Results of Operations
Our entire activity since inception up to December 31, 2022 was in preparation for our formation, our initial public offering, and since the closing of our initial public offering, a search for business combination candidates. We will not generate any operating revenues until the closing and completion of our initial business combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on investments held in trust account. We expect to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had a net loss of approximately $1,491,000 which consisted of approximately $2,828,000 in general and administrative expenses, related party administrative fees of $120,000, $160,000 in franchise tax expense, approximately $346,000 in income tax expense, and approximately $5,000 in interest expense, offset by income from our investments held in the trust account of approximately $1,968,000.
For the period from February 10, 2021 (inception) through December 31, 2021, we had a net loss of approximately $234,000 which consisted of approximately $170,000 in general and administrative expenses, related party administrative fees of approximately $28,000, and approximately $40,000 in franchise tax expense, partially offset by income from our investments held in the trust account of approximately $4,000.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of December 31, 2022, we had $114,248 in cash and no cash equivalents.
Our liquidity needs up to the Initial Public Offering were satisfied through receipt of a $25,000 capital contribution from our Sponsor, certain of our executive officers and directors, and A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners (the “Representative”), in exchange for the issuance of the founder shares, and loans from our Sponsor and certain executive officers for an aggregate amount of $975,000 to cover organizational expenses and expenses related to the Initial Public Offering pursuant to a promissory note (the “Note”).
On October 7, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 17,250,000 Units, including the full exercise of the underwriters’ over-allotment option, at a price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $172.5 million. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 596,200 Private Placement Units (the “Private Placement Units”) at a price of $10.00 per Private Placement Unit in a Private Placement (the “Private Placement”), generating gross proceeds of $5,962,000.
Following the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement, a total of $175,950,000 was placed in the Trust Account and we had $1,494,623 of cash held outside of the Trust Account, after payment of costs related to the Initial Public Offering, and available for working capital purposes. We incurred $12,333,704 in transaction costs, including $6,900,000 in deferred underwriting fees, $1,087,360 in other offering costs related to the Initial Public Offering and $4,346,344 as a cost of the Initial Public Offering in accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin Topic 5A and 5T.
We intend to use substantially all of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering, including the funds held in the Trust Account, to acquire a target business or businesses and to pay our expenses relating thereto. To the extent that our share capital is used in whole or in part as consideration to effect our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the Trust Account as well as any other net proceeds not expended will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business. Such working capital funds could be used in a variety of ways including continuing or expanding the target business’ operations, for strategic acquisitions and for marketing, research and development of existing or new products. Such funds could also be used to repay any operating expenses or finders’ fees which we had incurred prior to the completion of our initial business combination if the funds available to us outside of the Trust Account were insufficient to cover such expenses.
In addition, in the short term and long term, in connection with a business combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor, or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required.
Based on the foregoing, management believes that we will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity from our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or our officers and directors to meet our needs through the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or one year from the date of this filing. Over this time period, we will be using these funds for paying existing accounts payable, identifying and evaluating prospective initial business combination candidates, performing due diligence on