We generated net proceeds of $177,606,386 from the (i) the sale of the units in the IPO, after deducting offering expenses, underwriting commissions, but excluding deferred underwriting commissions, and (ii) the sale of the private placement warrants. Of this amount, $175,950,000 will be held in the trust account, which includes $6,037,500 of deferred underwriting commissions. The proceeds held in the trust account are invested only in U.S. government treasury obligations with a maturity of 185 days or less or in mutual funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations.
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, cash used in operating activities was $253,390. The net loss of $857,507 was offset by the investment income, held in the trust account $1,897,729, and changes in operating assets and liabilities, which provided $2,501,846 of cash.
As of March 31, 2023, we had cash of $84,509 held outside of the trust account and marketable securities held in the trust account of $181,743,652, which includes $1,725,000 of funds deposited by the Sponsor in connection with the Initial Extension and $4,435,045 of interest income), consisting of securities held in a mutual fund that invests in U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity of 180 days or less. Interest income on the balance in the trust account may be used by us to pay income and franchise taxes. Through March 31, 2023, we withdrew $366,393 of interest earned on the trust account to pay Delaware franchise taxes.
We intend to use substantially all of the funds held in the trust account, including any amounts representing interest earned on the trust account (less taxes payable and deferred underwriting commissions), to complete our initial business combination. We may withdraw interest income (if any) to pay franchise and income taxes. Our annual income tax obligations will depend on the amount of interest and other income earned on the amounts held in the trust account. We expect the interest income earned on the amount in the trust account (if any) will be sufficient to pay our taxes. To the extent that our equity or debt is used, in whole or in part, as consideration to complete our initial business combination, the remaining proceeds held in the trust account will be used as working capital to finance the operations of the target business or businesses, make other acquisitions and pursue our growth strategies.
The $84,509 held outside of the trust account as of March 31, 2023, and a working capital deficit of $3,519,949 as of March 31, 2023, may not be sufficient to allow the Company to operate for at least the next 12 months from the issuance of the condensed financial statements contained elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, assuming that a business combination is not consummated during that time.
In order to finance transaction costs in connection with a business combination, the sponsor or an affiliate of the sponsor, or certain of the our and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (“Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes a business combination, the Company would repay the Working Capital Loans out of the proceeds of the trust account released to the Company. Otherwise, the Working Capital Loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the trust account. In the event that a Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of proceeds held outside the trust account to repay the Working Capital Loans but no proceeds held in the trust account would be used to repay the Working Capital Loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1,500,000 of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.50 per warrant. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. Except for the foregoing, the terms of such Working Capital Loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. As of March 31, 2023, the Company had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
The Company believes that the proceeds raised in the initial public offering and the funds potentially available from loans from the sponsor or any of their affiliates will be sufficient to allow the Company to meet the expenditures required for operating its business. However, if the estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, the Company may have insufficient funds available to operate its business prior to the initial business combination. Moreover, the Company may need to obtain additional financing either to complete the business combination or because the Company becomes obligated to redeem a significant number of public shares upon completion of the business combination, in which case the Company may issue additional securities or incur debt in connection with such business combination.
Giving effect to the Initial Extension, we have 18 months from the closing of the IPO, or May 28, 2023 (absent any further extensions of such period to August 28, 2023 by the sponsor, pursuant to the terms described above) to consummate the initial business combination. It is uncertain whether the Company will be able to consummate the proposed business combination by this date. If a business combination is not consummated by this date, then, unless that time is further extended (as provided above, or pursuant to a stockholder vote), there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company.