Arena Fortify Acquisition Corp. - Quarter Report: 2022 September (Form 10-Q)

ARENA FORTIFY ACQUISITION CORP.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

References in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2022 (the “Quarterly Report”) to “we,” “our,” “us” or the “Company” refer to Arena Fortify Acquisition Corp. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to the “Sponsor” refer to Arena Fortify Sponsor LLC. The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed financial statements and the notes thereto contained elsewhere in this Quarterly Report. Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events discussed may not occur. See “Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” Also, see the risk factors and other cautionary statements described or referenced under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We do not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report includes “forward-looking statements” that are not historical facts and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this Quarterly Report including, without limitation, statements in this “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” regarding the Company’s financial position, business strategy and the plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. Words such as “expect,” “believe,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “estimate,” “seek” and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management’s current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the Risk Factors section of the Company’s final prospectus for its Initial Public Offering (as defined below) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as well as the risks described or referenced in our other securities filings, including this Quarterly Report. The Company’s securities filings can be accessed on the EDGAR section of the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Except as expressly required by applicable securities law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Overview

We are a blank check company incorporated as a Delaware corporation on January 26, 2021 and formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to herein as our initial business combination. We have not selected any specific business combination target. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using cash from the proceeds of our initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”), the Initial Stockholder Loans, and the private placement of the Private Placement Warrants (as defined below), the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into following the consummation of the Initial Public Offering or otherwise), shares issued to the owners of the target, debt issued to bank or other lenders or the owners of the target, or a combination of the foregoing.

In February 2021, we issued 5,750,000 founder shares to our Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of $25,000 in cash, or approximately $0.004 per share. In March 2021, our Sponsor sold 456,000 founder shares each to Cowen Investments II LLC (“Cowen”) and Intrepid Financial Partners, L.L.C. (“Intrepid” and with the Sponsor and Cowen, the “Initial Stockholders”). On March 19, 2021, our Sponsor transferred 25,000 shares to each of Marc McCarthy and James Crockard III. On October 4, 2021, we effected a share contribution back to capital resulting in our Initial Stockholders holding 4,312,500 shares of our Class B common stock.

On November 15, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 17,250,000 units (including 2,250,000 units issued upon exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units), at $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $172,500,000. Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value, and one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Public Warrant”). Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share.

Certain of our Initial Stockholders lent us an aggregate amount of $3,450,000 as of the closing date of our Initial Public Offering at no interest pursuant to those certain promissory notes (collectively, the “Initial Stockholder Loan Notes”). The proceeds of the Initial Stockholder Loans were added to the trust account and will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law). The Initial Stockholder Loans shall be repaid in cash or converted into warrants (the “Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants”) at a conversion price of $1.00 per warrant, at each Initial Stockholder’s sole discretion. The Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants would be identical to the Private Placement Warrants sold in connection with our Initial Public Offering.

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Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, our initial stockholders purchased an aggregate of 5,450,000 private placement warrants (including 450,000 private placement warrants issued in connection with the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units), at a price of $1.00 per private placement warrant (the “Private Placement Warrants”) ($5,450,000 in the aggregate) in a private placement (the “Private Placement”). Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share.

Following our Initial Public Offering, the closing of the over-allotment option, the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, and the receipt of proceeds from the Initial Stockholder Loans, approximately $175.9 million was placed in a trust account located in the United States with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee, and invested only in U.S. “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act having a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 promulgated under the Investment Company Act which invest only in direct U.S. government treasury obligations, as determined by us, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a business combination and (ii) the distribution of the trust account.

If we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our Initial Public Offering, or February 15, 2023, we will (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than ten business days thereafter, redeem 100% of the public shares, at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account including interest earned on the funds held in the trust account and not previously released to us to pay our franchise and income taxes (less up to $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, which redemption will completely extinguish public stockholders’ rights as stockholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining stockholders and our board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.

Results of Operations

Our entire activity from inception through September 30, 2022 related to our formation, the preparation for our Initial Public Offering, and since the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the search for a prospective initial business combination. We have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenues to date. We will not generate any operating revenues until after completion of our initial business combination. We will generate non-operating income in the form of interest income on cash and cash equivalents.

For the three months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $520,070 which was comprised of the change in the fair value of our warrants of $137,900, interest earned on marketable securities held in the trust account of $806,243 and interest income of $274, partially offset by operating costs of $424,347. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, we had net loss of $254, which was comprised of operating costs of $254.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, we had net income of $5,829,573 which was comprised of the change in the fair value of our warrants of $5,770,750, interest earned on marketable securities held in the trust account of $1,115,036 and interest income of $294, partially offset by operating costs of $1,056,507. For the period from January 26, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, we had net loss of $1,753, which was comprised of operating costs of $1,753.

Liquidity and Capital Resources and Going Concern

As of September 30, 2022, we had approximately $367,437 in our operating bank account, and working capital deficit of approximately $485,497. We intend to use the funds held outside the trust account primarily to pay existing accounts payable, identify and evaluate prospective initial business combination candidates, perform due diligence on prospective target businesses, pay for travel expenditures, select the target business or businesses to merge with or acquire and structure, negotiate and consummate a business combination.

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Prior to the completion of our Initial Public Offering, our liquidity needs had been satisfied through a payment from our Sponsor of $25,000 for the founder shares to cover certain offering costs and the loan under an unsecured promissory note from our Sponsor of $300,000. On November 15, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 17,250,000 units (including 2,250,000 units issued upon exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units) at a price of $10.00 per unit. Certain of our initial stockholders lent us an aggregate amount of $3,450,000 as of the closing date of our Initial Public Offering at no interest. The proceeds of the Initial Stockholder Loans were added to the trust account and will be used to fund the redemption of our public shares (subject to the requirements of applicable law). The Initial Stockholder Loans shall be repaid in cash or converted into Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants at a conversion price of $1.00 per warrant, at each Initial Stockholder’s sole discretion. The Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants sold in connection with our Initial Public Offering. Simultaneously with the closing of our Initial Public Offering, we consummated the sale of 5,450,000 Private Placement Warrants at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant in a private placement to our Initial Stockholders. Among these Private Placement Warrants, 4,360,000 were purchased by our Sponsor and 545,000 were purchased by each of Cowen and Intrepid.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2022, net cash used in operating activities was $589,604, consisting of net income of $5,829,573 which is affected by a change in fair value of warrant liabilities of $5,770,750, interest earned on marketable securities held in the trust account of $1,115,036, and change in operating assets and liabilities net inflow of $466,609. Cash flows from investing activities were $260,282 related to interest withdrawn from the trust account to reimburse Delaware franchise taxes.

For the period from January 26, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, net cash used in operating activities was $0, consisting of net loss of $1,753, and interest earned on marketable securities held in the trust account of $0. Changes in operating assets and liabilities provided $0 of cash from operating activities.

Following our Initial Public Offering, the closing of the over-allotment option, the receipt of proceeds from the Initial Stockholder Loans and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, a total of $175,950,000 was placed in the trust account. We incurred $4,675,360 in transaction costs, including $3,450,000 of underwriting fees and $1,225,360 of other offering costs. The promissory note from our Sponsor was paid in full on November 17, 2021. Subsequent to the completion of our Initial Public Offering, the closing of the over-allotment option, the receipt of proceeds from the Initial Stockholder Loans and the sale of the Private Placement Warrants, our liquidity needs have been satisfied through the proceeds from the consummation of the private placement not held in the trust account.

In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business combination, our Sponsor or an affiliate of our Sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, provide us working capital loans. To date, there were no amounts outstanding under any working capital loans.

Based on the foregoing, management believes that we will have sufficient working capital and borrowing capacity to meet our needs through the earlier of the completion of a business combination or one year from the date of the filing of this Quarterly Report. We do not believe we will need to raise additional funds in order to meet the expenditures required for operating our business. However there is a risk that the company’s liquidity may not be sufficient, which raises substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. As indicated elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, we have until February 15, 2023 to consummate a business combination. If our estimate of the costs of identifying a target business, undertaking in-depth due diligence and negotiating a business combination are less than the actual amount necessary to do so, we may have insufficient funds available to operate our business prior to our initial business combination. Furthermore, if a business combination is not consummated by this date and an extension is not requested by our Sponsor, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the company. Uncertainty related to the consummation of a business combination raises substantial doubt about the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities to reflect a required liquidation after February 15, 2023.

On November 2, 2022, the Company filed a preliminary proxy statement on Schedule 14A relating to a special meeting of stockholders to potentially be held in 2022 to approve an amendment to the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation (the “Charter Amendment”) which, if implemented, would permit the Company to liquidate and wind up early in advance of the mandatory termination date of February 15, 2023. If implemented, the Charter Amendment would also allow the Company to remove the Redemption Limitation (as defined in the Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation) to allow the Company to redeem public shares notwithstanding the fact that such redemption would result in the Company having net tangible assets of less than $5,000,001, and to remove up to $100,000 of interest earned on the amount on deposit in the trust account prior to redeeming the public shares in connection with the special meeting in order to pay dissolution expenses.

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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

We do not currently have any off-balance-sheet arrangements; however, we do have certain contractual arrangements that would require us to make payments if certain circumstances occur; we refer to these arrangements as contingent commitments. See Note 6, “Commitments and Contingencies,” to our financial statements included herein for further discussion of these matters.

Contractual Obligations

Promissory Note—Related Party

On February 22, 2021, the Company issued an unsecured promissory note (the “Promissory Note”), pursuant to which the Company could borrow up to an aggregate of $300,000 to cover expenses related to the Initial Public Offering. The Promissory Note was non-interest bearing and was payable on the earlier of (i) December 31, 2021 or (ii) the consummation of the Initial Public Offering. On November 12, 2021, the Company repaid the outstanding balance under the Promissory Note.

Business Combination Marketing Agreement

The underwriters of the Company’s Initial Public Offering are entitled to a fee of $0.35 per unit, or $6,037,500 in the aggregate (the “Marketing Fee”), which will be payable to the underwriters pursuant to that certain Business Combination Marketing Agreement (the “Business Combination Marketing Agreement”). The Marketing Fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that the Company completes a business combination, subject to the terms of the Business Combination Marketing Agreement.

Critical Accounting Policies and Significant Estimates

The preparation of unaudited condensed financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the unaudited condensed financial statements, and income and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have identified the following critical accounting policies:

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share

The Company complies with accounting and disclosure requirements of FASB ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share.” The Company has two classes of shares, which are referred to as Class A common stock and Class B common stock. Income and losses are shared pro rata between the two classes of shares. Net income (loss) per share is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. We have not considered the effect of the warrants sold in the Initial Public Offering and the private placement to purchase an aggregate of 14,075,000 shares of our Class A common stock in the calculation of diluted income (loss) per share, since their inclusion would be anti-dilutive under the treasury stock method. For the three-month period ended September 30, 2021 and the period from January 26, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, the number of weighted average shares of Class B common stock for calculating basic net income (loss) per share was reduced for the effect of an aggregate of 562,500 shares of Class B common stock that were subject to forfeiture if the over-allotment option was not exercised in full or part by the underwriters. Since the contingency was satisfied as of the beginning of the three-month period ended September 30, 2022 and nine-month period ended September 30, 2022, diluted income per share of common stock is the same as basic income per share of common stock for the period. Additionally, for the three-month period ended September 30, 2021 and the period from January 26, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, the calculation does not consider the effect of the shares subject to forfeiture as they would be anti-dilutive given the net loss position. As a result, for the three-month period ended September 30, 2021 and the period from January 26, 2021 (inception) through September 30, 2021, diluted loss per share of common stock and basic loss per share of common stock are the same for the period. Accretion associated with the redeemable Class A common stock is excluded from earnings per share as the redemption value approximates fair value.

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Warrant Liabilities

The Company does not use derivative instruments to hedge exposures to cash flow, market or foreign currency risks. The Company accounts for warrants as either equity-classified or liability-classified instruments based on an assessment of the warrant’s specific terms and applicable authoritative guidance in FASB ASC 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (“FASB ASC 480”) and FASB ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“FASB ASC 815”). The assessment considers whether the warrants are freestanding financial instruments pursuant to FASB ASC 480, meet the definition of a liability pursuant to FASB ASC 480, and whether the warrants meet all of the requirements for equity classification under FASB ASC 815, including whether the warrants are indexed to the Company’s own common stock, among other conditions for equity classification. This assessment, which requires the use of professional judgment, is conducted at the time of warrant issuance and as of each subsequent quarterly period end date while the warrants are outstanding.

The Public Warrants and the Private Placement Warrants are recognized as derivative liabilities in accordance with FASB ASC 815. Accordingly, the Company recognizes the warrant instruments as liabilities at fair value and adjusts the instruments to fair value at each reporting period until exercised. Changes in the estimated fair value of the warrants are recognized as a non-cash gain or loss on the statement of operations. Upon consummating the Initial Public Offering on November 15, 2021, the company estimated the fair value of the warrant derivative liabilities using a Binomial lattice model and subsequently measured using a Monte Carlo simulation and the Black-Scholes Option Pricing Model at period-end.

Subsequently, derivative warrant liabilities are classified as non-current as their liquidation is not reasonably expected to require the use of current assets or require the creation of current liabilities. The determination of fair value for the warrant liabilities represents a significant estimate made by management in the unaudited condensed financial statements.

Class A Common Stock Subject to Possible Redemption

The Company accounts for its shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption in accordance with the guidance in FASB ASC 480. Shares of Class A common stock subject to mandatory redemption (if any) are classified as liability instruments and are measured at fair value. Conditionally redeemable shares of common stock (including shares that feature redemption rights that are either within the control of the holder or subject to redemption upon the occurrence of uncertain events not solely within the Company’s control) are classified as temporary equity. At all other times, Class A shares of common stock are classified as shareholders’ equity. The Company’s shares of Class A common stock sold in the Initial Public Offering feature certain redemption rights that are considered to be outside of the Company’s control and subject to the occurrence of uncertain future events. Accordingly, as of September 30, 2022, 17,250,000 shares of Class A common stock subject to possible redemption are presented as temporary equity, outside of the stockholders’ deficit section of the Company’s balance sheets. The Company recognizes changes in redemption value immediately as they occur and adjusts the carrying value of redeemable common stock to equal the redemption value at the end of each reporting period. Such changes are reflected in additional paid-in capital, or in the absence of additional capital, in accumulated deficit.

JOBS Act

On April 5, 2012, the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”) was signed into law. The JOBS Act contains provisions that, among other things, relax certain reporting requirements for qualifying public companies. We qualify as an “emerging growth company” and under the JOBS Act are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We are electing to delay the adoption of new or revised accounting standards, and as a result, we may not comply with new or revised accounting standards on the relevant dates on which adoption of such standards is required for non-emerging growth companies. As a result, our financial statements may not be comparable to companies that comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements as of public company effective dates.

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As an “emerging growth company,” we are not required to, among other things, (i) provide an auditor’s attestation report on our system of internal controls over financial reporting pursuant to Section 404, (ii) provide all of the compensation disclosure that may be required of non-emerging growth public companies under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, (iii) comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements (auditor discussion and analysis), and (iv) disclose certain executive compensation related items such as the correlation between executive compensation and performance and comparisons of the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation to median employee compensation. These exemptions will apply for a period of five years following the completion of our Initial Public Offering or until we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” whichever is earlier.

We are a smaller reporting company as defined by Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act, and are not required to provide the information otherwise required under this item.

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Disclosure controls are procedures that are designed with the objective of ensuring that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed under the Exchange Act, such as this Quarterly Report, is recorded, processed, summarized, and reported within the time period specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls are also designed with the objective of ensuring that such information is accumulated and communicated to our management, including the chief executive officer and chief financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. Our management evaluated, with the participation of our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer (our “Certifying Officers”), the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of September 30, 2022, pursuant to Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our Certifying Officers concluded that, as of September 30, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective due to a material weakness related to our review controls over the financial reporting process and accounting for contingent fee arrangements.

In light of the material weakness, we have made control improvements, including enhancing the efficacy of our review processes to identify and appropriately apply applicable accounting requirements to better evaluate and understand the nuances of the complex accounting standards that apply to the treatment and reporting of contingent fee arrangements in our financial statements. Our plans at this time also include providing enhanced access to accounting literature, research materials and documents and increased communication among our management and third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding complex accounting applications, including relating to contingent fee arrangements. Furthermore, in light of this material weakness, we performed additional analysis as deemed necessary to ensure that our unaudited condensed financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP. Accordingly, management believes that the unaudited condensed financial statements included in this Quarterly Report present fairly in all material respects our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. We continue to evaluate steps to remediate the identified material weakness. These remediation measures may be time consuming and costly and there is no assurance that these initiatives will ultimately have the intended effects.

We do not expect that our disclosure controls and procedures will prevent all errors and all instances of fraud. Disclosure controls and procedures, no matter how well conceived and operated, can provide only reasonable, not absolute, assurance that the objectives of the disclosure controls and procedures are met. Further, the design of disclosure controls and procedures must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints, and the benefits must be considered relative to their costs. Because of the inherent limitations in all disclosure controls and procedures, no evaluation of disclosure controls and procedures can provide absolute assurance that we have detected all our control deficiencies and instances of fraud, if any. The design of disclosure controls and procedures also is based partly on certain assumptions about the likelihood of future events, and there can be no assurance that any design will succeed in achieving its stated goals under all potential future conditions.

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Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

This Quarterly Report does not include a report of management’s assessment regarding internal control over financial reporting or an attestation report of our independent registered public accounting firm due to a transition period established by rules of the SEC for newly public companies.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Except as noted above, there were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) of the Exchange Act) during the most recent fiscal quarter that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.

PART II. – OTHER INFORMATION

None.

Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those in this Quarterly Report are any of the risks described in the “Risk Factors” section in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 (the “2021 Form 10-K”) with the SEC on April 1, 2022. Any of these factors could result in a significant or material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition. Additional risk factors not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business or results of operations. As of the date of this Quarterly Report, there have been no material changes to the risk factors disclosed in the 2021 Form 10-K, except for the below risk factor.

Changes in laws or regulations, or a failure to comply with any laws and regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.

We are subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments. In particular, we are required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements. Compliance with, and monitoring of, applicable laws and regulations may be difficult, time consuming and costly. Those laws and regulations and their interpretation and application may also change from time to time and those changes, or our failure to comply with such applicable laws and regulations as interpreted and applied, could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.

On March 30, 2022, the SEC issued proposed rules relating to, among other items, enhancing disclosures in business combination transactions involving SPACs and private operating companies and increasing the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions. These rules, if adopted, whether in the form proposed or in revised form, may materially increase the costs and time required to negotiate and complete an initial business combination and could potentially impair our ability to complete an initial business combination.

On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases (including redemptions) of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased, and thus could cause a reduction in the value of our Class A common stock. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax. Any share redemption or other share repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a business combination, the exercise of a redemption right, the liquidation of our company, or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent we would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a business combination, the exercise of a redemption right, the liquidation of our company, or otherwise will depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the business combination or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a business combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any “PIPE” or other equity issuances in connection with a business combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a business combination but issued within the same taxable year of a business combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by us and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a business combination and in our ability to complete a business combination. Further, the application of the excise tax in the event of a liquidation is uncertain.

On November 15, 2021, we consummated the Initial Public Offering of 17,250,000 units (including 2,250,000 units issued upon exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units), at $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $172,500,000. Each unit consisted of one Public Share and one Public Warrant. Each Public Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at an exercise price of $11.50 per whole share.

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Cowen and Company, LLC and Intrepid Partners, LLC served as underwriters for the Initial Public Offering. The securities sold in the Initial Public Offering were registered under the Securities Act on a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-254532).

The SEC declared the registration statement effective on November 9, 2021.

Simultaneous with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the Private Placement of an aggregate of 5,450,000 Private Placement Warrants (including 450,000 Private Placement Warrants issued in connection with the exercise in full by the underwriters of their option to purchase additional units) to the Initial Stockholders at a price of $1.00 per Private Placement Warrant, generating gross proceeds of $5,450,000. The issuance was made pursuant to the exemption from registration contained in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act. Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we also issued the Initial Stockholder Loan Notes to the Initial Stockholders, generating aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $3,450,000. The Initial Stockholder Loan Notes shall be repaid in cash or converted into Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants at a purchase price of $1.00 per warrant, at each such lender’s sole direction. The Initial Stockholder Loan Warrants will be identical to the Private Placement Warrants. Each Private Placement Warrant is exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share.

From January 26, 2021 (inception) through the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we incurred approximately $8.1 million for costs and expenses related to the Initial Public Offering, including the Marketing Fee. In connection with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we paid a total of approximately $3.5 million in underwriting discounts and commissions. In addition, the Marketing Fee of $0.35 per unit, or approximately $6.0 million in the aggregate, will be payable to the underwriters pursuant to the Business Combination Marketing Agreement. The Marketing Fee will become payable to the underwriters from the amounts held in the trust account solely in the event that the Company completes a business combination, subject to the terms of the Business Combination Marketing Agreement.

In connection with the Initial Public Offering, we incurred offering costs of approximately $8.1 million, inclusive of the Marketing Fee. Other incurred offering costs consisted principally of preparation fees related to the Initial Public Offering. After deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions (excluding the Marketing Fee, which amount will be payable upon consummation of a business combination) and the Initial Public Offering expenses, $175.95 million of the net proceeds from our Initial Public Offering, the Private Placement and the Initial Stockholder Loan Notes (or $10.20 per unit sold in the Initial Public Offering) was placed in the trust account. The net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and certain proceeds from the Private Placement are held in the trust account and invested as described elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

There has been no material change in the planned use of proceeds from the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement as is described in our final prospectus related to the Initial Public Offering, filed with the SEC on November 12, 2021.

None.

Not applicable.

None.

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The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

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