CLOE Clover Leaf Capital Corporation

NOTES TO CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(UNAUDITED)

Note 1 — Organization, Business Operation and Going Concern

Clover Leaf Capital Corp. (the “Company”) a blank check company recently incorporated in the State of Delaware for the purpose of effecting a merger, stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses (the “Business Combination”). The Company may pursue the initial Business Combination target in any industry or geographic location, the Company intends to focus its search for a target business engaged in the cannabis industry.

As of March 31, 2023, the Company had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from February 25, 2021 (inception) through March 31, 2023 relates to the Company’s formation, the initial public offering (the “IPO”) and the Company’s efforts to pursue a Business Combination described below. The Company will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of its initial Business Combination, at the earliest. The Company will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents from the proceeds derived from the IPO.

The Company’s sponsor is Yntegra Capital Investments, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”).

The registration statement for the Company’s IPO was declared effective on July 19, 2021 (the “Effective Date”). On July 22, 2021, the Company consummated its IPO of 13,831,230 Units (the “Units” and, with respect to the Class A common stock included in the Units being offered, the “public shares”) at $10.00 per Unit, which is discussed in Note 3 (the “Initial Public Offering”), and the sale of 675,593 Units which is discussed in Note 4 (the “Private Placement”), at a price of $10.00 per Unit, in a private placement to the Sponsor and Maxim Group LLC (“Maxim”), the representative of the underwriters, that closed simultaneously with the IPO. On July 22, 2021 the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option and purchased 1,331,230 of their full 1,875,000 units available and subsequently forfeited the remainder of their option as of July 28, 2021. The Company’s management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the IPO and sale of the Private Placement Units, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination.

Transaction costs amounted to $9,562,126 consisting of $2,766,246 of underwriting commissions, $4,840,931 of deferred underwriting commissions, $1,383,123 of fair value of the representative shares and $571,826 of other cash offering costs.

The Company’s Business Combination must be with one or more target businesses that together have a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net balance in the Trust Account (as defined below) (excluding the amount of deferred underwriting discounts held and taxes payable on the income earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the signing an agreement to enter into a Business Combination. However, the Company will only complete a Business Combination if the post-Business Combination company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). There is no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully effect a Business Combination.

Following the closing of the IPO on July 22, 2021, $140,386,985 ($10.15 per Unit) from the net proceeds sold in the IPO, including the proceeds of the sale of the Private Placement Units, will be held in a Trust Account (“Trust Account”) and will be invested only in U.S. government securities with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations. Except with respect to interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account that may be released to pay the Company’s franchise and income taxes, if any, the funds held in the Trust Account will not be released from the Trust Account until the earliest to occur of: (1) the completion of an initial Business Combination; (2) the redemption of any public shares properly submitted in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company does not complete an initial Business Combination within the applicable period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity; and (3) the redemption of the public shares if the Company has not completed an initial Business Combination within the applicable period, subject to applicable law.

The Company will provide its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination either (1) in connection with a stockholder meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (2) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether the Company will seek stockholder approval of a proposed Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by the Company, solely in its discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would require it to seek stockholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. The Company will provide its public stockholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their public shares upon the completion of the initial Business Combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account calculated as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial Business Combination, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay franchise and income taxes, divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein.

The shares of common stock subject to redemption will be recorded at a redemption value and classified as temporary equity upon the completion of the IPO, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity.” The Company will proceed with a Business Combination if the Company has net tangible assets of at least $5,000,001 upon such consummation of a Business Combination and, if the Company seeks stockholder approval, a majority of the issued and outstanding shares voted are voted in favor of the Business Combination.

The Company will have only until July 22, 2023 to complete the initial Business Combination (the “Combination Period”). Pursuant to the terms of the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation and the trust agreement to be entered into between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, in order to extend the time available for the Company to consummate its initial Business Combination, the Sponsor or its affiliates or designees, upon five days advance notice prior to the applicable deadline, must deposit into the Trust Account for each additional three month period, $1,383,123 ($0.10 per share on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline) for each additional three month period. Any such payments would be made in the form of a loan. Any such loans will be non-interest bearing and payable upon the consummation of an initial Business Combination. If the Company completes an initial Business Combination, it will, at the option of the Sponsor, repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company or convert a portion or all of the total loan amount into units at a price of $10.00 per unit.

On July 18, 2022, the Company issued a promissory note (the “Note”) in the principal amount of $1,383,123 (the “Extension Payment”) to the Sponsor in connection with the of the extension of the Combination Period from July 22, 2022 to October 22, 2022.

On October 19, 2022, the Company held a special meeting of stockholders (the “Meeting”). At the Meeting, the Company’s stockholders approved an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Extension Amendment”) to extend the date by which the Company must consummate its initial Business Combination from October 22, 2022 to July 22, 2023, or such earlier date as determined by the Company’s board of directors (the “Extension”). In connection with the Meeting, stockholders holding 12,204,072 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock issued in the Company’s Initial Public Offering exercised their right to redeem such shares for a pro rata portion of the funds in the Company’s Trust Account. As a result, approximately $125,587,180.34 (approximately $10.29 per share) was removed from the Company’s Trust Account to pay such holders.

If the Company has not completed the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period, the Company will: (1) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up; (2) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then issued and outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any); and (3) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining stockholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

The Sponsor, officers and directors have entered into a letter agreement with the Company, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive: (1) their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares, private placement shares and public shares held by them, as applicable, in connection with the completion of the initial Business Combination; (2) their redemption rights with respect to any Founder Shares and public shares held by them in connection with a stockholder vote to amend the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the public shares if the Company does not complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to stockholders’ rights or pre-initial Business Combination activity; and (3) their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to any Founder Shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the Combination Period (although they will be entitled to liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to any public shares they hold if the Company fails to complete the initial Business Combination within the prescribed time.

The Sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to the Company if and to the extent any claims by a third party (other than the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm) for services rendered or products sold to the Company, or a prospective target business with which the Company has discussed entering into a transaction agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (1) $10.15 per public share or (2) the actual amount per public share held in the Trust Account as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, if less than $10.15 per share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the Trust Account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriters of the IPO against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”). The Company has not independently verified whether the Sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and believe that the Sponsor’s only assets are securities of the Company and, therefore, the Sponsor may not be able to satisfy those obligations. The Company has not asked the Sponsor to reserve for such obligations.

Going Concern

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $136,155 and $303,449 in cash, respectively, and working capital deficit of $2,775,416 and $2,882,521 (net of Delaware Franchise and income taxes), respectively.

Prior to the completion of the IPO, the Company’s liquidity needs had been satisfied through a payment from the Sponsor of $25,000 (see Note 5) for the Founder Shares to cover certain offering costs and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from the Sponsor of $300,000 (see Note 5).

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a Business Combination, the Company’s Sponsor or an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide the Company Working Capital Loans, as defined below (see Note 5). As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no amounts outstanding under any Working Capital Loans.

Until the consummation of a Business Combination, the Company will be using the funds not held in the Trust Account for identifying and evaluating prospective acquisition candidates, performing due diligence on prospective target businesses, paying for travel expenditures, selecting the target business to acquire, and structuring, negotiating and consummating the Business Combination. The Company will need to raise additional capital through loans or additional investments from its Sponsor, stockholders, officers, directors, or third parties. The Company’s Sponsor, officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan the Company funds from time to time or at any time, in whatever amount they deem reasonable in their sole discretion, to meet the Company’s working capital needs. Accordingly, the Company may not be able to obtain additional financing. If the Company is unable to raise additional capital, it may be required to take additional measures to conserve liquidity, which could include, but not necessarily be limited to, curtailing operations, suspending the pursuit of a potential transaction, and reducing overhead expenses.

The Company cannot provide any assurance that new financing will be available to it on commercially acceptable terms, if at all. In connection with the Company’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board’s Account Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” The Company has until July 22, 2023 to consummate a Business Combination, unless otherwise extended (see Note 5). It is uncertain that the Company will be able to consummate a Business Combination by this time. If a Business Combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. These conditions raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. These unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be necessary, should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern, and also do not include any adjustment that might result from the outcome of the uncertainty about should a Business Combination not occur.

Risks and Uncertainties

Management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations, and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these unaudited condensed financial statements. The unaudited condensed financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

Inflation Reduction Act of 2022

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax.

Any redemption or other repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a Business Combination, a vote by the stockholders of the Company to extend the period of time to complete the Business Combination (“extension vote”) or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise would depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Business Combination, extension or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a Business Combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a Business Combination and in the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination.

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X of the SEC. Certain information or footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC for interim financial reporting. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and footnotes necessary for a complete presentation of financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements include all adjustments, consisting of a normal recurring nature, which are necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, operating results and cash flows for the periods presented.

The accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2023. The accompanying condensed balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 has been derived from the Company’s audited financial statements included in the Form 10-K. The interim results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2023 or for any future periods.

Emerging Growth Company Status

The Company is an “emerging growth company,” as defined in Section 2(a) of the Securities Act, as modified by the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, (the “JOBS Act”), and it may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in its periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such election to opt out is irrevocable. The Company has elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, the Company, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of these unaudited condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all short-term investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $136,155 and $303,449 in cash, respectively, and no cash equivalents.

Investments Held in Trust Account

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company had $18,475,881 and $18,276,649 in investments held in the Trust Account, respectively.

The Company classifies its United States Treasury securities as held-to-maturity in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 320 “Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.” Held-to-maturity securities are those securities which the Company has the ability and intent to hold until maturity. Held-to-maturity treasury securities are recorded at amortized cost and adjusted for the amortization or accretion of premiums or discounts.

A decline in the market value of held-to-maturity securities below cost that is deemed to be other than temporary, results in an impairment that reduces the carrying costs to such securities’ fair value. The impairment is charged to earnings and a new cost basis for the security is established. To determine whether an impairment is other than temporary, the Company considers whether it has the ability and intent to hold the investment until a market price recovery and considers whether evidence indicating the cost of the investment is recoverable outweighs evidence to the contrary. Evidence considered in this assessment includes the reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment, changes in value subsequent to year-end, forecasted performance of the investee, and the general market condition in the geographic area or industry in which the investee operates.

Premiums and discounts are amortized or accreted over the life of the related held-to-maturity security as an adjustment to yield using the effective-interest method. Such amortization and accretion are included in the “Interest and dividends earned on investment held in Trust” line item in the statements of operations. Interest income is recognized when earned.

The carrying value, excluding gross unrealized holding loss and fair value of held to maturity securities on March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 are as follows:

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash accounts in a financial institution, which, at times, may exceed the federal depository insurance coverage of $250,000. The Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes the Company is not exposed to significant risks on such accounts.

Offering Costs Associated with Initial Public Offering

The Company complies with the requirements of the ASC 340-10-S99-1 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (“SAB”) Topic 5A—“Expenses of Offering”. Offering costs consist of legal, accounting, underwriting and other costs incurred through the consummation of the Public Offering. Offering costs amounted to $9,562,126 and were charged to permanent and temporary equity, ratably with the redeemable and non-redeemable shares they are allocated to, upon the completion of the IPO.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Company’s assets and liabilities, which qualify as financial instruments under FASB ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures,” approximates the carrying amounts represented in the balance sheet, primarily due to its short-term nature.

The Company follows the guidance in ASC 820 for its financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at each reporting period, and non-financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value at least annually.

The fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities reflects management’s estimate of amounts that the Company would have received in connection with the sale of the assets or paid in connection with the transfer of the liabilities in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. In connection with measuring the fair value of its assets and liabilities, the Company seeks to maximize the use of observable inputs (market data obtained from independent sources) and to minimize the use of unobservable inputs (internal assumptions about how market participants would price assets and liabilities). The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company evaluates its financial instruments to determine if such instruments are derivatives or contain features that qualify as embedded derivatives in accordance with ASC Topic 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”. For derivative financial instruments that are accounted for as liabilities, the derivative instrument is initially recorded at its fair value on the grant date and is then re-valued at each reporting date, with changes in the fair value reported in the statement of operations. The classification of derivative instruments, including whether such instruments should be recorded as liabilities or as equity, is evaluated at the end of each reporting period. Derivative liabilities are classified in the balance sheet as current or non-current based on whether or not net-cash settlement or conversion of the instrument could be required within 12 months of the balance sheet date.

Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption

All of the 13,831,230 Class A common stock sold as part of the Units in the Initial Public Offering contain a redemption feature which allows for the redemption of such public shares in connection with the Company’s liquidation, if there is a stockholder vote or tender offer in connection with the Business Combination and in connection with certain amendments to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation. In accordance with SEC and its staff’s guidance on redeemable equity instruments, which has been codified in ASC 480-10-S99, redemption provisions not solely within the control of the Company require common stock subject to redemption to be classified outside of permanent equity. Given that the Class A common stock was issued with other freestanding instruments (i.e., equity rights), the initial carrying value of Class A common stock classified as temporary equity is the allocated proceeds based on the guidance in FASB ASC Topic 470-20, “Debt – Debt with Conversion and Other Options.”

If it is probable that the equity instrument will become redeemable, the Company has the option to either accrete changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance (or from the date that it becomes probable that the instrument will become redeemable, if later) to the earliest redemption date of the instrument or to recognize changes in the redemption value immediately as they occur and adjust the carrying amount of the instrument to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. The Company has elected to recognize the changes immediately.

Immediately upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Company recognized the accretion from initial book value to redemption amount, which approximates fair value. The change in the carrying value of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption resulted in charges against additional paid-in capital (to the extent available) and accumulated deficit and Class A common stock.

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Class A common stock reflected on the balance sheet are reconciled in the following table:

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Stock

The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, Earnings Per Share. Net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. The Company has two classes of shares, redeemable common stock and non-redeemable common stock. The Company’s redeemable common stock is comprised of Class A shares sold in the IPO. The Company’s non-redeemable shares are comprised of Class B shares purchased by the Sponsor as well as Class A shares sold in the Private Units and Representative Shares. Earnings and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. The Company’s statement of operations applies the two-class method in calculating net income (loss) per share. Basic and diluted net income (loss) per common share for redeemable common stock and non-redeemable common stock is calculated by dividing net income (loss), allocated proportionally to each class of common stock, attributable to the Company by the weighted average number of shares of redeemable and non-redeemable stock outstanding.

The calculation of diluted income (loss) per share of common stock does not consider the effect of the rights issued in connection with the IPO since exercise of the rights is contingent upon the occurrence of future events and the inclusion of such rights would be anti-dilutive. Accretion of the carrying value of Class A common stock to redemption value is excluded from net income (loss) per redeemable share because the redemption value approximates fair value. As a result, diluted net income (loss) per share is the same as basic net income (loss) per share for the periods presented.

The basic and diluted income (loss) per common stock is calculated as follows:

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” ASC 740, Income Taxes, requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for both the expected impact of differences between the unaudited condensed financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities and for the expected future tax benefit to be derived from tax loss and tax credit carry forwards. ASC 740 additionally requires a valuation allowance to be established when it is more likely than not that all or a portion of deferred tax assets will not be realized. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company’s deferred tax asset had a full valuation allowance recorded against it.

Our effective tax rate was 456.17% and 0.00% for the three months ended March 31, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The effective tax rate differs from the statutory tax rate of 21% for the three months ended March 31, 2023 and 2022, due to the valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets.

ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim period, disclosure and transition.

The Company recognizes accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as income tax expense. There were no unrecognized tax benefits and no amounts accrued for interest and penalties as of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The Company is currently not aware of any issues under review that could result in significant payments, accruals or material deviation from its position.

The Company has identified the United States and Florida as its only “major” tax jurisdictions. The Company is subject to income taxation by major taxing authorities since inception. These examinations may include questioning the timing and amount of deductions, the nexus of income among various tax jurisdictions and compliance with federal and state tax laws. The Company’s management does not expect that the total amount of unrecognized tax benefits will materially change over the next twelve months.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, “Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging—Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity” (“ASU 2020-06”), which simplifies accounting for convertible instruments by removing major separation models required under current U.S. GAAP. The ASU also removes certain settlement conditions that are required for equity-linked contracts to qualify for the derivative scope exception, and it simplifies the diluted earnings per share calculation in certain areas. ASU 2020-06 is effective January 1, 2024 and should be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2021. The Company is reviewing what impact, if any, adoption will have on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the Company’s unaudited condensed financial statements.

Note 3 — Initial Public Offering

On July 22, 2021, the Company consummated its IPO of 13,831,230 Units at a purchase price of $10.00 per Unit, generating gross proceeds of $138,312,300. This included 1,331,230 units due to a partial over-allotment exercised by the underwriters. The underwriters forfeited their remaining over-allotment option on July 28, 2021. Each Unit consists of (i) one share of Class A common stock and (ii) one right to receive one-eighth (1/8) of a share of Class A common stock upon the consummation of the initial Business Combination (the “rights” or “public rights”).

The Company paid an underwriting fee at the closing of the IPO of $2,766,246. An additional fee of $4,840,931 was deferred and will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event the Company completes its initial Business Combination.

Note 4 — Private Placement

Simultaneously with the closing of the IPO and the sale of the Units, the Sponsor purchased an aggregate of 571,859 Private Placement Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit ($5,718,590 in the aggregate) and the representative purchased an aggregate of 103,734 Private Placement Units at a price of $10.00 per Unit ($1,037,340 in the aggregate) in a private placement. Each Private Placement Unit is identical to the Units offered in the IPO except as described below.

The Private Placement Units and their component securities will not be transferable, assignable or salable until after the completion of the initial Business Combination except to permitted transferees. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions from the Trust Account with respect to the Founder Shares, private placement shares or private placement rights, which will expire worthless if the Company does not consummate a Business Combination within the Combination Period.

Note 5 — Related Party Transactions

Founder Shares

In March 2021, the Sponsor paid $25,000 in consideration for 3,593,750 shares of Class B common stock (the “Founder Shares”). The number of Founder Shares issued was determined based on the expectation that the Founder Shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after the IPO (excluding shares included in the private placement units or the shares of Class A common stock issuable to Maxim). Up to 468,750 of the Founder Shares were subject to forfeiture depending on the extent to which the underwriters’ over-allotment is exercised. On July 22, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option and purchased an additional 1,331,230 of their full 1,875,000 option. The underwriters forfeited the remainder of their over-allotment option as of July 28, 2021, resulting in aggregate Founders Shares outstanding of 3,457,807.

On April 8, 2021, the Sponsor transferred a membership interest (the “Interest”) to 3 of the Company’s officers and the 3 Independent Directors of 75,000 Founder Shares. The Interest relates solely to the number of Founder Shares laid out in their respective agreements. The transferred shares shall vest upon the Company consummating an initial Business Combination (the “Vesting Date”). If prior to the Vesting Date, any of the grantees ceases to remain in their role, either voluntarily or for a cause, (a “Separation Event”), 100% of the shares granted will be automatically and immediately transferred back to the Sponsor upon such Separation Event. Since the stock grants to both directors and to the officers contain the performance condition of consummating a Business Combination, the Company has determined the appropriate accounting treatment is to defer recognition of the compensation costs until the consummation of an initial Business Combination in accordance with ASC Topic 718 – “Compensation – Stock Compensation”.

The Company’s initial stockholders, including the Interests transferred to the Company’s officers and directors, have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) six months after the completion of the initial Business Combination; and (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination (x) if the closing price of the shares of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after the initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of the public stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of common stock for cash, securities or other property (except with respect to permitted transferees). Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Company’s initial stockholders with respect to any Founder Shares (the “lock-up”).

Promissory Note — Related Party

On March 4, 2021, the Sponsor agreed to loan the Company up to $300,000 to be used for a portion of the expenses of the Initial Public Offering, under a promissory note. These loans are non-interest bearing, unsecured and due at the earlier of September 30, 2021, or the closing of the Initial Public Offering. These loans were repaid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering out of the offering proceeds that has been allocated to the payment of offering expenses. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there is no amount outstanding under the promissory note.

On July 18, 2022, the Company issued a promissory note (the “July Note”) in the principal amount of $1,383,123 to the Sponsor in connection with the Company’s extension of the date by which the Company has to complete its initial Business Combination from July 22, 2022 to October 22, 2022. The July Note bears no interest and is due and payable upon the earlier to occur of (i) the date on which the Company’s initial Business Combination is consummated and (ii) the liquidation of the Company on or before October 22, 2022 or such liquidation date as may be approved by the Company’s stockholders. At the election of the Sponsor, up to $1,383,123 of the unpaid principal amount of the July Note may be converted into units of the Company (the “Conversion Units”) with the total Conversion Units so issued shall be equal to: (x) the portion of the principal amount of the July Note being converted divided by (y) the conversion price of ten dollars ($10.00), rounded up to the nearest whole number of units. The conversion feature included in the July Note is closely related to the debt instrument itself and is not bifurcated from the host instrument.

On October 19, 2022, in connection with the extension of the period of initial Business Combination from October 22, 2022, to July 22, 2023, the Company issued a further promissory note (the “October Note”) in the principal amount of $1,383,123 to the Sponsor pursuant to which the Sponsor loaned to the Company $1,383,123 to deposit into the Company’s Trust Account for each share of the Company’s Class A common stock that was not redeemed in connection with the Extension. The October Note bears no interest and is repayable in full upon the earlier of (a) the date of the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination, or (b) the date of the liquidation of the Company.

As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there is $2,767,015 outstanding under the July Note and October Note.

Related Party Loans

In order to fund working capital deficiencies or finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, the Sponsor, an affiliate of the Sponsor or certain of the Company’s officers and directors may, but is not obligated to, loan the Company funds as may be required (the “Working Capital Loans”). If the Company completes an initial Business Combination, the Company would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the Trust Account released to the Company. Otherwise, such loans would be repaid only out of funds held outside the Trust Account. In the event that the initial Business Combination does not close, the Company may use a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from the Trust Account would be used to repay such loaned amounts. Up to $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into private placement-equivalent units at a price of $10.00 per unit (which, for example, would result in the holders being issued 150,000 units if $1,500,000 of notes were so converted), at the option of the lender. The units would be identical to the Private Placement Units issued to the Sponsor. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, no such Working Capital Loans were outstanding.

Administrative Support Agreement

Commencing on the date of the IPO, the Company has agreed to pay an affiliate of the Sponsor for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of the management team, in the amount of $10,000 per month. The administrative support agreement began on the day the Company first listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and continue monthly until the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination or liquidation of the Company. For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company incurred $30,000 in administrative support fees which is included in formation and operating costs in the accompanying statements of operations. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company incurred $40,000 in administrative support fees which is included in formation and operating costs in the accompanying statements of operations. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there was no outstanding, which is included on the accompanying balance sheets as “due to related party”.

Note 6 — Commitments and Contingencies

Registration Rights

The holders of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Units and securities that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans and extension loans will have registration rights to require the Company to register a sale of any of its securities held by them pursuant to a registration rights agreement. These holders will be entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form registration demands, that the Company registers such securities for sale under the Securities Act. In addition, these holders will have “piggy-back” registration rights to include their securities in other registration statements filed by the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the underwriters may not exercise their demand and “piggyback” registration rights after five and seven years, respectively, after the effective date of the registration statement of which the IPO forms a part and may not exercise their demand rights on more than one occasion.

Underwriting Agreement

The Company has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,875,000 additional Units to cover any over-allotments, if any, at the IPO price less the underwriting discounts and commissions. On July 22, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option and purchased an additional 1,331,230 units and forfeited the remainder of their over-allotment option as of July 28, 2021.

The Company agreed to pay or reimburse the underwriters for travel, lodging and other “road show” expenses, expenses of the underwriters’ legal counsel and certain diligence and other fees, including the preparation, binding and delivery of bound volumes in form and style reasonably satisfactory to the Representative, transaction Lucite cubes or similar commemorative items in a style as reasonably requested by the Representative, and reimbursement for background checks on the Company’s directors and executive officers, which such fees and expenses are capped at an aggregate of $125,000 (less amounts previously paid).

The underwriters will be entitled to a deferred underwriting discount of 3.5% of the gross proceeds of the IPO held in the Trust Account upon the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.

Representative’s Common Stock

The Company agreed to issue to Maxim and/or its designees, 125,000 shares of common stock (or 143,750 shares if the underwriter’s over-allotment option is exercised in full) upon the consummation of the IPO. On July 22, 2021, the underwriters partially exercised their over-allotment option, resulting in an aggregate issuance of 138,312 representative shares. These shares were valued at a price of $10.00 which was the sale price of the units sold in the IPO. Maxim has agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any such shares until the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination. In addition, Maxim has agreed (i) to waive its redemption rights with respect to such shares in connection with the completion of the Company’s initial Business Combination and (ii) to waive its rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to such shares if the Company fails to complete an initial Business Combination within the applicable period.

The shares have been deemed compensation by FINRA and are therefore subject to a lock-up for a period of 180 days immediately following the date of the effectiveness of the registration statement of the IPO pursuant to Rule 5110(g)(1) of FINRA’s NASD Conduct Rules. Pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110(g)(1), these securities will not be the subject of any hedging, short sale, derivative, put or call transaction that would result in the economic disposition of the securities by any person for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of the IPO, nor may they be sold, transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated for a period of 180 days immediately following the effective date of the registration statement of the IPO except to any underwriter and selected dealer participating in the offering and their bona fide officers or partners.

Right of First Refusal

Subject to certain conditions, the Company will grant Maxim, for a period beginning on the closing of the IPO and ending 15 months after the date of the consummation of the Business Combination, a right of first refusal to act as lead left book-running managing underwriter with at least 75% of the economics; or, in the case of a three-handed deal 50% of the economics, for any and all future public and private equity, convertible and debt offerings for the Company or any of its successors or subsidiaries. In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(E)(i), such right of first refusal shall not have a duration of more than three years from the effective date of the registration statement of the IPO.

Note 7 — Stockholders’ Deficit

Preferred Stock — The Company is authorized to issue 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock issued or outstanding.

Class A common stock — The Company is authorized to issue 100,000,000 shares of Class A common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. Holders of shares of Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 there were 813,905 shares of Class A common stock issued or outstanding, excluding 1,627,158 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption.

Class B common stock — The Company is authorized to issue 10,000,000 shares of Class B common stock with a par value of $0.0001 per share. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 there were 3,457,807 shares of Class B common stock issued and outstanding, so that the Founder Shares represent, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares after the Initial Public Offering.

The Company’s initial stockholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their Founder Shares until the earlier to occur of: (A) six months after the date of the consummation of the initial Business Combination; and (B) subsequent to the initial Business Combination (x) if the closing price of our shares of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period after the initial Business Combination or (y) the date on which the Company consummates a liquidation, merger, stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of the public stockholders having the right to exchange their shares of Class A common stock for cash, securities or other property (except as described herein). Any permitted transferees would be subject to the same restrictions and other agreements of the Company’s initial stockholders with respect to any Founder Shares.

Common stockholders of record are entitled to one vote for each share held on all matters to be voted on by stockholders. Holders of the Class A common stock and holders of the Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our stockholders, except as required by law. The shares of Class B common stock will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock at the time of the initial Business Combination on a one-for-one basis (subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like), and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock, or equity-linked securities, are issued or deemed issued in excess of the amounts offered in the Initial Public Offering and related to the closing of the initial Business Combination, the ratio at which shares of Class B common stock shall convert into shares of Class A common stock will be adjusted (unless the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of Class B common stock agree to waive such adjustment with respect to any such issuance or deemed issuance) so that the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all shares of Class B common stock will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the sum of the total number of all shares of common stock outstanding upon completion of the Initial Public Offering (excluding shares included in the private placement units or the shares of Class A common stock issuable to Maxim) plus all shares of Class A common stock and equity-linked securities issued or deemed issued in connection with the initial Business Combination.

Rights

Each holder of a right will receive one-eighth (1/8) of one Class A common stock upon consummation of the initial Business Combination. In the event the Company will not be the surviving entity upon completion of the initial Business Combination, each holder of a right will be required to affirmatively convert its rights in order to receive the 1/8 share of Class A common stock underlying each right (without paying any additional consideration). If the Company is unable to complete an initial Business Combination within the required time period and the Company redeems the public shares of Class A common stock for the funds held in the trust account, holders of rights will not receive any such funds in exchange for their rights and the rights will expire worthless. Every eight (8) rights that you hold will entitle you to receive one share at the closing of the Business Combination. The Company will not issue fractional shares of Class A common stock upon exchange of the rights. If, upon conversion of the rights, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, fractional shares will be rounded up to the nearest whole share.

If the Company is unable to complete an initial Business Combination within the required time period and it liquidates the funds held in the Trust Account, holders of rights will not receive any such funds with respect to any of their rights, nor will they receive any distribution from the Company’s assets held outside of the trust account with respect to such rights, and all rights will expire worthless.