In addition, while we believe we have taken appropriate steps to maintain a safe workplace to protect our employees from contracting and spreading the coronavirus, including following the guidance set out from both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we may not be able to completely prevent the spread of the virus among our employees. We may face litigation or other proceedings making claims related to unsafe working conditions, inadequate protection of our employees or other claims. Any of these claims, even if without merit, could result in costly litigation or divert management’s attention and resources.
Furthermore, we may face a sustained disruption to our operations due to one or more of the factors described above. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, we may continue to experience adverse impacts to our business as a result of any economic instability that has occurred or may occur in the future. Any of these events could amplify the other risks and uncertainties described in this proxy statement/prospectus and could materially adversely affect our business, operations, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or the market price of our common stock.
Adverse economic conditions may have negative consequences on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Unpredictable and unstable changes in economic conditions, including recession, inflation, increased government intervention, or other changes, may adversely affect our general business strategy. Additionally, economic downturns in the markets in which we operate may materially and adversely affect our business because our business is dependent on levels of construction and home remodeling activity. We rely upon our ability to generate additional sources of liquidity and we may need to raise additional funds through public or private debt or equity financings in order to fund existing operations or to take advantage of opportunities, including acquisitions of complementary businesses or technologies. Any adverse change in economic conditions would have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition and on our ability to generate or raise additional capital on favorable terms, or at all.
ConnectM is highly reliant on its networked and cloud-based business model and information technology systems and data, and those of its service providers which may be subject to cyber-attacks, service disruptions or other security incidents, which could result in data breaches, loss or interruption of services, intellectual property theft, claims, litigation, regulatory investigations, significant liability, reputational damage and other adverse consequences.
ConnectM continues to expand its information technology systems in the form of its networked and cloud-based business model, and as its operations grow its internal information technology systems, such as product data management, procurement, inventory management, production planning and execution, sales, service and logistics, financial, tax and regulatory compliance systems. This includes the implementation of new internally developed systems and the deployment of such systems in the United States. While ConnectM maintains information technology measures designed to protect it against intellectual property theft, data breaches, sabotage and other external or internal cyber-attacks or misappropriation, its systems and those of its service providers are potentially vulnerable to malware, ransomware, viruses, denial-of-service attacks, phishing attacks, social engineering, computer hacking, unauthorized access, exploitation of bugs, defects and vulnerabilities, breakdowns, damage, interruptions, system malfunctions, power outages, terrorism, acts of vandalism, security breaches, security incidents, inadvertent or intentional actions by employees or other third parties, and other cyber-attacks. To the extent any security incident results in unauthorized access or damage to or acquisition, use, corruption, loss, destruction, alteration or dissemination of ConnectM data, including intellectual property and personal information, or ConnectM’s products, or for it to be believed or reported that any of these occurred, it could disrupt ConnectM’s business, harm its reputation, compel it to comply with applicable data breach notification laws, subject it to time consuming, distracting and expensive litigation, regulatory investigation and oversight, mandatory corrective action, require it to verify the correctness of database contents, or otherwise subject it to liability under laws, regulations and contractual obligations, including those that protect the privacy and security of personal information. This could result in increased costs to ConnectM and result in significant legal and financial exposure and/or reputational harm.
Because ConnectM also relies on third-party service providers, it cannot guarantee that its service providers’ and component suppliers’ systems have not been breached or that they do not contain exploitable defects, bugs, or vulnerabilities that could result in a security incident, or other disruption to, ConnectM’s or ConnectM’s service providers’ or component suppliers’ systems. ConnectM’s ability to monitor its service providers’ and component suppliers’ security measures is limited, and, in any event, malicious third parties may be able to circumvent those security measures. Further, the implementation, maintenance, segregation and improvement of these systems require significant management time, support and cost, and there are inherent risks associated with developing, improving and expanding ConnectM’s core systems as well as implementing new systems and updating current systems, including disruptions to the related areas of business operation. These risks may affect ConnectM’s ability to manage its data and inventory,