall specify (i) that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the certificates evidencing such shares of Company Common Stock (the “Certificates”) shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the Exchange Agent or confirmation of cancellation of such Certificates from the Company’s transfer agent; and (ii) instructions for use in effecting the surrender of the Certificates pursuant to the Letter of Transmittal. Within two (2) Business Days (but in no event prior to the Effective Time) after the surrender to the Exchange Agent of all Certificates held by such holder for cancellation, together with a Letter of Transmittal, duly completed and validly executed in accordance with the instructions thereto and such other documents as may be required pursuant to such instructions, the holder of such Certificates shall be entitled to receive in exchange therefore, and GAMC shall cause the Exchange Agent to deliver, the Transaction Consideration in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01, and the Certificate so surrendered shall forthwith be cancelled. Until surrendered as contemplated by this Section 3.02, each Certificate entitled to receive the Transaction Consideration in accordance with Section 3.01 shall be deemed at all times after the Effective Time to represent only the right to receive upon such surrender the Transaction Consideration that such holder is entitled to receive in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.
(c) Distributions with Respect to Unexchanged Shares of New GAMC Common Stock. No dividends or other distributions declared or made after the Effective Time with respect to the New GAMC Common Stock with a record date after the Effective Time shall be paid to the holder of any unsurrendered Certificate with respect to the shares of New GAMC Common Stock represented thereby until the holder of such Certificate shall surrender such Certificate in accordance with Section 3.02(b). Subject to the effect of escheat, Tax or other applicable Laws, following surrender of any such Certificate, GAMC shall pay or cause to be paid to the holder of such Certificate, without interest, (i) promptly, but in any event within five (5) Business Days of such surrender, the amount of dividends or other distributions with a record date after the Effective Time and theretofore paid with respect to such shares of New GAMC Common Stock evidenced by such Certificate, and (ii) at the appropriate payment date, the amount of dividends or other distributions, with a record date after the Effective Time but prior to surrender and a payment date occurring after surrender, payable with respect to such shares of New GAMC Common Stock evidenced by such Certificate.
(d) No Further Rights in Company Common Stock. The Transaction Consideration payable upon conversion of the Company Common Stock in accordance with the terms hereof shall be deemed to have been paid and issued in full satisfaction of all rights pertaining to such Company Common Stock.
(e) Adjustments to Transaction Consideration. The Transaction Consideration shall be adjusted to reflect appropriately the effect of any stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, reorganization, recapitalization, reclassification, combination, exchange of shares or other like change with respect to GAMC Common Stock occurring on or after the date hereof and prior to the Effective Time.
(f) Termination of Exchange Fund. Any portion of the Exchange Fund that remains undistributed to the holders of Company Common Stock for one (1) year after the Effective Time shall be delivered to GAMC, upon demand, and any holders of Company Common Stock who have not theretofore complied with this Section 3.02 shall thereafter look only to GAMC for the Transaction Consideration. Any portion of the Exchange Fund remaining unclaimed by holders of Company Common Stock as of a date which is immediately prior to such time as such amounts would otherwise escheat to or become property of any government entity shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, become the property of GAMC free and clear of any claims or interest of any person previously entitled thereto.
20
(g) No Liability. None of the Exchange Agent, GAMC or the Surviving Corporation shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be liable to any holder of Company Common Stock for any such Company Common Stock (or dividends or distributions with respect thereto) or cash delivered to a public official pursuant to any abandoned property, escheat or similar Law in accordance with this Section 3.02.
(h) Withholding Rights. Each of the Surviving Corporation and GAMC shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as it is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or any provision of state, local or foreign Tax Law; provided, that GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Company with at least ten (10) days’ prior written notice of any amounts that it intends to withhold in connection with the payment of the Transaction Consideration and will reasonably cooperate with the Company to reduce or eliminate any applicable withholding. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Surviving Corporation or GAMC, as the case may be, and remitted to the appropriate taxing authority, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the person in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made.
(i) Lost Certificates. If any Certificate shall have been lost, stolen or destroyed, upon the making of an affidavit of that fact by the person claiming such Certificate to be lost, stolen or destroyed, the Exchange Agent will issue in exchange for such lost, stolen or destroyed Certificate, the Transaction Consideration that such holder is otherwise entitled to receive pursuant to, and in accordance with, the provisions of Section 3.01.
Section 3.03 Stock Transfer Books. At the Effective Time, the stock transfer books of the Company shall be closed and there shall be no further registration of transfers of Company Capital Stock or Company Share Awards thereafter on the records of the Company. From and after the Effective Time, the holders of Certificates representing Company Capital Stock or Company Share Awards outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall cease to have any rights with respect to such Company Capital Stock or Company Share Awards, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement or by Law. On or after the Effective Time, any Certificates presented to the Exchange Agent or GAMC for any reason shall be converted into the Transaction Consideration in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.01.
Section 3.04 Payment of Expenses.
(a) No sooner than five (5) or later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall provide to GAMC a written report setting forth a list of Company Transaction Expenses, together with written invoices and wire transfer instructions for the payment thereof, solely to the extent such fees and expenses are incurred and expected to remain unpaid as of the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (such fees and expenses, the “Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses”). On the Closing Date, GAMC shall pay or cause to be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds all such Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses. For the avoidance of doubt, the Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses shall not include any fees and expenses of the Company’s stockholders.
(b) No sooner than five (5) or later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Closing Date, GAMC shall provide to the Company a written report setting forth a list of GAMC Transaction Expenses, together with written invoices and wire transfer instructions for the payment thereof, solely to the extent such fees and expenses are incurred and expected to remain unpaid as of the close of business on the Business Day immediately preceding the Closing Date (such fees and expenses, the “Unpaid GAMC Transaction Expenses”). On the Closing Date, GAMC shall pay or cause to be paid by wire transfer of immediately available funds all such Unpaid GAMC Transaction Expenses.
21
(c) GAMC shall not pay or cause to be paid any Unpaid GAMC Transaction Expenses or Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses other than in accordance with this Section 3.04.
Section 3.05 Appraisal Rights.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary and to the extent available under the DGCL, shares of Company Common Stock that are outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and following the Conversion Effective Time and that are held by stockholders of the Company who shall have neither voted in favor of the Merger nor consented thereto in writing and who shall have demanded properly in writing appraisal for such Company Stock in accordance with Section 262 of the DGCL and otherwise complied with all of the provisions of the DGCL relevant to the exercise and perfection of dissenters’ rights (collectively, the “Dissenting Shares”) shall be cancelled, cease to exist, represent the right to receive only those rights provided by Section 262 of the DGCL and not be converted into, and such stockholders shall have no right to receive, the Transaction Consideration. Any holder of Dissenting Shares who, after the Effective Time, fails to perfect or effectively withdraws or otherwise loses his, her or its rights to appraisal of such shares of Company Common Stock under Section 262 of the DGCL shall thereupon be deemed to have been converted his, her or its shares of Company Common Stock, as of the Effective Time, into the right to receive the Transaction Consideration, without any interest thereon, upon surrender, in the manner provided in Section 3.01(c), of the Certificate or Certificates that formerly evidenced such shares.
(b) Prior to the Closing, the Company shall give GAMC (i) prompt notice (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) of any demands for appraisal received by the Company and any withdrawals of such demands, and (ii) the opportunity to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to demands for appraisal under the DGCL. The Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of GAMC (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), make any payment with respect to any demands for appraisal or offer to settle or settle any such demands or waive any failure to timely deliver a written demand for appraisal or otherwise comply with the provisions under Section 262 of the DGCL, or agree or commit to do any of the foregoing.
Article IV.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY
Except as set forth in the Company’s disclosure schedule delivered by Company in connection with this Agreement (the “Company Disclosure Schedule”), the Company hereby represents and warrants to GAMC and Merger Sub as follows:
Section 4.01 Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries.
(a) The Company and each subsidiary of the Company (each a “Company Subsidiary”) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the requisite corporate or other organizational power and authority and all necessary governmental approvals to own, lease and operate its assets and properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted. The Company and each Company Subsidiary is duly qualified or licensed as a foreign corporation to do business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction where the character of the properties owned, leased or operated by it or the nature of its business makes such qualification or licensing necessary, except for such failures to be so qualified or licensed and in good standing that would not individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
22
(b) A true and complete list of all the Company Subsidiaries, together with the jurisdiction of incorporation of each Company Subsidiary and the percentage of the outstanding capital stock of each Company Subsidiary owned by the Company and each other Company Subsidiary, is set forth in Section 4.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, which has been prepared by the Company and delivered by the Company to GAMC and Merger Sub prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Except as disclosed in Section 4.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company does not directly or indirectly own any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture or business association or other entity.
Section 4.02 Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws. The Company has, prior to the date of this Agreement, made available to GAMC a complete and correct copy of the certificate of incorporation and by-laws, each as amended to date, of the Company and each Company Subsidiary. Such certificates of incorporation, by-laws or equivalent organizational documents are in full force and effect. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in violation of any of the provisions of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws, except any such violations that would not have or reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.03 Capitalization.
(a) The Company’s authorized and outstanding capital stock, together with outstanding Company Options, Company RSUs, Company Warrants and Company Convertible Notes, is as set forth on Section 4.03(a)(i) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Except as set forth in this Section 4.03, or the Company Certificate of Incorporation, and other than the Company Warrants, Company RSUs, Company Options, and Company Convertible Notes, there are no options, warrants, preemptive rights, calls, convertible notes or other convertible securities relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or obligating the Company or any Company Subsidiary to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, the Company or any Company Subsidiary. Other than the Company Share Awards, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has granted any equity appreciation rights, participations, phantom equity or similar rights, in any case, that remain outstanding as of the date hereof. Except as set forth in Section 4.03(a)(ii) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, there are no voting trusts, voting agreements, proxies, shareholder agreements or other agreements with respect to the voting or transfer of the shares of stock of the Company or any of the equity interests or other securities of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries. The Company does not own any equity interests in any person, other than the Company Subsidiaries.
(b) Section 4.03(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth the following information with respect to each Company Share Award: (i) the name of the Company Share Award holder; (ii) the number of shares of Company Common Stock subject to such Company Share Award; (iii) the exercise or purchase price of such Company Share Award, if applicable; (iv) the date on which such Company Share Award was granted; (v) the vesting schedule applicable to such Company Share Award; (vi) whether the Company Share Award is intended to qualify as an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and (vii) the date on which such Company Share Award expires, if applicable. The Company has made available to GAMC accurate and complete copies of the Company Equity Plans pursuant to which the Company has granted any Company Share Awards that are currently outstanding and all standard forms of award agreements evidencing Company Share Awards. No Company Option, Company RSU or Company Warrant, in any case, held by a U.S. taxpayer, is subject to (and not exempt from) Section 409A of the Code. All shares of the Company subject to Company Share Awards , upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. Each outstanding share of capital stock of each Company Subsidiary is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and each such share is owned by the Company or another Company Subsidiary free and clear of all Liens, options and rights of first refusal on the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s voting rights, other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws and their respective organizational documents.
23
(c) There are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of the Company or any capital stock of any Company Subsidiary or to provide funds to or make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in any person other than a Company Subsidiary.
(d) (i) There are no commitments or agreements of any character to which the Company is bound obligating the Company to accelerate the vesting of any Company Share Award solely as a result of the proposed transactions herein, and (ii) all outstanding shares of the Company and all outstanding Company Share Awards under the Company Equity Plans have been issued and granted in compliance with (A) all applicable securities laws and other applicable laws and (B) all pre-emptive rights and other requirements set forth in applicable contracts to which the Company is a party.
(e) The stockholders of the Company collectively own directly and beneficially and of record, all of the equity of the Company (which are represented by the issued and outstanding shares of the Company).
Section 4.04 Authority Relative to this Agreement. The Company has all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, to perform all of its respective obligations hereunder and thereunder and, subject to receiving the Company Stockholder Approval, to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company, the execution and delivery at Closing by the Company of each of the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, and the consummation by the Company of the Transactions have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize this Agreement or such other Transaction Documents or to consummate the Transactions (other than, (a) with respect to the Merger, the Company Stockholder Approval, which the Written Consent shall satisfy and (b) the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the DGCL). This Agreement has been and, at the Closing, each of the other Transaction Documents to which the Company is a party will be, duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by GAMC and Merger Sub, constitutes, or will at the Closing constitute, a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, by general equitable principles (the “Remedies Exceptions”). The Company Board has approved this Agreement and the Transactions, and such approvals are sufficient so that the restrictions on business combinations set forth in Section 203 of the DGCL shall not apply to the Merger, this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any of the other Transactions. No other state takeover statute is applicable to the Merger or the other Transactions.
Section 4.05 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company does not, and subject to receipt of Company Stockholder Approval, the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the DGCL and the receipt of the consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, filings and notifications contemplated by Section 4.05(b), the performance of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company will not (i) conflict with or violate the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, (ii) conflict with or violate any United States or non-United States statute, law, ordinance, regulation, rule, code, executive order, injunction, judgment, decree treaty, convention, government directive or other order of any Governmental Authority (“Law”) applicable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, result in any material payment or penalty under, or give to others any right of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien (other than any Permitted Lien) on any material property or asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary pursuant to, any Material Contract, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or other occurrences which would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
24
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company does not and will not, and the performance of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any United States federal, state, county or local or non-United States government, governmental, quasi-governmental, supranational, regulatory or administrative authority, agency, instrumentality or commission or any court, tribunal, or judicial or arbitral body (a “Governmental Authority”), except (i) for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, state securities or “blue sky” laws (“Blue Sky Laws”) and state takeover laws, the pre-merger notification requirements of the HSR Act, and filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the DGCL, or (ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not have or would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
Section 4.06 Permits; Compliance. Each of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries is in possession of all franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, certificates, approvals and orders of any Governmental Authority necessary for the Company or the Company Subsidiaries to own, lease and operate its properties or to carry on its business as it is now being conducted (the “Company Permits”), except where the failure to have such Company Permits would not individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole. No suspension or cancellation of any of the Company Permits is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in default, breach or violation of, (a) any Law applicable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (b) any Material Contract or Company Permit, except, in each case, for any such defaults, breaches or violations that would not individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
Section 4.07 Financial Statements.
(a) The Company has made available to GAMC true, correct and complete copies of the unaudited condensed balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2022, and the related unaudited condensed statements of operations and cash flows of the Company for each of the years then ended (collectively, the “Financial Statements”), which are attached as Section 4.07(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Each of the Financial Statements (i) was prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and (ii) fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as at the date thereof and for the period indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein and the absence of notes.
25
(b) The Company has made available to GAMC a true, correct and complete copies of the unaudited condensed balance sheets of the Company as of June 30, 2023 (the “2023 Balance Sheet”), and the related unaudited condensed statements of operations and cash flows of the Company for the six-month period then ended, which are attached as Section 4.07(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule. Such unaudited financial statements fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as at the date thereof and for the period indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein and subject to normal and recurring year-end adjustments and the absence of notes.
(c) Except as and to the extent set forth on the Financial Statements or the 2023 Balance Sheet, the Company does not have any liability or obligation of a nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for: (i) liabilities that were incurred in the ordinary course of business since the date of such 2023 Balance Sheet, (ii) obligations for future performance under any contract to which the Company is a party or (iii) liabilities and obligations which would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole.
(d) Since January 1, 2021, (i) neither the Company not, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, employee, auditor, accountant or Representative of the Company, has received or otherwise had or obtained knowledge of any complaint, allegation, assertion or claim, whether written or, to the knowledge of the Company, oral, regarding the accounting or auditing practices, procedures, methodologies or methods of the Company or its respective internal accounting controls, including any such complaint, allegation, assertion or claim that the Company has engaged in questionable accounting or auditing practices and (ii) there have been no internal investigations regarding accounting or revenue recognition discussed with, reviewed by or initiated at the direction of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, general counsel, the Company Board or any committee thereof.
(e) The Required Financials, when delivered by the Company, shall (i) be true, correct and complete, (ii) be prepared in accordance with GAAP applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto) and (iii) fairly present, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company or persons acquired by the Company, as the case may be, as at the date thereof and for the period indicated therein, except as otherwise noted therein.
(f) Except as disclosed in Section 4.07(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company maintains a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (a) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (b) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (c) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (d) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Since January 1, 2021, except as disclosed in Section 4.07(f) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, the Company has not identified and have not been advised by the Company’s auditors of any fraud or allegation of fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.
(g) The Company has used reasonable best efforts to restructure its outstanding indebtedness with Ginkgo Bioworks, Inc. (“Ginkgo”).
26
Section 4.08 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since the date of the 2023 Balance Sheet, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, (a) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses in all material respects in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice, (b) there has not been any Company Material Adverse Effect, and (c) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has taken any action that, if taken after the date of this Agreement, would constitute a material breach of any of the covenants or require the consent of GAMC pursuant to Section 6.01(b).
Section 4.09 Absence of Litigation. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole, there is no litigation, suit, claim, action, proceeding or investigation by or before any Governmental Authority or any other person (an “Action”) pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or any property or asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, before any Governmental Authority or any other person. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary nor any property or asset of the Company or any Company Subsidiary is subject to any continuing order of, consent decree, settlement agreement or other similar written agreement with, or, to the knowledge of the Company, continuing investigation by, any Governmental Authority, or any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any Governmental Authority.
Section 4.10 Employee Benefit Plans.
(a) Section 4.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists, as of the date of this Agreement, all material Plans (excluding individual employment, consulting, Company Option and Company RSU agreements, in each case, that are on substantially the forms set forth on Section 4.10(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule).
(b) With respect to each Plan, the Company has made available to GAMC, if applicable (i) a true and complete copy of the current plan document (or a written summary thereof if such Plan is not reduced to writing) and all material amendments thereto and each trust or other funding arrangement, (ii) copies of the most recent summary plan description and any summaries of material modifications, (iii) copies of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 5500 annual report and accompanying schedules and nondiscrimination testing results, in each case, for the two (2) most recent plan years, and (iv) copies of the most recently received IRS determination, opinion or advisory letter for each such Plan, and (v) any material non-routine correspondence from any Governmental Authority with respect to any Plan within the past three (3) years with respect to which any material liability remains outstanding.
(c) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary nor any ERISA Affiliate currently sponsors, maintains or contributes to, nor has, within the past six (6) years, sponsored, maintained or been required to contribute to, nor has any liability or obligation (contingent or otherwise) under (i) a multiemployer plan (within the meaning of Section 3(37) or 4001(a)(3) of ERISA), (ii) a single employer pension plan (within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(15) of ERISA) subject to Section 412 of the Code and/or Title IV of ERISA, (iii) a multiple employer plan within the meaning of Section 413(c) of the Code, or (iv) a multiple employer welfare arrangement as defined in Section 3(40) of ERISA.
(d) Except as set forth on Section 4.10(d) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Transactions (either alone or in combination with another event) would reasonably be expected to (i) result in any compensatory payment becoming due, or increase the amount of any compensation or benefits due, to any current or former employee, director or individual independent contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or (ii) accelerate the time of payment or vesting, or increase the amount, of any material benefit or other compensation due to any current or former employee, director or individual independent contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary. Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the Transactions will result in any amount paid or payable by the Company or any Company Subsidiary being classified as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has any obligation to provide for the gross-up of any Taxes imposed by Section 4999 or 409A of the Code to any current or former employee, director and/or individual independent contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
27
(e) None of the Plans provides, nor does the Company nor any Company Subsidiary have any obligation to provide, retiree medical or similar benefits (whether insured or not) to any current or former employee, officer, director or consultant of the Company or any Company Subsidiary after their termination of employment or service except as may be required under Section 4980B of the Code and Parts 6 and 7 of Title I of ERISA and the regulations thereunder or any similar applicable state Law.
(f) Each Plan is in compliance, in all material respects, in accordance with its terms and the requirements of all applicable Laws including, without limitation, ERISA and the Code. No Action is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened with respect to any Plan (other than claims for benefits in the ordinary course) and, to the knowledge of the Company, no fact or event exists that would reasonably be expected to give rise to any such Action.
(g) Each Plan that is intended to be qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code or Section 401(k) of the Code has (i) timely received a favorable determination letter from the IRS that the Plan is so qualified and each trust established in connection with such Plan is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a) of the Code or (ii) is entitled to rely on a favorable opinion letter from the IRS, and to the knowledge of Company, no fact or event has occurred since the date of such determination or opinion letter or letters from the IRS that would reasonably be expected to result in the loss of the qualified status of any such Plan or the exempt status of any such trust.
(h) There has not been any non-exempt prohibited transaction (within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) with respect to any Plan that would reasonably be expected to result in material liability to the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(i) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole, all contributions, premiums or payments required to be made with respect to any Plan have, been timely made to the extent due or, to the extent not yet due, properly accrued on the consolidated financial statements of the Company to the extent required by applicable accounting standards.
(j) The Company and each Company Subsidiary and each ERISA Affiliate have each complied in all material respects with the applicable notice and continuation coverage requirements, and all other applicable requirements, of Section 4980B of the Code and Parts 6 and 7 of Title I of ERISA, and the regulations thereunder, with respect to each Plan that is a group health plan within the meaning of Section 5000(b)(1) of the Code.
(k) The Company, each Company Subsidiary and each Plan that is a “group health plan” as defined in Section 733(a)(1) of ERISA is in compliance, in all material respects, with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (“PPACA”), and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred, and no condition or circumstance exists, that would reasonably be expected to subject the Company or any Company Subsidiary to any material liability for penalties or excise taxes under Code Section 4980D or 4980H or any other provision of the PPACA.
28
(l) Each Company Option granted to a U.S. taxpayer has been granted with an exercise price that is no less than the fair market value of the underlying shares of Company Common Stock on the date of grant, as determined in accordance with Section 409A of the Code. Each Company Option and each Company RSU that, in each case, was granted under a Company Equity Plan was granted in accordance with the terms of the applicable Company Equity Plan.
(m) Each Plan that constitutes a nonqualified deferred compensation plan subject to Section 409A of the Code has been administered and operated, in all material respects, in compliance with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the Treasury Regulations thereunder.
Section 4.11 Labor and Employment Matters.
(a) (i) In the past three (3) years, there have been, and are, no material Actions pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any Company Subsidiary by any of its current or former employees, (ii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is, or has been in the past three (3) years, a party to, or bound by, any collective bargaining agreement or other contract with a union, works council or labor organization applicable to persons employed by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, nor is the Company presently negotiating any such agreement, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, are there any pending activities or proceedings of any labor union to organize any such employees; (iii) there are, and in the past three (3) years there have been, no material unfair labor practice complaints pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any Company Subsidiary before the National Labor Relations Board or any Governmental Authority; and (iv) in the past three (3) years, there has not been any pending, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, strike, slowdown, work stoppage, lockout, concerted refusal to work overtime or other similar material labor disruption or material labor against the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(b) The Company and the Company Subsidiaries are and, in the past three (3) years, have been in material compliance with all applicable Laws relating to the employment, employment practices, employment discrimination, terms and conditions of employment, mass layoffs and plant closings (including the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act of 1988, as amended, or any similar state or local Laws), immigration, meal and rest breaks, pay equity, workers’ compensation, family and medical leave, and occupational safety and health requirements, including those related to wages, hours and collective bargaining.
(c) In the past three (3) years, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has been a party to a settlement agreement with a current or former officer, director, employee or independent contractor, that relates primarily to material allegations of sexual harassment. In the past three (3) years, no allegation of sexual harassment has been made against any officer, director, employee, or independent contractor of the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
(d) Each person who is a current or former employee, independent contractor, consultant or service provider of the Company or any Company Subsidiary has been, in the past three (3) years, in all material respects properly classified: (i) as either an employee or independent contractor; and (ii) for employees, exempt or non-exempt under applicable Law.
Section 4.12 Real Property; Title to Assets.
(a) The Company does not own any real property. The Company is not a party to any agreement or option to purchase or sell any real property.
29
(b) Section 4.12(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule lists the street address of each parcel of Leased Real Property, and sets forth a list of each lease, sublease, and license pursuant to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary leases, subleases or licenses any real property (each, a “Lease”), with the name of the lessor and the date of the Lease in connection therewith (collectively, the “Lease Documents”). True, correct and complete copies of all Lease Documents have been made available to GAMC. There are no leases, subleases, concessions or other contracts granting to any person other than the Company or any Company Subsidiary the right to use or occupy any real property, and all such Leases are in full force and effect, are valid and enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, subject to the Remedies Exceptions, and there is not, under any of such Leases, any existing material default or event of default (or event which, with notice or lapse of time, or both, would constitute a default) by the Company or any Company Subsidiary or, to the Company’s knowledge, by the other party to such Leases, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, be material to the Company. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has subleased, sublicensed or otherwise granted to any person any right to use, occupy or possess any portion of the Leased Real Property. No owner of any Leased Real Property is an affiliate of the Company or a Company Subsidiary.
(c) There are no contractual or legal restrictions that preclude or restrict the ability of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to use any Leased Real Property by such party for the purposes for which it is currently being used, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole. There are no latent defects or adverse physical conditions affecting the Leased Real Property, or the improvements thereon, other than those that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole. As of the Closing: (i) no security deposit or portion thereof deposited with respect to the Leases has been applied in respect of a breach or default under such Lease which has not been redeposited in full, (ii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary owes, nor will owe in the future, any brokerage commissions or finder’s fees with respect to any Lease, and (iii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has collaterally assigned or granted any security interest in any Lease or any interest therein.
(d) Each of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries has legal and valid title to, or, in the case of Leased Real Property and assets, valid leasehold or sub-leasehold interests in, all of its properties and assets, tangible and intangible, real, personal and mixed, used or held for use in its business, free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole.
Section 4.13 Intellectual Property.
(a) Section 4.13(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule contains a true, correct and complete list of all of the following: registered Patents, Trademarks, domain names and Copyrights and applications for any of the foregoing that have been filed with the applicable Governmental Authority that are owned or purported to be owned, used or held for use by the Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries (“Registered IP”) (showing in each, as applicable, the filing date, date of issuance, expiration date and registration or application number, and registrar and any actions that must be taken within ninety (90) days of the Closing Date with respect to any of the foregoing, including the payment of any registration, maintenance or renewal fees or the filing of any documents, applications or certificates). The Company IP constitutes all material Intellectual Property rights used in the operation of the business of the Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries necessary for the conduct of the business as currently conducted.
(b) The Company or one of the Company Subsidiaries exclusively owns, free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens), all right, title and interest in and to the Company-Owned IP and has the right to use pursuant to a valid and enforceable written license, all Company-Licensed IP. All Company-Owned IP is subsisting and, to the knowledge of the Company, valid and enforceable. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder will not (i) result in the loss, termination or material impairment of any rights of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries in any Company-Owned IP; or (ii) require the payment of any royalties, fees, or other payments with respect to any use or exploitation of any Company-Licensed IP.
30
(c) The Company and each of its applicable Company Subsidiaries has taken and takes commercially reasonable actions to maintain and protect the secrecy of any trade secrets and other Confidential Information in its possession or control. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiaries have disclosed any such trade secrets or Confidential Information that is material to the business of the Company to any other person other than pursuant to a written confidentiality agreement under which such other person agrees to maintain the confidentiality and protect such trade secrets and other Confidential Information.
(d) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole, in the past three (3) years, (i) there have been no claims filed with a Governmental Authority and served on the Company and/or any of the Company Subsidiaries, or threatened in writing (including email) to be filed, against the Company and/or any of the Company Subsidiaries with any Governmental Authority, by any person (A) contesting the validity, use, ownership, enforceability, patentability or registrability of any of the Registered IP, or (B) alleging any infringement or misappropriation of any Intellectual Property rights of other persons (including any material demands or offers to license any Intellectual Property rights from any other person); (ii) to the knowledge of the Company, the operation of the business of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries (including the current Products) has not and does not infringe, misappropriate or violate, any Intellectual Property rights of other persons; (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no other person has infringed, misappropriated or violated any of the Company-Owned IP; and (iv) neither the Company nor any of the Company Subsidiaries have received any formal written opinions of counsel regarding any of the foregoing.
(e) All current and past founders, officers, management, employees, and contractors who have contributed to, developed or conceived any material Company-Owned IP have executed valid, written agreements with Company or a Company Subsidiary, pursuant to which such persons assigned to the Company or a Company Subsidiary all of their entire right, title, and interest in and to any Intellectual Property created, conceived or otherwise developed by such person in the course of and related to his, her or its relationship with the Company or a Company Subsidiary.
(f) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary received any funding from any university or other educational or research center or Governmental Authority for the development of any material Company-Owned IP in a manner that grants an exclusive license or ownership interest in such material Company-Owned IP to a university, educational or research center, or Governmental Authority.
(g) The Company and the Company Subsidiaries own, lease, license, or otherwise have a valid right to use all Business Systems used by the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, and such Business Systems are reasonably sufficient for the needs of the business of the Company as currently conducted. The Company and the Company Subsidiaries maintain commercially reasonable disaster recovery and business continuity plans, procedures and facilities, and in the past three (3) years, there has not been any material failure with respect to any Business Systems that has not been remedied or replaced in all material respects. To the knowledge of the Company, no person has inserted any Disabling Device in any of the Business Systems.
31
Section 4.14 Data Protection.
(a) The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries currently and in the past three (3) years has complied with in all material respects: (i) all applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws, (ii) binding industry standards relating to the access, use, processing, and security of Personal Information applicable to the Company, (iii) all publicly published privacy policies of the Company relating to its processing of Personal Information (collectively, the “Privacy Policies”), and (iv) all contractual commitments that the Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries has entered into with respect to privacy and/or data security of Personal Information held or processed by the Company (collectively, the “Data/Privacy Security Requirements”). In the past three (3) years, the Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries have implemented commercially reasonable data security safeguards, commensurate to the sensitivity of the Personal Information, that are designed to protect the security and availability of its Business Systems, any Personal Information held or processed by the Company or the Company Subsidiaries, including implementing commercially reasonable procedures designed to prevent a Data Security Breach.
(b) In the past three (3) years, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary, and to the knowledge of the Company, no third party processing Personal Information on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, has experienced any Data Security Breach involving Personal Information transmitted, stored or otherwise processed for the operation of the business of the Company or any of the Company Subsidiaries, that would be required to be reported under applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws.
(c) In the past three (3) years, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received written notice of any proceedings, inquiries, or investigations by any Governmental Authority, or received any material claims or complaints regarding the violation of any applicable Privacy/Data Security Laws.
(d) To the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is subject to any contractual requirements or Privacy Policies that would prohibit Merger Sub or GAMC from receiving or using Personal Information held or processed by the Company, in a materially similar manner from which the Company receives and uses such Personal Information prior to the Closing Date.
Section 4.15 Taxes.
(a) The Company and each Company Subsidiary: (i) has filed (taking into account any validly obtained extension of time within which to file) all income and other material Tax Returns required to be filed by it as of the date hereof and all such filed Tax Returns are true, complete and accurate in all material respects; (ii) has paid all income and other material Taxes payable by the Company or any Company Subsidiary (whether or not shown on any Tax Return), except with respect to Taxes that are being contested in good faith and are disclosed in Section 4.15(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule and for which adequate reserves have been made in accordance with U.S. GAAP; (iii) has not waived any statute of limitations with respect to income or other material Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency in respect of income Taxes or any other material amounts of Taxes; and (iv) does not have any deficiency, audit, examination, investigation or other proceeding in respect of income or other material amounts of Taxes or other material Tax matters pending or proposed or threatened in writing, in each case which has not been paid or fully resolved.
(b) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is a party to, bound by, or has obligation under any material Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement, or Tax allocation agreement, or similar agreement, other than commercial agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes.
(c) No claim has been made in writing by any taxing authority in a jurisdiction in which the Company or any Company Subsidiary does not file Tax Returns that is or may be subject to Tax by, or required to file Tax Returns in, that jurisdiction.
32
(d) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary will be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) change in or incorrect method of accounting prior to the Closing, including by reason of the application of Section 481 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law); (ii) any agreement with any Governmental Authority relating to Taxes, including any “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale made on or prior to the Closing Date; (iv) any prepaid amount or advance payment received or deferred revenue arising on or prior to the Closing Date; or (v) any intercompany transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any analogous provision of state, local or foreign Tax law) entered into or in existence prior to the Closing. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary will be required to pay any Taxes after the Closing as a result of application of Section 965 of the Code.
(e) The Company and each Company Subsidiary has withheld and paid to the appropriate Tax authority all material Taxes required to have been withheld and paid in connection with amounts paid or owing to any current or former employee, independent contractor, creditor, shareholder or other third party.
(f) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary U.S. federal, state, local or foreign income Tax Return, except for any group consisting only of the Company and/or the Company Subsidiaries.
(g) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has material liability for the Taxes of any person (other than the Company or any Company Subsidiary) under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign law), as a transferee or successor, or otherwise by contract (other than commercial agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes) or operation of Law.
(h) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has request for a ruling in respect of Taxes pending between the Company or any Company Subsidiary and any Tax authority.
(i) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has within the last two (2) years distributed stock of another person, or has had its stock distributed by another person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or Section 361 of the Code.
(j) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has engaged in or entered into a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).
(k) Neither the IRS nor any other United States or non-United States taxing authority or agency has asserted in writing any deficiency or claim for any material Taxes that has not been fully resolved.
(l) There are no material Tax Liens upon any assets of the Company or any Company Subsidiary except for Permitted Liens.
(m) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has liability for a material amount of unpaid Taxes that has not been accrued for or reserved on the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s Financial Statements, other than any liability for unpaid Taxes that has been incurred since the end of the most recent fiscal year in connection with the operation of the business of the Company or the Company Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.
33
(n) Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has taken any action, nor to the knowledge of the Company are there any facts or circumstances, that would reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying for the Merger Intended Tax Treatment.
(o) As used in this Agreement, (i) the term “Tax” (including, with correlative meaning, the term “Taxes”) includes all federal, state, local and foreign income, profits, franchise, gross receipts, environmental, capital stock, severances, stamp, payroll, sales, employment, unemployment, disability, use, property, withholding, excise, production, value added, occupancy and other taxes, duties or assessments of any kind or any charge of any kind in the nature of (or similar to) taxes whatsoever, together with all interest, penalties and additions imposed with respect to such amounts and any interest in respect of such penalties and additions, and (ii) the term “Tax Return” includes all returns and reports (including elections, declarations, disclosures, schedules, estimates and information returns, as well as any schedules or attachments thereto and amendments thereof) required to be supplied or supplied to a Tax authority relating to Taxes.
Section 4.16 Environmental Matters. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole:
(a) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is, or has been in the past three (3) years, in violation in any material respect of any applicable Environmental Law;
(b) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has released or caused any release of Hazardous Substances on, under or emanating from any property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary (including, without limitation, soils and surface and ground waters) in violation of any Environmental Law or in a manner or quantity which requires reporting, investigation, remediation, monitoring or other response action by the Company or any Company Subsidiary pursuant to applicable Environmental Laws;
(c) to the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received from any person or Governmental Authority, any written notice of a potential claim arising out of or relating to Environmental Law as of the Closing Date.
(d) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has manufactured, treated, stored, handled, distributed, transported or disposed of, or arranged for the transportation or disposal of, Hazardous Substances at any real property operated or leased by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, in violation of any Environmental Law or otherwise in a manner or quantity that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a material liability to the Company under any Environmental Law;
(e) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have all material permits, licenses and other authorizations required of the Company under applicable Environmental Law (“Environmental Permits”);
(f) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with the terms and conditions of its Environmental Permits;
(g) the Company and the Company Subsidiaries have not assumed, undertaken, provided an indemnity with respect to or otherwise become subject to any liability of any other person under any Environmental Law or order by a Governmental Authority; and
(h) the Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries has delivered to GAMC true, correct and complete copies of any environmental Phase I reports and other material investigations, studies, audits, tests, records, sampling data, reviews or other analyses commenced or conducted by or on behalf of the Company (or by a third-party of which the Company has knowledge) in relation to the current or prior business of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or any real property presently or formerly owned, leased, or operated by the Company or any Company Subsidiary (or its or their predecessors) that are in possession, custody or control of the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
34
Section 4.17 Material Contracts.
(a) Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule sets forth a true and complete list, as of the date of this Agreement, of all of the following types of contracts and agreements to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party, excluding for this purpose, (A) any purchase orders submitted by customers and (B) any Plan, (such contracts and agreements as are required to be set forth on Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule being the “Material Contracts”):
(i) each contract and agreement with consideration paid or payable to or by the Company or any Company Subsidiary of more than $200,000, in the aggregate, over the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023;
(ii) each contract and agreement with Suppliers to the Company or any Company Subsidiary for expenditures paid or payable by the Company or any Company Subsidiary of more than $200,000, in the aggregate, over the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023;
(iii) each contract and agreement with customers of the Company or any Company Subsidiary that involves consideration payable to the Company or any Company Subsidiary of more than $200,000, in the aggregate, over the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023;
(iv) all broker, distributor, dealer, manufacturer’s representative, franchise, agency, sales promotion, market research, marketing consulting and advertising contracts and agreements to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party that are material to the business of the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
(v) all contracts involving the payment of royalties or other amounts calculated based upon the revenues or income of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or income or revenues related to any Product of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party;
(vi) all contracts and agreements evidencing indebtedness (or any guaranty therefor for borrowed money), has the right to draw upon credit that has been extended for indebtedness, or has granted a Lien on its assets, whether tangible or intangible, to secure any indebtedness, in each case, in an amount greater than $200,000, excluding any such contracts or agreements pursuant to which there are no material obligations of the Company ongoing;
(vii) all contracts and agreements that is a definitive purchase and sale or similar agreement entered into in connection with an acquisition or disposition by the Company in the past three (3) years, of any person or of any business entity or division or business of any person (including through merger or consolidation or the purchase of a controlling equity interest in or substantially all of the assets of such person or by any other manner), excluding any such contracts or agreements in which the applicable acquisition or disposition has been consummated and there are no material obligations of the Company ongoing;
(viii) all partnership, joint venture or similar agreements that are material to the business of the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
35
(ix) all contracts and agreements with any Governmental Authority to which the Company or any Company Subsidiary is a party, other than any Company Permits;
(x) all contracts and agreements that limit, or purport to limit, the ability of the Company or any Company Subsidiary to compete in any line of business or with any person or entity or in any geographic area or during any period of time or to hire or retain any person, excluding customary confidentiality agreements;
(xi) all leases or master leases of personal property that would result in annual payments of $200,000 or more in a 12-month period;
(xii) all contracts and agreements with outstanding obligations for the sale, purchase or dispositions of any assets or real property having a value individually, with respect to all sales or purchases thereunder, in excess of $200,000 over the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023, in each case, other than any sale, purchase or disposition in the ordinary course of business;
(xiii) contracts and agreements which involve (A) a license or grant of material Intellectual Property rights by a third party to the Company or any Company Subsidiary (other than licenses of commercially available, off-the-shelf Software) with annual fees or a replacement cost of more than $100,000, and (B) the license or grant of rights to material Company-Owned IP by the Company, but excluding in each case of (A) and (B), any (y) non-exclusive licenses (or sublicenses) of Intellectual Property rights granted by or to Suppliers, manufacturers and research organizations in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice involving payments of less than $50,000, and (z) non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, employee confidentiality agreements and invention assignment agreements;
(xiv) any contract that (A) grants to any person any preferred pricing, “most favored nation” or similar rights or (B) grant exclusivity to any person in respect of any geographic location, any customer or any product or service;
(xv) any contract or agreement not made in the ordinary course of business and not disclosed pursuant to any other clause under this Section 4.17(a) and expected to result in revenue or require expenditures in excess of $200,000 in the calendar year ending December 31, 2023;
(xvi) any other contract that is material to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, taken as a whole; and
(xvii) any commitment to enter into any contract or agreement of the type described in clauses (i) through (xvi) of this Section 4.17(a).
(b) Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company, taken as a whole, (i) each Material Contract is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company or any Company Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, the other parties thereto, and is enforceable in accordance with its terms and neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in breach or violation of, or default under, any Material Contract nor has any Material Contract been canceled by the other party; (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, no other party is in breach or violation of, or default under, any Material Contract; and (iii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has received any written, or to the knowledge of the Company, oral claim of default under any such Material Contract. The Company and each Company Subsidiary has furnished or made available to GAMC or its legal advisors true, correct and complete copies of all Material Contracts without redaction, including all material modifications, amendments and supplements thereto.
36
Section 4.18 Insurance.
(a) As of the date hereof, the Company and the Company Subsidiaries maintain insurance coverage with reputable insurers in such amounts and covering such risks as the Company reasonably believes, based on past experience, is adequate for the businesses and operations of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries. True, correct and complete copies in all material respects of such insurance policies as in effect as of the date of this Agreement have been made available to GAMC.
(b) With respect to each such insurance policy, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to be material to the Company and the Company Subsidiaries, taken as a whole: (i) the policy is legal, valid, binding and enforceable against the Company or the applicable Company Subsidiary in accordance with its terms (subject to the Remedies Exceptions) and, except for policies that have expired under their terms in the ordinary course, is in full force and effect; (ii) neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary is in material breach or default (including any such breach or default with respect to the payment of premiums or the giving of notice), and no event has occurred which, with notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default, or permit termination or modification, under the policy; (iii) no such action has been threatened; and (iv) to the knowledge of the Company, no insurer on the policy has been declared insolvent or placed in receivership, conservatorship or liquidation.
Section 4.19 Company Stockholder Approval; Board Approval; Vote Required. The Company Board (including any required committee or subgroup of such board), by resolutions unanimously adopted at a meeting duly called, noticed and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, or by unanimous written consent in lieu of a meeting if permitted by applicable Law, has duly (a) determined that this Agreement and the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders, (b) approved and adopted this Agreement and the Merger and declared their advisability and approved the Merger and the other Transactions, (c) recommended that the stockholders of the Company approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and (d) directed that this Agreement and the Transactions (including the Merger) be submitted for consideration by the Company’s stockholders. The adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions by way of Requisite Approval (the “Company Stockholder Approval”), is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company necessary to adopt this Agreement and approve the Transactions. The Written Consent, when executed and delivered, will qualify as the Company Stockholder Approval and no additional approval or vote from any holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Company will be necessary to adopt this Agreement and approve the Transactions.
Section 4.20 Anti-Corruption Compliance; Certain Business Practices. The Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries, each of their respective directors and officers, and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of their employees, agents, and representatives, have at all times during the past five (5) years complied in all respects with the provisions of Anti-Corruption Laws. None of the Company, any Company Subsidiary, any directors or officers, or to the Company’s knowledge, any agents or employees of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, has: (a) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to political activity; (b) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic Government Officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns or violated any provision of the Anti-Corruption Laws; or (c) made any payment that would constitute a bribe, kickback or illegal or improper payment to assist the Company or any Company Subsidiary in obtaining or retaining business for, or with, or directing business to, any person, or in securing any improper advantage. There have been no false or fictitious entries made in the books or records of the Company or any Company Subsidiary relating to any illegal payment or secret or unrecorded fund and the Company has not established or maintained a secret or unrecorded fund.
37
Section 4.21 Sanctions and Export Control Compliance.
(a) The Company and the Company Subsidiaries, and their respective officers and directors, and to the Company’s knowledge, their respective employees, agents, and representatives have at all times during the past five (5) years complied in all material respects with all applicable Sanctions. During the past five (5) years, none of the Company or its subsidiaries, nor any of their respective directors or officers, nor, and, to the Company’s knowledge, any of their respective employees, agents, representatives or beneficial owners (when acting for or on behalf of the Company or a Company Subsidiary): (i) has been or is a Sanctioned Person; (ii) has been or is owned or controlled by a Sanctioned Person; (iii) has been operating or resident in any Sanctioned Country; (iv) has participated in any transaction or business dealing with any Sanctioned Person or in any Sanctioned Country, in violation of applicable Sanctions; (v) has received from any Governmental Authority or any other person any notice, inquiry, or internal or external allegation regarding an actual or alleged violation of Sanctions; or (vi) made any voluntary or involuntary disclosure to a Governmental Authority regarding an actual or alleged violation of Sanctions.
(b) The Company and each of its subsidiaries, and each of their respective directors and officers, and, to the Company’s knowledge, its employees, agents, and representatives have at all times during the past five (5) years complied in all material respects with Export Control Laws. During the past five (5) years, none of the Company, its subsidiaries, or their respective directors or officers, nor to the Company’s knowledge, any of its agents, employees, or representatives (when acting for or on behalf of the Company or a Company Subsidiary): (i) has received from any Governmental Authority or any other person any notice, inquiry, or internal or external allegation regarding an actual or alleged violation of Export Control Laws; or (ii) made any voluntary or involuntary disclosure to a Governmental Authority regarding an actual or alleged violation of Export Control Laws.
Section 4.22 Interested Party Transactions. Except for employment relationships and the payment of compensation, benefits and expense reimbursements and advances in the ordinary course of business, no director, officer or other affiliate of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, to the Company’s knowledge, has or has had, directly or indirectly: (a) an economic interest in any person that has furnished or sold, or furnishes or sells, services or Products that the Company or any Company Subsidiary furnishes or sells, or proposes to furnish or sell; (b) an economic interest in any person that purchases from or sells or furnishes to, the Company or any Company Subsidiary, any goods or services; (c) a beneficial interest in any contract or agreement disclosed in Section 4.17(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule; or (d) any contractual or other arrangement with the Company or any Company Subsidiary, other than customary indemnity arrangements and customary employment-related agreements and arrangements; provided, however, that ownership of no more than five percent (5%) of the outstanding voting stock of a publicly traded corporation shall not be deemed an “economic interest in any person” for purposes of this Section 4.22. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary has, in the past three (3) years, (i) extended or maintained credit, arranged for the extension of credit or renewed an extension of credit in the form of a personal loan to or for any director or executive officer (or equivalent thereof) of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or (ii) materially modified any term of any such extension or maintenance of credit.
Section 4.23 Exchange Act. Neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary are currently (or has not previously been) subject to the requirements of Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
Section 4.24 Brokers. Except for BTIG, LLC, no broker, finder, investment banker or other person is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary.
38
Section 4.25 Exclusivity of Representations and Warranties. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Article IV (as modified by the Company Disclosure Schedule), the Company hereby expressly disclaims and negates, any other express or implied representation or warranty whatsoever (whether at Law or in equity) with respect to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, their affiliates, and any matter relating to any of them, including their affairs, the condition, value or quality of the assets, liabilities, financial condition or results of operations, or with respect to the accuracy or completeness of any other information made available to GAMC, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives by, or on behalf of, the Company or any Company Subsidiary, and any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed and none of GAMC or Merger Sub shall have any claim with respect to their purported use of, or reliance on, any such representations and warranties, except those representations or warranties set forth in this Agreement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, except as expressly set forth in this Agreement, neither the Company or any Company Subsidiary nor any other person on behalf of the Company or any Company Subsidiary has made or makes, any representation or warranty, whether express or implied, with respect to any projections, forecasts, estimates or budgets made available to GAMC, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives of future revenues, future results of operations (or any component thereof), future cash flows or future financial condition (or any component thereof) of the Company or any Company Subsidiary (including the reasonableness of the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing), whether or not included in any management presentation or in any other information made available to GAMC, its affiliates or any of their respective Representatives or any other person, and that any such representations or warranties are expressly disclaimed.
Article V.
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF GAMC AND MERGER SUB
Except as set forth in the GAMC SEC Reports (to the extent the qualifying nature of such disclosure is readily apparent from the content of such GAMC SEC Reports, but excluding disclosures referred to in “Forward-Looking Statements”, “Risk Factors” and any other disclosures therein to the extent they are of a predictive or cautionary nature or related to forward-looking statements) (it being acknowledged that nothing in disclosed in such a SEC Report will be deemed to modify or qualify the representations and warranties set forth in Section 5.01 (Corporate Organization), Section 5.03 (Capitalization) and Section 5.04 (Authority Relative to This Agreement), GAMC hereby represents and warrants to the Company as follows:
Section 5.01 Corporate Organization.
(a) Each of GAMC and Merger Sub is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation and has the requisite corporate power and authority and all necessary governmental approvals to own, lease and operate its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.
(b) Merger Sub is the only subsidiary of GAMC. Except for Merger Sub, GAMC does not directly or indirectly own any equity or similar interest in, or any interest convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any equity or similar interest in, any corporation, partnership, joint venture or business association or other person.
Section 5.02 Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws. Each of GAMC and Merger Sub has heretofore furnished to the Company complete and correct copies of the GAMC Organizational Documents and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents. The GAMC Organizational Documents and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents are in full force and effect. Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub is in material violation of any of the provisions of the GAMC Organizational Documents and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents.
39
Section 5.03 Capitalization.
(a) The authorized capital stock of GAMC consists of (i) 200,000,000 shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock, (ii) 20,000,000 shares of GAMC Class B Common Stock, and (iii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“GAMC Preferred Stock”). As of the date of this Agreement (i) 9,147,981 shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock are issued and outstanding, of which 2,100,481 shares are subject to Redemption Rights and all of which are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive rights; (ii) 140,000 shares of GAMC Class B Common Stock are issued and outstanding and all of which are validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and not subject to any preemptive rights; (iii) no shares of GAMC Common Stock are held in the treasury of GAMC; (iv) 9,583,333 GAMC Warrants and 5,000,000 GAMC Private Placement Warrants are issued and outstanding; (v) 9,583,333 shares of GAMC Common Stock are reserved for future issuance pursuant to the GAMC Warrants; and (vi) 5,000,000 shares of GAMC Common Stock are reserved for future issuance pursuant to the GAMC Private Placement Warrants. As of the date of this Agreement, there are no shares of GAMC Preferred Stock issued and outstanding.
(b) As of the date of this Agreement, the total authorized capital stock of Merger Sub consists of 100 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Merger Sub Common Stock”). As of the date hereof, 100 shares of Merger Sub Common Stock are issued and outstanding. All outstanding shares of Merger Sub Common Stock have been duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and are non-assessable and are not subject to preemptive rights, and are held by GAMC free and clear of all Liens, other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws and the Merger Sub Organizational Documents.
(c) All outstanding GAMC Units, shares of GAMC Common Stock, GAMC Preferred Stock and GAMC Warrants have been issued and granted in compliance with all applicable securities laws and other applicable Laws and were issued free and clear of all Liens other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws and the GAMC Organizational Documents.
(d) The Transaction Consideration being delivered by GAMC hereunder shall be duly and validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, and each such share or other security shall be issued free and clear of preemptive rights and all Liens, other than transfer restrictions under applicable securities laws and the GAMC Organizational Documents. The Transaction Consideration will be issued in compliance with all applicable securities Laws and other applicable Laws and without contravention of any other person’s rights therein or with respect thereto.
(e) Except for (i) securities issued pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements, (ii) securities to be issued in connection with the GAMC Working Capital Loans, (ii) securities issued by GAMC as permitted by this Agreement and (iii) the GAMC Warrants, GAMC has not issued any options, warrants, preemptive rights, calls, convertible securities or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of GAMC or obligating GAMC to issue or sell any shares of capital stock of, or other equity interests in, GAMC. All shares of GAMC Common Stock subject to issuance as aforesaid, upon issuance on the terms and conditions specified in the instruments pursuant to which they are issuable, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. Neither GAMC nor any subsidiary of GAMC is a party to, or otherwise bound by, and neither GAMC nor any subsidiary of GAMC has granted, any equity appreciation rights, participations, phantom equity or similar rights. GAMC is not a party to any voting trusts, voting agreements, proxies, shareholder agreements or other agreements with respect to the voting or transfer of GAMC Common Stock or any of the equity interests or other securities of GAMC or any of its subsidiaries. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of GAMC to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any shares of GAMC Common Stock. There are no outstanding contractual obligations of GAMC to make any investment (in the form of a loan, capital contribution or otherwise) in, any person.
40
Section 5.04 Authority Relative to This Agreement. Each of GAMC and Merger Sub have all necessary power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of GAMC and Merger Sub and the consummation by each of GAMC and Merger Sub of the Transactions, have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action, and no other corporate proceedings on the part of GAMC or Merger Sub are necessary to authorize this Agreement or to consummate the Transactions (other than (a) with respect to the Merger, the approval and adoption of the GAMC Proposals by the stockholders of GAMC at the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting and the filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the DGCL). This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by GAMC and Merger Sub and, assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Company or any Company Subsidiary, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of GAMC or Merger Sub, enforceable against GAMC or Merger Sub in accordance with its terms subject to the Remedies Exceptions.
Section 5.05 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents.
(a) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of GAMC and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement by each of GAMC and Merger Sub will not, (i) conflict with or violate the GAMC Organizational Documents or the Merger Sub Organizational Documents, (ii) assuming that all consents, approvals, authorizations and other actions described in Section 5.05(b) have been obtained and all filings and obligations described in Section 5.05(b) have been made, conflict with or violate any Law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to each of GAMC or Merger Sub or by which any of their property or assets is bound or affected, or (iii) result in any breach of, or constitute a default (or an event which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in the creation of a Lien on any property or asset of each of GAMC or Merger Sub pursuant to, any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which each of GAMC or Merger Sub is a party or by which each of GAMC or Merger Sub or any of their properties or assets is bound or affected, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for any such conflicts, violations, breaches, defaults or other occurrences which would not have or reasonably be expected to have an GAMC Material Adverse Effect.
(b) The execution and delivery of this Agreement by each of GAMC and Merger Sub do not, and the performance of this Agreement by each of GAMC and Merger Sub will not, require any consent, approval, authorization or permit of, or filing with or notification to, any Governmental Authority, except (i) for applicable requirements, if any, of the Exchange Act, Blue Sky Laws and state takeover laws, the pre-merger notification requirements of the HSR Act, and filing and recordation of appropriate merger documents as required by the DGCL and (ii) where the failure to obtain such consents, approvals, authorizations or permits, or to make such filings or notifications, would not, individually or in the aggregate, prevent or materially delay consummation of any of the Transactions or otherwise prevent GAMC or Merger Sub from performing its material obligations under this Agreement.
Section 5.06 Compliance. Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub is or has been in conflict with, or in default, breach or violation of, (a) any Law applicable to GAMC or Merger Sub or by which any property or asset of GAMC or Merger Sub is bound or affected, or (b) any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which GAMC or Merger Sub is a party or by which GAMC or Merger Sub or any property or asset of GAMC or Merger Sub is bound, except, in each case, for any such conflicts, defaults, breaches or violations that would not have or reasonably be expected to have an GAMC Material Adverse Effect. Each of GAMC and Merger Sub is in possession of all material franchises, grants, authorizations, licenses, permits, easements, variances, exceptions, consents, certificates, approvals and orders of any Governmental Authority necessary for GAMC or Merger Sub to own, lease and operate its properties or to carry on its business as it is now being conducted.
41
Section 5.07 SEC Filings; Financial Statements; Sarbanes-Oxley.
(a) GAMC has filed all forms, reports, schedules, statements and other documents, including any exhibits thereto, required to be filed by it with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) since March 16, 2021, together with any amendments, restatements or supplements thereto (collectively, the “GAMC SEC Reports”). GAMC has heretofore furnished to the Company true and correct copies of all amendments and modifications that have not been filed by GAMC with the SEC to all agreements, documents and other instruments that previously had been filed by GAMC with the SEC and are currently in effect. As of their respective dates, the GAMC SEC Reports (i) complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act” ), the Exchange Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and (ii) did not, at the time they were filed, or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Each director and executive officer of GAMC has filed with the SEC on a timely basis all documents required with respect to GAMC by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(b) Each of the financial statements (including, in each case, any notes thereto) contained in the GAMC SEC Reports was prepared in accordance with GAAP (applied on a consistent basis) and Regulation S-X and Regulation S-K, as applicable, throughout the periods indicated (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto or, in the case of unaudited financial statements, as permitted by Form 10-Q of the SEC) and each fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial position, results of operations, changes in stockholders equity and cash flows of GAMC as at the respective dates thereof and for the respective periods indicated therein, (subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal and recurring year-end adjustments which have not had, and would not reasonably be expected to individually or in the aggregate be material). GAMC has no off-balance sheet arrangements that are not disclosed in the GAMC SEC Reports. No financial statements other than those of GAMC are required by GAAP to be included in the consolidated financial statements of GAMC.
(c) Except as and to the extent set forth in the GAMC SEC Reports, neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has any liability or obligation of a nature (whether accrued, absolute, contingent or otherwise) required to be reflected on a balance sheet prepared in accordance with GAAP, except for liabilities and obligations arising in the ordinary course of GAMC’s and Merger Sub’s business.
(d) GAMC is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable corporate governance rules and regulations of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange LLC (the “Nasdaq”).
(e) GAMC has established and maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15 under the Exchange Act). Such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to GAMC and other material information required to be disclosed by GAMC in the reports and other documents that it files or furnishes under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the SEC, and that all such material information is accumulated and communicated to GAMC’s co-principal executive officers and its principal financial officer as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to make the certifications required pursuant to Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. Such disclosure controls and procedures are effective in timely alerting GAMC’s co-principal executive officers and principal financial officer to material information required to be included in GAMC’s periodic reports required under the Exchange Act.
42
(f) GAMC maintains systems of internal control over financial reporting that are sufficient to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including policies and procedures sufficient to provide reasonable assurance: (i) that GAMC maintains records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect, in all material respects, its transactions and dispositions of assets; (ii) that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit the preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP; (iii) that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and its board of directors; and (iv) regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of its assets that could have a material effect on its financial statements. GAMC has no knowledge of any fraud or whistle-blower allegations, whether or not material, that involve management or other employees or consultants who have or had a significant role in the internal control over financial reporting of GAMC.
(g) There are no outstanding loans or other extensions of credit made by GAMC to any executive officer (as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Exchange Act) or director of GAMC. GAMC has not taken any action prohibited by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
(h) Neither GAMC (including any employee thereof) nor GAMC’s independent auditors has identified or been made aware of (i) any significant deficiency or material weakness in the system of internal accounting controls utilized by GAMC, (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves GAMC’s management or other employees who have a role in the preparation of financial statements or the internal accounting controls utilized by GAMC or (iii) any claim or allegation regarding any of the foregoing.
(i) As of the date hereof, there are no outstanding SEC comments from the SEC with respect to the GAMC SEC Reports. To the knowledge of GAMC, none of the GAMC SEC Reports filed on or prior to the date hereof is subject to ongoing SEC review or investigation as of the date hereof.
Section 5.08 Absence of Certain Changes or Events. Since March 16, 2021, except as expressly contemplated by this Agreement, (a) GAMC has conducted its business in the ordinary course and in a manner consistent with past practice, (b) there has not been any GAMC Material Adverse Effect and (c) GAMC has not taken any action that, if taken after the date of this Agreement, would constitute a material breach of any of the covenants set forth in Section 6.02.
Section 5.09 Absence of Litigation. There is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of GAMC, threatened against GAMC, or any property or asset of GAMC, before any Governmental Authority or any other person. Neither GAMC nor any material property or asset of GAMC is subject to any continuing order of, consent decree, settlement agreement or other similar written agreement with, or, to the knowledge of GAMC, continuing investigation by, any Governmental Authority or any other person.
Section 5.10 Board Approval; Vote Required.
(a) The GAMC Board, by resolutions duly adopted by majority vote of those voting at a meeting duly called and held and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Transactions are fair to and in the best interests of GAMC and its stockholders, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Transactions and declared their advisability, (iii) recommended that the stockholders of GAMC approve and adopt this Agreement and the Transactions, and directed that this Agreement and the Transactions, be submitted for consideration by the stockholders of GAMC at the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting.
43
(b) The only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of GAMC necessary to approve the Transactions is the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of GAMC Common Stock, except as required to amend, alter or repeal any provisions of the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation, for which a vote or written consent of the holders of a majority of the shares of GAMC Class B Common Stock then outstanding shall be required, according to Section 4.3(b)(iii) of the GAMC Certificate of Incorporation.
(c) The Merger Sub Board, by resolutions duly adopted by written consent and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of Merger Sub and its sole stockholder, (ii) approved this Agreement and the Merger and declared their advisability, (iii) recommended that the sole stockholder of Merger Sub approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and directed that this Agreement and the Transactions be submitted for consideration by the sole stockholder of Merger Sub.
(d) The only vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of Merger Sub is necessary to approve this Agreement, the Merger and the Transactions is the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Merger Sub Common Stock.
(e) GAMC, as the sole stockholder and of Merger Sub, by resolutions duly adopted by written consent and not subsequently rescinded or modified in any way, has duly (i) determined that this Agreement and the Merger are fair to, and in the best interests of, Merger Sub and GAMC and (ii) approved and adopted this Agreement and the Merger.
Section 5.11 No Prior Operations of Merger Sub. Merger Sub was formed solely for the purpose of engaging in Transactions and has not engaged in any business activities or conducted any operations or incurred any obligation or liability, other than as contemplated by this Agreement. Except as contemplated by this Agreement, Merger Sub will have no material assets, liabilities or obligations at all times prior to the Effective Time.
Section 5.12 Brokers. Except for BTIG, LLC, no broker, finder, underwriter or investment banker is entitled to any brokerage, finder’s, underwriter’s fee or other fee or commission in connection with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of GAMC or Merger Sub.
44
Section 5.13 GAMC Trust Fund. As of the date of this Agreement, GAMC has no less than $21,916,659 in the trust fund established by GAMC for the benefit of its public stockholders (the “Trust Fund”) maintained in a trust account at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (the “Trust Account”). The monies of such Trust Account are invested in United States Government securities or money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and held in trust by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company (the “Trustee”) pursuant to the Investment Management Trust Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021, as amended on March 15, 2023, between GAMC and the Trustee, as amended (the “Trust Agreement”). The Trust Agreement has not been amended or modified and is valid and in full force and effect and is enforceable in accordance with its terms, subject to the Remedies Exceptions, and no termination, repudiation, rescission, amendment, supplement or modification is contemplated. GAMC has complied in all material respects with the terms of the Trust Agreement and is not in breach thereof or default thereunder and there does not exist under the Trust Agreement any event which, with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, would constitute such a breach or default by GAMC or the Trustee. There are no separate contracts, agreements, side letters or other understandings (whether written or unwritten, express or implied): (a) between GAMC and the Trustee that would cause the description of the Trust Agreement in the GAMC SEC Reports to be inaccurate in any material respect; or (b) to the knowledge of GAMC, that would entitle any person (other than (i) stockholders of GAMC who shall have elected to redeem their shares of GAMC Common Stock pursuant to the GAMC Organizational Documents, or (ii) the underwriters of GAMC’s initial public offering who would be entitled to the Deferred Underwriting Commission upon consummation of the Transactions) to any portion of the proceeds in the Trust Account. Prior to the Closing, none of the funds held in the Trust Account may be released except: (A) to pay Taxes from any interest income earned in the Trust Account; and (B) upon the exercise of Redemption Rights in accordance with the provisions of the GAMC Organizational Documents. As of the date hereof, there are no Actions pending or, to the knowledge of GAMC, threatened in writing with respect to the Trust Account. Upon consummation of the Merger and notice thereof to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement, GAMC shall cause the Trustee to, and the Trustee shall thereupon be obligated to, release to GAMC as promptly as practicable, the Trust Funds in accordance with the Trust Agreement at which point the Trust Account shall terminate; provided, however that the liabilities and obligations of GAMC due and owing or incurred at or prior to the Effective Time shall be paid as and when due, including all amounts payable (a) to stockholders of GAMC who shall have exercised their Redemption Rights, (b) with respect to filings, applications and/or other actions taken pursuant to this Agreement required under Law, (c) to the Trustee for fees and costs incurred in accordance with the Trust Agreement; and (d) to third parties (e.g., professionals, printers, etc.) who have rendered services to GAMC in connection with its efforts to effect the Merger (including the Deferred Underwriting Commission). As of the date hereof, assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein and the compliance by the Company with its respective obligations hereunder, GAMC has no reason to believe that any of the conditions to the use of funds in the Trust Account will not be satisfied or funds available in the Trust Account will not be available to GAMC at the Effective Time.
Section 5.14 Employees. Other than any officers and directors as described in the GAMC SEC Reports or as engaged as transaction counsel or diligence advisors in connection with the Transactions, GAMC and Merger Sub do not currently employ or engage any employees, managers, directors, individual independent contractors or individual consultants that would reasonably be expected to have outstanding amounts over $100,000 payable by GAMC at the Closing. Other than reimbursement of any out-of-pocket expenses incurred by GAMC’s officers and directors in connection with activities on GAMC’s behalf in an aggregate amount not in excess of the amount of cash held by GAMC outside of the Trust Account, GAMC has no unsatisfied liability with respect to any employee, officer or director. GAMC and Merger Sub have never and do not currently maintain, sponsor, contribute to or have any direct or indirect liability under any employee benefit plan (as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA), nonqualified deferred compensation plan (whether or not subject to Section 409A of the Code), bonus, stock option, stock purchase, restricted stock, incentive, deferred compensation, retiree medical or life insurance, supplemental retirement, severance, change in control, fringe benefit, sick pay and vacation plans or arrangements or other compensation and/or benefit plans, programs, agreements, contracts, policies or arrangements (collectively, “GAMC Benefit Plans”), nor does GAMC or Merger Sub have any obligation or commitment to create or adopt any such GAMC Benefit Plan (other than the Equity Incentive Plan and ESPP contemplated hereby). Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement nor the other Ancillary Agreements nor the consummation of the Transactions will (either alone or in combination with any other event, whether or not contingent) (i) result in any payment (including severance, unemployment compensation, golden parachute, bonus or otherwise) becoming due to any director, officer or employee of GAMC, (ii) result in the acceleration of the funding, time of payment or vesting of any compensation or benefits, or (iii) result in any amount paid or payable by GAMC, Merger Sub or any of their respective affiliates being classified as an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code. There is no contract, agreement, plan or arrangement to which GAMC or Merger Sub is a party which requires payment by any party of a Tax gross-up or Tax reimbursement payment to any person.
45
Section 5.15 Taxes.
(a) GAMC and Merger Sub (i) have duly and timely filed (taking into account any extension of time within which to file) all income and other material Tax Returns required to be filed by any of them as of the date hereof and all such filed Tax Returns are complete and accurate in all material respects; (ii) have timely paid all income and other material Taxes that are shown as due on such filed Tax Returns and any other material Taxes that GAMC or Merger Sub are otherwise obligated to pay, except with respect to current Taxes not yet due and payable or otherwise being contested in good faith or that are described in clause (a)(v) below; (iii) have not waived any statute of limitations with respect to income or other material Taxes or agreed to any extension of time with respect to a Tax assessment or deficiency in respect of income Taxes or any other material amounts of Taxes; (iv) do not have any deficiency, audit, examination, investigation or other proceeding in respect of a material amount of Taxes or material Tax matters pending or threatened in writing, for a Tax period which the statute of limitations for assessments remains open; and (v) have provided adequate reserves in accordance with GAAP in the most recent consolidated financial statements of GAMC, for any material Taxes of GAMC that have not been paid, whether or not shown as being due on any Tax Return.
(b) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub is a party to, is bound by or has an obligation under any Tax sharing agreement, Tax indemnification agreement, or Tax allocation agreement or similar agreement other than commercial agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business the primary purpose of which does not relate to Taxes and which is not entered into with any affiliate or direct or indirect owner of GAMC.
(c) None of GAMC or Merger Sub will be required to include any material item of income in, or exclude any material item of deduction from, taxable income for any taxable period (or portion thereof) ending after the Closing Date as a result of any: (i) change in method of accounting prior to the Closing for a taxable period ending on or prior to the Closing Date under Section 481(c) of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law); (ii) any agreement with any Governmental Authority relating to Taxes, including any “closing agreement” as described in Section 7121 of the Code (or any corresponding or similar provision of state, local or foreign income Tax Law) executed on or prior to the Closing Date; (iii) installment sale made on or prior to the Closing Date (iv) any prepaid amount or advance payment received or deferred revenue arising on or prior to the Closing Date; or (v) any intercompany transactions or any excess loss account described in Treasury Regulations under Section 1502 of the Code (or any analogous provision of state, local or foreign Tax law) entered into or in existence prior to the Closing. Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub will be required to pay any Taxes after the Closing as a result of application of Section 965 of the Code.
(d) No claim has been made in writing (nor to the GAMC’s knowledge has any claim been made) by any taxing authority in a jurisdiction in which the GAMC or Merger Sub does not file Tax Returns that is or may be subject to Tax by, or required to file Tax Returns in, that jurisdiction.
(e) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has been a member of an affiliated group filing a consolidated, combined or unitary U.S. federal, state, local or foreign income Tax Return except for any group consisting only of the GAMC and Merger Sub.
(f) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has any material liability for the Taxes of any person under Treasury Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any similar provision of state, local or foreign Law), as a transferee or successor, by contract (other than commercial agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business the principal purpose of which does not relate to Taxes), or operation of law.
(g) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has any request for a material ruling in respect of Taxes pending between GAMC and/or Merger Sub, on the one hand, and any Tax authority, on the other hand.
46
(h) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has within the last two (2) years distributed stock of another person, or has had its stock distributed by another person, in a transaction that was purported or intended to be governed in whole or in part by Section 355 or Section 361 of the Code.
(i) Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub has engaged in or entered into a “listed transaction” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.6011-4(b)(2).
(j) GAMC and Merger Sub are each classified as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
(k) GAMC and Merger Sub have not taken any action, nor to the knowledge of GAMC or Merger Sub are there any facts or circumstances, that would reasonably be expected to prevent the Merger from qualifying for the Merger Intended Tax Treatment.
Section 5.16 Listing. The issued and outstanding GAMC Units are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol “GAMCU” The issued and outstanding shares of GAMC Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol “GAMC”. The issued and outstanding GAMC Warrants are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and are listed for trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol “GAMCW”. As of the date of this Agreement, there is no Action pending or, to the knowledge of GAMC, threatened in writing against GAMC by the Nasdaq or the SEC with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the GAMC Units, the shares of GAMC Common Stock, or GAMC Warrants or terminate the listing of GAMC on the Nasdaq. None of GAMC or any of its affiliates has taken any action in an attempt to terminate the registration of the GAMC Units, the shares of GAMC Common Stock, or the GAMC Warrants under the Exchange Act.
Section 5.17 GAMC’s and Merger Sub’s Investigation and Reliance. Each of GAMC and Merger Sub is a sophisticated purchaser and has made its own independent investigation, review and analysis regarding the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and the Transactions, which investigation, review and analysis were conducted by GAMC and Merger Sub together with expert advisors, including legal counsel, that they have engaged for such purpose. GAMC, Merger Sub and their Representatives have been provided with full and complete access to the Representatives, properties, offices, plants and other facilities, books and records of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and other information that they have requested in connection with their investigation of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries and the Transactions. Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub is relying on any statement, representation or warranty, oral or written, express or implied, made by the Company or any of its Representatives, except as expressly set forth in Article IV (as modified by the Company Disclosure Schedule). Neither the Company nor any of its respective stockholders, affiliates or Representatives shall have any liability to GAMC, Merger Sub or any of their respective stockholders, affiliates or Representatives resulting from the use of any information, documents or materials made available to GAMC or Merger Sub or any of their Representatives, whether orally or in writing, in any Confidential Information memoranda, “data rooms,” management presentations, due diligence discussions or in any other form in expectation of the Transactions. Neither the Company nor any of its stockholders, affiliates or Representatives is making, directly or indirectly, any representation or warranty with respect to any estimates, projections or forecasts involving the Company and the Company Subsidiaries.
Section 5.18 Certain Business Practices. Since March 16, 2021, none of GAMC, Merger Sub, nor, to the GAMC’s knowledge, any directors or officers, agents or employees of GAMC or Merger Sub has: (a) used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to political activity; (b) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic Government Officials or employees or to foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns or violated any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended; or (c) made any payment in the nature of criminal bribery.
47
Section 5.19 Investment Company Act. Neither GAMC nor Merger Sub is an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 5.20 Takeover Statutes and Charter Provisions. The GAMC Board has taken all action necessary so that the restrictions on business combination set forth in Section 203 of the DGCL or any similar restrictions under any foreign Laws will be inapplicable to this Agreement and the Transactions, including the Merger and the issuance of GAMC Common Stock. As of the date of this Agreement, no “fair price,” “moratorium,” “control share acquisition” or other anti-takeover statute or similar domestic or foreign Law applies with respect to GAMC or Merger Sub in connection with this Agreement, the Merger, the issuance of New GAMC Common Stock or any of the other Transactions. As of the date of this Agreement, there is no stockholder rights plan, “poison pill” or similar anti-takeover agreement or plan in effect to which GAMC or Merger Sub is subject, party or otherwise bound.
Article VI.
CONDUCT OF BUSINESS PENDING THE MERGER
Section 6.01 Conduct of Business by the Company Pending the Merger.
(a) The Company agrees that, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time or the earlier termination of this Agreement, except as (1) expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (2) as set forth in Section 6.01(a) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, or (3) as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), unless GAMC shall otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed):
(i) the Company and each Company Subsidiary shall conduct its business in the ordinary course of business and in a manner consistent with past practice; and
(ii) the Company and each Company Subsidiary shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to preserve substantially intact the current business organization of the Company and each Company Subsidiary, to keep available the services of the current officers and key employees of the Company and each Company Subsidiary and to preserve substantially intact the current relationships of the Company and each Company Subsidiary with customers, Suppliers and other persons with which the Company or any Company Subsidiary has significant business relations.
(b) By way of amplification and not limitation, except as (1) expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, (2) set forth in Section 6.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule, or (3) required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), neither the Company nor any Company Subsidiary shall, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time or the earlier termination of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, do any of the following without the prior written consent of GAMC (which consent shall not be unreasonably conditioned, withheld or delayed):
(i) amend or otherwise change the Company Certificate of Incorporation or the Company’s by-laws or equivalent organizational documents;
(ii) form or create any subsidiaries;
48
(iii) other than in connection with the conversion of the Company Convertible Notes pursuant to Section 7.19, issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant or encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, (A) any shares of any class of capital stock of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of the Company or any Company Subsidiary; provided that none of the exercise or settlement of any Company Options or Company RSUs in accordance with their terms shall be subject to the limitations of this Section 6.01(b), nor shall grants of Company Options, Company RSUs or Company Warrants as set forth on Section 6.01(b) of the Company Disclosure Schedule be subject to the limitations of this Section 6.01(b), or (B) any material assets of the Company;
(iv) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock or other equity interests;
(v) reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of its capital stock, other than redemptions of equity securities from former employees, directors or contractors upon the terms set forth in the appliable Company Equity Plan and/or underlying agreements governing such equity securities or other equity interests;
(vi) (A) acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or any division thereof; or (B) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money, other than in the ordinary course of business, or issue any debt securities or assume, guarantee or endorse, or otherwise become responsible for, the obligations of any person, or make any loans or advances, or intentionally grant any security interest in any of its assets, in each case, except in the ordinary course of business;
(vii) except as required by Law or pursuant to the terms of any Plan or agreement in effect on the date of this Agreement, (A) grant any material increase in the compensation or benefits payable or to become payable to any current or former director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any Company Subsidiary, other than increases in compensation and/or benefits that do not exceed, in the aggregate, $200,000, (B) enter into any new, or materially amend any existing, severance or termination agreement with or grant any change of control or retention payments or benefits to, in each case, any current employee of the Company or any Company Subsidiary holding a position of Vice President or greater, (C) take any action that will result in the acceleration of vesting or payment timing, or acceleration of the requirement for funding, of any compensation or benefits to any current or former director, officer, employee or consultant of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or (D) hire, engage or terminate (other than for cause or due to death or disability) any director, officer, employee, or consultant, other than individuals with annual compensation that does not exceed $200,000 or employees with positions below Vice President;
(viii) voluntarily recognize a labor union or similar organization or enter into a collective bargaining agreement or other labor union contract;
(ix) adopt, amend and/or terminate any Plan (or any arrangement that would be considered a Plan if in effect on the date hereof) except (x) as may be required by applicable Law or (y) in the event of annual renewals of health and welfare programs in the ordinary course and consistent with past practice;
49
(x) other than as required by Law, pursuant to the terms of a Plan or agreement in effect on the date of this Agreement or in the ordinary course of business, grant any severance or termination pay to any director, officer, or other employee of the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
(xi) except in the ordinary course of business, make any material tax election, amend any income Tax Return or other material Tax Return or settle or compromise any material United States federal, state, local or non-United States income tax liability, in each case, that could reasonably be expected to have an adverse and material impact on the Company or any Company Subsidiary;
(xii) materially amend, or materially modify or terminate (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms) any Material Contract or amend, waive, modify or terminate (excluding any expiration in accordance with its terms) the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s material rights thereunder, in each case in a manner that is adverse to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, taken as a whole, except in the ordinary course of business;
(xiii) (x) permit any material item of Company IP to lapse or to be abandoned, invalidated, or permit to enter into the public domain any material trade secrets included in the Company IP, (y) fail to pay all required fees and taxes required to maintain and protect its interest in any material item of Company IP, or (z) sell, assign, license or sublicense (other than nonexclusive licenses and sublicenses of Company IP granted in the ordinary course of business) any material item of Company IP;
(xiv) if in place, modify any Privacy Policy, or the operation or security of any Business Systems, except as reasonably determined by the Company to be required by Privacy/Data Security Laws;
(xv) acquire any fee interest in real property;
(xvi) waive, release, compromise, settle or satisfy any pending or threatened material action or proceeding or compromise or settle any liability, other than in the ordinary course of business; or
(xvii) enter into any agreement or otherwise make a binding commitment to do any of the foregoing.
Section 6.02 Conduct of Business by GAMC and Merger Sub Pending the Merger. Except as expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement (including, for the avoidance of doubt, as contemplated pursuant to the PIPE Subscription Agreements), set forth on Section 6.02 of GAMC’s disclosure schedule delivered by GAMC in connection with this Agreement (“GAMC Disclosure Schedule”), or required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), GAMC agrees that from the date of this Agreement until the earlier of the termination of this Agreement and the Effective Time, unless the Company or Company Subsidiary shall otherwise consent in writing (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned), the businesses of GAMC and Merger Sub shall be conducted in the ordinary course of business. By way of amplification and not limitation, except as expressly contemplated by any other provision of this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement, as set forth on Section 6.02 of the GAMC Disclosure Schedule, or as required by applicable Law (including as may be requested or compelled by any Governmental Authority), neither GAMC nor Merger Sub shall, between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time or the earlier termination of this Agreement, directly or indirectly, do any of the following without the prior written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned:
(a) amend or otherwise change the GAMC Organizational Documents or the Merger Sub Organizational Documents or form any subsidiary of GAMC other than Merger Sub;
50
(b) declare, set aside, make or pay any dividend or other distribution, payable in cash, stock, property or otherwise, with respect to any of its capital stock, other than redemptions from the Trust Fund that are required pursuant to the GAMC Organizational Documents;
(c) other than in connection with the PIPE Subscription Agreements, reclassify, combine, split, subdivide or redeem, or purchase or otherwise acquire, directly or indirectly, any of the GAMC Common Stock or GAMC Warrants except for redemptions from the Trust Fund that are required pursuant to the GAMC Organizational Documents;
(d) issue, sell, pledge, dispose of, grant or encumber, or authorize the issuance, sale, pledge, disposition, grant or encumbrance of, any shares of any class of capital stock or other securities of GAMC or Merger Sub, or any options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights of any kind to acquire any shares of such capital stock, or any other ownership interest (including, without limitation, any phantom interest), of GAMC or Merger Sub;
(e) acquire (including, without limitation, by merger, consolidation, or acquisition of stock or assets or any other business combination) any corporation, partnership, other business organization or enter into any strategic joint ventures, partnerships or alliances with any other person;
(f) other than the GAMC Working Capital Loans, incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such indebtedness of another person or persons, issue or sell any debt securities or options, warrants, calls or other rights to acquire any debt securities of GAMC, as applicable, enter into any “keep well” or other agreement to maintain any financial statement condition or enter into any arrangement having the economic effect of any of the foregoing;
(g) make any change in any method of financial accounting or financial accounting principles, policies, procedures or practices, except as required by a concurrent amendment in GAAP or applicable Law made subsequent to the date hereof, as agreed to by its independent accountants;
(h) make any material Tax election or settle or compromise any material United States federal, state, local or non-United States income Tax liability, except in the ordinary course consistent with past practice;
(i) (A) enter into, adopt or amend any GAMC Benefit Plan (other than the adoption of the Equity Incentive Plan and ESPP expressly contemplated hereby), or enter into any collective bargaining or similar agreement, (B) grant or establish any form of compensation or benefits to any current or former employee, officer, director, individual independent contractor or other individual service provider of GAMC or Merger Sub, or (C) hire or engage any employee or any other individual to provide services to GAMC or Merger Sub following the Closing;
(j) liquidate, dissolve, reorganize or otherwise wind up the business and operations of GAMC or Merger Sub;
(k) amend the Trust Agreement or any other agreement related to the Trust Account;
51
(l) enter into, renew or amend in any material respect any transaction, agreement arrangement or understanding with any (i) present or former executive officer or director of GAMC or Merger Sub or (ii) affiliate, “associate” or member of the “immediate family” (as such terms are respectively defined in Rules 12b-2 and 16a-1 of the Exchange Act) of any of the foregoing; or
(m) enter into any agreement or otherwise make a binding commitment to do any of the foregoing.
Section 6.03 Claims Against Trust Account. The Company acknowledges that GAMC is a special purpose acquisition company with the power and privileges to effect a merger, asset acquisition, reorganization or similar business combination involving the Company and one or more businesses or assets, and the Company has read the GAMC SEC Reports, the GAMC Organizational Documents and understands that GAMC has established the Trust Account described therein for the benefit of GAMC’s public stockholders that disbursement from the Trust Account are available only in the limited circumstances set forth therein. The Company further acknowledges and agrees that GAMC’s sole assets consist of the cash proceeds of GAMC’s initial public offering and private placements of its securities, and that substantially all of these proceeds have been deposited in the Trust Account for the benefit of its public shareholders. Accordingly, the Company (on behalf of itself and its affiliates) agrees that, notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement, the Company does not now have, and shall not at any time prior to the Effective Time have, any claim to, or make any claim against, the Trust Fund, regardless of whether such claim arises as a result of, in connection with or relating in any way to, the business relationship between the Company on the one hand, and GAMC on the other hand, this Agreement, or any other agreement or any other matter, and regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (any and all such claims are collectively referred to in this Section 6.03 as the “Claims”). Notwithstanding any other provision contained in this Agreement, the Company (on behalf of itself and its affiliates) hereby irrevocably waives any Claim they may have, now or in the future and will not seek recourse against the Trust Fund or any trustee of the Trust Account and GAMC for any reason whatsoever; provided, however, that the foregoing waiver will not limit or prohibit the Company from pursuing a claim against GAMC, Merger Sub or any other person for legal relief against monies or other assets of GAMC or Merger Sub held outside of the Trust Account or for specific performance or other equitable relief in connection with the Transactions. In the event that the Company commences any action or proceeding against or involving the Trust Fund in violation of the foregoing, GAMC shall be entitled to recover from the Company the associated reasonable legal fees and costs in connection with any such action, in the event GAMC prevails in such action or proceeding. The Company agrees and acknowledges that such irrevocable waiver is material to this Agreement and specifically relied upon by GAMC and its affiliates to induce GAMC to enter in this Agreement, and the Company further intends and understands such waiver to be valid, binding and enforceable against the Company and each of its affiliates under applicable law. This Section 6.03 shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reason.
Article VII.
ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
Section 7.01 Proxy Statement; Registration Statement.
(a) As promptly as practicable after the execution of this Agreement and receipt of the Required Financials, (i) GAMC and the Company shall jointly prepare and GAMC shall file with the SEC a proxy statement to be filed with the SEC as part of the Registration Statement and sent to GAMC stockholders relating to the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting (such proxy statement, together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the “Proxy Statement”) and (ii) GAMC and the Company shall jointly prepare, and GAMC shall file with the SEC, a registration statement on Form S-4 (together with all amendments thereto, the “Registration Statement”) in which the Proxy Statement shall be included as a prospectus (the “Prospectus”, and together with the Proxy Statement and the Registration Statement, the “Proxy Statement/Registration Statement”), in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of the shares of New GAMC Common Stock to be issued as Transaction Consideration pursuant to this Agreement.
52
(b) Each of the Company and GAMC shall furnish all information concerning itself as the other party may reasonably request in connection with such actions and the preparation of the Proxy Statement/Registration Statement in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or any other statement, filing, notice or application made by or on behalf of GAMC, Merger Sub, the Company or any Company Subsidiary to any regulatory authority (including Nasdaq) in connection with the Mergers and the other Transactions. GAMC and the Company each shall use their reasonable best efforts to (i) cause the Proxy Statement and the Registration Statement when filed with the SEC to comply in all material respects with all legal requirements applicable thereto, (ii) respond as promptly as reasonably practicable to and resolve all comments received from the SEC concerning the Proxy Statement and the Registration Statement, (iii) cause the Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act as promptly as practicable after filing with the SEC and (iv) to keep the Registration Statement effective as long as is necessary to consummate the Transactions. Prior to the effective date of the Registration Statement, GAMC shall take all or any action required under any applicable federal or state securities laws in connection with the issuance of shares of New GAMC Common Stock, in each case to be issued or issuable to the stockholders of the Company in connection with this Agreement. GAMC will cause the Proxy Statement to be mailed to its stockholders in each case promptly after the Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act.
(c) No filing of, or amendment or supplement to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement will be made by GAMC or the Company without the approval of the other party (such approval not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). GAMC and the Company each will advise the other, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement has become effective or any supplement or amendment has been filed, of the issuance of any stop order, of the suspension of the qualification of the New GAMC Common Stock to be issued or issuable to the stockholders of the Company in connection with this Agreement for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of any request by the SEC for amendment of the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement or comments thereon and responses thereto or requests by the SEC for additional information. Each of GAMC and the Company shall cooperate and mutually agree upon (such agreement not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed), any response to comments of the SEC or its staff with respect to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement and any amendment to the Proxy Statement or the Registration Statement filed in response thereto.
(d) GAMC represents that the information supplied by GAMC for inclusion in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement shall not, at (i) the time the Registration Statement is declared effective, (ii) the time the Proxy Statement (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to the stockholders of GAMC and the Company, (iii) the time of the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting, and (iv) the Effective Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or fail to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event or circumstance relating to GAMC or Merger Sub, or their respective officers or directors, should be discovered by GAMC which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Registration Statement or the Proxy Statement, GAMC shall promptly inform the Company. All documents that GAMC is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger or the other Transactions will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
53
(e) The Company represents that the information supplied by the Company for inclusion in the Registration Statement and the Proxy Statement shall not, at (i) the time the Registration Statement is declared effective, (ii) the time the Proxy Statement (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto) is first mailed to the stockholders of GAMC and the Company, (iii) the time of the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting, and (iv) the Effective Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or fail to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If, at any time prior to the Effective Time, any event or circumstance relating to the Company or any Company Subsidiary, or its officers or directors, should be discovered by the Company which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Registration Statement or the Proxy Statement, the Company shall promptly inform GAMC. All documents that the Company is responsible for filing with the SEC in connection with the Merger or the other Transactions will comply as to form and substance in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(f) If, in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement (including the Proxy Statement contained therein) or the SEC’s review thereof, the SEC requests or requires that a Tax opinion with respect to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Transactions be prepared and submitted, the parties shall deliver to counsel customary Tax representation letters satisfactory to such counsel, dated and executed as of the date such relevant filing shall have been declared effective by the SEC and such other date(s) as determined to be reasonably necessary by such counsel in connection with the preparation and filing of such Tax opinion. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, none of GAMC, the Company or their respective Tax advisors are obligated to provide any opinion that the Transactions contemplated by this Agreement qualify for the Merger Intended Tax Treatment, other than a customary opinion regarding the material accuracy of any disclosure regarding U.S. federal income tax considerations of the Transactions included in the Registration Statement (including the Proxy Statement contained therein) as may be required to satisfy applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, nor will a Tax opinion by any party’s advisors be a condition precedent to the Transactions.
54
Section 7.02 GAMC Stockholder Approval; Merger Sub Stockholder’s Approval; Company Stockholder Approval.
(a) GAMC Stockholder Approval. GAMC shall (i) as promptly as practicable after the Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act, (A) cause the Proxy Statement to be disseminated to GAMC’s stockholders in compliance with applicable Law; (B) solely with respect to the following clause (1), duly (1) give notice of and (2) convene and hold a meeting of its stockholders (the “GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting”) in accordance with the GAMC Organizational Documents and Nasdaq Listing Rule 5620(b) for a date no later than thirty (30) Business Days following the date the Registration Statement is declared effective; and (C) solicit proxies from the holders of GAMC Common Stock to vote in favor of each of the GAMC Proposals; and (ii) provide its stockholders with the opportunity to elect to effect a GAMC Share Redemption. GAMC shall, through its Board of Directors, recommend to its stockholders the (A) amendment and restatement of GAMC’s Certificate of Incorporation, in the form attached as Exhibit B-1 to this Agreement (as may be subsequently amended by mutual written agreement of the Company and GAMC at any time before the effectiveness of the Registration Statement), including any separate or unbundled advisory proposals as are required to implement the foregoing and approval of the change of GAMC’s name to “Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.”; (B) the adoption and approval of this Agreement in accordance with applicable Law and exchange rules and regulations; (C) approval of the issuance of shares of New GAMC Common Stock in connection with the Merger and pursuant to the rules of Nasdaq as contemplated by the PIPE Subscription Agreements with the applicable PIPE Investors and the Bridge Financing Agreements with the applicable Bridge Investors; (D) approval of the adoption by GAMC of each of the Equity Incentive Plan and ESPP described in Section 7.16 and Section 7.17; (E) election of the directors to be designated pursuant to Section 2.05(b); (F) adoption and approval of any other proposals as the SEC (or staff member thereof) may indicate are necessary in its comments to the Registration Statement or correspondence related thereto; (G) adoption and approval of any other proposals as reasonably agreed by GAMC and the Company to be necessary or appropriate in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby; and (H) adjournment of the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting, if necessary, to permit further solicitation of proxies because there are not sufficient votes to approve and adopt any of the foregoing (such proposals in (A) through (H), together, the “GAMC Proposals”), and include such recommendation in the Proxy Statement. The Board of Directors of GAMC shall not withdraw, amend, qualify or modify its recommendation to the stockholders of GAMC that they vote in favor of the GAMC Proposals (together with any withdrawal, amendment, qualification or modification of its recommendation to the stockholders of GAMC described in the Recitals hereto, a “Modification in Recommendation”). To the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, (i) GAMC’s obligations to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting shall not be affected by any Modification in Recommendation; and (ii) GAMC agrees to establish a record date for, duly call, give notice of, convene and hold the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting and submit for approval the GAMC Proposals. GAMC shall adjourn the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting (i) to solicit additional proxies for the purpose of obtaining the GAMC Stockholder Approval if the GAMC Stockholder Approval would not be obtained at the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting if a vote was held; (ii) if a quorum is absent; or (iii) to allow reasonable additional time for the filing or mailing of any supplemental or amended disclosure that GAMC has determined in good faith after consultation with outside legal counsel is required under applicable Law and for such supplemental or amended disclosure to be disseminated and reviewed by GAMC stockholders prior to the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting; provided that the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting will not be adjourned to a date that is (i) more than thirty (30) days after the date for which the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting was originally scheduled (excluding any adjournments required by applicable Law); or (ii) later than three (3) Business Days prior to the date on which the Outside Date occurs. GAMC agrees that it shall provide the holders of shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock issued in GAMC’s initial public offering the opportunity to elect redemption of such shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock in connection with the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting, as required by the GAMC Organizational Documents.
(b) Merger Sub Stockholder’s Approval. Promptly following the execution of this Agreement, GAMC shall approve and adopt this Agreement and approve the Merger and the Transactions, as the sole stockholder of Merger Sub.
(c) Company Stockholder Approval. Upon the terms set forth in this Agreement, the Company shall: (i) use its reasonable best efforts to solicit and obtain the Company Stockholder Approval in the form of an irrevocable written consent (the “Written Consent”) promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days) following the time at which the Registration Statement shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act and delivered or otherwise made available to stockholders; and (ii) distribute the Proxy Statement/Registration Statement to the stockholders of the Company, accompanied by any such additional disclosure to the stockholders of the Company as the Company and its outside counsel determine is necessary or appropriate. In the event the Company is not able to obtain the Written Consent, the Company shall duly convene a meeting of the stockholders of the Company for the purpose of voting solely upon the adoption of this Agreement, the other agreements contemplated hereby and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the Merger, as soon as reasonably practicable after the Registration Statement is declared effective. If such meeting of the stockholders of the Company is convened, the Company shall obtain the Company Stockholder Approval at such meeting of the stockholders of the Company and shall take all other action necessary or advisable to secure the Company Stockholder Approval as soon as reasonably practicable after the Registration Statement is declared effective. If the Company Stockholder Approval is obtained by the Written Consent, then as promptly as reasonably practicable following the receipt of the Written Consent, the Company will prepare and deliver to its stockholders who have not consented the notice required by Sections 228(e) (if applicable) and 262 of the DGCL; provided that, GAMC shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the contents of such notice before delivery to the applicable stockholders.
55
Section 7.03 Access to Information; Confidentiality.
(a) From the date of this Agreement until the Effective Time or the earlier termination of this Agreement, the Company and GAMC shall (and shall cause their respective subsidiaries and instruct their respective Representatives to): (i) provide to the other party (and the other party’s officers, directors, employees, accountants, consultants, legal counsel, agents and other representatives, collectively, “Representatives”) reasonable access during normal business hours and upon reasonable prior notice to the officers, employees, agents, properties, offices and other facilities of such party and its subsidiaries and to the books and records thereof, provided that such access shall not include any unreasonably invasive or intrusive investigations or other testing, sampling or analysis of any properties, facilities or equipment of the Company or any Company Subsidiary without the prior written consent of the Company; and (ii) furnish promptly to the other party such information concerning the business, properties, contracts, assets, liabilities, personnel and other aspects of such party and its subsidiaries as the other party or its Representatives may reasonably request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, but without limiting the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07, neither the Company nor GAMC shall be required to provide access to or disclose information to the extent such party has been advised by legal counsel that the access or disclosure would (x) violate its obligations of confidentiality or similar legal restrictions with respect to such information, (y) jeopardize the protection of attorney-client privilege or (z) contravene applicable Law (it being agreed that the parties shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to cause such information to be provided in a manner that would not result in such inconsistency, conflict, jeopardy or contravention).
(b) All information obtained by the parties pursuant to this Section 7.03 shall be kept confidential in accordance with the confidentiality agreement, dated as of July 26, 2023, as amended, supplemented or modified from time to time (the “Confidentiality Agreement”), between GAMC and the Company.
(c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, each party (and its Representatives) may consult any tax advisor regarding the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transactions and may disclose to any other person, without limitation of any kind, the tax treatment and tax structure of the Transactions and all materials (including opinions or other tax analyses) that are provided relating to such treatment or structure, in each case in accordance with the Confidentiality Agreement.
Section 7.04 Company Solicitation. From and after the date hereof and until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.01, the Company shall not and shall cause the Company Subsidiaries not to, and shall direct its Representatives not to, (i) initiate, solicit, facilitate or encourage (including by way of furnishing non-public information), whether publicly or otherwise, any inquiries with respect to, or the making of, any Company Acquisition Proposal, (ii) engage in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, books and records or any Confidential Information or data to, any person relating to a Company Acquisition Proposal, (iii) enter into, engage in and maintain discussions or negotiations with respect to any Company Acquisition Proposal (or inquiries, proposals or offers or other efforts that would reasonably be expected to lead to any Company Acquisition Proposal) or otherwise cooperate with or assist or participate in, or facilitate any such inquiries, proposals, offers, efforts, discussions or negotiations, (iv) amend or grant any waiver or release under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity securities of the Company, (v) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any Company Acquisition Proposal, (vi) approve, endorse, recommend, execute or enter into any agreement in principle, letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, term sheet, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other written arrangement relating to any Company Acquisition Proposal or any proposal or offer that would reasonably be expected to lead to a Company Acquisition Proposal, or (vii) resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing or otherwise authorize or permit any of its Representatives or the Company Subsidiaries to take any such action. The Company shall and cause the Company Subsidiaries and shall instruct its Representatives and the Company Subsidiaries, to immediately cease any solicitations, discussions or negotiations with any person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) in connection with a Company Acquisition Proposal. The Company also agrees that it will promptly request each person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) that has prior to the date hereof executed a confidentiality agreement in connection with its consideration of acquiring the Company to return or destroy all Confidential Information furnished to such person by or on behalf of it prior to the date hereof.
56
Section 7.05 Employee Benefits Matters.
(a) GAMC shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its subsidiaries, as applicable, to provide each of the employees of the Company or any Company Subsidiary who continues in employment with GAMC, the Surviving Corporation or their subsidiaries (including the Company and the Company Subsidiaries) immediately after the Effective Time (the “Continuing Employees”) with (i) base salaries or hourly wage rates and annual cash incentive opportunities, in each case, no less than those in effect for such Continuing Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time, and (ii) employee benefits which are no less favorable, in the aggregate, than those provided to such Continuing Employees immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(b) GAMC shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its subsidiaries, as applicable, to provide the Continuing Employees credit for all purposes (including for purposes of eligibility to participate, benefit accrual, vesting, and determining the level of benefits, as applicable) under any employee benefit plan, program or arrangement established or maintained by GAMC, the Surviving Corporation or any of its subsidiaries (including the Company and the Company Subsidiaries) (collectively, “New Plans”) for service accrued or deemed accrued prior to the Effective Time with the Company or any Company Subsidiary (or any of their respective predecessors); provided, however, that such crediting of service shall not operate to duplicate any benefit or the funding of any such benefit. In addition, GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause to be waived any eligibility waiting periods, any evidence of insurability requirements and the application of any pre-existing condition limitations under each of the New Plans that cover the Continuing Employees or their dependents, and (ii) cause any eligible expenses incurred by any Continuing Employee and his or her covered dependents, during the portion of the plan year in which the Closing occurs, under those Plans providing health and welfare benefits in which such Continuing Employee participates prior to the Closing to be taken into account under those New Plans providing health and welfare benefits in which such Continuing Employee participates or is eligible to participate subsequent to the Closing Date for purposes of satisfying all deductible, coinsurance, and maximum out-of-pocket requirements applicable to such Continuing Employee and his or her covered dependents for the applicable plan year. Following the Closing, GAMC shall, and shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its subsidiaries to, honor all accrued but unused vacation and other paid time off of the Continuing Employees that existed immediately prior to the Closing.
(c) GAMC shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its subsidiaries to, assume, honor and fulfill all of the Plans in accordance with their terms as in effect immediately prior to the Closing Date, as such Plans may be modified or terminated from time to time in accordance with their terms.
57
(d) The provisions of this Section 7.05 are solely for the benefit of the parties to the Agreement, and nothing contained in this Agreement, express or implied, shall confer upon any Continuing Employee or legal representative or beneficiary or dependent thereof, or any other person, any rights or remedies of any nature or kind whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, whether as a third-party beneficiary or otherwise, including, without limitation, any right to employment or continued employment for any specified period, or level of compensation or benefits. Nothing contained in this Agreement, express or implied, shall constitute an amendment or modification of any Plan or other employee benefit plan of the Company or any Company Subsidiary or shall require the Company, GAMC, the Surviving Corporation or any of its subsidiaries to continue any Plan, New Plan or other employee benefit arrangements, or prevent their amendment, modification or termination.
Section 7.06 Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnification; D&O Tail.
(a) From and after the Effective Time, GAMC agrees that it shall indemnify and hold harmless each present and former director and officer of the (i) Company and each of the Company Subsidiaries (in each case, solely to the extent acting in their capacity as such and to the extent such activities are related to the business of the Company being acquired under this Agreement) (the “Company Indemnified Parties”); and (ii) GAMC and Merger Sub (the “GAMC Indemnified Parties” together with the Company Indemnified Parties, the “D&O Indemnified Parties”) against any costs or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, losses, claims, damages or liabilities incurred in connection with any Action, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, arising out of or pertaining to matters existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time, whether asserted or claimed prior to, at or after the Effective Time, to the fullest extent that the Company, the Company Subsidiaries, GAMC or Merger Sub, as the case may be, would have been permitted under applicable Law and its respective certificate of incorporation, certificate of formation, bylaws, limited liability company agreement or other organizational documents in effect on the date of this Agreement to indemnify such D&O Indemnified Parties (including the advancing of expenses as incurred to the fullest extent permitted under applicable Law). Without limiting the foregoing, GAMC shall, and shall cause Merger Sub to (i) maintain for a period of not less than six (6) years from the Effective Time provisions in the GAMC Organizational Documents concerning the indemnification and exoneration (including provisions relating to expense advancement) of GAMC’s and Merger Sub’s former and current officers, directors, employees, and agents that are no less favorable to those persons than the provisions of the governing documents of the Company, the Company Subsidiaries, GAMC or Merger Sub, as applicable, in each case, as of the date of this Agreement; and (ii) not amend, repeal or otherwise modify such provisions in any respect that would adversely affect the rights of those persons thereunder, in each case, except as required by Law. GAMC shall assume, and be liable for, each of the covenants in this Section 7.06.
(b) For a period of six (6) years from the Effective Time, GAMC shall maintain in effect directors’ and officers’ liability insurance covering those persons who are currently covered by GAMC’s, Merger Sub’s, the Company’s or any Company Subsidiary’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies on terms not less favorable than the terms of such current insurance coverage,; provided, that (i) each of GAMC and the Company shall, to the extent reasonably available, cause coverage to be extended under each of GAMC’s and the Company’s respective current directors’ and officers’ liability insurance by each obtaining a six (6) year “tail” policy containing terms not materially less favorable than the terms of each of GAMC’s and the Company’s current insurance coverage with respect to claims existing or occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (such policies, with respect to GAMC, the “GAMC D&O Tail Policy” and with respect to the Company, the “Company D&O Tail Policy”); and (ii) if any claim is asserted or made within such six (6) year period, any insurance required to be maintained under this Section 7.06 shall be continued in respect of such claim until the final disposition thereof.
58
(c) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 7.06 shall survive the consummation of the Merger indefinitely and shall be binding, jointly and severally, on GAMC and all successors and assigns of GAMC. In the event that GAMC or any of its successors or assigns consolidates with or merges into any other person and shall not be the continuing or surviving corporation or entity of such consolidation or merger or transfers or conveys all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any person, then, and in each such case, GAMC shall ensure that proper provision shall be made so that the successors and assigns of GAMC shall succeed to the obligations set forth in this Section 7.06.
(d) On the Closing Date, GAMC shall enter into customary indemnification agreements reasonably satisfactory to each of the Company and GAMC with the post-Closing directors and officers of GAMC, which indemnification agreements shall continue to be effective following the Closing.
Section 7.07 Notification of Certain Matters.
(a) The Company shall give prompt notice to GAMC, and GAMC shall give prompt notice to the Company, of any event which a party becomes aware of between the date of this Agreement and the Closing (or the earlier termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article IX), the occurrence, or non-occurrence of which causes or would reasonably be expected to cause any of the conditions set forth in Article VIII to fail.
(b) No notification given by the Company under this Section 7.07 shall limit or otherwise affect any of the representations, warranties, covenants or obligations of the Company contained in this Agreement.
Section 7.08 Further Action; Reasonable Best Efforts.
(a) Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement, each of the parties hereto shall (and shall cause each of its affiliates to) use its reasonable best efforts to take, or cause to be taken, appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, such things as are necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws, including the proposed rules issued by the SEC on March 30, 2022 relating to certain aspects of initial public offerings by special purpose acquisition companies and their subsequent business combinations if such proposed rules are adopted by the SEC, as so adopted, or otherwise to consummate and make effective the Transactions, as promptly as practicable, including, without limitation, using its reasonable best efforts to obtain all permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of Governmental Authorities and parties to contracts with the Company necessary for the consummation of the Transactions and to fulfill the conditions to the Merger. In case, at any time after the Effective Time, any further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, the proper officers and directors of each party shall use their reasonable best efforts to take all such action.
(b) Each of the parties shall (and shall cause each of its affiliates to) keep each other apprised of the status of matters relating to the Transactions, including promptly notifying the other parties of any communication it or any of its affiliates receives from any Governmental Authority relating to the matters that are the subject of this Agreement and permitting the other parties to review in advance, and to the extent practicable consult about, any proposed communication by such party to any Governmental Authority in connection with the Transactions. No party to this Agreement shall agree to participate in any meeting with any Governmental Authority in respect of any filings, investigation or other inquiry unless it consults with the other parties in advance and, to the extent permitted by such Governmental Authority, gives the other parties the opportunity to attend and participate at such meeting. Subject to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement, the parties will coordinate and cooperate fully with each other in exchanging such information and providing such assistance as the other parties may reasonably request in connection with the foregoing. Subject to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement, the parties will provide each other with copies of all material correspondence, filings or communications, including any documents, information and data contained therewith, between them or any of their Representatives, on the one hand, and any Governmental Authority or members of its staff, on the other hand, with respect to this Agreement and the Transactions. No party shall take or cause to be taken any action before any Governmental Authority that is inconsistent with or intended to delay its action on requests for a consent or the consummation of the Transactions.
59
(c) At the reasonable request of GAMC with reasonable prior notice, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make members of its management available to participate in management presentations, “road shows,” rating agency presentations, meetings with financing sources and similar events in connection with obtaining the approval of the stockholders of GAMC, the GAMC’s “share recycling” efforts and/or the obtaining of any debt or equity financing or the obtaining of ratings or Governmental Authority and other third-party approvals; provided that such participation does not affect such management members’ ability to conduct the business of the Company in the ordinary course.
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 7.08(d) or this Agreement to the contrary, the parties agree that Section 7.12 sets forth the sole obligations with respect to filings under the HSR Act or any other Antitrust Law of GAMC, Merger Sub, Sponsor and their affiliates (to the extent any such obligations exist), which shall be governed solely by Section 7.12.
Section 7.09 Public Announcements. The initial press release relating to this Agreement shall be a joint press release the text of which has been agreed to by each of GAMC and the Company. Thereafter, between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date (or the earlier termination of this Agreement in accordance with Article IX) unless otherwise required by applicable Law or the rules of the Nasdaq, each of GAMC and the Company shall each use its reasonable best efforts to consult with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statements with respect to this Agreement, the Merger or any of the other Transactions, and shall not issue any such press release or make any such public statement without the prior written consent of the other party; provided, however, that each of GAMC and the Company may make any such announcement or other communication (a) if such announcement or other communication is required by applicable Law or the rules of Nasdaq, in which case the disclosing party shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, first allow the other party to review such announcement or communication and the opportunity to comment thereon and the disclosing party shall consider such comments in good faith, (b) to the extent such announcements or other communications contain only information previously disclosed in a public statement, press release or other communication previously approved in accordance with this Section 7.09, and (c) to Governmental Authorities in connection with any consents, approvals and authorizations required to be made under this Agreement or in connection with the Transactions. Furthermore, nothing contained in this Section 7.09 shall prevent GAMC or the Company and/or its respective affiliates from furnishing customary or other reasonable information concerning the Transactions to their investors and prospective investors or PIPE Investors.
Section 7.10 Tax Matters.
(a) GAMC and the Company intend that, for United States federal income tax purposes, the Merger will qualify for the Merger Intended Tax Treatment. None of the Company or GAMC has taken or will take any action, if such action or failure would be reasonably expected to cause the Merger to fail to qualify for the Merger Intended Tax Treatment. The Merger shall be reported by the parties for all Tax purposes in accordance with the Merger Intended Tax Treatment, unless otherwise required by a Governmental Authority as a result of a “determination” within the meaning of Section 1313(a) of the Code. GAMC and the Company shall cooperate with each other and their respective counsel to document and support the Merger Intended Tax Treatment, including providing factual support letters.
60
(b) All transfer, documentary, sales, use, stamp, registration and other such Taxes and fees (including any penalties and interest) incurred in connection with the Transactions (collectively, “Transfer Taxes”) shall be paid by the Company following the Closing.
(c) At or prior to the Closing, the Company shall deliver to GAMC a properly executed certification that the Company is not a United States real property holding corporation within the meaning of Code Section 897(c)(2) and shares of Company Common Stock and Company Preferred Stock are not “United States real property interests” in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.1445-2(c)(3), together with a notice to the IRS (which shall be filed by the Company with the IRS at or following the Closing in accordance with applicable Treasury Regulations) in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.897-2(h)(2) of the Treasury Regulations, each in form and substance reasonably acceptable to GAMC.
Section 7.11 Stock Exchange Listing. GAMC will use its reasonable best efforts to cause the New GAMC Common Stock comprising the Transaction Consideration issued in connection with the Transactions to be approved for listing on the Nasdaq, or such other national securities exchange mutually acceptable to GAMC and the Company, at Closing. During the period from the date hereof until the Closing, GAMC shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the GAMC Units, GAMC Class A Common Stock and GAMC Warrants listed for trading on the Nasdaq.
Section 7.12 Antitrust.
(a) To the extent required under any Laws that are designed to prohibit, restrict or regulate actions having the purpose or effect of monopolization or restraint of trade or lessening of competition through merger or acquisition, including the HSR Act (“Antitrust Laws”), each party hereto agrees to promptly (and no later than fifteen (15) Business Days from the date of this Agreement), (i) file with the United States Federal Trade Commission and the United States Department of Justice, any notification form required pursuant to the HSR Act, in connection with the Transactions and (ii) no later than ten (10) Business Days from the date of this Agreement, make any required filing or application under other Antitrust Laws listed on Section 7.12 of the Company Disclosure Schedule, as applicable. The parties hereto agree to use reasonable best efforts to supply, as promptly as reasonably practicable any additional information and documentary material that may be requested pursuant to Antitrust Laws and to use reasonable best efforts to take all other actions necessary, proper or advisable to cause the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting periods or obtain required approvals, as applicable under Antitrust Laws as soon as practicable, including by requesting early termination of the waiting period provided for under the HSR Act, provided that, notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Section 7.12 or any other provision of this Agreement shall require GAMC, Merger Sub, Sponsor or any of their affiliates or subsidiaries (including, for purposes of this sentence, the Sponsor and any investment funds or investment vehicles affiliated with, or managed or advised by, the Sponsor, or any portfolio company (as such term is commonly understood in the private equity industry) or investment of any such investment fund or investment vehicle), to, and the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of GAMC, agree or otherwise be required to sell, divest, dispose of, license, hold separate, or take or commit to take any action that limits in any respect its freedom of action with respect to, or its ability to retain, any businesses, Products, rights, services, licenses, or assets of GAMC, the Company, or any of their respective subsidiaries or affiliates, or any interests therein.
61
(b) Each party shall, in connection with its efforts to obtain all Requisite Approvals and authorizations for the Transactions under any Antitrust Law, use its reasonable best efforts to: (i) cooperate in all respects with each other party or its affiliates in connection with any filing or submission and in connection with any investigation or other inquiry, including any proceeding initiated by a private person; (ii) keep the other parties reasonably informed of any material communication received by such party or its Representatives from, or given by such party or its Representatives to, any Governmental Authority and of any material communication received or given in connection with any proceeding by a private person, in each case regarding any of the Transactions; (iii) permit a Representative of the other parties and their respective outside counsel to review any material communication given by it to, and consult with each other in advance of any substantive meeting or conference with, any Governmental Authority or, in connection with any proceeding by a private person, with any other person, and to the extent permitted by such Governmental Authority or other person, give a Representative or Representatives of the other parties the opportunity to attend and participate in such meetings and conferences; (iv) in the event a party’s Representative is prohibited from participating in or attending any meetings or conferences, the other parties shall keep such party promptly and reasonably apprised with respect thereto; and (v) use reasonable best efforts to cooperate in the filing of any memoranda, white papers, filings, correspondence or other written communications explaining or defending the Transactions, articulating any regulatory or competitive argument, and/or responding to requests or objections made by any Governmental Authority, provided, however, that any information or materials provided to or received by any party under this Section 7.12 or any other section of this Agreement may be redacted (i) to remove references concerning the valuation of the Company and the Company Subsidiaries or other competitively sensitive material, (ii) as necessary to comply with contractual arrangements, and (iii) as necessary to address reasonable attorney-client or other privilege or confidentiality concerns, and that the parties may, as each deems advisable, reasonably designate any material or information provided to or received by any party under this Section 7.12 as “outside counsel only material.” Materials designated “outside counsel only” under this Section 7.12 shall be given only to the designated legal counsel of the recipient and shall not be disclosed by such legal counsel to employees, officers, or directors of the recipient without the advance written consent of the party providing such materials.
Section 7.13 Required Financials. The Company shall (A) as promptly as possible following the date of this Agreement, deliver true, correct and complete copies of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2022, and the related audited consolidated statements of income and cash flows of the Company for such years, each audited in accordance with the auditing standards of the PCAOB, together with an unqualified audit report thereon from the Company’s independent public accountants (collectively, the “PCAOB Audited Financials”), (ii) the unaudited consolidated balance sheet of the Company as of June 30, 2023 and 2022 and as of the last day of each subsequent fiscal quarter of the Company ending at least forty-five (45) days prior to the filing of the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto or as otherwise required by the rules and regulations of the SEC governing the Registration Statement (the “Company Unaudited Financials”) and (iii) any unaudited pro forma financial statements required by Regulation S-X of the SEC to be included in the Registration Statement (the “Pro Forma Financials” and, together with the PCAOB Audited Financials, and the Company Unaudited Financials, the “Required Financials”), and (B) as promptly as reasonably practicable, make any necessary amendments, restatements or revisions to the Required Financials such that they remain compliant with the applicable rules and regulations of the SEC governing the Registration Statement as required in order to consummate the Transactions.
Section 7.14 Exclusivity. From and after the date hereof and until the Effective Time or, if earlier, the valid termination of this Agreement in accordance with Section 9.01, GAMC shall not take, nor shall it permit any of its affiliates or Representatives to (i) initiate, solicit, facilitate or encourage (including by way of furnishing non-public information, whether publicly or otherwise, any inquiries with respect to, or the making of, any offer, inquiry, proposal or indication of interest, written or oral relating to any business combination transaction (a “Business Combination Proposal”), (ii) engage in any negotiations or discussions concerning, or provide access to its properties, books and records or any Confidential Information or data to, any person relating to a Business Combination Proposal, (iii) enter into, engage in and maintain discussions or negotiations with respect to any Business Combination Proposal or otherwise cooperate with or assist or participate in, or facilitate any such inquiries, proposals, offers, efforts, discussions or negotiations, (iv) amend or grant any waiver or release under any standstill or similar agreement with respect to any class of equity securities of GAMC, (v) approve, endorse or recommend, or propose publicly to approve, endorse or recommend, any Business Combination Proposal, (vi) approve, endorse, recommend, execute or enter into any agreement in principle, letter of intent, memorandum of understanding, term sheet, acquisition agreement, merger agreement, option agreement, joint venture agreement, partnership agreement or other written arrangement relating to any Business Combination Proposal, or (vii) resolve or agree to do any of the foregoing or otherwise authorize or permit any of its Representatives to take any such action. GAMC shall instruct its Representatives to immediately cease any solicitations, discussions or negotiations with any person (other than the parties hereto and their respective Representatives) in connection with a Business Combination Proposal.
62
Section 7.15 Trust Account. As of the Effective Time, the obligations of GAMC to dissolve or liquidate within a specified time period as contained in GAMC’s Certificate of Incorporation will be terminated and GAMC shall have no obligation whatsoever to dissolve and liquidate the assets of GAMC by reason of the consummation of the Merger or otherwise, and no stockholder of GAMC shall be entitled to receive any amount from the Trust Account. At least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the Effective Time, GAMC shall provide notice to the Trustee in accordance with the Trust Agreement and shall deliver any other documents, opinions or notices required to be delivered to the Trustee pursuant to the Trust Agreement and cause the Trustee prior to the Effective Time to, and the Trustee shall thereupon be obligated to, transfer all funds held in the Trust Account to GAMC (to be held as available cash on the balance sheet of GAMC, and to be used for working capital and other general corporate purposes of the business following the Closing) and thereafter shall cause the Trust Account and the Trust Agreement to terminate.
Section 7.16 Equity Incentive Plan. GAMC shall, prior to the Effective Time, approve and adopt a new equity incentive plan (the “Equity Incentive Plan”) to be effective as of the Effective Time, which shall be in such form as mutually agreed by GAMC and the Company and which shall provide for (a) an initial aggregate share reserve thereunder equal to fifteen percent (15%) of the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis at the Closing; and (b) an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year during the term of the Equity Incentive Plan equal to the lesser of (i) a number equal to five percent (5%) of the aggregate number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock as is determined by the GAMC Board.
Section 7.17 Employee Stock Purchase Plan. GAMC shall, prior to the Effective Time, approve and adopt a new employee stock purchase plan (the “ESPP”) to be effective as of the Effective Time, which shall be in such form as mutually agreed by GAMC and the Company and which shall provide for (a) an initial aggregate share reserve thereunder equal to two percent (2%) of the number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock outstanding on a fully diluted basis at the Closing; and (b) an annual increase on the first day of each calendar year during the term of the ESPP equal to the lesser of (i) a number equal to one percent (1%) of the aggregate number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock outstanding on the final day of the immediately preceding calendar year and (ii) such smaller number of shares of New GAMC Common Stock as is determined by the GAMC Board.
Section 7.18 Form S-8 Registration Statement. Within two (2) Business Days following the expiration of the 60-day period following the date on which GAMC has filed current Form 10 information with the SEC reflecting its status as an entity that is not a shell company (or such longer period as may be required by rule or regulation of the SEC), GAMC shall file an effective registration statement on Form S-8 (or other applicable form) with respect to the New GAMC Common Stock issuable under the Equity Incentive Plan and the ESPP and the New GAMC Common Stock issuable upon exercise or settlement of the Rollover Options and Rollover RSUs, and GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of such registration statement(s) (and maintain the current status of the prospectus or prospectuses contained therein) for so long as awards granted pursuant to the Equity Incentive Plan and ESPP and any Rollover Options and Rollover RSUs remain outstanding.
63
Section 7.19 Company Convertible Notes. The Company shall use reasonable best efforts to enforce its rights under the Company Convertible Notes and take all other actions reasonably necessary to effect the conversion of all Company Convertible Notes into shares of Company Common Stock prior to the Effective Time pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Company Convertible Notes.
Section 7.20 PIPE Investment. Prior to the earlier of the Closing and the termination of this Agreement in accordance with its terms:
(a) The Company and GAMC shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to (i) obtain the PIPE Financing, enforce the obligations of the PIPE Investors under the PIPE Subscription Agreements, and consummate the purchases contemplated by the PIPE Subscription Agreements on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the PIPE Subscription Agreements, (ii) satisfy all conditions to the PIPE Financing set forth in the PIPE Subscription Agreements that are within their control and (iii) satisfy and comply with their respective obligations under the PIPE Subscription Agreements. GAMC shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause its respective Representatives to, cooperate with the Company and their Representatives in connection with the matters specified in this Section 7.20. If reasonably requested by the Company, GAMC shall, to the extent it has such rights under any PIPE Subscription Agreement, waive any breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement of such PIPE Subscription Agreement by the applicable PIPE Investor to the extent necessary to cause the satisfaction of the conditions to closing of the PIPE Financing set forth in the PIPE Subscription Agreements and solely for the purpose of consummating the Closing, provided that (x) any such waiver may be subject to, and conditioned upon, the Closing occurring and the substantially concurrent funding of the PIPE Financing, (y) subject to, and conditioned upon, the Closing occurring and the substantially concurrent funding of the PIPE Financing, the Company or GAMC, as applicable, also waives any such breach to the extent the Company is a third-party beneficiary of the provision that was so breached and (z) any such waiver shall be subject to the rights of the placement agent, as applicable, under such PIPE Subscription Agreement with respect to such waiver.
(b) GAMC shall not amend, modify or waive any provisions of any PIPE Subscription Agreement without the prior written consent of the Company; provided that any amendment, modification or waiver that is solely ministerial in nature or otherwise immaterial, and, in each case, that does not affect any economic or any other material term, shall not require the prior written consent of the Company, so long as GAMC has provided to the Company no less than two (2) Business Days’ prior written notice of such amendment, modification or waiver (including the form thereof), it being understood, but without limiting the foregoing, that it shall be deemed material if any amendment, modification or waiver (i) reduces or is reasonably expected to reduce the amount of the PIPE Financing available under any PIPE Subscription Agreement, (ii) imposes new or additional conditions or otherwise expands, amends or modifies any of the conditions to the receipt of the PIPE Financing or (iii) prevents, impedes or delays or is expected to prevent, impede or delay the consummation of the Transactions.
(c) GAMC shall (i) promptly notify the Company upon having knowledge of any material breach or default under, or termination of, any PIPE Subscription Agreement (including any refusal or repudiation by any PIPE Investor with respect to its obligation and/or ability to provide the full financing contemplated by the applicable PIPE Subscription Agreement), (ii) at least 24 hours prior to delivering any written notice (or any other material notice) to a PIPE Investor with respect to any PIPE Subscription Agreement, deliver such notice to the Company and GAMC for their prior review and consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) and (iii) promptly, and in any event, within two (2) Business Days following the Company’s or GAMC’s reasonable request, deliver the Closing Notice (as such term (or similar term) will be defined in the PIPE Subscription Agreement) to the PIPE Investors if conditions to the delivery of such notice under the PIPE Subscription Agreement have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof and all of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Article IX have been satisfied or waived (other than those conditions that, by their nature, are to be satisfied at the Closing, but that would, as of such date, reasonably be expected to be satisfied if the Closing were to occur).
(d) Upon the request of the Company following the date hereof and prior to the Closing, GAMC shall deliver to the Company any additional PIPE Subscription Agreements executed by GAMC and any Regulated Stockholders, in a form substantially similar to the form for Regulated Stockholders attached hereto as Exhibit D, pursuant to which the Regulated Stockholder(s) shall commit to purchase, and GAMC shall commit to sell, on the terms and conditions set forth therein, shares of GAMC Class A Common Stock.
64
Section 7.21 GAMC Extension.
(a) The Company acknowledges that GAMC filed a proxy statement (as amended, the “GAMC Extension Proxy Statement”) and on March 15, 2023, received approval from GAMC’s stockholders of an amendment to the GAMC Organizational Documents, including its certificate of incorporation, pursuant to which the deadline by which GAMC must complete its initial business combination (the “GAMC Business Combination Deadline”) was extended for up to an additional nine one-month periods, from March 19, 2023 to up to December 19, 2023, and upon the exercise of each such extension of the GAMC Business Combination Deadline, GAMC will deposit into the Trust Account an amount set forth in the GAMC Extension Proxy Statement for each share of GAMC Common Stock that remains outstanding.
(b) Unless the Closing has occurred or this Agreement shall have otherwise been terminated in accordance with the provisions set forth in Section 9.01, (i) prior to December 19, 2023, GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to make, or cause Sponsor to make, the deposits into the Trust Account necessary to extend the GAMC Business Combination Deadline to December 19, 2023 as set forth in the GAMC Extension Proxy Statement and the GAMC Organizational Documents and (ii) GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take any and all actions necessary, including filing a proxy statement, amending the GAMC Organizational Documents and obtaining the necessary approval from GAMC’s stockholders, to extend the GAMC Business Combination Deadline (each extension in clause (i) and (ii), a “GAMC Extension”) until the Outside Date or another date mutually agreed in writing between GAMC and the Company.
Section 7.22 GAMC Public Filings. From the date hereof through the Effective Time, GAMC shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep current and timely file all reports required to be filed or furnished with the SEC and otherwise comply in all material respects with its reporting obligations under applicable Laws.
Section 7.23 Stockholder Litigation. In the event that any litigation related to this Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or the Transactions is brought, or, to the knowledge of GAMC, threatened in writing, against GAMC or the Board of Directors of GAMC by any of GAMC’s stockholders prior to the Closing, GAMC shall promptly notify the Company of any such litigation and keep the Company reasonably informed with respect to the status thereof. GAMC shall provide the Company the opportunity to participate in (subject to a customary joint defense agreement) the defense of any such litigation, shall give due consideration to the Company’s advice with respect to such litigation and shall not settle or agree to settle any such litigation without the prior written consent of the Company, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed.
Section 7.24 Ginkgo Indebtedness. Between the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, the Company shall use reasonable best efforts to restructure its outstanding indebtedness with Ginkgo prior to the Closing on terms as least as favorable to the Company as those made available to GAMC prior to the date hereof.
65
Article VIII.
CONDITIONS TO THE MERGER
Section 8.01 Conditions to the Obligations of Each Party. The obligations of the Company, GAMC and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible), at or prior to the Closing of the following conditions:
(a) GAMC Stockholder Approval. The GAMC Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained.
(b) Company Stockholder Approval. The Company Stockholder Approval shall have been obtained.
(c) No Order. There shall not (i) be in force any Law, regulation, judgment, decree, executive order or award entered by any Governmental Authority enjoining or prohibiting the consummation of the Merger; provided, that the Governmental Authority issuing such Law, regulation, judgement, decree, executive order or award has jurisdiction over the parties hereto with respect to the Transactions, or (ii) have been adopted following the date hereof any Law that would result in the consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger, being illegal or otherwise prohibited.
(d) Antitrust Approvals and Waiting Periods. All required filings under the HSR Act shall have been completed and any applicable waiting period (and any extension thereof) applicable to the consummation of the Transactions under the HSR Act shall have expired or been terminated, and any pre-Closing approvals or clearances reasonably required thereunder shall have been obtained.
(e) Registration Statement. The Registration Statement shall have been declared effective under the Securities Act. No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceedings for purposes of suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been initiated or be threatened by the SEC.
(f) Stock Exchange Listing. The New GAMC Common Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement shall have been approved for listing on the Nasdaq, or such other national securities exchange mutually acceptable to GAMC and the Company, subject only to official notice of issuance thereof.
Section 8.02 Conditions to the Obligations of GAMC and Merger Sub. The obligations of GAMC and Merger Sub to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible), at or prior to the Closing, of the following additional conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.01 (Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries), Section 4.04 (Authority Relative to this Agreement), Section 4.08(b) (Absence of Certain Changes or Events) and Section 4.24 (Brokers) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. The representations and warranties of the Company contained in Section 4.03 (Capitalization), shall be true and correct in all respects other than de minimis inaccuracies as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. All other representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “Company Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) in all respects as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date, except (i) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (ii) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in a Company Material Adverse Effect.
66
(b) Agreements and Covenants. The Company shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Effective Time.
(c) Officer Certificate. The Company shall have delivered to GAMC a certificate, dated the date of the Closing, signed by an officer of the Company, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 8.02(a), Section 8.02(b) and Section 8.02(d).
(d) Material Adverse Effect. No Company Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date that is continuing as of the Closing Date.
(e) Resignation. Other than those persons identified as continuing directors prior to Closing, all members of the Company Board shall have executed written resignations effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.
(f) Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement. All parties to the Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement (other than GAMC and the holders of equity securities of GAMC prior to the Closing contemplated to be party thereto) shall have delivered, or cause to be delivered, to GAMC a copy of the Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement duly executed by all such parties.
(g) FIRPTA Tax Certificates. On or prior to the Closing, the Company shall deliver to GAMC the certificate and notice provided for in Section 7.10(c) of this Agreement.
(h) Payment Spreadsheet. The Company shall have delivered to GAMC the Payment Spreadsheet in accordance with Section 3.01(a).
Section 8.03 Conditions to the Obligations of the Company. The obligations of the Company to consummate the Transactions, including the Merger, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver (where permissible) at or prior to Closing of the following additional conditions:
(a) Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties of GAMC contained in Section 5.01 (Corporation Organization), Section 5.04 (Authority Relative to this Agreement), Section 5.08(b) (Absence of Certain Changes or Events) and Section 5.12 (Brokers) shall each be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. The representations and warranties of GAMC contained in Section 5.03 (Capitalization) shall be true and correct in all respects other than de minimis inaccuracies as of the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date, except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date. All other representations and warranties of GAMC contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct (without giving any effect to any limitation as to “materiality” or “GAMC Material Adverse Effect” or any similar limitation set forth therein) in all respects as of the Closing Date, as though made on and as of the Closing Date, except (i) to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct as of such earlier date and (ii) where the failure of such representations and warranties to be true and correct (whether as of the Closing Date or such earlier date), taken as a whole, does not result in an GAMC Material Adverse Effect.
67
(b) Agreements and Covenants. GAMC and Merger Sub shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all agreements and covenants required by this Agreement to be performed or complied with by it on or prior to the Effective Time.
(c) Officer Certificate. GAMC shall have delivered to the Company a certificate, dated as of the date of the Closing, signed by the President of GAMC, certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions specified in Section 8.03(a) and Section 8.03(b).
(d) Material Adverse Effect. No GAMC Material Adverse Effect shall have occurred between the date of this Agreement and the Closing Date that is continuing as of the Closing Date.
(e) Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement. GAMC and the holders of equity securities of GAMC prior to the Closing contemplated to be party thereto shall have delivered a copy of the Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement duly executed by GAMC.
(f) Resignations. Other than those persons identified as continuing directors prior to Closing, the officers of GAMC and the members of the GAMC Board shall have executed written resignations effective as of immediately prior to the Effective Time.
Article IX.
TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger and the other Transactions may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, notwithstanding any Requisite Approval and adoption of this Agreement and the Transactions by the stockholders of the Company or GAMC, as follows:
(a) by mutual written consent of GAMC and the Company; or
(b) by either GAMC or the Company, by written notice to the other party if the Effective Time shall not have occurred prior to July 4, 2024 (the “Outside Date”); provided, that this Agreement may not be terminated under this Section 9.01(b) by or on behalf of any party if such party’s breach of any of its obligations under this Agreement is the principal cause of the failure of the Effective Time to have occurred before the Outside Date; or
(c) by either GAMC or the Company, by written notice to the other party, if any Governmental Authority in the United States shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any injunction, order, decree or ruling which has become final and non-appealable and has the effect of making consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger, illegal or otherwise preventing or prohibiting consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger; provided, that the Governmental Authority issuing such injunction, order, decree or ruling has jurisdiction over the parties hereto with respect to the Transactions; provided, further, that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 9.01(c) shall not be available to a party if such party’s breach of any of its obligations under this Agreement is the principal cause of the existence or occurrence of any fact or circumstance but for the existence or occurrence of which the consummation of the Transactions, including the Merger, would not be illegal or otherwise prevented or prohibited; or
68
(d) by either GAMC or the Company, by written notice to the other party, if the (i) GAMC Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained by reason of failure to obtain the requisite vote for approval at the GAMC Stockholders’ Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof or (ii) Company Stockholder Approval shall not have been obtained within five (5) Business Days after the Registration Statement is declared effective under the Securities Act; or
(e) by the Company, by written notice to GAMC, following a Modification in Recommendation; or
(f) by the Company, by written notice to GAMC, if a GAMC Extension is not effected in accordance with Section 7.21 and GAMC must liquidate in accordance with the GAMC Organizational Documents; or
(g) by GAMC, upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of the Company set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of the Company shall have become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.02(a) and 8.02(b) would not be satisfied (“Terminating Company Breach”); provided that GAMC has not waived such Terminating Company Breach and GAMC and Merger Sub are not then in material breach of their representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement; provided, further, that, if such Terminating Company Breach is curable by the Company, GAMC may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.01(g) for so long as the Company continues to exercise its reasonable efforts to cure such breach, unless such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after notice of such breach is provided by GAMC to the Company; or
(h) by the Company, upon a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement on the part of GAMC and Merger Sub set forth in this Agreement, or if any representation or warranty of GAMC and Merger Sub shall have become untrue, in either case such that the conditions set forth in Sections 8.03(a) and 8.03(b) would not be satisfied (“Terminating GAMC Breach”); provided that the Company has not waived such Terminating GAMC Breach and the Company is not then in material breach of their representations, warranties, covenants or agreements in this Agreement; provided, further, that, if such Terminating GAMC Breach is curable by GAMC and Merger Sub, the Company may not terminate this Agreement under this Section 9.01(h) for so long as GAMC and Merger Sub continue to exercise their reasonable efforts to cure such breach, unless such breach is not cured within thirty (30) days after notice of such breach is provided by the Company to GAMC.
Section 9.02 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9.01, this Agreement shall forthwith become null and void, and there shall be no liability under this Agreement on the part of any party hereto, except as set forth in this Section 9.02, Article X, any corresponding definitions set forth in Article I and the Confidentiality Agreement, or in the case of termination subsequent to a willful material breach of this Agreement by a party hereto.
Section 9.03 Expenses.
(a) If the Closing occurs, GAMC shall pay or cause to be paid the Unpaid Company Transaction Expenses and Unpaid GAMC Transaction Expenses in accordance with Section 3.04. If the Merger and the other Transactions shall not be consummated, except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, each party hereto shall be responsible for and pay its own expenses (including the fees and expenses of any outside counsel, agents, advisors, consultants, experts, financial advisors and other service providers) incurred in connection with this Agreement and the Transactions; provided, that (i) all GAMC Transaction Expenses shall be borne by GAMC and (ii) all Company Transaction Expenses shall be borne by the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, any payments to be made (or to cause to be made) by GAMC pursuant to this Section 9.03 shall be paid upon consummation of the Merger and release of proceeds from the Trust Account.
69
Section 9.04 Amendment. This Agreement may be amended in writing by the parties hereto at any time prior to the Effective Time; provided, however, that any amendment to this Agreement made subsequent to the adoption of this Agreement by the stockholders of the Company shall not alter or change any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement if such alteration or change would adversely affect the holders of shares of Company Capital Stock. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by each of the parties hereto.
Section 9.05 Waiver. At any time prior to the Effective Time, (i) GAMC may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of the Company, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein or in any document delivered by the Company pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of the Company or any condition to its own obligations contained herein and (ii) the Company may (a) extend the time for the performance of any obligation or other act of GAMC or Merger Sub, (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties of GAMC or Merger Sub contained herein or in any document delivered by GAMC and/or Merger Sub pursuant hereto and (c) waive compliance with any agreement of GAMC or Merger Sub or any condition to its own obligations contained herein. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby.
Article X.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 10.01 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) electronically by email and physically by registered or certified mail (postage prepaid, return receipt requested) or delivery in person to the respective parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be specified in a notice given in accordance with this Section 10.01):
if to GAMC or Merger Sub:
Golden Arrow Merger Corp.
10 E. 53rd Street, 13th Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attention: Timothy Babich
Email: tim.babich@nexxus-holdings.com
with a copy to:
Greenberg Traurig, LLP
One Vanderbilt Ave
New York, NY 10017
Attention: Alan Annex, Jason Simon and Adam Namoury
Email: alan.annex@gtlaw.com; simonj@gtlaw.com; adam.namoury@gtlaw.com
if to the Company:
Bolt Threads, Inc.
2222 Fifth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
Attention: Dan Widmaier
Email: dan@boltthreads.com
70
with a copy to:
Latham & Watkins LLP
505 Montgomery Street, Suite 2000
San Francisco, CA 94111 Attention: Haim Zaltzman, Jim Morrone, Drew Capurro
Email: Haim.Zaltzman@lw.com; Jim.Morrone@lw.com; Drew Capurro@lw.com
Section 10.02 Nonsurvival of Representations, Warranties and Covenants. Except in the case of claims against a party in respect of such party’s actual fraud, none of the representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or other agreements in this Agreement or in any certificate, statement or instrument delivered pursuant to this Agreement, including any rights arising out of any breach of such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations, agreements and other provisions, shall survive the Closing and all such representations, warranties, covenants, obligations or other agreements shall terminate and expire upon the occurrence of the Closing (and there shall be no liability after the Closing in respect thereof), except for (a) those covenants and agreements contained herein that by their terms expressly apply in whole or in part after the Closing and then only with respect to any breaches occurring after the Closing, (b) this Article X and (c) any corresponding definitions set forth in Article I.
Section 10.03 Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of law, or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the Transactions is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner in order that the Transactions be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible.
Section 10.04 Entire Agreement; Assignment. This Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements constitute the entire agreement among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede, except as set forth in Section 7.03(b), all prior agreements and undertakings, both written and oral, among the parties, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof, except for the Confidentiality Agreement. This Agreement shall not be assigned (whether pursuant to a merger, by operation of law or otherwise) by any party without the prior express written consent of the other parties hereto.
Section 10.05 Parties in Interest. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each party hereto, and nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to or shall confer upon any other person any right, benefit or remedy of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Agreement, other than Section 7.06 (which is intended to be for the benefit of the persons covered thereby and may be enforced by such persons).
Section 10.06 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the Laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts executed in and to be performed in that State. All Actions arising out of or relating to this Agreement shall be heard and determined exclusively in any Delaware Chancery Court; provided, that if jurisdiction is not then available in the Delaware Chancery Court, then any such legal Action may be brought in any federal court located in the State of Delaware or any other Delaware state court. The parties hereto hereby (a) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts for themselves and with respect to their respective properties for the purpose of any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement brought by any party hereto, and (b) agree not to commence any Action relating thereto except in the courts described above in Delaware, other than Actions in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce any judgment, decree or award rendered by any such court in Delaware as described herein. Each of the parties further agrees that notice as provided herein shall constitute sufficient service of process and the parties further waive any argument that such service is insufficient. Each of the parties hereby irrevocably and unconditionally waives, and agrees not to assert, by way of motion or as a defense, counterclaim or otherwise, in any Action arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in Delaware as described herein for any reason, (b) that it or its property is exempt or immune from jurisdiction of any such court or from any legal process commenced in such courts (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution of judgment, execution of judgment or otherwise) and (c) that (i) the Action in any such court is brought in an inconvenient forum, (ii) the venue of such Action is improper or (iii) this Agreement, or the subject matter hereof, may not be enforced in or by such courts.
71
Section 10.07 Waiver of Jury Trial. Each of the parties hereto hereby waives to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law any right it may have to a trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement or the Transactions. Each of the parties hereto (a) certifies that no Representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce that foregoing waiver and (b) acknowledges that it and the other party hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement and the Transactions, as applicable, by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this Section 10.07.
Section 10.08 Headings. The descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
Section 10.09 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile or portable document format (pdf) transmission) in one or more counterparts, and by the different parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when executed shall be deemed to be an original but all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
Section 10.10 Specific Performance. The parties agree that irreparable damage would occur if any provision of this Agreement were not performed in accordance with the terms hereof, and, accordingly, that the parties shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law, be entitled to an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches of this Agreement or to enforce specifically the performance of the terms and provisions hereof (including the parties’ obligation to consummate the Merger) in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if that court does not have jurisdiction, any court of the United States located in the State of Delaware without proof of actual damages or otherwise, in addition to any other remedy to which they are entitled at law or in equity as expressly permitted in this Agreement. Each of the parties hereby further waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law (a) any defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate and (b) any requirement under any Law to post security or a bond as a prerequisite to obtaining equitable relief.
Section 10.11 Legal Representation.
(a) GAMC hereby agrees on behalf of its directors, members, partners, officers, employees and affiliates (including after the Closing, the Company and its subsidiaries), and each of their respective successors and assigns (all such parties, the “GAMC Waiving Parties”), that Latham & Watkins LLP may represent the Company or its subsidiaries or any of their respective directors, managers, members, partners, officers, employees or affiliates, in each case, in connection with any Action or obligation arising out of or relating to this Agreement, notwithstanding its representation (or any continued representation) of the Company or its subsidiaries or other GAMC Waiving Parties, and each of GAMC and the Company on behalf of itself and the GAMC Waiving Parties hereby consents thereto and irrevocably waives (and will not assert) any conflict of interest, breach of duty or any other objection arising therefrom or relating thereto. GAMC and the Company acknowledge that the foregoing provision applies whether or not Latham & Watkins LLP provides legal services to any of the Company and its subsidiaries after the Closing Date.
72
(b) The Company hereby agrees on behalf of its directors, managers, members, partners, officers, employees and affiliates, and each of their respective successors and assigns (all such parties, the “Company Waiving Parties”), that Greenberg Traurig, LLP may represent Sponsor or any of their respective directors, members, partners, officers, employees or affiliates, in each case, in connection with any Action or obligation arising out of or relating to this Agreement, notwithstanding its representation (or any continued representation) of GAMC or other Company Waiving Parties, and the Company on behalf of itself and the Company Waiving Parties hereby consents thereto and irrevocably waives (and will not assert) any conflict of interest, breach of duty or any other objection arising therefrom or relating thereto. The Company acknowledges that the foregoing provision applies whether or not Greenberg Traurig, LLP provides legal services to GAMC or Sponsor after the Closing Date.
Section 10.12 No Recourse. Except in the case of claims against a person in respect of such person’s actual fraud:
(a) Notwithstanding anything that may be expressed or implied in this Agreement, this Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claim or cause of action based upon, arising out of, or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may only be brought against, the entities that are expressly named as parties hereto, and then only with respect to the specific obligations set forth herein with respect to such party.
(b) Except to the extent a named party to this Agreement (and then only to the extent of the specific obligations undertaken by such named party in this Agreement), (a) no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, affiliate, agent, attorney, advisor or representative or affiliate of any named party to this Agreement and (b) no past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, partner, stockholder, affiliate, agent, attorney, advisor or representative or affiliate of any of the foregoing shall have any liability (whether in contract, tort, equity or otherwise) for any one or more of the representations, warranties, covenants, agreements or other obligations or liabilities of any one or more of the Company, GAMC or Merger Sub under this Agreement of or for any claim based on, arising out of, or related to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(c) The provisions of this Section 10.12 are intended to be for the benefit of, and enforceable by the former, current and future direct or indirect equityholders, controlling persons, shareholders, optionholders, members, general or limited partners, affiliates, Representatives, and each of their respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto and each such person shall be a third-party beneficiary of this Section 10.12. This Section 10.12 shall be binding on all successors and assigns of parties hereto.
Section 10.13 Company Disclosure Schedule and GAMC Disclosure Schedule. The Company Disclosure Schedule and the GAMC Disclosure Schedule (each, a “Disclosure Schedule”) (including, in each case, any section thereof) referenced herein are a part of this Agreement as if fully set forth herein. All references herein to the Company Disclosure Schedule and/or the GAMC Disclosure Schedule (including, in each case, any section thereof) shall be deemed references to such parts of this Agreement, unless the context shall otherwise require. Any disclosure made by a party in the applicable Disclosure Schedule, or any section thereof, with reference to any section of this Agreement or section of the applicable Disclosure Schedule shall be deemed to be a disclosure with respect to such other applicable sections of this Agreement or sections of applicable Disclosure Schedule if it is reasonably apparent on the face of such disclosure (even if not expressly stated) that such disclosure is responsive to such other section of this Agreement or section of the applicable Disclosure Schedule. Certain information set forth in the Disclosure Schedules is included solely for informational purposes and may not be required to be disclosed pursuant to this Agreement. The disclosure of any information shall not be deemed to constitute an acknowledgment that such information is required to be disclosed in connection with the representations and warranties made in this Agreement, nor shall such information be deemed to establish a standard of materiality.
[Signature Page Follows.]
73
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, GAMC, Merger Sub, and the Company have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized.
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP. | ||
By | /s/ Timothy Babich | |
Name: | Timothy Babich | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
BEAM Merger Sub, INC. | ||
By | /s/ Timothy Babich | |
Name: | Timothy Babich | |
Title: | President |
Bolt Threads, Inc. | ||
By | /s/ Daniel Widmaier | |
Name: | Daniel Widmaier | |
Title: | Chief Executive Officer |
74
EXHIBIT A
Form of Registration Rights and Lock-Up Agreement
FORM OF AMENDED AND RESTATED
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of [ ● ], 202[ ], is made and entered into by and among Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) (formerly known as Golden Arrow Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation)), Golden Arrow Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”), the independent directors of the Company identified on the signature pages hereto (each, a “GAMC Independent Director” and, collectively, the “GAMC Independent Directors” and, together with any of their or the Sponsor’s respective Permitted Transferees, the “GAMC Holders” and each, a “GAMC Holder”), certain former securityholders of Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Bolt”) identified on the signature pages hereto (such holders, the “Bolt Holders” and, collectively with the Sponsor, the GAMC Holders and any person or entity who hereafter becomes a party to this Agreement pursuant to Section 6.2 of this Agreement, the “Holders” and each, a “Holder”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the Company, the Sponsor and the GAMC Independent Directors are party to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021 (the “Original RRA”);
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into that certain Business Combination Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2023 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “Merger Agreement”), by and among the Company, Beam Merger Sub, Inc. and Bolt;
WHEREAS, on the date hereof, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Bolt Holders will receive shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”), of the Company;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 5.8 of the Original RRA, the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth therein may be amended or modified upon the written consent of the Company and the Holders (as defined in the Original RRA) of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities (as defined in the Original RRA) at the time in question, and the Sponsor is the Holder of at least a majority-in-interest of the Registrable Securities as of the date hereof; and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Sponsor desire to amend and restate the Original RRA in its entirety and enter into this Agreement, pursuant to which the Company shall grant the Holders certain registration rights with respect to certain securities of the Company, as set forth in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, covenants and agreements contained herein, and certain other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 Definitions. The terms defined in this Article I shall, for all purposes of this Agreement, have the respective meanings set forth below:
“Adverse Disclosure” shall mean any public disclosure of material non-public information, which disclosure, in the good faith judgment of the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, after consultation with counsel to the Company, (i) would be required to be made in any Registration Statement or Prospectus in order for the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus not to contain any Misstatement, (ii) would not be required to be made at such time if the Registration Statement were not being filed, declared effective or used, as the case may be, and (iii) the Company has a bona fide business purpose for not making such information public.
“Affiliate” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Exchange Act.
“Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Block Trade” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.1.
“Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Bolt” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Bolt Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Change of Control” means any transaction or series of transactions (A) the result of which is that a Person or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons (other than the Company or any of its Subsidiaries), has direct or indirect beneficial ownership of securities (or rights convertible or exchangeable into securities) representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the voting power of or economic rights or interests in the then-outstanding equity securities of the Company, (B) constituting a merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination, however effected, following which either (1) the members of the Board immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination do not constitute at least a majority of the Board surviving the combination or (2) the voting securities of the Company immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination do not continue to represent or are not converted into fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of the Person resulting from such combination, or (C) the result of which is (i) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (as appearing in its most recent balance sheet), or assets of the Company generating all or substantially all of the gross revenues or net income (as appearing in its most recent income statement), to any Person or (ii) that shares of Common Stock are delisted from the principal securities exchange or securities market on which such shares of Common Stock are then traded prior to the consummation of such transaction(s).
2
“Closing” shall have the meaning given in the Merger Agreement.
“Closing Date” shall have the meaning given in the Merger Agreement.
“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Common Stock” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Company” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto and includes the Company’s successors by recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization or similar transaction.
“Demanding Holder” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as it may be amended from time to time.
“Excise Tax Liability” means any excise tax liability of the Company for 2023 under Section 4501 of the Internal Revenue Code arising from redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by the Company’s stockholders.
“Excluded Shares” mean (a) any shares purchased pursuant to a PIPE Subscription Agreement and (b) any Common Stock acquired in the open market or otherwise from a Person other than a stockholder of Bolt immediately prior to the Closing.
“Form S-1 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.
“Form S-3 Shelf” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.1.
“GAMC Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“GAMC Independent Directors” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“GAMC Majority Holders” shall mean the GAMC Holders holding in the aggregate a majority of the Registrable Securities then held by all of the GAMC Holders.
“Holder Information” shall have the meaning given in Section 4.1.2.
“Holders” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto, for so long as such person or entity holds any Registrable Securities.
“Immediate Family” means with respect to any Person, such Person’s spouse or partner (or former spouse or former partner), ancestors, descendants (whether by blood, marriage or adoption) or spouse of a descendant of such Person, brothers and sisters (whether by blood, marriage or adoption) and inter vivos or testamentary trusts of which only such Person and his spouse, ancestors, descendants (whether by blood, marriage or adoption), brothers and sisters (whether by blood, marriage or adoption) are beneficiaries.
3
“Independent Directors” means the independent directors of the Company prior to the Closing.
“Insider Trading Policy” means the insider trading policy or equivalent policy of the Company, as amended from time to time.
“Lock-up” shall have the meaning given in Section 5.1.
“Lock-up Period” shall mean (a) with respect to the Lock-up Shares, the period beginning on the Closing Date and ending on the date that is six (6) months after the Closing Date and (b) with respect to the Warrants or any shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the conversion or exercise of the Warrants, thirty (30) days after the Closing Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that a definitive agreement that contemplates a Change of Control is entered into after the Closing, the Lock-up Period for any Lock-up Shares shall automatically terminate immediately prior to the consummation of such Change of Control. For the avoidance of doubt, no Lock-up Shares shall be subject to the lock-up restrictions in this Article V from and after the date that is six (6) months after the Closing Date.
“Lock-up Shares” shall mean, with respect to any Holder and such Holder’s Permitted Transferees, (A) the shares of Common Stock held by such Person immediately following the Closing and (B) the shares of Common Stock issuable to such Person upon the settlement or exercise of restricted stock units, stock options or other equity awards outstanding as of immediately following the Closing in respect of awards of Common Stock, in each case of the foregoing clauses (A) and (B), other than any Excluded Shares.
“Maximum Number of Securities” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.5.
“Merger Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Minimum Takedown Threshold” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Misstatement” shall mean an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact required to be stated in a Registration Statement or Prospectus or necessary to make the statements in a Registration Statement or Prospectus (in the case of a Prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading.
“Original RRA” shall have the meaning given in the Recitals hereto.
“Other Coordinated Offering” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.4.1.
“Permitted Transferees” shall mean (a) with respect to the Sponsor, the GAMC Independent Directors, the Bolt Holders and each of their respective Permitted Transferees, (i) prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities prior to the expiration of the Lock-up Period pursuant to Section 5.2 and (ii) after the expiration of the Lock-up Period, any person or entity to whom such Holder is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities, subject to and in accordance with any applicable agreement between such Holder and/or their respective Permitted Transferees and the Company and any transferee thereafter; and (b) with respect to all other Holders and their respective Permitted Transferees, any person or entity to whom such Holder of Registrable Securities is permitted to transfer such Registrable Securities, subject to and in accordance with any applicable agreement between such Holder and/or their respective Permitted Transferees and the Company and any transferee thereafter.
4
“Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, governmental authority or instrumentality or other entity of any kind.
“Piggyback Registration” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.2.1.
“PIPE Subscription Agreement” shall have the meaning given in the Merger Agreement.
“Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus included in any Registration Statement, as supplemented by any and all prospectus supplements and as amended by any and all post-effective amendments and including all material incorporated by reference in such prospectus.
“Registrable Security” shall mean (a) any outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other equity security (including the Warrants and shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Warrants or any other equity security, including for the avoidance of doubt, the shares of Common Stock underlying shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Independent Directors, or any warrants or shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any Working Capital Loans) of the Company held by a Holder immediately following the Closing (including any securities distributable pursuant to the Merger Agreement); (b) any outstanding shares of Common Stock or any other equity security (including the Warrants and shares of Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the Warrants or any other equity security, including for the avoidance of doubt, the shares of Common Stock underlying shares of Class B Common Stock held by the Independent Directors, or any warrants or shares of Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any Working Capital Loans) of the Company acquired by a Holder following the date hereof to the extent that such securities are “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) or are otherwise held by an “affiliate” (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company; (c) any Additional Holder Common Stock; and (d) any other equity security of the Company or any of its subsidiaries issued or issuable with respect to any securities referenced in clause (a), (b) or (c) above by way of a stock dividend or stock split or in connection with a recapitalization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, reorganization, exchange, or similar transaction; provided, however, that, as to any particular Registrable Security, such securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities upon the earliest to occur of: (A) a Registration Statement with respect to the sale of such securities shall have become effective under the Securities Act and such securities shall have been sold, transferred, disposed of or exchanged in accordance with such Registration Statement by the applicable Holder; (B) (i) such securities shall have been otherwise transferred (other than to Permitted Transferees), (ii) new certificates for such securities not bearing (or book entry positions not subject to) a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and (iii) subsequent public distribution of such securities shall not require registration under the Securities Act; (C) such securities shall have ceased to be outstanding; (D) such securities may be sold without registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(1) under the Securities (and without restriction under Rule 145 under the Securities Act) or pursuant to Rule 144 or any successor rule promulgated under the Securities Act (but with no volume or other restrictions or limitations as to manner or timing of sale imposed on Holder pursuant to Rule 144(b)(2)); and (E) such securities have been sold to, or through, a broker, dealer or underwriter in a public distribution or other public securities transaction.
5
“Registration” shall mean a registration, including any related Shelf Takedown, effected by preparing and filing a registration statement, Prospectus or similar document in compliance with the requirements of the Securities Act, and the applicable rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and such registration statement becoming effective.
“Registration Expenses” shall mean the documented, out-of-pocket expenses of a Registration, including, without limitation, the following:
(A) all registration and filing fees (including fees with respect to filings required to be made with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.) and any national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed;
(B) fees and expenses of compliance with securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of outside counsel for the Underwriters in connection with blue sky qualifications of Registrable Securities);
(C) printing, messenger, telephone and delivery expenses;
(D) reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company;
(E) reasonable fees and disbursements of all independent registered public accountants of the Company incurred specifically in connection with such Registration, including the expenses of any special audits and/or “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance;
(F) in an Underwritten Offering or Other Coordinated Offering, reasonable fees and expenses not to exceed $50,000 in the aggregate for each Registration of one (1) legal counsel selected by the majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders with the approval of the Company, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld;
(G) costs and expenses of the Company relating to analyst and investor presentations or any “road show” undertaken in connection with any Registration and/or marketing of the Registrable Securities; and
(H) any other fees and disbursements customarily paid by the issuers of securities, excluding in any case, any underwriting fees payable to a third party in connection with such issuance.
“Registration Statement” shall mean any registration statement that covers Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, including the Prospectus included in such registration statement, amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to such registration statement, and all exhibits to and all material incorporated by reference in such registration statement.
6
“Securities Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.
“Shelf” shall mean the Form S-1 Shelf, the Form S-3 Shelf or any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be.
“Shelf Registration” shall mean a registration of securities pursuant to a registration statement filed with the Commission in accordance with and pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect).
“Shelf Takedown” shall mean an Underwritten Shelf Takedown or any proposed transfer or sale using a Registration Statement, including a Piggyback Registration.
“Sponsor” shall have the meaning given in the Preamble hereto.
“Sponsor Support Agreement” means that certain Sponsor Support Agreement, dated as of October 4, 2023, by and among the Sponsor, the Company and Bolt.
“Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.2.
“Trading Day” means any day on which shares of Common Stock are actually traded on the principal securities exchange or securities market on which shares of Common Stock are then traded.
“Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale or assignment of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b).
“Underwriter” shall mean a securities dealer who purchases any Registrable Securities as principal in an Underwritten Offering and not as part of such dealer’s market-making activities.
“Underwritten Offering” shall mean a Registration in which securities of the Company are sold to an Underwriter in a firm commitment underwriting for distribution to the public.
“Underwritten Shelf Takedown” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.4.
“Warrants” means the outstanding warrants, each exercisable for one share of Common Stock, to purchase an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock, issued to the Sponsor pursuant to that certain Private Placement Warrants Purchase Agreement, dated March 16, 2021, by and between the Sponsor and the Company.
“Withdrawal Notice” shall have the meaning given in Section 2.1.6.
“Working Capital Loans” means the working capital loans as described in the Company’s final prospectus filed with the Commission in connection with its initial public offering.
7
ARTICLE II
REGISTRATIONS AND OFFERINGS
2.1 Shelf Registration.
2.1.1 Filing. Within thirty (30) calendar days following the Closing Date, the Company shall submit to or file with the Commission a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-1 (the “Form S-1 Shelf”) or a Registration Statement for a Shelf Registration on Form S-3 (the “Form S-3 Shelf”), if the Company is then eligible to use a Form S-3 Shelf, in each case, covering the resale of all the Registrable Securities (determined as of two (2) business days prior to such submission or filing) on a delayed or continuous basis and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to have such Shelf declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (a) the sixtieth (60th) calendar day following the filing date thereof, which shall be extended to the ninetieth (90th) calendar day following the filing date thereof if the Commission notifies the Company that it will “review” the Registration Statement and (b) the fifth (5th) business day after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review. Such Shelf shall provide for the resale of the Registrable Securities included therein pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, any Holder named therein. The Company shall maintain a Shelf in accordance with the terms hereof, and shall prepare and file with the Commission such amendments, including post-effective amendments, and supplements as may be necessary to keep a Shelf continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act, including by filing a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2.1.2, until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. In the event the Company files a Form S-1 Shelf, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) convert the Form S-1 Shelf (and any Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement) to a Form S-3 Shelf or (ii) file a Form S-3 Shelf as the case may be, in each case, as soon as practicable after the Company is eligible to use Form S-3. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.1, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.
2.1.2 Subsequent Shelf Registration. If any Shelf ceases to be effective under the Securities Act for any reason at any time while Registrable Securities are still outstanding, the Company shall, subject to Section 3.4, use its commercially reasonable efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable cause such Shelf to again become effective under the Securities Act (including using its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the prompt withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf), and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as promptly as is reasonably practicable amend such Shelf in a manner reasonably expected to result in the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of such Shelf or file an additional registration statement as a Shelf Registration (a “Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement”) registering the resale of all Registrable Securities (determined as of two (2) business days prior to such filing), and pursuant to any method or combination of methods legally available to, and requested by, any Holder named therein. If a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement is filed, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to (i) cause such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act as promptly as is reasonably practicable after the filing thereof (it being agreed that the Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be an automatic shelf registration statement (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) if the Company is a well-known seasoned issuer (as defined in Rule 405 promulgated under the Securities Act) at the most recent applicable eligibility determination date) and (ii) keep such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, available for use to permit the Holders named therein to sell their Registrable Securities included therein and in compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act until such time as there are no longer any Registrable Securities. Any such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on Form S-3 to the extent that the Company is eligible to use such form. Otherwise, such Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be on another appropriate form. The Company’s obligation under this Section 2.1.2, shall, for the avoidance of doubt, be subject to Section 3.4.
8
2.1.3 Additional Registrable Securities. Subject to Section 3.4, in the event that any Holder holds Registrable Securities that are not registered for resale on a delayed or continuous basis, the Company, upon written request of the GAMC Majority Holders or a Bolt Holder, shall promptly use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the resale of such Registrable Securities to be covered by either, at the Company’s option, any then available Shelf (including by means of a post-effective amendment) or by filing a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement and cause the same to become effective as soon as practicable after such filing and such Shelf or Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement shall be subject to the terms hereof; provided, however, that the Company shall only be required to cause such Registrable Securities to be so covered twice per calendar year, once at the request of the GAMC Majority Holders, on the one hand, and once at the request of the Bolt Holders, collectively, on the other.
2.1.4 Requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns. Subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission, the GAMC Majority Holders or a Bolt Holder (any of the GAMC Majority Holders or a Bolt Holder being in such case, a “Demanding Holder”) may request to sell all or any portion of its Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering that is registered pursuant to the Shelf (each, an “Underwritten Shelf Takedown”); provided that the Company shall only be obligated to effect an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if such offering shall include Registrable Securities proposed to be sold by the Demanding Holder, either individually or together with other Demanding Holders, with an anticipated aggregate offering price, net of underwriting discounts and commissions, of at least $25 million (the “Minimum Takedown Threshold”). All requests for Underwritten Shelf Takedowns shall be made by giving written notice to the Company, which shall specify the approximate number of Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown. Subject to 2.4.4, the Company shall have the right to select the Underwriters for such offering (which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks), and to agree to the pricing and other terms of such offering, subject to the Company’s prior approval (which shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). The GAMC Majority Holders may collectively demand not more than two (2) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns and the Bolt Holders may collectively demand not more than two (2) Underwritten Shelf Takedowns, in each case, pursuant to this Section 2.1.4 in any twelve (12) month period. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company may effect any Underwritten Offering pursuant to any then effective Registration Statement, including a Form S-3, that is then available for such offering.
9
2.1.5 Reduction of Underwritten Offering. If the underwriter in an Underwritten Shelf Takedown advises the Demanding Holders in writing that marketing factors require a limitation of the number of shares to be underwritten, then the Demanding Holders shall so advise all Holders of Registrable Securities that would otherwise be underwritten pursuant hereto, and the number of shares of Registrable Securities that may be included in the underwriting (such maximum number of such securities, the “Maximum Number of Securities”) shall be allocated among all participating Holders thereof, including the Demanding Holders, in proportion (as nearly as practicable) to the amount of Registrable Securities of the Company owned by each participating Holder; provided, however, that the number of shares of Registrable Securities to be included in such underwriting shall not be reduced unless all other securities are first entirely excluded from the underwriting.
2.1.6 Withdrawal. Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used for marketing such Underwritten Shelf Takedown, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall have the right to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification (a “Withdrawal Notice”) to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Underwritten Shelf Takedown; provided that the GAMC Majority Holders or the Bolt Holders may elect to have the Company continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown if the Minimum Takedown Threshold would still be satisfied by the Registrable Securities proposed to be sold in the Underwritten Shelf Takedown by the GAMC Majority Holders the Bolt Holders or any of their respective Permitted Transferees, as applicable. If withdrawn, a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall constitute a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown by the withdrawing Demanding Holder for purposes of Section 2.1.4, unless either (i) such Demanding Holder has not previously withdrawn any Underwritten Shelf Takedown or (ii) such Demanding Holder reimburses the Company for all Registration Expenses with respect to such Underwritten Shelf Takedown (or, if there is more than one Demanding Holder, a pro rata portion of such Registration Expenses based on the respective number of Registrable Securities that each Demanding Holder has requested be included in such Underwritten Shelf Takedown); provided that, if the GAMC Majority Holders or the Bolt Holders elect to continue an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to the proviso in the immediately preceding sentence, such Underwritten Shelf Takedown shall instead count as an Underwritten Shelf Takedown demanded by the GAMC Majority Holders, the Bolt Holders, as applicable, for purposes of Section 2.1.4. Following the receipt of any Withdrawal Notice, the Company shall promptly forward such Withdrawal Notice to any other Holders that had elected to participate in such Shelf Takedown. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Shelf Takedown prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.1.6, other than if a Demanding Holder elects to pay such Registration Expenses pursuant to clause (ii) of the second sentence of this Section 2.1.6.
10
2.1.7 New Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the registration obligations set forth in this Section 2.1, in the event the Commission informs the Company that all of the Registrable Securities cannot, as a result of the application of Rule 415, be registered for resale as a secondary offering on a single registration statement, the Company agrees to promptly (i) inform each of the holders thereof and use its commercially reasonable efforts to file amendments to the Shelf Registration as required by the Commission and/or (ii) withdraw the Shelf Registration and file a new registration statement (a “New Registration Statement”), on Form S-3, or if Form S-3 is not then available to the Company for such registration statement, on such other form available to register for resale the Registrable Securities as a secondary offering; provided, however, that prior to filing such amendment or New Registration Statement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all of the Registrable Securities in accordance with any publicly-available written or oral guidance, comments, requirements or requests of the Commission staff (the “SEC Guidance”). Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any SEC Guidance sets forth a limitation of the number of Registrable Securities permitted to be registered on a particular Registration Statement as a secondary offering (and notwithstanding that the Company used commercially reasonable efforts to advocate with the Commission for the registration of all or a greater number of Registrable Securities), unless otherwise directed in writing by a Holder as to its Registrable Securities to register a lesser amount of Registrable Securities, the number of Registrable Securities to be registered on such Registration Statement will be reduced on a pro rata basis based on the total number of Registrable Securities held by the Holders. In the event the Company amends the Shelf Registration or files a New Registration Statement, as the case may be, under clauses (i) or (ii) above, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to file with the Commission, as promptly as allowed by Commission or SEC Guidance provided to the Company or to registrants of securities in general, one or more registration statements on Form S-3 or such other form available to register for resale those Registrable Securities that were not registered for resale on the Shelf Registration, as amended, or the New Registration Statement.
2.2 Piggyback Registration.
2.2.1 Piggyback Rights. If (but without any obligation to do so) the Company proposes to register (including for this purpose a registration effected by the Company for holders of capital stock other than the Holders), or a Demanding Holder in accordance with Section 2.1.4 proposes to conduct a registered offer of, or conduct a registered offering of, any of its stock under the Securities Act in connection with the public offering of such securities solely for cash (other than a registration relating solely to the sale of securities to participants in a Company stock plan or a transaction covered by Rule 145 under the Securities Act, a registration in which the only stock being registered is Common Stock issuable upon conversion of debt securities which are also being registered, or any registration on any form which does not include substantially the same information as would be required to be included in a registration statement covering the sale of the Registrable Securities), then the Company shall give written notice of such proposed offering to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities as soon as practicable but not less than ten (10) days before the anticipated filing date of such Registration Statement or, in the case of an Underwritten Offering pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used for marketing such offering, which notice shall (A) describe the amount and type of securities to be included in such offering, the intended method(s) of distribution, and the name of the proposed managing Underwriter or Underwriters, if any, in such offering, and (B) offer to all of the Holders of Registrable Securities the opportunity to include in such registered offering such number of Registrable Securities as such Holders may request in writing within five (5) days after receipt of such written notice (such registered offering, a “Piggyback Registration”). Subject to Section 2.2.2, the Company shall, in good faith, cause such Registrable Securities to be included in such Piggyback Registration and, if applicable, shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the managing Underwriter or Underwriters of such Piggyback Registration to permit the Registrable Securities requested by the Holders pursuant to this Section 2.2.1 to be included therein on the same terms and conditions as any similar securities of the Company included in such registered offering and to permit the sale or other disposition of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method(s) of distribution thereof. The inclusion of any Holder’s Registrable Securities in a Piggyback Registration shall be subject to such Holder agreeing to enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the Underwriter(s) selected for such Underwritten Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Holders shall have no rights under this Section 2.2.1 if the registration statement the Company proposes to file is solely for purposes of a delayed or continuous offering pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act and, at the time of the filing of such registration statement, the Company is in compliance with its obligations under Section 2.1.
11
2.2.2 Reduction of Piggyback Registration. If the total amount of securities, including Registrable Securities, requested by holders of Registrable Securities to be included in such offering exceeds the amount of securities sold other than by the Company that the underwriters determine in their sole discretion is compatible with the success of the offering, then the Company shall be required to include in the offering only that number of such securities, including Registrable Securities, which the underwriters determine in their sole discretion will not jeopardize the success of the offering (the securities so included to be apportioned pro rata among the selling security holders according to the total amount of securities entitled to be included therein owned by each selling security holder or in such other proportions as shall mutually be agreed to by such selling security holders). For purposes of the preceding parenthetical concerning apportionment, for any selling security holder which is a holder of Registrable Securities and which is a partnership or corporation, the partners, retired partners and holders of capital stock of such holder, or the estates and family members of any such partners and retired partners and any trusts for the benefit of any of the foregoing persons shall be deemed to be a single “selling security holder,” and any pro-rata reduction with respect to such “selling security holder” shall be based upon the aggregate amount of shares carrying registration rights owned by all entities and individuals included in such “selling security holder,” as defined in this sentence.
2.2.3 Piggyback Registration Withdrawal. Any Holder of Registrable Securities (other than a Demanding Holder, whose right to withdraw from an Underwritten Shelf Takedown, and related obligations, shall be governed by Section 2.1.6) shall have the right to withdraw from a Piggyback Registration for any or no reason whatsoever upon written notification to the Company and the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) of his, her or its intention to withdraw from such Piggyback Registration prior to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement filed with the Commission with respect to such Piggyback Registration or, in the case of a Piggyback Registration pursuant to a Shelf Registration, the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement with respect to such Piggyback Registration used for marketing such transaction. The Company (whether on its own good faith determination or as the result of a request for withdrawal by persons or entities pursuant to separate written contractual obligations) may withdraw a Registration Statement filed with the Commission in connection with a Piggyback Registration (which, in no circumstance, shall include a Shelf) at any time prior to the effectiveness of such Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (other than Section 2.1.6), the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with the Piggyback Registration prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.2.3.
12
2.2.4 Unlimited Piggyback Registration Rights. For purposes of clarity, subject to Section 2.1.6, any Piggyback Registration effected pursuant to Section 2.2 hereof shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown under Section 2.1.4 hereof.
2.3 Market Stand-off. In connection with any Underwritten Offering of equity securities of the Company (other than a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering), if requested by the managing Underwriters, each Holder that is an executive officer, director or Holder in excess of five percent (5%) of the outstanding Common Stock (and for which it is customary for such a Holder to agree to a lock-up) agrees that it shall not Transfer any shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (other than those included in such offering pursuant to this Agreement), without the prior written consent of the Company, during the ninety (90)-day period (or such shorter time agreed to by the managing Underwriters) beginning on the date of pricing of such offering, except as expressly permitted by such lock-up agreement or in the event the managing Underwriters otherwise agree by written consent. Each such Holder agrees to execute a customary lock-up agreement in favor of the Underwriters to such effect (in each case on substantially the same terms and conditions as all such Holders).
2.4 Block Trades; Other Coordinated Offerings.
2.4.1 Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article II, but subject to Section 3.4, at any time and from time to time when an effective Shelf is on file with the Commission, if a Demanding Holder wishes to engage in (a) an underwritten registered offering not involving a “roadshow,” an offer commonly known as a “block trade” (a “Block Trade”) or (b) an “at the market” or similar registered offering through a broker, sales agent or distribution agent, whether as agent or principal, (an “Other Coordinated Offering”), in each case, with an anticipated aggregate offering price of, either (x) at least $25 million or (y) all remaining Registrable Securities held by the Demanding Holder, then such Demanding Holder only needs to notify the Company of the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering at least five (5) business days prior to the day such offering is to commence and the Company shall as expeditiously as possible use its commercially reasonable efforts to facilitate such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering; provided that the Demanding Holders representing a majority of the Registrable Securities wishing to engage in the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall use commercially reasonable efforts to work with the Company and any Underwriters, brokers, sales agents or placement agents prior to making such request in order to facilitate preparation of the registration statement, prospectus and other offering documentation related to the Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Agreement is intended to limit a Holder’s ability to engage in broker-initiated or similar trades that are not underwritten offerings.
2.4.2 Prior to the filing of the applicable “red herring” prospectus or prospectus supplement used in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering, a majority-in-interest of the Demanding Holders initiating such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to submit a Withdrawal Notice to the Company, the Underwriter or Underwriters (if any) and any brokers, sale agents or placement agents (if any) of their intention to withdraw from such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the Company shall be responsible for the Registration Expenses incurred in connection with a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering prior to its withdrawal under this Section 2.4.2.
13
2.4.3 Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, Section 2.2 shall not apply to a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering initiated by a Demanding Holder pursuant to this Agreement.
2.4.4 The Demanding Holder in a Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering shall have the right to select the Underwriters and any brokers, sale agents or placement agents (if any) for such Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering (in each case, which shall consist of one or more reputable nationally recognized investment banks).
2.4.5 A Holder in the aggregate may demand no more than one (1) Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering pursuant to this Section 2.4 in any twelve (12) month period. For the avoidance of doubt, any Block Trade or Other Coordinated Offering effected pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall not be counted as a demand for an Underwritten Shelf Takedown pursuant to Section 2.1.4 hereof.
ARTICLE III
COMPANY PROCEDURES
3.1 General Procedures. In connection with any Shelf and/or Shelf Takedown, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such Registration to permit the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended plan of distribution thereof (and including all manners of distribution in such Registration Statement as Holders may reasonably request in connection with the filing of such Registration Statement and as permitted by law, including distribution of Registrable Securities to a Holder’s members, securityholders or partners), and pursuant thereto the Company shall, as expeditiously as possible:
3.1.1 prepare and file with the Commission as soon as practicable a Registration Statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective, or file a Subsequent Shelf Registration Statement, until all Registrable Securities have ceased to be Registrable Securities;
3.1.2 prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the Registration Statement, and such supplements to the Prospectus, as may be reasonably requested by any Holder that holds at least five percent (5%) of the Registrable Securities registered on such Registration Statement or any Underwriter of Registrable Securities or as may be required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company or by the Securities Act or rules and regulations thereunder to keep the Registration Statement effective until all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement are sold in accordance with the intended plan of distribution set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;
3.1.3 prior to filing a Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, furnish without charge to the Underwriters, if any, and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration, and such Holders’ legal counsel, copies of such Registration Statement as proposed to be filed, each amendment and supplement to such Registration Statement (in each case including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein), the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement (including each preliminary Prospectus), and such other documents as the Underwriters and the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration or the legal counsel for any such Holders may request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holders;
14
3.1.4 prior to any public offering of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to (i) register or qualify the Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement under such securities or “blue sky” laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement (in light of their intended plan of distribution) may request (or provide evidence satisfactory to such Holders that the Registrable Securities are exempt from such registration or qualification) and (ii) take such action necessary to cause such Registrable Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental authorities as may be necessary by virtue of the business and operations of the Company and do any and all other acts and things that may be necessary or advisable to enable the Holders of Registrable Securities included in such Registration Statement to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities in such jurisdictions; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify or take any action to which it would be subject to general service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not then otherwise so subject;
3.1.5 cause all such Registrable Securities to be listed on each national securities exchange on which similar securities issued by the Company are then listed;
3.1.6 provide a transfer agent or warrant agent, as applicable, and registrar for all such Registrable Securities no later than the effective date of such Registration Statement;
3.1.7 advise each seller of such Registrable Securities, promptly after it shall receive notice or obtain knowledge thereof, of the issuance of any stop order by the Commission suspending the effectiveness of such Registration Statement or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose and promptly use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order or to obtain its withdrawal if such stop order should be issued;
3.1.8 at least five (5) days prior to the filing of any Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus (or such shorter period of time as may be (a) necessary in order to comply with the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, and the rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Act or Exchange Act, as applicable or (b) advisable in order to reduce the number of days that sales are suspended pursuant to Section 3.4), furnish a copy thereof to each seller of such Registrable Securities or its counsel (excluding any exhibits thereto and any filing made under the Exchange Act that is to be incorporated by reference therein);
3.1.9 notify the Holders at any time when a Prospectus relating to such Registration Statement is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the Prospectus included in such Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes a Misstatement, and then to correct such Misstatement as set forth in Section 3.4;
15
3.1.10 in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering, or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, permit a representative of the Holders, the Underwriters or other financial institutions facilitating such Underwritten Offering, Block Trade, Other Coordinated Offering or other sale pursuant to such Registration, if any, and any attorney, consultant or accountant retained by such Holders or Underwriter to participate, at each such person’s or entity’s own expense, in the preparation of the Registration Statement, and cause the Company’s officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such representative, Underwriter, financial institution, attorney, consultant or accountant in connection with the Registration; provided, however, that such representatives, Underwriters or financial institutions agree to confidentiality arrangements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, prior to the release or disclosure of any such information and provided further, the Company may not include the name of any Holder or Underwriter or any information regarding any Holder or Underwriter in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, any amendment or supplement to such Registration Statement or Prospectus, any document that is to be incorporated by reference into such Registration Statement or Prospectus, or any response to any comment letter, without the prior written consent of such Holder or Underwriter and providing each such Holder or Underwriter a reasonable amount of time to review and comment on such applicable document, which comments the Company shall include unless contrary to applicable law;
3.1.11 obtain a “cold comfort” letter from the Company’s independent registered public accountants in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration (subject to such broker, placement agent or sales agent providing such certification or representation reasonably requested by the Company’s independent registered public accountants and the Company’s counsel) in customary form and covering such matters of the type customarily covered by “cold comfort” letters as the managing Underwriter may reasonably request, and reasonably satisfactory to a majority-in-interest of the participating Holders;
3.1.12 in the event of an Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, on the date the Registrable Securities are delivered for sale pursuant to such Registration, obtain an opinion, dated such date, of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such Registration, addressed to the participating Holders, the broker, placement agents or sales agent, if any and the Underwriters, if any, covering such legal matters with respect to the Registration in respect of which such opinion is being given as the participating Holders, broker, placement agent, sales agent or Underwriter may reasonably request and as are customarily included in such opinions and negative assurance letters;
3.1.13 in the event of any Underwritten Offering, a Block Trade, an Other Coordinated Offering or sale by a broker, placement agent or sales agent pursuant to such Registration, enter into and perform its obligations under an underwriting or other purchase or sales agreement, in usual and customary form, with the managing Underwriter or the broker, placement agent or sales agent of such offering or sale;
16
3.1.14 make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least twelve (12) months beginning with the first day of the Company’s first full calendar quarter after the effective date of the Registration Statement which satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder (or any successor rule then in effect);
3.1.15 with respect to an Underwritten Offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4, use its reasonable best efforts to make available senior executives of the Company to participate in customary “road show” presentations that may be reasonably requested by the Underwriter in such Underwritten Offering; and
3.1.16 otherwise, in good faith, cooperate reasonably with, and take such customary actions as may reasonably be requested by the participating Holders, consistent with the terms of this Agreement, in connection with such Registration.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to provide any documents or information to an Underwriter or broker, sales agent or placement agent if such Underwriter or broker, sales agent or placement agent has not then been named with respect to the applicable Underwritten Offering or other offering involving a registration as an Underwriter or broker, sales agent or placement agent, as applicable.
3.2 Registration Expenses. The Registration Expenses of all Registrations shall be borne by the Company. It is acknowledged by the Holders that the Holders selling any Registrable Securities in an offering shall bear all incremental selling expenses relating to the sale of Registrable Securities, such as Underwriters’ commissions and discounts, brokerage fees, Underwriter marketing costs and, other than as set forth in the definition of “Registration Expenses,” all fees and expenses of any legal counsel representing the Holders.
3.3 Requirements for Participation in Registration Statement in Offerings. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, if any Holder does not provide the Company with its requested Holder Information, the Company may exclude such Holder’s Registrable Securities from the applicable Registration Statement or Prospectus if the Company determines, based on the advice of counsel, that such information is necessary to effect the registration and such Holder continues thereafter to withhold such information. No person or entity may participate in any Underwritten Offering or other offering for equity securities of the Company pursuant to a Registration initiated by the Company hereunder unless such person or entity (i) agrees to sell such person’s or entity’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements approved by the Company and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, lock-up agreements, underwriting or other agreements and other customary documents as may be reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting, sales, distribution or placement arrangements. The exclusion of a Holder’s Registrable Securities as a result of this Section 3.3 shall not affect the registration of the other Registrable Securities to be included in such Registration.
17
3.4 Suspension of Sales; Adverse Disclosure; Restrictions on Registration Rights.
3.4.1 Upon receipt of written notice from the Company that a Registration Statement or Prospectus contains a Misstatement, each of the Holders shall forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities until it has received copies of a supplemented or amended Prospectus correcting the Misstatement (it being understood that the Company hereby covenants to prepare and file such supplement or amendment as soon as practicable after the time of such notice), or until it is advised in writing by the Company that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed.
3.4.2 If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement in respect of any Registration at any time would (a) require the Company to make an Adverse Disclosure, (b) require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control or (c) in the good faith judgment of the Board, be seriously detrimental to the Company and its holders of capital stock, and it would therefore be essential to defer such filing, initial effectiveness or continued use at such time, the Company shall have the right, upon delivering prompt written notice of such action to the Holders (which notice shall not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such delay or suspension), to delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under this Section 3.4.2, the Holders agree to suspend, immediately upon their receipt of the notice referred to above, their use of the Prospectus relating to any Registration in connection with any sale or offer to sell Registrable Securities until such Holder receives written notice from the Company that such sales or offers of Registrable Securities may be resumed, and in each case maintain the confidentiality of such notice and its contents.
3.4.3 During the period starting with the date ninety (90) days prior to the Company’s good faith estimate of the date of the filing of, and ending on a date ninety (90) days after the effective date of, a Company-initiated Registration and provided that the Company continues to actively employ, in good faith, all reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness of the applicable Shelf Registration Statement, or (b) if, pursuant to Section 2.1.4, Holders have requested an Underwritten Shelf Takedown and the Company and Holders are unable to obtain the commitment of underwriters to firmly underwrite such offering, the Company may, on not more than three (3) occasions during any twelve (12)-month period, upon giving prompt written notice of such action to the Holders, delay any other registered offering pursuant to Section 2.1.4 or 2.4 for not more than sixty (60) consecutive calendar days or more than ninety (90) total calendar days in each case during any twelve (12)-month period.
3.5 Reporting Obligations. As long as any Holder shall own Registrable Securities, the Company, at all times while it shall be a reporting company under the Exchange Act, covenants to file timely (or obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof pursuant to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and to promptly furnish the Holders upon request with true and complete copies of all such filings; provided that any documents publicly filed or furnished with the Commission pursuant to the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System shall be deemed to have been furnished or delivered to the Holders pursuant to this Section 3.5. The Company further covenants that it shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take such further action as any Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell Registrable Securities held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Section 4(a)(1) of the Securities Act or Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule then in effect). Upon the request of any Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a written certification of a duly authorized officer as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
18
ARTICLE IV
INDEMNIFICATION AND CONTRIBUTION
4.1 Indemnification.
4.1.1 The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by law, each Holder of Registrable Securities, its officers, directors, managers, employees, advisers and agents and each person or entity who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) such Holder and each affiliate (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Holder, from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, any reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from, based upon or arising out of any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the case of the Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing to the Company by such Holder expressly for use therein. The Company shall indemnify the Underwriters, their officers and directors and each person or entity who controls such Underwriters (within the meaning of the Securities Act) to the same extent as provided in the foregoing with respect to the indemnification of the Holder.
4.1.2 In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Holder of Registrable Securities is participating, such Holder shall furnish (or cause to be furnished) to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (the “Holder Information”) and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors, officers and agents and each person or entity who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) the Company and each affiliate (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein in the case of the Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement is contained in (or not contained in, in the case of an omission) any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Holder expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be several, not joint and several, among such Holders of Registrable Securities, and the liability of each such Holder of Registrable Securities shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to such Registration Statement.
19
4.1.3 Any person or entity entitled to indemnification herein shall (i) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s or entity’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (ii) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of legal counsel to any indemnified party a conflict of interest exists between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement includes a statement or admission of fault and culpability on the part of such indemnified party or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
4.1.4 The indemnification provided for under this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director, employee, agent, affiliate or controlling person or entity of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of securities.
4.1.5 If the indemnification provided under this Section 4 from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by (or not made by, in the case of an omission), or relates to information supplied by (or not supplied by in the case of an omission), such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in Sections 4.1.1, 4.1.2 and 4.1.3 above, any legal or other fees, charges or out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. No person or entity guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Any contribution pursuant to this Section 4.1.5 by any Holder, together with any amounts under Section 4.1.2, shall be limited in amount to the amount of net proceeds received by such Holder in such offering giving rise to such liability. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in no event will any party be liable for consequential, special, exemplary or punitive damages in connection with this Agreement.
20
ARTICLE V
Lock-Up
5.1 Subject to the exclusions in Section 5.2, each Holder agrees not to Transfer any Lock-up Shares until the end of the Lock-up Period (the “Lock-up”).
5.2 Each Holder or any of its Permitted Transferees may Transfer any Lock-up Shares it holds during the Lock-up Period (i) to any officers or directors, direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such Holder, any Affiliates or family members of any of the Company’s officers or directors, any Affiliates of such Holder or any related investment funds or vehicles controlled or managed by such Persons or their respective Affiliates, or to any other Holder; (ii) by gift to a charitable organization; (iii) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of the individual’s Immediate Family or to a trust, the primary beneficiaries of which are such individual and/or one or more members of the individual’s Immediate Family or an Affiliate of such Person, or, in the case of a trust, Transfer to the trustor or beneficiary of such trust or the estate of a beneficiary of such trust; (iv) in the case of an individual, by will or other testamentary document or device or by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of the individual; (v) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (vi) with the Company’s prior written consent; (vii) to a nominee or custodian of any Person to which a Transfer would be permissible under any of the preceding clauses (i) through (vi); (viii) in connection with any bona fide mortgage, encumbrance or pledge to a financial institution in connection with any bona fide loan or debt transaction or enforcement thereunder, including foreclosure thereof; (ix) to the Company; (x) forfeitures of Lock-up Shares to satisfy tax withholding requirements upon the vesting of equity-based awards granted pursuant to an equity incentive plan; (xi) in connection with a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization, tender offer or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the Closing Date; (xii) distributions by virtue of the laws of the Holder’s jurisdiction or operating agreement upon dissolution, (xiii) to the extent required by any legal or regulatory order or (xiv) with respect to the Sponsor and GAMC Holders, in connection with sales of up to $2,875,000 in Lock-up Shares by the Sponsor or GAMC Holders to cover the Company’s Excise Tax Liability; provided that in each case of clauses (i)–(vii), if the transferee is not another Holder, such Transfer shall be subject to prior receipt by the Company of a duly executed joinder to this Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto.
5.3 Each eligible Holder shall be permitted to enter into a trading plan established in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act during the applicable Lock-up Period so long as no Transfers of such Holder’s shares of Common Stock in contravention of this Article V are effected prior to the expiration of the applicable Lock-up Period.
21
5.4 Each Holder also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Company’s transfer agent and registrar against the Transfer of any Lock-up Shares except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions and to the addition of a legend to such Holder’s Lock-up Shares describing the foregoing restrictions.
5.5 For the avoidance of doubt, each Holder shall retain all of its rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Lock-up Shares during the Lock-up Period, including the right to vote any Lock-up Shares and any dividends declared on the Lock-up Shares.
ARTICLE VI
MISCELLANEOUS
6.1 Notices. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be in writing and given by (i) deposit in the United States mail, addressed to the party to be notified, postage prepaid and registered or certified with return receipt requested, (ii) delivery in person or by courier service providing evidence of delivery, or (iii) transmission by hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile. Each notice or communication that is mailed, delivered, or transmitted in the manner described above shall be deemed sufficiently given, served, sent, and received, in the case of mailed notices, on the third business day following the date on which it is mailed and, in the case of notices delivered by courier service, hand delivery, electronic mail or facsimile, at such time as it is delivered to the addressee (with the delivery receipt or the affidavit of messenger) or at such time as delivery is refused by the addressee upon presentation. Any notice or communication under this Agreement must be addressed, if to the Company, to: Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc., 5858 Horton Street Suite 400, Emeryville, California, 94608, Attention: Paul Slattery, General Counsel, Email: pslattery@boltthreads.com, and, if to any Holder, at such Holder’s address, electronic mail address or facsimile number as set forth in the Company’s books and records. Any party may change its address for notice at any time and from time to time by written notice to the other parties hereto, and such change of address shall become effective thirty (30) days after delivery of such notice as provided in this Section 6.1.
6.2 Assignment; No Third Party Beneficiaries.
6.2.1 This Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of the Company hereunder may not be assigned or delegated by the Company in whole or in part.
6.2.2 Subject to Section 6.2.4 and Section 6.2.5, this Agreement and the rights, duties and obligations of a Holder hereunder may be assigned in whole or in part to such Holder’s Permitted Transferees; provided, that, with respect to the Bolt Holders, the Sponsor and the GAMC Independent Directors, the rights hereunder that are personal to such Holders may not be assigned or delegated in whole or in part, except that (x) each of the Bolt Holders shall be permitted to transfer its rights hereunder as the Bolt Holders to one or more affiliates or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of such Bolt Holder (it being understood that no such transfer shall reduce any rights of such Bolt Holder or such transferees) and (y) the Sponsor and the GAMC Independent Directors shall be permitted to transfer their respective rights hereunder as the Sponsor and the GAMC Independent Directors to one or more of their respective affiliates or any direct or indirect partners, members or equity holders of the Sponsor or the GAMC Independent Directors (it being understood that no such transfer shall reduce any rights of the Sponsor or the GAMC Independent Directors or such transferees).
22
6.2.3 This Agreement and the provisions hereof shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of each of the parties and its successors and the permitted assigns of the Holders, which shall include Permitted Transferees.
6.2.4 This Agreement shall not confer any rights or benefits on any Persons or entities that are not parties hereto, other than as expressly set forth in this Agreement and Section 6.2.
6.2.5 No assignment by any party hereto of such party’s rights, duties and obligations hereunder shall be binding upon or obligate the Company unless and until the Company shall have received (i) written notice of such assignment as provided in Section 6.1 hereof and (ii) the written agreement of the assignee, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to be bound by the terms and provisions of this Agreement (which may be accomplished by an addendum or certificate of joinder to this Agreement). Any transfer or assignment made other than as provided in this Section 6.2 shall be null and void.
6.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts (including facsimile or PDF counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute the same instrument, but only one of which need be produced. The words “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” “delivery,” and words of like import in or relating to this Agreement or any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, and the parties hereto consent to conduct the transactions contemplated hereunder by electronic means.
6.4 Governing Law; Venue. NOTWITHSTANDING THE PLACE WHERE THIS AGREEMENT MAY BE EXECUTED BY ANY OF THE PARTIES HERETO, THE PARTIES EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT (1) THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND (2) THE VENUE FOR ANY ACTION TAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE EXCLUSIVELY IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK COUNTY, AND ANY STATE APPELLATE COURT THEREFROM WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK COUNTY, OR IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK.
6.5 TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY HERETO ACKNOWLEDGES AND AGREES THAT ANY CONTROVERSY WHICH MAY ARISE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT IS LIKELY TO INVOLVE COMPLICATED AND DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND, THEREFORE, EACH SUCH PARTY HEREBY IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT SUCH PARTY MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT TO ANY ACTION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED BY THIS AGREEMENT.
23
6.6 Amendments and Modifications. Upon the written consent of (a) the Company and (b) the Holders of a majority of the total Registrable Securities, compliance with any of the provisions, covenants and conditions set forth in this Agreement may be waived, or any of such provisions, covenants or conditions may be amended or modified; provided, however, that any amendment hereto or waiver hereof that adversely affects one Holder, solely in its capacity as a holder of the shares of capital stock of the Company, in a manner that is materially different from the other Holders (in such capacity) shall require the consent of the Holder so affected. No course of dealing between any Holder or the Company and any other party hereto or any failure or delay on the part of a Holder or the Company in exercising any rights or remedies under this Agreement shall operate as a waiver of any rights or remedies of any Holder or the Company. No single or partial exercise of any rights or remedies under this Agreement by a party shall operate as a waiver or preclude the exercise of any other rights or remedies hereunder or thereunder by such party.
6.7 Other Registration Rights. Other than as provided in the Warrant Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company represents and warrants that no person or entity, other than a Holder of Registrable Securities, has any right to require the Company to register any securities of the Company for sale or to include such securities of the Company in any Registration Statement filed by the Company for the sale of securities for its own account or for the account of any other person or entity. Further, the Company represents and warrants that this Agreement supersedes any other registration rights agreement or agreement with similar terms and conditions and in the event of a conflict between any such agreement or agreements and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall prevail.
6.8 Term. This Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (a) the fifth anniversary of the date of this Agreement or (b) with respect to any Holder, on the date that such Holder no longer holds any Registrable Securities. The provisions of Section 3.5 and Article IV shall survive any termination.
6.9 Holder Information. Each Holder agrees, if requested in writing, to represent to the Company the total number of Registrable Securities held by such Holder in order for the Company to make determinations hereunder.
6.10 Severability. It is the desire and intent of the parties that the provisions of this Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. Accordingly, if any particular provision of this Agreement shall be adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable for any reason, such provision, as to such jurisdiction, shall be ineffective, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if such provision could be more narrowly drawn so as not to be invalid, prohibited or unenforceable in such jurisdiction, it shall, as to such jurisdiction, be so narrowly drawn, without invalidating the remaining provisions of this Agreement or affecting the validity or enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.
6.11 Entire Agreement; Restatement. This Agreement constitutes the full and entire agreement and understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings relating to such subject matter, including with respect to paragraph 7(a) of that certain Letter Agreement, dated as of March 16, 2021, by and among the Sponsor and the insiders party thereto and that certain Subscription Agreement for Founder Shares, dated as of January 8, 2021, by and between Acquirer and the Sponsor (the “Sponsor Subscription Agreement”). Upon the Closing, the Original RRA and the Sponsor Subscription Agreement shall no longer be of any force or effect.
[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]
24
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Agreement to be executed as of the date first written above.
COMPANY: | |||
BOLT PROJECTS HOLDINGS, INC. | |||
a Delaware corporation | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: | |||
SPONSOR: | |||
GOLDEN ARROW SPONSOR, LLC | |||
a Delaware limited liability company | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Andrew Rechtschaffen | ||
Title: | Member | ||
GAMC INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS: | |||
Brett Barth | |||
Lloyd Dean | |||
Steven Klosk | |||
Jack Hidary | |||
BOLT HOLDERS: | |||
[INDIVIDUAL BOLT HOLDERS] | |||
[ENTITY BOLT HOLDERS] | |||
a [●] | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: |
Exhibit A
FORM OF JOINDER TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
[ ● ], 202[ ]
Reference is made to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of [ ● ], 202[ ], by and among Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc. (the “Company”), the Sponsor and the other Holders (as defined therein) from time to time party thereto (as amended from time to time, the “Registration Rights Agreement”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Each of the Company and each undersigned holder of shares of the Company (each, a “New Holder”) agrees that this Joinder to the Registration Rights Agreement (this “Joinder”) is being executed and delivered for good and valuable consideration.
By executing and delivering this Joinder to the Registration Rights Agreement to the Company, and upon acceptance hereof by the Company upon the execution of a counterpart hereof, the undersigned hereby agrees to become a party to, to be bound by, and to comply with the Registration Rights Agreement as a Holder of Registrable Securities in the same manner as if the undersigned were an original signatory to the Registration Rights Agreement, and the undersigned’s shares of Common Stock shall be included as Registrable Securities under the Registration Rights Agreement to the extent provided therein; provided however, that the undersigned and its permitted assigns (if any) shall not have any rights as a Holder, and the undersigned’s (and its transferees’) shares of Common Stock shall not be included as Registrable Securities, for purposes of the Excluded Sections.
For purposes of this Joinder, “Excluded Sections” shall mean [ ].
This Joinder may be executed in multiple counterparts, including by means of facsimile or electronic signature, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute the same instrument.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have duly executed this Joinder as of the date first set forth above.
[NEW HOLDER] | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title | |||
BOLT PROJECTS HOLDINGS, INC. | |||
By: | |||
Name: | |||
Title: | |||
GOLDEN ARROW SPONSOR, LLC | |||
By: | |||
Name: | Andrew Rechtschaffen | ||
Title: | Member |
EXHIBIT B-1
Form of GAMC Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
Second AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP.
Golden Arrow Merger Corp. (the “Corporation”), a corporation organized and existing under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), does hereby certify as follows:
1. The present name of the Corporation is Golden Arrow Merger Corp. The Corporation was incorporated under the name Golden Arrow Merger Corp. by the filing of its original Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 31, 2020 (the “Original Certificate”).
2. An Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, which amended and restated the Original Certificate in its entirety, was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on March 16, 2021 (as amended, the “Existing Certificate”).
3. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Amended and Restated Certificate”), which amends and restates the Existing Certificate in its entirety, has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) in accordance with Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL and has been adopted by the stockholders of the Corporation at a meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation in accordance with the provisions of Section 211 of the DGCL.
4. The Existing Certificate is hereby amended and restated by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to read in its entirety as set forth in EXHIBIT A attached hereto.
5. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall become immediately effective upon its filing with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware.
6. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Golden Arrow Merger Corp. has caused this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to be signed by a duly authorized officer of the Corporation, on [ ● ], 202[ ].
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: |
EXHIBIT A
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of the corporation is Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 3500 South Dupont Highway, in the City of Dover, County of Kent, State of Delaware, 19901, and the name of its registered agent at such address is Incorporating Services, Ltd.
ARTICLE III
PURPOSE
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented (the “DGCL”).
ARTICLE IV
CAPITAL STOCK
The Corporation is authorized to issue two classes of stock to be designated, respectively, “Common Stock” and “Preferred Stock.” The total number of shares of all classes of capital stock which the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 550,000,000. The total number of shares of Common Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 500,000,000, having a par value of $0.0001 per share, and the total number of shares of Preferred Stock that the Corporation is authorized to issue is 50,000,000, having a par value of $0.0001 per share. Immediately upon the filing and effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the “Effective Time”), automatically and without further action on the part of holders of capital stock of the Corporation, each share of Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation and each share of Class B Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Corporation outstanding or held by the Corporation as treasury stock as of immediately prior to the Effective Time (collectively, the “Old Common Stock”) shall be reclassified as, and converted into, one (1) validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable share of Common Stock (such reclassifications and conversions, together, the “Reclassification”). The Reclassification shall occur automatically as of the Effective Time without any further action by the Corporation or the holders of the shares affected thereby and whether or not any certificates representing such shares are surrendered to the Corporation. Upon the Effective Time, each certificate that as of immediately prior to the Effective Time represented shares of Old Common Stock shall be deemed to represent an equivalent number of shares of Common Stock. The Reclassification shall also apply to any outstanding securities or rights convertible into, or exchangeable or exercisable for, Old Common Stock of the Corporation and all references to the Old Common Stock in agreements, arrangements, documents and plans relating thereto or any option or right to purchase or acquire shares of Old Common Stock shall be deemed to be references to the Common Stock or options or rights to purchase or acquire shares of Common Stock, as the case may be.
2
The Corporation has the authority to create and issue rights, warrants and options entitling the holders thereof to acquire from the Corporation any shares of its capital stock of any class or classes, with such rights, warrants and options to be evidenced by or in instrument(s) approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). The Board of Directors is empowered to set the exercise price, duration, times for exercise and other terms and conditions of such rights, warrants or options; provided, however, that the consideration to be received for any shares of capital stock issuable upon exercise thereof may not be less than the par value thereof.
The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:
A. | COMMON STOCK. |
1. General. The voting, dividend, liquidation, and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board and outstanding from time to time.
2. Voting.
a. | Except as otherwise provided herein (including any Certificate of Designation) or otherwise required by applicable law, the holders of the shares of Common Stock shall exclusively possess all voting power with respect to the Corporation. |
b. | Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by applicable law, each holder of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. |
c. | Except as otherwise provided herein (including any Certificate of Designation) or otherwise required by applicable law, at any annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, holders of the Common Stock shall have the exclusive right to vote for the election of directors and on all other matters properly submitted to a vote of the stockholders. |
d. | Except as otherwise required by applicable law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL. |
3
Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
3. Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.
4. Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.
B. | PREFERRED STOCK |
Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.
Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law and this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation).
4
The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
ARTICLE V
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:
A. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the directors of the Corporation shall be classified with respect to the time for which they severally hold office into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible and designated as Class I, Class II and Class III. The initial Class I directors shall serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; the initial Class II directors shall serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; and the initial Class III directors shall serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate. At each annual meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation beginning with the first annual meeting of the stockholders following the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the successors of the class of directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of the stockholders held in the third year following the year of their election. Each director shall hold office until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified or until his or her earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. No decrease in the number of directors shall shorten the term of any incumbent director. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II and Class III.
B. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors.
C. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.
D. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors and except as otherwise provided by applicable law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class to which such director shall have been appointed or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.
5
E. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article V, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article V, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such Certificate of Designation(s), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.
F. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (as amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”). In addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.
G. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
ARTICLE VI
STOCKHOLDERS
A. Any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at an annual or special meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation, and shall not be taken by written consent in lieu of a meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock then outstanding, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.
6
B. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called, for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, and shall not be called by any other person or persons.
C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws.
ARTICLE VII
LIABILITY
No director or officer of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VII, or the adoption of any provision of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate inconsistent with this Article VII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director or officer of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors or officers, then the liability of a director or officer of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
The Corporation shall have the power to provide rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses to its current and former officers, directors, employees and agents and to any person who is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.
7
ARTICLE IX
FORUM SELECTION
Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, (a) the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (the “Chancery Court”) (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any action, suit or proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Bylaws or this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (as either may be amended from time to time) or (iv) any action, suit or proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; and (b) subject to the preceding provisions of this Article IX, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause or causes of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, including all causes of action asserted against any defendant to such complaint. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence and (y) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder.
Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article IX. This Article IX is intended to benefit and may be enforced by the Corporation, its officers and directors, the underwriters to any offering giving rise to such complaint, and any other professional or entity whose profession gives authority to a statement made by that person or entity and who has prepared or certified any part of the documents underlying the offering. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article IX shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.
If any provision or provisions of this Article IX shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever, (a) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Article IX (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Article IX containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (b) the application of such provision to other persons or entities and circumstances shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
8
ARTICLE X
AMENDMENTS
A. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: Part B of Article IV, Article V, Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, and this Article X.
B. If any provision or provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provision or provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.
9
EXHIBIT B-2
Form of GAMC Amended and Restated Bylaws
Amended and Restated Bylaws of
Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.
(a Delaware corporation)
Table of Contents
Page | |||
Article I - Corporate Offices | 1 | ||
1.1 | Registered Office | 1 | |
1.2 | Other Offices | 1 | |
Article II - Meetings of Stockholders | 1 | ||
2.1 | Place of Meetings | 1 | |
2.2 | Annual Meeting | 1 | |
2.3 | Special Meeting | 1 | |
2.4 | Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting | 2 | |
2.5 | Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board | 5 | |
2.6 | Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings | 8 | |
2.7 | Quorum | 8 | |
2.8 | Adjourned Meeting; Notice | 8 | |
2.9 | Conduct of Business | 9 | |
2.10 | Voting | 9 | |
2.11 | Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes | 9 | |
2.12 | Proxies | 10 | |
2.13 | List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote | 10 | |
2.14 | Inspectors of Election | 11 | |
2.15 | Delivery to the Corporation | 11 | |
Article III – Directors | 12 | ||
3.1 | Powers | 12 | |
3.2 | Number of Directors | 12 | |
3.3 | Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors | 12 | |
3.4 | Resignation and Vacancies | 12 | |
3.5 | Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone | 12 | |
3.6 | Regular Meetings | 13 | |
3.7 | Special Meetings; Notice | 13 | |
3.8 | Quorum | 13 | |
3.9 | Board Action without a Meeting | 13 | |
3.10 | Fees and Compensation of Directors | 14 | |
Article IV – Committees | 14 | ||
4.1 | Committees of Directors | 14 | |
4.2 | Committee Minutes | 14 | |
4.3 | Meetings and Actions of Committees | 14 | |
4.4 | Subcommittees | 15 | |
Article V – Officers | 15 | ||
5.1 | Officers | 15 | |
5.2 | Appointment of Officers | 15 | |
5.3 | Subordinate Officers | 15 |
i
Table of Contents
(continued)
Page | |||
5.4 | Removal and Resignation of Officers | 16 | |
5.5 | Vacancies in Offices | 16 | |
5.6 | Representation of Shares of Other Corporations | 16 | |
5.7 | Authority and Duties of Officers | 16 | |
5.8 | Compensation | 16 | |
Article VI – Records | 16 | ||
Article VII - General Matters | 17 | ||
7.1 | Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments | 17 | |
7.2 | Stock Certificates | 17 | |
7.3 | Special Designation of Certificates | 17 | |
7.4 | Lost Certificates | 18 | |
7.5 | Shares Without Certificates | 18 | |
7.6 | Construction; Definitions | 18 | |
7.7 | Dividends | 18 | |
7.8 | Fiscal Year | 18 | |
7.9 | Seal | 19 | |
7.10 | Transfer of Stock | 19 | |
7.11 | Stock Transfer Agreements | 19 | |
7.12 | Registered Stockholders | 19 | |
7.13 | Waiver of Notice | 19 | |
Article VIII – Notice | 20 | ||
8.1 | Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission | 20 | |
Article IX – Indemnification | 21 | ||
9.1 | Indemnification of Directors and Officers | 21 | |
9.2 | Indemnification of Others | 21 | |
9.3 | Prepayment of Expenses | 21 | |
9.4 | Determination; Claim | 21 | |
9.5 | Non-Exclusivity of Rights | 22 | |
9.6 | Insurance | 22 | |
9.7 | Other Indemnification | 22 | |
9.8 | Continuation of Indemnification | 22 | |
9.9 | Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation | 22 | |
Article X – Amendments | 23 | ||
Article XI – Definitions | 23 |
ii
Amended and Restated Bylaws of
Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc.
Article I - Corporate Offices
1.1 Registered Office.
The address of the registered office of Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc. (as such name may be changed in accordance with applicable law, the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware, and the name of its registered agent at such address, shall be as set forth in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time (the “Certificate of Incorporation”).
1.2 Other Offices.
The Corporation may have additional offices at any place or places, within or outside the State of Delaware, as the Corporation’s board of directors (the “Board”) may from time to time establish or as the business and affairs of the Corporation may require.
Article II - Meetings of Stockholders
2.1 Place of Meetings.
Meetings of stockholders shall be held at any place, within or outside the State of Delaware, designated by the Board. The Board may, in its sole discretion, determine that a meeting of stockholders shall not be held at any place, but may instead be held solely by means of remote communication as authorized by Section 211(a)(2) of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, the “DGCL”). In the absence of any such designation or determination, stockholders’ meetings shall be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office, whether within or outside of the State of Delaware.
2.2 Annual Meeting.
The Board shall designate the date and time of the annual meeting. At the annual meeting, directors shall be elected and other proper business properly brought before the meeting in accordance with Section 2.4 may be transacted. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled annual meeting of stockholders.
2.3 Special Meeting.
Special meetings of the stockholders may be called only by such persons and only in such manner as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation.
No business may be transacted at any special meeting of stockholders other than the business specified in the notice of such meeting. The Board may postpone, reschedule or cancel any previously scheduled special meeting of stockholders.
1
2.4 Notice of Business to be Brought before a Meeting.
(a) At an annual meeting of the stockholders, only such business shall be conducted as shall have been properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. To be properly brought before an annual meeting, business must be (i) specified in the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board, (ii) if not specified in a notice of meeting, otherwise brought before the meeting by or at the direction of the Board or the Chairman of the Board or (iii) otherwise properly brought before the annual meeting by a stockholder present in person (as defined below) who (A) (1) was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.4 and at the time of the annual meeting, (2) is entitled to vote at the annual meeting and (3) has complied with this Section 2.4 in all applicable respects or (B) properly made such proposal in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (as so amended and inclusive of such rules and regulations, the “Exchange Act”). The foregoing clause (iii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to propose business to be brought before an annual meeting of the stockholders. The only matters that may be brought before a special meeting are the matters specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the meeting pursuant to Section 2.3, and stockholders shall not be permitted to propose business to be brought before a special meeting of the stockholders. For purposes of this Section 2.4, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the business be brought before the annual meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative (as defined below) of such proposing stockholder, appear at such annual meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Stockholders seeking to nominate persons for election to the Board must comply with Section 2.5, and this Section 2.4 shall not be applicable to nominations except as expressly provided in Section 2.5.
(b) For business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice (as defined below) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation and (ii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.4. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than ninety (90) days nor more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the one-year anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting; provided, however, that if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting is first made by the Corporation; provided, further, that if the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than sixty (60) days after such anniversary date, to be timely, a stockholder’s notice must be so delivered, or mailed and received, not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such annual meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure of the date of such annual meeting was first made by the Corporation (such notice within such time periods, “Timely Notice”). In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of Timely Notice as described above.
(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.4, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:
(i) As to each Proposing Person (as defined below), (A) the name and address of such Proposing Person (including, if applicable, the name and address that appear on the Corporation’s books and records); and (B) the class or series and number of shares of the Corporation that are, directly or indirectly, owned of record or beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) by such Proposing Person, except that such Proposing Person shall in all events be deemed to beneficially own any shares of any class or series of the Corporation as to which such Proposing Person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership at any time in the future; (C) the date or dates such shares were acquired; (D) the investment intent of such acquisition and (E) any pledge by such Proposing Person with respect to any such shares (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (E) are referred to as “Stockholder Information”);
2
(ii) As to each Proposing Person, (A) the material terms and conditions of any “derivative security” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(c) under the Exchange Act) that constitutes a “call equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(b) under the Exchange Act) or a “put equivalent position” (as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1(h) under the Exchange Act) or other derivative or synthetic arrangement in respect of any class or series of shares of the Corporation (“Synthetic Equity Position”) that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by, held for the benefit of, or involving such Proposing Person, including, without limitation, (1) any option, warrant, convertible security, stock appreciation right, future or similar right with an exercise or conversion privilege or a settlement payment or mechanism at a price related to any class or series of shares of the Corporation or with a value derived in whole or in part from the value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (2) any derivative or synthetic arrangement having the characteristics of a long position or a short position in any class or series of shares of the Corporation, including, without limitation, a stock loan transaction, a stock borrow transaction, or a share repurchase transaction or (3) any contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions designed to (x) produce economic benefits and risks that correspond substantially to the ownership of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, (y) mitigate any loss relating to, reduce the economic risk (of ownership or otherwise) of, or manage the risk of share price decrease in, any class or series of shares of the Corporation, or (z) increase or decrease the voting power in respect of any class or series of shares of the Corporation of such Proposing Person, including, without limitation, due to the fact that the value of such contract, derivative, swap or other transaction or series of transactions is determined by reference to the price, value or volatility of any class or series of shares of the Corporation, whether or not such instrument, contract or right shall be subject to settlement in the underlying class or series of shares of the Corporation, through the delivery of cash or other property, or otherwise, and without regard to whether the holder thereof may have entered into transactions that hedge or mitigate the economic effect of such instrument, contract or right, or any other direct or indirect opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from any increase or decrease in the price or value of any class or series of shares of the Corporation; provided that, for the purposes of the definition of “Synthetic Equity Position,” the term “derivative security” shall also include any security or instrument that would not otherwise constitute a “derivative security” as a result of any feature that would make any conversion, exercise or similar right or privilege of such security or instrument becoming determinable only at some future date or upon the happening of a future occurrence, in which case the determination of the amount of securities into which such security or instrument would be convertible or exercisable shall be made assuming that such security or instrument is immediately convertible or exercisable at the time of such determination; and, provided, further, that any Proposing Person satisfying the requirements of Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (other than a Proposing Person that so satisfies Rule 13d-1(b)(1) under the Exchange Act solely by reason of Rule 13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E)) shall not be required to disclose any Synthetic Equity Position that is, directly or indirectly, held or maintained by, held for the benefit of, or involving such Proposing Person as a hedge with respect to a bona fide derivatives trade or position of such Proposing Person arising in the ordinary course of such Proposing Person’s business as a derivatives dealer, (B) any rights to dividends on the shares of any class or series of shares of the Corporation owned beneficially by such Proposing Person that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of the Corporation, (C) any material pending or threatened legal proceeding in which such Proposing Person is a party or material participant involving the Corporation or any of its officers or directors, or any affiliate of the Corporation, (D) any other material relationship between such Proposing Person, on the one hand, and the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation, on the other hand, (E) any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement of such Proposing Person with the Corporation or any affiliate of the Corporation (including, in any such case, any employment agreement, collective bargaining agreement or consulting agreement), (F) any proportionate interest in shares of the Corporation or a Synthetic Equity Position held, directly or indirectly, by a general or limited partnership, limited liability company or similar entity in which any such Proposing Person (1) is a general partner or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in a general partner of such general or limited partnership or (2) is the manager, managing member or, directly or indirectly, beneficially owns an interest in the manager or managing member of such limited liability company or similar entity; (G) a representation that such Proposing Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or otherwise solicit proxies from stockholders in support of such proposal and (H) any other information relating to such Proposing Person that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies or consents by such Proposing Person in support of the business proposed to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act (the disclosures to be made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (A) through (H) are referred to as “Disclosable Interests”); provided, however, that Disclosable Interests shall not include any such disclosures with respect to the ordinary course business activities of any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these Bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner; and
3
(iii) As to each item of business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the annual meeting, (A) a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the annual meeting, the reasons for conducting such business at the annual meeting and any material interest in such business of each Proposing Person, (B) the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend the bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), (C) a reasonably detailed description of all agreements, arrangements and understandings (x) between or among any of the Proposing Persons or (y) between or among any Proposing Person and any other person or entity (including their names) in connection with the proposal of such business by such stockholder and (D) any other information relating to such item of business that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies in support of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act; provided, however, that the disclosures required by this Section 2.4(c)(iii) shall not include any disclosures with respect to any broker, dealer, commercial bank, trust company or other nominee who is a Proposing Person solely as a result of being the stockholder directed to prepare and submit the notice required by these bylaws on behalf of a beneficial owner.
For purposes of this Section 2.4, the term “Proposing Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the business proposed to be brought before the annual meeting is made, and (iii) any participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14A) with such stockholder in such solicitation.
(d) The Board may request that any Proposing Person furnish such additional information as may be reasonably required by the Board. Such Proposing Person shall provide such additional information within ten (10) days after it has been requested by the Board.
(e) A Proposing Person shall update and supplement its notice to the Corporation of such Proposing Person’s intent to propose business at an annual meeting, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.4 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the annual meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the annual meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the annual meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the annual meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this Section 2.4(e) or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.
(f) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no business shall be conducted at an annual meeting that is not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4. The presiding officer of the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that the business was not properly brought before the annual meeting in accordance with this Section 2.4, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare to the annual meeting and any such business not properly brought before the annual meeting shall not be transacted.
(g) This Section 2.4 is expressly intended to apply to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of stockholders other than any proposal made in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act and included in the Corporation’s proxy statement. In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.4 with respect to any business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting, each Proposing Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such business. Nothing in this Section 2.4 shall be deemed to affect the rights of stockholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Corporation’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act.
(h) For purposes of these bylaws, “public disclosure” shall mean disclosure in a press release reported by a national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Sections 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.
4
2.5 Notice of Nominations for Election to the Board.
(a) Nominations of any person for election to the Board at an annual meeting or at a special meeting (but, in the case of a special meeting, only if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of such special meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling the special meeting) of the stockholders may be made at such meeting only (i) by or at the direction of the Board, including by any committee or persons authorized to do so by the Board or these bylaws, or (ii) by a stockholder present in person (as defined below) (A) who was a record owner of shares of the Corporation both at the time of giving the notice provided for in this Section 2.5 and at the time of the meeting, (B) is entitled to vote at the meeting, and (C) has complied with this Section 2.5 as to such notice and nomination. For purposes of this Section 2.5, “present in person” shall mean that the stockholder proposing that the nomination be brought before the meeting of the Corporation, or a qualified representative (as defined below) of such stockholder, appear at such meeting. A “qualified representative” of such proposing stockholder shall be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or any other person authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. The foregoing clause (ii) shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting or special meeting of the stockholders.
(b) (i) Without qualification, for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at an annual meeting, the stockholder must (1) provide Timely Notice (as defined in Section 2.4) thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation, (2) provide the information, agreements and questionnaires with respect to such stockholder and its candidate or candidates for nomination as required to be set forth by this Section 2.5 and (3) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5.
(ii) Without qualification, if the election of directors is a matter specified in the notice of meeting given by or at the direction of the person calling a special meeting, then for a stockholder to make any nomination of a person or persons for election to the Board at a special meeting, the stockholder must (i) provide Timely Notice thereof in writing and in proper form to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (ii) provide the information with respect to such stockholder and its candidate or candidates for nomination as required by this Section 2.5 and (iii) provide any updates or supplements to such notice at the times and in the forms required by this Section 2.5. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice for a nomination or nominations to be made at a special meeting must be delivered to, or mailed and received at, the principal executive offices of the Corporation not earlier than the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the ninetieth (90th) day prior to such special meeting or, if later, the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of the date of such special meeting was first made.
(iii) In no event shall any adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting or special meeting or the announcement thereof commence a new time period for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.
(iv) In no event may a Nominating Person (as defined below) provide Timely Notice with respect to a greater number of director candidates than are subject to election by shareholders at the applicable meeting. If the Corporation shall, subsequent to such notice, increase the number of directors subject to election at the meeting, such notice as to any additional nominees shall be due on the later of (i) the conclusion of the time period for Timely Notice, (ii) the date set forth in Section 2.5(b)(ii) or (iii) the tenth day following the date of public disclosure (as defined in Section 2.4) of such increase.
5
(c) To be in proper form for purposes of this Section 2.5, a stockholder’s notice to the Secretary of the Corporation shall set forth:
(i) As to each Nominating Person (as defined below), the Stockholder Information (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(i), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(i));
(ii) As to each Nominating Person, any Disclosable Interests (as defined in Section 2.4(c)(ii), except that for purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall be substituted for the term “Proposing Person” in all places it appears in Section 2.4(c)(ii) and the disclosure with respect to the business to be brought before the meeting in Section 2.4(c)(ii) shall be made with respect to the election of directors at the meeting); and provided that, in lieu of including the information set forth in Section 2.4(c)(ii)(G), the Nominating Person’s notice for purposes of this Section 2.5 shall include a representation as to whether the Nominating Person intends or is part of a group which intends to deliver a proxy statement and solicit the holders of shares representing at least 67% of the voting power of shares entitled to vote on the election of directors in support of director nominees other than the Corporation’s nominees in accordance with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act;
(iii) As to each candidate whom a Nominating Person proposes to nominate for election as a director, (A) all information with respect to such candidate for nomination that would be required to be set forth in a stockholder’s notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 if such candidate for nomination were a Nominating Person, (B) all information relating to such candidate for nomination that is required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of directors in a contested election pursuant to Section 14(a) under the Exchange Act (including such candidate’s written consent to being named in a proxy statement and accompanying proxy card relating to the Corporation’s next meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected as a nominee and to serving as a director for a full term if elected), (C) a description of any direct or indirect material interest in any material contract or agreement between or among any Nominating Person, on the one hand, and each candidate for nomination or his or her respective associates or any other participants in such solicitation, on the other hand, including, without limitation, all information that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 under Regulation S-K if such Nominating Person were the “registrant” for purposes of such rule and the candidate for nomination were a director or executive officer of such registrant and (D) a completed and signed questionnaire, representation and agreement as provided in Section 2.5(g).
For purposes of this Section 2.5, the term “Nominating Person” shall mean (i) the stockholder providing the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting, (ii) the beneficial owner or beneficial owners, if different, on whose behalf the notice of the nomination proposed to be made at the meeting is made, and (iii) any other participant (as defined in paragraphs (a)(ii)-(vi) of Instruction 3 to Item 4 of Schedule 14) in such solicitation.
(d) The Board may request that any Nominating Person furnish such additional information as may be reasonably required by the Board. Such Nominating Person shall provide such additional information within ten (10) days after it has been requested by the Board.
(e) A stockholder providing notice of any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this Section 2.5(e) or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any nomination or to submit any new nomination.
6
(f) In addition to the requirements of this Section 2.5 with respect to any nomination proposed to be made at a meeting, each Nominating Person shall comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act with respect to any such nominations. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.5, unless otherwise required by applicable law, (i) no Nominating Person shall solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Corporation’s nominees unless such Nominating Person has complied with Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Exchange Act in connection with the solicitation of such proxies, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner and (ii) if any Nominating Person (1) provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act and (2) subsequently fails to comply with the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(2) and Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act, including the provision to the Corporation of notices required thereunder in a timely manner, or fails to timely provide reasonable evidence sufficient to satisfy the Corporation that such Nominating Person has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act in accordance with the following sentence, then the nomination of each such proposed nominee shall be disregarded, notwithstanding that the nominee is included as a nominee in the Corporation’s proxy statement, notice of meeting or other proxy materials for any annual meeting (or any supplement thereto) and notwithstanding that proxies or votes in respect of the election of such proposed nominees may have been received by the Corporation (which proxies and votes shall be disregarded). If any Nominating Person provides notice pursuant to Rule 14a-19(b) promulgated under the Exchange Act, such Nominating Person shall deliver to the Corporation, no later than seven (7) business days prior to the applicable meeting, reasonable evidence that it has met the requirements of Rule 14a-19(a)(3) promulgated under the Exchange Act.
(g) To be eligible to be a candidate for election as a director of the Corporation at an annual or special meeting, a candidate must be nominated in the manner prescribed in Section 2.5 and the candidate for nomination, whether nominated by the Board or by a stockholder of record, must have previously delivered (in accordance with the time period prescribed for delivery in a notice to such candidate given by or on behalf of the Board), to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation, (i) a completed written questionnaire (in a form provided by the Corporation) with respect to the background, qualifications, stock ownership and independence of such proposed nominee and (ii) a written representation and agreement (in a form provided by the Corporation) that such candidate for nomination (A) is not and, if elected as a director during his or her term of office, will not become a party to (1) any agreement, arrangement or understanding with, and has not given and will not give any commitment or assurance to, any person or entity as to how such proposed nominee, if elected as a director of the Corporation, will act or vote on any issue or question (a “Voting Commitment”) or (2) any Voting Commitment that could limit or interfere with such proposed nominee’s ability to comply, if elected as a director of the Corporation, with such proposed nominee’s fiduciary duties under applicable law, (B) is not, and will not become a party to, any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any person or entity other than the Corporation with respect to any direct or indirect compensation or reimbursement for service as a director that has not been disclosed to the Corporation and (C) if elected as a director of the Corporation, will comply with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, stock ownership and trading and other policies and guidelines of the Corporation applicable to directors and in effect during such person’s term in office as a director (and, if requested by any candidate for nomination, the Secretary of the Corporation shall provide to such candidate for nomination all such policies and guidelines then in effect).
(h) The Board may also require any proposed candidate for nomination as a director to furnish such other information as may reasonably be requested by the Board in writing prior to the meeting of stockholders at which such candidate’s nomination is to be acted upon in order for the Board to determine the eligibility of such candidate for nomination to be an independent director of the Corporation or to comply with the director qualification standards and additional criteria in accordance with the Corporation’s corporate governance guidelines.
(i) A candidate for nomination as a director shall further update and supplement the materials delivered pursuant to this Section 2.5, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided pursuant to this Section 2.5 shall be true and correct as of the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and as of the date that is ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, and such update and supplement shall be delivered to, or mailed and received by, the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation (or any other office specified by the Corporation in any public announcement) not later than five (5) business days after the record date for stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of such record date), and not later than eight (8) business days prior to the date for the meeting or, if practicable, any adjournment or postponement thereof (and, if not practicable, on the first practicable date prior to the date to which the meeting has been adjourned or postponed) (in the case of the update and supplement required to be made as of ten (10) business days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). For the avoidance of doubt, the obligation to update and supplement as set forth in this paragraph or any other Section of these bylaws shall not limit the Corporation’s rights with respect to any deficiencies in any notice provided by a stockholder, extend any applicable deadlines hereunder or enable or be deemed to permit a stockholder who has previously submitted notice hereunder to amend or update any proposal or to submit any new proposal, including by changing or adding nominees, matters, business or resolutions proposed to be brought before a meeting of the stockholders.
(j) No candidate shall be eligible for nomination as a director of the Corporation unless such candidate for nomination and the Nominating Person seeking to place such candidate’s name in nomination has complied with this Section 2.5. The presiding officer at the meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine that a nomination was not properly made in accordance with Section 2.5, and if he or she should so determine, he or she shall so declare such determination to the meeting, the defective nomination shall be disregarded and any ballots cast for the candidate in question (but in the case of any form of ballot listing other qualified nominees, only the ballots cast for the nominee in question) shall be void and of no force or effect.
(k) Notwithstanding anything in these bylaws to the contrary, no candidate for nomination shall be eligible to be seated as a director of the Corporation unless nominated and elected in accordance with Section 2.5.
7
2.6 Notice of Stockholders’ Meetings.
Unless otherwise provided by applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the notice of any meeting of stockholders shall be sent or otherwise given in accordance with Section 8.1 not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communication, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is called.
2.7 Quorum.
Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock issued and outstanding and entitled to vote, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of the stockholders. A quorum, once established at a meeting, shall not be broken by the withdrawal of enough votes to leave less than a quorum. If, however, a quorum is not present or represented at any meeting of the stockholders, then either (i) the person presiding over the meeting or (ii) a majority in voting power of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, present in person, or by remote communication, if applicable, or represented by proxy, shall have power to recess the meeting or adjourn the meeting from time to time in the manner provided in Section 2.8 until a quorum is present or represented. At any recessed or adjourned meeting at which a quorum is present or represented, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally noticed.
2.8 Adjourned Meeting; Notice.
When a meeting is adjourned to another time or place, unless these bylaws otherwise require, notice need not be given of the adjourned meeting if the time, place, if any, thereof, and the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxy holders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken or are provided in any other manner permitted by the DGCL. At any adjourned meeting, the Corporation may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. If the adjournment is for more than thirty (30) days, a notice of the adjourned meeting shall be given to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at the meeting. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.
8
2.9 Conduct of Business.
The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the person presiding over the meeting. The Board may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board, the person presiding over any meeting of stockholders shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures (which need not be in writing) and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such presiding person, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (i) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (ii) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present (including, without limitation, rules and procedures for removal of disruptive persons from the meeting); (iii) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the person presiding over the meeting shall determine; (iv) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (v) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. The presiding person at any meeting of stockholders, in addition to making any other determinations that may be appropriate to the conduct of the meeting (including, without limitation, determinations with respect to the administration and/or interpretation of any of the rules, regulations or procedures of the meeting, whether adopted by the Board or prescribed by the person presiding over the meeting), shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that a matter of business was not properly brought before the meeting and if such presiding person should so determine, such presiding person shall so declare to the meeting and any such matter or business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be transacted or considered. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board or the person presiding over the meeting, meetings of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.
2.10 Voting.
Except as may be otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the DGCL, each stockholder shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of capital stock held by such stockholder.
Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, at all duly called or convened meetings of stockholders at which a quorum is present, for the election of directors, a plurality of the votes cast shall be sufficient to elect a director. Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, or applicable law or pursuant to any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, each other matter presented to the stockholders at a duly called or convened meeting at which a quorum is present shall be decided by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the votes cast (excluding abstentions and broker non-votes) on such matter.
2.11 Record Date for Stockholder Meetings and Other Purposes.
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than sixty (60) days nor less than ten (10) days before the date of such meeting. If the Board so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be the close of business on the next day preceding the day on which notice is first given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting; and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.
9
In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment or any rights or the stockholders entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of capital stock, or for the purposes of any other lawful action, the Board may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall be not more than sixty (60) days prior to such action. If no record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board adopts the resolution relating thereto.
2.12 Proxies.
Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy authorized by an instrument in writing or by a transmission permitted by law, including Rule 14a-19 promulgated under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, filed in accordance with the procedure established for the meeting, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three (3) years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. The revocability of a proxy that states on its face that it is irrevocable shall be governed by the provisions of Section 212 of the DGCL. A proxy may be in the form of an electronic transmission which sets forth or is submitted with information from which it can be determined that the transmission was authorized by the stockholder.
Any stockholder directly or indirectly soliciting proxies from other stockholders must use a proxy card color other than white, which shall be reserved for the exclusive use by the Board.
2.13 List of Stockholders Entitled to Vote.
The Corporation shall prepare, at least ten (10) days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten (10) days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth (10th) day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. The Corporation shall not be required to include electronic mail addresses or other electronic contact information on such list. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting for a period of at least ten (10) days prior to the meeting: (i) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of the meeting, or (ii) during ordinary business hours, at the Corporation’s principal executive office. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then the list shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof, and may be inspected by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Such list shall presumptively determine the identity of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting and the number of shares held by each of them. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 2.13 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.
10
2.14 Inspectors of Election.
Before any meeting of stockholders, the Corporation shall appoint an inspector or inspectors of election to act at the meeting or its adjournment and make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. If any person appointed as inspector or any alternate fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, then the person presiding over the meeting shall appoint a person to fill that vacancy.
Such inspector(s) shall:
(i) determine the number of shares outstanding and the voting power of each, the number of shares represented at the meeting and the validity of any proxies and ballots;
(ii) count all votes or ballots;
(iii) count and tabulate all votes;
(iv) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspector(s); and
(v) certify its or their determination of the number of shares represented at the meeting and its or their count of all votes and ballots.
Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of the duties of inspector, shall take and sign an oath faithfully to execute the duties of inspection with strict impartiality and according to the best of such inspector’s ability. Any report or certificate made by the inspectors of election is prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein. The inspectors of election may appoint such persons to assist them in performing their duties as they determine.
2.15 Delivery to the Corporation.
Whenever this Article II requires one or more persons (including a record or beneficial owner of stock) to deliver a document or information to the Corporation or any officer, employee or agent thereof (including any notice, request, questionnaire, revocation, representation or other document or agreement), such document or information shall be in writing exclusively (and not in an electronic transmission) and shall be delivered exclusively by hand (including, without limitation, overnight courier service) or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, and the Corporation shall not be required to accept delivery of any document not in such written form or so delivered. For the avoidance of doubt, the Corporation expressly opts out of Section 116 of the DGCL with respect to the delivery of information and documents to the Corporation required by this Article II.
11
Article III - Directors
3.1 Powers.
Except as otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board.
3.2 Number of Directors.
Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, the total number of directors constituting the Board shall be determined from time to time by resolution of the Board. No reduction of the authorized number of directors shall have the effect of removing any director before that director’s term of office expires.
3.3 Election, Qualification and Term of Office of Directors.
Except as provided in Section 3.4, and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, each director, including a director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship, shall hold office until the expiration of the term of the class, if any, for which elected and until such director’s successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director’s earlier death, resignation, disqualification or removal. Directors need not be stockholders or residents of the State of Delaware. The Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws may prescribe qualifications for directors.
3.4 Resignation and Vacancies.
Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or upon the happening of an event specified therein, and if no time or event is specified, at the time of its receipt. When one or more directors so resigns and the resignation is effective at a future date or upon the happening of an event to occur on a future date, a majority of the directors then in office, including those who have so resigned, shall have power to fill such vacancy or vacancies, the vote thereon to take effect when such resignation or resignations shall become effective, and each director so chosen shall hold office as provided in Section 3.3.
Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of any director, and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the authorized number of directors shall be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.
3.5 Place of Meetings; Meetings by Telephone.
The Board may hold meetings, both regular and special, either within or outside the State of Delaware.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, members of the Board, or any committee designated by the Board, may participate in a meeting of the Board, or any committee, by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation in a meeting pursuant to this bylaw shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.
12
3.6 Regular Meetings.
Regular meetings of the Board may be held within or outside the State of Delaware and at such time and at such place as which has been designated by the Board and publicized among all directors, either orally or in writing, by telephone, including a voice-messaging system or other system designed to record and communicate messages, facsimile, telegraph or telex, or by electronic mail or other means of electronic transmission. No further notice shall be required for regular meetings of the Board.
3.7 Special Meetings; Notice.
Special meetings of the Board for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time by the chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President or the Secretary of the Corporation or a majority of the total number of directors constituting the Board.
Notice of the time and place of special meetings shall be:
(i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone;
(ii) sent by United States first-class mail, postage prepaid;
(iii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail; or
(iv) sent by other means of electronic transmission,
directed to each director at that director’s address, telephone number, facsimile number or electronic mail address, or other address for electronic transmission, as the case may be, as shown on the Corporation’s records.
If the notice is (i) delivered personally by hand, by courier or by telephone, (ii) sent by facsimile or electronic mail, or (iii) sent by other means of electronic transmission, it shall be delivered or sent at least twenty-four (24) hours before the time of the holding of the meeting. If the notice is sent by U.S. mail, it shall be deposited in the U.S. mail at least four (4) days before the time of the holding of the meeting. The notice need not specify the place of the meeting (if the meeting is to be held at the Corporation’s principal executive office) nor the purpose of the meeting.
3.8 Quorum.
At all meetings of the Board, unless otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, a majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the directors present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board, except as may be otherwise specifically provided by statute, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws. If a quorum is not present at any meeting of the Board, then the directors present thereat may adjourn the meeting from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is present.
3.9 Board Action without a Meeting.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board, or of any committee thereof, may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission. After an action is taken, the consent or consents relating thereto shall be filed with the minutes of the proceedings of the Board, or the committee thereof, in the same paper or electronic form as the minutes are maintained. Such action by written consent or consent by electronic transmission shall have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board.
13
3.10 Fees and Compensation of Directors.
Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, the Board shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.
Article IV - Committees
4.1 Committees of Directors.
The Board may designate one (1) or more committees, each committee to consist, of one (1) or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board may designate one (1) or more directors as alternate members of any committee, who may replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board to act at the meeting in the place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board or in these bylaws, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority to (i) approve or adopt, or recommend to the stockholders, any action or matter expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval, or (ii) adopt, amend or repeal any bylaw of the Corporation.
4.2 Committee Minutes.
Each committee shall keep regular minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board when required.
4.3 Meetings and Actions of Committees.
Meetings and actions of committees shall be governed by, and held and taken in accordance with, the provisions of:
(i) Section 3.5 (place of meetings; meetings by telephone);
(ii) Section 3.6 (regular meetings);
(iii) Section 3.7 (special meetings; notice);
(iv) Section 3.9 (board action without a meeting); and
(v) Section 7.14 (waiver of notice),
14
with such changes in the context of those bylaws as are necessary to substitute the committee and its members for the Board and its members; provided, however, that:
(i) the time of regular meetings of committees may be determined either by resolution of the Board or by resolution of the committee;
(ii) special meetings of committees may also be called by resolution of the Board or the chairperson of the applicable committee; and
(iii) the Board may adopt rules for the governance of any committee to override the provisions that would otherwise apply to the committee pursuant to this Section 4.3, provided that such rules do not violate the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law.
4.4 Subcommittees.
Unless otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws or the resolutions of the Board designating the committee, a committee may create one (1) or more subcommittees, each subcommittee to consist of one (1) or more members of the committee, and delegate to a subcommittee any or all of the powers and authority of the committee.
Article V - Officers
5.1 Officers.
The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a President and a Secretary. The Corporation may also have, at the discretion of the Board, a Chairperson of the Board, a Vice Chairperson of the Board, a Chief Financial Officer, a Chief Technology Officer, a Treasurer, one (1) or more Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Vice Presidents, one (1) or more Assistant Treasurers, one (1) or more Assistant Secretaries, and any such other officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. Any number of offices may be held by the same person. No officer need be a stockholder or director of the Corporation.
5.2 Appointment of Officers.
The Board shall appoint the officers of the Corporation, except such officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3.
5.3 Subordinate Officers.
The Board may appoint, or empower the Chief Executive Officer or, in the absence of a Chief Executive Officer, the President, to appoint, such other officers and agents as the business of the Corporation may require. Each of such officers and agents shall hold office for such period, have such authority, and perform such duties as are provided in these bylaws or as the Board may from time to time determine.
15
5.4 Removal and Resignation of Officers.
Subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment, any officer may be removed, either with or without cause, by the Board or, except in the case of an officer appointed by the Board, by the Chief Executive Officer or any officer upon whom such power of removal may be conferred by the Board.
Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the Corporation. Any resignation shall take effect at the date of the receipt of that notice or at any later time specified in that notice. Unless otherwise specified in the notice of resignation, the acceptance of the resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. Any resignation is without prejudice to the rights, if any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.
5.5 Vacancies in Offices.
Any vacancy occurring in any office of the Corporation shall be filled by the Board or as provided in Section 5.2.
5.6 Representation of Shares of Other Corporations.
The Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, or the President of this Corporation, or any other person authorized by the Board, the Chief Executive Officer or the President, is authorized to vote, represent and exercise on behalf of this Corporation all rights incident to any and all shares or voting securities of any other corporation or other person standing in the name of this Corporation. The authority granted herein may be exercised either by such person directly or by any other person authorized to do so by proxy or power of attorney duly executed by such person having the authority.
5.7 Authority and Duties of Officers.
All officers of the Corporation shall respectively have such authority and perform such duties in the management of the business of the Corporation as may be provided by these bylaws or designated from time to time by the Board and, to the extent not so provided, as generally pertain to their respective offices, subject to the control of the Board.
5.8 Compensation.
The compensation of the officers of the Corporation for their services as such shall be fixed from time to time by or at the direction of the Board. An officer of the Corporation shall not be prevented from receiving compensation by reason of the fact that he or she is also a director of the Corporation.
Article VI - Records
A stock ledger consisting of one or more records in which the names of all of the Corporation’s stockholders of record, the address and number of shares registered in the name of each such stockholder, and all issuances and transfers of stock of the Corporation are recorded in accordance with Section 224 of the DGCL shall be administered by or on behalf of the Corporation. Any records administered by or on behalf of the Corporation in the regular course of its business, including its stock ledger, books of account, and minute books, may be kept on, or by means of, or be in the form of, any information storage device, or method, or one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), provided that the records so kept can be converted into clearly legible paper form within a reasonable time and, with respect to the stock ledger, that the records so kept (i) can be used to prepare the list of stockholders specified in Sections 219 and 220 of the DGCL, (ii) record the information specified in Sections 156, 159, 217(a) and 218 of the DGCL, and (iii) record transfers of stock as governed by Article 8 of the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Delaware.
16
Article VII - General Matters
7.1 Execution of Corporate Contracts and Instruments.
The Board, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, may authorize any officer or officers, or agent or agents, to enter into any contract or execute any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation; such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.
7.2 Stock Certificates.
The shares of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board by resolution may provide that some or all of the shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation shall be uncertificated. Certificates for the shares of stock, if any, shall be in such form as is consistent with the Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. Every holder of stock represented by a certificate shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, any two officers authorized to sign stock certificates representing the number of shares registered in certificate form. The Chairperson or Vice Chairperson of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, Vice President, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Corporation shall be specifically authorized to sign stock certificates. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case any officer, transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been placed upon a certificate has ceased to be such officer, transfer agent or registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation with the same effect as if he or she were such officer, transfer agent or registrar at the date of issue.
The Corporation may issue the whole or any part of its shares as partly paid and subject to call for the remainder of the consideration to be paid therefor. Upon the face or back of each stock certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, or upon the books and records of the Corporation in the case of uncertificated partly paid shares, the total amount of the consideration to be paid therefor and the amount paid thereon shall be stated. Upon the declaration of any dividend on fully paid shares, the Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same class, but only upon the basis of the percentage of the consideration actually paid thereon.
7.3 Special Designation of Certificates.
If the Corporation is authorized to issue more than one class of stock or more than one series of any class, then the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights shall be set forth in full or summarized on the face or on the back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of uncertificated shares, set forth in a notice provided pursuant to Section 151 of the DGCL); provided, however, that except as otherwise provided in Section 202 of the DGCL, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, there may be set forth on the face of back of the certificate that the Corporation shall issue to represent such class or series of stock (or, in the case of any uncertificated shares, included in the aforementioned notice) a statement that the Corporation will furnish without charge to each stockholder who so requests the powers, the designations, the preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions of such preferences and/or rights.
17
7.4 Lost Certificates.
Except as provided in this Section 7.4, no new certificates for shares shall be issued to replace a previously issued certificate unless the latter is surrendered to the Corporation and cancelled at the same time. The Corporation may issue a new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares in the place of any certificate theretofore issued by it, alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may require the owner of the lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or such owner’s legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it on account of the alleged loss, theft or destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate or uncertificated shares.
7.5 Shares Without Certificates
The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.
7.6 Construction; Definitions.
Unless the context requires otherwise, the general provisions, rules of construction and definitions in the DGCL shall govern the construction of these bylaws. Without limiting the generality of this provision, the singular number includes the plural and the plural number includes the singular.
7.7 Dividends.
The Board, subject to any restrictions contained in either (i) the DGCL or (ii) the Certificate of Incorporation, may declare and pay dividends upon the shares of its capital stock. Dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the Corporation’s capital stock.
The Board may set apart out of any of the funds of the Corporation available for dividends a reserve or reserves for any proper purpose and may abolish any such reserve. Such purposes shall include but not be limited to equalizing dividends, repairing or maintaining any property of the Corporation, and meeting contingencies.
7.8 Fiscal Year.
The fiscal year of the Corporation shall be fixed by resolution of the Board and may be changed by the Board.
18
7.9 Seal.
The Corporation may adopt a corporate seal, which shall be adopted and which may be altered by the Board. The Corporation may use the corporate seal by causing it or a facsimile thereof to be impressed or affixed or in any other manner reproduced.
7.10 Transfer of Stock.
Shares of the stock of the Corporation shall be transferable in the manner prescribed by applicable law and in these bylaws. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferred on the books of the Corporation only by the holder of record thereof or by such holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, upon surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates representing such shares endorsed by the appropriate person or persons (or by delivery of duly executed instructions with respect to uncertificated shares), with such evidence of the authenticity of such endorsement or execution, transfer, authorization and other matters as the Corporation may reasonably require, and accompanied by all necessary stock transfer stamps. No transfer of stock shall be valid as against the Corporation for any purpose until it shall have been entered in the stock records of the Corporation by an entry showing the names of the persons from and to whom it was transferred.
7.11 Stock Transfer Agreements.
The Corporation shall have power to enter into and perform any agreement with any number of stockholders of any one or more classes or series of stock of the Corporation to restrict the transfer of shares of stock of the Corporation of any one or more classes owned by such stockholders in any manner not prohibited by the DGCL.
7.12 Registered Stockholders.
The Corporation:
(i) shall be entitled to recognize the exclusive right of a person registered on its books as the owner of shares to receive dividends and to vote as such owner; and
(ii) shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of another person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof, except as otherwise provided by the laws of the State of Delaware.
7.13 Waiver of Notice.
Whenever notice is required to be given under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws, a written waiver, signed by the person entitled to notice, or a waiver by electronic transmission by the person entitled to notice, whether before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to notice. Attendance of a person at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except when the person attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting, to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meeting of the stockholders need be specified in any written waiver of notice or any waiver by electronic transmission unless so required by the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws.
19
Article VIII - Notice
8.1 Delivery of Notice; Notice by Electronic Transmission.
Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provisions of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation, or these bylaws may be given in writing directed to the stockholder’s mailing address (or by electronic transmission directed to the stockholder’s electronic mail address, as applicable) as it appears on the records of the Corporation and shall be given (1) if mailed, when the notice is deposited in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid, (2) if delivered by courier service, the earlier of when the notice is received or left at such stockholder’s address or (3) if given by electronic mail, when directed to such stockholder’s electronic mail address unless the stockholder has notified the Corporation in writing or by electronic transmission of an objection to receiving notice by electronic mail. A notice by electronic mail must include a prominent legend that the communication is an important notice regarding the Corporation.
Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders given by the Corporation under any provision of the DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation or these bylaws shall be effective if given by a form of electronic transmission consented to by the stockholder to whom the notice is given. Any such consent shall be revocable by the stockholder by written notice or electronic transmission to the Corporation. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph, the Corporation may give a notice by electronic mail in accordance with the first paragraph of this section without obtaining the consent required by this paragraph.
Any notice given pursuant to the preceding paragraph shall be deemed given:
(i) | if by facsimile telecommunication, when directed to a number at which the stockholder has consented to receive notice; |
(ii) | if by a posting on an electronic network together with separate notice to the stockholder of such specific posting, upon the later of (A) such posting and (B) the giving of such separate notice; and |
(iii) | if by any other form of electronic transmission, when directed to the stockholder. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a notice may not be given by an electronic transmission from and after the time that (1) the Corporation is unable to deliver by such electronic transmission two (2) consecutive notices given by the Corporation and (2) such inability becomes known to the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or to the transfer agent, or other person responsible for the giving of notice; provided, however, that the inadvertent failure to discover such inability shall not invalidate any meeting or other action.
An affidavit of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Corporation or of the transfer agent or other agent of the Corporation that the notice has been given shall, in the absence of fraud, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.
20
Article IX - Indemnification
9.1 Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
The Corporation shall indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any director or officer of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”) by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was a director or officer of the Corporation or, while serving as a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership (a “covered person”), joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, except as otherwise provided in Section 9.4, the Corporation shall be required to indemnify a person in connection with a Proceeding initiated by such person only if the Proceeding was authorized in the specific case by the Board.
9.2 Indemnification of Others.
The Corporation shall have the power to indemnify and hold harmless, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law as it presently exists or may hereafter be amended, any employee or agent of the Corporation who was or is made or is threatened to be made a party or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he or she, or a person for whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was an employee or agent of the Corporation or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, against all liability and loss suffered and expenses reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any such Proceeding.
9.3 Prepayment of Expenses.
In addition to the obligation to indemnify conferred in Section 9.1, the Corporation shall to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law pay the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by any covered person, and may pay the expenses incurred by any employee or agent of the Corporation, in defending any Proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that such payment of expenses in advance of the final disposition of the Proceeding shall be made only upon receipt of an undertaking by the person to repay all amounts advanced if it should be ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to be indemnified under this Article IX or otherwise.
9.4 Determination; Claim.
If a claim for indemnification (following the final disposition of such Proceeding) under this Article IX is not paid in full within sixty (60) days, or a claim for advancement of expenses under this Article IX is not paid in full within thirty (30) days, after a written claim therefor has been received by the Corporation the claimant may thereafter (but not before) file suit to recover the unpaid amount of such claim and, if successful in whole or in part, shall be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such claim to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any such action the Corporation shall have the burden of proving that the claimant was not entitled to the requested indemnification or payment of expenses under applicable law.
21
9.5 Non-Exclusivity of Rights.
The rights conferred on any person by this Article IX shall not be exclusive of any other rights which such person may have or hereafter acquire under any statute, provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, these bylaws, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.
9.6 Insurance.
The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust enterprise or non-profit entity against any liability asserted against him or her and incurred by him or her in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify him or her against such liability under the provisions of the DGCL.
9.7 Other Indemnification.
The Corporation’s obligation, if any, to indemnify or advance expenses to any person who was or is serving at its request as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit entity shall be reduced by any amount such person may collect as indemnification or advancement of expenses from such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, enterprise or non-profit enterprise.
9.8 Continuation of Indemnification.
The rights to indemnification and to prepayment of expenses provided by, or granted pursuant to, this Article IX shall continue notwithstanding that the person has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of the estate, heirs, executors, administrators, legatees and distributees of such person.
9.9 Amendment or Repeal; Interpretation.
The provisions of this Article IX shall constitute a contract between the Corporation, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, each individual who serves or has served as a director or officer of the Corporation (whether before or after the adoption of these bylaws), in consideration of such person’s performance of such services, and pursuant to this Article IX the Corporation intends to be legally bound to each such current or former director or officer of the Corporation. With respect to current and former directors and officers of the Corporation, the rights conferred under this Article IX are present contractual rights and such rights are fully vested, and shall be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon adoption of theses bylaws. With respect to any directors or officers of the Corporation who commence service following adoption of these bylaws, the rights conferred under this provision shall be present contractual rights and such rights shall fully vest, and be deemed to have vested fully, immediately upon such director or officer commencing service as a director or officer of the Corporation. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX shall not adversely affect any right or protection (i) hereunder of any person in respect of any act or omission occurring prior to the time of such repeal or modification or (ii) under any agreement providing for indemnification or advancement of expenses to an officer or director of the Corporation in effect prior to the time of such repeal or modification.
22
Any reference to an officer of the Corporation in this Article IX shall be deemed to refer exclusively to the Chief Executive Officer, the President and the Secretary of the Corporation, or other officer of the Corporation appointed by (x) the Board pursuant to Article V or (y) an officer to whom the Board has delegated the power to appoint officers pursuant to Article V, and any reference to an officer of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall be deemed to refer exclusively to an officer appointed by the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of such other entity pursuant to the certificate of incorporation and bylaws (or equivalent organizational documents) of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise. The fact that any person who is or was an employee of the Corporation or an employee of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise has been given or has used the title of “Vice President” or any other title that could be construed to suggest or imply that such person is or may be an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise shall not result in such person being constituted as, or being deemed to be, an officer of the Corporation or of such other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for purposes of this Article IX.
Article X - Amendments
The Board is expressly empowered to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation. The stockholders also shall have power to adopt, amend or repeal the bylaws of the Corporation; provided, however, that such action by stockholders shall require, in addition to any other vote required by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation with the power to vote generally in an election of directors, voting together as a single class.
Article XI - Definitions
As used in these bylaws, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
An “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, including the use of, or participation in, one or more electronic networks or databases (including one or more distributed electronic networks or databases), that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.
An “electronic mail” means an electronic transmission directed to a unique electronic mail address (which electronic mail shall be deemed to include any files attached thereto and any information hyperlinked to a website if such electronic mail includes the contact information of an officer or agent of the Corporation who is available to assist with accessing such files and information).
An “electronic mail address” means a destination, commonly expressed as a string of characters, consisting of a unique user name or mailbox (commonly referred to as the “local part” of the address) and a reference to an internet domain (commonly referred to as the “domain part” of the address), whether or not displayed, to which electronic mail can be sent or delivered.
The term “person” means any individual, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, business trust, joint stock company, joint venture, unincorporated association, cooperative or association or any other legal entity or organization of whatever nature, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.
23
Bolt Project Holdings, Inc.
Certificate of Amendment and Restatement of Bylaws
The undersigned hereby certifies that he is the duly elected, qualified, and acting Secretary of Bolt Projects Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and that the attached Amended and Restated Bylaws are a true and correct copy of the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation in effect as of the date of this certificate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set [his/her] hand this ___th day of , 202[ ].
[Name] | |
[Full Title of Secretary] |
24
EXHIBIT C
Form of Certificate of Incorporation of the Surviving Corporation
AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
BOLT THREADS, INC.
The undersigned, on behalf of Bolt Threads, Inc. (the “Company”), hereby certifies that:
1. | The undersigned is the duly elected and acting Chief Executive Officer of Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation. |
2. | The Certificate of Incorporation of this corporation was originally filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on August 7, 2009, under the name Refactored Materials, Inc. |
3.
| The terms and provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation have been fully approved by unanimous written consent of the Board of Directors of the Company and by written consent of the sole stockholder of the Company, pursuant to Sections 141(f), 228(a), 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. The text of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall read in full as follows: |
Article I
The name of the corporation is Bolt Threads, Inc. (the “Company”).
Article II
The registered agent and the address of the registered office in the State of Delaware are:
Incorporating Services, Ltd.
3500 South Dupont Highway
Dover, DE 19901
County of Kent
Article III
The purpose of the Company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).
Article IV
The aggregate number of shares which the Company shall have authority to issue is one thousand (1,000) shares of capital stock, all of which shall be designated “Common Stock” and have a par value of $0.0001 per share.
Article V
In furtherance of and not in limitation of the powers conferred by the laws of the State of Delaware, the Board of Directors of the Company is expressly authorized to make, amend or repeal Bylaws of the Company.
Article VI
The business and affairs of the Company shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless otherwise provided in the Bylaws of the Company.
Article VII
(A) To the fullest extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of Delaware, as it exists or as may hereafter be amended, a director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director.
(B) The Company is authorized to indemnify to the fullest extent permitted by law any person made or threatened to be made a party to an action or proceeding, whether criminal, civil, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that such person was a director or officer of the Company or any predecessor of the Company, or serves or served at any other enterprise as a director or officer at the request of the Company or any predecessor to the Company.
(C) Neither any amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation inconsistent with this Article VII, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article VII in respect of any matter occurring, or any action or proceeding accruing or arising or that, but for this Article VII, would accrue or arise, prior to such amendment, repeal or adoption of an inconsistent provision.
Article VIII
Unless the Company consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or other employee of the Company to the Company or the Company’s stockholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL, or (iv) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of capital stock of the Company shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Article VIII.
2
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be duly executed on this ___ day of [●], 202[ ].
By: | ||
Daniel Widmaier, Chief Executive Officer |
3
EXHIBIT D
Form of Regulated Stockholder PIPE Subscription Agreement
SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT
This SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT (this “Subscription Agreement”) is entered into on [ ● ], 2023, by and between Golden Arrow Merger Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the undersigned subscriber (“Subscriber”).
WHEREAS, prior to the date hereof, the Company has entered into a definitive agreement with Bolt Threads, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Bolt”), and the other parties thereto, providing for the acquisition of Bolt (the “Transaction Agreement” and the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Agreement, the “Transaction”) and in connection with which the Company shall change its name to a name reasonably determined by the Company and Bolt, which such name shall include the word “Bolt”;
WHEREAS, prior to the execution of this Subscription Agreement, the Subscriber (a Regulated Stockholder (as defined in Bolt’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation)) entered into an Other Subscription Agreement (as defined below) pursuant to which Subscriber committed to purchase an aggregate of 547,221 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company (“Common Stock”) at a price per share of $10.00 (the “PIPE Per Share Price”);
WHEREAS, as contemplated by Section 8.19 of the Note Purchase Agreement (as defined below) and Section 7.20 of the Transaction Agreement, the Regulated Stockholder has been unable to purchase a Note (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement) prior to the date hereof, and therefore Subscriber desires to subscribe for and purchase from the Company, immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the consummation of the Transaction, that number of shares of Common Stock set forth on the signature page hereto (the “Subscribed Shares”) for a purchase price of $7.80 per share (the “Per Share Price” and the aggregate of such Per Share Price for all Subscribed Shares being referred to herein as the “Purchase Price”) reflecting the discount such Regulated Stockholder would have received had they purchased a Note pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement for their Note Commitment (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement) and converted such amount and the estimated accrued interest pursuant to such Note through the estimated consummation of the Transaction at the applicable discount rate under the Note, and the Company desires to issue and sell to Subscriber the Subscribed Shares in consideration of the payment of the Purchase Price by or on behalf of Subscriber to the Company; and
WHEREAS, prior to the execution of this Subscription Agreement, (i) the Company entered into subscription agreements (the “Other Subscription Agreements”) substantially similar to this Subscription Agreement with certain other investors (the “Other Subscribers”), pursuant to which such Other Subscribers have agreed to purchase on the closing date of the Transaction shares of Common Stock at the PIPE Per Share Price (the aggregate gross proceeds thereof to the Company, inclusive of the Purchase Price hereunder, the “PIPE Proceeds”), and (ii) the Company entered into that certain note purchase agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with certain other investors (the “Note Purchasers”), pursuant to which such Note Purchasers purchased unsecured promissory notes (the aggregate gross proceeds thereof to the Company, the “Note Proceeds”, and together with the PIPE Proceeds, the “Financing Proceeds”).
D-1
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual representations, warranties and covenants, and subject to the conditions, herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
Section 1 Subscription. Subject to the terms and conditions hereof, at the Closing (as defined below), Subscriber hereby agrees to subscribe for and purchase, and the Company hereby agrees to issue and sell to Subscriber, upon the payment of the Purchase Price, the Subscribed Shares (such subscription and issuance, the “Subscription”).
Section 2 Closing.
(a) The consummation of the Subscription contemplated hereby (the “Closing”) shall occur on the closing date of the Transaction (the “Closing Date”), immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the consummation of, and conditioned upon the effectiveness of, the Transaction.
(b) At least ten (10) Business Days prior to the date the Company reasonably expects all conditions to the closing of the Transaction to be satisfied and the closing of the Transaction to actually occur (the “Anticipated Closing Date”), the Company shall deliver written notice to Subscriber (the “Closing Notice”) specifying (i) the Anticipated Closing Date and (ii) the wire instructions for delivery of the Purchase Price to the Company. No later than two (2) Business Days prior to the Anticipated Closing Date or such other time agreed to in writing between the Company and the Subscriber, Subscriber shall deliver the Purchase Price for the Subscribed Shares by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company in the Closing Notice, such funds to be held by the Company in escrow until the Closing, and deliver to the Company such information as is reasonably requested in the Closing Notice in order for the Company to issue the Subscribed Shares to Subscriber, including, without limitation, the legal name of the person in whose name the Subscribed Shares are to be issued and a duly completed and executed Internal Revenue Service Form W-9 or appropriate Form W-8. The Company shall deliver to Subscriber (i) at the Closing, the Subscribed Shares in book entry form, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions (other than those arising under applicable securities laws), in the name of Subscriber (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions), and (ii) as promptly as practicable after the Closing, evidence from the Company’s transfer agent of the issuance to Subscriber of the Subscribed Shares (in book entry form) on and as of the Closing Date. [Notwithstanding the foregoing two sentences, if Subscriber informs the Company (1) that it is an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (2) that it is advised by an investment adviser subject to regulation under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or (3) that its internal compliance policies and procedures so require it, then, in lieu of the settlement procedures in the foregoing two sentences, the following shall apply: Subscriber shall deliver at 8:00 a.m. New York City time on the Closing Date (or as soon as practicable following receipt of evidence from the Company’s transfer agent of the issuance to Subscriber of the Subscribed Shares on and as of the Closing Date) the Purchase Price for the Subscribed Shares by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds to the account specified by the Company in the Closing Notice against delivery by the Company to Subscriber of the Subscribed Shares in book entry form, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions (other than those arising under applicable securities laws), in the name of Subscriber (or its nominee in accordance with its delivery instructions) and evidence from the Company’s transfer agent of the issuance to Subscriber of the Subscribed Shares on and as of the Closing Date.]1 In the event that the consummation of the Transaction does not occur within two (2) Business Days after the Anticipated Closing Date, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Company and the Subscriber, the Company shall promptly (but in no event later than one (1) Business Day after such two (2) Business Day period has lapsed) return the Purchase Price so delivered by Subscriber to the Company by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account specified by Subscriber, and any book entries shall be deemed cancelled. Notwithstanding such return or cancellation, (x) a failure to close on the anticipated Closing Date shall not, by itself, be deemed to be a failure of any of the conditions to Closing set forth in this Section 2 to be satisfied or waived on or prior to the Closing Date, and (y) unless and until this Subscription Agreement is terminated in accordance with Section 6 herein, Subscriber shall remain obligated (1) to redeliver funds to the Company in accordance with this Section 2 following the Company’s delivery to Subscriber of a new Closing Notice and (2) to consummate the Closing immediately prior to or substantially concurrently with the consummation of the Transaction. For the purposes of this Subscription Agreement, “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or any other day on which commercial banks are required or authorized to close in either (A) the State of New York or (B) Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
1 | Note to Draft: Language to be included for mutual funds. |
D-2
(c) The Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction, or waiver in writing by each of the parties hereto, of the conditions that, on the Closing Date:
(i) | no suspension of the qualification of the Common Stock for offering or sale or trading in any jurisdiction and no suspension or removal from listing of the Common Stock on the Stock Exchange (as defined below) or notice, initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes, shall have occurred, and the Subscribed Shares shall have been approved for listing on the Stock Exchange, subject to official notice of issuance; |
(ii) | all conditions precedent to the closing of the Transaction set forth in the Transaction Agreement shall have been satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms of the Transaction Agreement (other than those conditions which, by their nature, are to be satisfied at the closing of the Transaction pursuant to the Transaction Agreement), and the closing of the Transaction shall be scheduled to occur substantially concurrently with or immediately following the Closing; and |
(iii) | no governmental authority shall have enacted, issued, promulgated, enforced or entered any judgment or order, law, rule or regulation (whether temporary, preliminary or permanent), which is then in effect and has the effect of making the consummation of the Transaction or transactions contemplated hereby illegal or otherwise restraining or prohibiting consummation of the Transaction or transactions contemplated hereby and no such governmental authority shall have instituted or threatened in writing a proceeding seeking to impose any such restraint or prohibition. |
D-3
(d) In addition to the conditions set forth in Section 2(c), the obligation of the Company to consummate the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction or valid waiver by the Company of the additional conditions that, on the Closing Date:
(i) | all representations and warranties of Subscriber contained in this Subscription Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Subscriber Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation and warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Subscriber Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date), in each case, without giving effect to consummation of the Transaction; and |
(ii) | Subscriber shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing; except where the failure of such performance, satisfaction or compliance would not or would not reasonably be likely to prevent, materially delay, or materially impact the ability of the Company to consummate the Closing. |
(e) In addition to the conditions set forth in Section 2(c), the obligation of Subscriber to consummate the Closing shall be subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing by Subscriber of the additional conditions that, on the Closing Date:
(i) | no amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of the Transaction Agreement shall have occurred that would reasonably be expected to materially and adversely affect the economic benefits that Subscriber would reasonably expect to receive under this Subscription Agreement; |
(ii) | the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Subscription Agreement shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) at and as of the Closing Date (except to the extent that any such representation or warranty expressly speaks as of an earlier date, in which case such representation and warranty shall be true and correct in all material respects (other than representations and warranties that are qualified as to materiality or Company Material Adverse Effect, which representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all respects) as of such earlier date); |
(iii) | the Company shall have performed, satisfied and complied in all material respects with all covenants, agreements and conditions required by this Subscription Agreement to be performed, satisfied or complied with by it at or prior to the Closing, except where the failure of such performance, satisfaction or compliance would not or would not be reasonably likely to prevent, materially delay, or materially impact the ability of the Subscriber to consummate the Closing; |
D-4
(iv) | there shall have been no amendment or modification of, or waiver under, any Other Subscription Agreement that materially benefits such Other Subscriber thereunder unless the Subscriber has been offered substantially the same benefits; and |
(v) | the Financing Proceeds and the amount in the Company’s trust fund established by the Company for the benefit of its public stockholders maintained in a trust account at JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A., in each case, to be received by the Company at or prior to the Closing shall be no less than $32,000,000 in the aggregate, less any amounts that the Company is entitled to withdraw from the Trust Account (as defined in Section 7) to pay tax obligations owed by the Company as of the Closing Date in excess of $140,000 in the aggregate. |
(f) Prior to or at the Closing, Subscriber shall deliver all such other information as is reasonably requested in order for the Company to issue the Subscribed Shares to Subscriber.
Section 3 Company Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to Subscriber, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, that:
(a) The Company (i) is duly organized, validly existing as a corporation and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, (ii) has the requisite power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties, to carry on its business as it is now being conducted and to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement, and (iii) is duly licensed or qualified to conduct its business and, if applicable, is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction (other than its jurisdiction of incorporation) in which the conduct of its business or the ownership of its properties or assets requires such license or qualification, except, with respect to the foregoing clause (iii), where the failure to be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, a “Company Material Adverse Effect” means an event, change, development, occurrence, condition or effect with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken together as a whole (on a consolidated basis), that, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company, or a material adverse effect on the Company’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the issuance and sale of the Subscribed Shares, or the Transaction.
(b) As of the Closing Date, the Subscribed Shares will be duly authorized and, when issued and delivered to Subscriber against full payment therefor in accordance with the terms of this Subscription Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of any liens or other restrictions (other than those arising under applicable securities laws) and will not have been issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar rights created under the Company’s organizational documents (as adopted on or prior to the Closing Date), by contract or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation.
D-5
(c) This Subscription Agreement, the Other Subscription Agreements and the Transaction Agreement (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) have been duly authorized, validly executed and delivered by the Company, and assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the same by the applicable counterparties, each such Transaction Document shall constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting the rights of creditors generally and by principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity.
(d) The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents, and the performance of the Company under the Transaction Documents, including the execution and delivery of this Subscription Agreement and the issuance and sale of the Subscribed Shares hereunder and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Subscription Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; (ii) the organizational documents of the Company; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its properties that, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), would reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(e) Assuming the accuracy of the representations and warranties of Subscriber in Section 4, the Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court or other federal, state, local or other governmental authority, self-regulatory organization (including The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Stock Exchange”)) or other person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Subscription Agreement (including, without limitation, the issuance of the Subscribed Shares), other than (i) filings required by applicable state securities laws, (ii) the filing of the Registration Statement (as the term is defined in Section 5) with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Section 5 below, (iii) the filing of a Notice of Exempt Offering of Securities on Form D with the Commission under Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), if applicable, (iv) those required by the Stock Exchange with respect to obtaining stockholder approval of the Transaction Agreement and related transactions contemplated thereby, (v) those required to consummate the Transaction as provided under the Transaction Agreement, (vi) the filing of notification under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, if applicable, and (vii) any filing the failure of which to obtain would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
(f) Except for such matters as would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect, there is no (i) suit, action, claim or other proceeding or arbitration before a governmental authority or arbitrator pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened in writing against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (ii) judgment, decree, injunction, ruling or order of any governmental authority or arbitrator outstanding against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
D-6
(g) Assuming the accuracy of Subscriber’s representations and warranties set forth in Section 4 of this Subscription Agreement, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the offer and sale of the Subscribed Shares by the Company to Subscriber.
(h) Neither the Company, nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any person acting on its behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any Company security or solicited any offers to buy any security under circumstances that would adversely affect reliance by the Company on Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act for the exemption from registration for the transactions contemplated hereby or would require registration of the issuance of the Subscribed Shares pursuant to this Subscription Agreement under the Securities Act.
(i) Neither the Company nor any person acting on its behalf has engaged or will engage in any form of general solicitation or general advertising (within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act) in connection with any offer or sale of the Subscribed Shares, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any person acting on its behalf has offered any of the Subscribed Shares in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act or any state securities laws.
(j) The Company has provided Subscriber an opportunity to ask questions regarding the Company and made available to Subscriber all of the information reasonably available to the Company that Subscriber has requested in the process of determining whether to acquire the Subscribed Shares.
(k) No broker, investment banker, finder or other person is entitled to any brokerage or finder’s fee or commission solely in connection with the sale of the Subscribed Shares to Subscriber.
(l) As of the date of this Subscription Agreement, the authorized capital stock of the Company is 221,000,000 shares, consisting of (i) 200,000,000 shares of Common Stock, 9,147,981 of which are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Subscription Agreement, (ii) 20,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company, of which 140,000 shares are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Subscription Agreement, and (iii) 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company, of which no shares are issued and outstanding as of the date of this Subscription Agreement ((i), (ii) and (iii) collectively, the “Company Securities”). As of the date of this Subscription Agreement, 9,583,333 warrants to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price $11.50 per share (the “Public Warrants”) and 5,000,000 warrants to purchase one share of Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 (the “Private Placement Warrants” and together with the Public Warrants, the “Warrants”) were issued and outstanding. All issued and outstanding Company Securities have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable. No Warrants are exercisable on or prior to the Closing. All of the Company Securities and the Warrants (i) have been offered, sold and issued in compliance with applicable law, including federal and state securities laws, and with all requirements set forth in the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended from time to time (the “Company Certificate”), and any other applicable contracts governing the issuance of such securities; and (ii) are not subject to, nor have they been issued in violation of, any purchase option, call option, right of first refusal, preemptive right, subscription right or any similar right under any provision of any applicable law, the Company Certificate or any contract to which the Company is a party or otherwise bound. As of the date hereof, except as set forth above, as disclosed in the SEC Reports (as defined below) and pursuant to the Other Subscription Agreements, and the Transaction Agreement, there are no outstanding options, warrants or other rights to subscribe for, purchase or acquire from the Company any Company Securities, Warrants or other equity interests in the Company, or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such equity interests. As of the date hereof, other than Merger Sub (as defined in the Transaction Agreement), the Company has no subsidiaries and does not own, directly or indirectly, interests or investments (whether equity or debt) in any person, whether incorporated or unincorporated. There are no stockholder agreements, voting trusts or other agreements or understandings to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound relating to the voting of any securities of the Company, other than (A) as set forth in the SEC Reports and (B) as contemplated by the Transaction Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements (as defined in the Transaction Agreement).
D-7
(m) There are no securities or instruments issued by or to which the Company is a party containing anti-dilution or similar provisions that will be triggered by the issuance of (i) the Subscribed Shares or (ii) the shares of Common Stock to be issued pursuant to any Other Subscription Agreement, in each case, that have not been or will not be validly waived on or prior to the Closing Date.
(n) Other than the Other Subscription Agreements and the Transaction Agreement (or any other agreement expressly contemplated by the Transaction Agreement) or as disclosed in the SEC Reports as of the date hereof, the Company has not entered into any side letter or similar agreement with any Other Subscriber or other investor in connection with such Other Subscriber’s or other investor’s direct or indirect investment in the Company. The Other Subscription Agreements reflect the same PIPE Per Share Price and other terms that are no more favorable to such subscriber thereunder than the terms of this Subscription Agreement, other than that the Per Share Price under this Agreement is different than the PIPE Per Share Price and, for purposes of Section 2(e)(ii) hereof, have not been amended in any material respect following the date hereof.
(o) As of their respective dates or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment, all reports required to be filed by the Company with the Commission (the “SEC Reports”) complied in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed or, if amended, as of the date of such amendment, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company included in the SEC Reports (or, if amended, in such amendment) comply in all material respects with applicable accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company as of and for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal, year-end audit adjustments. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3(o) to the contrary, no representation or warranty is made in this Subscription Agreement as to the historical accounting treatment of the Warrants, or as to any deficiencies in disclosure (including with respect to internal control over financial reporting or disclosure controls and procedures) arising from the treatment of such Warrants as equity rather than liabilities in the Company’s historical financial statements. There are no outstanding or unresolved comments in comment letters received by the Company from the Commission with respect to any SEC Report.
D-8
(p) The issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, and are listed for trading on the Stock Exchange under the symbol “GAMC.” There is no suit, action, proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, any notice given or threatened against the Company by the Stock Exchange or the Commission with respect to any intention by such entity to deregister the shares of Common Stock or prohibit or terminate the listing of the shares of Common Stock on the Stock Exchange. The Company has taken no action that is designed to terminate the registration of the shares of Common Stock under the Exchange Act.
(q) The Company is not, and is not controlled by or acting on behalf of (in connection with this Transaction), a Sanctioned Person. The Company is not a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services to a non-U.S. shell bank. For purposes of this Agreement, “Sanctioned Person” means at any time any person or entity: (a) listed on any Sanctions-related list of designated or blocked or restricted persons; (b) that is a national of, the government of, or any agency or instrumentality of the government of, or resident in, or organized under the laws of, a country or territory that is the target of comprehensive Sanctions from time to time (as of the date of this Agreement, the Crimea region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, Cuba, Iran, North Korea or Syria); or (c) owned or controlled by or acting on behalf of any of the foregoing. “Sanctions” means those trade, economic and financial sanctions laws, regulations, embargoes, and restrictive measures (in each case having the force of law) administered, enacted or enforced from time to time by (a) the United States (including without limitation the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control, the U.S. Department of State, and the U.S. Department of Commerce), (b) the European Union and enforced by its member states, (c) the United Nations and (d) the United Kingdom.
(r) The Company is not controlled by or acting on behalf of (in connection with this Transaction) a person or entity resident that: (i) has been designated as non-cooperative with international anti-money laundering or counter terrorist financing principles or procedures by the United States or by an intergovernmental group or organization, such as the Financial Action Task Force, of which the United States is a member; (ii) is the subject of an advisory issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury; or (iii) has been designated by the Secretary of the Treasury under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act as warranting special measures due to money laundering concerns (any such country or territory, a “Non-cooperative Jurisdiction”), or an entity or individual that resides or has a place of business in, or is organized under the laws of, a Non-cooperative Jurisdiction.
(s) The Company is in compliance with all applicable laws, except where such non-compliance would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not received any written communication from a governmental authority that alleges that the Company is not in compliance with or is in default or violation of any applicable law, except where such non-compliance, default or violation would not reasonably be expected to have a Company Material Adverse Effect.
D-9
(t) The Company is not, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Subscribed Shares of the Company will not be, subject to registration as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
Section 4 Subscriber Representations and Warranties. Subscriber represents and warrants to the Company, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date, that:
(a) Subscriber (i) is duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization and (ii) has the requisite power and authority to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations under this Subscription Agreement.
(b) This Subscription Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Subscriber, and assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery of the same by the Company, this Subscription Agreement shall constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of Subscriber, enforceable against Subscriber in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors generally and principles of equity, whether considered at law or equity.
(c) The execution, delivery and performance by Subscriber of this Subscription Agreement, the purchase of the Subscribed Shares and the compliance by Subscriber with all of the provisions of this Subscription Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of Subscriber pursuant to the terms of (i) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease, license or other agreement or instrument to which Subscriber is a party or by which Subscriber is bound or to which any of the property or assets of Subscriber is subject; (ii) the organizational documents of Subscriber; or (iii) any statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over Subscriber or any of its properties that, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), would reasonably be expected to have a Subscriber Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this Subscription Agreement, a “Subscriber Material Adverse Effect” means an event, change, development, occurrence, condition or effect with respect to Subscriber that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on Subscriber’s ability to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, including the purchase of the Subscribed Shares.
(d) Subscriber (i) is an “accredited investor” (within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Securities Act) and satisfies the applicable requirements set forth on Annex A, (ii) is acquiring the Subscribed Shares only for its own account and not for the account of others, or if Subscriber is subscribing for the Subscribed Shares as a fiduciary or agent for one or more investor accounts, each owner of such account is an accredited investor and Subscriber has full investment discretion with respect to each such account, and the full power and authority to make the acknowledgements, representations and agreements herein on behalf of each owner of each such account, and (iii) is not acquiring the Subscribed Shares with a view to, or for offer or sale in connection with, any distribution thereof in violation of the Securities Act (and has provided the Company with the requested information on Annex A following the signature page hereto). Subscriber is not an entity formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the Subscribed Shares.
D-10
(e) Subscriber understands that the Subscribed Shares are being offered in a transaction not involving any public offering within the meaning of the Securities Act and that the Subscribed Shares have not been registered under the Securities Act and that the Company is not required to register the Subscribed Shares except as set forth in Section 5 of this Subscription Agreement. Subscriber understands that the Subscribed Shares may not be offered, resold, transferred, pledged or otherwise disposed of by Subscriber absent an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, except (i) to the Company or a subsidiary thereof, or (ii) pursuant to an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, a private resale pursuant to so-called rule 4(a) 11-2 of the Securities Act), and, in each of cases (i) and (ii), in accordance with any applicable securities laws of the applicable states and other jurisdictions of the United States, and that any certificates or account entries representing the Subscribed Shares shall contain the restrictive legend set forth in Section 4(r). Subscriber understands that the Subscribed Shares will be subject to these securities law transfer restrictions, and as a result of these transfer restrictions, Subscriber may not be able to readily resell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of the Subscribed Shares and may be required to bear the financial risk of an investment in the Subscribed Shares for an indefinite period of time. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the Subscribed Shares will not be eligible for offer, resale, transfer, pledge or disposition pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (“Rule 144”), absent a change in law, receipt of regulatory no-action relief or an exemption, until at least one year from the filing of Bolt’s “Form 10” information with the Commission. Subscriber understands that it has been advised to consult legal counsel prior to making any offer, resale, pledge or transfer of any of the Subscribed Shares.
(f) Subscriber understands and agrees that Subscriber is purchasing the Subscribed Shares directly from the Company. Subscriber further acknowledges that there have not been, and Subscriber hereby agrees that it is not relying on, any representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made to Subscriber by the Company, Bolt, any of their respective affiliates or any control persons, officers, directors, employees, partners, agents or representatives, any other party to the Transaction or any other person or entity, expressly or by implication, other than those representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company set forth in this Subscription Agreement. Subscriber acknowledges that certain information provided by the Company or by or on behalf of Bolt was based on projections prepared by Bolt, and such projections were prepared based on assumptions and estimates that are inherently uncertain and are subject to a wide variety of significant business, economic and competitive risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the projections.
(g) Without limiting or altering the representations and warranties made by the Company herein, in making its decision to purchase the Subscribed Shares, Subscriber has relied solely upon independent investigation made by Subscriber. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that Subscriber has received such information as Subscriber deems necessary in order to make an investment decision with respect to the Subscribed Shares, including with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, including Bolt (collectively, the “Acquired Companies”) and the Transaction, and made its own assessment and is satisfied concerning the relevant financial, tax and other economic considerations relevant to Subscriber’s investment in the Subscribed Shares. Subscriber represents and agrees that Subscriber and Subscriber’s professional advisor(s), if any, have had the opportunity to ask such questions, receive such answers and obtain such information as Subscriber and such undersigned’s professional advisor(s), if any, have deemed necessary to make an investment decision with respect to the Subscribed Shares. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Subscriber acknowledges that it has reviewed the Company’s filings with the Commission. Subscriber further acknowledges that the proxy statement/prospectus that the Company intends to file with the Commission will include substantial additional information about the Company and the Transaction. Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that other than the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein, none of the Acquired Companies or any of their respective affiliates, or any of such person’s or its affiliate’s control persons, officers, directors, employees or other representatives, legal counsel, financial advisors, accountants or agents (collectively, “Representatives”) has provided Subscriber with any advice with respect to the Subscribed Shares nor is such advice necessary or desired. None of the Acquired Companies, or any of their respective affiliates or Representatives has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the Acquired Companies or the quality or value of the Subscribed Shares.
D-11
(h) Subscriber became aware of this offering of the Subscribed Shares solely by means of direct contact between Subscriber and the Company and/or Bolt, or their respective representatives or affiliates. Subscriber did not become aware of this offering of the Subscribed Shares, nor were the Subscribed Shares offered to Subscriber, by any other means. Subscriber acknowledges that the Company represents and warrants that the Subscribed Shares (i) were not offered by any form of general advertising or, to its knowledge, general solicitation and (ii) to its knowledge, are not being offered in a manner involving a public offering under, or in a distribution in violation of, the Securities Act, or any state securities laws.
(i) Subscriber acknowledges that it is aware that there are substantial risks incident to the purchase and ownership of the Subscribed Shares. Subscriber has such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of an investment in the Subscribed Shares, and Subscriber has had an opportunity to seek, and has sought, such accounting, legal, business and tax advice as Subscriber has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision. Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates has offered Subscriber any tax advice relating to Subscriber’s investment in the Subscribed Shares. Subscriber is a sophisticated investor, experienced in investing in transactions of this type and capable of evaluating investment risks independently, both in general and with regard to all transactions and investment strategies involving a security or securities.
(j) Alone, or together with any professional advisor(s), Subscriber has adequately analyzed and fully considered the risks of an investment in the Subscribed Shares and determined that the Subscribed Shares are a suitable investment for Subscriber and that Subscriber is able at this time and in the foreseeable future to bear the economic risk of a total loss of Subscriber’s investment in the Company. Subscriber acknowledges specifically that a possibility of total loss exists.
(k) Subscriber understands and agrees that no federal or state agency has passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the Subscribed Shares or made any findings or determination as to the fairness of this investment.
(l) Subscriber is not, and is not owned or controlled by or acting on behalf of (in connection with this Transaction), a Sanctioned Person. Subscriber is not a non-U.S. shell bank or providing banking services to a non-U.S. shell bank. Subscriber represents that if it is a financial institution subject to the Bank Secrecy Act (31 U.S.C. Section 5311 et seq.), as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 and its implementing regulations (collectively, the “BSA/PATRIOT Act”), that Subscriber maintains policies and procedures reasonably designed to comply with applicable obligations under the BSA/PATRIOT Act. Subscriber also represents that, to the extent required by applicable law, it maintains, either directly or through the use of a third-party administrator, policies and procedures reasonably designed for the screening of any investors against Sanctions-related lists of blocked or restricted persons. Subscriber further represents and warrants that it maintains, either directly or through the use of a third-party administrator, policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure that the funds held by Subscriber and used to purchase the Subscribed Shares were derived from lawful activities.
D-12
(m) Subscriber is not currently (and at all times through Closing will refrain from being or becoming) a member of a “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act or any successor provision) acting for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of equity securities of the Company or Bolt (within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Exchange Act).
(n) No foreign person (as defined in 31 C.F.R. Part 800.224) in which the national or subnational governments of a single foreign state have a substantial interest (as defined in 31 C.F.R. Part 800.244) will acquire a substantial interest in the Company as a result of the purchase and sale of Subscribed Shares hereunder such that a declaration to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States would be mandatory under 31 C.F.R. Part 800.401, and no foreign person will have control (as defined in 31 C.F.R. Part 800.208) over the Company from and after the Closing as a result of the purchase and sale of Subscribed Shares hereunder.
(o) If Subscriber is an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), a plan, an individual retirement account or other arrangement that is subject to section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) or an employee benefit plan that is a governmental plan (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), a church plan (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA), a non-U.S. plan (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) or other plan that is not subject to the foregoing but may be subject to provisions under any other federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of ERISA or the Code, or an entity whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of any such plan, account or arrangement (each, a “Plan”) subject to the fiduciary or prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, Subscriber represents and warrants that (i) it has not relied on the Company, or any of its affiliates (the “Transaction Parties”) for investment advice or as the Plan’s fiduciary, or has been relied on for advice, with respect to its decision to acquire and hold the Subscribed Shares, and none of the Transaction Parties shall at any time be relied upon as the Plan’s fiduciary with respect to any decision to acquire, continue to hold or transfer the Subscribed Shares and (ii) the acquisition and holding of the Subscribed Shares will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code.
(p) When required to deliver payment pursuant to Section 2, Subscriber will have sufficient funds to pay the Purchase Price pursuant to Section 2.
(q) No broker or finder is entitled to any brokerage or finder’s fee or commission to be paid by Subscriber solely in connection with the sale of the Subscribed Shares to Subscriber.
D-13
(r) Subscriber acknowledges and agrees that the certificate or book entry position representing the Subscribed Shares will bear or reflect, as applicable, a legend substantially similar to the following:
“THIS SECURITY WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), AND THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR AN APPLICABLE EXEMPTION THEREFROM. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMPANY THAT THIS SECURITY MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED, ONLY (I) PURSUANT TO ANY EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, (II) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (III) TO THE COMPANY, IN EACH OF CASES (I) THROUGH (III) IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES.”
Section 5 Registration Rights.
(a) The Company shall, within thirty (30) days after the Closing (the “Filing Deadline”), file with the Commission (at the Company’s sole cost and expense) a registration statement registering the resale of the Subscribed Shares (the “Registration Statement”), and use its commercially reasonable efforts to have the Registration Statement declared effective as soon as practicable after the filing thereof, but no later than the earlier of (i) the 60th calendar day (or 90th calendar day if the Commission notifies the Company that it will “review” the Registration Statement) following the earlier of (A) the filing of the Registration Statement and (B) Filing Deadline and (ii) the 5th Business Day after the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the Commission that the Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review (such date, the “Effectiveness Deadline”); provided, that (i) if the Effectiveness Deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the Commission is closed for business, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the Commission is open for business and (ii) if the Commission is closed for operations due to a government shutdown, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended by the same number of Business Days on which the Commission remains closed. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Commission prevents the Company from including any or all of the shares proposed to be registered under the Registration Statement due to limitations on the use of Rule 415 of the Securities Act by the applicable stockholders or otherwise, such Registration Statement shall register for resale such number of shares of Common Stock which is equal to the maximum number of shares as is permitted by the Commission. In such event, the number of Subscribed Shares and any other shares to be registered for each selling stockholder named in the Registration Statement shall be reduced pro rata among all such selling stockholders and as promptly as practicable after being permitted to register additional shares under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, the Company shall file one or more new Registration Statement(s) (such new Registration Statement shall also be deemed to be “Registration Statement” hereunder) to register such additional Subscribed Shares and cause such Registration Statement(s) to become effective as promptly as practicable after the filing thereof, but in any event no later than thirty (30) calendar days after the filing of such Registration Statement (the “Additional Effectiveness Deadline”); provided, that the Additional Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to ninety (90) calendar days after the filing of such Registration Statement if such Registration Statement is reviewed by, and comments thereto are provided from, the Commission; provided, further the Company shall have such Registration Statement declared effective within ten (10) Business Days after the date the Company is notified (orally or in writing, whichever is earlier) by the staff of the Commission that such Registration Statement will not be “reviewed” or will not be subject to further review; provided, further that (i) if such day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or other day that the Commission is closed for business, the Additional Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended to the next Business Day on which the Commission is open for business and (ii) if the Commission is closed for operations due to a government shutdown, the Effectiveness Deadline shall be extended by the same number of Business Days on which the Commission remains closed. Any failure by the Company to file a Registration Statement by the Filing Deadline or to effect the Registration Statement by the Effectiveness Deadline or Additional Effectiveness Deadline shall not otherwise relieve the Company of its obligations to file or effect a Registration Statement as set forth in this Section 5. For purposes of this Section 5, the term “Company” shall refer to the Company and Bolt on a combined basis following the closing of the Transaction.
D-14
(b) The Company’s obligation to include the Subscribed Shares in the Registration Statement are contingent upon Subscriber furnishing in writing to the Company such information regarding Subscriber, the securities of the Company held by Subscriber and the intended method of disposition of the Subscribed Shares as shall be reasonably requested by the Company to effect the registration of the Subscribed Shares, and shall execute such documents in connection with such registration as the Company may reasonably request that are customary of a selling stockholder in similar situations (other than a lock-up or other similar agreement restricting the ability of Subscriber to transfer the Subscribed Shares). The Company will provide a draft of the Registration Statement to Subscriber for review at least five (5) Business Days in advance of filing the Registration Statement and shall in good faith consider Subscriber’s reasonable comments thereto, if any. Unless required under applicable laws and Commission rules, in no event shall the Subscriber be identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement; provided, that if the Subscriber is required to be so identified as a statutory underwriter in the Registration Statement, the Subscriber will have an opportunity to withdraw its Subscribed Shares from the Registration Statement. The Company agrees that, except for such times as the Company is permitted hereunder to suspend the use of the prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to, at its expense, cause such Registration Statement to remain effective with respect to Subscriber, keep any qualification, exemption or compliance under state securities laws which the Company determines to obtain continuously effective with respect to Subscriber, and to keep the applicable Registration Statement or any subsequent shelf registration statement free of any material misstatements or omissions, until the earlier of (i) three years from the issuance of the Subscribed Shares, (ii) the date on which all of the Subscribed Shares shall have been sold, or (iii) on the first date on which the undersigned can sell all of its Subscribed Shares (or shares received in exchange therefor) under Rule 144 of the Securities Act without limitation as to volume or manner of sale. If the filing, initial effectiveness or continued use of a Registration Statement at any time would (a) require the Company to make an adverse disclosure, (b) require the inclusion in such Registration Statement of financial statements that are unavailable to the Company for reasons beyond the Company’s control or (c) in the good faith judgment of the board of directors of the Company, be seriously detrimental to the Company and its holders of capital stock, (such circumstance, a “Suspension Event”) and it would therefore be essential to defer such filing, initial effectiveness or continued use at such time, the Company shall have the right, upon delivering prompt written notice to the Subscriber of such action (which notice shall not specify the nature of the event giving rise to such delay or suspension), to delay the filing or initial effectiveness of, or suspend use of, such Registration Statement for the shortest period of time determined in good faith by the Company to be necessary for such purpose. In the event the Company exercises its rights under this Section 5(b), the Subscriber agrees to suspend, immediately upon its receipt of the notice referred to above, its use of the prospectus relating to any Registration Statement in connection with any sale or offer to sell Subscribed Shares until such Subscriber receives written notice from the Company that such sales or offers of Subscribed Shares may be resumed, and in each case maintain the confidentiality of such notice and its contents, subject to (A) disclosure to Subscriber’s employees, agents and professional advisers who need to know such information and are obligated to keep it confidential, and (B) disclosures to the extent required in order to comply with reporting obligations to its limited partners who have agreed to keep such information confidential, and unless (x) such information is already known by Subscriber or publicly available or (y) Subscriber is otherwise required by law or subpoena to disclose such information.
(c) The Subscriber may deliver written notice (an “Opt-Out Notice”) to the Company requesting that the Subscriber not receive notices from the Company otherwise required by Section 5(b); provided, however, that the Subscriber may later revoke any such Opt-Out Notice in writing. Following receipt of an Opt-Out Notice from the Subscriber (unless subsequently revoked), (i) the Company shall not deliver any such notices to the Subscriber and the Subscriber shall no longer be entitled to the rights associated with any such notice and (ii) each time prior to the Subscriber’s intended use of an effective Registration Statement, the Subscriber will notify the Company in writing at least two (2) Business Days in advance of such intended use, and if a notice of a Suspension Event was previously delivered (or would have been delivered but for the provisions of this Section 5(c)) and the related suspension period remains in effect, the Company will so notify the Subscriber within one (1) Business Day of the Subscriber’s notification to the Company by delivering to the Subscriber a copy of such previous notice of Suspension Event, and thereafter will provide the Subscriber with the related notice of the conclusion of such Suspension Event promptly following its availability.
(d) In the case of the registration effected by the Company pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, the Company shall, upon reasonable request, inform Subscriber as to the status of such registration. The Company shall advise Subscriber within five (5) Business Days:
(i) | when a Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been filed with the Commission and when such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has become effective; |
(ii) | of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for such purpose; |
D-15
(iii) | of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Subscribed Shares included therein for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and |
(iv) | subject to the provisions in this Subscription Agreement, of the occurrence of any event that requires the making of any changes in any Registration Statement or prospectus so that, as of such date, the statements therein are not misleading and do not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading. |
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, the Company shall not, when so advising Subscriber of such events, provide Subscriber with any material, nonpublic information regarding the Company other than to the extent that providing notice to Subscriber of the occurrence of the events listed in (i) through (iv) above may constitute material, nonpublic information regarding the Company.
(e) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of any Registration Statement as soon as reasonably practicable.
(f) Except for such times as the Company is permitted hereunder to suspend, and has suspended, the use of a prospectus forming part of a Registration Statement as contemplated by this Subscription Agreement, the Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to as soon as reasonably practicable prepare a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus, or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to purchasers of the Subscribed Shares included therein, such prospectus will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(g) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause all Subscribed Shares to be listed on each securities exchange or market, if any, on which the Common Stock have been listed.
(h) The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Subscribed Shares required hereby.
(i) For purposes of this Section 5, “Subscribed Shares” shall mean, as of any date of determination, the Subscribed Shares and any other equity security issued or issuable with respect to the Subscribed Shares by way of share split, dividend, distribution, recapitalization, merger, exchange, replacement or similar event, and “Subscriber” shall include any affiliate of the undersigned Subscriber to which the rights under this Section 5 shall have been duly assigned.
Section 6 Termination. This Subscription Agreement shall terminate and be void and of no further force and effect, and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall terminate without any further liability on the part of any party in respect thereof, upon the earliest to occur of (a) such date and time as the Transaction Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms; (b) upon the mutual written agreement of the parties hereto to terminate this Subscription Agreement; (c) if, on the Closing Date, any of the conditions to the Closing set forth in Section 2 are not satisfied or waived and, as a result thereof, the transactions contemplated by this Subscription Agreement are not consummated at the Closing; and (d) the failure of the Closing to occur on or prior to July 4, 2024; provided, that nothing herein will relieve any party from liability for any willful breach hereto prior to the time of termination, and each party will be entitled to any remedies at law or in equity to recover losses, liabilities or damages arising from such breach. The Company shall promptly notify Subscriber of the termination of the Transaction Agreement promptly after the termination thereof. Upon the termination of this Subscription Agreement in accordance with this Section 6, any monies paid by the Subscriber to the Company in connection herewith shall be promptly (and in any event within one Business Day after such termination) returned to the Subscriber.
D-16
Section 7 Trust Account Waiver. Subscriber hereby acknowledges that the Company has established a trust account (the “Trust Account”) containing the proceeds of its initial public offering (the “IPO”) and from certain private placements occurring simultaneously with the IPO (including interest accrued from time to time thereon) for the benefit of the Company’s public stockholders and certain other parties (including the underwriters of the IPO). For and in consideration of the Company entering into this Subscription Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Subscriber hereby (a) agrees that it does not now and shall not at any time hereafter have any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any assets held in the Trust Account, and shall not make any claim against the Trust Account, regardless of whether such claim arises as a result of, in connection with or relating in any way to this Subscription Agreement or any other matter, and regardless of whether such claim arises based on contract, tort, equity or any other theory of legal liability (any and all such claims are collectively referred to hereafter as the “Released Claims”),(b) irrevocably waives any Released Claims that it may have against the Trust Account now or in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with the Company, and (c) will not seek recourse against the Trust Account for any reason whatsoever; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 7 shall (x) be deemed to limit any of Subscriber’s right, title, interest or claim to the Trust Account by virtue of such Subscriber’s record or beneficial ownership of securities of the Company acquired by any means other than pursuant to this Subscription Agreement, including but not limited to any redemption right with respect to any such securities of the Company, (y) serve to limit or prohibit Subscriber’s right to pursue a claim against the Company for legal relief against assets held outside the Trust Account, for specific performance or other equitable relief or (z) serve to limit or prohibit any claims that Subscriber may have in the future against the Company’s assets or funds that are not held in the Trust Account.
Section 8 Indemnity.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by law, each Subscriber, its officers, directors, employees, advisers and agents and each person or entity who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) such Subscriber and each affiliate (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Subscriber, from and against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, any reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from, based upon or arising out of any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, prospectus included in any Registration Statement or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus, in light of the circumstances in which they were made) not misleading, except insofar as the same are caused by or contained in any information or affidavit so furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Subscriber expressly for use therein.
D-17
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement in which a Subscriber is participating, such Subscriber shall furnish (or cause to be furnished) to the Company in writing such information and affidavits as the Company reasonably requests for use in connection with any such Registration Statement or prospectus and, to the extent permitted by law, shall indemnify the Company, its directors, officers and agents and each person or entity who controls (within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act) the Company and each affiliate (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company against all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented outside attorneys’ fees) resulting from any untrue or alleged untrue statement of material fact contained in or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement, prospectus or preliminary prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or any omission or alleged omission of a material fact required to be stated therein in the case of the prospectus or preliminary prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, but only to the extent that such untrue statement is contained in (or not contained in, in the case of an omission) any information or affidavit so furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Subscriber expressly for use therein; provided, however, that the obligation to indemnify shall be severally and not jointly with any Other Subscriber or other selling stockholder named in such Registration Statement, and the liability of each such Subscriber of Subscribed Shares shall be in proportion to and limited to the net proceeds received by such Subscriber from the sale of Subscribed Shares pursuant to such Registration Statement.
(c) Any person or entity entitled to indemnification herein shall (1) give prompt written notice to the indemnifying party of any claim with respect to which it seeks indemnification (provided that the failure to give prompt notice shall not impair any person’s or entity’s right to indemnification hereunder to the extent such failure has not materially prejudiced the indemnifying party) and (2) unless in such indemnified party’s reasonable judgment a conflict of interest between such indemnified and indemnifying parties may exist with respect to such claim, permit such indemnifying party to assume the defense of such claim with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party. If such defense is assumed, the indemnifying party shall not be subject to any liability for any settlement made by the indemnified party without its consent (but such consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). An indemnifying party who is not entitled to, or elects not to, assume the defense of a claim shall not be obligated to pay the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for all parties indemnified by such indemnifying party with respect to such claim, unless in the reasonable judgment of legal counsel to any indemnified party a conflict of interest exists between such indemnified party and any other of such indemnified parties with respect to such claim. No indemnifying party shall, without the consent of the indemnified party, consent to the entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement which cannot be settled in all respects by the payment of money (and such money is so paid by the indemnifying party pursuant to the terms of such settlement) or which settlement includes a statement or admission of fault and culpability on the part of such indemnified party or which settlement does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified party of a release from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation.
(d) The indemnification provided for under this Subscription Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the indemnified party or any officer, director, employee, agent, affiliate or controlling person or entity of such indemnified party and shall survive the transfer of the Subscribed Shares purchased pursuant to this Subscription Agreement.
D-18
(e) If the indemnification provided under this Section 8 from the indemnifying party is unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses referred to herein, then the indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying the indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and out-of-pocket expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying party and the indemnified party, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the indemnifying party and indemnified party shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any action in question, including any untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material fact, was made by (or not made by, in the case of an omission), or relates to information supplied by (or not supplied by in the case of an omission), such indemnifying party or indemnified party, and the indemnifying party’s and indemnified party’s relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such action. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses or other liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in this Sections 8(a), 8(b) and 8(c) above, any legal or other fees, charges or out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with any investigation or proceeding. No person or entity guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) from any person or entity who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Any contribution pursuant to this Section 8(e) by any seller of Subscribed Shares, together with any amounts under Section 8(b), shall be limited in amount to the amount of net proceeds received by such seller from the sale of such Subscribed Shares pursuant to the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, in no event will any party be liable for consequential, special, exemplary or punitive damages in connection with this Subscription Agreement.
Section 9 Company’s Covenants.
(a) In connection with any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposition of the Subscribed Shares by a Subscriber pursuant to Rule 144 or pursuant to any other exemption under the Securities Act such that the purchaser acquires freely tradable shares and upon compliance by the Subscriber with the requirements of this Agreement, if requested by the Subscriber by notice to the Company, the Company shall request, and take all commercially reasonable steps to facilitate, the transfer agent to remove any restrictive legends related to the book entry account holding such Subscribed Shares and make a new, unlegended entry for such book entry Subscribed Shares sold or disposed of without restrictive legends within five (5) Business Days of any such request therefor from such Subscriber, provided that the Company has timely received from the Subscriber customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company in connection therewith. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent, its legal counsel and all The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) fees associated with such legend removal.
D-19
(b) Subject to receipt from the Subscriber by the Company and the transfer agent of customary representations and other documentation reasonably acceptable to the Company and the transfer agent in connection therewith, upon the earliest of such time as the Subscribed Shares (i) have been registered under the Securities Act pursuant to an effective registration statement, (ii) have been sold pursuant to Rule 144, or (iii) are eligible for resale under Rule 144(b)(1) or any successor provision, the Company shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Section 9(b) and promptly following any request therefor from a Subscriber accompanied by such customary and reasonably acceptable documentation referred to above, cause its counsel to deliver to the transfer agent one or more opinions to the effect that the removal of such legends in such circumstances may be effected under the Securities Act if required by the transfer agent to effect the removal of the legend in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. With respect to clause (i), while the Registration Statement is effective, the Company shall cause its counsel, or counsel acceptable to the transfer agent, to issue to the transfer agent a “blanket” legal opinion to allow the legend on the Registrable Securities to be removed upon resale of such Subscribed Shares pursuant to the effective Registration Statement in accordance with this Section 9. Upon request, the Company shall provide a Subscriber with contact information for the person responsible for the Company’s account at the transfer agent to facilitate transfers made pursuant to this Section 9. Any Subscribed Shares subject to legend removal under this Section 9 may be transmitted by the transfer agent to the Subscriber by crediting the account of the Subscriber’s prime broker with the DTC System as directed by such Subscriber. The Company shall be responsible for the fees of its transfer agent, its legal counsel and all DTC fees associated with such issuance.
(c) With a view to making available to Subscriber the benefits of Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time permit Subscriber to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration, the Company agrees, from the one-year anniversary of the filing of Bolt’s “Form 10” information with the Commission until the Subscribed Shares are sold by Subscriber, to (i) make and keep public information available, as those terms are understood and defined in Rule 144; (ii) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Exchange Act so long as the Company remains subject to such requirements and the filing of such reports and other documents is required for the applicable provisions of Rule 144; and (iii) furnish to Subscriber so long as it owns the Subscribed Shares, as promptly as reasonably practicable upon request, (A) a written statement by the Company, if true, that it has complied with the reporting requirements of Rule 144, (B) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company and such other reports and documents so filed by the Company with the Commission and (C) such other information as may be reasonably requested to permit Subscriber to sell such securities pursuant to Rule 144 without registration.
Section 10 Miscellaneous.
(a) All notices, requests, demands, claims, and other communications hereunder shall be in writing. Any notice, request, demand, claim, or other communication hereunder shall be deemed to have been duly given (i) when delivered in person, (ii) when delivered by internationally recognized overnight delivery service, or (iii) when delivered by email (in each case in this clause (iii) solely if receipt is confirmed, but excluding any automated reply, such as an out-of-office notification), in each case, addressed to the intended recipient at its address specified on the signature page hereof or to such electronic mail address or address as subsequently modified by written notice given in accordance with this Section 10(a).
D-20
(b) Subscriber acknowledges that the Company will rely on the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties of Subscriber contained in this Subscription Agreement. Prior to the Closing, Subscriber agrees to promptly notify the Company if it becomes aware that any of the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties of Subscriber set forth herein are no longer accurate in all material respects. The Company acknowledges that Subscriber will rely on the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties contained in this Subscription Agreement. Prior to the Closing, the Company agrees to promptly notify Subscriber if it becomes aware that any of the acknowledgments, understandings, agreements, representations and warranties of the Company set forth herein are no longer accurate in all material respects.
(c) The Company hereby agrees and acknowledges that Subscriber (together with its affiliates) invests in numerous companies, some of which may be deemed competitive with the Company’s business. The Company hereby agrees that, to the extent permitted under applicable law, Subscriber shall not be liable to the Company for any claim arising out of, or based upon, the investment by Subscriber in any entity competitive with the Company; provided, that nothing in this Section 10(c) shall limit Subscriber’s liability resulting from a breach of the Subscription Agreement.
(d) Each of the Company, Bolt and Subscriber is irrevocably authorized to produce this Subscription Agreement or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceeding or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
(e) Except as otherwise provided herein, each party shall pay all of its own expenses in connection with this Subscription Agreement and the transactions contemplated herein.
(f) The Subscriber hereby acknowledges and agrees that it will not, nor will any person acting at the Subscriber’s direction or pursuant to any understanding with the Subscriber, directly or indirectly offer, sell, pledge, contract to sell, sell any option, engage in hedging activities or execute any “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act, of the Subscribed Shares until the consummation of the Transactions (or such earlier termination of this Subscription Agreement in accordance with its terms). This Section 10(f) shall not apply to any sale (including the exercise of any redemption right) of securities of the Company (i) held by the Subscriber, its controlled affiliates or any person or entity acting on behalf of Subscriber or any of its controlled affiliates prior to the execution of this Subscription Agreement or (ii) purchased by Subscriber, its controlled affiliates or any person or entity acting on behalf of Subscriber or any of its controlled affiliates in open market transactions after the execution of this Subscription Agreement in each case, provided that such action does not create any “put equivalent position,” as such term is defined in Rule 16a-1 under the Exchange Act, or short sale positions, with respect to the Subscribed Shares. In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) nothing herein shall prohibit other entities under common management with the Subscriber that have no knowledge of this Subscription Agreement or of the Subscriber’s participation in the Subscription (including the Subscriber’s controlled affiliates and/or affiliates) from entering into any “short sales” and (b) in the case of a Subscriber that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Subscriber’s assets and the portfolio managers have no knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Subscriber’s assets, the representation set forth above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Subscribed Shares covered by this Subscription Agreement.
D-21
(g) Neither this Subscription Agreement nor any rights that may accrue to Subscriber hereunder (other than the Subscribed Shares acquired hereunder, if any) may be transferred or assigned. Neither this Subscription Agreement nor any rights that may accrue to the Company hereunder may be transferred or assigned (provided, that, for the avoidance of doubt, the Company may transfer the Subscription Agreement and its rights hereunder solely in connection with the consummation of the Transaction and exclusively to another entity under the control of, or under common control with, the Company). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Subscriber may assign its rights and obligations under this Subscription Agreement to one or more of its affiliates or to other investment funds or accounts managed or advised by the investment manager who acts on behalf of Subscriber or, with the Company’s prior written consent, to another person, provided that no such assignment shall relieve Subscriber of its obligations hereunder if any such assignee fails to perform such obligations.
(h) All the agreements, representations and warranties made by each party hereto in this Subscription Agreement shall survive the Closing. For the avoidance of doubt, if for any reason the Closing does not occur prior to the consummation of the Transaction, all representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the parties hereunder shall survive the consummation of the Transaction and remain in full force and effect.
(i) The Company may request from Subscriber such additional information as the Company may reasonably deem necessary to evaluate the eligibility of Subscriber to acquire the Subscribed Shares and to register the Subscribed Shares for resale, and Subscriber shall provide such information as may be reasonably requested, to the extent within Subscriber’s possession and control or otherwise readily available to Subscriber; provided that the Company agrees to keep any such information confidential except to the extent such information is already publicly available, such information is or becomes available to the Company on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Subscriber, or to the extent required to be disclosed by applicable law or reasonably necessary to register the Subscribed Shares for resale. Subscriber acknowledges that the Company may file a copy of the form of this Subscription Agreement with the Commission as an exhibit to a periodic report of the Company or a registration statement of the Company.
(j) This Subscription Agreement may not be amended, modified or waived except by an instrument in writing, signed by each of the parties hereto and Bolt.
(k) This Subscription Agreement constitutes the entire agreement, and supersedes all other prior agreements, understandings, representations and warranties, both written and oral, among the parties, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(l) Except as otherwise provided herein, this Subscription Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their heirs, executors, administrators, successors, legal representatives, and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the parties hereto agree that Bolt is an express third party beneficiary of the obligations of Subscriber under this Subscription Agreement.
D-22
(m) The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that (i) this Subscription Agreement is being entered into in order to induce the Company to execute and deliver the Transaction Agreement and (ii) irreparable damage would occur in the event that any of the provisions of this Subscription Agreement were not performed in accordance with their specific terms or were otherwise breached and that money or other legal remedies would not be an adequate remedy for such damage. It is accordingly agreed that the parties shall be entitled to equitable relief, including in the form of an injunction or injunctions to prevent breaches or threatened breaches of this Subscription Agreement and to enforce specifically the terms and provisions of this Subscription Agreement, this being in addition to any other remedy to which such party is entitled at law, in equity, in contract, in tort or otherwise. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the Company shall be entitled to specifically enforce Subscriber’s obligations to fund the Purchase Price and the provisions of the Subscription Agreement, in each case, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein. The parties hereto further acknowledge and agree: (x) to waive any requirement for the security or posting of any bond in connection with any such equitable remedy; (y) not to assert that a remedy of specific enforcement pursuant to this Section 10(m) is unenforceable, invalid, contrary to applicable law or inequitable for any reason; and (z) to waive any defenses in any action for specific performance, including the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(n) If any provision of this Subscription Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Subscription Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and shall continue in full force and effect.
(o) No failure or delay by a party hereto in exercising any right, power or remedy under this Subscription Agreement, and no course of dealing between the parties hereto, shall operate as a waiver of any such right, power or remedy of such party. No single or partial exercise of any right, power or remedy under this Subscription Agreement by a party hereto, nor any abandonment or discontinuance of steps to enforce any such right, power or remedy, shall preclude such party from any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy hereunder. The election of any remedy by a party hereto shall not constitute a waiver of the right of such party to pursue other available remedies. No notice to or demand on a party not expressly required under this Subscription Agreement shall entitle the party receiving such notice or demand to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the rights of the party giving such notice or demand to any other or further action in any circumstances without such notice or demand.
(p) This Subscription Agreement may be executed and delivered in one or more counterparts (including by facsimile or electronic mail or in .pdf) and by different parties in separate counterparts, with the same effect as if all parties hereto had signed the same document. All counterparts so executed and delivered shall be construed together and shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(q) This Subscription Agreement, and any claim or cause of action hereunder based upon, arising out of or related to this Subscription Agreement (whether based on law, in equity, in contract, in tort or any other theory) or the negotiation, execution, performance or enforcement of this Subscription Agreement, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to the principles of conflicts of laws that would otherwise require the application of the law of any other state.
D-23
(r) EACH PARTY AND ANY PERSON ASSERTING RIGHTS AS A THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY HEREBY WAIVES ITS RESPECTIVE RIGHTS TO A TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT OR RELATED TO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING OR OTHER LITIGATION OF ANY TYPE BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF ANY OTHER SUCH PARTY, WHETHER WITH RESPECT TO CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS OR OTHERWISE. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE TRIED BY A COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE PARTIES FURTHER AGREE THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IS WAIVED BY OPERATION OF THIS SECTION AS TO ANY ACTION, COUNTERCLAIM OR OTHER PROCEEDING WHICH SEEKS, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, TO CHALLENGE THE VALIDITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT OR ANY PROVISION HEREOF. THIS WAIVER SHALL APPLY TO ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, SUPPLEMENTS OR MODIFICATIONS TO THIS SUBSCRIPTION AGREEMENT.
(s) The parties agree that all disputes, legal actions, suits and proceedings arising out of or relating to this Subscription Agreement must be brought exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware (or, to the extent such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction, the Superior Court of the State of Delaware), or, if it has or can acquire jurisdiction, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (collectively the “Designated Courts”). Each party hereby consents and submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Designated Courts. No legal action, suit or proceeding with respect to this Subscription Agreement may be brought in any other forum. Each party hereby irrevocably waives all claims of immunity from jurisdiction, and any objection which such party may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any suit, action or proceeding in any Designated Court, including any right to object on the basis that any dispute, action, suit or proceeding brought in the Designated Courts has been brought in an improper or inconvenient forum or venue. Each of the parties also agrees that delivery of any process, summons, notice or document to a party hereof in compliance with Section 10(a) of this Subscription Agreement shall be effective service of process for any action, suit or proceeding in a Designated Court with respect to any matters to which the parties have submitted to jurisdiction as set forth above.
(t) This Subscription Agreement may only be enforced against, and any claim, action, suit or other legal proceeding based upon, arising out of, or related to this Subscription Agreement, or the negotiation, execution or performance of this Subscription Agreement, may only be brought against the entities that are expressly named as parties hereto and then only with respect to the specific obligations set forth herein with respect to such party or third party beneficiary. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator, manager, member, partner, stockholder, affiliate, agent, attorney or other representative of any party hereto or of any affiliate of any party hereto, or any of their successors or permitted assigns, shall have any liability for any obligations or liabilities of any party hereto under this Subscription Agreement or for any claim, action, suit or other legal proceeding based on, in respect of or by reason of the transactions contemplated hereby.
D-24
(u) If, any change in the Common Stock shall occur between the date hereof and immediately prior to the Closing by reason of any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including reverse stock split) or combination, exchange or readjustment of shares, or any stock dividend, the number of Subscribed Shares issued to Subscriber shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect such change.
(v) Except as otherwise provided in this Subscription Agreement, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent (including by e-mail) of Subscriber, (i) publicly disclose the name of Subscriber or any of its advisors or affiliates, or include the name of Subscriber or any of its advisors or affiliates in any press release, marketing or similar materials or (ii) publicly disclose the name of Subscriber or any of its advisors or affiliates, or include the name of Subscriber or any of its advisors or affiliates in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or trading market, in any other documents or communications provided by the Company or Bolt to any governmental entity or to any securityholders of the Company or in any other form of public disclosure, in each case, except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, exchange rules, the Commission or any other securities authorities or any rules and regulations promulgated thereby, and if required, the Company may disclose the Subscriber’s identity and beneficial ownership of the Subscribed Shares and the nature of Subscriber’s commitments, arrangements and understandings under and relating to this Agreement and, if deemed appropriate by the Company or Bolt, a copy of this Agreement, all solely to the extent required by applicable law or any regulation or stock exchange listing requirement, in which case of any such disclosure under this Section 10(w), the Company shall provide to Subscriber a copy of any proposed disclosure relating to the Subscriber in advance of any publication thereof and shall include such revisions to such proposed disclosure as Subscriber shall reasonably request. Subscriber will promptly provide any information reasonably requested by the Company that is required in connection with any regulatory application or filing made or approval required in connection with the Transaction (including filings with the Commission) to the extent readily available and the Company agrees to keep such information confidential and to disclose only such information as is required with respect to such filings, except to the extent such information is already publicly available, such information is or becomes available to the Company on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Subscriber, or to the extent required to be disclosed by applicable law.
(w) The obligations of Subscriber under this Subscription Agreement are several and not joint with the obligations of any Other Subscriber or any other investor under the Other Subscription Agreements, and Subscriber shall not be responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any Other Subscriber or other investor under the Other Subscription Agreements. The decision of Subscriber to purchase Subscribed Shares pursuant to this Subscription Agreement has been made by Subscriber independently of any Other Subscriber or any other investor and independently of any information, materials, statements or opinions as to the business, affairs, operations, assets, properties, liabilities, results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company, Bolt or any of their respective subsidiaries which may have been made or given by any Other Subscriber or investor or by any agent or employee of any Other Subscriber or investor, and neither Subscriber nor any of its agents or employees shall have any liability to any Other Subscriber or investor (or any other person) relating to or arising from any such information, materials, statements or opinions. Nothing contained herein or in any Other Subscription Agreement, and no action taken by Subscriber or investor pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute Subscriber and Other Subscribers or other investors as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that Subscriber and Other Subscribers or other investors are in any way acting in concert or as a group (within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by this Subscription Agreement and the Other Subscription Agreements. Subscriber acknowledges that no Other Subscriber has acted as agent for Subscriber in connection with making its investment hereunder and no Other Subscriber will be acting as agent of Subscriber in connection with monitoring its investment in the Subscribed Shares or enforcing its rights under this Subscription Agreement. Subscriber shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights, including without limitation the rights arising out of this Subscription Agreement, and it shall not be necessary for any Other Subscriber or investor to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose.
[Signature pages follow.]
D-25
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the Company and the Subscriber has executed or caused this Subscription Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized representative as of the date first set forth above.
GOLDEN ARROW MERGER CORP. | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address for Notices: | ||
with a copy (not to constitute notice) to: [●] |
D-26
[SUBSCRIBER] | ||
By: | ||
Name: | ||
Title: | ||
Address for Notices: | ||
Email: | ||
Name in which shares are to be registered: | ||
Number of Subscribed Shares subscribed for: | ______________________________ |
Price Per Subscribed Share: | $7.80 |
Aggregate Purchase Price: | $[_____________________] |
You must pay the Purchase Price by wire transfer of United States dollars in immediately available funds to the account of the Company specified by the Company in the Closing Notice.
D-27
Annex A
ELIGIBILITY REPRESENTATIONS OF SUBSCRIBER
This Annex A should be completed by Subscriber
and constitutes a part of the Subscription Agreement.
Rule 501(a), in relevant part, states that an “accredited investor” shall mean any person who comes within any of the below listed categories, or who the issuer reasonably believes comes within any of the below listed categories, at the time of the sale of the securities to that person. Subscriber has indicated, by marking and initialing the appropriate box below, the provision(s) below which apply to Subscriber and under which Subscriber accordingly qualifies as an “accredited investor.”
☐ | Any bank, registered broker or dealer, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; |
☐ | Any plan established and maintained by a state, its political subdivisions, or any agency or instrumentality of a state or its political subdivisions for the benefit of its employees, if such plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000, or, if a self-directed plan, with investment decisions made solely by persons that are accredited investors; |
☐ | Any employee benefit plan, within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, if a bank, insurance company, or registered investment adviser makes the investment decisions, or if the plan has total assets in excess of $5,000,000; |
☐ | Any director, executive officer, or general partner of the issuer of the securities being offered or sold, or any director, executive officer, or general partner of a general partner of the Company; |
☐ | Any natural person whose individual net worth, or joint net worth with that person’s spouse or spousal equivalent, exceeds $1,000,000, excluding (i) primary residence, (ii) indebtedness that is secured by the person’s primary residence, up to the estimated fair market value of the primary residence at the time of the sale of securities, shall not be included as a liability (except that if the amount of such indebtedness outstanding at the time of sale of securities exceeds the amount outstanding 60 days before such time, other than as a result of the acquisition of the primary residence, the amount of such excess shall be included as a liability) and (iii) indebtedness that is secured by the person’s primary residence in excess of the estimated fair market value of the primary residence at the time of the sale of securities shall be included as a liability ; |
☐ | Any natural person who had an individual income in excess of $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with that person’s spouse or spousal equivalent in excess of $300,000 in each of those years and has a reasonable expectation of reaching the same income level in the current year; |
☐ | Any private business development company as defined in section 202(a)(22) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; |
☐ | Any organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, corporation, Massachusetts or similar business trust, partnership, or limited liability company, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered, with total assets in excess of $5,000,000; and |
☐ | Any trust, with total assets in excess of $ 5,000,000, not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered, whose purchase is directed by a sophisticated person as described in Rule 506(b)(2)(ii) under the Securities Act. |
☐ | An entity in which all of the equity owners are accredited investors; and |
☐ | Any entity of a type not listed above and not formed for the specific purpose of acquiring the securities offered that owns investments in excess of $5,000,000. |
This page should be completed by Subscriber and constitutes a part of
the Subscription Agreement.
D-28