As filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on November 12, 2024

Registration No. 333-[                      ]

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM S-1

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

REBORN COFFEE, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   5810   47-4752305
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

 

580 N. Berry Street

Brea, CA 92821

(714) 784-6369

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Stephan Kim

Chief Financial Officer

580 N. Berry Street

Brea, CA 92821

(714) 784-6369

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

Please send copies of all communications to:
 
Lynne Bolduc, Esq.
Josephine Rachelle Aranda, Esq.
FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP
2 Park Plaza, Suite 850
Irvine, CA 92869
(949) 788-8900
Ralph De Martino, Esq.
Marc Rivera, Esq.
ArentFox Schiff LLP
1717 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 724-6848

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

 

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box:

 

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

 

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer Accelerated filer
Non-accelerated filer Smaller reporting company
    Emerging growth company

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.

 

The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until this registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS   SUBJECT TO COMPLETION DATED NOVEMBER 12, 2024

 

Up to [   ] Shares of Common Stock

Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase up to [   ] Shares of Common Stock

(and shares of Common Stock underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants)

 

Reborn Coffee, Inc.

 

Reborn Coffee, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Reborn,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company”) is offering up to [   ] shares of common stock at an assumed offering price of $[   ] per share, which is equal to the closing price per share on the Nasdaq Capital Market (“Nasdaq”) on [   ], 2024 pursuant to this prospectus.

 

We are also offering up to [   ] pre-funded warrants (and the shares issuable from time to time upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants) to those purchasers whose purchase of shares of common stock in this offering would result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock following the consummation of this offering in lieu of the shares of our common stock that would result in ownership in excess of 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%). Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.0001 per share. For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of shares of common stock we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. The assumed public offering price for each such pre-funded warrant is $[   ] which is equal to the closing price per share of our common stock on Nasdaq on [   ], 2024 less the $0.0001 per share exercise price of each such pre-funded warrant. Each pre-funded warrant will be immediately exercisable and will expire when exercised in full.

 

We have engaged Dawson James Securities, Inc., or the “placement agent,” to act as our exclusive placement agent in connection with this offering. The placement agent has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to arrange for the sale of the securities offered by this prospectus. The placement agent is not purchasing or selling any of the securities we are offering and the placement agent is not required to arrange the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of securities. We have agreed to pay to the placement agent the placement agent fees set forth in the table below, which assumes that we sell all of the securities offered by this prospectus. There is no arrangement for funds to be received in escrow, trust, or similar arrangement. There is no minimum number of shares of common stock or pre-funded warrants or minimum aggregate amount of proceeds that is a condition for this offering to close. We may sell fewer than all of the shares of common stock and pre-funded warrants offered hereby, which may significantly reduce the amount of proceeds received by us, and investors in this offering will not receive a refund if we do not sell all of the securities offered hereby. We will bear all costs associated with the offering. (See “Plan of Distribution.”)

 

Our common stock is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “REBN.” On [   ], 2024, the closing price of our common stock as reported on Nasdaq was $[   ]. All share and pre-funded warrant numbers are based on an assumed public offering price of $[   ] per share (or $[   ] per pre-funded warrant).

 

There is no established public trading market for the pre-funded warrants, and we do not expect such markets to develop. We do not intend to apply for listing of the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants is limited.

 

 

 

 

The final public offering price for the securities offered by this prospectus will be determined between us and the investors in this offering at the time of pricing and may be at a discount to the current market price. Therefore, the assumed public offering price per share of common stock or pre-funded warrant used throughout this prospectus may not be indicative of the final public offering price for our common stock or pre-funded warrants, as applicable.

 

This offering will terminate on [   ], unless we decide to terminate the offering (which we may do at any time in our discretion) prior to that date. We will have one closing for all of the securities purchased in this offering. The public offering price per share of common stock (or pre-funded warrant) will be fixed for the duration of this offering.

  

We are a “smaller reporting company” as defined under the federal securities laws and, under applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules, we have elected to comply with certain reduced public company reporting and disclosure requirements.

  

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 7 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.

 

   Per Share of Common Stock   Per Pre-Funded Warrant   Total 
Public offering price                          
Placement agent fees (1)               
Proceeds to us, before expenses (2)               

 

(1) We have agreed to (i) pay the placement agent a cash fee up to 8.0% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in this offering; provided however, that such commissions shall be reduced to 3.5% if and to the extent any gross proceeds are raised from retail investors introduced to the offering by any officer or director of the Company. We have also agreed to reimburse the placement agent for certain expenses and closing costs. (See “Plan of Distribution” for additional information and a description of the compensation payable to the placement agent.)
   
(2) Because there is no minimum number of securities or amount of proceeds required as a condition to closing in this offering, the actual public offering amount, placement agent fees, and proceeds to us, if any, are not presently determinable and may be substantially less than the total maximum offering amounts set forth above. (See “Plan of Distribution” for more information.)

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the disclosures in the prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The delivery of the shares of common stock and any pre-funded warrants to purchasers in this offering is expected to be made on or about [  ], 2024.

 

DAWSON JAMES SECURITIES, INC.

 

The date of this prospectus is [   ], 2024

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page
About This Prospectus   ii
Prospectus Summary   1
The Offering   6
Risk Factors   7
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements   11
Use of Proceeds   12
Market for Common Stock and Dividend Policy   13
Capitalization   14
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management   15
Description of Securities   16
Plan of Distribution   19
Management   22
Legal Matters   29
Experts   29
Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference   30
Where You Can Find More Information   31

 

i

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

Unless the context otherwise requires, the terms “Reborn,” “Reborn Coffee,” “the Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Reborn Coffee, Inc.

 

The registration statement on Form S-1 of which this prospectus forms a part and that we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), includes exhibits that provide more detail of the matters discussed in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and the related exhibits filed with the SEC, together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus and the related exhibits, any prospectus supplement or amendment thereto, or to which we have referred you, before making your investment decision. Neither we nor any financial advisor engaged by us in connection with this offering, have authorized anyone to provide you with additional information or information different from that contained in this prospectus. To the extent there is a conflict between the information contained in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement having a later date, the statement in the prospectus supplement having the later date modifies or supersedes the earlier statement.

 

You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or amendments thereto, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC, is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of the applicable document. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. This prospectus is an offer to sell only the securities offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where it is lawful to do so.

 

We are not offering to sell or seeking offers to purchase these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. We have not done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the jurisdiction of the United States who come into possession of this prospectus are required to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to this offering and the distribution of this prospectus applicable to that jurisdiction.

 

If required, each time we offer our securities, we will provide you with, in addition to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. We may also use one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you that may contain material information relating to that offering. We may also use a prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus to add, update or change any of the information contained in this prospectus or in documents we have incorporated by reference. This prospectus, together with any applicable prospectus supplements, any related free writing prospectuses and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, includes all material information relating to this offering. To the extent that any statement that we make in a prospectus supplement is inconsistent with statements made in this prospectus, the statements made in this prospectus will be deemed modified or superseded by those made in a prospectus supplement. Please carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with the additional information described below under the section entitled “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” before buying any of the securities offered.

 

Unless otherwise indicated, information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference herein concerning our industry and the markets in which we operate is based on information from independent industry and research organizations, other third-party sources (including industry publications, surveys and forecasts), and management estimates. Management estimates are derived from publicly available information released by independent industry analysts and third-party sources, as well as data from our internal research, and are based on assumptions made by us upon reviewing such data and our knowledge of such industry and markets, which we believe to be reasonable. Although we believe the data from these third-party sources is reliable, we have not independently verified any third-party information. In addition, projections, assumptions and estimates of the future performance of the industry in which we operate and our future performance are necessarily subject to uncertainty and risk due to a variety of factors, including those described in “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” These and other factors could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the estimates made by the independent parties and by us.

 

ii

 

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights information contained elsewhere in this prospectus and does not contain all of the information that you should consider in making your investment decision. Before investing in our securities, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including the information set forth under the headings “Risk Factors” as included elsewhere in this prospectus and our financial statements and the related notes and the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2024, and our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2024, which are incorporated by reference herein.

 

Overview of Our Company

 

Reborn is focused on serving high quality, specialty-roasted coffee at retail locations, kiosks and cafes. We are an innovative company that strives for constant improvement in the coffee experience through exploration of new technology and premier service, guided by traditional brewing techniques. We believe Reborn differentiates itself from other coffee roasters through its innovative techniques, including sourcing, washing, roasting, and brewing our coffee beans with a balance of precision and craft.

 

Founded in 2015 by Jay Kim, our Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kim and his team launched Reborn with the vision of using the finest pure ingredients and pristine water. We currently serve customers through our retail store locations in California, Korea, and Malaysia.

 

Reborn continues to elevate the high-end coffee experience and we received first place traditional still in “America’s Best Cold Brew” competition by Coffee Fest in 2017 in Portland and 2018 in Los Angeles.

 

The source of coffee is the pinnacle of specialty coffee. The coffee industry has gone through various phases including the first, second, third, and fourth wave. In the first and second waves of coffee, the single-origin source and type of the coffee is not necessarily in the forefront during the sourcing process. As such, much of the coffee may be a blend with various sources and a mix of Robusta and Arabica coffee beans. The third wave of coffee focuses on a single-origin source and one variety of coffee bean (specifically Arabica beans). Single-origin beans can focus on specific countries and can also be hyper-focused on specific regions in the third wave of coffee, such as Coban in Guatemala. Arabia beans are considered premier due to the specific requirements for growth and the high-quality flavor they produce. Arabica coffee is required to be grown in higher, cooler elevations.

 

Differentiated from other coffee companies, the Reborn Wash Process is the key to creating the clean flavor of our coffee. Our Wash Process is distinguished by the use of magnetized water to wash our green coffee beans when they arrive at the Reborn facility, in order to extract impurities and enhance hydration before the roasting process. Magnetizing water is a process that converts the particles of water, which can naturally appear in various sizes, into evenly sized particles. As a result of this process, we believe that the water increases its hydration and ability to absorb into organic material. Our water is created through a water magnetizing device in which water flows through the device and magnetizes the water on-site immediately prior to use.

 

After the wash, we roast our washed-green beans based on the profile of each single-origin. After the coffee beans are roasted, they are then packaged into various products such as whole bean coffee, pour over packs, and cold brew packs. Additionally, whole bean inventory is also supplied to the kiosks and cafes. A portion of the roasted coffee is also allotted to create our award-winning cold brew concentrate. Our cold brew production is created using a proprietary percolation technique, also using magnetized water at each step to enhance the flavor of the cold brew.

  

We continually innovate the way we serve coffee. At our cafes, we serve customers our award-winning coffee through cold brew taps in addition to freshly ground coffee beans in espresso-made drinks. Other brew methods, such as an in-house pour over and drip coffee, are also available.

 

1

 

 

The Experience, Reborn

 

We believe that we are the leading pioneers of the emerging “Fourth Wave” movement and that our business is redefining specialty coffee as an experience that demands much more than premium quality. We consider ourselves leaders of the “Fourth Wave” coffee movement because we are constantly developing our bean processing methods, researching design concepts, and reinventing new ways of drinking coffee. For instance, the current transition from the K-Cup trend to the pour over drip concept allowed us to reinvent the way people consume coffee, by merging convenience and quality. We took the pour over drip concept and made it available and affordable to the public through our Reborn Coffee pour over packs. Our pour over packs allow our consumers to consume our specialty coffee outdoors and on-the-go.

 

Our success in innovating within the “Fourth Wave” coffee movement is measured by our success in business to business (“B2B”) sales with our introduction of pour over packs to hotels. With the introduction of our pour over packs to major hotels (including one hotel company with seven locations), our B2B sales increased as these companies recognized the convenience and functionality our pour over packs serve to their customers.

 

Centered around our core values of service, trust, and well-being, we deliver an appreciation of coffee as both a science and an art. Developing innovative processes such as washing green coffee beans with magnetized water, we challenge traditional preparation methods by focusing on the relationship between water chemistry, health, and flavor profile. Leading research studies, testing brewing equipment, and refining roasting/brewing methods to a specific, we proactively distinguish exceptional quality from good quality by starting at the foundation and paying attention to the details. Our mission places an equal emphasis on humanizing the coffee experience, delivering a fresh take on “farm-to-table” by sourcing internationally. In this way, we create opportunities to develop transparency by paying homage to origin stories and spark new conversations by building cross-cultural communities united by a passion for the finest coffee.

 

Through a broad product offering, Reborn provides customers with a wide variety of beverages and coffee options. As a result, we believe we can capture share of any experience where customers seek to consume great beverages whether in our inviting store atmospheres which are designed for comfort, or on the go through our pour over packs, or at home with our whole bean ground coffee bags. We believe that the retail coffee market in the United States is large and growing. According to IBIS, in 2023, the retail market for coffee in the United States was $72.1 billion. This is expected to grow due to a shift in consumer preferences to premium coffee, including specialized blends, espresso-based beverages, and cold brew options. Reborn aims to capture a growing portion of the market as we expand and increase consumer awareness of our brand.

 

Branding

 

Reborn Coffee focuses on two key features in our branding, including “Introducing the Fourth Wave” and “America’s Best Cold Brew.” These phrases encapsulate the quality of the Reborn Process of sourcing, washing, roasting, and brewing coffee and the quality of the product that we create. 

 

The Reborn brand is essential to our marketing strategy, as it allows us to stand out compared to our competitors. The products aim to make customers feel “reborn” after drinking a cup of coffee.

 

Our Menu and Products

 

We purchase and roast high-quality coffees that we sell, along with handcrafted coffee, tea and other beverages and a variety of high-quality food items. We believe in offering customers the same great taste and quality whether served in store or on the go. We also partner with third-party importers and exporters to purchase and import our green coffee beans. Through these relationships, we source high-quality coffee beans from across the globe, including Mexico, Ethiopia, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, and Honduras.

 

Franchise Operations

 

In January 2021, we formed Reborn Coffee Franchise LLC in the State of California with the intention of franchising Reborn Coffee retail stores and kiosks. We expect to begin franchise sales in 2025. We plan to charge future franchisees a non-refundable franchise fee and certain marketing and royalty fees based on gross sales, however we presently have no contractual commitments or other agreements to do so. We believe that our team’s prior experience building a large, global foodservice business will allow us to rapidly scale our future franchise effort. In addition, we have formed a franchise council consisting of a team of franchise experts to advise us. We plan to eventually expand beyond California to additional states to create a national and global presence.

 

2

 

 

Expanding Sales Channels

 

Today, we sell a variety of our coffee and tea products through the enterprise, or commercial, channel, which we refer to as “B2B,” as well as direct-to-consumer via our website. We expect to increase our channel presence by increasing the availability of Reborn Coffee in businesses and enterprises, and expand upon the partnerships we have in place with hotel operators to increase the use and brand awareness in hospitality. We also expect to grow our online sales through new partnerships with third-party retailers. Our products are available in various form factors, such as whole bean roasted coffee bags, single-serve drip bags, and our Pour Over Packs. We are exploring partnerships with grocery operators and foodservice providers to expand the Reborn Coffee brand.

 

Experienced Leadership Team

 

Our relentless commitment to excellence is driven by our passionate management team under the leadership of our Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Jay Kim. Mr. Kim launched Reborn with the vision to provide the best coffee using the purest ingredients. He is focused on the expansion of Reborn and has surrounded himself with leaders that have direct experience in beverage and retail. Stephan Kim, our Chief Financial Officer, has 20 years of experience in public accounting and consulting. Other members of our executive leadership team bring high growth, franchise, and sector expertise.

 

Our Commitment to Our Team

 

We also believe in mentoring the developing the next generation of premium coffee baristas. Through our in-depth training, we aim to train dedicated employees who understand the science and art behind every cup of coffee. We also expect to form a training school specializing in creating passionate baristas and coffee connoisseurs, by educating our students about coffee processes and preparation methods. The efforts for the training school are underway and we expect to launch the program in 2025.

 

Our Highly Engaged Customers

 

Our customers are loyal to our brand due to our intense focus on premium coffee and customer service. Community engagement is another essential element of our in-person marketing strategy. We host on-site engagements, such as event sponsorships, and engage with local Chambers of Commerce. We previously worked with Lululemon to host yoga sessions outside of our retail locations, creatively engaging the community while simultaneously promoting Reborn as an active lifestyle. We have also hosted pop-up locations on the Facebook campus, further expanding our outreach and introducing our brand name to different communities. We further engage with the community by organizing our own latte art competitions, in which baristas can compete for prizes and customers in the audience can witness our competitive passion. 

 

Digital Channels

 

We focus on many digital channels in our marketing strategy. Social media is an important leg that creates engagement and education of the Reborn brand. Customers primarily engage the brand on Instagram, where we host giveaways, share new store openings, and promote seasonal menus. Through our unique, modern aesthetic and intense focus on high-quality coffee, we are able to share the quality and essence of Reborn on display inside of our retail locations with existing and future customers on social media platforms.

 

For both the in-store café channel and the e-commerce channel, SMS & email marketing are used for reengagement and communication of new products and offerings.

 

Digital advertising channels are also used, primarily to engage the online market audience. Google and Facebook are the primary paid ad channels that we currently utilize. Yelp advertising is also used to engage local customers and tourists who visit specific areas where our retail locations are located.

 

3

 

 

In-Person Marketing Engagement

 

Engaging customers in-store with a marketing plan is essential for customer retention and new customer generation. Our customer loyalty program provides free drinks for every ten drinks purchased. Additionally, store customers may participate in promotional deals, especially during the holidays and new item releases, to try new innovative items created in-house. We also offer coffee samples of our Pour Over Packs as well as new beans to our retail location customers. The distribution of coffee samples has expanded customers’ knowledge of our products and led to increased whole bean sales.

 

Our locations are located in heavily trafficked areas as well as popular malls. As such, the potential for marketing and branding is very high in these locations. Signage and promotional deals with giveaways are essential to attracting new customers.

 

Growth Strategies

 

Corporate and Franchise Expansion

 

We also plan to expand across the Unites States with company operated locations and franchise locations. We aim to accelerate our growth through our franchise program. We plan to continue to innovate in the coffee industry by making the industry more personal to the consumers, prospective franchisees, and employees. We plan to achieve our goal through the continued innovation in our products, sourcing directly from farms, and giving customers choices in how their coffee is served to them. As we expand, we hope to show the world that expanding in volume and size does not diminish the quality and personal element that is instilled in the coffee industry.

 

We have started to scale our logistics and supply chain to provide support for our rapid growth, including for our future franchisees. We have increased roasting capacity and our paper goods supplies, including an emphasis on eco-friendly products.

 

B2B Strategy

 

We believe our products are unique given their potential to engage with business partners for large wholesale orders. We have built strong relationships with hotel management companies within California and out-of-state. We currently work with several hotels, providing our Pour Over Packs and cold brew packs to cater to their customer needs. We plan to continue growing our B2B marketing and sales strategy through active outreach and advertising to potential partners. We believe that access to large-scale distribution channels such as hotels increases consumer awareness of our brand while providing us access to large enterprise customers. Gift giving comprises a large percentage of our winter B2B sales. During the holidays, our B2B marketing strategy focuses on targeting companies, and specific teams within companies, that are seeking to provide end of the year gifts to their clients and customers. We provide customized gift sets to each customer’s needs. Word-of-mouth marketing has grown our B2B holiday gift giving accounts greatly, forging opportunities to have worked with companies like Google to provide gift sets for their clients. We plan to expand not only by growing our retail location footprint, but also through the development of more hotel partnerships, expansion into grocery stores and markets, and expansion of our e-commerce and wholesale.

 

We believe the grocery market is another major channel through which we hope to access in the future. Through both bulk sales of roasted beans and in-store kiosks, as well sales of pre-packaged products, we may be able to access customers who purchase both in volume and for those customers looking for a handcrafted beverage during their in-store shopping experience. We are exploring discussions with a variety of retailers and expect to access these additional sales channels in 2025.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

We are subject to various legal proceedings from time to time as part of its business. We are not presently a party to any legal proceedings that, if determined adversely to us, we believe would individually or in the aggregate have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. However, legal proceedings are inherently uncertain. As a result, the outcome of a particular matter or a combination of matters may be material to our results of operations for a particular period, depending upon the size of the loss or our income for that particular period.

 

Employees and Human Capital

 

As of the date of this prospectus, we had 19 full-time employees and 89 part-time employees.

 

4

 

 

Properties

 

We have a production and distribution center at our headquarters that we use to process and roast coffee for wholesale and retail distribution at 580 N. Berry Street, Brea, California 92821. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.

 

As of the date of this prospectus, we have 12 retail coffee locations:

 

  Brea, California;
     
  La Crescenta, California;
     
  Corona Del Mar, California;
     
  Laguna Woods, California;
     
  Manhattan Beach, California;
     
  Huntington Beach, California;
     
  Riverside, California;
     
  Irvine, California;
     
  Diamond Bar, California;
     
  Anaheim, California;
     
  Daejeon, Korea; and
     
  Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

Corporate Information

 

Our principal executive offices are located at 580 N. Berry Street, Brea, California 92821. Our telephone number is (714) 784-6369. Our website address is www.reborncoffee.com. Any information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference into, nor is it in any way part of this prospectus and should not be relied upon in connection with making any decision with respect to an investment in our securities.

 

Available Information

 

We are required to file annual, quarterly, and current reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. You may obtain any of the documents filed by us with the SEC, at no cost from the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

 

Implications of Being a Smaller Reporting Company

 

To the extent that we continue to qualify as a “smaller reporting company,” as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, we will continue to be permitted to make certain reduced disclosures in our periodic reports and other documents that we file with the SEC.

 

Initial Public Offering

 

In August 2022, we consummated our initial public offering (the “IPO”) of 1,440,000 shares of our common stock at a public offering price of $5.00 per share, generating gross proceeds of $7,200,000. Net proceeds from the IPO were approximately $6,200,000 after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses of approximately $998,000. On August 12, 2022, our stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “REBN.”

 

Reverse Stock Split

 

On January 12, 2024, we filed a Certificate of Amendment to our Certificate of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of our issued common stock in the ratio of 1-for-8 (the “Reverse Stock Split”). Our common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a Reverse Stock Split-adjusted basis at the market open on Monday, January 22, 2024. Unless otherwise noted, all share and per share information relating to our common stock in this prospectus has been adjusted to reflect the Reverse Stock Split.

 

5

 

 

THE OFFERING

 

Common Stock Offered   Up to [   ] shares of common stock based on an assumed public offering price of $[   ] per share of common stock, which is the closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq on [   ], 2024.
     
Shares of Common Stock Outstanding Prior to this Offering   3,672,564 shares
     
Shares of Common Stock Outstanding After this Offering   [   ] shares (assuming we sell only shares of common stock and no pre-funded warrants and assuming no exercise of such pre-funded warrants)
     
Pre-Funded Warrants Offered   We are also offering to certain purchasers whose purchase of shares of common stock in this offering would otherwise result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock immediately following the consummation of this offering, the opportunity to purchase, if such purchasers so choose, pre-funded warrants to purchase shares of common stock, in lieu of shares of common stock that would otherwise result in any such purchaser’s beneficial ownership exceeding 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding common stock. Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one share of our common stock. The purchase price of each pre-funded warrant will equal the price at which the shares of common stock are being sold to the public in this offering, the exercise price of each pre-funded warrant of $0.0001 per share. The pre-funded warrants will be exercisable immediately and may be exercised at any time until all of the pre-funded warrants are exercised in full. This offering also relates to the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of any pre-funded warrants sold in this offering. For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of shares of common stock we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis.
     
Use of Proceeds   We intend to use the proceeds from this offering for working capital, strategic and general corporate purposes. (See “Use of Proceeds.”).
     
Lock-Up Agreements   We and our directors, officers, and certain of our principal shareholders have agreed not to offer for sale, issue, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of any of our shares of common stock or securities convertible into shares of common stock for a period of 180 days after the closing of the offering. (See “Plan of Distribution.”)
     
Risk Factors   An investment in our securities is highly speculative and involves substantial risk. Please carefully consider the risks described under the heading “Risk Factors” and other information included and incorporated by reference in this prospectus for a discussion of factors to consider before deciding to invest in the securities offered hereby. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial may also impair our business and operations.
     
Transfer Agent and Registrar   The registrar and transfer agent for our common stock is Securities Transfer Corporation. The transfer agent’s address is 15500 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 104, Clearwater, Florida 33760 and the telephone number is (469) 633-0101.
     
Nasdaq Symbol and Trading   Our shares of common stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “REBN.” There is no established trading market for the pre-funded warrants, and we do not expect a trading market to develop. We do not intend to list the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or other trading market. Without a trading market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be extremely limited.

 

The outstanding share information in the table above is based on 3,672,564 shares of our common stock outstanding as of October 31, 2024 and assumes no sale of any pre-funded warrants and no exercise of such pre-funded warrants.

 

6

 

 

RISK FACTORS

 

An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Before deciding whether to invest in our securities, you should carefully consider the risks described below and those discussed under the Section captioned “Risk Factors” contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, as revised or supplemented by our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or our current reports on Form 8-K, each as filed with the SEC and which are incorporated by reference in this prospectus, together with other information in this prospectus, the information and documents incorporated by reference herein, and in any free writing prospectus that we have authorized for use in connection with this offering. If any of these risks actually occurs, our business, financial condition, results of operations or cash flow could be seriously harmed. This could cause the trading price of our common stock to decline, resulting in a loss of all or part of your investment. Please also read carefully the section below entitled “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”

 

Risks Related to This Offering

 

An investment in our securities is speculative and could result in a loss of your entire investment.

 

An investment in our securities is speculative and involves a high degree of risk. There is no assurance that investors will obtain any return on their investment. You should not purchase the securities if you cannot afford the loss of your entire investment.

 

This is a best efforts offering, no minimum amount of securities is required to be sold, and we may not raise the amount of capital we believe is required for our business plans, including our near-term business plans.

 

The placement agent has agreed to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit offers to purchase the securities in this offering. The placement agent has no obligation to buy any of the securities from us or to arrange for the purchase or sale of any specific number or dollar amount of the securities. There is no required minimum number of securities that must be sold as a condition to completion of this offering. Because there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to the closing of this offering, the actual offering amount, placement agent fees, and proceeds to us are not presently determinable and may be substantially less than the maximum amounts set forth above. We may sell fewer than all of the securities offered hereby, which may significantly reduce the amount of proceeds received by us, and investors in this offering will not receive a refund in the event that we do not sell an amount of securities sufficient to support our continued operations, including our near-term continued operations. Thus, we may not raise the amount of capital we believe is required for our operations in the short-term and may need to raise additional funds, which may not be available or available on terms acceptable to us.

 

There is no public market for the pre-funded warrants being offered by us in this offering.

 

There is no established public trading market for the pre-funded warrants and we do not expect a market to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list the pre-funded warrants on any national securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants is limited.

 

The pre-funded warrants are speculative in nature.

 

The pre-funded warrants offered hereby do not confer any rights of share of common stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire shares of common stock at a fixed price. Specifically, commencing on the date of issuance, holders of the pre-funded warrants may acquire the shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of such pre-funded warrants at an exercise price of $0.0001 per share of common stock. Moreover, following this offering, the market value of the pre-funded warrants is uncertain and there can be no assurance that the market value of the pre-funded warrants will equal or exceed their respective public offering prices. There can be no assurance that the market price of the shares of common stock will ever equal or exceed the exercise price of the pre-funded warrants, and consequently, whether it will ever be profitable for holders of the pre-funded warrants to exercise the pre-funded warrants.

 

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Holders of the pre-funded warrants offered hereby will have no rights as common stockholders with respect to the shares our common stock underlying the pre-funded warrants until such holders exercise such pre-funded warrants and acquire our common stock, except as otherwise provided in the pre-funded warrants.

 

Until holders of the pre-funded warrants acquire shares of our common stock upon exercise thereof, such holders will have no rights with respect to the shares of our common stock underlying such pre-funded warrants, except to the extent that holders of such pre-funded warrants will have certain rights to participate in distributions or dividends paid on our common stock as set forth in the pre-funded warrants. Upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants, the holders will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common stockholder only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise date.

 

Provisions of the pre-funded warrants offered by this prospectus could discourage an acquisition of us by a third party.

 

Certain provisions of the pre-funded warrants offered by this prospectus could make it more difficult or expensive for a third party to acquire us. Such pre-funded warrants prohibit us from engaging in certain transactions constituting “fundamental transactions” unless, among other things, the surviving entity assumes our obligations under the pre-funded warrants. This and other provisions of the pre-funded warrants offered by this prospectus could prevent or deter a third party from acquiring us even where the acquisition could be beneficial to you.

 

We have broad discretion in the use of the net proceeds from this offering and may not use them effectively.

 

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, including for any of the purposes described in the section of this prospectus. (See “Use of Proceeds.”) You will be relying on the judgment of our management with regard to the use of these net proceeds, and you will not have the opportunity, as part of your investment decision, to assess whether the net proceeds are being used appropriately. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could result in financial losses that could have a material adverse effect on our business, cause the price of our securities to decline and delay the development of our product candidates. Pending the application of these funds, we may invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.

 

Risks Related to our Securities

 

It is not possible to predict the actual number of shares we will sell under the SEPA to YA II PN, or the actual gross proceeds resulting from those sales.

 

We are party to a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement with YA II PN, LTD (“YA II PN”) dated February 12, 2024 (the “SEPA”). Pursuant to the SEPA, we may sell to YA II PN up to $5,000,000 of shares of common stock (the “Advance Shares”), from time to time during the term of the SEPA. Subject to certain limitations in the SEPA and compliance with applicable law, we have the discretion to deliver notices to YA II PN at any time throughout the term of the SEPA. The actual number of shares of common stock are sold to YA II PN may depend based on a number of factors, including the market price of our common stock during the sales period.

 

Because the price per share of each share sold to YA II PN will fluctuate during the sales period, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold or the actual gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.

 

In addition, any issuance and sale by us under the SEPA of a substantial amount of shares of common stock could cause additional substantial dilution to our stockholders.

 

We may require additional financing to sustain our operations and without it we may not be able to continue operations.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions of the SEPA, we may, at our discretion, direct YA II PN to purchase up to $5.0 million of shares of our common stock under the SEPA from time-to-time. The purchase price per share for the shares of common stock that we may elect to sell to YA II PN under the SEPA will fluctuate based on the market prices of our common stock for each purchase made pursuant to the SEPA, if any. Accordingly, it is not currently possible to predict the number of shares that will be sold to YA II PN, the actual purchase price per share to be paid by YA II PN for those shares, if any, or the actual gross proceeds to be raised in connection with those sales.

 

8

 

 

The extent to which we rely on YA II PN as a source of funding will depend on a number of factors including, the prevailing market price of our common stock and the extent to which we are able to secure working and other capital from other sources. If obtaining sufficient funding from YA II PN were to prove unavailable or prohibitively dilutive, we may need to secure another source of funding in order to satisfy our working and other capital needs. Even if we were to sell to YA II PN all of the shares of common stock available for sale to YA II PN under the SEPA, we may still need additional capital to fully implement our business, operating and development plans. Should the financing we require to sustain our working capital needs be unavailable or prohibitively expensive when we require it, the consequences may be a material adverse effect on our business, operating results, financial condition and prospects.

 

Future sales and issuances of our common stock or other securities might result in significant dilution and could cause the price of our common stock to decline.

 

To raise capital, we may sell common stock, convertible securities or other equity securities in one or more transactions, at prices and in a manner we determine from time to time. We may sell shares or other securities in another offering at a price per share that is less than the price per share paid by investors in this offering, and investors purchasing shares or other securities in the future could have rights superior to existing stockholders. The price per share at which we sell additional shares of our common stock, or securities convertible or exchangeable into common stock, in future transactions may be higher or lower than the price per share paid by investors in this offering.

 

We cannot predict what effect, if any, sales of shares of our common stock in the public market or the availability of shares for sale will have on the market price of our common stock. However, future sales of substantial amounts of our common stock in the public market, including shares issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and convertible preferred shares, or the perception that such sales may occur, could adversely affect the market price of our common stock.

  

The terms of our indebtedness, including the covenants and the dates on which principal and interest payments on our indebtedness are due, increases the risk that we will be unable to continue as a going concern.

 

As of December 31, 2023, and June 30, 2024 we had $1.48 million, and $1.57 million, respectively, in outstanding short-term borrowing. In addition, on May 20, 2024, we issued a note which has a principal balance of $800,000 and, beginning on August 15, 2024, it required monthly principal and interest payments in excess of $266,667. On August 29, 2024, we issued another note which has a principal balance of $500,000. The terms of our indebtedness, including the covenants and the dates on which principal and interest payments on our indebtedness are due, increases the risk that we will be unable to continue as a going concern. To continue as a going concern over the next 12 months, we must make payments on our debt as they come due and comply with the covenants in the agreements governing our indebtedness or, if we fail to do so, to (i) negotiate and obtain waivers of or forbearances with respect to any defaults that occur with respect to our indebtedness, (ii) amend, replace, refinance, or restructure any or all of the agreements governing our indebtedness, and/or (iii) otherwise secure additional capital. However, we cannot provide any assurances that we will be successful in accomplishing any of these plans.

 

Due to the implementation of the Reverse Stock Split, the liquidity of our common stock may be adversely effected.

 

Our common stock began trading on Nasdaq on a Reverse Stock Split-adjusted basis beginning on January 22, 2024. The liquidity of the shares of our common stock may be affected adversely by any reverse stock split given the reduced number of shares of our common stock that are outstanding following the Reverse Stock Split, especially if the market price of our common stock does not increase as a result of the Reverse Stock Split. Following the Reverse Stock Split, the resulting market price of our common stock may not attract new investors and may not satisfy the investing requirements of those investors. Although we believe that a higher market price of our common stock may help generate greater or broader investor interest, there can be no assurance that the Reverse Stock Split resulted in a share price that will attract new investors, including institutional investors. In addition, there can be no assurance that the market price of our common stock will satisfy the investing requirements of those investors. As a result, the trading liquidity of our common stock may not necessarily improve.

 

9

 

 

If we are unable to satisfy the applicable continued listing requirements of Nasdaq, our common stock could be delisted.

 

On June 21, 2024, we received a written notice (the “Notice”) from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that Nasdaq had determined that we had failed to comply with certain Nasdaq Listing Rules because we had not yet filed our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024.

 

As previously announced, on May 15, 2024, we were required to dismiss BF Borgers CPA PC as our independent registered public accounting firm. We had to appoint a new independent registered public accounting firm in order to complete and file the Form 10-Q, and on May 14, 2024, the Audit Committee approved the engagement of BCRG Group (“BCRG”) as our new independent registered public accounting firm. Due to the timing of the appointment of BCRG, we were unable without unreasonable effort and expense to complete the review of our financial statements for the quarter ended March 31, 2024 before the required filing date for the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

 

A Nasdaq Hearings Panel (the “Panel”) had previously placed us on a Discretionary Panel Monitor for a period of one year, or until May 16, 2025, after we regained compliance with previous Nasdaq listing deficiencies, which would require Nasdaq to issue a Delist Determination Letter in the event that we failed to maintain compliance with any continued listing requirement (the “Panel Monitor”). Due to the Panel Monitor, we requested an appeal of determination to the Panel, and request a stay of the suspension pending a hearing. On July 19, 2024, we filed our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2024.

 

Although we anticipate complying with Nasdaq’s Listing Rules going forward, there can be no assurance that we will be able to meet continued listing requirements in the future. In determining whether to afford a company a cure period prior to commencing suspension or delisting procedures, Nasdaq analyzes all relevant facts including any past deficiencies, and thus our prior deficiencies could be used as a factor by Nasdaq in any future decision to delist our securities from trading on its exchange.

 

If our common stock is delisted, it could reduce the price of our common stock and the levels of liquidity available to our stockholders. In addition, the delisting of our common stock could materially adversely affect our access to the capital markets and any limitation on liquidity or reduction in the price of our common stock could materially adversely affect our ability to raise capital. Delisting from Nasdaq could also result in other negative consequences, including the potential loss of confidence by suppliers, customers and employees, the loss of institutional investor interest, and fewer business development opportunities.

 

10

 

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus contains various forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act, which represent our expectations or beliefs concerning future events that are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management, and which statements involve substantial risk and uncertainties. All statements contained in this prospectus other than statements of historical fact, including statements regarding our future operating results and financial position, our business strategy and plans, market growth and trends, and objectives for future operations are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “may,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions.

 

These risks and uncertainties include, among other things:

 

  our ability to continue as a going concern;
     
  our reliance on third party vendors;
     
  our dependence on our executive officers;
     
  our financial performance guidance;
     
  material weaknesses in our internal control over financial reporting;
     
  regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries;
     
  the impact of laws, regulations, accounting standards, regulatory requirements, judicial decisions and guidance issued by authoritative bodies;
     
  our estimates regarding expenses, future revenue and cash flow, capital requirements and needs for additional financing;
     
  our financial performance; and
     
  the ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of our business combination and/or divestitures.

 

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. We have based the forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus primarily on our current expectations and projections about future events and trends that we believe may affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects. The outcome of the events described in these forward-looking statements is subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors described elsewhere in this prospectus and in the section titled “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

11

 

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

We estimate that the net proceeds from this offering will be approximately $[   ], assuming a public offering price per share of common stock of $[   ], the closing price of our common stock on Nasdaq on [   ], 2024, after deducting the placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses payable by us, assuming the sale of all of the securities offered under this prospectus and no sale of any fixed combinations of pre-funded warrants offered hereunder. Because this is a best efforts offering and there is no minimum offering amount required as a condition to the closing of this offering, the actual offering amount, the placement agent’s fees, and net proceeds to us are not presently determinable and may be substantially less than the maximum amounts set forth on the cover page of this prospectus.

 

We intend to use any proceeds from this offering for working capital, strategic and general corporate purposes.

 

The expected use of net proceeds from this offering represents management’s estimates based upon current business and economic conditions. The amounts and timing of our actual use of net proceeds will vary depending on numerous factors. As a result, management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, and investors will be relying on our judgment regarding the application of the net proceeds of this offering. Although we do not contemplate changes in the proposed use of proceeds, to the extent we find that adjustment is required for other uses by reason of existing business conditions, the use of proceeds may be adjusted. We reserve the right to use the net proceeds we receive in the offering in any manner we consider to be appropriate, which could differ materially from those outlined above as a result of several factors including those set forth under “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

We will incur all costs associated with this prospectus and the registration statement of which it is a part.

 

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MARKET FOR COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDEND POLICY

 

Market Information and Number of Stockholders

 

Our common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “REBN.” The last reported closing price for our common stock on Nasdaq on [   ], 2024 was $[   ] per share.

 

As of October 31, 2024, there were 3,672,564 of our shares of common stock issued and outstanding held by approximately 198 stockholders of record. The number of record holders was determined from the records of our transfer agent and does not include beneficial owners of shares of common stock whose shares are held in the names of various security brokers, dealers, and registered clearing agencies.

 

Dividend Policy

 

We have never declared or paid any cash dividends on our capital stock. We currently intend to retain all available funds and future earnings, if any, for the operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any dividends in the foreseeable future. Any future determination related to our dividend policy will be made at the discretion of our board of directors after considering our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors the board of directors deems relevant, and subject to the restrictions contained in any financing instruments. Our ability to declare dividends may also be limited by restrictive covenants pursuant to any other future debt financing agreements.

 

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CAPITALIZATION

 

The following table sets forth our actual cash and cash equivalents and our capitalization as of June 30, 2024:

 

on an actual basis;

 

on an as adjusted basis to give effect to the events above and the issuance and sale of [   ] shares of our common stock at an assumed purchase price of $[   ] and assumes no issuance of the pre-funded warrants.

 

You should read this information in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and related notes for the three-month period ended June 30, 2024, included in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three-month period ended June 30, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein.

 

   As of June 30, 2024
(unaudited)
 
(in thousands)  Actual   As adjusted 
Cash and Cash Equivalents:  $617,051   $            
Total Current Liabilities:   3,711,482      
Total Long-Term Liabilities:   4,274,836      
           
Stockholders’ Equity (Deficit):          
Common Stock - $0.0001 par value per share; 40,000,000 authorized shares; 3,235,657 shares issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024   324      
Additional paid in capital   21,603,006      
Accumulated deficit   (19,064,080)   ([   ])
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)   3,438      
Total stockholders’ equity   2,542,688      

 

The as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only.

 

The total number of shares of our common stock reflected in the discussion and table above is based on 3,235,657 shares outstanding as of June 30, 2024.

 

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the ownership of our common stock as of October 31, 2024 (the “Determination Date”) by: (i) each current director of our company; (ii) each of our Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”); (iii) all current executive officers and directors of our company as a group; and (iv) all those known by us to be beneficial owners of more than five percent of our common stock.

 

Beneficial ownership and percentage ownership are determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Under these rules, beneficial ownership generally includes any shares as to which the individual or entity has sole or shared voting power or investment power and includes any shares that an individual or entity has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of within 60 days of the Determination Date, through the exercise of any option, warrant or similar right (such instruments being deemed to be “presently exercisable”). In computing the number of shares beneficially owned by a person and the percentage ownership of that person, shares of our common stock that could be issued upon the exercise of presently exercisable options and warrants are considered to be outstanding. These shares, however, are not considered outstanding as of the Determination Date when computing the percentage ownership of each other person.

 

To our knowledge, except as indicated in the footnotes to the following table, and subject to state community property laws where applicable, all beneficial owners named in the following table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares shown as beneficially owned by them. Percentage of ownership is based on 3,672,564 shares of common stock outstanding as of the Determination Date. Unless otherwise indicated, the business address of each person in the table below is c/o Reborn Coffee Inc., 580 N. Berry St. Brea, California 92821. To the best of our knowledge, no shares identified below are subject to a pledge.

 

   Number of Shares   Percentage of Shares 
Name of Beneficial Owner  Beneficially Owned   Beneficially Owned 
         
Directors and Named Executive Officers        
Jay Kim, Chief Executive Officer and Director   410,834    11.2%
Stephan Kim, Chief Financial Officer   87,190    2.4%
Farooq M. Arjomand, Chairman of the Board   456,082    12.4%
Dennis R. Egidi, Director   155,350    4.2%
Sehan Kim, Director   47,786    1.3%
Andy Nasim, Director   -    - 
Jennifer Tan, Director   -    - 
All directors, directors nominees and executive officers as a group (seven persons):   1,157,242    31.5%
           
5% or Greater Stockholders          
           
Scott Lee   444,445    12.1%

 

From time to time, the number of our shares held in “street name” accounts of various securities dealers for the benefit of their clients or in centralized securities depositories may exceed 5% of the total shares of our common stock outstanding.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

 

For a description of our capital stock, including our common stock and the material terms of our Articles of Incorporation, as amended, and Bylaws, as amended, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC and Exhibit 4.3 thereto, entitled Description of Securities, and incorporated by reference in this prospectus. For instructions on how to find copies of the filings incorporated by reference in this prospectus, see “Where You Can Find More Information.”

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES WE ARE OFFERING

 

We are offering up to [   ] shares of our common stock. We are also offering up to [   ] pre-funded warrants to those purchasers whose purchase of shares of common stock in this offering would result in the purchaser, together with its affiliates and certain related parties, beneficially owning more than 4.99% (or, at the election of the purchaser, 9.99%) of our outstanding shares of common stock following the consummation of this offering in lieu of the shares of common stock that would result in such excess ownership. For each pre-funded warrant we sell, the number of shares of common stock we are offering will be decreased on a one-for-one basis. Each pre-funded warrant will be exercisable for one share of common stock. No warrant for fractional shares of common stock will be issued, rather warrants will be issued only for whole shares of common stock. We are also registering the shares of common stock issuable from time to time upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants offered hereby.

 

Common Stock

 

The material terms and provisions of our common stock are described under the caption “Description of Securities” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC and Exhibit 4.3 thereto, entitled Description of Securities, and incorporated by reference in this prospectus

 

Pre-funded Warrants

 

The following summary of certain terms and provisions of the pre-funded warrants that are being offered hereby is not complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the provisions of the pre-funded warrant, the form of which will be filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. Prospective investors should carefully review the terms and provisions of the form of pre-funded warrant for a complete description of the terms and conditions of the pre-funded warrants.

 

Duration and Exercise Price

 

Each pre-funded warrant offered hereby will have an initial exercise price per share of common stock equal to $0.0001. The pre-funded warrants will be immediately exercisable and will expire when exercised in full. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise is subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of share dividends, share splits, reorganizations or similar events affecting our shares of common stock and the exercise price.

 

Exercisability

 

The pre-funded warrants will be exercisable, at the option of each holder, in whole or in part, by delivering to us a duly executed exercise notice accompanied by payment in full for the number of shares of common stock purchased upon such exercise (except in the case of a cashless exercise as discussed below). A holder (together with its affiliates) may not exercise any portion of the pre-funded warrant to the extent that the holder would own more than 4.99% of the outstanding shares of common stock immediately after exercise, except that upon at least 61 days’ prior notice from the holder to us, the holder may increase the amount of beneficial ownership of outstanding shares after exercising the holder’s pre-funded warrants up to 9.99% of the number of our shares of common stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the exercise, as such percentage ownership is determined in accordance with the terms of the pre-funded warrants.

 

Cashless Exercise

 

In lieu of making the cash payment otherwise contemplated to be made to us upon such exercise in payment of the aggregate exercise price, the holder may elect instead to receive upon such exercise (either in whole or in part) the net number of shares of common stock determined according to a formula set forth in the pre-funded warrants.

 

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Fractional Shares

 

No fractional shares of common stock will be issued upon the exercise of the pre-funded warrants. Rather, at our election, the number of shares of common stock to be issued will be rounded up to the nearest whole number or we will pay a cash adjustment in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the exercise price.

 

Transferability

 

Subject to applicable laws, a pre-funded warrant may be transferred at the option of the holder upon surrender of the pre-funded warrants to us together with the appropriate instruments of transfer.

 

Trading Market

 

There is no trading market available for the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading system, and we do not expect a trading market to develop. We do not intend to list the pre-funded warrants on any securities exchange or nationally recognized trading market. Without a trading market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be extremely limited. The shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants are currently traded on Nasdaq under the symbol “REBN.”

 

Right as a Shareholder

 

Except as otherwise provided in the pre-funded warrants or by virtue of such holder’s ownership of shares of common stock, the holders of the pre-funded warrants do not have the rights or privileges of holders of our shares of common stock, including any voting rights, until they exercise their pre-funded warrants. The pre-funded warrants will provide that holders have the right to participate in distributions or dividends paid on our shares of common stock.

 

Fundamental Transaction

 

In the event of a fundamental transaction, as described in the pre-funded warrants and generally including any reorganization, recapitalization or reclassification of our shares of common stock, the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of our properties or assets, our consolidation or merger with or into another person, the acquisition of more than 50% of our outstanding securities, or any person or group becoming the beneficial owner of 50% of the voting power represented by our outstanding shares of securities, the holders of the pre-funded warrants will be entitled to receive upon exercise of the pre-funded warrants the kind and amount of securities, cash or other property that the holders would have received had they exercised the pre-funded warrants immediately prior to such fundamental transaction on a net exercise basis.

 

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We engaged Dawson James Securities, Inc. (“Dawson” or the “placement agent”) to act as our exclusive placement agent to solicit offers to purchase the securities offered by this prospectus on a reasonable best efforts basis. Dawson is not purchasing or selling any securities, nor are they required to arrange for the purchase and sale of any specific number or dollar amount of securities, other than to use their “reasonable best efforts” to arrange for the sale of the securities by us. Therefore, we may not sell the entire amount of securities being offered. There is no minimum amount of proceeds that is a condition to closing of this offering. Dawson may engage one or more sub-placement agents or selected dealers to assist with the offering. Investors purchasing securities offered hereby will have the option to execute a securities purchase agreement with us. In addition to rights and remedies available to all investors in this offering under federal securities and state law, the investors which enter into a securities purchase agreement will also be able to bring claims of breach of contract against us. The ability to pursue a claim for breach of contract is material to larger investors in this offering as a means to enforce the following covenants uniquely available to them under the securities purchase agreement.

 

We will deliver the securities being issued to the investors upon receipt of such investor’s funds for the purchase of the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement. We expect to deliver the securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus supplement on or about [   ], 2024.

 

Fees and Expenses

 

The following table shows the per share and per pre-funded warrant, and total placement agent fees we will pay in connection with the sale of the securities in this offering.

 

   Per Share of
Common
Stock
   Per
Pre- Funded
Warrant
   Total 
Public offering price  $        $          $          
Placement agent fees  $    $    $  
Proceeds to us, before expenses(1)  $    $    $  

 

(1)The amount of the offering proceeds to us presented in this table does not give effect to any exercise of the pre-funded warrants being issued in this offering.

 

We have agreed to pay the placement agent a total cash fee up to (i) 8.0% of the gross proceeds of this offering, provided that such commissions shall be reduced to 3.5% if and to the extent any retail investors introduced to the offering by any officer and director of the Company. We will also be responsible for any pay all expenses related to the offering, including (a) all filing fees and registration with the Commission, (b) all FINRA and Nasdaq fees; (c) all blue sky fees; (d) the costs of mailing and printing, transfer and stamp taxes; and (e) fees and expenses of our accountants and legal counsel. We estimate the total offering expenses of this offering that will be payable by us, excluding the placement agent fees and expenses, will be approximately $[125,000]. After deducting the placement agent fees and our estimated offering expenses, we expect the net proceeds from this offering to be approximately $[   ]. 

 

Lock-Ups

 

We have agreed that our directors and officers will enter into customary “lock-up” agreements for a period of 180 days following the consummation of this offering that the aforementioned parties will not, without the written consent of Dawson, (a) offer, sell, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock or any securities convertible or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company; or (b) file or cause to be filed any registration statement with the Commission relating to the offering of any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company.

 

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Determination of Offering Price

 

The public offering price per share and the public offering price per pre-funded warrant we are offering and the exercise prices and other terms of the pre-funded warrants were negotiated between us and the investors, in consultation with the placement agent based on the trading of our common stock prior to this offering, among other things. Other factors considered in determining the public offering prices of the securities we are offering and the exercise prices and other terms of the pre-funded warrants include the history and prospects of our company, the stage of development of our business, our business plans for the future and the extent to which they have been implemented, an assessment of our management, general conditions of the securities markets at the time of the offering and such other factors as were deemed relevant.

 

Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

Our transfer agent and registrar is Securities Transfer Corporation. The transfer agent’s address is 15500 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 104, Clearwater, Florida 33760 and the telephone number is (469) 633-0101. 

 

Listing

 

Our common stock is currently listed on Nasdaq under the symbol “REBN.” On [   ], 2024, the closing price per share of our common stock was $[   ]. There is no established public trading market for the pre-funded warrants, and we do not expect such markets to develop. In addition, we do not intend to apply to list the pre-funded warrants on any national securities exchange or other nationally recognized trading system. Without an active trading market, the liquidity of the pre-funded warrants will be limited.

 

Indemnification

 

We have agreed to indemnify the placement agent against certain liabilities, including certain liabilities arising under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments that the placement agent may be required to make for these liabilities.

 

Regulation M

 

The placement agent may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of Section 2(a)(11) of the Securities Act and any fees received by it and any profit realized on the sale of the securities by it while acting as principal might be deemed to be underwriting discounts or commissions under the Securities Act. The placement agent will be required to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including, without limitation, Rule 10b-5 and Regulation M under the Exchange Act. These rules and regulations may limit the timing of purchases and sales of our securities by the placement agent. Under these rules and regulations, the placement agent may not engage in any stabilization activity in connection with our securities; and (ii) bid for or purchase any of our securities or attempt to induce any person to purchase any of our securities, other than as permitted under the Exchange Act, until they have completed their participation in the distribution.

 

Discretionary Accounts

 

The Placement Agent does not intend to confirm sales of the securities offered hereby to any accounts over which it has discretionary authority.

 

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Other Relationships

 

The Placement Agent and certain of its affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. The Placement Agent and certain of its affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various commercial and investment banking and financial advisory services for us and our affiliates, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses.

 

In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the Placement Agent and certain of its affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments issued by us and our affiliates. If the Placement Agent or its affiliates have a lending relationship with us, they routinely hedge their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. The Placement Agent and its affiliates may hedge such exposure by entering into transactions that consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities or the securities of our affiliates, including potentially the common stock offered hereby. Any such short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the common stock offered hereby. The Placement Agent and certain of its affiliates may also communicate independent investment recommendations, market color or trading ideas and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments. 

 

Electronic Offer, Sale, and Distribution of Securities

 

A prospectus in electronic format may be made available on the websites maintained by the placement agent, if any, participating in this offering and the placement agent may distribute prospectuses electronically. Other than the prospectus in electronic format, the information on these websites is not part of this prospectus or the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, has not been approved or endorsed by us or the placement agent, and should not be relied upon by investors.

 

Offer and Sale Restrictions Outside the United States

 

Other than in the United States, no action has been taken by us or the placement agent that would permit a public offering of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required. The securities offered by this prospectus may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, nor may this prospectus or any other offering material or advertisements in connection with the offer and sale of any such securities be distributed or published in any jurisdiction, except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of that jurisdiction. Persons into whose possession this prospectus comes are advised to inform themselves about and to observe any restrictions relating to the offering and the distribution of this prospectus. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction in which such an offer or a solicitation is unlawful.

 

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MANAGEMENT

 

Current Directors and Executive Officers

 

The following table provides information regarding our executive officers and members of our board of directors as of the date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part:

 

Name    Age    Position 
Executive Officers         
Jay Kim   62   Chief Executive Officer and Director
Stephan Kim   48   Chief Financial Officer
         
Non-Employee Directors        
Farooq M. Arjomand   66   Chairman of the Board of Directors and Independent Director
Dennis R. Egidi   74   Director
Sehan Kim   69   Independent Director
Andy Nasim   43   Independent Director
Jennifer Tan   56   Independent Director

 

Background of Executive Officers and Directors

 

Jay Kim, Chief Executive Officer and Director

 

Mr. Kim has served as our Chief Executive Officer since our inception in 2014. On July 1, 2007, Mr. Kim founded Wellspring Industry, Inc., which created the yogurt distribution company, “Tutti Frutti,” and the bakery-café franchise, “O’My Buns.” Tutti Frutti grew to approximately 700 agents worldwide that offered self-serve frozen yogurt. Mr. Kim sold the majority ownership of Wellspring to group of investors in 2017 to focus his efforts on Reborn Coffee.

 

Prior to beginning Wellspring, Mr. Kim was the owner of Coffee Roasters in Riverside, California from 2002 through 2007. Mr. Kim worked as the project manager for JES Inc., based in Brea, California from 1997 through 2002 where he coordinated and managed environmental engineering projects. Mr. Kim worked as a Senior Process Engineer for Allied Signal Environment Catalyst in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 1992 to 1997 where he coordinated and implemented projects related to plant productivity. He also acted as the leader in start-up plant to be based in Mexico for Allied Signal. From 1988 to 1992 Mr. Kim worked as the plant start-up engineer for Toyota Auto Body Inc.

 

Mr. Kim has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from California State University at Long Beach and followed a Chemical office basic at U.S. Army Chemical School in 1988. He was commissioned 1st. LT. of the U.S. Army in 1986 and retired from the U.S. Army in 1988.

 

Stephan Kim, Chief Financial Officer

 

Mr. Kim has served as our full-time Chief Financial Officer since June 26, 2022. Mr. Kim previously provided professional accounting and tax consulting services for nearly 20 years to various clients in the consumer retail, healthcare, industrial manufacturing, and technology industries. Throughout his career as a public accountant, controller, and banker in the United States and South Korea, Mr. Kim has obtained broad and in-depth expertise on international accounting, finance, taxes, and Sarbanes-Oxley 404 compliance. Mr. Kim graduated from Sogang University in South Korea with a B.A. in Sociology and Business in 2002 and earned a Master’s degree in Professional Accountancy from Indiana University in 2005. Mr. Kim began his career in 2002 as a banker with Shinhan Bank in South Korea. From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Kim was an Audit Manager at KPMG, Los Angeles office.

 

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Non-Employee Directors

 

Farooq M. Arjomand, Chairman of the Board of Directors

 

Farooq Arjomand has served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Reborn Global since January 2015, and took over as the Chairman of the Board of Reborn Coffee Inc. on May 7, 2018. In 1984, he started his career as a banker with HSBC and gained experience across all departments—namely, private banking, corporate finance, trade services, and investment banking. During his stint with HSBC, he also became the founding member of Amlak Finance & Emmar Properties in 1997. Mr. Arjomand founded the Arjomand Group of companies in 2000 and has served as its chief executive officer since that its inception. Based in Dubai, the Arjomand Group conducts various activities including real estate, manufacturing, trades, financial activities, and aviation across the GCC, Asia, Europe, and the United States.

 

Mr. Arjomand has also served as the Chairman of DAMAC Properties, a leading developer in the Middle East and as a board member of Al Ahlia Insurance Company BSC, Bahrain. Mr. Arjomand also serves as Managing Partner of Barakat Group. Barakat Group has been involved in the manufacturing of juices and food stuffs for the past 30 years. Mr. Arjomand is a citizen of the United Arab Emirates. He graduated with a Business Management degree from Seattle Pacific University in Seattle, Washington.

 

Dennis R. Egidi, Director

 

Mr. Egidi is a licensed real estate broker in the State of Illinois. Additionally, Mr. Egidi was awarded the CPM® designation through the Institute of Real Estate Management. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and attended graduate school in Civil Engineering at the University of Detroit.

 

Mr. Egidi joined as our Director and the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors in June 2020. Mr. Egidi formed DRE, Inc., an Illinois real estate development company in 1993, developing over 30 affordable housing projects in Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and California, totaling approximately 5,000 units. Today, he continues to serve as President of DRE, Inc., and acts as Managing General Partner of 15 limited partnerships, of which five have been redeveloped over the past five years.

 

In addition, Mr. Egidi served as President and Chairman of the board of Promex Midwest, a real estate property management firm. He has been involved in all phases of management in the commercial, residential, and industrial building fields in the Midwest. Mr. Egidi has extensive knowledge and experience in the construction industry, having served as Executive Vice President and Chief Estimator for Corbetta Construction Company of Illinois, and then for Contractors and Engineers, Inc. During his 25 years of experience in the construction industry, he was involved in all types of projects ranging from multifamily housing, historical rehabs, high-rise office buildings, and shopping centers.

 

Mr. Egidi and DRE also have experience in the food service industry having developed fast food pizza stores in central Illinois under the Rocky Rococo brand in the 1980s. He was also a principal partner in Cookie Associates of Houston, Texas. Cookie Associates owned and operated 34 “Great American Cookie” stores and kiosks in the Houston market. Most recently, Mr. Egidi, as a principal of TF Investors LLC, was a franchisor of eight Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt franchises located in France and England.

 

Sehan Kim, Director

 

Mr. Kim has been a Director of Reborn Global since January 2015. Mr. Kim joined Magitech Incorporation in 2013 as Vice President of Operations. He oversees operations and management in water and beverage businesses at Magitech Corporation. He led major projects at Magitech to install the enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system and the cold brewed coffee extraction systems.

 

From 2005 through 2011, Mr. Kim was Senior Vice President at Korean Air Co., Ltd. (“Korean Air”). He was the Head of the Aerospace Division at Korean Air. Prior to that, Mr. Kim was vice president and general manager of the Commercial Aerostructure Businesses at Korean Air from 2001 through 2005, which supplied various aircraft structural components to major commercial airplane manufacturers, including Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer.

 

From 1994 through 1997 Mr. Kim worked as a Korean Air representative at Boeing in Seattle, Washington, and had on the job training in configuration management at Northrop Aircraft company in Los Angeles, California for the Korean Fighter Coproduction Program in 1981. He joined Korean Air in August 1979 as an Aerospace structural engineer. Mr. Kim studied Aerospace Engineering at Seoul National University in 1973 through 1977 and holds a Master’s Degree in business management from Busan National University.

 

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Andy Nasim, Director

 

Mr. Nasim graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business with Information Technology from Staffordshire University, United Kingdom. He commenced his career in 2002 as a business development manager with Kenanga Capital Sdn Bhd, the stockbroking lending division of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad where he drove the credit business of corporate banking, equity financing, and development of financing solutions through various structured financing products and Islamic trade financing. He then became Head of Kenanga Private Equity division in 2010 where he was involved in strategic offshore merger and acquisition for the group. He obtained extensive experience in the capital markets and financial services operations. From January 2017 to present, Mr. Nasim serves as CEO and Executive Director of the Wellspring Group; a company which owns the global trademark of a world-renowned dessert brand. He oversees strategic planning and international brand expansion for the Group.

 

Jennifer Tan, Director

 

Ms. Tan has over 30 years’ experience as a global entrepreneur in diversified businesses in the United States, Europe and Asia. Since 2020, she has served as Chief Executive Officer of Hawaii Volcano Tea LP, a tea farm with multiple locations in the Volcano area of Hawaii Island. From 2009 through 2019, Ms. Tan served as Managing Director of Tutti Frutti (China) Limited, developing and executing marketing plans for Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt stores on both corporate-owned and franchise retail stores in China, Hong Kong, and Macau. From 1997 through 2001, she served as the Managing Director of International Golf & Yacht Club (Hong Kong) Limited and Mass Star Development Limited.

 

Family Relationships

 

There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers or directors.

 

Board Composition

 

Our business and affairs are managed under the direction of our board of directors, a majority of which are independent (i.e., Farooq M. Arjomand, Sehan Kim, Andy Nasim, and Jennifer Tan). We have six directors with no vacancies. Our current directors will continue to serve as directors until their resignation, removal, or successor is duly elected.

 

Our certificate of incorporation and our bylaws permit our board of directors to establish the authorized number of directors from time to time by resolution. Each director serves until the expiration of the term for which such director was elected or appointed, or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal.

 

Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

As of the filing of this the registration statement of which prospectus is contained, there are no legal proceedings, and during the past ten years there have been no legal proceedings, that are material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of any of our directors, director nominees or executive officers.

 

Committees of Our Board of Directors

 

Our board of directors has established a compensation committee and an audit committee. The composition and responsibilities of each of the committees of our board of directors are described below. Members serve on these committees until their resignation or until otherwise determined by our board of directors. Our board of directors may establish other committees as it deems necessary or appropriate from time to time.

 

Audit Committee

 

As of the date of this filing, our audit committee consists of Farooq M. Arjomand, Sehan Kim, and Andy Nasim. Each member of our audit committee can read and understand fundamental financial statements in accordance with applicable requirements. The chair of our audit committee is Farooq M. Arjomand, who our board of directors has determined is an “audit committee financial expert” within the meaning of SEC regulations. In arriving at these determinations, our board of directors has examined each audit committee member’s scope of experience and the nature of their employment in the corporate finance sector.

 

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The principal duties and responsibilities of our audit committee include, among other things:

 

  hiring and selecting a qualified firm to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit our financial statements;
     
  helping to ensure the independence and performance of the independent registered public accounting firm;
     
  helping to maintain and foster an open avenue of communication between management and the independent registered public accounting firm;
     
  discussing the scope and results of the audit with the independent registered public accounting firm, and reviewing, with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, our interim and year-end operating results;
     
  developing procedures for employees to submit concerns anonymously about questionable accounting or audit matters;
     
  reviewing our policies on risk assessment and risk management;
     
  reviewing related party transactions;
     
  obtaining and reviewing a report by the independent registered public accounting firm at least annually, that describes its internal quality-control procedures, any material issues with such procedures, and any steps taken to deal with such issues when required by applicable law; and
     
  approving (or, as permitted, pre-approving) all audit and all permissible non-audit services to be performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

 

Our audit committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market. A copy of our audit committee charter is available on our website at www.reborncoffee.com.

 

Compensation Committee

 

Our compensation committee consists of Farooq M. Arjomand, Sehan Kim, and Andy Nasim. The chair of our compensation committee is Andy Nasim.

 

The principal duties and responsibilities of our compensation committee include, among other things:

 

  approving the retention of compensation consultants and outside service providers and advisors;
     
  reviewing and approving, or recommending that our board of directors approve, the compensation, individual and corporate performance goals and objectives and other terms of employment of our executive officers, including evaluating the performance of our chief executive officer and, with his assistance, that of our other executive officers;
     
  reviewing and recommending to our board of directors the compensation of our directors;
     
  administering our equity and non-equity incentive plans;
     
  reviewing our practices and policies of employee compensation as they relate to alignment of incentives;

 

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  reviewing and evaluating succession plans for the executive officers;
     
  reviewing and approving, or recommending that our board of directors approve, incentive compensation and equity plans; and
     
  reviewing and establishing general policies relating to compensation and benefits of our employees and reviewing our overall compensation philosophy.

  

Our compensation committee operates under a written charter that satisfies the applicable listing standards of the Nasdaq Capital Market. A copy of our compensation committee charter is available on our website at www.reborncoffee.com.

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks

 

None of the members of the compensation committee are currently, or have been at any time, one of our executive officers or employees. None of our executive officers currently serve, or have served during the last year, as a member of the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as a member of our board of directors or compensation committee.

 

Director Nominations

 

We do not have a standing nominating committee. In accordance with the Nasdaq Stock Exchange corporate governance standards, a majority of the independent directors may recommend a director nominee for selection by the board of directors. The board of directors believes that the independent directors can satisfactorily carry out the responsibility of properly selecting or approving director nominees without the formation of a standing nominating committee. As there is no standing nominating committee, we do not have a nominating committee charter in place.

 

The board of directors will also consider director candidates recommended for nomination by our stockholders during such times as they are seeking proposed nominees to stand for election at the next annual meeting of stockholders (or, if applicable, a special meeting of stockholders). Our stockholders that wish to nominate a director for election to our board of directors should follow the procedures set forth in our bylaws.

 

We expect to expand our board of directors in the future to include additional independent directors. In adding additional members to our board of directors, we will consider each candidate’s independence, skills and expertise based on a variety of factors, including the person’s experience or background in management, finance, regulatory matters and corporate governance. Further, when identifying nominees to serve as a director, we expect that our board of directors will seek to create a board of directors that is strong in its collective knowledge and has a diversity of skills and experience with respect to accounting and finance, management and leadership, vision and strategy, business operations, business judgment, industry knowledge and corporate governance.

 

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

 

On July 3, 2017, we adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that applies to all our employees, officers and directors. This includes our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions. The full text of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics is posted on our website at www.reborncoffee.com. We intend to disclose on our website any future amendments of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics or waivers that exempt any principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, persons performing similar functions or our directors from provisions in the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Information contained on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not incorporated by reference herein, and you should not consider information on our website to be part of this prospectus.

 

Risk and Compensation Policies

 

We have analyzed our compensation programs and policies to determine whether those programs and policies are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on us.

 

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Compensation Philosophy

 

Our compensation philosophy includes:

 

pay for performance;

 

fair compensation that is competitive with market standards;

 

compensation mix according to growth stage of our company as well as job level; and

 

incentivizing employees to work for long-term sustainable and profitable growth of our company.

 

Objective of Executive Compensation Program

 

The objective of our compensation program is to provide a fair and competitive compensation package in the industry to each named executive officer (“NEO”) that will enable us to:

 

attract and hire outstanding individuals to achieve our mid-term and long-term visions;

 

motivate, develop and retain employees; and

 

align the financial interests of each named executive officer with the interests of our stakeholders including stockholders and encourage each named executive officer to contribute to enhance value of the Company.

 

Our named executive officers for the year 2023, which consist of our principal executive officers, were:

 

Jay Kim, President and Chief Executive Officer; and

 

Stephan Kim, Chief Financial Officer.

 

Administration

 

Our Compensation Committee oversees our executive compensation program and are responsible for approving the nature and amount of the compensation paid to our NEOs. The committee also administers our equity compensation plan and awards.

 

Elements of Compensation

 

Our compensation program for NEOs consists of the following elements of compensation, each described in greater depth below:

 

Base salaries;

 

Performance-based bonuses;

 

Equity-based incentive compensation; and

 

General benefits

 

Base Salary

 

Base salaries are an annual fixed level of cash compensation to reflect each NEO’s performance, role and responsibilities, and retention considerations.

 

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Performance-Based Bonus

 

To incentivize management to drive strong operating performance and reward achievement of our business goals, our executive compensation program includes performance-based bonuses for NEOs. Our Compensation Committee has established annual target performance-based bonuses for each NEO during the first quarter of the fiscal year.

 

Equity Compensation

 

We may pay equity-based compensation to our NEOs in order to link our long-term results achieved for our stockholders and the rewards provided to NEOs, thereby ensuring that such NEOs have a continuing stake in our long-term success.

 

General Benefits

 

Our NEOs are provided with other fringe benefits that we believe are commonly provided to similarly situated executives.

 

Summary Compensation Table – Officers 

 

The following table sets forth information concerning the compensation of our named executive officers for the years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022.

 

       Salary   Bonus   Stock
Awards
   Option
Awards
   Non-equity
Incentive plan
compensation
   Change in
Pension
Value and
Nonqualified
deferred
compensation
   All other
Compensation
   Total 
Name and principal position  Year   ($)   ($)   ($)   ($)   ($)   ($)   ($)   ($) 
Jay Kim
Chief Executive Officer
   2023    150,000    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    150,000 
    2022    144,000    200,000    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    344,000 
Stephan Kim
Chief Financial Officer
   2023    144,000    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    144,000 
    2022    83,000    -0-    56,000    -0-    -0-    -0-    -0-    139,000 

 

Employment Agreements

 

Effective July 27, 2022, we executed an employment agreement with Stephan Kim for Mr. Kim to serve as our full time Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Kim receives a monthly payment of $12,000 ($144,000 annually) as compensation for his services, and we granted $56,000 worth of restricted stock units (RSUs), which vested three months after employment and can be sold after one year. The employment agreement is an at-will agreement and is terminable by either party at any time.

 

Except as set forth above we do not currently have employment agreements with any of our NEOs.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

As of December 31, 2023, there were no outstanding equity awards for each of the NEOs.

 

Director Compensation

 

No compensation was paid to our non-employee directors for services rendered during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.

 

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LEGAL MATTERS

 

Certain legal matters in connection with this offering, including the validity of the securities offered in this prospectus will be passed upon for us by FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP, Irvine, California. Certain other legal matters in connection with this offering will be passed upon for the placement agent by ArentFox Schiff LLP, Washington, D.C.

 

CHANGE IN ACCOUNTANT

 

Change in Accountant

 

Effective May 7, 2024, we dismissed BF Borgers PC (“BF Borgers”) as our independent registered public accounting firm. On May 14, 2024, we engaged BCRG Group to replace BF Borgers. The decision to change independent registered public accounting firms was directed and approved by our audit committee.

 

BF Borgers’ audit reports on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to audit scope or accounting principles.

 

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through the date of this report, there were no disagreements, as that term is defined in Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, between the Company and BF Borgers on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreements, if not resolved to BF Borgers’ satisfaction, would have caused BF Borgers to make reference to such disagreements in its audit reports.

 

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the subsequent interim period through the date of this report, there were no reportable events within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

 

Prior to retaining BCRG Group, we did not consult with BCRG Group regarding either: (i) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction, either contemplated or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements; or (ii) any matter that was the subject of a “disagreement” or a “reportable event” (as those terms are defined in Item 304 of Regulation S-K).

 

The SEC has advised that, in lieu of obtaining a letter from BF Borgers stating whether or not it agrees with the statements herein, we may indicate that BF Borgers is not currently permitted to appear or practice before the SEC for reasons described in the SEC’s Order Instituting Public Administrative and Cease-and-Desist Proceedings Pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act of 1933, Sections 4C and 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 102(e) of the Commission’s Rules of Practice, Making Findings, and Imposing Remedial Sanctions and a Cease-and-Desist Order, dated May 3, 2024.

 

EXPERTS

 

Our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 and the related consolidated statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2023 incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been audited by BCRG Group, independent registered public accounting firm, as indicated in their report with respect thereto, and have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

Our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2022 and the related consolidated statement of operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022 incorporated by reference in this prospectus have been audited by Kreit & Chiu CPA LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as indicated in their report with respect thereto, and have been so included in reliance upon the report of such firm given on their authority as experts in accounting and auditing. 

 

29

 

 

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Any information referenced this way is considered to be part of this prospectus, and any information that we file later with the SEC will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede this information. We incorporate by reference the following documents that we have filed with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC’s rules):

 

  our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2024, as amended by our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2024 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 15, 2024;
     
  our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 19, 2024;
     
  our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2024, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 19, 2024;
     
  our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 10, 2024, January 16, 2024, February 6, 2024, February 12, 2024, February 29, 2024, March 28, 2024, April 23, 2024, May 7, 2024, May 15, 2024, May 23, 2024, June 26, 2024, August 29, 2024, September 13, 2024, and October 25, 2024 (other than information “furnished” under Items 2.02 or 7.01, or corresponding information furnished under Item 9.01 or included as an exhibit); and
     
  the description of our common stock contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023 filed with the SEC and Exhibit 4.3 thereto, and any other amendment or report filed for the purpose of updating such description.

 

Additionally, all documents filed by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after (i) the date of the initial filing of the registration statement to which this prospectus relates and prior to effectiveness of such registration statement, and (ii) the date of this prospectus and before the termination or completion of any offering hereunder, shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this prospectus from the respective dates of filing of such documents, except that we do not incorporate any document or portion of a document that is “furnished” to the SEC, but not deemed “filed.” We will not, however, incorporate by reference in this prospectus any documents or portions thereof that are not deemed “filed” with the SEC, including any information furnished pursuant to Item 2.02 or Item 7.01 of our current reports on Form 8-K unless, and except to the extent, specified in such current reports

 

Any information in any of the foregoing documents will automatically be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that information in this prospectus or in a later filed document that is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated herein by reference modifies or replaces such information.

 

The SEC maintains an internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding the issuers that file electronically with the SEC, including the Company, and can be accessed free of charge on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

 

The documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus are also available on our corporate website at www.reborncoffee.com. We will provide to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, a copy of any or all of the information that has been incorporated by reference in this prospectus but not delivered with this prospectus. You may request a copy of this information at no cost, by writing or telephoning us at the following address or telephone number:

 

Reborn Coffee, Inc.

Attention: Chief Financial Officer

580 N. Berry Street

Brea, CA 92821

(714) 784-6369

 

30

 

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-1 under the Securities Act with respect to the securities being offered by this prospectus. This prospectus does not contain all of the information in the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the exhibits to such registration statement. For further information with respect to us and the securities offered by this prospectus, we refer you to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and the exhibits to such registration statement. Statements contained in this prospectus as to the contents of any contract or any other document are not necessarily complete, and in each instance, we refer you to the copy of the contract or other document filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. Each of these statements is qualified in all respects by this reference.

 

The registration statement of which this prospectus is a part is available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. You may also request a copy of these filings, at no cost, by writing us at 580 N. Berry Street, Brea, CA 92821, Attention: Chief Financial Officer or telephoning us at (714) 784-6369.

 

We are subject to the information and reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and, in accordance with this law, file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These periodic reports, proxy statements and other information are available at the SEC’s website referred to above. We also maintain a website at www.reborncoffee.com. You may access these materials free of charge as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Information contained on our website is not a part of this prospectus and the inclusion of our website address in this prospectus is an inactive textual reference only.

 

31

 

 

Up to [   ] Shares of Common Stock

Pre-Funded Warrants to Purchase up to [   ] Shares of Common Stock

(and shares of Common Stock underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants)

 

REBORN COFFEE, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY PROSPECTUS

 

 

DAWSON JAMES SECURITIES, INC.

 

 

 

The date of this prospectus is November 12, 2024

 

 

 

 

PART II — INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN THE PROSPECTUS

 

Item 13. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

 

The following table sets forth an estimate of the fees and expenses relating to the issuance and distribution of the securities being registered hereby, all of which shall be borne by the registrant. All of such fees and expenses, except for the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) registration and the FINRA filing fee, are estimated:

 

FINRA filing fee $[   ] 
Nasdaq additional listing fee $[   ] 
SEC registration fee $[   ] 
Legal fees and expenses $[   ] 
Printing fees and expenses $[   ] 
Accounting fees and expenses $[   ] 
Miscellaneous fees and expenses $[   ] 
Total $[   ] 

 

Item 14. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

 

Under Delaware law, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than one by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that the person 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, against judgments, fines, amounts paid in settlement and reasonable expenses, including attorneys’ fees actually and necessarily incurred as a result of such action or proceeding, if such director or officer acted, in good faith, for a purpose which such person reasonably believed to be, in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, in criminal actions or proceedings, in addition, had no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful.

 

In the case of a derivative action, a Delaware corporation may indemnify any such person against expense, including attorneys’ fees actually and necessarily incurred by such person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if such director or officer if such director or officer acted, in good faith, for a purpose which such person reasonably believed to be, in or not opposed to, the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification will be made in respect on any claim, issue or matter as to which such person will have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or any other court in which such action was brought determines such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expense.

 

Delaware Law permits a corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a provision eliminating or limiting a director’s liability to a corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of fiduciary duty. Delaware Law provides, however, that liability for breaches of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or involving intentional misconduct, or knowing violation of the law, and the unlawful purchase or redemption of stock or payment of unlawful purchase or redemption of stock or payment of unlawful dividends or the receipt of improper personal benefits cannot be eliminated or limited in this manner.

 

Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws provide that we will indemnify our directors to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law and may, if and to the extent authorized by the Board of Directors, indemnify our officers and any other person whom we have the power to indemnify against any liability, reasonable expense or other matter whatsoever.

 

Any amendment, modification or repeal of the foregoing provisions shall be prospective only, and shall not affect any rights or protections of any of our directors existing as of the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.

 

II-1

 

 

We may also, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, purchase and maintain insurance to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law on behalf of any of our directors, officers, employees or agents against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Item 15. Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities

 

The following is a summary of all of our securities sold by us within the past three years which were not registered under the Securities Act:

 

In November 2023, we entered into an exchange agreement with an entity controlled by one of our directors whereby we issued 1,666,667 shares of common stock in exchange for the surrender and termination of a promissory note in the amount of $1,000,000.

 

In January 2024, we sold 1,666,667 shares of common stock to one of our directors for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1,000,000.

 

In February 2024, we entered into a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement (“SEPA”) with YA II PN, LTD. (“YA II PN”) whereby we have the right to sell up to an aggregate of $5,000,000 of newly issued shares of common stock. We issued 64,656 shares of common stock to YA II PN as an initial fee for commitment to purchase our shares of common stock under the SEPA.

 

In February 2024, we sold 444,445 shares of common stock to an accredited investor for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1,000,000.

 

In May 2024, we issued a convertible promissory note to YA II PN with an initial principal amount of $800,000, which is convertible at an exercise price of $2.29 per share at YA II PN’s option, and a warrant to purchase 175,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $2.29 per share.

 

In May 2024, we sold 181,819 shares of common stock to an accredited investor for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $500,000.

 

In June 2024, we sold 100,000 shares of common stock to an accredited investor for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $300,000.

 

In June 2024, we sold 100,000 shares of common stock to an accredited investor for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $300,000.

 

In May 2024, we issued a convertible promissory note to an accredited investor with an initial principal amount of $500,000, which is convertible at an exercise price of $3.36 per share at the accredited investor’s option.

 

The issuances listed above were made in reliance upon exemptions from registration under Section 3(a)(9) and/or Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Regulation D promulgated thereunder.

 

Item 16. Exhibits.

 

The list of exhibits in the Exhibit Index to this registration statement is incorporated herein by reference.

 

II-2

 

 

Item 17. Undertakings.

 

(a)The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

 

(1)To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

 

  (i) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;
     
  (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post- effective amendment thereof) that, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in the volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and
     
  (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii), and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is a part of the registration statement.

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
     
  (3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered that remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
     
  (4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  (i) each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

II-3

 

 

  (ii) each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

 

  (5) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (i) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

II-4

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the Brea, California, on November 12, 2024.

 

  REBORN COFFEE, INC.
   
  By: /s/ Jay Kim
    Jay Kim
    Chief Executive Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Jay Kim as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each acting alone, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement on Form S-1 and any subsequent registration statement the Registrant may hereafter file with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act to register additional securities in connection with this registration statement, and to file this registration statement, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in order to effectuate the same as fully, to all intents and purposes, as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Jay Kim   Chief Executive Officer and Director   November 12, 2024
Jay Kim   (Principal Executive Officer)    
         
/s/ Stephan Kim   Chief Financial Officer   November 12, 2024
Stephan Kim  

(Principal Financial Officer and Principal

Accounting Officer)

   
         
/s/ Farooq M. Arjomand        
Farooq M. Arjomand   Chairman and Director   November 12, 2024
         
/s/ Dennis R. Egidi        
Dennis R. Egidi   Director   November 12, 2024
         
/s/ Sehan Kim        
Sehan Kim   Director   November 12, 2024
         
/s/ Andy Nasim        
Andy Nasim   Director   November 12, 2024
         
/s/ Jennifer Tan        
Jennifer Tan   Director   November 12, 2024

 

II-5

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

1.1*   Form of Placement Agent Agreement
3.1   Certificate of Incorporation (Delaware), dated July 27, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Amendment No. 5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on August 2, 2022)
3.2   Bylaws of Registrant (Delaware) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Amendment No. 5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on August 2, 2022)
3.3   Certificate of Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on January 12, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 16, 2024).
4.1   Specimen Common Stock Certificate (Delaware) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Amendment No. 5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on August 2, 2022)
4.2   Form of Representative’s Warrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
4.3   Warrant to Purchase Common Shares issued May 20, 2024 by Reborn Coffee, Inc. to EF Hutton YA Fund, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 22, 2024).
4.4*   Form of Securities Purchase Agreement
4.5*   Form of Pre-funded Warrant
5.1**   Opinion of Fitzgerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP
10.1   Share Exchange Agreement, dated May 7, 2018 by and among Capax, Reborn and each of the RB shareholders (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.2   Form of Letter Agreement (Lockup) by and among Registrant, officers and directors of Registrant and EF Hutton (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.3   Form of Director and Officer Indemnity Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.4   Shopping Center Lease by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and La Floresta Regency, LLC, effective July 25, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.5   Standard Industrial/ Commercial Multi-Tenant Lease, as amended, by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and Foothill Crescenta, LLC, effective December 6, 2016 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.6   Shopping Center Lease by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and Sibling Associates, LLC, effective July 12, 2017 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.7   Standard Lease by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and El Toro, LP, effective February 12, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.8   Long Term Kiosk License Agreement by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and Tyler Mall Limited Partnership, effective February 4, 2021 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.9   Long Term Kiosk License Agreement by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and Stonestown Shopping Center, LP, effective December 22, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.10   Long Term Kiosk License Agreement by and between Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. and Glendale I Mall Associates, LP, effective October 27, 2020 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)

 

II-6

 

 

10.11   Form of Subscription Agreement (Regulation A+ Offering) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to Amendment No. 2 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on April 18, 2022)
10.12   Amendment to Share Exchange Agreement, dated January 25, 2022, by and among Reborn Coffee Inc., Andrew Weeraratne and each of the former shareholders of Reborn Global Holdings, Inc., a California corporation (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.10 to Amendment No. 5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on August 2, 2022)
10.13   Offer of Employment by and between the Company and Stephan Kim, dated July 27, 2022 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to Amendment No. 5 to our Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed on August 2, 2022)
10.14   Line of Credit Note issued by Reborn Global Holdings, Inc. on June 1, 2023 in the name of DRE, Inc. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on July 24, 2023)
10.15   Exchange Agreement by and between Reborn Coffee, Inc. and DRE, Inc. dated November 28, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 29, 2023)
10.16   Securities Subscription Agreement by and between Reborn Coffee, Inc. and the investor listed therein, dated January 10, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on January 16, 2024).
10.17   Pre-Paid Advance Agreement by and between Reborn Coffee, Inc. and the EF Hutton YA Fund, LP, dated February 12, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 12, 2024).
10.18   Standby Equity Purchase Agreement by and between Reborn Coffee, Inc. and YA II PN, Ltd., dated February 12, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 12, 2024).
10.19   Securities Subscription Agreement by and between Reborn Coffee, Inc. and Scott Lee, dated February 29, 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 29, 2024).
10.20   Convertible Promissory Note issued May 20, 2024, by Reborn Coffee, Inc. to EF Hutton YA Fund, LP (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 22, 2024).
10.21   Form of Securities Subscription Agreement entered into by Reborn Coffee, Inc. and certain investors in May and June 2024 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 29, 2024).
10.22   Convertible Promissory Note issued August 29, 2024, by Reborn Coffee, Inc. to Quen Inno Tech Co., Ltd. (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on August 29, 2024).
16.1   Letter from Kreit and Chiu CPA LLP dated May 1, 2023 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 16.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on May 2, 2023)
21.1   List of Subsidiaries of the Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 21.1 to our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A filed on August 15, 2024).
23.1*   Consent of Independent Registered Accounting Firm, BCRG Group.
23.2**   Consent of FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP (included in their opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1).
107*   Filing Fee Table

 

*Filed herewith

**To be filed by amendment

 

 

II-7

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

PLACEMENT AGENCY AGREEMENT

 

Dawson James Securities, Inc.

101 North Federal Highway

Suite 600

Boca Raton, FL 33432

 

November [●], 2024

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This letter (this “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Reborn Coffee, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and Dawson James Securities, Inc. (“Dawson”) pursuant to which Dawson shall serve as the placement agent (the “Placement Agent”) (the “Services”), for the Company, on a reasonable “best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed offer and placement (the “Offering”) by the Company of its Securities (as defined Section 3 of this Agreement). The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Dawson’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable “best efforts” basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Dawson to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of Dawson placing the Securities. The terms of the Placement and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Purchasers and nothing herein constitutes that the Placement Agent would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Offering. This Agreement and the documents, if any, executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Offering, including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below) shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.”

 

1.Appointment of Dawson James Securities, Inc. as Exclusive Placement Agent.

 

On the basis of the representations, warranties, covenants and agreements of the Company herein contained, and subject to all the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Company hereby appoints the Placement Agent as its exclusive placement agent in connection with a distribution of its Securities to be offered and sold by the Company pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[___]), and Dawson agrees to act as the Company’s exclusive Placement Agent. Pursuant to this appointment, the Placement Agent will solicit offers for the purchase of or attempt to place all or part of the Securities of the Company in the proposed Offering. Until the final closing or earlier upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 5 hereof, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, solicit or accept offers to purchase the Securities other than through the Placement Agent. The Company acknowledges that the Placement Agent will act as an agent of the Company and use its reasonable “best efforts” to solicit offers to purchase the Securities from the Company on the terms, and subject to the conditions, set forth in the Prospectus (as defined below). The Placement Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to assist the Company in obtaining performance by each Purchaser whose offer to purchase Securities has been solicited by the Placement Agent, but the Placement Agent shall not, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, be obligated to disclose the identity of any potential purchaser or have any liability to the Company in the event any such purchase is not consummated for any reason. Under no circumstances will the Placement Agent be obligated to underwrite or purchase any Securities for its own account and, in soliciting purchases of the Securities, the Placement Agent shall act solely as an agent of the Company. The Services provided pursuant to this Agreement shall be on an “agency” basis and not on a “principal” basis.

 

The Placement Agent will solicit offers for the purchase of the Securities in the Offering at such times and in such amounts as the Placement Agent deems advisable. The Company shall have the sole right to accept offers to purchase Securities and may reject any such offer, in whole or in part. The Placement Agent may retain other brokers or dealers to act as sub-agents on its behalf in connection with the Offering and may pay any sub-agent a solicitation fee with respect to any Securities placed by it. The Company and Placement Agent shall negotiate the timing and terms of the Offering and acknowledge that the Offering and the provision of Placement Agent services related to the Offering are subject to market conditions and the receipt of all required related clearances and approvals.

 

 

 

 

2.Fees; Expenses; Other Arrangements.

 

A. Placement Agent’s Fee. As compensation for services rendered, the Company shall pay to the Placement Agent in cash by wire transfer in immediately available funds to an account or accounts designated by the Placement Agent an amount (the “Placement Fee”) equal to eight percent (8.0%) of the aggregate gross proceeds received by the Company from the sale of the Securities (provided, that the fee shall be three and one-half percent (3.5%) of the aggregate gross proceeds from the sale of the Securities to retail investors introduced to the Offering by any officer and/or director of the Company or any affiliate of any officer and/or director of the Company), at the closing (the “Closing” and the date on which the Closing occurs, the “Closing Date”). The Placement Agent may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date the Placement Fee set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Placement Agent.

 

B. Offering Expenses. The Company will be responsible for and will pay all expenses relating to the Offering, including, without limitation, (a) all filing fees and expenses relating to the registration of the Securities with the Commission; (b) all FINRA Public Offering filing fees; (c) all fees and expenses relating to the listing of the Company’s common stock on the NASDAQ Stock Market; (d) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration or qualification of the Securities under the “blue sky” securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions as Dawson may reasonably designate (including, without limitation, all filing and registration fees, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of “blue sky” counsel, which will be Placement Agent’s counsel) it being agreed that such fees and expenses for such “blue sky” work will be $10,000; (e) all fees, expenses and disbursements relating to the registration, qualification or exemption of the Securities under the securities laws of such foreign jurisdictions as Dawson may reasonably designate; (f) the costs of all mailing and printing of the Offering documents; (g) transfer and/or stamp taxes, if any, payable upon the transfer of Securities from the Company to Investors; (h) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants; and (i) “road show” expenses, diligence expenses, and legal fees of Dawson’s counsel and not to exceed in the aggregate $125,000. The Placement Agent may deduct from the net proceeds of the Offering payable to the Company on the Closing Date the expenses set forth herein to be paid by the Company to the Placement Agent, provided, however, that in the event that the Offering is terminated, the Company agrees to reimburse the Placement Agent to the extent required by Section 5 hereof.

 

3.Description of the Offering.

 

The Securities to be offered directly to various investors (each, an “Investor” or “Purchaser” and, collectively, the “Investors” or the “Purchasers”) in the Offering shall be shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock” or “Shares”), or pre-funded warrants (in lieu of Shares) to purchase shares of Common Stock (“Pre-Funded Warrants” and together with the Shares, the “Securities”). The purchase price shall be $[●] per Share and $[●] per Pre-Funded Warrant (the “Purchase Price”). The form of Pre-Funded Warrant is attached hereto as Exhibit A. If the Company shall default in its obligations to deliver Securities to a Purchaser whose offer it has accepted and who has tendered payment, the Company shall indemnify and hold the Placement Agent harmless against any loss, claim, damage or expense arising from or as a result of such default by the Company under this Agreement.

 

4.Delivery and Payment; Closing.

 

Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Placement Agent and the Company, settlement of the Securities purchased by an Investor shall be made by 5:00 p.m. on the Closing Date by wire transfer from the Placement Agent in federal (same day) funds, payable to the order of the Company after electronic delivery of the Securities via the DWAC system (or such other method agreed to by the parties) in accordance with the Placement Agent’s instructions as requested in writing prior to the Closing Date. The term “Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York, New York.

 

The Closing shall occur at such place as shall be agreed upon by the Placement Agent and the Company. In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, each Closing shall take place at the offices of ArentFox Schiff LLP, 1717 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006. Deliveries of the documents with respect to the purchase of the Securities, if any, shall be made at the offices of ArentFox Schiff LLP, 1717 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006 on the Closing Date. All actions taken at a Closing shall be deemed to have occurred simultaneously.

 

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5.Term and Termination of Agreement.

 

The term of this Agreement will commence upon the execution of this Agreement and will terminate at the earlier of the Closing of the Offering or 11:59 p.m. (New York Time) on the 30th calendar day after the date hereof. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any provision in this Agreement concerning or relating to confidentiality, indemnification, contribution, advancement, the Company’s representations and warranties and the Company’s obligations to pay fees and reimburse expenses will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement. If any condition specified in Section 8 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Placement Agent by notice to the Company at any time on or prior to a Closing Date, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that those portions of this Agreement specified in Section 19 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, in the event that this Agreement shall not be carried out for any reason whatsoever, within the time specified herein or any extensions thereof pursuant to the terms herein, the Company shall be obligated to pay to the Placement Agent the expenses provided for in Section 2.B. above and upon demand the Company shall pay the full amount thereof to the Placement Agent.

 

6.Permitted Acts.

 

Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to limit the ability of the Placement Agent, its officers, directors, employees, agents, associated persons and any individual or entity “controlling,” controlled by,” or “under common control” with the Placement Agent (as those terms are defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) to conduct its business including without limitation the ability to pursue, investigate, analyze, invest in, or engage in investment banking, financial advisory or any other business relationship with any individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

7.Representations, Warranties and Covenants of the Company.

 

As of the date and time of the execution of this Agreement, the Closing Date and the Initial Sale Time (as defined herein), the Company represents, warrants and covenants to the Placement Agent, other than as disclosed in any of its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”), that:

 

A. Registration Matters.

 

i.The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No.[___]) including a prospectus (the “Prospectus”), for the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Securities Act Regulations”). The registration statement has been declared effective under the Securities Act by the Commission. The “Registration Statement,” as of any time, means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto to such time, including the exhibits and any schedules thereto at such time, the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Form S-1 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430A (“Rule 430A”) or Rule 430B under the Securities Act Regulations (“Rule 430B”); provided, however, that the “Registration Statement” without reference to a time means such registration statement as amended by any post-effective amendments thereto as of the time of the first contract of sale for the Securities, which time shall be considered the “new effective date” of such registration statement with respect to the Securities within the meaning of paragraph (f)(2) of Rule 430B, including the exhibits and schedules thereto as of such time, the documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein at such time pursuant to Form S-1 under the Securities Act and the documents otherwise deemed to be a part thereof as of such time pursuant to Rule 430A or Rule 430B. Any registration statement filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act Regulations is hereinafter called the “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement,” and after such filing the term “Registration Statement” shall include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. The term “Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary form of the Prospectus, including any preliminary prospectus supplement specifically related to the Securities filed with the Commission by the Company with the consent of the Placement Agent.

 

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ii.All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include all such financial statements and schedules and other information incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “Exchange Act Regulations”), incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, at or after the execution and delivery of this Agreement.

 

iii.The term “Disclosure Package” means (i) the Preliminary Prospectus, as most recently amended or supplemented immediately prior to the Initial Sale Time (as defined herein), and (ii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses (as defined below), if any, identified in Schedule I hereto.

 

iv.The term “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act Regulations. The term “Free Writing Prospectus” means any free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act Regulations.

 

v.Any Preliminary Prospectus when filed with the Commission, and the Registration Statement as of each effective date and as of the date hereof, complied or will comply, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus will, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations; and the documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus complied, and any further documents so incorporated will comply, when filed with the Commission, in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Regulations.

 

vi.The issuance by the Company of the Securities has been registered under the Securities Act. The Securities will be issued pursuant to the Registration Statement and each of the Securities will be freely transferable and freely tradable by each of the Investors without restriction, unless otherwise restricted by applicable law or regulation.

 

B. Stock Exchange Listing. The Common Stock is approved for listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market (the “Exchange”) and the Company has taken no action designed to, or likely to have the effect of, delisting the shares of Common Stock from the Exchange, nor has the Company, except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package, received any notification that the Exchange is contemplating terminating such delisting.

 

C. No Stop Orders, etc. Neither the Commission nor, to the Company's knowledge, any state regulatory authority has issued any order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or has instituted or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened to institute, any proceedings with respect to such an order. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information.

 

D. Subsidiaries. The Company's subsidiaries have been duly incorporated and are validly existing as entities in good standing under the laws of jurisdictions of their respective organization, with power and authority to own, lease and operate their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses as described in the Preliminary Prospectus, and have been duly qualified as foreign corporations for the transaction of business and are in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which they own or lease properties or conduct any business so as to require such qualification, except where the failure so to qualify or be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Change (as defined below); all of the issued and outstanding capital stock (or other ownership interests) of such subsidiaries has been duly and validly authorized and issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and is owned, directly and indirectly, by the Company free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity. Unless otherwise set forth, all references in this Section 7 to the “Company” shall include references to all such subsidiaries.

 

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E. Disclosures in Registration Statement.

 

i.Compliance with Securities Act and 10b-5 Representation.

 

(a) Each of the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, at the time it became effective, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was or will be filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations. The Preliminary Prospectus delivered to the Placement Agent for use in connection with this Offering and the Prospectus was or will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(b) None of the Registration Statement, any amendment thereto, or the Preliminary Prospectus, as of 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on [______] (the “Initial Sale Time”), and at the Closing Date, contained, contains or will contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Placement Agent by the Placement Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Placement Agent consists solely of the following disclosure contained in the following paragraphs in the “Plan of Distribution” section of the Prospectus: (i) the name of the Placement Agent, and (ii) the information under the subsection “Fees and Expenses” (the “Placement Agent’s Information”).

 

(c) The Disclosure Package, as of the Initial Sale Time and at the Closing Date, did not, does not and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus, and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus as of the Initial Sale Time, did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements made or statements omitted in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company with respect to the Placement Agent by the Placement Agent expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. The parties acknowledge and agree that such information provided by or on behalf of any Placement Agent consists solely of the Placement Agent’s Information.

 

(d)  Neither the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto, as of its issue date, at the time of any filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or at the Closing Date, included, includes or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted, omits or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to the Placement Agent's Information.

 

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ii.Disclosure of Agreements. The agreements and documents described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained therein and there are no agreements or other documents required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or to be filed with the Commission as exhibits to the Registration Statement, that have not been so described or filed. Each agreement or other instrument (however characterized or described) to which the Company is a party or by which it is or may be bound or affected and (i) that is referred to in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and (ii) is material to the Company's business, has been duly authorized and validly executed by the Company, is in full force and effect in all material respects and is enforceable against the Company and, to the Company's knowledge, the other parties thereto, in accordance with its terms, except (x) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, (y) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws, and (z) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought. None of such agreements or instruments has been assigned by the Company, and neither the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any other party is in default thereunder and, to the Company's knowledge, no event has occurred that, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute a default thereunder, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. To the Company's knowledge, performance by the Company of the material provisions of such agreements or instruments will not result in a violation of any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any governmental agency or court, domestic or foreign, having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or businesses (each, a “Governmental Entity”), including, without limitation, those relating to environmental laws and regulations.

 

iii.Prior Securities Transactions. For the past three completed fiscal years through the date hereof, no securities of the Company have been sold by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, by or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, any person or persons controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Company, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Preliminary Prospectus or, with respect to parties other than the Company, other filings by such other persons with the Commission.

 

iv.Regulations. The disclosures in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus concerning the effects of federal, state, local and all foreign regulation on the Offering and the Company's business as currently contemplated are correct in all material respects and no other such regulations are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus which are not so disclosed.

 

v.Changes After Dates in Registration Statement.

 

(a)No Material Adverse Change. Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as otherwise specifically stated therein: (i) there has been no material adverse change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, nor any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a material adverse change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company (a “Material Adverse Change”); (ii) there have been no material transactions entered into by the Company, other than as contemplated pursuant to this Agreement; and (iii) no officer or director of the Company has resigned from any position with the Company.

 

(b)Recent Securities Transactions, etc. Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and except as may otherwise be indicated or contemplated herein or disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not: (i) issued any securities (other than (A) grants under any stock compensation or employee stock purchase plans and (B) shares of common stock issued upon exercise or conversion of options, warrants or convertible securities described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, for borrowed money; or (ii) declared or paid any dividend or made any other distribution on or in respect to its capital stock.

 

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F. Independent Accountants. To the knowledge of the Company, BCRG Group, during such time as it was engaged by the Company (the “Auditors”), has been an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. During such time period in which the Auditors served as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm the Auditors did not or have not, during the periods covered by the financial statements included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, provided to the Company any non-audit services, as such term is used in Section 10A(g) of the Exchange Act.

 

G. SEC Reports; Financial Statements, etc. The Company has complied in all material respects with requirements to file all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, 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 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. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (“GAAP”), except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries 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 that are not expected to be material in the aggregate. The financial statements, including the notes thereto and supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, fairly present in all material respects the financial position and the results of operations of the Company at the dates and for the periods to which they apply; and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP, consistently applied throughout the periods involved (provided that unaudited interim financial statements are subject to year-end audit adjustments that are not expected to be material in the aggregate and do not contain all footnotes required by GAAP); and the supporting schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the information required to be stated therein. Except as included therein, no historical or pro forma financial statements are required to be included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus under the Securities Act or the Securities Act Regulations. The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted financial information and the related notes, if any, included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been properly compiled and prepared in all material respects in accordance with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and present fairly in all material respects the information shown therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. All disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus regarding “non-GAAP financial measures” (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission), if any, comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act, to the extent applicable. Each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus discloses all material off-balance sheet transactions, arrangements, obligations (including contingent obligations), and other relationships of the Company with unconsolidated entities or other persons that may have a material current or future effect on the Company's financial condition, changes in financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, capital resources, or significant components of revenues or expenses. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, (a) the Company has not incurred any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent, or entered into any material transactions other than in the ordinary course of business, (b) the Company has not declared or paid any dividends or made any distribution of any kind with respect to its capital stock, (c) there has not been any change in the capital stock of the Company (other than (i) grants under any stock compensation plan and (ii) shares of common stock issued upon exercise or conversion of option, warrants or convertible securities described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus), and (d) there has not been any Material Adverse Change in the Company's long-term or short-term debt.

 

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H. Authorized Capital; Options, etc. The Company had, at the date or dates indicated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the duly authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth therein. Based on the assumptions stated in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company will have on the Closing Date the adjusted stock capitalization set forth therein. Except as set forth in, or contemplated by, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, on the Effective Date, as of the Initial Sale Time, on the Closing Date, there will be no stock options, warrants, or other rights to purchase or otherwise acquire any authorized, but unissued shares of Common Stock of the Company or any security convertible or exercisable into shares of Common Stock of the Company, or any contracts or commitments to issue or sell shares of Common Stock or any such options, warrants, rights or convertible securities.

 

I. Valid Issuance of Securities, etc.

 

i. Outstanding Securities. All issued and outstanding securities of the Company issued prior to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof have no rights of rescission with respect thereto, and are not subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of such securities were issued in violation of the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The authorized shares of Common Stock, Company preferred stock and other outstanding securities conform in all material respects to all statements relating thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The offers and sales of the outstanding shares of Common Stock were at all relevant times either registered under the Securities Act and the applicable state securities or “blue sky” laws or, based in part on the representations and warranties of the purchasers of such shares, exempt from such registration requirements.

 

ii. Securities Sold Pursuant to this Agreement. The Securities have been duly authorized for issuance and sale and, when issued and paid for, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; to the Company’s knowledge, the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; the Common Stock is not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. All corporate action required to be taken for the authorization, issuance and sale of the Securities has been duly and validly taken; the Common Stock underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants has been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company and when paid for and issued in accordance with the Pre-Funded Warrants, such Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable; the holders thereof are not and will not be subject to personal liability by reason of being such holders; and such shares of Common Stock are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company. The Securities conform in all material respects to all statements with respect thereto contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

J. Reserved.

 

K. Validity and Binding Effect of Agreements. This Agreement and the Transaction Documents have been duly and validly authorized by the Company, and, when executed and delivered, will constitute, the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its respective terms, except: (i) as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally; (ii) as enforceability of any indemnification or contribution provision may be limited under the federal and state securities laws; and (iii) that the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

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L. No Conflicts, etc. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement, the Transaction Documents and all ancillary documents, the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein and therein contemplated and the compliance by the Company with the terms hereof and thereof do not and will not, with or without the giving of notice or the lapse of time or both: (i) result in a material breach of, or conflict with any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a material default under, or result in the creation, modification, termination or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company pursuant to the terms of any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party; (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Charter”) or the by-laws of the Company (as the same may be amended or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”); or (iii) violate any existing applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree of any Governmental Entity as of the date hereof.

 

M. Reserved.

 

N. No Defaults; Violations. No material default exists in the due performance and observance of any term, covenant or condition of any material license, contract, indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, note, loan or credit agreement, or any other agreement or instrument evidencing an obligation for borrowed money, or any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company may be bound or to which any of the properties or assets of the Company is subject. The Company is not (i) in violation of any term or provision of its Charter or Bylaws, or (ii) in violation of any franchise, license, permit, applicable law, rule, regulation, judgment or decree of any Governmental Entity applicable to the Company.

 

O. Corporate Power; Licenses; Consents.

 

i. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has all requisite corporate power and authority, and has all necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, licenses, certificates and permits of and from all governmental regulatory officials and bodies that it needs as of the date hereof to conduct its business purpose as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

ii. The Company has all corporate power and authority to enter into this Agreement and to carry out the provisions and conditions hereof, and all consents, authorizations, approvals and orders required in connection therewith have been obtained. No consent, authorization or order of, and no filing with, any court, government agency or other body is required for the valid issuance, sale and delivery of the Common Stock, and the consummation of the transactions and agreements contemplated by this Agreement and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except with respect to applicable federal and state securities laws and the rules and regulations of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

 

P. Litigation; Governmental Proceedings. There is no material action, suit, proceeding, inquiry, arbitration, investigation, litigation or governmental proceeding pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened against, or involving the Company or, to the Company's knowledge, any executive officer or director which has not been disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in connection with the Company's listing application for the additional listing of the Common Stock on the Exchange.

 

Q. Good Standing. The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation and is in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware as of the date hereof, and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of business requires such qualification, except where the failure to qualify, singularly or in the aggregate, would not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

R. Insurance. The Company carries or is entitled to the benefits of insurance, with, to the Company's knowledge, reputable insurers, and in such amounts and covering such risks which the Company believes are reasonably adequate, and all such insurance is in full force and effect. The Company has no reason to believe that it will not be able (i) to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such policies expire or (ii) to obtain comparable coverage from similar institutions as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct its business as now conducted and at a cost that would not result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

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S. Transactions Affecting Disclosure to FINRA.

 

i. Finder's Fees. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no claims, payments, arrangements, agreements or understandings relating to the payment of a finder's, consulting or origination fee by the Company or any executive officer or director of the Company (each an, “Insider”) with respect to the sale of the Securities hereunder or any other arrangements, agreements or understandings of the Company or, to the Company's knowledge, any of its stockholders that may affect the Placement Agent’s compensation, as determined by FINRA.

 

ii. Payments Within Twelve (12) Months. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company has not made any direct or indirect payments (in cash, securities or otherwise) to: (i) any person, as a finder's fee, consulting fee or otherwise, in consideration of such person raising capital for the Company or introducing to the Company persons who raised or provided capital to the Company; (ii) any FINRA member; or (iii) any person or entity that has any direct or indirect affiliation or association with any FINRA member, within the twelve (12) months prior to the date hereof, other than (A) the payment to the Placement Agent as provided hereunder in connection with the Offering, and (B) other payments to the Placement Agent under other engagement letters.

 

iii. Use of Proceeds. None of the net proceeds of the Offering will be paid by the Company to any participating FINRA member or its affiliates, except as specifically authorized herein.

 

iv. FINRA Affiliation. There is no (i) officer or director of the Company, (ii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of 5% or more of any class of the Company's securities or (iii) to the Company’s knowledge, beneficial owner of the Company's unregistered equity securities which were acquired during the 180-day period immediately preceding the filing of the Registration Statement that is an affiliate or associated person of a FINRA member participating in the Offering (as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of FINRA).

 

v. Information. To the Company's knowledge, all information provided by the Company's officers and directors in their FINRA Questionnaires to counsel to the Placement Agent specifically for use by counsel to the Placement Agent in connection with its Public Offering System filings (and related disclosure) with FINRA is true, correct and complete in all material respects.

 

T. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Neither the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any other person acting on behalf of the Company, has, directly or indirectly, given or agreed to give any money, gift or similar benefit (other than legal price concessions to customers in the ordinary course of business) to any customer, supplier, employee or agent of a customer or supplier, or official or employee of any Governmental Entity or any political party or candidate for office (domestic or foreign) or other person who was, is, or may be in a position to help or hinder the business of the Company (or assist it in connection with any actual or proposed transaction) that would subject the Company to any damage or penalty in any civil, criminal or governmental litigation or proceeding. The Company has taken reasonable steps to ensure that its accounting controls and procedures are sufficient to cause the Company to comply in all material respects with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

 

U. Compliance with OFAC. Neither of the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company, is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”), and the Company will not knowingly, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

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V. Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all applicable jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any Governmental Entity (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”); and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any Governmental Entity involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

W. Officers' Certificate. Any certificate signed by any duly authorized officer of the Company and delivered to you or to Placement Agent Counsel shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters covered thereby.

 

X. Related Party Transactions. There are no business relationships or related party transactions involving the Company or any other person required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that have not been described as required.

 

Y. Board of Directors. The qualifications of the persons serving as board members and the overall composition of the board comply in all material respects with the Exchange Act, the Exchange Act Regulations, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules promulgated thereunder (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) applicable to the Company and the listing rules of the Exchange. At least one member of the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as such term is defined under Regulation S-K and the listing rules of the Exchange. In addition, at least a majority of the persons serving on the Board of Directors qualify as “independent,” as defined under the listing rules of the Exchange.

 

Z. Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance.

 

i. The Company has developed and currently maintains disclosure controls and procedures that will comply with Rule 13a-15 or 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations applicable to it, and such controls and procedures are effective to ensure that all material information concerning the Company will be made known on a timely basis to the individuals responsible for the preparation of the Company's Exchange Act filings and other public disclosure documents.

 

ii. The Company is, or at the Initial Sale Time and on the Closing Date will be, in material compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act applicable to it, and has implemented or will implement such programs and taken reasonable steps to ensure the Company's future compliance (not later than the relevant statutory and regulatory deadlines therefor) with all of the material provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

AA. Accounting Controls. The Company maintains systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined under Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act Regulations) that comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, its principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with GAAP, including, but not limited to, internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal controls. The Auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses, if any, in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting which are known to the Company's management and that have adversely affected or are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company' ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and (ii) any fraud, if any, known to the Company's management, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Company's internal controls over financial reporting.

 

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BB. No Investment Company Status. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the Offering and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, required to register as an “investment company,” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

CC. No Labor Disputes. No labor dispute with the employees of the Company exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent, except where such dispute would not be expected to have a Material Adverse Change.

 

DD. Intellectual Property Rights. To the Company's knowledge, the Company has, or can acquire on reasonable terms, ownership of and/or license to, or otherwise has the right to use, all inventions, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), patents and patent rights trademarks, service marks and trade names, copyrights, (collectively “Intellectual Property”) material to carrying on its business as described in the Prospectus. The Company has not received any correspondence relating to (A) infringement or misappropriation of, or conflict with, any Intellectual Property of a third party; (B) asserted rights of others with respect to any Intellectual Property of the Company; or (C) assertions that any Intellectual Property of the Company is invalid or otherwise inadequate to protect the interest of the Company, that in each case (if the subject of any unfavorable decision, ruling or finding), individually or in the aggregate, would have or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change. There are no third parties who have been able to establish any material rights to any Intellectual Property, except for the retained rights of the owners or licensors of any Intellectual Property that is licensed to the Company. There is no pending or, to the Company's knowledge, threatened action, suit, proceeding or claim by others: (A) challenging the validity, enforceability or scope of any Intellectual Property of the Company or (B) challenging the Company's rights in or to any Intellectual Property or (C) that the Company materially infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates or conflicts with any Intellectual Property or other proprietary rights of others. The Company has complied in all material respects with the terms of each agreement described in the Registration Statement, Disclosure Package or Prospectus pursuant to which any Intellectual Property is licensed to the Company, and all such agreements related to products currently made or sold by the Company, or to product candidates currently under development, are in full force and effect. All patents issued in the name of, or assigned to, the Company, and all patent applications made by or on behalf of the Company (collectively, the “Company Patents”) have been duly and properly filed. The Company is not aware of any material information that was required to be disclosed to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (the “PTO”) but that was not disclosed to the PTO with respect to any issued Company Patent, or that is required to be disclosed and has not yet been disclosed in any pending application in the Company Patents and that would preclude the grant of a patent on such application. To the Company's knowledge, the Company is the sole owner of the Company Patents.

 

EE. Taxes. The Company has filed all returns (as hereinafter defined) required to be filed with taxing authorities prior to the date hereof or has duly obtained extensions of time for the filing thereof. The Company has paid all taxes (as hereinafter defined) shown as due on such returns that were filed and has paid all taxes imposed on or assessed against the Company, except for such exceptions as could not be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Change. The provisions for taxes payable, if any, shown on the financial statements filed with or as part of the Registration Statement are sufficient for all accrued and unpaid taxes, whether or not disputed, and for all periods to and including the dates of such consolidated financial statements. Except as disclosed in writing to the Placement Agent, (i) no issues have been raised (and are currently pending) by any taxing authority in connection with any of the returns or taxes asserted as due from the Company, and (ii) no waivers of statutes of limitation with respect to the returns or collection of taxes have been given by or requested from the Company. The term “taxes” mean all federal, state, local, foreign and other net income, gross income, gross receipts, sales, use, ad valorem, transfer, franchise, profits, license, lease, service, service use, withholding, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, property, windfall profits, customs, duties or other taxes, fees, assessments or charges of any kind whatever, together with any interest and any penalties, additions to tax or additional amounts with respect thereto. The term “returns” means all returns, declarations, reports, statements and other documents required to be filed in respect to taxes.

 

FF. Employee Benefit Laws. To the extent applicable, the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in material compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Employee Benefit Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or its subsidiaries with respect to the Employee Benefit Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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GG. Compliance with Laws. The Company: (A) is and at all times has been in compliance with all Applicable Laws, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (B) has not received any correspondence from any Governmental Entity alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any Authorizations; (C) possesses all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company is not in material violation of any term of any such Authorizations, in each case except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Change; (D) has not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action from any Governmental Entity or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and has no knowledge that any such Governmental Entity or third party is considering any such claim, litigation, arbitration, action, suit, investigation or proceeding; (E) has not received written notice that any Governmental Entity has taken, is taking or intends to take action to limit, suspend, modify or revoke any Authorizations; (F) has filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and correct in all material respects on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (G) has not, either voluntarily or involuntarily, initiated, conducted, or issued or caused to be initiated, conducted or issued, any recall, market withdrawal or replacement, safety alert, post-sale warning, “dear doctor” letter, or other notice or action relating to the alleged lack of safety or efficacy of any product or any alleged product defect or violation and, to the Company's knowledge, no third party has initiated, conducted or intends to initiate any such notice or action.

 

HH. FDA. As to each product subject to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, as amended, and the regulations thereunder (“FDCA”) that is manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold, and/or marketed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (each such product, a “Product”), such Product is being manufactured, packaged, labeled, tested, distributed, sold and/or marketed by the Company in compliance with all applicable requirements under FDCA and similar laws, rules and regulations, except where the failure to be in compliance would not have a Material Adverse Effect. The properties, business and operations of the Company have been and are being conducted in all material respects in accordance with all applicable laws, rules and regulations of the FDA.  The Company has not been informed by the FDA that the FDA will prohibit the marketing, sale, license or use in the United States of any product proposed to be developed, produced or marketed by the Company nor has the FDA expressed any concern as to approving or clearing for marketing any product being developed or proposed to be developed by the Company.

 

II. Industry Data. The statistical and market-related data included in each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes are reliable and accurate or represent the Company's good faith estimates that are made on the basis of data derived from such sources.

 

JJ. Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

KK. Margin Securities. The Company owns no “margin securities” as that term is defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve Board”), and none of the proceeds of Offering will be used, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin security, for the purpose of reducing or retiring any indebtedness which was originally incurred to purchase or carry any margin security or for any other purpose which might cause any of the shares of Common Stock to be considered a “purpose credit” within the meanings of Regulation T, U or X of the Federal Reserve Board.

 

LL. Integration. To the Company’s knowledge, neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause the Offering to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act that would require the registration of any such securities under the Securities Act.

 

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MM. Confidentiality and Non-Competition. To the Company’s knowledge, no director, officer, key employee or consultant of the Company is subject to any confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-competition agreement or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or prior employer that could reasonably be expected to materially affect their ability to be and act in their respective capacity of the Company or be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.

 

NN. Restriction on Sales of Capital Stock. The Company, on behalf of itself and any successor entity, agrees that it will not, for a period of 180 days from the Closing Date (the “Restricted Period”), without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, offer, sell, or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any shares of capital stock of the Company or any securities convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of the Company. The restrictions contained in this section shall not apply to (i) the issuance by the Company of Common Stock upon the exercise of stock options, warrants or the conversion of a security, in each case, that is outstanding on the date hereof, or (ii) the grant by the Company of stock options or other stock-based awards, or the issuance of shares of capital stock of the Company under any stock compensation plan of the Company in effect on the date hereof.

 

OO. Reserved.

 

PP. Lock-Up Agreements. The Company has caused each of its officers and directors to deliver to the Placement Agent an executed Lock-Up Agreement, in such form as approved by the Placement Agent (the “Lock-Up Agreement”), prior to the execution of this Agreement.

 

8.Conditions of the Obligations of the Placement Agent.

 

The obligations of the Placement Agent hereunder shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company set forth in Section 7 hereof, in each case as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date as though then made, to the timely performance by each of the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder on and as of such dates, and to each of the following additional conditions: 

 

A. Regulatory Matters.

 

i. Effectiveness of Registration Statement; Rule 424 Information. The Registration Statement is effective on the date of this Agreement, and, on the Closing Date no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto has been issued under the Securities Act, no order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been issued and no proceedings for any of those purposes have been instituted or are pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, contemplated by the Commission. The Company has complied with each request (if any) from the Commission for additional information. All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed by the Closing Date, shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

ii. FINRA Clearance. If and to the extent required under applicable FINRA rules, on or before the Closing Date of this Agreement, the Placement Agent shall have received clearance from FINRA as to the amount of compensation allowable or payable to the Placement Agent as described in the Registration Statement.

 

iii. Listing of Additional Shares. On or before the Closing Date of this Agreement, the Company shall have submitted to The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. the Company’s application for the additional listing of the securities sold in the Offering.

 

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B. Company Counsel Matters.

 

i. On the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received the favorable opinion of FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP, outside counsel for the Company, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Placement Agent, substantially in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.

 

C.Comfort Letter. At the Closing Date, a cold comfort letter, addressed to the Placement Agent and in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to the Placement Agent from the Company’s Auditor dated as of the date of this Agreement accompanied by a bring-down letter dated as of the Closing Date.

 

D. Officers’ Certificates.

 

i. Officers’ Certificate. The Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent a certificate, dated the Closing Date, of its Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer stating that (i) such officers have carefully examined the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and, in their opinion, the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto, as of the Initial Sale Time and through the Closing Date did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and the Disclosure Package, as of the Initial Sale Time through the Closing Date, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as of its date and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus and each amendment or supplement thereto, as of the respective date thereof and as of the Closing Date, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, (ii) since the filing of the most recent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, no event has occurred which should have been set forth in a supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, (iii) to their knowledge after reasonable investigation, as of the Closing Date, the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct, and the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, and (iv) there has not been, subsequent to the date of the most recent audited financial statements included in the Disclosure Package, any Material Adverse Change in the financial position or results of operations of the Company, or any change or development that, singularly or in the aggregate, would involve a Material Adverse Change or a prospective Material Adverse Change, in or affecting the condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, business, assets or prospects of the Company, except as set forth in the Prospectus.

 

ii. Secretary’s Certificate. As of the Closing Date, the Placement Agent shall have received a certificate of the Company signed by the Secretary of the Company, dated the Closing Date, certifying: (i) that each of the Company’s Charter and Bylaws is true and complete, has not been modified and is in full force and effect; (ii) that the resolutions of the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Offering are in full force and effect and have not been modified; and (iii) the good standing of the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries. The documents referred to in such certificate shall be attached to such certificate.

 

E. No Material Changes. Prior to and on the Closing Date: (i) there shall have been no Material Adverse Change or development involving a prospective Material Adverse Change in the condition or prospects or the business activities, financial or otherwise, of the Company from the latest dates as of which such condition is set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (ii) no action, suit or proceeding, at law or in equity, shall have been pending or threatened against the Company or any affiliates of the Company before or by any court or federal or state commission, board or other administrative agency wherein an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding may materially adversely affect the business, operations, prospects or financial condition or income of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; (iii) no stop order shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings therefor shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and (iv) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto shall contain all material statements which are required to be stated therein in accordance with the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations and shall conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Securities Act Regulations, and neither the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package nor the Prospectus nor any amendment or supplement thereto shall contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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F. Reservation of Common Stock. So long as any Pre-Funded Warrants remain outstanding, the Company shall take all action necessary to at all times have authorized, and reserved for the purpose of issuance, no less than 100% of the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

G. Delivery of Agreements.

 

(i) Lock-Up Agreements. On or before the date of this Agreement, the Company shall have delivered to the Placement Agent executed copies of the Lock-Up Agreements from each of the Company and its officers and directors.

 

H. Additional Documents. At the Closing Date, Placement Agent Counsel shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Placement Agent and Placement Agent Counsel.

 

9.Indemnification and Contribution; Procedures. 

 

A. Indemnification of the Placement Agent. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Placement Agent, its affiliates and each person controlling such Placement Agent (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act), and the directors, officers, agents and employees of the Placement Agent, its affiliates and each such controlling person (the Placement Agent, and each such entity or person hereafter is referred to as an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any losses, claims, damages, judgments, assessments, costs and other liabilities (collectively, the “Liabilities”), and shall reimburse each Indemnified Person for all fees and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Indemnified Persons, except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) (collectively, the “Expenses”) and agrees to advance payment of such Expenses as they are incurred by an Indemnified Person in investigating, preparing, pursuing or defending any actions, whether or not any Indemnified Person is a party thereto, arising out of or based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in (i) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (as from time to time each may be amended and supplemented); (ii) any materials or information provided to investors by, or with the approval of, the Company in connection with the marketing of the Offering, including any “road show” or investor presentations made to investors by the Company (whether in person or electronically); or (iii) any application or other document or written communication (in this Section 9, collectively called “application”) executed by the Company or based upon written information furnished by the Company in any jurisdiction in order to qualify the Securities under the securities laws thereof or filed with the Commission, any state securities commission or agency, any national securities exchange; or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, unless such statement or omission was made in reliance upon, and in conformity with, the Placement Agent’s information. The Company also agrees to reimburse each Indemnified Person for all Expenses as they are reasonably incurred in connection with such Indemnified Person’s enforcement of his or its rights under this Agreement. Each Indemnified Person is an intended third party beneficiary with the same rights to enforce the indemnification that each Indemnified Person would have if he was a party to this Agreement.

 

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B. Procedure. Upon receipt by an Indemnified Person of actual notice of an action against such Indemnified Person with respect to which indemnity, contribution or advancement of expenses may reasonably be expected to be sought under this Agreement, such Indemnified Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing; provided that failure by any Indemnified Person so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation or liability which the Company may have on account of this Section 9 or otherwise to such Indemnified Person, except to the extent (and only to the extent) that its ability to assume the defense is actually impaired by such failure or delay. The Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, assume the defense of any such action (including the employment of counsel and reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent). Any Indemnified Person shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless: (i) the Company has failed promptly to assume the defense and employ counsel for the benefit of the Placement Agent and the other Indemnified Persons or (ii) such Indemnified Person shall have been advised that in the opinion of counsel that there is an actual or potential conflict of interest that prevents (or makes it imprudent for) the counsel engaged by the Company for the purpose of representing the Indemnified Person, to represent both such Indemnified Person and any other person represented or proposed to be represented by such counsel, it being understood, however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (together with local counsel), representing the Placement Agent and all Indemnified persons who are parties to such action. The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any action effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld). In addition, the Company shall not, without the prior written consent of the Placement Agent, settle, compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action in respect of which advancement, reimbursement, indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not such Indemnified Person is a party thereto) unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Person, acceptable to such Indemnified Party, from all Liabilities arising out of such action for which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnification and contribution obligations of the Company required hereby shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as every Liability and Expense is incurred and is due and payable, and in such amounts as fully satisfy each and every Liability and Expense as it is incurred (and in no event later than 30 days following the date of any invoice therefor).

 

C. Indemnification of the Company. The Placement Agent agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any and all Liabilities, but only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions made in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, in reliance upon, and in strict conformity with, the Placement Agent’s Information. In case any action shall be brought against the Company or any other person so indemnified based on any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, and in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Placement Agent, the Placement Agent shall have the rights and duties given to the Company, and the Company and each other person so indemnified shall have the rights and duties given to the Placement Agent by the provisions of Section 9.B. The Company agrees promptly to notify the Placement Agent of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against the Company or any of its officers, directors or any person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities or in connection with the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, provided, that failure by the Company so to notify the Placement Agent shall not relieve the Placement Agent from any obligation or liability which the Placement Agent may have on account of this Section 9.C. or otherwise to the Company, except to the extent the Placement Agent is materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure..

 

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D. Contribution. In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction makes a finding that indemnity is unavailable to any indemnified person, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the Liabilities and Expenses paid or payable by such indemnified person in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Placement Agent and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by the immediately preceding clause is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company, on the one hand, and the Placement Agent and any other Indemnified Person, on the other hand, in connection with the matters as to which such Liabilities or Expenses relate, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations; provided that in no event shall the Company contribute less than the amount necessary to ensure that all Indemnified Persons, in the aggregate, are not liable for any Liabilities and Expenses in excess of the amount of commissions actually received by the Placement Agent pursuant to this Agreement. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Placement Agent on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Placement Agent agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (D) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (D). For purposes of this paragraph, the relative benefits to the Company, on the one hand, and to the Placement Agent on the other hand, of the matters contemplated by this Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as: (a) the total value received by the Company in the Offering, whether or not such Offering is consummated, bears to (b) the commissions paid to the Placement Agent under this Agreement. Notwithstanding the above, no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act shall be entitled to contribution from a party who was not guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

E. Limitation. The Company also agrees that no Indemnified Person shall have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort or otherwise) to the Company for or in connection with advice or services rendered or to be rendered by any Indemnified Person pursuant to this Agreement, the transactions contemplated thereby or any Indemnified Person’s actions or inactions in connection with any such advice, services or transactions, except to the extent that a court of competent jurisdiction has made a finding that Liabilities (and related Expenses) of the Company have resulted primarily from such Indemnified Person’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in connection with any such advice, actions, inactions or services.

 

F. Survival. The advancement, reimbursement, indemnity and contribution obligations set forth in this Section 9 shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any termination of, or the completion of any Indemnified Person’s services under or in connection with, this Agreement. Each Indemnified Person is an intended third-party beneficiary of this Section 9, and has the right to enforce the provisions of Section 9 as if they were a party to this Agreement.

 

10.Limitation of the Placement Agent’s Liability to the Company.

 

The Placement Agent and the Company further agree that neither the Placement Agent nor any of its affiliates or any of their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), employees or agents shall have any liability to the Company, its security holders or creditors, or any person asserting claims on behalf of or in the right of the Company (whether direct or indirect, in contract or tort, for an act of negligence or otherwise) for any losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses or equitable relief arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the Services rendered hereunder, except for losses, fees, damages, liabilities, costs or expenses that arise out of or are based on any action of or failure to act by the Placement Agent and that are finally judicially determined to have resulted solely from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Placement Agent.

 

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11.Limitation of Engagement to the Company.

 

The Company acknowledges that the Placement Agent has been retained only by the Company, that the Placement Agent is providing services hereunder as an independent contractor (and not in any fiduciary or agency capacity) and that the Company’s engagement of the Placement Agent is not deemed to be on behalf of, and is not intended to confer rights upon, any shareholder, owner or partner of the Company or any other person not a party hereto as against the Placement Agent or any of its affiliates, or any of its or their respective officers, directors, controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act), employees or agents. Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing by the Placement Agent, no one other than the Company is authorized to rely upon any statement or conduct of the Placement Agent in connection with this Agreement. The Company acknowledges that any recommendation or advice, written or oral, given by the Placement Agent to the Company in connection with the Placement Agent’s engagement is intended solely for the benefit and use of the Company’s management and directors in considering a possible Offering, and any such recommendation or advice is not on behalf of, and shall not confer any rights or remedies upon, any other person or be used or relied upon for any other purpose. The Placement Agent shall not have the authority to make any commitment binding on the Company. The Company, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to reject any investor introduced to it by the Placement Agent. If any purchase agreement and/or related transaction documents are entered into between the Company and the investors in the Offering, the Placement Agent will be entitled to rely on the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants of the Company contained in any such purchase agreement and related transaction documents as if such representations, warranties, agreements and covenants were made directly to the Placement Agent by the Company.

 

12.Amendments and Waivers.

 

No supplement, modification or waiver of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by the party to be bound thereby. The failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy shall not be deemed or constitute a waiver of such right or remedy in the future. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provision hereof (regardless of whether similar), nor shall any such waiver be deemed or constitute a continuing waiver unless otherwise expressly provided.

 

13.Confidentiality.

 

In the event of the consummation or public announcement of any Offering, the Placement Agent shall have the right to disclose its participation in such Offering, including, without limitation, the placement at its cost of “tombstone” advertisements in financial and other newspapers and journals. the Placement Agent agrees not to use any confidential information concerning the Company provided to the Placement Agent by the Company for any purposes other than those contemplated under this Agreement.

 

14.Headings.

 

The headings of the various sections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience of reference only and will not be deemed to be part of this Agreement.

 

15.Counterparts.

 

This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and, if executed in more than one counterpart, the executed counterparts shall each be deemed to be an original and all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

 

16.Severability.

 

In case any provision contained in this Agreement should be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

17.Use of Information.

 

The Company will furnish the Placement Agent such written information as the Placement Agent reasonably requests in connection with the performance of its services hereunder. The Company understands, acknowledges and agrees that, in performing its services hereunder, the Placement Agent will use and rely entirely upon such information as well as publicly available information regarding the Company and other potential parties to an Offering and that the Placement Agent does not assume responsibility for independent verification of the accuracy or completeness of any information, whether publicly available or otherwise furnished to it, concerning the Company or otherwise relevant to an Offering, including, without limitation, any financial information, forecasts or projections considered by the Placement Agent in connection with the provision of its services.

 

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18.Absence of Fiduciary Relationship.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that: (a) the Placement Agent has been retained solely to act as Placement Agent in connection with the sale of the Securities and that no fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship between the Company and the Placement Agent has been created in respect of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, irrespective of whether the Placement Agent has advised or is advising the Company on other matters; (b) the Purchase Price and other terms of the Securities set forth in this Agreement were established by the Company following discussions and arms-length negotiations with the Placement Agent and the Company is capable of evaluating and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (c) it has been advised that the Placement Agent and its affiliates are engaged in a broad range of transactions that may involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the Placement Agent has no obligation to disclose such interest and transactions to the Company by virtue of any fiduciary, advisory or agency relationship; and (d) it has been advised that the Placement Agent is acting, in respect of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, solely for the benefit of the Placement Agent, and not on behalf of the Company and that the Placement Agents may have interests that differ from those of the Company. The Company waives to the full extent permitted by applicable law any claims it may have against the Placement Agent arising from an alleged breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the Offering.

 

19.Survival Of Indemnities, Representations, Warranties, Etc.

 

The respective indemnities, covenants, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and Placement Agent, as set forth in this Agreement or made by them respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of the Placement Agent, the Company, the Purchasers or any person controlling any of them and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, including without limitation any termination pursuant to Section 5, the payment, reimbursement, indemnity, contribution and advancement agreements contained in Sections 2, 9, 10, and 11, respectively, and the Company’s covenants, representations, and warranties set forth in this Agreement shall not terminate and shall remain in full force and effect at all times. The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in Section 9 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of any Placement Agent, any person who controls any Placement Agent within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or any affiliate of any Placement Agent, or by or on behalf of the Company, its directors or officers or any person who controls the Company within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and (iii) the issuance and delivery of the Securities.

 

20.Governing Law.

 

This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be fully performed therein. Any disputes that arise under this Agreement, even after the termination of this Agreement, will be heard only in the state or federal courts located in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly agree to submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the foregoing courts in the City of New York, State of New York. The parties hereto expressly waive any rights they may have to contest the jurisdiction, venue or authority of any court sitting in the City and State of New York.

 

21.Notices.

 

All communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be mailed or hand delivered and confirmed to the parties hereto as follows: 

 

If to the Company:

 

Reborn Coffee, Inc.

580 N. Berry Street

Brea, CA 92821

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

 

If to the Placement Agent:

 

Dawson James Securities, Inc.

101 North Federal Hwy. Suite 600

Boca Raton, FL 33432

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

 

Any party hereto may change the address for receipt of communications by giving written notice to the others. 

 

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22.Miscellaneous.

 

This Agreement shall not be modified or amended except in writing signed by the Placement Agent and the Company. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the Placement Agent and the Company, and supersedes any prior agreements, with respect to the subject matter hereof. If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect, and the remainder of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts (including facsimile or .pdf counterparts), each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

23.Successors.

 

This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto, and to the benefit of the employees, officers and directors and controlling persons referred to in Section 9 hereof, and to their respective successors, and personal representative, and, except as set forth in Section 9 of this Agreement, no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder. 

 

24.Partial Unenforceability.

 

The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO FOLLOW]

 

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In acknowledgment that the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding reached by the Placement Agent and the Company, and intending to be legally bound, please sign in the space provided below, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding Agreement as of the date executed.

 

Very truly yours,  
   
REBORN COFFEE, INC.  
   
By:    
  Name:     
  Title:    
   
Confirmed as of the date first written above:  
   
DAWSON JAMES SECURITIES, INC.  
   
By:    
  Name:                
  Title:    

 

 

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectuses

 

None.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Pre-Funded Warrant

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.4

 

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

This Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”) is dated as of November [●], 2024, between Reborn Coffee, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its successors and assigns, a “Purchaser” and collectively the “Purchasers”).

 

WHEREAS, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act (as defined below), as to the Shares (as defined below) and the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares (each, as defined below), the Company desires to issue and sell to each Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

 

1.1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement, for all purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth in this Section 1.1:

 

Action” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(m).

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Applicable Laws” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(qq).

 

Auditor” means BCRG Group.

 

Authorizations” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(qq).

 

Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).

 

BHCA” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(nn).

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors, or any authorized committee thereof, of the Company.

 

Closing” means the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section 2.1.

 

 

 

 

Closing Date” means the Trading Day on which all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to (i) the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities, in each case, have been satisfied or waived, but in no event later than the first (1st) Trading Day following the date hereof.

 

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Company Counsel” means FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP, with offices located at [___].

 

Disclosure Schedules” means the Disclosure Schedules of the Company delivered concurrently herewith.

 

Disclosure Time” means, (i) if this Agreement is signed on a day that is not a Trading Day or after 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) and before midnight (New York City time) on any Trading Day, 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the Trading Day immediately following the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent, and (ii) if this Agreement is signed between midnight (New York City time) and 9:00 a.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, no later than 9:01 a.m. (New York City time) on the date hereof, unless otherwise instructed as to an earlier time by the Placement Agent.

 

DVP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).

 

DWAC” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(a).

 

EDGAR” means the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.

 

Environmental Law” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).

 

Evaluation Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(v).

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

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Exempt Issuance” means the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock, options, restricted stock units, or other equity awards to employees, consultants, contractors, advisors, officers, or directors of the Company pursuant to any equity incentive plan duly adopted for such purpose, by a majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors or a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established for such purpose for services rendered to the Company, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and upon exercise of other securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise price, exchange price or conversion price of such securities (other than in connection with stock splits or combinations) or to extend the term of such securities, (c) shares of Common Stock or securities exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock sold to employees, directors, consultants, or any of their affiliated entities in the ordinary course of business or pursuant to agreements or in connection with commitments in place as of the date hereof, and (d) securities issued pursuant to acquisitions, joint ventures, strategic alliances, or other strategic transactions, including without limitation collaborations or arrangements involving research and development or the sale or licensing of intellectual property, approved by a majority of the disinterested directors of the Company, except for a transaction in which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities (for avoidance of doubt, securities issued to a venture arm of a strategic investor shall be deemed an “Exempt Issuance”), provided in the case of each of clauses (c) and (d), that such securities are issued as “restricted securities” (as defined in Rule 144) and carry no registration rights that require or permit the filing of any registration statement in connection therewith during the prohibition period in Section 4.12(a) herein.

 

FCPA” means the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.

 

Federal Reserve” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(nn).

 

GAAP” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(k).

 

Hazardous Substances” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(p).

 

Intellectual Property Rights” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(s).

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(f)(ii).

 

IT Systems” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(pp).

 

Lien” means a lien, charge, mortgage, pledge, security interest, claim, right of first refusal, pre-emptive right, or other encumbrance of any kind whatsoever.

 

Lock-Up Agreements” means the lock-up agreements, each dated as of the date hereof in substantially the form of Exhibit A.

 

Material Adverse Effect” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

 

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Material Permits” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(r).

 

Money Laundering Laws” shall have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(oo).

 

OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department

 

Offering” means the offering of the Securities hereunder.

 

Per Pre-Funded Warrant Purchase Price” means the Per Share Purchase Price minus $0.0001.

 

Per Share Purchase Price” equals $[___], subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Personal Data” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(pp).

 

Placement Agent” means Dawson James Securities Inc.

 

Pre-Funded Warrant Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

Pre-Funded Warrants” means, collectively, the pre-funded Common Stock purchase warrants delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.3(a) hereof, in substantially the form of Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

Pre-Settlement Period” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).

 

Pre-Settlement Securities” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 2.1(b).

 

Proceeding” means an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an informal investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition) pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened in writing against the Company, a Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign).

 

Prospectus” means the final prospectus filed under the Registration Statement complying with Rule 424(b).

 

Prospectus Supplement” means the supplement to the Prospectus complying with Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act that will be filed with the Commission and delivered by the Company to each Purchaser at or prior to the Closing.

 

Purchaser Party” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.9.

 

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Registration Statement” means the effective registration statement with the Commission on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[____]), as amended, including all information, documents and exhibits filed with or incorporated by reference into such registration statement, which registers the sale of the Securities and includes any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.

 

Required Approvals” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

 

Rule 144” means Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

Rule 424” means Rule 424 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Rule may be amended or interpreted from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same purpose and effect as such Rule.

 

Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” means any registration statement prepared by the Company registering additional Securities, which was filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof and became automatically effective pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act.

 

Sanctions” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(kk).

 

SEC Reports” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

 

Securities” means for each Purchaser, the Shares, the Pre-Funded Warrants and the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares purchased pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Shares” means the shares of Common Stock issued or issuable to each Purchaser pursuant to this Agreement.

 

Short Sales” means all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include locating and/or borrowing shares of Common Stock).

 

Subscription Amount” means, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for Shares or Pre-Funded Warrants (in lieu of Shares) hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount,” in U.S. dollars and in immediately available funds.

 

Subsidiary” and “Subsidiaries” means any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a) and shall, where applicable, also include any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company formed or acquired after the date hereof.

 

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Trading Day” means a day on which the Trading Market is open for trading.

 

Trading Market” means The Nasdaq Capital Market (or any nationally recognized successor thereto); provided, however, that in the event the Company’s Common Stock is ever listed or traded on The Nasdaq Global Market, The Nasdaq Global Select Market, The New York Stock Exchange, NYSE American, NYSE Arca, the OTC Bulletin Board, or the OTCQX or the OTCQB operated by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or any nationally recognized successor to any of the foregoing), then the “Trading Market” shall mean such other market or exchange on which the Company’s Common Stock is then listed or traded.

 

Transaction Documents” means this Agreement, the Pre-Funded Warrants, and the Lock-Up Agreements, all exhibits and schedules thereto and hereto and any other documents or agreements executed in connection with the transactions contemplated hereunder.

 

Transfer Agent” means Securities Transfer Corporation, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 15500 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 104, Clearwater, Florida 33760, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

Variable Rate Transaction” shall have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.12(b).

 

ARTICLE II
PURCHASE AND SALE

 

2.1. Closing.

 

(a) On the Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, substantially concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase, the number of shares of Common Stock set forth under the heading “Subscription Amount” on the Purchaser’s signature page hereto, at the Per Share Purchase Price. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent that a Purchaser determines, in its sole discretion, that as a result of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, such Purchaser (together with such Purchaser’s Affiliates and any Person acting as a group together with such Purchaser or any of such Purchaser’s Affiliates) would beneficially own shares of Common Stock in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, the Purchaser may elect to purchase Pre-Funded Warrants in lieu of the Shares as determined pursuant to Section 2.3(a). The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, at the election of the Purchaser, 9.99%) of the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of the Securities on the Closing Date. In each case, the election to receive Pre-Funded Warrants is solely at the option of the Purchaser.

 

(b) Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company, via wire transfer, immediately available funds equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount as set forth on the signature page hereto executed by such Purchaser shall be made available for Delivery Versus Payment (“DVP”) settlement with the Company or its designees. The Company shall deliver to each Purchaser its respective Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.3(a), and the Company and each Purchaser shall deliver the other items set forth in Section 2.2 deliverable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction of the covenants and conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur remotely via the exchange of documents and signatures or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree. Unless otherwise directed by the Placement Agent, settlement of the Securities shall occur via DVP (i.e., on the Closing Date, the Company shall issue the Shares and/or Pre-Funded Warrants registered in the Purchasers’ names and addresses and released by the Transfer Agent directly to the account(s) at the Placement Agent identified by each Purchaser; upon receipt of such Securities, the Placement Agent shall promptly electronically deliver such Securities to the applicable Purchaser, and payment therefor shall be made by the Placement Agent (or its clearing firm) by wire transfer to the Company).

 

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(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if at any time on or after the time of execution of this Agreement by the Company and an applicable Purchaser through, and including the time immediately prior to, the Closing (the “Pre-Settlement Period”), such Purchaser sells to any Person all, or any portion, of any Securities to be issued hereunder to such Purchaser at the Closing (collectively, the “Pre-Settlement Securities”), such Person shall, automatically hereunder (without any additional required actions by such Purchaser or the Company), be deemed to be a Purchaser under this Agreement unconditionally bound to purchase, and the Company shall be deemed unconditionally bound to sell, such Pre-Settlement Securities to such Purchaser at the Closing; provided, that the Company shall not be required to deliver any Pre-Settlement Securities to such Person prior to the Company’s receipt of the purchase price for such Pre-Settlement Securities hereunder; and provided, further, that the Company hereby acknowledges and agrees (i) that the foregoing shall not constitute a representation or covenant by such Purchaser as to whether or not such Purchaser will elect to sell any Pre-Settlement Securities during the Pre-Settlement Period and (ii) that any such decision to sell any shares of Common Stock by such Purchaser shall solely be made at the time such Purchaser elects to effect any such sale, if any.

 

2.2. Deliveries.

 

(a) On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each Purchaser the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by the Company;

 

(ii) a legal opinion of Company Counsel, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent;

 

(iii) a legal opinion of FitzGerald Kreditor Bolduc Risbrough LLP, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent;

 

(iv) the Company’s wire instructions, on Company letterhead and executed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer or Chief Financial Officer;

 

(v) a copy of the irrevocable instructions to the Transfer Agent instructing the Transfer Agent to deliver on an expedited basis via The Depository Trust Company Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) Shares equal to the number of shares of Common Stock set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto, registered in the name of such Purchaser and Pre-Funded Warrants equal to the number of Pre-Funded Warrants set forth on such Purchaser’s signature page hereto, registered in the name of such Purchaser;

 

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(vi) the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (which may be delivered in accordance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act);

 

(vii) Lock-up Agreements, in form and substance reasonably acceptable to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers, executed by each of the Company’s executive officers, directors.

 

(viii) an Officer’s Certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent; and

 

(ix) a Secretary’s Certificate, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.

 

(b) On or prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered to the Company the following:

 

(i) this Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser; and

 

(ii) such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount, which shall be made available for DVP settlement with the Company or its designees.

 

2.3. Closing Conditions.

 

(a) The obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein (unless such representation or warranty is as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of each Purchaser required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

 

(iii) the delivery by each Purchaser of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this Agreement.

 

(b) The respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

 

(i) the accuracy in all material respects (or, to the extent representations or warranties are qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, in all respects) when made and on the Closing Date of the representations and warranties of the Company contained herein (unless such representation or warranty is as of a specific date therein in which case they shall be accurate as of such date);

 

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(ii) all obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

 

(iii) the delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this Agreement;

 

(iv) there shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since the date hereof; and

 

(v) from the date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have been suspended by the Commission or the Trading Market on which it is currently listed, and, at any time prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by Bloomberg L.P. shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have been declared either by U.S. or New York State authorities, nor shall there have occurred after the date of this Agreement any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on, or any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in the reasonable judgment of such Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to purchase the Securities at the Closing.

 

ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

3.1. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company hereby makes the following representations and warranties to each Purchaser in addition to the information included in the Disclosure Schedules attached hereto, which Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof and shall qualify any representation or warranty made herein to the extent of the disclosure contained in the corresponding section of the Disclosure Schedules:

 

(a) Subsidiaries. All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company (each, a “Subsidiary”, and collectively, the “Subsidiaries”) are as set forth on Schedule 3.1(a). The Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, of each Subsidiary are validly issued and are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive rights. There are no outstanding options, warrants, scrips or rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any capital stock or equity interests, as applicable, of any Subsidiary, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue capital stock or equity interests, as applicable. If the Company has no Subsidiaries, all other references to the Subsidiaries or any of them in the Transaction Documents shall be disregarded.

 

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(b) Organization and Qualification. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries has been duly organized and validly exists as a corporation, limited partnership or company in good standing (or the foreign equivalent thereof, if any) under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign or extra-provincial corporation, partnership, company or limited liability company in each jurisdiction in which the character or location of its properties (owned, leased or licensed) or the nature or conduct of its business makes such qualification necessary, except for those failures to be so qualified or in good standing which (individually and in the aggregate) would not have a Material Adverse Effect. No Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in violation nor default of any of the provisions of its respective certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents. The term “Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (i) the business, general affairs, management, condition (financial or otherwise), results of operations, stockholders’ equity, assets, properties or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) the legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, or (iii) the Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its obligations under any Transaction Document.

 

(c) Authorization; Enforcement. The Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and each of the other Transaction Documents by the Company and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further action is required by the Company, the Board of Directors or the Company’s stockholders in connection herewith or therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals (as defined below). This Agreement and each other Transaction Document to which the Company is a party has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed by the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as limited by general equitable principles and laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies, and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(d) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents to which it is a party, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby do not and will not (i) conflict with or violate any provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii) conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, anti-dilution or similar adjustments, acceleration or cancellation (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any agreement, credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary is bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with or result in a violation of any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(e) Filings, Consents and Approvals. 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 (including state blue sky law), local or other governmental authority or other Person in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents, other than: (i) the filings required pursuant to Section 4.5 of this Agreement, (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Prospectus, and (iii) notices and/or application(s) to and approvals by each applicable Trading Market for the listing of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby, (iv) the filing of a Form D with the Commission and (v) filings required by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

(f) Issuance of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares; Qualification; Registration.

 

(i) The Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company, except for restrictions set forth in the Transaction Documents. The Pre-Funded Warrants are duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with this Agreement, will be binding obligations of the Company under the law of the jurisdiction governing the Pre-Funded Warrants, duly and validly issued, and free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company, except for restrictions set forth in the Transaction Documents. The Company has reserved from its duly authorized capital stock the maximum number of shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant to this Agreement and the Pre-Funded Warrants. The Securities are not and will not be subject to the preemptive rights of any holders of any security of the Company or similar contractual rights granted by the Company.

 

(ii) The Company has prepared and filed the Registration Statement in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, which Registration Statement became effective on [___], 2024, including the Prospectus, and such amendments and supplements thereto as may have been required to the date of this Agreement. The Registration Statement is effective under the Securities Act and no stop order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or the Prospectus Supplement has been issued by the Commission and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the knowledge of the Company, are threatened by the Commission. The Company, if required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, shall file the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b). At the time the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto became effective as determined under the Securities Act, at the date of this Agreement and at the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and the Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement and any amendments or supplements thereto, at the time the Prospectus and the Prospectus Supplement or any amendment or supplement thereto was issued and at the Closing Date, conformed and will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

Any “issuer free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) relating to the Securities is hereafter referred to as an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”. Any reference herein to the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein as of the date of filing thereof; and any reference herein to any “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to any of the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include (i) the filing of any document with the Commission incorporated or deemed to be incorporated therein by reference after the date of filing of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus and (ii) any such document so filed.

 

All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall be deemed to include any copy thereof filed with the Commission on EDGAR.

 

(g) Securities Act Compliance. The Registration Statement complies, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus will comply, in all material respects, with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act. Each part of the Registration Statement, when such part became effective, did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus, as of its filing date, and any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(h) No Stop Orders. No order preventing or suspending the use of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission.

 

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(i) Capitalization. The equity capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement and the SEC Reports as of the dates indicated therein. All of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock are fully paid and non-assessable and have been duly and validly authorized and issued, in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and not in violation of or subject to any preemptive or similar right that entitles any person to acquire from the Company any Common Stock or other security of the Company or any security convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, Common Stock or any other such security, except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived prior to the date hereof. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), or as a result of the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Company has not issued any capital stock since its most recently filed SEC Report. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), or as a result of the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Company has no outstanding options, warrants, scrips or rights to subscribe to, calls or commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights or obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving any Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any Common Stock, or contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to issue additional Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents and no Person has any right of first refusal, pre-emptive right, right of participation, or any similar right to participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for such rights as may have been fully satisfied or waived prior to the date hereof. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(i), the issuance and sale of the Securities will not obligate the Company to issue Common Stock or other securities to any Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price under any of such securities. There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company with any provision that adjusts the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset price of such security or instrument upon an issuance of securities by the Company (other than in connection with a stock split, recapitalization, or similar transaction). There are no outstanding securities or instruments of the Company that contain any redemption or similar provisions, and there are no contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company is or may become bound to redeem an equity security of the Company. The Company does not have any stock appreciation rights or “phantom share” plans or agreements or any similar plan or agreement. All of the outstanding shares of the Company are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws where applicable, and none of such outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. Except for the Required Approvals, no further approval or authorization of any shareholder, the Board of Directors or others is required for the issuance and sale of Securities. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, there are no stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s stockholders.

 

(j) Reports. The Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents required to be filed by the Company under the Securities Act and Exchange Act, including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two (2) years preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required by law or regulation to file such materials) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, together with the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, being collectively referred to herein as the “SEC Reports”) on a timely basis or has received a valid extension (or waiver from the Commission) of such time of filing and has filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As of their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and none of the SEC Reports, when filed, 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 Company has never been an issuer subject to Rule 144(i) under the Securities Act.

 

(k) Financial Statements. The consolidated financial statements of the Company, including the notes thereto, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus 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. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved, except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries 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, immaterial, year-end audit adjustments.

 

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(l) Material Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments. Since the date of the latest consolidated financial statements included in or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, except as set forth ion Schedule 3.1(l), (i) there has been no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s financial statements pursuant to GAAP or disclosed in filings made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of accounting in any material respect, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased, redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any executive officer, director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option or omnibus incentive plans. The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, no event, liability, fact, circumstance, occurrence or development has occurred or exists or is reasonably expected to occur or exist with respect to the Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective businesses, prospects, properties, operations, assets or financial condition that would be required to be disclosed by the Company under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made or deemed made that has not been publicly disclosed at least one (1) Trading Day prior to the date that this representation is made.

 

(m) Litigation. Except as set forth in on Schedule 3.1(m), there is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, Proceeding or investigation pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by any court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”) that (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability of any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) would, if there were an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(m), neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or executive officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim of violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim of breach of fiduciary duty, which could result in a Material Adverse Effect. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or executive officer of the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

(n) Labor Relations. No labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent with respect to any of the employees of the Company, which could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to such employee’s relationship with the Company or such Subsidiary, and neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their employees are good. To the knowledge of the Company, no executive officer of the Company or any Subsidiary, is, or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement or non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive covenant in favor of any third party, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does not subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect to any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating to employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(o) Compliance. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary: (i) is in default under or in violation of (and no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under), nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is in default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit agreement or any other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default or violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any judgment, decree or order of any court, arbitrator or other governmental authority or (iii) is or has been in violation of any statute, rule, ordinance or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws relating to taxes, environmental protection, occupational health and safety, product quality and safety and employment and labor matters, except in each case of (i), (ii) and (iii) as could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(p) Environmental Law. There has been no storage, generation, transportation, handling, use, treatment, disposal, discharge, emission, contamination, release or other activity involving any kind of hazardous, toxic or other wastes, pollutants, contaminants, petroleum products or other hazardous or toxic substances, chemicals or materials (“Hazardous Substances”) by, due to, on behalf of, or caused by the Company or any Subsidiary (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any other entity for whose acts or omissions the Company is or may be liable) upon any property now or previously owned, operated, used or leased by the Company or any Subsidiary, or upon any other property, that would be a violation of or give rise to any liability under any applicable law, rule, regulation, order, judgment, decree or permit, common law provision or other legally binding standard relating to pollution or protection of human health and the environment (“Environmental Law”), except for violations and liabilities which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no disposal, discharge, emission contamination or other release of any kind at, onto or from any such property or into the environment surrounding any such property of any Hazardous Substances with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary has knowledge, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened administrative, regulatory or judicial action, claim or notice of noncompliance or violation, investigation or proceedings relating to any Environmental Law against the Company or any Subsidiary, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. To the best of the Company’s knowledge, no property of the Company or any Subsidiary is subject to any Lien under any Environmental Law, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is subject to any order, decree, agreement or other individualized legal requirement related to any Environmental Law, that, in any case (individually or in the aggregate), would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and each Subsidiary has all permits, authorizations and approvals required under any applicable Environmental Laws and are each in compliance with their requirements, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries and identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure or remediation of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). On the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(q) Title to Assets. The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property owned by them and good and marketable title in all personal property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all Liens, except for (i) Liens as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the Subsidiaries and (ii) Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, for which appropriate reserves have been made therefor in accordance with GAAP and, the payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real property and facilities currently held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects.

 

(r) Regulatory Permits. The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect (“Material Permits”), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any Material Permit.

 

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(s) Intellectual Property. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, to the Company’s knowledge, the Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use (or can acquire on reasonable terms), all patents, patent applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names, trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other intellectual property rights and similar rights necessary or required for use in connection with their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and which the failure to so have could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual Property Rights”). None of, and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or otherwise) that any of, the Intellectual Property Rights has expired, terminated or been abandoned, or is expected to expire or terminate or be abandoned, within two (2) years from the date of this Agreement except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received, since the date of the latest financial statements included within or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, a written notice of a claim or otherwise has any knowledge that the Intellectual Property Rights violate or infringe upon the rights of any Person or is aware of any facts which would form a reasonable basis for any such claim, except as could not have or reasonably be expected to not have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. None of the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in their respective businesses has been obtained or is being used by the Company or such Subsidiary in violation of any contractual obligation binding on the Company or any of its subsidiaries in violation of the rights of any person. The Company and its subsidiaries have taken all reasonable steps in accordance with normal industry practice to protect and maintain the Intellectual Property Rights including, without limitation, the execution of appropriate nondisclosure and invention assignment agreements. The consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not result in the loss or impairment of, or payment of, and additional amounts with respect to, nor require the consent of, any other person regarding the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ right to own or use any of the Intellectual Property Rights as owned or used in the conduct of such party’s business as currently conducted. To the knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiaries, no employee of any of the Company or its subsidiaries is the subject of any pending claim or proceeding involving a violation of any term of any employment contract, invention disclosure agreement, patent disclosure agreement, noncompetition agreement, non-solicitation agreement, nondisclosure agreement or restrictive covenant to or with a former employer, where the basis of such violation relates to such employee’s employment with the Company or its subsidiaries or actions undertaken by the employee while employed with the Company or its Subsidiaries. The Company has no knowledge of any facts that would preclude it from having valid license rights or clear title to the Intellectual Property Rights. The Company has no knowledge that it lacks or will be unable to obtain any rights or licenses to use all Intellectual Property Rights that are necessary to conduct its business.

 

(t) Insurance. The Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in cost.

 

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(u) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees. Except as set forth on Schedule 3.1(u), none of the executive officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the Company or any Subsidiary is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, executive officers and directors), including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal property to or from, providing for the borrowing of money from or lending of money to or otherwise requiring payments to or from any executive officer, director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in which any executive officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest or is an officer, director, trustee, stockholder, member or partner, in each case in excess of $120,000 other than for (i) payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered, (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company or a Subsidiary and (iii) other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock option or omnibus incentive plan of the Company.

 

(v) Sarbanes-Oxley; Internal Accounting Controls. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, except as disclosed in the SEC Reports, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. The Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company and the Subsidiaries have established disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the Company and the Subsidiaries and designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of applicable dates specified under the Exchange Act (such date, the “Evaluation Date”). The Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the Evaluation Date. Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, since the Evaluation Date, there have been no changes in the internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) of the Company and the Subsidiaries that have materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Company and the Subsidiaries.

 

(w) Certain Fees. Except for fees payable to the Placement Agent, no brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company or any Subsidiary to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent, investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Other than to Persons engaged by any Purchaser, the Purchasers shall have no obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or on behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that may be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.

 

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(x) Investment Company. The Company is not, and immediately after receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not be required to register as an “investment company” subject to registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(y) Registration Rights. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, no Person has any right to cause the Company or any Subsidiary to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company or any Subsidiary that has not been satisfied or waived prior to the date hereof.

 

(z) Listing and Maintenance Requirements. The Company is subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 of the Exchange Act and files periodic reports with the Commission; the Common Stock is registered with the Commission under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act and the Company is not in breach of any filing or other requirements under the Exchange Act. The Company has not received any notice from that the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company has not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any Trading Market on which the Common Stock are or have been listed or quoted to the effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance requirements of such Trading Market. Except as set forth in the SEC Reports, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, the Company is, and has no reason to believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance with all such listing and maintenance requirements. The Common Stock is currently eligible for electronic transfer through The Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation and the Company is current in payment of the fees to The Depository Trust Company (or such other established clearing corporation) in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

(aa) Application of Takeover Protections. The Company and the Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any, in order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s certificate of incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation as a result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership of the Securities.

 

(bb) Disclosure. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, the Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf has provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information that it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information that is not otherwise disclosed in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus. The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries, their respective businesses and the transactions contemplated hereby, including pursuant to the SEC Reports and the Disclosure Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct in all material respects and does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve (12) months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not 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 therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

 

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(cc) No Integrated Offering. Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its Affiliates, nor any Person acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers or sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of (i) the Securities Act, or (ii) except as set forth in the SEC Reports, any applicable stockholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated.

 

(dd) Solvency. Based on the consolidated financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date, after giving effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder, (i) the fair saleable value of the Company’s assets exceeds the amount that will be required to be paid on or in respect of the Company’s existing debts and other liabilities (including known contingent liabilities) as they mature, (ii) the Company’s assets do not constitute unreasonably small capital to carry on its business as now conducted and as proposed to be conducted including its capital needs taking into account the particular capital requirements of the business conducted by the Company, consolidated and projected capital requirements and capital availability thereof, and (iii) the current cash flow of the Company, together with the proceeds the Company would receive, were it to liquidate all of its assets, after taking into account all anticipated uses of the cash, would be sufficient to pay all amounts on or in respect of its liabilities when such amounts are required to be paid. The Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has no knowledge of any facts or circumstances that lead it to believe that it will file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization laws of any jurisdiction within one (1) year from the Closing Date. All outstanding secured and unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or any Subsidiary has commitments, is set forth on Schedule 3.1(dd). For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness” means (x) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $50,000 (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business), (y) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect of indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (z) the present value of any lease payments in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance with GAAP. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any Indebtedness.

 

(ee) Tax Status. Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and its Subsidiaries each (i) has made or filed all U.S. federal, state and local income and all foreign tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges, fines or penalties that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply. There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

 

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(ff) Foreign Corrupt Practices; Criminal Acts. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, any agent or other person acting on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii) failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company or any Subsidiary (or made by any person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of FCPA.

 

(gg) Accountants. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm is as set forth in the Prospectus. To the knowledge and belief of the Company, such accounting firm is a registered public accounting firm as required by the Exchange Act.

 

(hh) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities. The Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company further acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary of the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any of their respective representatives or agents in connection with the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated thereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’ purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement and the other Transaction Documents has been based solely on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the Company and its representatives.

 

(ii) Acknowledgment Regarding Purchaser’s Trading Activity. Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding (except for Sections 3.2(e) and 4.15 hereof), it is understood and acknowledged by the Company that: (i) none of the Purchasers has been asked by the Company to agree, nor has any Purchaser agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities of the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) past or future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or “derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future securities offering transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s publicly-traded securities; (iii) any Purchaser, and counter-parties in “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv) each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction. The Company further understands and acknowledges that (y) one or more Purchasers may engage in hedging activities (in material compliance with applicable laws) at various times during the period that the Securities are outstanding, and (z) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce the value of the existing stockholders’ equity interests in the Company at and after the time that the hedging activities are being conducted. The Company acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute a breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

 

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(jj) Regulation M Compliance. The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf (other than the Placement Agent, as to which no representation is made) has, (i) taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for, purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the Securities, or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, other than, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii), compensation paid to the Placement Agent.

 

(kk) Office of Foreign Assets Control. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company or any Subsidiary is currently subject to any “Sanctions,” which shall include but are not limited to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department (“OFAC”) and the Company will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Offering hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any Sanctions, including but not limited to U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

 

(ll) Stock Option and Omnibus Incentive Plans. Each stock option granted by the Company under the Company’s stock option or omnibus incentive plan, or as an inducement grant outside of such plan, was granted (i) in accordance with the terms of such plan, or under its terms, respectively, and (ii) with an exercise price at least equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date such stock option would be considered granted under GAAP and applicable law. No stock option granted under the Company’s stock option or omnibus incentive plan has been backdated. The Company has not knowingly granted, and there is no and has been no Company policy or practice to knowingly grant, stock options prior to, or otherwise knowingly coordinate the grant of stock options with, the release or other public announcement of material information regarding the Company or the Subsidiaries or their financial results or prospects.

 

(mm) U.S. Real Property Holding Corporation. The Company is not and has never been a U.S. real property holding corporation within the meaning of Section 897 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company shall so certify upon Purchaser’s request.

 

(nn) Bank Holding Company Act. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates is subject to the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956, as amended (the “BHCA”) and to regulation by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the “Federal Reserve”). Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries owns or controls, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities or twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the total equity of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve. Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries exercises a controlling influence over the management or policies of a bank or any entity that is subject to the BHCA and to regulation by the Federal Reserve.

 

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(oo) Money Laundering. The operations of the Company and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance in all material respects with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any Subsidiary with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or any Subsidiary, threatened.

 

(pp) Information Technology. The Company’s, the Subsidiaries’ information technology assets and equipment, computers, systems, networks, hardware, software, websites, applications, and databases (collectively, “IT Systems”) operate and perform in all material respects as required in connection with the operation of the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as currently conducted. The Company, the Subsidiaries maintain commercially reasonable controls, policies, procedures, and safeguards to maintain and protect their material confidential information and the integrity, continuous operation, redundancy and security of all IT Systems and all personal, personally identifiable, sensitive, confidential or regulated data (“Personal Data”) processed and stored thereon, and to the knowledge of the Company, there have been no breaches, incidents, violations, outages, compromises or unauthorized uses of or accesses to same, except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and the Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices, and are presently in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws or statutes and all applicable judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Personal Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Personal Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification, except for any such noncompliance that would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(qq) Regulatory. Except as described on Schedule 3.1 (qq), the Company and its Subsidiaries (i) are and at all times have been in material compliance with all statutes, rules and regulations applicable to the ownership, testing, development, manufacture, packaging, processing, use, distribution, marketing, advertising, labeling, promotion, sale, offer for sale, storage, import, export or disposal of any product manufactured or distributed by the Company including, without limitation the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 301 et seq.), and all other local, state, federal, national, supranational and foreign laws, manual provisions, policies and administrative guidance relating to the regulation of the Company (collectively, the “Applicable Laws”); (ii) have not received any notice from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging or asserting noncompliance with any Applicable Laws or any licenses, exemptions, certificates, approvals, clearances, authorizations, permits, registrations and supplements or amendments thereto required by any such Applicable Laws (“Authorizations”); (iii) possess all material Authorizations and such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and are not in violation of any term of any such Authorizations; (iv) have not received written notice of any claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation arbitration or other action from any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority or third party alleging that any product operation or activity is in violation of any Applicable Laws or Authorizations nor is any such claim, action, suit, proceeding, hearing, enforcement, investigation, arbitration or other action threatened; (v) have not received any written notice that any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority has taken, is taking or intends to take, action to limit, suspend, materially modify or revoke any Authorizations nor is any such limitation, suspension, modification or revocation threatened; (vi) have filed, obtained, maintained or submitted all material reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments as required by any Applicable Laws or Authorizations and that all such reports, documents, forms, notices, applications, records, claims, submissions and supplements or amendments were complete and accurate on the date filed (or were corrected or supplemented by a subsequent submission); and (vii) are not a party to any corporate integrity agreements, monitoring agreements, consent decrees, settlement orders, or similar agreements with or imposed by any governmental or regulatory authority.

 

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(rr) Promotional Stock Activities. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary of the Company and none of their respective officers, directors, managers, affiliates or agents have engaged in any stock promotional activity that could give rise to a complaint, inquiry, or trading suspension by the SEC alleging: (i) a violation of the anti-fraud provisions of the federal securities laws; (ii) violations of the anti-touting provisions; (iii) improper “gun-jumping”; or (iv) promotion without proper disclosure of compensation.

 

3.2. Representations and Warranties of the Purchasers. Each Purchaser, for itself and for no other Purchaser, hereby represents and warrants as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as follows (unless as of a specific date therein, in which case they shall be accurate as of such date):

 

(a) Organization; Authority. Such Purchaser is either an individual or an entity duly incorporated or formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation with full right, corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar power and authority to enter into and to consummate the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents and performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership, limited liability company or similar action, as applicable, on the part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, except: (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally; (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive relief or other equitable remedies; and (iii) insofar as indemnification and contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

 

(b) Understandings or Arrangements. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and has no direct or indirect arrangement or understandings with any other persons to distribute or regarding the distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws).

 

(c) Experience of Such Purchaser. Such Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters so as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment. Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such investment.

 

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(d) Access to Information. Such Purchaser acknowledges that it has had the opportunity to review the Transaction Documents (including all exhibits and schedules thereto) and the SEC Reports, the Registration Statement and the Preliminary Prospectus, and has been afforded: (i) the opportunity to ask such questions as it has deemed necessary of, and to receive answers from, representatives of the Company concerning the terms and conditions of the offering of the Securities and the merits and risks of investing in the Securities; (ii) access to information about the Company and its financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, management and prospects sufficient to enable it to evaluate its investment; and (iii) the opportunity to obtain such additional information that the Company possesses or can acquire without unreasonable effort or expense that is necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the investment. Such Purchaser acknowledges and agrees that neither of the Placement Agent, nor any Affiliate of the Placement Agent, has provided such Purchaser with any information or advice with respect to the Securities nor is such information or advice necessary or desired. Neither the Placement Agent nor any Affiliate has made or makes any representation as to the Company or the quality of the Securities and the Placement Agent and any Affiliate may have acquired non-public information with respect to the Company which such Purchaser agrees need not be provided to it. In connection with the issuance of the Securities to such Purchaser, neither the Placement Agent, nor any of its Affiliates has acted as a financial advisor or fiduciary to such Purchaser.

 

(e) Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Other than consummating the transactions contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any understanding with such Purchaser, directly or indirectly executed any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of the securities of the Company during the period commencing as of the time that such Purchaser first received a term sheet (written or oral) from the Company or any other Person representing the Company setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereunder and ending immediately prior to the execution hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’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 Securities covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement or to such Purchaser’s representatives, including, without limitation, its officers, directors, partners, legal and other advisors, employees, agents and Affiliates, such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty against, or a prohibition of, any actions with respect to the borrowing of, arrangement to borrow, identification of the availability of, and/or securing of, securities of the Company in order for such Purchaser (or its broker or other financial representative) to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

(f) No Voting Agreements. The Purchaser is not a party to any agreement or arrangement, whether written or oral, between the Purchaser and any other Purchaser and any of the Company’s stockholders as of the date hereof, regulating the management of the Company, the stockholders’ rights in the Company, the transfer of shares in the Company, including any voting agreements, stockholder agreements or any other similar agreement, even if its title is different or has any other relations or agreements with any of the Company’s stockholders, directors or officers.

 

(g) Brokers. Except as set forth in the Prospectus, no agent, broker, investment banker, person or firm acting in a similar capacity on behalf of or under the authority of the Purchaser is or will be entitled to any broker’s or finder’s fee or any other commission or similar fee, directly or indirectly, for which the Company or any of its Affiliates after the Closing could have any liabilities in connection with this Agreement, any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, or on account of any action taken by the Purchaser in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(h) Independent Advice. Each Purchaser understands that nothing in this Agreement or any other materials presented by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchaser in connection with the purchase of the Securities constitutes legal, tax or investment advice.

 

The Company acknowledges and agrees that the representations contained in this Section 3.2 shall not modify, amend or affect such Purchaser’s right to rely on the Company’s representations and warranties contained in this Agreement or any representations and warranties contained in any other Transaction Document or any other document or instrument executed and/or delivered in connection with this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for the avoidance of doubt, nothing contained herein shall constitute a representation or warranty, or preclude any actions, except as set forth in this Agreement, with respect to locating or borrowing shares in order to effect Short Sales or similar transactions in the future.

 

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ARTICLE IV
OTHER AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

 

4.1. Legends.

 

(a) The Shares, Pre-Funded Warrants and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares shall be issued free of legends.

 

(b) The Shares and, if all or any portion of a Pre-Funded Warrant is exercised at a time when there is an effective registration statement to cover the issuance of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares or if the Pre-Funded Warrant is exercised via cashless exercise, the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares shall be issued free of all restrictive legends. If at any time following the date hereof the Registration Statement (or any subsequent registration statement registering the sale or resale of the Warrant Shares) is not effective or is not otherwise available for the initial sale by the Company of the Shares, the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, the Company shall immediately notify the holders of the Pre-Funded Warrants in writing that such registration statement is not then effective and thereafter shall promptly notify such holders when the registration statement is effective again and available for the initial sale by the Company of the Shares, the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares (it being understood and agreed that the foregoing shall not limit the ability of the Company to issue, or any Purchaser to sell, any of the Shares, the Pre-Funded Warrants or the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws). The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to keep a registration statement (including the Registration Statement) registering the issuance of the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares effective during the term of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

4.2. Furnishing of Information; Public Information.

 

(a) Until the earlier of the time that (i) the Purchasers no longer own any of the Securities or Pre-Funded Warrant Shares or (ii) the Pre-Funded Warrants have expired, the Company covenants to timely file (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 the Exchange Act even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

(b) At any time during the period commencing from the six (6) month anniversary of the date hereof, and ending at such time that all of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares (assuming cashless exercise) may be sold without the requirement for the Company to be in compliance with Rule 144(c)(1) and otherwise without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144, if the Company (i) shall fail for any reason to satisfy the current public information requirement under Rule 144(c) or (ii) has ever been an issuer described in Rule 144(i)(1)(i) or becomes an issuer in the future, and the Company shall fail to satisfy any condition set forth in Rule 144(i)(2) (a “Public Information Failure”) then, in addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, by reason of any such delay in or reduction of its ability to sell the Shares or Warrant Shares, an amount in cash equal to two percent (2.0%) of the aggregate Subscription Amount with respect to the Shares or the exercise price of such Purchaser’s Pre-Funded Warrants on the day of a Public Information Failure and on every thirtieth (30th) day (prorated for periods totaling less than thirty days) thereafter until the earlier of (a) the date such Public Information Failure is cured and (b) such time that such public information is no longer required for the Purchasers to transfer the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares pursuant to Rule 144. The payments to which the Purchasers shall be entitled pursuant to this Section 4.2(b) are referred to herein as “Public Information Failure Payments.” Public Information Failure Payments shall be paid on the earlier of (i) the last day of the calendar month during which such Public Information Failure Payments are incurred and (ii) the third (3rd) Business Day after the event or failure giving rise to the Public Information Failure Payments is cured. In the event the Company fails to make Public Information Failure Payments in a timely manner, such Public Information Failure Payments shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (prorated for partial months) until paid in full. Nothing herein shall limit such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Public Information Failure, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

 

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4.3. Furnishing of Information; Public Information. Until the earliest of the time that (i) no Purchaser owns Securities and (ii) the Pre-Funded Warrants have expired, the Company covenants to maintain the registration of the Common Stock under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act and to timely file (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 the Exchange Act, even if the Company is not then subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, except in the event that the Company consummates (in each case on or after the date as of which the Purchasers may sell all of their Securities without restriction or limitation pursuant to Rule 144) (a) any transaction or series of related transactions as a result of which any Person (together with its Affiliates) acquires then outstanding securities of the Company representing more than fifty percent (50%) of the voting control of the Company; (b) a merger or reorganization of the Company with one or more other entities in which the Company is not the surviving entity; or (c) a sale of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, where the consummation of such transaction results in the Company no longer subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act.

 

4.4. Integration. The Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any Trading Market such that it would require stockholder approval prior to the closing of such other transaction unless stockholder approval is obtained before the closing of such subsequent transaction.

 

4.5. Securities Laws Disclosure; Publicity. The Company shall (a) by the Disclosure Time issue a press release disclosing the material terms of the transactions contemplated hereby, and (b) file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including the Transaction Documents as exhibits thereto as deemed by Company Counsel, with the Commission within the time required by the Exchange Act. From and after the issuance of such press release, the Company represents to the Purchasers that it shall have publicly disclosed all material, non-public information delivered to any of the Purchasers by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or Affiliates, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees or agents in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. In addition, effective upon the issuance of such press release, the Company acknowledges and agrees that any and all confidentiality or similar obligations under any agreement, whether written or oral, between the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates, including without limitation, the Placement Agent, on the one hand, and any of the Purchasers or any of their Affiliates on the other hand, with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby shall terminate and be of no further force or effect. The Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release nor otherwise make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent of each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent shall not unreasonably be withheld or delayed, except if such disclosure is required by law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser, or include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any regulatory agency or applicable Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such Purchaser, except (a) as required by federal securities law in connection with the filing of final Transaction Documents with the Commission and (b) to the extent such disclosure is required by applicable law or Trading Market regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior notice of such disclosure permitted under this clause (b).

 

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4.6. Stockholder Rights Plan. No claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, with the consent of the Company, any other Person, that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any control share acquisition, business combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement) or similar anti-takeover plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company and the Purchasers.

 

4.7. Non-Public Information. Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, which shall be disclosed pursuant to Section 4.5, the Company covenants and agrees that neither it, nor any other Person acting on its behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information that constitutes, or the Company reasonably believes constitutes, material non-public information, unless prior thereto such Purchaser shall have consented to the receipt of such information and agreed with the Company to keep such information confidential. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company. To the extent that the Company delivers any material, non-public information to a Purchaser without such Purchaser’s consent, the Company hereby covenants and agrees that such Purchaser shall not have any duty of confidentiality to the Company, any of the Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates, or a duty to the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees or Affiliates not to trade on the basis of, such material, non-public information, provided that the Purchaser shall remain subject to applicable law. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously with the delivery of such notice file such material non-public information on with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Company understands and confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing covenant in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

 

4.8. Use of Proceeds. Except as set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities hereunder for working capital and general corporate purposes and shall not use such proceeds: (a) for the satisfaction of any portion of the Company’s debt (other than payment of trade payables and accrued liabilities in the ordinary course of the Company’s business and repayment of obligations outstanding as of the date of this Agreement and consistent with prior practices), (b) for the redemption of any Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents, (c) for the settlement of any outstanding litigation, or (d) in violation of FCPA or OFAC regulations.

 

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4.9. Indemnification of Purchasers. Subject to the provisions of this Section 4.9, the Company will indemnify and hold each Purchaser and its directors, officers, stockholders, members, partners, employees and agents (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title), each Person who controls such Purchaser (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act and Section 20 of the Exchange Act), and the directors, officers, stockholders, agents, members, partners or employees (and any other Persons with a functionally equivalent role of a Person holding such titles notwithstanding a lack of such title or any other title) of such controlling persons (each, a “Purchaser Party”) harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims, contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur caused by or based upon (a) any material breach of any of the representations or warranties made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents (b) any action instituted against a Purchaser Party in any capacity, or any of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who is not an Affiliate of such Purchaser Party, with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents (except to the extent such action is solely based upon a material breach of such Purchaser Party’s representations, warranties or covenants under the Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser Party may have with any such stockholder or any violations by such Purchaser Party of state or federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser Party that is finally judicially determined to constitute fraud, gross negligence or willful misconduct). If any action shall be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser Party. Any Purchaser Party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (x) the employment thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (y) the Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense and to employ counsel or (z) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the applicable Purchaser Party, a material conflict on any material issue between the position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party, in which case the Company shall be responsible for the reasonable fees and expenses of no more than one such separate counsel. The Company will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (1) for any settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (2) to the extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements made by such Purchaser Party in this Agreement or in the other Transaction Documents. The indemnification required by this Section 4.9 shall be made by periodic payments of the amount thereof during the course of the investigation or defense, as and when bills are received or are incurred; provided, that if any Purchaser Party is finally judicially determined not to be entitled to indemnification or payment under this Section 4.9, such Purchaser Party shall promptly reimburse the Company for any payments that are advanced under this sentence. The indemnity agreements contained herein shall be in addition to any cause of action or similar right of any Purchaser Party against the Company or others and any liabilities the Company may be subject to pursuant to law.

 

4.10. Reservation of Common Stock. As of the date hereof, the Company has reserved and the Company shall continue to reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to issue the Shares pursuant to this Agreement and the Pre-Funded Warrant Shares pursuant to any exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants.

 

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4.11. Listing of Common Stock. For as long as any Pre-Funded Warrants are outstanding and exercisable, the Company hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing or quotation of the Common Stock on the Trading Market on which it is currently listed, and concurrently with the Closing, the Company shall apply to list or quote all of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares on such Trading Market and promptly secure the listing of all of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares on such Trading Market to the extent required by the rules of such Trading Market; provided, however, that the Purchasers acknowledge that the Common Stock is currently subject to delisting by the Trading Market. The Company further agrees, if the Company applies to have the Common Stock traded on any other Trading Market, it will then include in such application all of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares, and will take such other action as is necessary to cause all of the Shares and Pre-Funded Warrant Shares to be listed or quoted on such other Trading Market as promptly as possible. The Company will then take all action reasonably necessary to continue the listing and trading of its Common Stock on a Trading Market and will comply in all respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the bylaws or rules of the Trading Market. For so long as the Company maintains a listing or quotation of the Common Stock on a Trading Market, the Company agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the eligibility of the Common Stock for electronic transfer through the Depository Trust Company or another established clearing corporation, including, without limitation, by timely payment of fees to the Depository Trust Company or such other established clearing corporation in connection with such electronic transfer.

 

4.12. Subsequent Equity Sales.

 

(a) From the date hereof until ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, except as permitted pursuant Section 4.12(b), to neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall (i) issue, enter into any agreement to issue or announce the issuance or proposed issuance of any shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or (ii) file any registration statement or amendment or supplement thereto, other than filing the final Prospectus and a registration statement on Form S-8 in connection with any employee benefit plan.

 

(b) From the date hereof until one hundred and ninety (90) days after the Closing Date, the Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to effect any issuance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents (or a combination of units thereof) involving a Variable Rate Transaction. “Variable Rate Transaction” means a transaction in which the Company (i) issues or sells any debt or equity securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at a conversion price, exercise price or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the Common Stock at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or (B) with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset at some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security (other than in connection with a stock split or stock dividend or similar event) or upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock, or (ii) enters into, or effects a transaction under, any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line of credit or an “at-the-market offering”, whereby the Company may issue securities at a future determined price regardless of whether shares pursuant to such agreement have actually been issued and regardless of whether such agreement is subsequently cancelled.

 

(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section 4.12 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt Issuance.

 

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4.13. Equal Treatment of Purchasers. No consideration (including any modification of any Transaction Document) shall be offered or paid to any Person to amend or consent to a waiver or modification of any provision of the Transaction Documents unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to such Transaction Documents. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes a separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or voting of Shares or otherwise.

 

4.14. Certain Transactions and Confidentiality. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that neither it nor any Affiliate acting on its behalf or pursuant to any understanding with it will execute any purchases or sales, including Short Sales, of any of the Company’s securities during the period commencing with the execution of this Agreement and ending at such time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.5. Each Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly disclosed by the Company pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.5, such Purchaser will maintain the confidentiality of the existence and terms of this transaction and the information included in this Agreement, including the schedules hereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, the Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that (i) no Purchaser makes any representation, warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in effecting transactions in any securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.5, (ii) no Purchaser shall be restricted or prohibited from effecting any transactions in any securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws from and after the time that the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are first publicly announced pursuant to the initial press release as described in Section 4.5 and (iii) no Purchaser shall have any duty of confidentiality or duty not to trade in the securities of the Company to the Company or the Subsidiaries after the issuance of the initial press release as described in Section 4.5. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage separate portions of such Purchaser’s assets and the portfolio managers have no direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers managing other portions of such Purchaser’s assets, the covenant 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 Securities covered by this Agreement.

 

4.15. Exercise Procedures. The form of Notice of Exercise included in the Pre-Funded Warrants sets forth the totality of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrants. No additional legal opinion, other information, or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Pre-Funded Warrants. Without limiting the preceding sentences, no ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise form be required in order to exercise the Pre-Funded Warrants. The Company shall honor exercises of the Pre-Funded Warrants and shall deliver Pre-Funded Warrant Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions, and time periods set forth in the Transaction Documents.

 

4.16. [Reserved].

 

4.17. Lock-Up Agreements. The Company shall not amend, modify, waive or terminate any provision of any of the Lock-Up Agreements except to extend the term of the lock-up period and shall enforce the provisions of each Lock-Up Agreement in accordance with its terms. If any party to a Lock-Up Agreement breaches any provision of a Lock-Up Agreement, the Company shall promptly use its best efforts to seek specific performance of the terms of such Lock-Up Agreement.

 

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ARTICLE V
MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the fifth (5th) Trading Day following the date hereof; provided, however, that no such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by any other party (or parties).

 

5.2. Fees and Expenses. Except as expressly set forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts, if any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation, preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees (including, without limitation, any fees required for same-day processing of any instruction letter delivered by the Company and any exercise notice delivered by a Purchaser). The Company shall pay any issuance, stamp or documentary taxes (other than transfer taxes) or charges imposed by any governmental body, agency or official (other than income taxes) by reason of the issuance of Shares to the Purchasers.

 

5.3. Entire Agreement. The Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written, with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

 

5.4. Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to be provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of: (a) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto at or prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading Day, (b) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via email attachment at the email address as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the second (2nd) Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

 

5.5. Amendments; Waivers. No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified, supplemented or amended except in a written instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and Purchasers that purchased at least 50.1% in interest of the Securities based on the initial Subscription Amounts hereunder (or, prior to the Closing, the Company and each Purchaser) or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement of any such waived provision is sought, provided that if any amendment, modification or waiver disproportionately and adversely impacts a Purchaser (or group of Purchasers), the consent of such disproportionately impacted Purchaser (or at least 50.1% in interest of such group of Purchasers) shall also be required. No waiver of any default with respect to any provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be a continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any delay or omission of any party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner impair the exercise of any such right. Any proposed amendment or waiver that disproportionately, materially and adversely affects the rights and obligations of any Purchaser relative to the comparable rights and obligations of the other Purchasers shall require the prior written consent of such adversely affected Purchaser. Any amendment effected in accordance with this Section 5.5 shall be binding upon each Purchaser and holder of Securities and the Company. To the extent that any notice provided pursuant to any Transaction Document constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

5.6. Headings. The headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof.

 

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5.7. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Purchaser (other than by merger). Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers any Securities, provided that such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions of the Transaction Documents that apply to the “Purchasers.”

 

5.8. Third-Party Beneficiaries. The Placement Agent shall be the third-party beneficiary of the representations and warranties of the Company in Section 3.1 and the representations and warranties of the Purchasers in Section 3.2. This Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set forth in Section 4.9 and this Section 5.8.

 

5.9. Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, stockholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect to the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If any party shall commence an suit, action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of the Transaction Documents, then, in addition to the obligations of the Company under Section 4.9, the prevailing party in such suit, action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the non-prevailing party for its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such suit, action or proceeding.

 

5.10. Survival. The representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and the delivery of the Securities for the applicable statute of limitations.

 

5.11. Execution. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to each other party, it being understood that the parties need not sign the same counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by e-mail delivery of a “.pdf” format data file, by other electronic signing created on an electronic platform (such as DocuSign) or by digital signing (such as Adobe Sign), such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of the party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same force and effect as if such “.pdf” or other electronic or digital signature page were an original thereof.

 

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5.12. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their commercially reasonable efforts to find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

 

5.13. Rescission and Withdrawal Right. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting any similar provisions of) any of the other Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document and the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future actions and rights provided, however, that in the case of a rescission of an exercise of a Pre-Funded Warrant, the applicable Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common Stock subject to any such rescinded exercise notice concurrently (if such shares were delivered to the applicable Purchaser) with the return to such Purchaser of the aggregate exercise price paid to the Company for such shares and the restoration of such Purchaser’s right to acquire such shares pursuant to such Purchaser’s Pre-Funded Warrant (including, issuance of a replacement warrant certificate evidencing such restored right).

 

5.14. Replacement of Securities. If any certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation thereof (in the case of mutilation), or in lieu of and substitution therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction. The applicant for a new certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable third-party costs (including customary indemnity) associated with the issuance of such replacement Securities.

 

5.15. Remedies. In addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted by law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company will be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of any breach of obligations contained in the Transaction Documents and hereby agree to waive and not to assert in any action for specific performance of any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

5.16. Payment Set Aside. To the extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant to any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement or exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee, receiver or any other Person under any law (including, without limitation, any bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action), then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff had not occurred.

 

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5.17. Independent Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights. The obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and not joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be responsible in any way for the performance or nonperformance of the obligations of any other Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any other Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant hereto or thereto, shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association, a joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents. Each Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights including, without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out of the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel in its review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of administrative convenience only, each Purchaser and its respective counsel have chosen to communicate with the Company through ArentFox Schiff LLP, the legal counsel of the Placement Agent, and ArentFox Schiff LLP, as legal counsel of the Placement Agent, does not represent any of the Purchasers and only represents the Placement Agent. The Company has elected to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for the convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to do so by any of the Purchasers. It is expressly understood and agreed that each provision contained in this Agreement and in each other Transaction Document is between the Company and a Purchaser, solely, and not between the Company and the Purchasers collectively and not between and among the Purchasers.

 

5.18. Liquidated Damages. The Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due and payable shall have been canceled.

 

5.19. Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Trading Day, then such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Trading Day.

 

5.20. Currency. Unless otherwise stated, all dollar amounts and references to “$” in this Agreement refer to the lawful currency of the United States.

 

5.21. Construction. The parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel have reviewed and had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of the Transaction Documents or any amendments thereto. In addition, each and every reference to share prices and shares of Common Stock in any Transaction Document shall be subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits, stock dividends, stock combinations and other similar transactions of the Common Stock that occur after the date of this Agreement.

 

5.22. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. IN ANY ACTION, SUIT, OR PROCEEDING IN ANY JURISDICTION BROUGHT BY ANY PARTY AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY, THE PARTIES EACH KNOWINGLY AND INTENTIONALLY, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, HEREBY ABSOLUTELY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRREVOCABLY AND EXPRESSLY WAIVES FOREVER TRIAL BY JURY.

 

(Signature Pages Follow)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

REBORN COFFEE, INC.
   
By:        
Name:     
Title:    

 

Address for Notice:

[___]

 

Email: [___] 

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

 

[___]

 

Email: [___]

 

 

 

 

[PURCHASER SIGNATURE PAGES TO CNSP

SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date first indicated above.

 

Name of
Purchaser:
 
   
Signature of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:  
   
Name of Authorized Signatory:  
   
Title of Authorized Signatory:  
   
Email Address of Authorized Signatory:  
   
Address for Notice to  
Purchaser:                                                                                                                   
Address for Delivery of Securities to Purchaser (if not same as address for
notice):    
   
                                                                                                   
DWAC for Shares:  
Subscription Amount: $                                        
   
Shares:                                        

 

Pre-Funded Warrant Shares: ___________ Beneficial Ownership Blocker 4.99% or 9.99%

Common Warrant Shares: _____________ Beneficial Ownership Blocker 4.99% or 9.99%

EIN Number: ____________________ 

 

Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, by checking this box (i) the obligations of the above-signed to purchase the securities set forth in this Agreement to be purchased from the Company by the above-signed, and the obligations of the Company to sell such securities to the above-signed, shall be unconditional and all conditions to Closing shall be disregarded, (ii) the Closing shall occur on the first (1st) Trading Day following the date of this Agreement and (iii) any condition to Closing contemplated by this Agreement (but prior to being disregarded by clause (i) above) that required delivery by the Company or the above-signed of any agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) shall no longer be a condition and shall instead be an unconditional obligation of the Company or the above-signed (as applicable) to deliver such agreement, instrument, certificate or the like or purchase price (as applicable) to such other party on the Closing Date.

 

 

 

 

Exhibit A

 

Form of Lock-Up Agreement

 

(See attached)

 

 

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Form of Pre-Funded Warrant

 

(See attached)

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.5

 

COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT

 

reborn coffee, inc.

 

Warrant Shares: _______ Initial Exercise Date: __________, 2024

 

THIS COMMON STOCK PURCHASE WARRANT (the “Warrant”) certifies that, for value received, _____________ or its assigns (the “Holder”) is entitled, upon the terms and subject to the limitations on exercise and the conditions hereinafter set forth, at any time on or after _______________, 2024 (the “Initial Exercise Date”) and until this Warrant is exercised in full (the “Termination Date”) but not thereafter, to subscribe for and purchase from Reborn Coffee, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), up to ______ shares (as subject to adjustment hereunder, the “Warrant Shares”) of Common Stock. The purchase price of one share of Common Stock under this Warrant shall be equal to the Exercise Price, as defined in Section 2(b). This Warrant shall initially be issued and maintained in the form of a security held in book-entry form and the Depository Trust Company or its nominee (“DTC”) shall initially be the sole registered holder of this Warrant, subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agency Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply.

 

Section 1. Definitions. In addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Warrant, the following terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1:

 

Affiliate” means any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such terms are used in and construed under Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

Bid Price” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the bid price of the Common Stock for the time in question (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

 

 

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Business Day” means any day except any Saturday, any Sunday, any day which is a federal legal holiday in the United States or any day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other governmental action to close.

 

Commission” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share, and any other class of securities into which such securities may hereafter be reclassified or changed.

 

Common Stock Equivalents” means any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation, any debt, preferred stock, right, option, warrant or other instrument that is at any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Person” means an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company, government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any kind.

 

Registration Statement” means the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-[____]).

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Trading Day” means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

 

Trading Market” means any of the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the NYSE American, the Nasdaq Capital Market, the Nasdaq Global Market, the Nasdaq Global Select Market, the New York Stock Exchange, OTCQB or OTCQX (or any successors to any of the foregoing.

 

Transfer Agent” means Securities Transfer Corporation, the current transfer agent of the Company, with a mailing address of 15500 Roosevelt Blvd, Suite 104, Clearwater, Florida 33760, and any successor transfer agent of the Company.

 

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VWAP” means, for any date, the price determined by the first of the following clauses that applies: (a) if the Common Stock is then listed or quoted on a Trading Market, the daily volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on the Trading Market on which the Common Stock is then listed or quoted as reported by Bloomberg L.P. (based on a Trading Day from 9:30 a.m. (New York City time) to 4:02 p.m. (New York City time)), (b)  if OTCQB or OTCQX is not a Trading Market, the volume weighted average price of the Common Stock for such date (or the nearest preceding date) on OTCQB or OTCQX as applicable, (c) if the Common Stock is not then listed or quoted for trading on OTCQB or OTCQX and if prices for the Common Stock are then reported in the “Pink Sheets” published by OTC Markets Group, Inc. (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions of reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock so reported, or (d) in all other cases, the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by an independent appraiser selected in good faith by the holders of a majority in interest of the Warrants then outstanding and reasonably acceptable to the Company, the fees and expenses of which shall be paid by the Company.

 

Warrant Agency Agreement” means that certain warrant agency agreement, dated on or about the Initial Exercise Date, between the Company and the Warrant Agent.

 

Warrant Agent” means the Transfer Agent and any successor warrant agent of the Company.

 

Warrants” means this Warrant and other Common Stock purchase warrants issued by the Company pursuant to the Registration Statement.

 

Section 2. Exercise.

 

a) Exercise of Warrant. Exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant may be made, in whole or in part, at any time or times on or after the Initial Exercise Date and on or before the Termination Date by delivery to the Company of a duly executed facsimile copy or PDF copy submitted by e-mail (or e-mail attachment) of the Notice of Exercise in the form annexed hereto (the “Notice of Exercise”). Within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period (as defined in Section 2(d)(i) herein) following the date of exercise as aforesaid, the Holder shall deliver the aggregate Exercise Price for the shares specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise by wire transfer or cashier’s check drawn on a United States bank unless the cashless exercise procedure specified in Section 2(c) below is specified in the applicable Notice of Exercise. No ink-original Notice of Exercise shall be required, nor shall any medallion guarantee (or other type of guarantee or notarization) of any Notice of Exercise be required. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company until the Holder has purchased all of the Warrant Shares available hereunder and the Warrant has been exercised in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company for cancellation within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the final Notice of Exercise is delivered to the Company. Partial exercises of this Warrant resulting in purchases of a portion of the total number of Warrant Shares available hereunder shall have the effect of lowering the outstanding number of Warrant Shares purchasable hereunder in an amount equal to the applicable number of Warrant Shares purchased. The Holder and the Company shall maintain records showing the number of Warrant Shares purchased and the date of such purchases. The Company shall deliver any objection to any Notice of Exercise within one (1) Trading Day of receipt of such notice. The Holder and any assignee, by acceptance of this Warrant, acknowledge and agree that, by reason of the provisions of this paragraph, following the purchase of a portion of the Warrant Shares hereunder, the number of Warrant Shares available for purchase hereunder at any given time may be less than the amount stated on the face hereof.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 2(a), a holder whose interest in this Warrant is a beneficial interest in certificate(s) representing this Warrant held in book-entry form through DTC (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions), shall effect exercises made pursuant to this Section 2(a) by delivering to DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable) the appropriate instruction form for exercise, complying with the procedures to effect exercise that are required by DTC (or such other clearing corporation, as applicable), subject to a Holder’s right to elect to receive a Warrant in certificated form pursuant to the terms of the Warrant Agency Agreement, in which case this sentence shall not apply, provided, however, a beneficial holder shall have all of the rights and remedies of a “Holder” hereunder.

 

b) Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of the Common Stock under this Warrant shall be $0.0001, subject to adjustment hereunder (the “Exercise Price”).

 

c) Cashless Exercise. If at any time after the date hereof, there is no effective registration statement registering, or no current prospectus available for, the issuance of the Warrant Shares to the Holder, then this Warrant may only be exercised, in whole or in part, at such time by means of a “cashless exercise” in which the Holder shall be entitled to receive a number of Warrant Shares equal to the quotient obtained by dividing [(A-B) (X)] by (A), where:

 

(A) = as applicable: (i) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is (1) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a day that is not a Trading Day or (2) both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof on a Trading Day prior to the opening of “regular trading hours” (as defined in Rule 600(b)(64) of Regulation NMS promulgated under the federal securities laws) on such Trading Day, (ii) at the option of the Holder, either (y) the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately preceding the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise or (z) the Bid Price of the Common Stock on the principal Trading Market as reported by Bloomberg L.P. as of the time of the Holder’s execution of the applicable Notice of Exercise if such Notice of Exercise is executed during “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day and is delivered within two (2) hours thereafter (including until two (2) hours after the close of “regular trading hours” on a Trading Day) pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof or (iii) the VWAP on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise if the date of such Notice of Exercise is a Trading Day and such Notice of Exercise is both executed and delivered pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof after the close of “regular trading hours” on such Trading Day;

 

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(B) =  the Exercise Price of this Warrant, as adjusted hereunder; and

 

(X) = the number of Warrant Shares that would be issuable upon exercise of this Warrant in accordance with the terms of this Warrant if such exercise were by means of a cash exercise rather than a cashless exercise.

 

If Warrant Shares are issued in such a cashless exercise, the parties acknowledge and agree that in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act, the Warrant Shares shall take on the registered characteristics of the Warrants being exercised.  The Company agrees not to take any position contrary to this Section 2(c).

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, on the Termination Date, this Warrant shall be automatically exercised via cashless exercise pursuant to this Section 2(c).

 

d)Mechanics of Exercise.

 

i. Delivery of Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. The Company shall cause the Warrant Shares purchased hereunder to be transmitted by the Transfer Agent to the Holder by crediting the account of the Holder’s or its designee’s balance account with The Depository Trust Company through its Deposit or Withdrawal at Custodian system (“DWAC”) if the Company is then a participant in such system and either (A) there is an effective registration statement permitting the issuance of the Warrant Shares to or resale of the Warrant Shares by Holder or (B) this Warrant is being exercised via cashless exercise, and otherwise by physical delivery of a certificate, registered in the Company’s share register in the name of the Holder or its designee, for the number of Warrant Shares to which the Holder is entitled pursuant to such exercise to the address specified by the Holder in the Notice of Exercise by the date that is the earliest of (i) two (2) Trading Days after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise, (ii) one (1) Trading Day after delivery of the aggregate Exercise Price to the Company and (iii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period after the delivery to the Company of the Notice of Exercise (such date, the “Warrant Share Delivery Date”). Upon delivery of the Notice of Exercise, the Holder shall be deemed for all corporate purposes to have become the holder of record of the Warrant Shares with respect to which this Warrant has been exercised, irrespective of the date of delivery of the Warrant Shares, provided that payment of the aggregate Exercise Price (other than in the case of a cashless exercise) is received within the earlier of (i) two (2) Trading Days and (ii) the number of Trading Days comprising the Standard Settlement Period following delivery of the Notice of Exercise. If the Company fails for any reason to deliver to the Holder the Warrant Shares subject to a Notice of Exercise by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, the Company shall pay to the Holder, in cash, as liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for each $1,000 of Warrant Shares subject to such exercise (based on the VWAP of the Common Stock on the date of the applicable Notice of Exercise), $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day on the fifth Trading Day after such liquidated damages begin to accrue) for each Trading Day after such Warrant Share Delivery Date until such Warrant Shares are delivered or Holder rescinds such exercise. The Company agrees to maintain a transfer agent that is a participant in the FAST program so long as this Warrant remains outstanding and exercisable. As used herein, “Standard Settlement Period” means the standard settlement period, expressed in a number of Trading Days, on the Company’s primary Trading Market with respect to the Common Stock as in effect on the date of delivery of the Notice of Exercise.

 

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ii. Delivery of New Warrants Upon Exercise. If this Warrant shall have been exercised in part, the Company shall, at the request of a Holder and upon surrender of this Warrant certificate, at the time of delivery of the Warrant Shares, deliver to the Holder a new Warrant evidencing the rights of the Holder to purchase the unpurchased Warrant Shares called for by this Warrant, which new Warrant shall in all other respects be identical with this Warrant.

 

iii. Rescission Rights. If the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares pursuant to Section 2(d)(i) by the Warrant Share Delivery Date, then the Holder will have the right to rescind such exercise.

 

iv. Compensation for Buy-In on Failure to Timely Deliver Warrant Shares Upon Exercise. In addition to any other rights available to the Holder, if the Company fails to cause the Transfer Agent to transmit to the Holder the Warrant Shares in accordance with the provisions of Section 2(d)(i) above pursuant to an exercise on or before the Warrant Share Delivery Date, and if after such date the Holder is required by its broker to purchase (in an open market transaction or otherwise) or the Holder’s brokerage firm otherwise purchases, shares of Common Stock to deliver in satisfaction of a sale by the Holder of the Warrant Shares which the Holder anticipated receiving upon such exercise (a “Buy-In”), then the Company shall (A) pay in cash to the Holder the amount, if any, by which (x) the Holder’s total purchase price (including brokerage commissions, if any) for the shares of Common Stock so purchased exceeds (y) the amount obtained by multiplying (1) the number of Warrant Shares that the Company was required to deliver to the Holder in connection with the exercise at issue times (2) the price at which the sell order giving rise to such purchase obligation was executed, and (B) at the option of the Holder, either reinstate the portion of the Warrant and equivalent number of Warrant Shares for which such exercise was not honored (in which case such exercise shall be deemed rescinded) or deliver to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock that would have been issued had the Company timely complied with its exercise and delivery obligations hereunder. For example, if the Holder purchases Common Stock having a total purchase price of $11,000 to cover a Buy-In with respect to an attempted exercise of shares of Common Stock with an aggregate sale price giving rise to such purchase obligation of $10,000, under clause (A) of the immediately preceding sentence the Company shall be required to pay the Holder $1,000. The Holder shall provide the Company written notice indicating the amounts payable to the Holder in respect of the Buy-In and, upon request of the Company, evidence of the amount of such loss. Nothing herein shall limit a Holder’s right to pursue any other remedies available to it hereunder, at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree of specific performance and/or injunctive relief with respect to the Company’s failure to timely deliver shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrant as required pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

v. No Fractional Shares or Scrip. No fractional shares or scrip representing fractional shares shall be issued upon the exercise of this Warrant. As to any fraction of a share which the Holder would otherwise be entitled to purchase upon such exercise, the Company shall, at its election, either pay a cash adjustment in respect of such final fraction in an amount equal to such fraction multiplied by the Exercise Price or round up to the next whole share.

 

vi. Charges, Taxes and Expenses. Issuance of Warrant Shares shall be made without charge to the Holder for any issue or transfer tax or other incidental expense in respect of the issuance of such Warrant Shares, all of which taxes and expenses shall be paid by the Company, and such Warrant Shares shall be issued in the name of the Holder or in such name or names as may be directed by the Holder; provided, however, that in the event that Warrant Shares are to be issued in a name other than the name of the Holder, this Warrant when surrendered for exercise shall be accompanied by the Assignment Form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder and the Company may require, as a condition thereto, the payment of a sum sufficient to reimburse it for any transfer tax incidental thereto. The Company shall pay all Transfer Agent fees required for same-day processing of any Notice of Exercise and all fees to the Depository Trust Company (or another established clearing corporation performing similar functions) required for same-day electronic delivery of the Warrant Shares.

 

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vii. Closing of Books. The Company will not close its stockholder books or records in any manner which prevents the timely exercise of this Warrant, pursuant to the terms hereof.

 

e) Holder’s Exercise Limitations. The Company shall not effect any exercise of this Warrant, and a Holder shall not have the right to exercise any portion of this Warrant, pursuant to Section 2 or otherwise, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance after exercise as set forth on the applicable Notice of Exercise, the Holder (together with the Holder’s Affiliates, and any other Persons acting as a group together with the Holder or any of the Holder’s Affiliates (such Persons, “Attribution Parties”)), would beneficially own in excess of the Beneficial Ownership Limitation (as defined below).  For purposes of the foregoing sentence, the number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned by the Holder and its Affiliates and Attribution Parties shall include the number of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant with respect to which such determination is being made, but shall exclude the number of shares of Common Stock which would be issuable upon (i) exercise of the remaining, nonexercised portion of this Warrant beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties and (ii) exercise or conversion of the unexercised or nonconverted portion of any other securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any other Common Stock Equivalents) subject to a limitation on conversion or exercise analogous to the limitation contained herein beneficially owned by the Holder or any of its Affiliates or Attribution Parties.  Except as set forth in the preceding sentence, for purposes of this Section 2(e), beneficial ownership shall be calculated in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, it being acknowledged by the Holder that the Company is not representing to the Holder that such calculation is in compliance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the Holder is solely responsible for any schedules required to be filed in accordance therewith. To the extent that the limitation contained in this Section 2(e) applies, the determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable shall be in the sole discretion of the Holder, and the submission of a Notice of Exercise shall be deemed to be the Holder’s determination of whether this Warrant is exercisable (in relation to other securities owned by the Holder together with any Affiliates and Attribution Parties) and of which portion of this Warrant is exercisable, in each case subject to the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, and the Company shall have no obligation to verify or confirm the accuracy of such determination. In addition, a determination as to any group status as contemplated above shall be determined in accordance with Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. For purposes of this Section 2(e), in determining the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock, a Holder may rely on the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock as reflected in (A) the Company’s most recent periodic or annual report filed with the Commission, as the case may be, (B) a more recent public announcement by the Company or (C) a more recent written notice by the Company or the Transfer Agent setting forth the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding.  Upon the written or oral request of a Holder, the Company shall within one Trading Day confirm orally and in writing to the Holder the number of shares of Common Stock then outstanding.  In any case, the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock shall be determined after giving effect to the conversion or exercise of securities of the Company, including this Warrant, by the Holder or its Affiliates or Attribution Parties since the date as of which such number of outstanding shares of Common Stock was reported. The “Beneficial Ownership Limitation” shall be 4.99% (or, upon election by a Holder prior to the issuance of and Warrants, 9.99%) of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of this Warrant. The Holder, upon notice to the Company, may increase or decrease the Beneficial Ownership Limitation provisions of this Section 2(e), provided that the Beneficial Ownership Limitation in no event exceeds 9.99% of the number of shares of the Common Stock outstanding immediately after giving effect to the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon exercise of this Warrant held by the Holder and the provisions of this Section 2(e) shall continue to apply. Any increase in the Beneficial Ownership Limitation will not be effective until the 61st day after such notice is delivered to the Company. The provisions of this paragraph shall be construed and implemented in a manner otherwise than in strict conformity with the terms of this Section 2(e) to correct this paragraph (or any portion hereof) which may be defective or inconsistent with the intended Beneficial Ownership Limitation herein contained or to make changes or supplements necessary or desirable to properly give effect to such limitation. The limitations contained in this paragraph shall apply to a successor holder of this Warrant.

 

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Section 3. Certain Adjustments.

 

a) Stock Dividends and Splits. If the Company, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding: (i) pays a stock dividend or otherwise makes a distribution or distributions on shares of its Common Stock or any other equity or equity equivalent securities payable in shares of Common Stock (which, for avoidance of doubt, shall not include any shares of Common Stock issued by the Company upon exercise of this Warrant), (ii) subdivides outstanding shares of Common Stock into a larger number of shares, (iii) combines (including by way of reverse stock split) outstanding shares of Common Stock into a smaller number of shares or (iv) issues by reclassification of shares of the Common Stock any shares of capital stock of the Company, then in each case the Exercise Price shall be multiplied by a fraction of which the numerator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) outstanding immediately before such event and of which the denominator shall be the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event, and the number of shares issuable upon exercise of this Warrant shall be proportionately adjusted such that the aggregate Exercise Price of this Warrant shall remain unchanged. Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 3(a) shall become effective immediately after the record date for the determination of stockholders entitled to receive such dividend or distribution and shall become effective immediately after the effective date in the case of a subdivision, combination or re-classification.

 

b) Subsequent Rights Offerings. In addition to any adjustments pursuant to Section 3(a) above, if at any time the Company grants, issues or sells any Common Stock Equivalents or rights to purchase stock, warrants, securities or other property pro rata to the record holders of any class of shares of Common Stock (the “Purchase Rights”), then the Holder will be entitled to acquire, upon the terms applicable to such Purchase Rights, the aggregate Purchase Rights which the Holder could have acquired if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date on which a record is taken for the grant, issuance or sale of such Purchase Rights, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the grant, issue or sale of such Purchase Rights (provided, however, that, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Purchase Right would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Purchase Right to such extent (or beneficial ownership of such shares of Common Stock as a result of such Purchase Right to such extent) and such Purchase Right to such extent shall be held in abeyance for the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation).

 

c) Pro Rata Distributions. During such time as this Warrant is outstanding, if the Company shall declare or make any dividend or other distribution of its assets (or rights to acquire its assets) to holders of shares of Common Stock, by way of return of capital or otherwise (including, without limitation, any distribution of cash, stock or other securities, property or options by way of a dividend, spin off, reclassification, corporate rearrangement, scheme of arrangement or other similar transaction) (a “Distribution”), at any time after the issuance of this Warrant, then, in each such case, the Holder shall be entitled to participate in such Distribution to the same extent that the Holder would have participated therein if the Holder had held the number of shares of Common Stock acquirable upon complete exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on exercise hereof, including without limitation, the Beneficial Ownership Limitation) immediately before the date of which a record is taken for such Distribution, or, if no such record is taken, the date as of which the record holders of shares of Common Stock are to be determined for the participation in such Distribution (provided, however, that, to the extent that the Holder’s right to participate in any such Distribution would result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation, then the Holder shall not be entitled to participate in such Distribution to such extent (or in the beneficial ownership of any shares of Common Stock as a result of such Distribution to such extent) and the portion of such Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until such time, if ever, as its right thereto would not result in the Holder exceeding the Beneficial Ownership Limitation). To the extent that this Warrant has not been partially or completely exercised at the time of such Distribution, such portion of the Distribution shall be held in abeyance for the benefit of the Holder until the Holder has exercised this Warrant.

 

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d) Fundamental Transaction. If, at any time while this Warrant is outstanding, (i) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person, (ii) the Company, directly or indirectly, effects any sale, lease, license, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of its assets in one or a series of related transactions, (iii) any, direct or indirect, purchase offer, tender offer or exchange offer (whether by the Company or another Person) is completed pursuant to which holders of Common Stock are permitted to sell, tender or exchange their shares for other securities, cash or property and has been accepted by the holders of 50% or more of the outstanding Common Stock, (iv) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions effects any reclassification, reorganization or recapitalization of the Common Stock or any compulsory share exchange pursuant to which the Common Stock is effectively converted into or exchanged for other securities, cash or property, or (v) the Company, directly or indirectly, in one or more related transactions consummates a stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination (including, without limitation, a reorganization, recapitalization, spin-off or scheme of arrangement) with another Person or group of Persons whereby such other Person or group acquires more than 50% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (not including any shares of Common Stock held by the other Person or other Persons making or party to, or associated or affiliated with the other Persons making or party to, such stock or share purchase agreement or other business combination) (each a “Fundamental Transaction”), then, upon any subsequent exercise of this Warrant, the Holder shall have the right to receive, for each Warrant Share that would have been issuable upon such exercise immediately prior to the occurrence of such Fundamental Transaction, at the option of the Holder (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant), the number of shares of Common Stock of the successor or acquiring corporation or of the Company, if it is the surviving corporation, and any additional consideration (the “Alternate Consideration”) receivable as a result of such Fundamental Transaction by a holder of the number of shares of Common Stock for which this Warrant is exercisable immediately prior to such Fundamental Transaction (without regard to any limitation in Section 2(e) on the exercise of this Warrant). For purposes of any such exercise, the determination of the Exercise Price shall be appropriately adjusted to apply to such Alternate Consideration based on the amount of Alternate Consideration issuable in respect of one share of Common Stock in such Fundamental Transaction, and the Company shall apportion the Exercise Price among the Alternate Consideration in a reasonable manner reflecting the relative value of any different components of the Alternate Consideration. If holders of Common Stock are given any choice as to the securities, cash or property to be received in a Fundamental Transaction, then the Holder shall be given the same choice as to the Alternate Consideration it receives upon any exercise of this Warrant following such Fundamental Transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Fundamental Transaction, the Company or any Successor Entity (as defined below) shall, at the Holder’s option, exercisable at any time concurrently with, or within 30 days after, the consummation of the Fundamental Transaction, purchase this Warrant from the Holder by paying the same type or form of consideration (and in the same proportion), at the Black Scholes Value of the unexercised portion of this Warrant, that is being offered and paid to the holders of Common Stock of the Company in connection with the Fundamental Transaction, whether that consideration be in the form of cash, stock or any combination thereof, or whether the holders of Common Stock are given the choice to receive from among alternative forms of consideration in connection with the Fundamental Transaction. “Black Scholes Value” means the value of this Warrant based on the Black and Scholes Option Pricing Model obtained from the “OV” function on Bloomberg, L.P. (“Bloomberg”) determined as of the day of consummation of the applicable Fundamental Transaction for pricing purposes and reflecting (A) a risk-free interest rate corresponding to the U.S. Treasury rate for a period equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date, (B) an expected volatility equal to the 100 day volatility obtained from the HVT function on Bloomberg as of the Trading Day immediately following the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction, (C) the underlying price per share used in such calculation shall be the greater of (i) the sum of the price per share being offered in cash, if any, plus the value of any non-cash consideration, if any, being offered in such Fundamental Transaction and (ii) the greater of (x) the last VWAP immediately prior to the public announcement of such Fundamental Transaction and (y) the last VWAP immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction and (D) a remaining option time equal to the time between the date of the public announcement of the applicable Fundamental Transaction and the Termination Date. The payment of the Black Scholes Value will be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds within five Business Days of the Holder’s election (or, if later, on the effective date of the Fundamental Transaction). The Company shall cause any successor entity in a Fundamental Transaction in which the Company is not the survivor (the “Successor Entity”) to assume in writing all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant in accordance with the provisions of this Section 3(d) pursuant to written agreements in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Holder and approved by the Holder (without unreasonable delay) prior to such Fundamental Transaction and shall, at the option of the Holder, deliver to the Holder in exchange for this Warrant a security of the Successor Entity evidenced by a written instrument substantially similar in form and substance to this Warrant which is exercisable for a corresponding number of shares of capital stock of such Successor Entity (or its parent entity) equivalent to the shares of Common Stock acquirable and receivable upon exercise of this Warrant (without regard to any limitations on the exercise of this Warrant) prior to such Fundamental Transaction, and with an exercise price which applies the exercise price hereunder to such shares of capital stock (but taking into account the relative value of the shares of Common Stock pursuant to such Fundamental Transaction and the value of such shares of capital stock, such number of shares of capital stock and such exercise price being for the purpose of protecting the economic value of this Warrant immediately prior to the consummation of such Fundamental Transaction), and which is reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Holder. Upon the occurrence of any such Fundamental Transaction, the Successor Entity shall succeed to, and be substituted for (so that from and after the date of such Fundamental Transaction, the provisions of this Warrant referring to the “Company” shall refer instead to the Successor Entity), and may exercise every right and power of the Company and shall assume all of the obligations of the Company under this Warrant with the same effect as if such Successor Entity had been named as the Company herein.

 

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e) Calculations. All calculations under this Section 3 shall be made to the nearest cent or the nearest 1/100th of a share, as the case may be. For purposes of this Section 3, the number of shares of Common Stock deemed to be issued and outstanding as of a given date shall be the sum of the number of shares of Common Stock (excluding treasury shares, if any) issued and outstanding.

 

f) Notice to Holder.

 

i. Adjustment to Exercise Price. Whenever the Exercise Price is adjusted pursuant to any provision of this Section 3, the Company shall promptly deliver to the Holder by facsimile or email a notice setting forth the Exercise Price after such adjustment and any resulting adjustment to the number of Warrant Shares and setting forth a brief statement of the facts requiring such adjustment.

 

ii. Notice to Allow Exercise by Holder. If (A) the Company shall declare a dividend (or any other distribution in whatever form) on the Common Stock, (B) the Company shall declare a special nonrecurring cash dividend on or a redemption of the Common Stock, (C) the Company shall authorize the granting to all holders of the Common Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase any shares of capital stock of any class or of any rights, (D) the approval of any stockholders of the Company shall be required in connection with any reclassification of the Common Stock, any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party, any sale or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or any compulsory share exchange whereby the Common Stock is converted into other securities, cash or property, or (E) the Company shall authorize the voluntary or involuntary dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the affairs of the Company, then, in each case, the Company shall cause to be delivered by facsimile or email to the Holder at its last facsimile number or email address as it shall appear upon the Warrant Register of the Company, at least 20 calendar days prior to the applicable record or effective date hereinafter specified, a notice stating (x) the date on which a record is to be taken for the purpose of such dividend, distribution, redemption, rights or warrants, or if a record is not to be taken, the date as of which the holders of the Common Stock of record to be entitled to such dividend, distributions, redemption, rights or warrants are to be determined or (y) the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange is expected to become effective or close, and the date as of which it is expected that holders of the Common Stock of record shall be entitled to exchange their shares of the Common Stock for securities, cash or other property deliverable upon such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer or share exchange; provided that the failure to deliver such notice or any defect therein or in the delivery thereof shall not affect the validity of the corporate action required to be specified in such notice. To the extent that any notice provided in this Warrant constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K. The Holder shall remain entitled to exercise this Warrant during the period commencing on the date of such notice to the effective date of the event triggering such notice except as may otherwise be expressly set forth herein.

 

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Section 4. Transfer of Warrant.

 

a) Transferability. This Warrant and all rights hereunder are transferable, in whole or in part, upon surrender of this Warrant at the principal office of the Company or its designated agent, together with a written assignment of this Warrant substantially in the form attached hereto duly executed by the Holder or its agent or attorney and funds sufficient to pay any transfer taxes payable upon the making of such transfer. Upon such surrender and, if required, such payment, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in the name of the assignee or assignees, as applicable, and in the denomination or denominations specified in such instrument of assignment, and shall issue to the assignor a new Warrant evidencing the portion of this Warrant not so assigned, and this Warrant shall promptly be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Holder shall not be required to physically surrender this Warrant to the Company unless the Holder has assigned this Warrant in full, in which case, the Holder shall surrender this Warrant to the Company within three (3) Trading Days of the date on which the Holder delivers an assignment form to the Company assigning this Warrant in full. The Warrant, if properly assigned in accordance herewith, may be exercised by a new holder for the purchase of Warrant Shares without having a new Warrant issued.

 

b) New Warrants. This Warrant may be divided or combined with other Warrants upon presentation hereof at the aforesaid office of the Company, together with a written notice specifying the names and denominations in which new Warrants are to be issued, signed by the Holder or its agent or attorney. Subject to compliance with Section 4(a), as to any transfer which may be involved in such division or combination, the Company shall execute and deliver a new Warrant or Warrants in exchange for the Warrant or Warrants to be divided or combined in accordance with such notice. All Warrants issued on transfers or exchanges shall be dated the original issuance date and shall be identical with this Warrant except as to the number of Warrant Shares issuable pursuant thereto.

 

c) Warrant Register. The Warrant Agent (or, in the event a Holder elects to receive a Warrant in certificated form, the Company) shall register this Warrant, upon records to be maintained by the Company for that purpose (the “Warrant Register”), in the name of the record Holder hereof from time to time. The Warrant Agent and the Company may deem and treat the registered Holder of this Warrant as the absolute owner hereof for the purpose of any exercise hereof or any distribution to the Holder, and for all other purposes, absent actual notice to the contrary.

 

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Section 5. Miscellaneous.

 

a) No Rights as Stockholder Until Exercise. This Warrant does not entitle the Holder to any voting rights, dividends or other rights as a stockholder of the Company prior to the exercise hereof as set forth in Section 2(d)(i), except as expressly set forth in Section 3.

 

b) Loss, Theft, Destruction or Mutilation of Warrant. The Company covenants that upon receipt by the Company of evidence reasonably satisfactory to it of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of this Warrant or any stock certificate relating to the Warrant Shares, and in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to it (which, in the case of the Warrant, shall not include the posting of any bond), and upon surrender and cancellation of such Warrant or stock certificate, if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Warrant or stock certificate of like tenor and dated as of such cancellation, in lieu of such Warrant or stock certificate.

 

c) Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays, etc. If the last or appointed day for the taking of any action or the expiration of any right required or granted herein shall not be a Business Day, then, such action may be taken or such right may be exercised on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

d) Authorized Shares.

 

The Company covenants that, during the period the Warrant is outstanding, it will reserve from its authorized and unissued Common Stock a sufficient number of shares to provide for the issuance of the Warrant Shares upon the exercise of any purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company further covenants that its issuance of this Warrant shall constitute full authority to its officers who are charged with the duty of issuing the necessary Warrant Shares upon the exercise of the purchase rights under this Warrant. The Company will take all such reasonable action as may be necessary to assure that such Warrant Shares may be issued as provided herein without violation of any applicable law or regulation, or of any requirements of the Trading Market upon which the Common Stock may be listed. The Company covenants that all Warrant Shares which may be issued upon the exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant will, upon exercise of the purchase rights represented by this Warrant and payment for such Warrant Shares in accordance herewith, be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable and free from all taxes, liens and charges created by the Company in respect of the issue thereof (other than taxes in respect of any transfer occurring contemporaneously with such issue).

 

Except and to the extent as waived or consented to by the Holder, the Company shall not by any action, including, without limitation, amending its certificate of incorporation or through any reorganization, transfer of assets, consolidation, merger, dissolution, issue or sale of securities or any other voluntary action, avoid or seek to avoid the observance or performance of any of the terms of this Warrant, but will at all times in good faith assist in the carrying out of all such terms and in the taking of all such actions as may be necessary or appropriate to protect the rights of Holder as set forth in this Warrant against impairment. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Company will (i) not increase the par value of any Warrant Shares above the amount payable therefor upon such exercise immediately prior to such increase in par value, (ii) take all such action as may be necessary or appropriate in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable Warrant Shares upon the exercise of this Warrant and (iii) use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all such authorizations, exemptions or consents from any public regulatory body having jurisdiction thereof, as may be, necessary to enable the Company to perform its obligations under this Warrant.

 

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Before taking any action which would result in an adjustment in the number of Warrant Shares for which this Warrant is exercisable or in the Exercise Price, the Company shall obtain all such authorizations or exemptions thereof, or consents thereto, as may be necessary from any public regulatory body or bodies having jurisdiction thereof.

 

e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Warrant shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Warrant (whether brought against a party hereto or their respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, partners, members, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively in the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, Borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that such suit, action or proceeding is improper or is an inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Warrant and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. If either party shall commence an action, suit or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Warrant, the prevailing party in such action, suit or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for their reasonable attorneys’ fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding.

 

f) Restrictions. The Holder acknowledges that the Warrant Shares acquired upon the exercise of this Warrant, if not registered and the Holder does not utilize cashless exercise, will have restrictions upon resale imposed by state and federal securities laws.

  

g) Nonwaiver and Expenses. No course of dealing or any delay or failure to exercise any right hereunder on the part of Holder shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise prejudice the Holder’s rights, powers or remedies. Without limiting any other provision of this Warrant, if the Company willfully and knowingly fails to comply with any provision of this Warrant, which results in any material damages to the Holder, the Company shall pay to the Holder such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover any costs and expenses including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees, including those of appellate proceedings, incurred by the Holder in collecting any amounts due pursuant hereto or in otherwise enforcing any of its rights, powers or remedies hereunder.

 

13

 

 

h) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holders hereunder including, without limitation, any Notice of Exercise, shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at 580 N. Berry Street, Brea, CA 92821, Attention: [_____], email address: [_____], or such other facsimile number, email address or address as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holders. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile or e-mail, or sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to each Holder at the facsimile number, e-mail address or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date, (ii) the next Trading Day after the time of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number or via e-mail at the e-mail address set forth in this Section on a day that is not a Trading Day or later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (iii) the second Trading Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. To the extent that any notice provided hereunder constitutes, or contains, material, non-public information regarding the Company or any subsidiaries, the Company shall simultaneously file such notice with the Commission pursuant to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

i) Limitation of Liability. No provision hereof, in the absence of any affirmative action by the Holder to exercise this Warrant to purchase Warrant Shares, and no enumeration herein of the rights or privileges of the Holder, shall give rise to any liability of the Holder for the purchase price of any Common Stock or as a stockholder of the Company, whether such liability is asserted by the Company or by creditors of the Company.

 

j) Remedies. The Holder, in addition to being entitled to exercise all rights granted by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific performance of its rights under this Warrant. The Company agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Warrant and hereby agrees to waive and not to assert the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

 

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k) Successors and Assigns. Subject to applicable securities laws, this Warrant and the rights and obligations evidenced hereby shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the Company and the successors and permitted assigns of Holder. The provisions of this Warrant are intended to be for the benefit of any Holder from time to time of this Warrant and shall be enforceable by the Holder or holder of Warrant Shares.

 

l) Amendment. This Warrant may be modified or amended or the provisions hereof waived with the written consent of the Company and the Holder.

 

m) Severability. Wherever possible, each provision of this Warrant shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Warrant shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provisions or the remaining provisions of this Warrant.

 

n) Headings. The headings used in this Warrant are for the convenience of reference only and shall not, for any purpose, be deemed a part of this Warrant.

 

o) Warrant Agency Agreement. If this Warrant is held in global form through DTC (or any successor depositary), this Warrant is issued subject to the Warrant Agency Agreement. To the extent any provision of this Warrant conflicts with the express provisions of the Warrant Agency Agreement, the provisions of this Warrant shall govern and be controlling.

 

********************

 

 

(Signature Page Follows)

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Warrant to be executed by its officer thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above indicated.

 

  REBORN COFFEE, INC.
     
  By:        
  Name:   
  Title:  

 

 

 

 

NOTICE OF EXERCISE

 

To:REBORN COFFEE, inc.

 

(1) The undersigned hereby elects to purchase ________ Warrant Shares of the Company pursuant to the terms of the attached Warrant (only if exercised in full), and tenders herewith payment of the exercise price in full, together with all applicable transfer taxes, if any.

 

(2) Payment shall take the form of (check applicable box):

 

☐ in lawful money of the United States; or

 

☐ if permitted the cancellation of such number of Warrant Shares as is necessary, in accordance with the formula set forth in subsection 2(c), to exercise this Warrant with respect to the maximum number of Warrant Shares purchasable pursuant to the cashless exercise procedure set forth in subsection 2(c).

 

(3) Please issue said Warrant Shares in the name of the undersigned or in such other name as is specified below:

 

_______________________________

 

 

The Warrant Shares shall be delivered to the following DWAC Account Number:

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

_______________________________

 

 

[SIGNATURE OF HOLDER]

 

Name of Investing Entity: ________________________________________________________________________

Signature of Authorized Signatory of Investing Entity: _________________________________________________

Name of Authorized Signatory: ___________________________________________________________________

Title of Authorized Signatory: ____________________________________________________________________

Date: ________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

(To assign the foregoing Warrant, execute this form and supply required information. Do not use this form to purchase shares.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the foregoing Warrant and all rights evidenced thereby are hereby assigned to

 

Name:    
    (Please Print)
     
Address:    
    (Please Print)
     
Phone Number:    
     
Email Address:    
     
Dated: _______________ __, ______    
     
Holder’s Signature:                                                        
     
Holder’s Address:                                                       

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.1

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus constituting a part of this Registration Statement on Form S-1 of our report dated July 8, 2024 relating to the consolidated financial statements of Reborn Coffee, Inc. (the “Company”) appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2023. Our report includes an explanatory paragraph about the existence of substantial doubt concerning the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

We also consent to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in such Registration Statement.

 

/s/ BCRG Group

 

Irvine, California

November 12, 2024

 

Exhibit 107

 

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

 

S-1
(Form Type)

 

Reborn Coffee, Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

 

   Security
Type
   Security
Class Title
  Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward
Rule
   Amount
Registered
   Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Share
   Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price(1)(2)
   Fee Rate   Amount of
Registration
Fee
 
Fees to be Paid   Equity   Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share   457(o)           $10,000,000 (3)   0.00015310   $ 1,531  
Fees to be Paid   Equity   Pre-Funded Warrants   Other(4)              (3)(4)         
Fees to be Paid   Equity   Common Stock underlying the Pre-Funded Warrants (3)   457(o)              (3)         
                                            
Carry Forward Securities                                 
Total Offering Amounts              $10,000,000         $ 1,531  
Total Fees Previously Paid                            
Total Fee Offset                            
Net Fee Due                         $ 1,531  

 

(1) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).
(2) Pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, there are also being registered an indeterminable number of additional securities as may be issued to prevent dilution resulting from share splits, share dividends or similar transactions.
(3) The proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Common Stock proposed to be sold in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any Pre-Funded Warrants sold in the offering and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Pre-Funded Warrants proposed to be sold in the offering will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis based on the offering price of any Common Stock sold in the offering, and, as such, the proposed maximum aggregate offering price of the Common Shares and Pre-Funded Warrants (including the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Pre-Funded Warrants), if any, is $10,000,000.
(4) Pursuant to Rule 457(g) of the Securities Act, no separate registration fee is required for the warrants because the warrants are being registered in the same registration statement as the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants.

 

 

 


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