dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. - Annual Report: 2022 (Form 10-K)
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☒ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
Massachusetts |
88-0748933 | |
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | |
1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100 Las Vegas , Nevada |
89144 | |
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) |
(Zip Code) |
Title of each class |
Trading Symbol(s) |
Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Units, each consisting of one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and one-half of one redeemable warrant |
DMYY.U |
NYSE American | ||
Class A Common Stock, par value $0.0001 per share |
DMYY |
NYSE American | ||
Redeemable Warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one share of Class A Common Stock at an exercise price of $11.50 |
DMYY.WS |
NYSE American |
Large accelerated filer | ☐ | Accelerated filer | ☐ | |||
Non-accelerated filer |
☒ | Smaller reporting company | ☒ | |||
Emerging growth company | ☒ |
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
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Item 1. |
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Item 1A. |
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Item 1B. |
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Item 2. |
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Item 3. |
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Item 4. |
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Item 5. |
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Item 6. |
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Item 7. |
Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations |
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Item 7A. |
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Item 8. |
45 | |||||
Item 9. |
Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure |
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Item 9A. |
45 | |||||
Item 9B. |
45 | |||||
Item 9C. |
Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections |
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Item 10. |
46 | |||||
Item 11. |
52 | |||||
Item 12. |
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Shareholder Matters |
53 | ||||
Item 13. |
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence |
54 | ||||
Item 14. |
55 | |||||
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Item 15. |
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Item 16. |
56 |
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
Some of the statements contained in this annual report on Form 10-K (this “Form 10-K”) may constitute “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the federal securities laws. Our forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our or our management team’s expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. In addition, any statements that refer to projections, forecasts or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “would” and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.
The forward-looking statements contained in this Form 10-K are based on our current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on us. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be those that we have anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond our control) or other assumptions that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following risks, uncertainties and other factors:
• | our being a company with no operating history and no revenues; |
• | our ability to select an appropriate target business or businesses; |
• | our ability to complete our initial business combination; |
• | our expectations around the performance of the prospective target business or businesses; |
• | our success in retaining or recruiting, or changes required in, our officers, key employees or directors following our initial business combination; |
• | our officers and directors allocating their time to other businesses and potentially having conflicts of interest with our business or in approving our initial business combination; |
• | our potential ability to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination; |
• | our pool of prospective target businesses; |
• | our ability to consummate an initial business combination due to the uncertainty resulting from the recent COVID-19 pandemic; |
• | the ability of our officers and directors to generate a number of potential business combination opportunities; |
• | our public securities’ potential liquidity and trading; |
• | the lack of a market for our securities; |
• | the use of proceeds not held in the trust account or available to us from interest income on the trust account balance; |
• | the trust account not being subject to claims of third parties; |
• | changes to the regulatory, legal and tax environment; |
• | our financial performance; and |
• | the other risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering. |
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.
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PART I
References in this Annual Report to “we,” “us” or the “Company” refer to dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. References to our “management” or our “management team” refer to our officers and directors, and references to our “sponsor” refer to dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
ITEM 1. BUSINESS.
Introduction
We are a blank check company whose business purpose is to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses, which we refer to as our “initial business combination.” We have not selected any potential business combination target. While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any industry or sector, we are focused on identifying a business combination target within the professional service industry that provide accounting, legal, financial, advisory or other services to public companies or private companies that are in the process of becoming public companies with enterprise valuations in the range of $500 million to $2 billion. We intend to specifically focus on companies that have strong, consistent revenue growth and cash flow. We have reviewed, and continue to review, a number of opportunities to enter into a business combination, but we are not able to determine at this time whether we will complete a business combination with any of the target businesses that we have reviewed or with any other target business. We also have neither engaged in any operations nor generated any revenue to date. Based on our business activities, the Company is a “shell company” as defined under the Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) because we have no operations and nominal assets consisting almost entirely of cash.
On October 4, 2022, we consummated our initial public offering (the “initial public offering” or the “offering”) of 6,000,000 units (the “units”) pursuant to the Company’s registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-267381). Each unit consists of one share of Class A common stock of the Company, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class A Shares”) and one-half of one redeemable warrant of the Company (each, a “warrant”), each whole warrant entitling the holder thereof to purchase one Class A Share for $11.50 per share. The units were sold at a price of $10.00 per unit, generating net proceeds to the Company of $59,135,000 (after giving effect to the reimbursement of certain of the Company’s expenses and the upfront portion of the underwriter’s discount, equal to $0.14 per unit).
In connection with the initial public offering, the underwriter was granted an option to purchase up to an additional 900,000 units to cover over-allotments, if any. On October 7, 2022, the underwriter exercised its over-allotment option in part, and on October 11, 2022, the underwriter purchased 319,000 units (the “over-allotment units”) at an offering price of $10.00 per over-allotment unit, generating net proceeds to the Company of $3,145,340 (after giving effect to the underwriter’s discount, equal to $0.14 per over-allotment unit).
Simultaneously with the consummation of the initial public offering, we completed the private sale (the “initial private placement”) of an aggregate of 2,840,000 warrants (the “initial private placement warrants”) to our sponsor at a purchase price of $1.00 per private placement warrant, generating gross proceeds of $2,840,000. On October 11, 2022, simultaneously with the sale of the underwriters’ over-allotment units, the Company completed a further private placement (the “additional private placement” and, together with the initial private placement, the “private placement”) with our sponsor for an additional 44,660 warrants (the “additional private placement warrants” and, together with the initial private placement warrants, the “private placement warrants”) at a price of $1.00 per additional private placement warrant, generating proceeds to the Company of $44,660.
Substantially concurrently with the closing of the initial public offering, our sponsor extended an overfunding loan to the Company in an aggregate amount of $900,000, equal to $0.15 per unit, generating proceeds to the Company of $900,000. On October 11, 2022, simultaneously with the sale of the over-allotment units, our sponsor extended a further overfunding loan to the Company in an aggregate amount of $47,850, equal to $0.15 per over-allotment unit (the “additional overfunding loan”), generating proceeds to the Company of $47,850. As a result, the Company entered into a Promissory Note, dated October 11, 2022, issued to our sponsor, a form of which was previously filed as exhibit to the Registration Statement.
On March 16, 2022, our sponsor purchased an aggregate 2,875,000 founder shares for a total price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On September 8, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us 718,750 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 2,156,250 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.012. On September 29, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us an additional 431,250 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 1,725,000 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.015. Mr. You, the manager of our sponsor, has voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held by the sponsor. Our sponsor intends to transfer 25,000 founder shares to each of Darla Anderson, Francesca Luthi, Charles Wert and Constance Weaver, our director nominees, upon the completion of our initial business combination, resulting in our sponsor holding at that time 1,479,750 founder shares (taking into account the 145,250 shares forfeited upon the underwriter’s exercise of its over- allotment option). Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by the sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The per share price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued.
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In addition, on October 11, 2022, further to the underwriter’s partial exercise of the over-allotment option and forfeiture of the remaining amount, our sponsor forfeited 145,250 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of the Company that our sponsor purchased pursuant to a securities subscription agreement dated March 3, 2022 by and between the Company and our sponsor (as amended by a subscriber forfeiture and amendment No. 1 to the securities subscription agreement dated September 8, 2022 and a subscriber forfeiture and amendment No. 2 to the securities subscription agreement dated September 29, 2022), resulting in an aggregate of 1,579,750 shares of Class B common stock outstanding.
A total of $64,137,850 of the net proceeds from the initial public offering (including the underwriter’ over-allotment units), the sale of the private placement warrants with our sponsor (including the additional private placement warrants) and the overfunding loans from our sponsor (including the additional overfunding loan) was placed in a U.S.-based trust account (the “trust account”) at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. maintained by Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, acting as trustee.
The funds held in the trust account are invested only in U.S. “government securities” within the meaning of Section 2(a)(16) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (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, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a business combination and (ii) the distribution of the assets held in the trust account.
As of December 31, 2022, there was $64,703,943 in investments held in the trust account. As of December 31, 2022, we have not withdrawn any interest earned from the trust account to pay taxes.
Effecting Our Initial Business Combination
General
We are not presently engaged in, and we will not engage in, any operations for an indefinite period of time. We intend to effectuate our initial business combination using investments held in the trust account, the proceeds of the sale of our shares in connection with our initial business combination (including pursuant to forward purchase agreements or backstop agreements we may enter into), 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. We intend to specifically focus on companies that have strong, consistent revenue growth and cash flow.
If our initial business combination is paid for using equity or debt securities, or not all of the funds released from the trust account are used for payment of the consideration in connection with our initial business combination or used for redemptions of our Class A common stock, we may apply the balance of the cash released to us from the trust account for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction company, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, to fund the purchase of other companies or for working capital.
Selection of a Target Business and Structuring of Our Initial Business Combination
While we may pursue an acquisition opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to focus on companies within the professional service industry that provide accounting, legal, financial, advisory or other services to public companies or private companies that are in the process of becoming public companies with enterprise valuations in the range of $500 million to $2 billion. We intend to specifically focus on companies that have strong, consistent revenue growth and cash flow.
NYSE American rules require that we must consummate an initial business combination with one or more operating businesses or assets with a fair market value equal to at least 80% of the net assets held in the trust account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes, if permitted, and excluding the amount of any deferred underwriting commissions). Our board of directors will make the determination as to the fair market value of our initial business combination. If our board of directors is not able to independently determine the fair market value of our initial business combination, we will obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) or a valuation or appraisal firm with respect to the satisfaction of such criteria. While we consider it unlikely that our board of directors will not be able to make an independent determination of the fair market value of our initial business combination, it may be unable to do so if it is less familiar or experienced with the business of a particular target or if there is a significant amount of uncertainty as to the value of the target’s assets or prospects.
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We anticipate structuring our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own or acquire 100% of the equity interests or assets of the target business or businesses. We may, however, structure our initial business combination such that the post-transaction company owns or acquires less than 100% of such interests or assets of the target business in order to meet certain objectives of the target management team or shareholders or for other reasons, but we will only complete such business combination if the post- transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. Even if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post-transaction company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination transaction. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% controlling interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares, our shareholders immediately prior to our initial business combination could own less than a majority of our outstanding shares subsequent to our initial business combination. If less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business or businesses are owned or acquired by the post-transaction company, the portion of such business or businesses that is owned or acquired is what will be taken into account for purposes of the 80% of net assets test described above. If the business combination involves more than one target business, the 80% of net assets test will be based on the aggregate value of all of the target businesses.
In evaluating a prospective target business, we expect to conduct a due diligence review which may encompass, among other things, meetings with incumbent management and employees, document reviews, interviews of customers and suppliers, inspections of facilities, as well as reviewing financial and other information which will be made available to us. The time required to select and evaluate a target business and to structure and complete our initial business combination, and the costs associated with this process, are not currently ascertainable with any degree of certainty. Any costs incurred with respect to the identification and evaluation of a prospective target business with which our initial business combination is not ultimately completed will result in our incurring losses and will reduce the funds we can use to complete another business combination.
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a company that is affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, executive officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete an initial business combination with a target that is affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm stating that such an initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view.
Redemption Rights for Holders of Public Shares upon Consummation of the Initial Business Combination
We are providing our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their shares of Class A common stock upon the completion of our initial business combination at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the trust account as of two business days prior to the consummation of the initial business combination, including interest (which interest shall be net of taxes payable), divided by the number of then outstanding public shares, subject to the limitations described herein. The amount in the trust account as of December 31, 2022 is approximately $10.15 per public share. The per-share amount we will distribute to investors who properly redeem their shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions that we will pay to the underwriter. Our sponsor and the Company’s officers and the other holders of founder shares immediately prior to our initial public offering (the “initial shareholders”) have entered into a letter agreement with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares they may hold in connection with the completion of the initial business combination. The founder shares will be excluded from the pro rata calculation used to determine the per-share redemption price. Our initial shareholders have also agreed to waive their right to a conversion price adjustment with respect to any shares of our common stock they may hold in connection with the consummation of an initial business combination.
Conduct of Redemptions Pursuant to Tender Offer Rules
If we conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), we will, pursuant to our amended and restated articles of organization: (a) conduct the redemptions pursuant to Rule 13e-4 and Regulation 14E of the Exchange Act, which regulate issuer tender offers; and (b) file tender offer documents with the SEC prior to completing our initial business combination which contain substantially the same financial and other information about the initial business combination and the redemption rights as is required under Regulation 14A of the Exchange Act, which regulates the solicitation of proxies.
Submission of Our Initial Business Combination to a Shareholder Vote
In the event that we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, we will distribute proxy materials and, in connection therewith, provide our public shareholders with the redemption rights described above upon completion of the business combination.
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If we seek shareholder approval, we will complete our initial business combination only if a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock voted are voted in favor of the initial business combination. A quorum for such meeting will consist of the holders present in person or by proxy of shares of outstanding capital stock of the Company representing a majority of the voting power of all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting. Our initial shareholders will count towards this quorum and, pursuant to the letter agreement, our sponsor, officers and directors have agreed to vote any founder shares they hold and any public shares purchased during or after our initial public offering (including in open market and privately-negotiated transactions) in favor of our initial business combination. For purposes of seeking approval of the majority of our outstanding shares of common stock voted, non-votes will have no effect on the approval of our initial business combination once a quorum is obtained. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need only 2,369,626, or 37.5%, of the 6,319,000 public shares sold in our initial public offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). These quorum and voting thresholds, and the voting agreements of our initial shareholders, may make it more likely that we will consummate our initial business combination. Each public shareholder may elect to redeem its public shares irrespective of whether they vote for or against the proposed transaction or whether they were a shareholder on the record date for the shareholder meeting held to approve the proposed transaction.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE American rules. However, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds held in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions. If they engage in such transactions, they will be restricted from making any such purchases when they are in possession of any material nonpublic information not disclosed to the seller or if such purchases are prohibited by Regulation M under the Exchange Act. We do not currently anticipate that such purchases, if any, would constitute a tender offer subject to the tender offer rules under the Exchange Act or a going-private transaction subject to the going-private rules under the Exchange Act; however, if the purchasers determine at the time of any such purchases that the purchases are subject to such rules, the purchasers will comply with such rules. We expect any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements.
The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A common stock or warrants may be reduced and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, which may make it difficult to maintain or obtain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange.
Limitation on Redemption upon Completion of Our Initial Business Combination if We Seek Shareholder Approval
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated articles of organization provides that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of our public shares without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares,” without our prior consent. We believe this restriction will discourage shareholders from accumulating large blocks of shares, and subsequent attempts by such holders to use their ability to exercise their redemption rights against a proposed business combination as a means to force us or our management to purchase their shares at a significant premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. Absent this provision, a public shareholder holding more than an aggregate of 15% of our public shares could threaten to exercise its redemption rights if such holder’s shares are not purchased by us, our sponsor or our management at a premium to the then-current market price or on other undesirable terms. By limiting our shareholders’ ability to redeem no more than 15% of our public shares without our prior consent, we believe we will limit the ability of a small group of shareholders to unreasonably attempt to block our ability to complete our initial business combination, particularly in connection with a business combination with a target that requires as a closing condition that we have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination.
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Redemption of Public Shares and Liquidation if no Initial Business Combination
Our amended and restated articles of organization provides that we will have only 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of the offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination) from the closing of our initial public offering to complete our initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 15 months, we may, but are not obligated to, by resolution of our board if requested by our sponsor, extend the period of time to consummate an initial business combination once by an additional three months (for a total of 21 months to complete an initial business combination), subject to our sponsor depositing additional funds into the trust account as set out below. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination within such 15-month period (or 21-month period, as applicable) from the closing of our initial public offering or during any extended period of time that we may have to consummate an initial business combination as a result of an amendment to our amended and restated articles of organization (an “Extension Period”), 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 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 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 shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 15-month period (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three- month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension, as described in more detail in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering).
Competition
In identifying, evaluating and selecting a target business for our initial business combination, we may encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including other special purpose acquisition companies, private equity groups and leveraged buyout funds, public companies and operating businesses seeking strategic acquisitions. Many of these entities are well established and have extensive experience identifying and effecting business combinations directly or through affiliates. Moreover, many of these competitors possess greater financial, technical, human and other resources than us. Our ability to acquire larger target businesses will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of a target business. Furthermore, our obligation to pay cash in connection with our public shareholders who exercise their redemption rights may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination and our outstanding warrants, and the future dilution they potentially represent, may not be viewed favorably by certain target businesses. Either of these factors may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating an initial business combination.
Employees
We currently have one executive officer: Niccolo de Masi. Harry You, previously a Co-Chief Executive Officer with Niccolo de Masi, resigned on March 15, 2023, leaving Niccolo de Masi as the sole Chief Executive Officer. Mr. de Masi is not obligated to devote any specific number of hours to our matters but he intends to devote as much of their time as he deems necessary to our affairs until we have completed our initial business combination. The amount of time he will devote in any time period will vary based on whether a target business has been selected for our initial business combination and the stage of the business combination process we are in. We do not intend to have any full time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination.
Available Information
We are required to file Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q with the SEC on a regular basis, and are required to disclose certain material events in a Current Report on Form 8-K. The SEC maintains an Internet website that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC. The SEC’s Internet website is located at www.sec.gov. In addition, the Company will provide copies of these documents without charge upon request from us in writing at [1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 or by telephone at (669) 244-9698].
Item 1A. Risk Factors.
An investment in our securities involves a high degree of risk. You should consider carefully all of the risks described below, together with the other information contained in this Form 10-K, before making a decision to invest in our units. If any of the following events occur, our business, financial condition and operating results may be materially adversely affected. In that event, the trading price of our securities could decline, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
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Risks Relating to our Search for, Consummation of, or Inability to Consummate, a Business
Combination and Post-Business Combination Risks
Our shareholders may not be afforded an opportunity to vote on our proposed initial business combination, and even if we hold a vote, holders of our founder shares will participate in such vote, which means we may complete our initial business combination even though a majority of our public shareholders do not support such a combination.
We may choose not to hold a shareholder vote to approve our initial business combination if the business combination would not require shareholder approval under applicable law or stock exchange listing requirement. Except for as required by applicable law or stock exchange requirement, the decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a proposed business combination or will allow shareholders to sell their shares to us in a tender offer will be made by us, solely in our discretion, and will be based on a variety of factors, such as the timing of the transaction and whether the terms of the transaction would otherwise require us to seek shareholder approval. Even if we seek shareholder approval, the holders of our founder shares will participate in the vote on such approval. Accordingly, we may complete our initial business combination even if a majority of our public shareholders do not approve of the business combination we complete.
Your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding a potential business combination may be limited to the exercise of your right to redeem your shares from us for cash.
At the time of your investment in us, you will not be provided with an opportunity to evaluate the specific merits or risks of our initial business combination. Since our board of directors may complete a business combination without seeking shareholder approval, public shareholders may not have the right or opportunity to vote on the business combination, unless we seek such shareholder vote. Accordingly, your only opportunity to affect the investment decision regarding our initial business combination may be limited to exercising your redemption rights within the period of time (which will be at least 20 business days) set forth in our tender offer documents mailed to our public shareholders in which we describe our initial business combination.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our initial shareholders and management team have agreed to vote in favor of such initial business combination, regardless of how our public shareholders vote.
Our initial shareholders own 20% of our outstanding common stock immediately following the completion of the initial public offering. Our initial shareholders and management team also may from time to time purchase Class A common stock prior to our initial business combination. Our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that, if we seek shareholder approval of an initial business combination, such initial business combination will be approved if we receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares voted at such meeting, including the founder shares. As a result, in addition to our initial shareholders’ founder shares, we would need 2,250,001, or 37.5%, of the 6,000,000 public shares sold in the initial public offering to be voted in favor of an initial business combination in order to have our initial business combination approved (assuming all outstanding shares are voted and the over-allotment option is not exercised). Accordingly, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, the agreement by our initial shareholders and management team to vote in favor of our initial business combination will increase the likelihood that we will receive the requisite shareholder approval for such initial business combination.
The ability of our public shareholders to redeem their shares for cash may make our financial condition unattractive to potential business combination targets, which may make it difficult for us to enter into a business combination with a target.
We may seek to enter into a business combination transaction agreement with minimum cash requirement for (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. If too many public shareholders exercise their redemption rights, we would not be able to meet such closing condition and, as a result, would not be able to proceed with the business combination. Furthermore, in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. Consequently, if accepting all properly submitted redemption requests would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001 or make us unable to satisfy a minimum cash condition as described above, we would not proceed with such redemption and the related business combination and may instead search for an alternate business combination. Prospective targets will be aware of these risks and, thus, may be reluctant to enter into a business combination transaction with us.
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The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares may not allow us to complete the most desirable business combination or optimize our capital structure.
At the time we enter into an agreement for our initial business combination, we will not know how many shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, and therefore will need to structure the transaction based on our expectations as to the number of shares that will be submitted for redemption. If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, we will need to reserve a portion of the cash in the trust account to meet such requirements, or arrange for third-party financing. In addition, if a larger number of shares is submitted for redemption than we initially expected, we may need to restructure the transaction to reserve a greater portion of the cash in the trust account or arrange for third-party financing. Raising additional third-party financing may involve dilutive equity issuances or the incurrence of indebtedness at higher than desirable levels. Furthermore, this dilution would increase to the extent that the anti-dilution provision of the Class B common stock results in the issues of shares of Class A common stock on a greater than one-to-one basis upon conversion of the shares of Class B common stock at the time of our initial business combination. In addition, the amount of the deferred underwriting commissions payable to the underwriter will not be adjusted for any shares that are redeemed in connection with an initial business combination. The per share amount we will distribute to shareholders who properly exercise their redemption rights will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commission and after such redemptions, the amount held in trust will continue to reflect our obligation to pay the entire deferred underwriting commissions. The above considerations may limit our ability to complete the most desirable business combination available to us or optimize our capital structure.
The ability of our public shareholders to exercise redemption rights with respect to a large number of our shares could increase the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful and that you would have to wait for liquidation in order to redeem your shares.
If our initial business combination agreement requires us to use a portion of the cash in the trust account to pay the purchase price, or requires us to have a minimum amount of cash at closing, the probability that our initial business combination would be unsuccessful is increased. If our initial business combination is unsuccessful, you would not receive your pro rata portion of the trust account until we liquidate the trust account. If you are in need of immediate liquidity, you could attempt to sell your shares in the open market; however, at such time our shares may trade at a discount to the pro rata amount per share in the trust account. In either situation, you may suffer a material loss on your investment or lose the benefit of funds expected in connection with your exercise of redemption rights until we liquidate or you are able to sell your shares in the open market.
The requirement that we complete our initial business combination within 15 months after the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination) or during any Extension Period, may give potential target businesses leverage over us in negotiating a business combination and may limit the time we have in which to conduct due diligence on potential business combination targets, in particular as we approach our dissolution deadline, which could undermine our ability to complete our initial business combination on terms that would produce value for our shareholders.
Any potential target business with which we enter into negotiations concerning a business combination will be aware that we must complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period. Consequently, such target business may obtain leverage over us in negotiating a business combination, knowing that if we do not complete our initial business combination with that particular target business, we may be unable to complete our initial business combination with any target business. This risk will increase as we get closer to the timeframe described above. In addition, we may have limited time to conduct due diligence and may enter into our initial business combination on terms that we would have rejected upon a more comprehensive investigation.
Our search for a business combination, and any target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and the status of debt and equity markets.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus surfaced, which has and is continuing to spread throughout the world, including the United States. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19, and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a “pandemic.” The COVID-19 outbreak has and a significant outbreak of other infectious diseases could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, and the business of any potential target business with which we consummate a business combination could be materially and adversely affected. Furthermore, we may be unable to complete a business combination if continued concerns relating to COVID-19 continues to restrict travel, limit the ability to have meetings with potential investors or the target company’s personnel, vendors and services providers are unavailable to negotiate and consummate a transaction in a timely manner. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our search for a business combination will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19, the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, the discovery of potential new strains of COVID-19 and the logistics of vaccine distribution, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our ability to consummate a business combination, or the operations of a target business with which we ultimately consummate a business combination, may be materially adversely affected.
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In addition, our ability to consummate a transaction may be dependent on the ability to raise equity and debt financing which may be impacted by COVID-19 and other events, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity in third-party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all.
We may not be able to complete our initial business combination within 15 months after the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of the offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination) or during any Extension Period, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate.
We may not be able to find a suitable target business and complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period. Our ability to complete our initial business combination may be negatively impacted by general market conditions, volatility in the capital and debt markets and the other risks described herein. For example, the outbreak of COVID-19 continues to grow both in the U.S. and globally and, while the extent of the impact of the outbreak on us will depend on future developments, it could limit our ability to complete our initial business combination, including as a result of increased market volatility, decreased market liquidity and third- party financing being unavailable on terms acceptable to us or at all. Additionally, the outbreak of COVID-19 may negatively impact businesses we may seek to acquire. If we have not completed our initial business combination within such time period, 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 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 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 shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case, to our obligations under Massachusetts law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
Our independent registered public accounting firm’s report contains an explanatory paragraph that expresses substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a “going concern.”
We may not have sufficient liquidity to meet our anticipated obligations over the next year from the issuance of these financial statements. In connection with our assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with FASB ASC 205-40, “Basis of Presentation – Going Concern,” we have until January 4, 2024 (or up to July 4, 2024, if extended) to consummate a business combination. It is uncertain that we will be able to consummate a business combination by this time. If a business combination is not consummated by this date, there will be a mandatory liquidation and subsequent dissolution of the Company. Management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a business combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. No adjustments have been made to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities should the Company be required to liquidate after January 4, 2024 (or up to July 4, 2024, if extended).
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates may elect to purchase shares or public warrants from public shareholders, which may influence a vote on a proposed business combination and reduce the public “float” of our Class A common stock.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase shares or public warrants in privately negotiated transactions or in the open market either prior to or following the completion of our initial business combination, although they are under no obligation to do so. There is no limit on the number of shares our initial shareholders, directors, officers, advisors or their affiliates may purchase in such transactions, subject to compliance with applicable law and the NYSE American rules. However, other than as expressly stated herein, they have no current commitments, plans or intentions to engage in such transactions and have not formulated any terms or conditions for any such transactions. None of the funds in the trust account will be used to purchase shares or public warrants in such transactions. Such purchases may include a contractual acknowledgment that such shareholder, although still the record holder of our shares, is no longer the beneficial owner thereof and therefore agrees not to exercise its redemption rights.
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In the event that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors or their affiliates purchase shares in privately negotiated transactions from public shareholders who have already elected to exercise their redemption rights, such selling shareholders would be required to revoke their prior elections to redeem their shares. The purpose of any such purchases of shares could be to vote such shares in favor of the business combination and thereby increase the likelihood of obtaining shareholder approval of the business combination or to satisfy a closing condition in an agreement with a target that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash at the closing of our initial business combination, where it appears that such requirement would otherwise not be met. The purpose of any such purchases of public warrants could be to reduce the number of public warrants outstanding or to vote such warrants on any matters submitted to the warrant holders for approval in connection with our initial business combination. Any such purchases of our securities may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible. We expect any such purchases will be reported pursuant to Section 13 and Section 16 of the Exchange Act to the extent such purchasers are subject to such reporting requirements. See “Proposed Business—Initial Business Combination—Permitted purchases of our securities” for a description of how our sponsor, directors, executive officers, advisors or any of their affiliates will select which shareholders to purchase securities from in any private transaction.
In addition, if such purchases are made, the public “float” of our Class A common stock or public warrants and the number of beneficial holders of our securities may be reduced, possibly making it difficult to obtain or maintain the quotation, listing or trading of our securities on a national securities exchange. However, in the event our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates were to purchase shares or warrants from public shareholders, such purchases would by structured in compliance with the requirements of Rule 14e-5 under the Exchange Act including, in pertinent part, through adherence to the following:
• | the registration statement on Form S-4 or F-4, as applicable, and the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination would disclose the possibility that our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates will purchase public shares from public shareholders outside the redemption process described in the prospectus dated September 29, 2022 filed in connection with our initial public offering), along with the purpose of such purchases; |
• | our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates will purchase public shares from public shareholders outside the redemption process at a price no higher than the price offered through the redemption process; |
• | the registration statement on Form S-4 or F-4, as applicable, and the proxy statement filed in connection with our initial business combination would include a representation that any of the public shares purchased by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates from public shareholders outside the redemption process would not be voted in favor of approving our initial business combination; |
• | our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates do not possess any redemption rights with respect to the public shares or, if they possess such redemption rights, they have entered into a letter agreement pursuant to which they have waived such rights; and |
• | we will disclose in the Form 8-K to be filed prior to the holding of our shareholder meeting to approve the initial business combination the following material items: |
a. | the number of the public hares purchased by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates from public shareholders outside the redemption process, along with the purchase price for such public shares; |
b. | the purpose of the purchases of such public shares by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates; |
c. | the impact, if any, of the purchases of such public hares by our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates on the likelihood that the initial business combination will be approved and consummated; |
d. | the identity of the selling shareholders who sold such public shares to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates (if not purchased on the open market) or the nature of the selling shareholders (e.g., 5% security holders) who sold such public shares to our sponsor, initial shareholders, directors, executive officers, advisors and their affiliates; and |
e. | the number of public shares for which we have received redemption requests pursuant to our redemption offer. |
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Our sponsor may decide not to extend the term we have to consummate our initial business combination, in which case we would cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up and we would redeem our public shares and liquidate, and the warrants will be worthless.
We will have 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering to consummate our initial business combination. However, if we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate our initial business combination within 15 months, we may, by resolution of our board of directors if requested by our sponsor, extend the period of time to consummate a business combination up to two times, each by an additional three-month period; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension (for a total of up to 21 months to complete a business combination), subject to our sponsor or its affiliates or designees depositing additional funds into the trust account as set out below. Our shareholders will not be entitled to vote or redeem their shares in connection with any such extension. However, our shareholders will be entitled to vote and redeem their shares in connection with a general meeting held to approve an initial business combination or in a tender offer undertaken in connection with an initial business combination if we propose such a business combination during any extension period. In order for the time available for us to consummate our initial business combination to be extended beyond 15 months, our sponsor or its affiliates or designees must deposit in the trust account an amount of $0.10 per share of Class A common stock, or $631,900 for each three-month extension, on or prior to the date of the applicable deadline. Any such payments would be made in the form of a non-interest bearing loan. In the event that we receive notice from our sponsor five days prior to the deadline of its wish for us to effect an extension, we intend to issue a press release announcing such intention at least three days prior to the deadline. Any such payments would be made in the form of non-interest bearing extension loans. Such extension loans may be converted into warrants upon the consummation of our initial business combination, at a price of $1.00 per warrant, at the option of our sponsor. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. If we complete our initial business combination, and our sponsor decides not to convert the loan into warrants, we would repay such loaned amounts out of the proceeds of the trust account released to us. If we do not complete a business combination, we will not repay such loans. Any such extension loans would be in addition to the overfunding loans and any working capital loans made to us. Furthermore, the letter agreement with our initial shareholders contains a provision pursuant to which our sponsor has agreed to waive its right to be repaid for such loans in the event that we do not complete a business combination. Our sponsor and its affiliates or designees are not obligated to fund the trust account to extend the time for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are unable to consummate our initial business combination within the applicable time period, 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 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 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 shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of our remaining shareholders and our board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject in each case to our obligations under Massachusetts law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to our warrants, which will expire worthless if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the 15-month time period or during any Extension Period.
If a shareholder fails to receive notice of our offer to redeem our public shares in connection with our initial business combination, or fails to comply with the procedures for tendering its shares, such shares may not be redeemed.
We will comply with the proxy rules or tender offer rules, as applicable, when conducting redemptions in connection with our initial business combination. Despite our compliance with these rules, if a shareholder fails to receive our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, such shareholder may not become aware of the opportunity to redeem its shares. In addition, proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, that we will furnish to holders of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination will describe the various procedures that must be complied with in order to validly tender or submit public shares for redemption. For example, we intend to require our public shareholders seeking to exercise their redemption rights, whether they are record holders or hold their shares in “street name,” to, at the holder’s option, either deliver their stock certificates to our transfer agent, or to deliver their shares to our transfer agent electronically prior to the date set forth in the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable. In the case of proxy materials, this date may be up to two business days prior to the date on which the vote on the proposal to approve the initial business combination is to be held. In addition, if we conduct redemptions in connection with a shareholder vote, we intend to require a public shareholder seeking redemption of its public shares to also submit a written request for redemption to our transfer agent two business days prior to the vote in which the name of the beneficial owner of such shares is included. In the event that a shareholder fails to comply with these or any other procedures disclosed in the proxy or tender offer materials, as applicable, its shares may not be redeemed.
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You will not have any rights or interests in funds from the trust account, except under certain limited circumstances. Therefore, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
Our public shareholders will be entitled to receive funds from the trust account only upon the earlier to occur of: (i) our completion of an initial business combination, and then only in connection with those shares of Class A common stock that such shareholder properly elected to redeem, subject to the limitations described herein, (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated articles of organization to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period, or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, and (iii) the redemption of our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period, subject to applicable law and as further described herein. In addition, if our plan to redeem our public shares if we are unable to complete an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three- month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period is not completed for any reason, compliance with Massachusetts law may require that we submit a plan of dissolution to our then-existing shareholders for approval prior to the distribution of the proceeds held in our trust account. In that case, public shareholders may be forced to wait beyond 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period before they receive funds from our trust account. In no other circumstances will a public shareholder have any right or interest of any kind in the trust account. Holders of warrants will not have any right to the proceeds held in the trust account with respect to the warrants. Accordingly, to liquidate your investment, you may be forced to sell your public shares or warrants, potentially at a loss.
You will not be entitled to protections normally afforded to investors of many other blank check companies.
Since the net proceeds of our initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans are intended to be used to complete an initial business combination with a target business that has not been selected, we may be deemed to be a “blank check” company under the United States securities laws. However, because we will have net tangible assets in excess of $5,000,000 upon the completion of our initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans, and will file a Current Report on Form 8-K, including an audited balance sheet demonstrating this fact, we are exempt from rules promulgated by the SEC to protect investors in blank check companies, such as Rule 419. Accordingly, investors will not be afforded the benefits or protections of those rules. Among other things, this means our units will be immediately tradable and we will have a longer period of time to complete our initial business combination than do companies subject to Rule 419. Moreover, if our initial public offering were subject to Rule 419, that rule would prohibit the release of any interest earned on funds held in the trust account to us unless and until the funds in the trust account were released to us in connection with our completion of an initial business combination.
Because of our limited resources and the significant competition for business combination opportunities, it may be more difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We expect to encounter competition from other entities having a business objective similar to ours, including private investors (which may be individuals or investment partnerships), other blank check companies and other entities, domestic and international, competing for the types of businesses we intend to acquire. Many of these individuals and entities are well-established and have extensive experience in identifying and effecting, directly or indirectly, acquisitions of companies operating in or providing services to various industries. Many of these competitors possess similar or greater technical, human and other resources to ours or more local industry knowledge than we do and our financial resources will be relatively limited when contrasted with those of many of these competitors. While we believe there are numerous target businesses we could potentially acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans, our ability to compete with respect to the acquisition of certain target businesses that are sizable will be limited by our available financial resources. This inherent competitive limitation gives others an advantage in pursuing the acquisition of certain target businesses. Furthermore, we are obligated to offer holders of our public shares the right to redeem their shares for cash at the time of our initial business combination in conjunction with a shareholder vote or via a tender offer. Target companies will be aware that this may reduce the resources available to us for our initial business combination. Any of these obligations may place us at a competitive disadvantage in successfully negotiating a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may receive only their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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If the net proceeds of our initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans not being held in the trust account are insufficient to allow us to operate for at least the 15 months following the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of the offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination), it could limit the amount available to fund our search for a target business or businesses and complete our initial business combination, and we will depend on loans from our sponsor or management team to fund our search and to complete our initial business combination.
As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $239,000 in cash and working capital of approximately $343,000 (including tax obligations of approximately $242,000 that may be paid using investment income earned in trust account). Of the funds available to us outside of the trust account, we could use a portion of the funds available to us to pay fees to consultants to assist us with our search for a target business. We could also use a portion of the funds as a down payment or to fund a “no-shop” provision (a provision in letters of intent or merger agreements designed to keep target businesses from “shopping” around for transactions with other companies or investors on terms more favorable to such target businesses) with respect to a particular proposed business combination, although we do not have any current intention to do so. If we entered into a letter of intent or merger agreement where we paid for the right to receive exclusivity from a target business and were subsequently required to forfeit such funds (whether as a result of our breach or otherwise), we might not have sufficient funds to continue searching for, or conduct due diligence with respect to, a target business.
If we are required to seek additional capital for consummating an initial business combination, we would need to borrow funds from our sponsor, management team or other third parties to operate or may be forced to liquidate. Neither our sponsor, members of our management team nor any of their affiliates is under any obligation to advance funds to us in such circumstances. Any such advances would be repaid only from funds held outside the trust account or from funds released to us upon completion of our initial business combination. Up to $1,500,000 of such working capital loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination because we do not have sufficient funds available to us, we will be forced to cease operations and liquidate the trust account. Consequently, our public shareholders may only receive an estimated $10.15 per share, or possibly less, on our redemption of our public shares, and our warrants will expire worthless.
Subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination, we may be required to take write-downs or write-offs, restructuring and impairment or other charges that could have a significant negative effect on our financial condition, results of operations and the price of our securities, which could cause you to lose some or all of your investment.
Even if we conduct extensive due diligence on a target business with which we combine, we cannot assure you that this diligence will identify all material issues that may be present with a particular target business, that it would be possible to uncover all material issues through a customary amount of due diligence, or that factors outside of the target business and outside of our control will not later arise. As a result of these factors, we may be forced to later write-down or write-off assets, restructure our operations, or incur impairment or other charges that could result in our reporting losses. Even if our due diligence successfully identifies certain risks, unexpected risks may arise and previously known risks may materialize in a manner not consistent with our preliminary risk analysis. Even though these charges may be non-cash items and not have an immediate impact on our liquidity, the fact that we report charges of this nature could contribute to negative market perceptions about us or our securities. In addition, charges of this nature may cause us to violate net worth or other covenants to which we may be subject as a result of assuming pre-existing debt held by a target business or by virtue of our obtaining debt financing to partially finance the initial business combination or thereafter. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
If third parties bring claims against us, the proceeds held in the trust account could be reduced and the per-share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share.
Our placing of funds in the trust account may not protect those funds from third party claims against us. Although we will seek to have all vendors, service providers (except for our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm), prospective target businesses and other entities with which we do business execute agreements with us waiving any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the trust account for the benefit of our public shareholders, such parties may not execute such agreements, or even if they execute such agreements they may not be prevented from bringing claims against the trust account, including, but not limited to, fraudulent inducement, breach of fiduciary responsibility or other similar claims, as well as claims challenging the enforceability of the waiver, in each case in order to gain advantage with respect to a claim against our assets, including the funds held in the trust account. If any third party refuses to execute an agreement waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account, our management will consider whether competitive alternatives are reasonably available to us and will only enter into an agreement with such third party if management believes that such third party’s engagement would be in the best interests of the company under the circumstances. The underwriter of our initial public offering as well as our registered independent public accounting firm will not execute agreements with us waiving such claims to the monies held in the trust account.
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Examples of possible instances where we may engage a third party that refuses to execute a waiver include the engagement of a third party consultant whose particular expertise or skills are believed by management to be significantly superior to those of other consultants that would agree to execute a waiver or in cases where management is unable to find a service provider willing to execute a waiver. In addition, there is no guarantee that such entities will agree to waive any claims they may have in the future as a result of, or arising out of, any negotiations, contracts or agreements with us and will not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason. Upon redemption of our public shares, if we are unable to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed timeframe, or upon the exercise of a redemption right in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to provide for payment of claims of creditors that were not waived that may brought against us within the 10 years following redemption. Accordingly, the per-share redemption amount received by public shareholders could be less than the $10.15 per public share initially held in the trust account, due to claims of such creditors. Pursuant to the letter agreement the form of which was filed in connection with our initial public offering, our sponsor has agreed that it will be liable to us if and to the extent any claims by a third party for services rendered or products sold to us, or a prospective target business with which we have entered into a written letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement or business combination agreement, reduce the amount of funds in the trust account to below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account, if less than $10.15 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, less taxes payable, provided that such liability will not apply to any claims by a third party or prospective target business who executed a waiver of any and all rights to the monies held in the trust account (whether or not such waiver is enforceable) nor will it apply to any claims under our indemnity of the underwriter of our initial public offering against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. However, we have not asked our sponsor to reserve for such indemnification obligations, nor have we independently verified whether our sponsor has sufficient funds to satisfy its indemnity obligations and we believe that our sponsor’s only assets are securities of our company. Therefore, we cannot assure you that our sponsor would be able to satisfy those obligations. As a result, if any such claims were successfully made against the trust account, the funds available for our initial business combination and redemptions could be reduced to less than $10.15 per public share. In such event, we may not be able to complete our initial business combination, and you would receive such lesser amount per share in connection with any redemption of your public shares. None of our officers or directors will indemnify us for claims by third parties including, without limitation, claims by vendors and prospective target businesses.
Our directors may decide not to enforce the indemnification obligations of our sponsor, resulting in a reduction in the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders.
In the event that the proceeds in the trust account are reduced below the lesser of (i) $10.15 per public share and (ii) the actual amount per public share held in the trust account as of the date of the liquidation of the trust account if less than $10.15 per public share due to reductions in the value of the trust assets, in each case less taxes payable, and our sponsor asserts that it is unable to satisfy its obligations or that it has no indemnification obligations related to a particular claim, our independent directors would determine whether to take legal action against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations. While we currently expect that our independent directors would take legal action on our behalf against our sponsor to enforce its indemnification obligations to us, it is possible that our independent directors in exercising their business judgment and subject to their fiduciary duties may choose not to do so in any particular instance. If our independent directors choose not to enforce these indemnification obligations, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.15 per share.
We may not have sufficient funds to satisfy indemnification claims of our directors and executive officers.
We have agreed to indemnify our officers and directors to the fullest extent permitted by law. However, our officers and directors have agreed to waive any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account and to not seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever. Accordingly, any indemnification provided will be able to be satisfied by us only if (i) we have sufficient funds outside of the trust account or (ii) we consummate an initial business combination. Our obligation to indemnify our officers and directors may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our officers or directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against our officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against our officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, a bankruptcy court may seek to recover such proceeds, and the members of our board of directors may be viewed as having breached their fiduciary duties to our creditors, thereby exposing the members of our board of directors and us to claims of punitive damages.
If, after we distribute the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, any distributions received by shareholders could be viewed under applicable debtor/creditor and/or bankruptcy laws as either a “preferential transfer” or a “fraudulent conveyance.” As a result, a bankruptcy court could seek to recover some or all amounts received by our shareholders. In addition, our board of directors may be viewed as having breached its fiduciary duty to our creditors and/or having acted in bad faith, by paying public shareholders from the trust account prior to addressing the claims of creditors, thereby exposing itself and us to claims of punitive damages.
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If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the claims of creditors in such proceeding may have priority over the claims of our shareholders and the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
If, before distributing the proceeds in the trust account to our public shareholders, we file a bankruptcy petition or an involuntary bankruptcy petition is filed against us that is not dismissed, the proceeds held in the trust account could be subject to applicable bankruptcy law, and may be included in our bankruptcy estate and subject to the claims of third parties with priority over the claims of our shareholders. To the extent any bankruptcy claims deplete the trust account, the per-share amount that would otherwise be received by our shareholders in connection with our liquidation may be reduced.
Our shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against us to the extent of distributions received by them upon redemption of their shares.
Under the Massachusetts Business Corporation Act (the “MBCA”), shareholders may be held liable for claims by third parties against a corporation to the extent of distributions received by them in a dissolution. The pro rata portion of our trust account distributed to our public shareholders upon the redemption of our public shares in the event we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period may be considered a liquidating distribution under Massachusetts law. If a corporation complies with certain procedures set forth in Sections 14.06, 14.07 and 14.08 of the MBCA intended to ensure that it makes reasonable provision for all claims against it, any liability of shareholders with respect to a liquidating distribution is limited to the lesser of such shareholder’s pro rata share of the claim or the amount distributed to the shareholder within three years of dissolution, and any liability of the shareholder would be barred after the third anniversary of the dissolution. However, it is our intention to redeem our public shares as soon as reasonably possible following the 15th month from the closing of our initial public offering in the event we do not complete our initial business combination and, therefore, we do not intend to comply with the foregoing procedures.
We plan to make adequate provision, by payment or otherwise, for all of the corporation’s then existing and reasonable foreseeable debts, liabilities and obligations, based on facts known to us at such time that will provide for our payment of all existing and pending claims or claims that may be potentially brought against us following our dissolution. However, because we are a blank check company, rather than an operating company, and our operations will be limited to searching for prospective target businesses to acquire, the only likely claims to arise would be from our vendors (such as lawyers, investment bankers, etc.) or prospective target businesses. We cannot assure you that we will properly assess all claims that may be potentially brought against us. As such, our shareholders could potentially be liable for any claims to the extent of distributions received by them (but no more) and any liability of our shareholders may extend beyond the third anniversary of such date.
We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders until after the consummation of our initial business combination, which could delay the opportunity for our shareholders to elect directors.
In accordance with the NYSE American’s corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until no later than one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE American. Under Section 7.01 of the MBCA, we are, however, required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders for the purposes of electing directors in accordance with our amended and restated bylaws unless such election is made by written consent in lieu of such a meeting. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, and thus we may not be in compliance with Section 7.01 of the MBCA, which requires an annual meeting. Therefore, if our shareholders want us to hold an annual meeting prior to the consummation of our initial business combination, they may attempt to force us to hold one by submitting an application to the Superior Court of Suffolk County in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in accordance with Section 7.03 of the MBCA.
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Because we are neither limited to evaluating a target business in a particular industry sector nor have we selected any specific target businesses with which to pursue our initial business combination, you will be unable to ascertain the merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations.
Our efforts to identify a prospective initial business combination target will not be limited to a particular industry, sector or geographic region. While we may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, we intend to capitalize on the ability of our management team to identify, acquire and operate a business or businesses that can benefit from our management team’s established global relationships and operating experience. Our management team has extensive experience in identifying and executing strategic investments globally and has done so successfully in a number of sectors. Our amended and restated articles of organization will prohibit us from effectuating a business combination with another blank check company or similar company with nominal operations. Because we have not yet selected any specific target business with respect to a business combination, there is no basis to evaluate the possible merits or risks of any particular target business’s operations, results of operations, cash flows, liquidity, financial condition or prospects. To the extent we complete our initial business combination, we may be affected by numerous risks inherent in the business operations with which we combine. For example, if we combine with a financially unstable business or an entity lacking an established record of sales or earnings, we may be affected by the risks inherent in the business and operations of a financially unstable or a development stage entity. Although our officers and directors will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in a particular target business, we cannot assure you that we will properly ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors or that we will have adequate time to complete due diligence. Furthermore, some of these risks may be outside of our control and leave us with no ability to control or reduce the chances that those risks will adversely impact a target business. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will ultimately prove to be more favorable to investors than a direct investment, if such opportunity were available, in a business combination target. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
We may seek business combination opportunities in industries or sectors that may be outside of our management’s areas of expertise.
We will consider a business combination outside of our management’s areas of expertise if a business combination candidate is presented to us and we determine that such candidate offers an attractive business combination opportunity for our company. Although our management will endeavor to evaluate the risks inherent in any particular business combination candidate, we cannot assure you that we will adequately ascertain or assess all of the significant risk factors. We also cannot assure you that an investment in our units will not ultimately prove to be less favorable to investors in our initial public offering than a direct investment, if an opportunity were available, in a business combination candidate. In the event we elect to pursue a business combination outside of the areas of our management’s expertise, our management’s expertise may not be directly applicable to its evaluation or operation, and the information contained in the prospectus dated September 29, 2022 filed in connection with our initial public offering regarding the areas of our management’s expertise would not be relevant to an understanding of the business that we elect to acquire. As a result, our management may not be able to ascertain or assess adequately all of the relevant risk factors. Accordingly, any shareholders who choose to remain shareholders following our initial business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their shares. Such shareholders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines that we believe are important in evaluating prospective target businesses, we may enter into our initial business combination with a target that does not meet such criteria and guidelines, and as a result, the target business with which we enter into our initial business combination may not have attributes entirely consistent with our general criteria and guidelines.
Although we have identified general criteria and guidelines for evaluating prospective target businesses, it is possible that a target business with which we enter into our initial business combination will not have all of these positive attributes. If we complete our initial business combination with a target that does not meet some or all of these guidelines, such combination may not be as successful as a combination with a business that does meet all of our general criteria and guidelines. In addition, if we announce a prospective business combination with a target that does not meet our general criteria and guidelines, a greater number of shareholders may exercise their redemption rights, which may make it difficult for us to meet any closing condition with a target business that requires us to have a minimum net worth or a certain amount of cash. In addition, if shareholder approval of the transaction is required by law, or we decide to obtain shareholder approval for business or other legal reasons, it may be more difficult for us to attain shareholder approval of our initial business combination if the target business does not meet our general criteria and guidelines. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
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We are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm or from a valuation or appraisal firm, and consequently, you may have no assurance from an independent source that the price we are paying for the business is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view.
Unless we complete our initial business combination with an affiliated entity or our board of directors cannot independently determine the fair market value of the target business or businesses (including with the assistance of financial advisors), we are not required to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or from a valuation or appraisal firm that the price we are paying is fair to our shareholders from a financial point of view. If no opinion is obtained, our shareholders will be relying on the judgment of our board of directors, who will determine fair market value based on standards generally accepted by the financial community. Such standards used will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to our initial business combination. Additionally, pursuant to the NYSE American rules, any initial business combination must be approved by a majority of our independent directors.
Resources could be wasted in researching business combinations that are not completed, which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We anticipate that the investigation of each specific target business and the negotiation, drafting and execution of relevant agreements, disclosure documents and other instruments will require substantial management time and attention and substantial costs for accountants, attorneys and others. If we decide not to complete a specific initial business combination, the costs incurred up to that point for the proposed transaction likely would not be recoverable. Furthermore, if we reach an agreement relating to a specific target business, we may fail to complete our initial business combination for any number of reasons including those beyond our control. Any such event will result in a loss to us of the related costs incurred which could materially adversely affect subsequent attempts to locate and acquire or merge with another business. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
We may have a limited ability to assess the management of a prospective target business and, as a result, may affect our initial business combination with a target business whose management may not have the skills, qualifications or abilities to manage a public company.
When evaluating the desirability of effecting our initial business combination with a prospective target business, our ability to assess the target business’s management may be limited due to a lack of time, resources or information. Our assessment of the capabilities of the target business’s management, therefore, may prove to be incorrect and such management may lack the skills, qualifications or abilities we suspected. Should the target business’s management not possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to manage a public company, the operations and profitability of the post-combination business may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, any shareholders or warrant holders who choose to remain shareholders or warrant holders following the business combination could suffer a reduction in the value of their securities. Such shareholders or warrant holders are unlikely to have a remedy for such reduction in value unless they are able to successfully claim that the reduction was due to the breach by our officers or directors of a duty of care or other fiduciary duty owed to them, or if they are able to successfully bring a private claim under securities laws that the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, relating to the business combination contained an actionable material misstatement or material omission.
Our key personnel may negotiate employment or consulting agreements with a target business in connection with a particular business combination, and a particular business combination may be conditioned on the retention or resignation of such key personnel. These agreements may provide for them to receive compensation following our initial business combination and as a result, may cause them to have conflicts of interest in determining whether a particular business combination is the most advantageous.
Our key personnel may be able to remain with our company after the completion of our initial business combination only if they are able to negotiate employment or consulting agreements in connection with the business combination. Such negotiations would take place simultaneously with the negotiation of the business combination and could provide for such individuals to receive compensation in the form of cash payments and/or our securities for services they would render to us after the completion of the business combination. Such negotiations also could make such key personnel’s retention or resignation a condition to any such agreement. The personal and financial interests of such individuals may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business, subject to their fiduciary duties under Massachusetts law.
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We may issue notes or other debt securities, or otherwise incur substantial debt, to complete a business combination, which may adversely affect our leverage and financial condition and thus negatively impact the value of our shareholders’ investment in us.
Although we have no commitments as of the date of this 10-K to issue any notes or other debt securities (other than the overfunding loans), or to otherwise incur outstanding debt following our initial public offering, we may choose to incur substantial debt to complete our initial business combination. We and our officers have agreed that we will not incur any indebtedness unless we have obtained from the lender a waiver of any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to the monies held in the trust account. As such, no issuance of debt will affect the per share amount available for redemption from the trust account. Nevertheless, the incurrence of debt could have a variety of negative effects, including:
• | default and foreclosure on our assets if our operating revenues after an initial business combination are insufficient to repay our debt obligations; |
• | acceleration of our obligations to repay the indebtedness even if we make all principal and interest payments when due if we breach certain covenants that require the maintenance of certain financial ratios or reserves without a waiver or renegotiation of that covenant; |
• | our immediate payment of all principal and accrued interest, if any, if the debt is payable on demand; |
• | our inability to obtain necessary additional financing if the debt contains covenants restricting our ability to obtain such financing while the debt is outstanding; |
• | our inability to pay dividends on our Class A common stock; |
• | using a substantial portion of our cash flow to pay principal and interest on our debt, which will reduce the funds available for dividends on our Class A common stock if declared, expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes; |
• | limitations on our flexibility in planning for and reacting to changes in our business and in the industry in which we operate; |
• | increased vulnerability to adverse changes in general economic, industry and competitive conditions and adverse changes in government regulation; and |
• | limitations on our ability to borrow additional amounts for expenses, capital expenditures, acquisitions, debt service requirements, execution of our strategy and other purposes and other disadvantages compared to our competitors who have less debt. |
We may only be able to complete one business combination with the proceeds of our initial public offering, the sale of the private placement warrants and the overfunding loans, which will cause us to be solely dependent on a single business which may have a limited number of products or services. This lack of diversification may negatively impact our operations and profitability.
As of December 31, 2022, we had $64,703,943 in investments held in trust account that we may use to complete our initial business combination (including $2,211,650 currently held in the trust account that will be used to pay for deferred underwriting commissions).
We may effectuate our initial business combination with a single target business or multiple target businesses simultaneously or within a short period of time. However, we may not be able to effectuate our initial business combination with more than one target business because of various factors, including the existence of complex accounting issues and the requirement that we prepare and file pro forma financial statements with the SEC that present operating results and the financial condition of several target businesses as if they had been operated on a combined basis. By completing our initial business combination with only a single entity, our lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory developments. Further, we would not be able to diversify our operations or benefit from the possible spreading of risks or offsetting of losses, unlike other entities which may have the resources to complete several business combinations in different industries or different areas of a single industry. Accordingly, the prospects for our success may be:
• | solely dependent upon the performance of a single business, property or asset, or |
• | dependent upon the development or market acceptance of a single or limited number of products, processes or services. |
This lack of diversification may subject us to numerous economic, competitive and regulatory risks, any or all of which may have a substantial adverse impact upon the particular industry in which we may operate subsequent to our initial business combination.
Following the completion of a business combination, any acquisitions, partnerships or joint ventures that we may make or enter into could disrupt our business and harm our financial condition.
Acquisitions, partnerships and joint ventures will be an integral part of our inorganic growth strategy. We expect to evaluate potential strategic acquisitions of, and partnerships or joint ventures with, other professional services providers and complementary businesses. However, we may not be successful in identifying acquisition, partnership and joint venture targets or we may use estimates and judgments to evaluate the operations and future revenues of a target that turn out to be inaccurate.
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In addition, we may not be able to successfully finance or integrate any professional services companies or other businesses that we acquire or with which we form a partnership or joint venture, and we may not achieve the anticipated benefits of such project. Furthermore, the integration of any acquisition, partnership or joint venture may divert management’s time and resources from our core business and disrupt our operations. As a result of any of the foregoing, we may spend valuable management time and money on projects that do not increase the scope of the services provided or revenue. Acquisitions also involve special risks, including the potential assumption of unanticipated liabilities and contingencies. Even if such liabilities are assumed by the sellers, we may have difficulties enforcing our rights, contractual or otherwise. Moreover, competitors may be willing or able to pay more than us for acquisitions, which may cause us to lose certain acquisitions that we would otherwise desire to complete. We cannot ensure that any acquisition, partnership or joint venture we make will not have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We may attempt to simultaneously complete business combinations with multiple prospective targets, which may hinder our ability to complete our initial business combination and give rise to increased costs and risks that could negatively impact our operations and profitability.
If we determine to simultaneously acquire several businesses that are owned by different sellers, we will need for each of such sellers to agree that our purchase of its business is contingent on the simultaneous closings of the other business combinations, which may make it more difficult for us, and delay our ability, to complete our initial business combination. With multiple business combinations, we could also face additional risks, including additional burdens and costs with respect to possible multiple negotiations and due diligence investigations (if there are multiple sellers) and the additional risks associated with the subsequent assimilation of the operations and services or products of the acquired companies in a single operating business. If we are unable to adequately address these risks, it could negatively impact our profitability and results of operations.
We may attempt to complete our initial business combination with a private company about which little information is available, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
In pursuing our business combination strategy, we may seek to effectuate our initial business combination with a privately held company. Very little public information generally exists about private companies, and we could be required to make our decision on whether to pursue a potential initial business combination on the basis of limited information, which may result in a business combination with a company that is not as profitable as we suspected, if at all.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company that is active in the professional services industry, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us, including the dependence on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for services and solutions that are being provided and the adaptation and expansion of services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings.
In the professional services industry, revenue and profitability depend on the demand for services and solutions with favorable margins, which could be negatively affected by numerous factors, many of which will be beyond our control and unrelated to our work product. Volatile, negative or uncertain global economic and political conditions and lower growth or contraction in the markets we serve have adversely affected and could in the future adversely affect client demand for our services and solutions. Our success will depend, in part, on our ability to continue to develop and implement services and solutions that anticipate and respond to rapid and continuing changes in technology and offerings to serve the evolving needs of clients. Examples of areas of significant change include digital-, cloud- and security-related offerings, which are continually evolving, as well as developments in areas such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, automation, blockchain, Internet of Things, quantum and Edge computing, infrastructure and network engineering, intelligent connected products, digital engineering and manufacturing, and as-a-service solutions. If we effect our initial business combination with a company that is active into these new areas, we may be exposed to operational, legal, regulatory, ethical, technological and other risks specific to such new areas, which may negatively affect our reputation and demand for our services and solutions.
Technological developments may materially affect the cost and use of technology by clients and, in the case of cloud and as-a-service solutions, could affect the nature of how professional services providers generate revenue. Some of these technological developments have reduced and replaced some historical services and solutions and may continue to do so in the future. This has caused, and may in the future cause, clients to delay spending under existing contracts and engagements and to delay entering into new contracts while they evaluate new technologies. Such technological developments and spending delays could negatively impact results of operations if we are unable to introduce new pricing or commercial models that reflect the value of these technological developments or if the pace and level of spending on new technologies are not sufficient to make up any shortfall.
Developments in the professional services industry, which may be rapid, also could shift demand to new services and solutions. If, as a result of new technologies or changes in the industries we serve, clients demand new services and solutions, we may be less competitive in these new areas or need to make significant investment to meet that demand.
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Professional services providers operate in a rapidly evolving environment in which there currently are new technology entrants. New services or technologies offered by competitors or new entrants may make offerings less differentiated or less competitive when compared to other alternatives, which may adversely affect results of operations. In addition, companies in the industry sometimes seek to achieve economies of scale and other synergies by combining with or acquiring other companies. If clients merge or consolidate with a company that relies on another provider for the services and solutions offered, a provider may lose work from that client or lose the opportunity to gain additional work. In a particular geographic market, service or industry group, a small number of clients have contributed, or may, in the future contribute, a significant portion of the revenues of such geographic market, service or industry group, and any decision by such a client to delay, reduce, or eliminate spending on our services and solutions could have a disproportionate impact on the results of operations in the relevant geographic market, service or industry group.
In addition, in the professional services industry, ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on the company’s reputation in the marketplace. The brand name and reputation are important corporate assets that help distinguish services and solutions from those of competitors and also contribute to efforts to recruit and retain talented employees. However, a professional services provider’s corporate reputation is susceptible to material damage by events such as disputes with clients or competitors, cybersecurity incidents or service outages, internal control deficiencies, delivery failures, compliance violations, government investigations or legal proceedings. Such reputation could be damaged by actions or statements of current or former clients, directors, employees, competitors, vendors, alliance partners, joint venture partners, adversaries in legal proceedings, legislators or government regulators, as well as members of the investment community or the media, including social media influencers.
There is a risk that negative or inaccurate information, even if based on rumor or misunderstanding, could adversely affect the business. Damage to the company’s reputation could be difficult, expensive and time-consuming to repair, could make potential or existing clients reluctant to be selected for new engagements or could negatively impact relationships with alliance partners, resulting in a loss of business, and could adversely affect recruitment and retention efforts. Damage to the reputation could also reduce the value and effectiveness of the brand name and could reduce investor confidence.
If we effect our initial business combination with a company located outside of the United States, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may adversely affect us.
If we pursue a target company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we may face additional burdens in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing such initial business combination, and if we effect such initial business combination, we would be subject to a variety of additional risks that may negatively impact our operations.
If we pursue a target a company with operations or opportunities outside of the United States for our initial business combination, we would be subject to risks associated with cross-border business combinations, including in connection with investigating, agreeing to and completing our initial business combination, conducting due diligence in a foreign jurisdiction, having such transaction approved by any local governments, regulators or agencies and changes in the purchase price based on fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.
If we effect our initial business combination with such a company, we would be subject to any special considerations or risks associated with companies operating in an international setting, including any of the following:
• | costs and difficulties inherent in managing cross-border business operations; |
• | rules and regulations regarding currency redemption; |
• | complex corporate withholding taxes on individuals; |
• | laws governing the manner in which future business combinations may be effected; |
• | exchange listing and/or delisting requirements; |
• | tariffs and trade barriers; |
• | regulations related to customs and import/export matters; |
• | local or regional economic policies and market conditions; |
• | unexpected changes in regulatory requirements; |
• | challenges in managing and staffing international operations; |
• | longer payment cycles; |
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• | tax issues, including, but not limited to, rules regarding controlled foreign corporations or passive foreign investment companies, tax law changes and variations in tax laws as compared to the United States; |
• | currency fluctuations and exchange controls; |
• | rates of inflation; |
• | challenges in collecting accounts receivable; |
• | cultural and language differences; |
• | employment regulations; |
• | underdeveloped or unpredictable legal or regulatory systems; |
• | corruption; |
• | protection of intellectual property; |
• | social unrest, crime, strikes, riots and civil disturbances; |
• | regime changes and political upheaval; |
• | terrorist attacks and wars; and |
• | deterioration of political relations with the United States. |
We may not be able to adequately address these additional risks. If we were unable to do so, we may be unable to complete such initial business combination, or, if we complete such initial business combination, our operations might suffer, either of which may adversely impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We do not have a specified maximum redemption threshold. The absence of such a redemption threshold may make it possible for us to complete our initial business combination with which a substantial majority of our shareholders or warrant holders do not agree.
Our amended and restated articles of organization will not provide a specified maximum redemption threshold, except that in no event will we redeem our public shares in an amount that would cause our net tangible assets to be less than $5,000,001. In addition, our proposed initial business combination may impose a minimum cash requirement for: (i) cash consideration to be paid to the target or its owners, (ii) cash for working capital or other general corporate purposes or (iii) the retention of cash to satisfy other conditions. As a result, we may be able to complete our initial business combination even though a substantial majority of our public shareholders do not agree with the transaction and have redeemed their shares or, if we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, have entered into privately negotiated agreements to sell their shares to our sponsor, officers, directors, advisors or any of their affiliates. In the event the aggregate cash consideration we would be required to pay for all shares of Class A common stock that are validly submitted for redemption plus any amount required to satisfy cash conditions pursuant to the terms of the proposed business combination exceed the aggregate amount of cash available to us, we will not complete the business combination or redeem any shares in connection with such initial business combination, all shares of Class A common stock submitted for redemption will be returned to the holders thereof, and we instead may search for an alternate business combination.
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In order to effectuate an initial business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and other governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our amended and restated articles of organization or governing instruments in a manner that will make it easier for us to complete our initial business combination that our shareholders may not support.
In order to effectuate a business combination, special purpose acquisition companies have, in the recent past, amended various provisions of their charters and governing instruments, including their warrant agreements. For example, special purpose acquisition companies have amended the definition of business combination, increased redemption thresholds and extended the time to consummate an initial business combination and, with respect to their warrants, amended their warrant agreements to require the warrants to be exchanged for cash and/or other securities. Amending our amended and restated articles of organization will require the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, and amending our warrant agreement will require a vote of holders of at least 50% of the public warrants and, solely with respect to any amendment to the terms of the private placement warrants or any provision of the warrant agreement with respect to the private placement warrants, 50% of the number of the then outstanding private placement warrants. In addition, our amended and restated articles of organization requires us to provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their public shares for cash if we propose an amendment to our amended and restated articles of organization to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete an initial business combination within 15 months of the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period, or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity. To the extent any of such amendments would be deemed to fundamentally change the nature of the securities offered through the offering, we would register, or seek an exemption from registration for, the affected securities. We cannot assure you that we will not seek to amend our charter or governing instruments or extend the time to consummate an initial business combination in order to effectuate our initial business combination.
The provisions of our amended and restated articles of organization that relate to our pre-business combination activity (and corresponding provisions of the agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account) may be amended with the approval of holders of 65% of our common stock, which is a lower amendment threshold than that of some other special purpose acquisition companies. It may be easier for us, therefore, to amend our amended and restated articles of organization to facilitate the completion of an initial business combination that some of our shareholders may not support.
Our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that any of its provisions related to pre-business combination activity (including the requirement to deposit proceeds of our initial public offering, the private placement of warrants and the overfunding loans into the trust account and not release such amounts except in specified circumstances, and to provide redemption rights to public shareholders as described herein) may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon and corresponding provisions of the trust agreement governing the release of funds from our trust account may be amended if approved by holders of 65% of our common stock entitled to vote thereon. In all other instances, our amended and restated articles of organization may be amended by holders of a majority of our outstanding common stock entitled to vote thereon, subject to applicable provisions of the MBCA or applicable stock exchange rules. Our initial shareholders, who will collectively beneficially own 20% of our common stock upon the closing of our initial public offering (assuming they do not purchase any units in our initial public offering), may participate in any vote to amend our amended and restated articles of organization and/or trust agreement and will have the discretion to vote in any manner they choose. As a result, we may be able to amend the provisions of our amended and restated articles of organization which govern our pre-business combination behavior more easily than some other special purpose acquisition companies, and this may increase our ability to complete a business combination with which you do not agree. Our shareholders may pursue remedies against us for any breach of our amended and restated articles of organization.
Our sponsor, executive officers, directors and director nominees have agreed, pursuant to written agreements with us, that they will not propose any amendment to our amended and restated articles of organization to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension) or during any Extension Period, or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, unless we provide our public shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Class A common stock upon approval of any such amendment 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 taxes, divided by the number of then outstanding public shares. Our shareholders are not parties to, or third-party beneficiaries of, these agreements and, as a result, will not have the ability to pursue remedies against our sponsor, executive officers, directors or director nominees for any breach of these agreements. As a result, in the event of a breach, our shareholders would need to pursue a shareholder derivative action, subject to applicable law.
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We may be unable to obtain additional financing to complete our initial business combination or to fund the operations and growth of a target business, which could compel us to restructure or abandon a particular business combination.
We have not selected any specific business combination target but intend to target businesses with enterprise values that are greater than we could acquire with the net proceeds of our initial public offering and the sale of the private placement warrants. As a result, if the cash portion of the purchase price exceeds the amount available from the trust account, net of amounts needed to satisfy any redemption by public shareholders, we may be required to seek additional financing to complete such proposed initial business combination. We cannot assure you that such financing will be available on acceptable terms, if at all. To the extent that additional financing proves to be unavailable when needed to complete our initial business combination, we would be compelled to either restructure the transaction or abandon that particular business combination and seek an alternative target business candidate. Further, we may be required to obtain additional financing in connection with the closing of our initial business combination for general corporate purposes, including for maintenance or expansion of operations of the post-transaction businesses, the payment of principal or interest due on indebtedness incurred in completing our initial business combination, or to fund the purchase of other companies. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless. In addition, even if we do not need additional financing to complete our initial business combination, we may require such financing to fund the operations or growth of the target business. The failure to secure additional financing could have a material adverse effect on the continued development or growth of the target business. None of our officers, directors or shareholders is required to provide any financing to us in connection with or after our initial business combination.
Involvement of members of our management and companies with which they are affiliated in litigation unrelated to our business affairs could impact our ability to consummate an initial business combination.
Members of our management team and companies with which they are affiliated may be involved in litigation relating to their business affairs unrelated to our company. For example, on January 12, 2021, dMY II and dMY Sponsor II, LLC and dMY III and dMY Sponsor III, LLC, and Niccolo de Masi accepted service of a lawsuit where they are named as counterclaim defendants in an underlying action by and between now dismissed party GTY Technology Holdings, Inc. (“GTY”), dMY I and dMY Sponsor, LLC and Carter Glatt (“Glatt”) and Captains Neck Holdings LLC (“Captains Neck”), an entity of which Mr. Glatt is a member. The underlying lawsuit, filed by dMY I and dMY Sponsor, LLC, seeks a declaratory judgment that Glatt and Captains Neck are not entitled to membership units of dMY Sponsor LLC, which was formed by Niccolo de Masi and Harry L. You, the co-founder and former President and Chief Financial Officer of GTY when Glatt was still working at GTY. The underlying lawsuit also contains claims arising from Glatt’s termination of employment from GTY, including theft and misappropriation of confidential GTY information, breach of contract, breach of the duties of loyalty and fiduciary duty and conversion. Glatt has responded to the underlying lawsuit by asserting claims for breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, negligent misrepresentation, quantum meruit and unjust enrichment, and by adding Harry L. You, Niccolo de Masi, dMY II and dMY Sponsor II, LLC and dMY III and dMY Sponsor III, LLC as counterclaim defendants, and by asserting, as currently relevant, a claim for tortious interference with business relations against dMY Sponsor, dMY Technology, and Harry You, and adding Dune Acquisition Holdings LLC as a third party plaintiff to that claim. Harry L. You and Niccolo de Masi, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, respectively, served in corresponding roles for other dMY entities. In addition, on August 26, 2022, David Choi instituted a class action lawsuit, individually and on behalf of all purchasers of Class A common stock (the “Coupang Shares”) of Coupang, Inc. (“Coupang”) pursuant and/ or traceable to the registration statement (the “Coupang Registration Statement”) issued in connection with Coupang’s March 2021 initial public offering (the “Coupang IPO”), seeking to pursue remedies under the Securities Act against Coupang, certain of the Coupang IPO’s underwriter and certain of Coupang’s officers and directors, including Mr. Harry You, who served as a director on Coupang’s board of directors at the time of the Coupang IPO. The complaint alleges that the Coupang Registration Statement was negligently prepared and, as a result, contained untrue statements of material fact, omitted material facts necessary to make the statements contained therein not misleading, and failed to make necessary disclosures required under the rules and regulations governing its preparation, the whole in violation of the Securities Act. Accordingly, the complaint alleges that as the issuer of the Coupang shares, Coupang is strictly liable to the plaintiff and the class for those material misstatements and omissions, and that the signatories of the Coupang Registration Statement, including Mr. Harry You, may also be strictly liable to the plaintiff and the class for such material misstatements and omissions. The complaint further alleges that by reason of the defendants’ alleged conduct, the plaintiff and the class members purchased Coupang Shares pursuant and/or traceable to the Coupang Registration Statement and have sustained damages as a result in the form of a substantial decline in value of the Coupang Shares following the Coupang IPO. The complaint seeks, among other things, an order awarding the plaintiff and the class compensatory damages against all defendants, jointly and severally, for all damages sustained as a result of defendants’ wrongdoing. Such claims, and any other litigation unrelated to our business affairs involving members of our management, may divert our management team’s attention and resources away from identifying and selecting a target business or businesses for our initial business combination and may negatively affect our reputation, which may impede our ability to complete an initial business combination.
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Our initial shareholders control a substantial interest in us and thus may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support.
Our initial shareholders own 20% of our issued and outstanding common stock. Accordingly, they may exert a substantial influence on actions requiring a shareholder vote, potentially in a manner that you do not support, including amendments to our amended and restated articles of organization. If our initial shareholders purchase any additional Class A common stock in the aftermarket or in privately negotiated transactions, this would increase their control. Neither our initial shareholders nor, to our knowledge, any of our officers or directors, have any current intention to purchase additional securities. Factors that would be considered in making such additional purchases would include consideration of the current trading price of our Class A common stock. In addition, our board of directors, whose members were elected by our sponsor, is and will be divided into three classes, each of which will generally serve for a terms for three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. We may not hold an annual meeting of shareholders to elect new directors prior to the completion of our initial business combination, in which case all of the current directors will continue in office until at least the completion of the business combination. If there is an annual meeting, as a consequence of our “staggered” board of directors, only a minority of the board of directors will be considered for election and our initial shareholders, because of their ownership position, will have considerable influence regarding the outcome. Accordingly, our initial shareholders will continue to exert control at least until the completion of our initial business combination.
Because we must furnish our shareholders with target business financial statements, we may lose the ability to complete an otherwise advantageous initial business combination with some prospective target businesses.
The federal proxy rules require that the proxy statement with respect to the vote on an initial business combination include historical and pro forma financial statement disclosure. We will include the same financial statement disclosure in connection with our tender offer documents, whether or not they are required under the tender offer rules. These financial statements may be required to be prepared in accordance with, or be reconciled to, accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), or international financial reporting standards as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IFRS”), depending on the circumstances and the historical financial statements may be required to be audited in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”). These financial statement requirements may limit the pool of potential target businesses we may acquire because some targets may be unable to provide such financial statements in time for us to disclose such statements in accordance with federal proxy rules and complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame.
Compliance obligations under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may make it more difficult for us to effectuate our initial business combination, require substantial financial and management resources, and increase the time and costs of completing an initial business combination.
Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act requires that we evaluate and report on our system of internal controls beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ending December 31, 2023. Only in the event we are deemed to be a large accelerated filer or an accelerated filer, and no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, will we be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. Further, for as long as we remain an emerging growth company, we will not be required to comply with the independent registered public accounting firm attestation requirement on our internal control over financial reporting. The fact that we are a blank check company makes compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act particularly burdensome on us as compared to other public companies because a target business with which we seek to complete our initial business combination may not be in compliance with the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act regarding adequacy of its internal controls. The development of the internal control of any such entity to achieve compliance with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act may increase the time and costs necessary to complete any such business combination.
Certain agreements related to our initial public offering may be amended without shareholder approval.
Each of the agreements related to our initial public offering to which we are a party, other than the warrant agreement and the investment management trust agreement, may be amended without shareholder approval. Such agreements are: the underwriting agreement; the letter agreement among us and our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors; the registration rights agreement among us and our initial shareholders; the private placement warrants purchase agreement between us and our sponsor; and the administrative services agreement among us, our sponsor and an affiliate of our sponsor. These agreements contain various provisions that our public shareholders might deem to be material. For example, our letter agreement and the underwriting agreement contain certain lock-up provisions with respect to the founder shares, private placement warrants and other securities held by our initial shareholders, sponsor, officers and directors. Amendments to such agreements would require the consent of the applicable parties thereto and would need to be approved by our board of directors, which may do so for a variety of reasons, including to facilitate our initial business combination. While we do not expect our board of directors to approve any amendment to any of these agreements prior to our initial business combination, it may be possible that our board of directors, in exercising its business judgment and subject to its fiduciary duties, chooses to approve one or more amendments to any such agreement. Any amendment entered into in connection with the consummation of our initial business combination will be disclosed in our proxy materials or tender offer documents, as applicable, related to such initial business combination, and any other material amendment to any of our material agreements will be disclosed in a filing with the SEC. Any such amendments would not require approval from our shareholders, may result in the completion of our initial business combination that may not otherwise have been possible, and may have an adverse effect on the value of an investment in our securities. For example, amendments to the lock-up provision discussed above may result in our initial shareholders selling their securities earlier than they would otherwise be permitted, which may have an adverse effect on the price of our securities.
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As the number of special purpose acquisition companies evaluating targets increases, attractive targets may become scarcer and there may be more competition for attractive targets. This could increase the cost of our initial business combination and could even result in our inability to find a target or to consummate an initial business combination.
In recent years, the number of special purpose acquisition companies that have been formed has increased substantially. Many potential targets for special purpose acquisition companies have already entered into an initial business combination, and there are still many special purpose acquisition companies seeking targets for their initial business combination, as well as many such companies currently in registration. As a result, at times, fewer attractive targets may be available, and it may require more time, more effort and more resources to identify a suitable target and to consummate an initial business combination. In addition, because there are more special purpose acquisition companies seeking to enter into an initial business combination with available targets, the competition for available targets with attractive fundamentals or business models may increase, which could cause target companies to demand improved financial terms. Attractive deals could also become scarcer for other reasons, such as economic or industry sector downturns, geopolitical tensions or increases in the cost of additional capital needed to close business combinations or operate targets post-business combination. This could increase the cost of, delay or otherwise complicate or frustrate our ability to find and consummate an initial business combination, and may result in our inability to consummate an initial business combination on terms favorable to our investors altogether.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere could make it more difficult for us to consummate a business combination.
Recent increases in inflation in the United States and elsewhere may be leading to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, including ours, and may lead to other national, regional and international economic disruptions, any of which could make it more difficult for us to consummate a business combination.
Military conflict in Ukraine could make it more difficult for us to consummate a business combination.
Military conflict in Ukraine may lead to increased price volatility for publicly traded securities, including ours, and to other national, regional and international economic disruptions and economic uncertainty, any of which could make it more difficult for us to identify a business combination partner and consummate a business combination on acceptable commercial terms or at all.
Changes in laws or regulations or how such laws or regulations are interpreted or applied, or a failure to comply with any laws or regulations, may adversely affect our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations.
We are and will be subject to laws and regulations enacted by national, regional and local governments and, potentially, foreign jurisdictions. In particular, we will be required to comply with certain SEC and other legal requirements, our business combination may be contingent on our ability to comply with certain laws and regulations and any post-business combination company may be subject to additional laws and regulations. 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, including as a result of changes in economic, political, social and government policies, and those changes could have a material adverse effect on our business, including our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination, and results of operations. In addition, a failure to comply with applicable laws or 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, increasing disclosures in business combination transactions involving special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) and private operating companies; amending the financial statement requirements applicable to transactions involving shell companies; changing the treatment of financial projections in SEC filings in connection with proposed business combination transactions; increasing the potential liability of certain participants in proposed business combination transactions; and a proposed safe harbor for SPACs under the Investment Company Act (including certain time limits to announce and consummate a business combination). These proposed rules, if adopted, whether in the form proposed or in revised form, may materially impact our ability to negotiate and complete our initial business combination and may increase the costs and time related thereto.
Risks Relating to our Sponsor, Advisors and Management Team
We are dependent upon our executive officers and directors and their loss could adversely affect our ability to operate.
Our operations are dependent upon a relatively small group of individuals and, in particular, our executive officers and directors. We believe that our success depends on the continued service of our officers and directors, at least until we have completed our initial business combination. In addition, our executive officers and directors are not required to commit any specified amount of time to our affairs and, accordingly, will have conflicts of interest in allocating their time among various business activities, including identifying potential business combinations and monitoring the related due diligence. We do not have an employment agreement with, or key-man insurance on the life of, any of our directors or executive officers. The unexpected loss of the services of one or more of our directors or executive officers could have a detrimental effect on us.
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Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination and to be successful thereafter will be dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel, some of whom may join us following our initial business combination. The loss of key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
Our ability to successfully effect our initial business combination is dependent upon the efforts of our key personnel. The role of our key personnel in the target business, however, cannot presently be ascertained. Although some of our key personnel may remain with the target business in senior management or advisory positions following our initial business combination, it is likely that some or all of the management of the target business will remain in place. While we intend to closely scrutinize any individuals we engage after our initial business combination, we cannot assure you that our assessment of these individuals will prove to be correct. These individuals may be unfamiliar with the requirements of operating a company regulated by the SEC, which could cause us to have to expend time and resources helping them become familiar with such requirements.
The officers and directors of an acquisition candidate may resign upon completion of our initial business combination. The loss of a business combination target’s key personnel could negatively impact the operations and profitability of our post-combination business.
The role of an acquisition candidate’s key personnel upon the completion of our initial business combination cannot be ascertained at this time. Although we contemplate that certain members of an acquisition candidate’s management team will remain associated with the acquisition candidate following our initial business combination, it is possible that members of the management of an acquisition candidate will not wish to remain in place.
Our executive officers and directors will allocate their time to other businesses thereby causing conflicts of interest in their determination as to how much time to devote to our affairs. This conflict of interest could have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. Our independent directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including dMY VI. If our executive officers’ and directors’ other business affairs require them to devote substantial amounts of time to such affairs in excess of their current commitment levels, it could limit their ability to devote time to our affairs which may have a negative impact on our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Our officers and directors presently have, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities and, accordingly, may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented.
Since the completion of our initial public offering and until we consummate our initial business combination, we engage in the business of identifying and combining with one or more businesses. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have, additional fiduciary or contractual obligations to other entities pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity, including dMY VI, which are sponsored by affiliates of our sponsor. Accordingly, they may have conflicts of interest in determining to which entity a particular business opportunity should be presented. These conflicts may not be resolved in our favor and a potential target business may be presented to another entity prior to its presentation to us. Our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation. In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity, including dMY VI, which are sponsored by affiliates of our sponsor. Our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including dMY VI), he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such other entity. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
In addition, our sponsor and our officers and directors may sponsor or form other special purpose acquisition companies similar to ours or may pursue other business or investment ventures during the period in which we are seeking an initial business combination. Any such companies, businesses or investments may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an initial business combination.
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In particular, affiliates of our sponsor are currently sponsoring one other blank check company: dMY VI. dMY VI has raised $241.5 million in gross proceeds from an initial public offering in October 2021 and focuses on companies within the mobile app ecosystem or gaming, enterprise cloud and consumer internet companies with enterprise valuations and has a window in which it may complete its initial business combination that overlaps with the corresponding window we have. Further, Mr. You, our Chairman, serves as the Chairman of dMY VI and Mr. de Masi, our Chief Executive Officer, serves as the Chief Executive Officer for dMY VI. Any such companies, including dMY VI, may present additional conflicts of interest in pursuing an acquisition target. However, we do not believe that any such potential conflicts would materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination because our management team has significant experience in identifying and executing multiple acquisition opportunities simultaneously, and as we believe there are a number of potential opportunities within the industries and geographies of our primary focus.
For a complete discussion of our executive officers’ and directors’ business affiliations and the potential conflicts of interest that you should be aware of, please see “Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance—Directors and Executive Officers” and “Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance—Conflicts of Interest.”
Our executive officers, directors, security holders and their respective affiliates may have competitive pecuniary interests that conflict with our interests.
We have not adopted a policy that expressly prohibits our directors, executive officers, security holders or affiliates from having a direct or indirect pecuniary or financial interest in any investment to be acquired or disposed of by us or in any transaction to which we are a party or have an interest. In fact, we may enter into a business combination with a target business that is affiliated with our sponsor, our directors or executive officers, although we do not intend to do so. Nor do we have a policy that expressly prohibits any such persons from engaging for their own account in business activities of the types conducted by us. Accordingly, such persons or entities may have a conflict between their interests and ours.
The personal and financial interests of our directors and officers may influence their motivation in timely identifying and selecting a target business and completing a business combination. Consequently, our directors’ and officers’ discretion in identifying and selecting a suitable target business may result in a conflict of interest when determining whether the terms, conditions and timing of a particular business combination are appropriate and in our shareholders’ best interest. If this were the case, it might be a breach of their fiduciary duties to us as a matter of Massachusetts law and we or our shareholders might have a claim against such individuals for infringing on our shareholders’ rights. However, we might not ultimately be successful in any claim we may make against them for such reason.
We may engage in a business combination with one or more target businesses that have relationships with entities that may be affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders which may raise potential conflicts of interest.
In light of the involvement of our sponsor, executive officers and directors with other entities, we may decide to acquire one or more businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders. Our directors also serve as officers and board members for other entities, including, without limitation, those described under “Directors, Executive Officers, and Corporate Governance—Conflicts of Interest.” Such entities may compete with us for business combination opportunities. Our sponsor, officers and directors are not currently aware of any specific opportunities for us to complete our initial business combination with any entities with which they are affiliated, and there have been no substantive discussions concerning a business combination with any such entity or entities. Although we will not be specifically focusing on, or targeting, any transaction with any affiliated entities, we would pursue such a transaction if we determined that such affiliated entity met our criteria for a business combination and such transaction was approved by a majority of our independent and disinterested directors. Despite our agreement to obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking firm which is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm regarding the fairness to our company from a financial point of view of a business combination with one or more domestic or international businesses affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers, directors or existing holders, potential conflicts of interest still may exist and, as a result, the terms of the business combination may not be as advantageous to our public shareholders as they would be absent any conflicts of interest.
We may engage one or more of our underwriter or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us after the initial public offering, which may include acting as financial advisor in connection with an initial business combination or as placement agent in connection with a related financing transaction. Our underwriter are entitled to receive deferred commissions that will be released from the trust only on a completion of an initial business combination. These financial incentives may cause them to have potential conflicts of interest in rendering any such additional services to us, including, for example, in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
We may engage one or more of our underwriter or one of their respective affiliates to provide additional services to us, including, for example, identifying potential targets, providing financial advisory services, acting as a placement agent in a private offering or arranging debt financing. We may pay such underwriter or its affiliate fair and reasonable fees or other compensation that would be determined at that time in an arm’s length negotiation; provided that no agreement will be entered into with any of the underwriter or their respective affiliates and no fees or other compensation for such services will be paid to any of the underwriter or their respective affiliates prior to the date that is 60 days from the date of the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering, unless such payment would not be deemed underwriter’ compensation in connection with the initial public offering. The underwriter are also entitled to receive deferred commissions that are conditioned on the completion of an initial business combination. The underwriter’ or their respective affiliates’ financial interests tied to the consummation of a business combination transaction may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in providing any such additional services to us, including potential conflicts of interest in connection with the sourcing and consummation of an initial business combination.
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Since our sponsor, executive officers and directors will lose their entire investment in us if our initial business combination is not completed, a conflict of interest may arise in determining whether a particular business combination target is appropriate for our initial business combination.
On March 16, 2022, our sponsor purchased an aggregate 2,875,000 founder shares for a total price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On September 8, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us 718,750 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 2,156,250 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.012. On September 29, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us an additional 431,250 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 1,725,000 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.015. In addition, on October 11, 2022, further to the underwriter’s partial exercise of the over-allotment option and forfeiture of the remaining amount, our sponsor forfeited 145,250 shares of Class B common stock of the Company. Mr. You, the manager of our sponsor, has voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held by our sponsor. Our sponsor has transferred 25,000 founder shares to each of Darla Anderson, Francesca Luthi, Charles Wert and Constance Weaver, our director nominees, upon the completion of our initial business combination, resulting in our sponsor holding at that time 1,625,000 founder shares (assuming the underwriter do not exercise their over-allotment option). Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. The initial public offering resulted in the purchase of 6,319,000 shares (including the 319,000 shares issued to the underwriter upon their exercise of the over-allotment option), and our sponsor owning 1,579,750 shares of Class B common stock. The founder shares will be worthless if we do not complete an initial business combination. In addition, our sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 2,884,660 private placement warrants (including the 44,660 additional warrants issued upon the underwriter’ exercise of the over-allotment option), each exercisable for one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,884,660 (including the $44,660 upon the underwriter’ exercise of the over-allotment option), or $1.00 per warrant, that will also be worthless if we do not complete our initial business combination. In addition, if we do not complete our initial business combination, we will not repay the overfunding loans from the trust account, and we would likely not have other available funds to repay the overfunding loans. The personal and financial interests of our executive officers and directors may influence their motivation in identifying and selecting a target business combination, completing an initial business combination and influencing the operation of the business following the initial business combination. This risk may become more acute as the 15-month anniversary of the closing of our initial public offering nears, which is the deadline for our completion of an initial business combination.
Our management may not maintain control of a target business after our initial business combination. We cannot provide assurance that, upon loss of control of a target business, new management will possess the skills, qualifications or abilities necessary to profitably operate such business.
We may structure our initial business combination so that the post-transaction company in which our public shareholders own shares will own less than 100% of the equity interests or assets of a target business, but we will only complete such business combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for us not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act. We will not consider any transaction that does not meet such criteria. Even if the post-transaction company owns 50% or more of the voting securities of the target, our shareholders prior to the business combination may collectively own a minority interest in the post business combination company, depending on valuations ascribed to the target and us in the business combination. For example, we could pursue a transaction in which we issue a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock in exchange for all of the outstanding capital stock of a target. In this case, we would acquire a 100% interest in the target. However, as a result of the issuance of a substantial number of new shares of Class A common stock, our shareholders immediately prior to such transaction could own less than a majority of our outstanding Class A common stock subsequent to such transaction. In addition, other minority shareholders may subsequently combine their holdings resulting in a single person or group obtaining a larger share of the company’s shares than we initially acquired. Accordingly, this may make it more likely that our management will not maintain control of the target business.
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Risks relating to our Securities
The nominal purchase price paid by our sponsor for the founder shares may result in significant dilution to the implied value of your public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination.
We offered our units at an offering price of $10.00 per unit and the amount in our trust account is initially anticipated to be $10.15 per public share, implying an initial value of $10.15 per public share. However, prior to our initial public offering, our sponsor paid a nominal aggregate purchase price of $25,000 for the founder shares, or approximately $0.015 per share (further to forfeiture of founder shares, as described elsewhere in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering). As a result, the value of your public shares may be significantly diluted upon the consummation of our initial business combination, when the founder shares are converted into public shares. For example, the following table shows the dilutive effect of the founder shares on the implied value of the public shares upon the consummation of our initial business combination assuming that our equity value at that time is $60,900,000, which is the amount we would have for our initial business combination in the trust account assuming the underwriter’ over-allotment option was not exercised, no interest is earned on the funds held in the trust account, and no public shares are redeemed in connection with our initial business combination, and without taking into account any other potential impacts on our valuation at such time, such as the trading price of our public shares, the business combination transaction costs (including payment of $2,100,000 of deferred underwriting commissions), any equity issued or cash paid to the target’s sellers or other third parties, or the target’s business itself, including its assets, liabilities, management and prospects, as well as the value of our public and private warrants. At such valuation, our common stock would have an implied value of $8.12 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, which is a 20% decrease as compared to the initial implied value per public share of $10.15.
Public shares |
6,000,000 | |||
Founder shares |
1,500,000 | |||
|
|
|||
Total shares |
7,500,000 | |||
Total funds in trust available for initial business combination |
$ | 60,900,000 | ||
Implied value per public share (1) |
$ | 8.12 | ||
Public shareholders’ investment per share (2) |
$ | 10.00 | ||
Sponsor’s investment per share (3) |
$ | 1.91 |
(1) | Note that redemptions of our public shares in connection with our initial business combination would further reduce the implied value of our common stock. For instance, in the example above, if 50% of the public shares were redeemed in connection with our initial business combination, the implied value per share of common stock would be $6.77. |
(2) | While the public shareholders’ investment is in both the public shares and the public warrants, for purposes of this table the full investment amount is ascribed to the public shares only. |
(3) | Our sponsor’s total investment in the equity of the company, inclusive of the founder shares and our sponsor’s $2,840,000 investment in the private placement warrants, is $2,865,000. |
The value of the founder shares following completion of our initial business combination is likely to be substantially higher than the nominal price paid for them, even if the trading price of our common stock at such time is substantially less than $10.00 per share.
Our sponsor has invested in us an aggregate of $2,909,660, comprised of the $25,000 purchase price for the founder shares and the $2,884,660 purchase price for the private placement warrants. Assuming a trading price of $10.00 per share upon consummation of our initial business combination, the 1,579,750 founder shares would have an aggregate implied value of $15,797,500. Even if the trading price of our common stock were as low as $1.91 per share, and the private placement warrants are worthless, the value of the founder shares would be equal to our sponsor’s initial investment in us. As a result, our sponsor is likely to be able to make a substantial profit on its investment in us at a time when our public shares have lost significant value (whether because of a substantial amount of redemptions of our public shares or any other reason). Accordingly, our management team, which owns interests in our sponsor, may be more willing to pursue a business combination with a riskier or less-established target business than would be the case if our sponsor had paid the same per share price for the founder shares as our public shareholders paid for their public shares.
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We may amend the terms of the warrants in a manner that may be adverse to holders of public warrants with the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants. As a result, the exercise price of your warrants could be increased, the exercise period could be shortened and the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant could be decreased, all without your approval.
Our warrants will be issued in registered form under a warrant agreement between Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as warrant agent, and us. The warrant agreement provides that the terms of the warrants may be amended without the consent of any holder for the purpose of (i) curing any ambiguity or to correct any defective provision or mistake, including to conform the provisions of the warrant agreement to the description of the terms of the warrants and the warrant agreement set forth in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering, (ii) adjusting the provisions relating to cash dividends on shares of common stock as contemplated by and in accordance with the warrant agreement or (iii) adding or changing any provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under the warrant agreement as the parties to the warrant agreement may deem necessary or desirable and that the parties deem to not adversely affect the rights of the registered holders of the warrants, provided that the approval by the holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is required to make any change that adversely affects the interests of the registered holders of the public warrants. Accordingly, we may amend the terms of the public warrants in a manner adverse to a holder if holders of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants approve of such amendment. Although our ability to amend the terms of the public warrants with the consent of at least 50% of the then outstanding public warrants is unlimited, examples of such amendments could be amendments to, among other things, increase the exercise price of the warrants, convert the warrants into cash or stock (at a ratio different than initially provided), shorten the exercise period or decrease the number of shares of Class A common stock purchasable upon exercise of a warrant.
Our warrant agreement designates the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by holders of our warrants, which could limit the ability of warrant holders to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with our company.
Our warrant agreement provides that, subject to applicable law, (i) any action, proceeding or claim against us arising out of or relating in any way to the warrant agreement, including under the Securities Act, will be brought and enforced in the courts of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and (ii) that we irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction, which jurisdiction shall be the exclusive forum for any such action, proceeding or claim. We will waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, these provisions of the warrant agreement will not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal district courts of the United States of America are the sole and exclusive forum. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any of our warrants shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the forum provisions in our warrant agreement. If any action, the subject matter of which is within the scope the forum provisions of the warrant agreement, is filed in a court other than a court of the State of New York or the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (a “foreign action”) in the name of any holder of our warrants, such holder shall be deemed to have consented to: (x) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in the State of New York in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the forum provisions (an “enforcement action”), and (y) having service of process made upon such warrant holder in any such enforcement action by service upon such warrant holder’s counsel in the foreign action as agent for such warrant holder.
This choice-of-forum provision may limit a warrant holder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with our company, which may discourage such lawsuits. Alternatively, if a court were to find this provision of our warrant agreement inapplicable or unenforceable with respect to one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and result in a diversion of the time and resources of our management and board of directors.
We may redeem your unexpired warrants prior to their exercise at a time that is disadvantageous to you, thereby making your warrants worthless.
We have the ability to redeem the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.01 per warrant, provided that the closing price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided that certain other conditions are met. If and when the warrants become redeemable by us, we may exercise our redemption right even if we are unable to register or qualify the underlying securities for sale under all applicable state securities laws. As a result, we may redeem the
warrants as set forth above even if the holders are otherwise unable to exercise the warrants. Redemption of the outstanding warrants
could force you to (i) exercise your warrants and pay the exercise price therefor at a time when it may be disadvantageous for you to do so, (ii) sell your warrants at the then-current market price when you might otherwise wish to hold your warrants or (iii) accept the nominal redemption price which, at the time the outstanding warrants are called for redemption, we expect would be substantially less than the market value of your warrants. None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees.
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In addition, we have the ability to redeem the outstanding public warrants at any time after they become exercisable and prior to their expiration, at a price of $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that the closing price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per share (as adjusted for adjustments to the number of shares issuable upon exercise or the exercise price of a warrant) for any 20 trading days within a 30 trading-day period ending on the third trading day prior to proper notice of such redemption and provided that certain other conditions are met, including that holders will be able to exercise their warrants prior to redemption for a number of shares of Class A common stock determined based on the redemption date and the fair market value of our Class A common stock. The value received upon exercise of the warrants (i) may be less than the value the holders would have received if they had exercised their warrants at a later time where the underlying share price is higher and (ii) may not compensate the holders for the value of the warrants, including because the number of shares of Class A common stock received is capped at 0.361 shares of Class A common stock per warrant (subject to adjustment) irrespective of the remaining life of the warrants.
None of the private placement warrants will be redeemable by us as so long as they are held by our sponsor or its permitted transferees.
Our warrants may have an adverse effect on the market price of our shares of Class A common stock and make it more difficult to effectuate our initial business combination.
We have issued warrants to purchase 3,159,500 shares of our Class A common stock (including the 159,500 warrants issued to the underwriter upon their exercise of the over-allotment option for 319,000 units) as part of the initial public offering and, simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering, we have issued in a private placement an aggregate of 2,884,660 private placement warrants (including the 44,660 additional warrants issued upon the underwriter’ exercise of the over-allotment option), each exercisable to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. In addition, if our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors makes any working capital loans, such lender may convert those loans into up to an additional 1,200,000 private placement warrants, at the price of $1.00 per warrant. To the extent we issue common stock to effectuate a business transaction, the potential for the issuance of a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock upon exercise of these warrants could make us a less attractive acquisition vehicle to a target business. Such warrants, when exercised, will increase the number of issued and outstanding shares of Class A common stock and reduce the value of the Class A common stock issued to complete the business transaction. Therefore, our warrants may make it more difficult to effectuate a business transaction or increase the cost of acquiring the target business.
Because each unit contains one-half of one warrant and only a whole warrant may be exercised, the units may be worth less than units of other special purpose acquisition companies.
Each unit contains one-half of one warrant. Pursuant to the warrant agreement, no fractional warrants will be issued upon separation of the units, and only whole units will trade. If, upon exercise of the warrants, a holder would be entitled to receive a fractional interest in a share, we will, upon exercise, round down to the nearest whole number the number of shares of Class A common stock to be issued to the warrant holder. This is different from other offerings similar to ours whose units include one common share and one warrant to purchase one whole share. We have established the components of the units in this way in order to reduce the dilutive effect of the warrants upon completion of a business combination since the warrants will be exercisable in the aggregate for one-half of the number of shares compared to units that each contain a whole warrant to purchase one share, thus making us, we believe, a more attractive merger partner for target businesses. Nevertheless, this unit structure may cause our units to be worth less than if it included a warrant to purchase one whole share.
Our warrants are expected to be accounted for as derivative liabilities and will be recorded at fair value upon issuance with changes in fair value each period reported in earnings, which may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock or may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination.
Following the consummation of our initial public offering and the concurrent issuance of the private placement of warrants to our sponsor, 6,044,160 warrants were issued in connection with the initial public offering (comprised of the 3,159,500 warrants included in the units and the 2,884,660 private placement warrants) in accordance with the guidance contained in ASC 815-40. Such guidance provides that because the warrants do not meet the criteria for equity treatment thereunder, each warrant must be recorded as a liability. Accordingly, we have classified each of the warrants as a liability at its fair value as determined by us based upon a valuation report obtained from an independent third party valuation firm. At each reporting period (1) the accounting treatment of the warrants is re-evaluated for proper accounting treatment as a liability or equity and (2) the fair value of the liability of the public and private warrants is remeasured and the change in the fair value of the liability is recorded as other income (expense) in our income statement. Changes in the inputs and assumptions for the valuation model we use to determine the fair value of such liability may have a material impact on the estimated fair value of the embedded derivative liability. The share price of our Class A common stock represents the primary underlying variable that impacts the value of the derivative instruments. Additional factors that impact the value of the derivative instruments include the volatility of our stock price, discount rates and stated interest rates. As a result, our consolidated financial statements and results of operations will fluctuate quarterly, based on various factors, such as the share price of our Class A common stock, many of which are outside of our control. In addition, we may change the underlying assumptions used in our valuation model, which could in result in significant fluctuations in our results of operations. If our stock price is volatile, we expect that we will recognize non-cash gains or losses on our warrants or any other similar derivative instruments each reporting period and that the amount of such gains or losses could be material. The impact of changes in fair value on earnings may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, potential targets may seek a blank check company that does not have warrants that are accounted for as a warrant liability, which may make it more difficult for us to consummate an initial business combination with a target business.
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There is currently no market for our securities and a market for our securities may not develop, which would adversely affect the liquidity and price of our securities.
There is currently no market for our securities. Shareholders therefore have no access to information about prior market history on which to base their investment decision. The price of our securities may vary significantly due to one or more potential business combinations and general market or economic conditions. Furthermore, an active trading market for our securities may never develop or, if developed, it may not be sustained. You may be unable to sell your securities unless a market can be established and sustained.
Provisions in our amended and restated articles of organization and Massachusetts law may inhibit a takeover of us, which could limit the price investors might be willing to pay in the future for our shares of Class A common stock and could entrench management.
Our amended and restated articles of organization contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals that shareholders may consider to be in their best interests. These provisions include a staggered board of directors and the ability of the board of directors to designate the terms of and issue new series of preferred stock, which may make more difficult the removal of management and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
We are also subject to anti-takeover provisions under Massachusetts law, which could delay or prevent a change of control. Together these provisions may make the removal of management more difficult and may discourage transactions that otherwise could involve payment of a premium over prevailing market prices for our securities.
The rights of the holders of our shares of Class A common stock will be subject to, and may be harmed by, the rights of the holders of any class or series of preferred stock that may be issued in the future. Massachusetts state law also prohibits us from engaging in specified business combinations unless the combination is approved or consummated in a prescribed manner.
Provisions in our amended and restated articles of organization and Massachusetts law may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
Our amended and restated articles of organization require, unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, that the Business Litigation Session of the Superior Court for Suffolk County, Massachusetts and United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts sitting in Boston, Massachusetts shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (a) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (b) any action asserting a claim for breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s shareholders, (c) any action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the MBCA, the Articles of Organization, or the Bylaws of the corporation, or (d) any action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine, in each case subject to said courts having personal jurisdiction over the indispensable parties named as defendants therein, except that the United States District Court of Massachusetts in Boston shall be the sole and exclusive forum for any claim arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any claim for which such other courts do not have subject matter jurisdiction including, without limitation, any claim arising under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Unless we consent in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the United States District Court of Massachusetts in Boston shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act against us or any of our directors, officers, other employees or agents. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in our securities shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to these provisions. Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Massachusetts law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision limits our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us and may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions pursuant to the tender offer rules, and if you or a “group” of shareholders are deemed to hold in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock, you will lose the ability to redeem all such shares in excess of 15% of our Class A common stock.
If we seek shareholder approval of our initial business combination and we do not conduct redemptions in connection with our initial business combination pursuant to the tender offer rules, our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that a public shareholder, together with any affiliate of such shareholder or any other person with whom such shareholder is acting in concert or as a “group” (as defined under Section 13 of the Exchange Act), will be restricted from seeking redemption rights with respect to more than an aggregate of 15% of the shares sold in the initial public offering without our prior consent, which we refer to as the “Excess Shares.” However, we would not be restricting our shareholders’ ability to vote all of their shares (including Excess Shares) for or against our initial business combination. Your inability to redeem the Excess Shares will reduce your influence over our ability to complete our initial business combination and you could suffer a material loss on your investment in us if you sell Excess Shares in open market transactions. Additionally, you will not receive redemption distributions with respect to the Excess Shares if we complete our initial business combination. And as a result, you will continue to hold that number of shares exceeding 15% and, in order to dispose of such shares, would be required to sell your shares in open market transactions, potentially at a loss.
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The NYSE American may delist our securities from trading on its exchange, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.
Our securities are now listed on the NYSE American, including the Class A common stock and warrants. We cannot assure you that our securities will continue to be listed on the NYSE American in the future or prior to our initial business combination. In order to continue listing our securities on the NYSE American prior to our initial business combination, we must maintain certain financial, distribution and stock price levels. Generally, we must maintain a minimum amount in shareholders’ equity (generally $2,500,000) and a minimum number of holders of our securities (generally 300 public holders). Additionally, in connection with our initial business combination, we will be required to demonstrate compliance with the NYSE American’s initial listing requirements, which are more rigorous than the NYSE American’s continued listing requirements, in order to continue to maintain the listing of our securities on the NYSE American. For instance, our stock price would generally be required to be at least $3.00 per share and our shareholders’ equity would generally be required to be at least $4,000,000. We cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements at that time.
If the NYSE American delists our securities from trading on its exchange and we are not able to list our securities on another national securities exchange, we expect our securities could be quoted on an over-the-counter market. If this were to occur, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:
• | a limited availability of market quotations for our securities; |
• | reduced liquidity for our securities; |
• | a determination that our Class A common stock is a “penny stock” which will require brokers trading in our Class A common stock to adhere to more stringent rules and possibly result in a reduced level of trading activity in the secondary trading market for our securities; |
• | a limited amount of news and analyst coverage; and |
• | a decreased ability to issue additional securities or obtain additional financing in the future. |
The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Because we expect that our units and eventually our Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE American, our units, Class A common stock and warrants will qualify as covered securities under the statute. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. While we are not aware of a state having used these powers to prohibit or restrict the sale of securities issued by blank check companies, other than the State of Idaho, certain state securities regulators view blank check companies unfavorably and might use these powers, or threaten to use these powers, to hinder the sale of securities of blank check companies in their states. Further, if we were no longer listed on the NYSE American, our securities would not qualify as covered securities under the statute and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.
The securities in which we invest the proceeds held in the trust account could bear a negative rate of interest, which could reduce the interest income available for payment of taxes or reduce the value of the assets held in trust such that the per share redemption amount received by shareholders may be less than $10.15 per share.
Of the gross proceeds received from our initial public offering, the sale of the over-allotment units, the sale of private placement warrants and the overfunding loans, $64,137,850 was placed in the trust account. The proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in direct U.S. government treasury obligations having a maturity of 185 days or less, or in certain money market funds meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, which invest only in direct U.S. Treasury obligations. While short-term U.S. government treasury obligations currently yield a positive rate of interest, they have briefly yielded negative interest rates in recent years. Central banks in Europe and Japan pursued interest rates below zero in recent years, and the Open Market Committee of the Federal Reserve has not ruled out the possibility that it may in the future adopt similar policies in the United States. In the event of very low or negative yields, the amount of interest income (which we may withdraw to pay income taxes, if any) would be reduced. In the event that we are unable to complete our initial business combination or make certain amendments to our amended and restated articles of organization, our public shareholders are entitled to receive their pro-rata share of the proceeds held in the trust account, plus any interest income, net of taxes paid or payable (less, in the case we are unable to complete our initial business combination, $100,000 of interest). If the balance of the trust account is reduced below $64,137,850 as a result of negative interest rates, the amount of funds in the trust account available for distribution to our public shareholders may be reduced below $10.15 per share.
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If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we may be required to institute burdensome compliance requirements and our activities may be restricted, which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination.
If we are deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, our activities may be restricted, including:
• | restrictions on the nature of our investments; and |
• | restrictions on the issuance of securities, each of which may make it difficult for us to complete our initial business combination. |
In addition, we may have imposed upon us burdensome requirements, including:
• | registration as an investment company with the SEC; |
• | adoption of a specific form of corporate structure; and |
• | reporting, record keeping, voting, proxy and disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that we are not subject to. |
As a result, if we were deemed to be an investment company under the Investment Company Act, we would expect to abandon our efforts to complete an initial business combination and liquidate the trust account.
In order not to be regulated as an investment company under the Investment Company Act, unless we can qualify for an exclusion, we must ensure that we are engaged primarily in a business other than investing, reinvesting or trading of securities and that our activities do not include investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading “investment securities” constituting more than 40% of our assets (exclusive of U.S. government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis. Our business will be to identify and complete a business combination and thereafter to operate the post-transaction business or assets for the long term. We do not plan to buy businesses or assets with a view to resale or profit from their resale. We do not plan to buy unrelated businesses or assets or to be a passive investor.
The 2022 Proposed Rules under the Investment Company Act would provide a safe harbor for SPACs from the definition of “investment company” under Section 3(a)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, provided that they satisfy certain conditions that limit a SPAC’s duration, asset composition, business purpose and activities. The duration component of the proposed safe harbor rule would require a SPAC to file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the SEC announcing that it has entered into an agreement with the target company (or companies) to engage in an initial business combination no later than 15 months after the effective date of the SPAC’s registration statement for its initial public offering. The SPAC would then be required to complete its initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of its registration statement for its initial public offering. Although the 2022 Proposed Rules, including the proposed safe harbor rule, have not yet been adopted, and may be adopted in a revised form, the SEC has indicated that there are serious questions concerning the applicability of the Investment Company Act to a SPAC that does not complete its initial business combination within the proposed time frame set forth in the proposed safe harbor rule. Therefore, if (i) the 2022 Proposed Rules are adopted by the SEC, (ii) our shareholders vote to extend the time to complete our initial business combination, and (iii) we do not (x) file a report on Form 8-K with the SEC announcing that we have entered into an agreement with the target company (or companies) to engage in an initial business combination no later than 15 months after the effective date of the registration statement for the initial public offering, and (y) consummate our initial business combination no later than 24 months after the effective date of the registration statement for the initial public offering, there is a risk that we would be deemed to be an investment company and subject to the Investment Company Act.
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We do not believe that our anticipated principal activities will subject us to the Investment Company Act. To this end, the proceeds held in the trust account may only be invested in United States “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. Pursuant to the trust agreement, the trustee is not permitted to invest in other securities or assets. By restricting the investment of the proceeds to these instruments, and by having a business plan targeted at acquiring and growing businesses for the long term (rather than on buying and selling businesses in the manner of a merchant bank or private equity fund), we intend to avoid being deemed an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act.. The trust account is intended as a holding place for funds pending the earliest to occur of either: (i) the completion of our initial business combination; (ii) the redemption of any public shares properly tendered in connection with a shareholder vote to amend our amended and restated articles of organization to modify the substance or timing of our obligation to redeem 100% of our public shares if we do not complete our initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension, as described in more detail in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering) or during any Extension Period; and (iii) absent an initial business combination within 15 months from the closing of our initial public offering (or up to 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering if we extend the period of time to consummate a business combination; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial business combination has been announced prior to such extension, as described in more detail in the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering) or during any Extension Period, or with respect to any other material provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity, our return of the funds held in the trust account to our public shareholders as part of our redemption of the public shares. If we do not invest the proceeds as discussed above, we may be deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act. If we were deemed to be subject to the Investment Company Act, compliance with these additional regulatory burdens would require additional expenses for which we have not allotted funds and may hinder our ability to complete a business combination. If we are unable to complete our initial business combination, our public shareholders may only receive their pro rata portion of the funds in the trust account that are available for distribution to public shareholders, and our warrants will expire worthless.
In order to mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation. Any decision to hold all funds in the trust account in cash would likely reduce the amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation.
While we intend to invest the funds in the trust account only in U.S. government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less, or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, we may, at any time, instruct the trustee to hold all funds in the trust account in cash until the earlier of the consummation of our initial business combination or our liquidation in order to mitigate the risk that we might be deemed to be an investment company for purposes of the Investment Company Act. Any decision to hold all funds in the trust account in cash, combined with any permitted withdrawals of interest held in the trust account to pay our taxes, would likely reduce the effective yield on the amounts in the trust account and the amount our public shareholders would receive upon any redemption or liquidation.
We may be subject to the Excise Tax included in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 in the event of a liquidation or in connection with redemptions of our common stock after December 31, 2022.
On August 16, 2022, President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (H.R. 5376) (the “IRA”), which, among other things, imposes a 1% excise tax on any domestic corporation that repurchases its stock after December 31, 2022 (the “Excise Tax”). The Excise Tax is imposed on the fair market value of the repurchased stock, with certain exceptions. Because we are a Massachusetts corporation and our securities are trading on NYSE American following the date of the prospectus filed in connection with our initial public offering, we are a “covered corporation” within the meaning of the IRA following the offering. On December 27, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury published Notice 2023-2, which provided clarification on some aspects of the application of the excise tax. The notice generally provides that if a publicly traded U.S. corporation completely liquidates and dissolves, distributions in such complete liquidation and other distributions by such corporation in the same taxable year in which the final distribution in complete liquidation and dissolution is made are not subject to the excise tax. Although such notice clarifies certain aspects of the excise tax, the interpretation and operation of aspects of the excise tax (including its application and operation with respect to SPACs) remain unclear and such interim operating rules are subject to change. While not free from doubt, absent any further guidance from Congress or the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Excise Tax may apply to any redemptions of our common stock after December 31, 2022, including redemptions in connection with an initial business combination, unless an exemption is available. Issuances of securities in connection with our initial business combination transaction (including any PIPE transaction at the time of our initial business combination) are expected to reduce the amount of the Excise Tax in connection with redemptions occurring in the same calendar year, but the number of securities redeemed may exceed the number of securities issued. Consequently, the Excise Tax may make a transaction with us less appealing to potential business combination targets. Further, the application of the Excise Tax in the event of a liquidation is uncertain. Except for franchise taxes and income taxes, the proceeds placed in the trust account and the interest earned thereon shall not be used to pay for possible Excise Tax or any other fees or taxes that may be levied on the company pursuant to any current, pending or future rules or laws, including without limitation any Excise Tax due under the IRA on any redemptions or stock buybacks by the company.
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You will not be permitted to exercise your warrants unless we register and qualify the underlying Class A common stock or certain exemptions are available.
If the issuance of the Class A common stock upon exercise of the warrants is not registered, qualified or exempt from registration or qualification under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, holders of warrants will not be entitled to exercise such warrants and such warrants may have no value and expire worthless. In such event, holders who acquired their warrants as part of a purchase of units will have paid the full unit purchase price solely for the Class A common stock included in the units.
We are not registering the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants under the Securities Act or any state securities laws at this time. However, under the terms of the warrant agreement, we have agreed that, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 15 business days, after the closing of our initial business combination, we will use our best efforts to file with the SEC a registration statement covering the registration under the Securities Act of the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants and thereafter will use our best efforts to cause the same to become effective within 60 business days following our initial business combination and to maintain a current prospectus relating to the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants until the expiration of the warrants in accordance with the provisions of the warrant agreement. We cannot assure you that we will be able to do so if, for example, any facts or events arise which represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement or prospectus, the financial statements contained or incorporated by reference therein are not current or correct or the SEC issues a stop order.
If the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act, under the terms of the warrant agreement, holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do so for cash and, instead, will be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act or another exemption.
In no event will warrants be exercisable for cash or on a cashless basis, and we will not be obligated to issue any shares to holders seeking to exercise their warrants, unless the issuance of the shares upon such exercise is registered or qualified under the securities laws of the state of the exercising holder, or an exemption from registration or qualification is available.
If our shares of Class A common stock are at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act, we may, at our option, not permit holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants to do so for cash and, instead, require them to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act; in the event we so elect, we will not be required to file or maintain in effect a registration statement or register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws, and in the event we do not so elect, we will use our best efforts to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under applicable state securities laws to the extent an exemption is not available.
In no event will we be required to net cash settle any warrant, or issue securities (other than upon a cashless exercise as described above) or other compensation in exchange for the warrants in the event that we are unable to register or qualify the shares underlying the warrants under the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.
You may only be able to exercise your public warrants on a “cashless basis” under certain circumstances, and if you do so, you will receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
The warrant agreement provides that in the following circumstances holders of warrants who seek to exercise their warrants will not be permitted to do for cash and will, instead, be required to do so on a cashless basis in accordance with Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Act: (i) if the shares of Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the warrants are not registered under the Securities Act in accordance with the terms of the warrant agreement; and (ii) if we have so elected and the shares of Class A common stock is at the time of any exercise of a warrant not listed on a national securities exchange such that they satisfy the definition of “covered securities” under Section 18(b)(1) of the Securities Act. If you exercise your public warrants on a cashless basis under the circumstances described in clauses (i) and (ii) in the preceding sentence, you would pay the warrant exercise price by surrendering the warrants for that number of shares of Class A common stock equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of the number of shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants, multiplied by the excess of the “fair market value” of our shares of Class A common stock (as defined in the next sentence) over the exercise price of the warrants by (y) the fair market value. The “fair market value” is the average reported closing price of the shares of Class A common stock for the 10 trading days ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the notice of exercise is received by the warrant agent or on which the notice of redemption is sent to the holders of warrants, as applicable. As a result, you would receive fewer shares of Class A common stock from such exercise than if you were to exercise such warrants for cash.
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The grant of registration rights to our initial shareholders and holders of our private placement warrants may make it more difficult to complete our initial business combination, and the future exercise of such rights may adversely affect the market price of our shares of Class A common stock.
Pursuant to an agreement entered into concurrently with the issuance and sale of the securities in the initial public offering, our initial shareholders, the holders of our private placement warrants, the holders of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans and extension loans and their permitted transferees can demand that we register the shares of Class A common stock into which founder shares are convertible, the private placement warrants and the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants, the Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans and extension loans, any Class A common stock issuable to our sponsor upon conversion of the overfunding loans and any other securities of the company acquired by them prior to the consummation of our initial business combination. We will bear the cost of registering these securities. The registration and availability of such a significant number of securities for trading in the public market may have an adverse effect on the market price of our Class A common stock. In addition, the existence of the registration rights may make our initial business combination more costly or difficult to conclude. This is because the shareholders of the target business may increase the equity stake they seek in the combined entity or ask for more cash consideration to offset the negative impact on the market price of our Class A common stock that is expected when the shares of common stock owned by our initial shareholders, holders of our private placement warrants or holders of our working capital loans or their respective permitted transferees are registered.
We may issue additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon the conversion of the founder shares at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions contained in our amended and restated articles of organization. Any such issuances would dilute the interest of our shareholders and likely present other risks.
Our amended and restated articles of organization authorizes the issuance of up to 35,000,000 shares of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, 5,000,000 shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share. After the initial public offering, there are 28,681,000 and 3,421,250 (assuming in each case that the underwriter have not exercised their over-allotment option and the forfeiture of 225,000 shares of Class B common stock) authorized but unissued shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively available for issuance, which amount does not take into account shares reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants or shares issuable upon conversion of the Class B common stock. The Class B common stock is automatically convertible into Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination, initially at a one-for-one ratio but subject to adjustment as set forth herein and in our amended and restated articles of organization. Immediately after the initial public offering, there is no shares of preferred stock issued and outstanding. These amounts exclude any shares of Class A common stock or private placement warrants that may be issued upon conversion of the overfunding loans and the extension loans, respectively.
We may issue a substantial number of additional shares of Class A common stock or shares of preferred stock to complete our initial business combination or under an employee incentive plan after completion of our initial business combination. We may also issue shares of Class A common stock upon conversion of the Class B common stock at a ratio greater than one-to-one at the time of our initial business combination as a result of the anti-dilution provisions as set forth therein. However, our amended and restated articles of organization will provide, among other things, that prior to our initial business combination, we may not issue additional shares that would entitle the holders thereof to (i) receive funds from the trust account or (ii) vote as a class with our public shares (a) on any initial business combination or (b) to approve an amendment to our amended and restated articles of organization to (x) extend the time we have to consummate a business combination beyond 21 months from the closing of our initial public offering or (y) amend the foregoing provisions. These provisions of our amended and restated articles of organization, like all provisions of our amended and restated articles of organization, may be amended with a shareholder vote. The issuance of additional shares of common stock or shares of preferred stock:
• | may significantly dilute the equity interest of investors in our initial public offering; |
• | may subordinate the rights of holders of Class A common stock if shares of preferred stock are issued with rights senior to those afforded our Class A common stock; |
• | could cause a change in control if a substantial number of shares of Class A common stock is issued, which may affect, among other things, our ability to use our net operating loss carry forwards, if any, and could result in the resignation or removal of our present officers and directors; and |
• | may adversely affect prevailing market prices for our units, Class A common stock and/or warrants. |
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Unlike some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies, our initial shareholders will receive additional shares of Class A common stock if we issue certain shares to consummate an initial business combination.
The founder shares will automatically convert into shares of Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like, and subject to further adjustment as provided herein. In the case that additional shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities are issued or deemed issued in connection with our initial business combination, the number of shares of Class A common stock issuable upon conversion of all founder shares will equal, in the aggregate, on an as-converted basis, 20% of the total number of shares of Class A common stock outstanding after such conversion (after giving effect to any redemptions of shares of Class A common stock by public shareholders), including the total number of shares of Class A common stock issued, or deemed issued or issuable upon conversion or exercise of any equity-linked securities or rights issued or deemed issued, by the Company in connection with or in relation to the consummation of the initial business combination, excluding any shares of Class A common stock or equity-linked securities or rights exercisable for or convertible into shares of Class A common stock issued, or to be issued, to any seller in the initial business combination and any private placement warrants issued to our sponsor, officers or directors upon conversion of working capital loans and extension loans and any shares of Class A common stock issued to our sponsor upon conversion of the overfunding loans. In no event will the conversion of the founder shares occur on a less than one-for-one basis. This is different than some other similarly structured special purpose acquisition companies in which the initial shareholders will only be issued an aggregate of 20% of the total number of shares to be outstanding prior to our initial business combination.
General Risk Factors
We are a blank check company with no operating history and no revenues, and you have no basis on which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective.
We are a blank check company incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with no operating results, and we did not commence operations until obtaining funding through the initial public offering. Because we lack an operating history, you have no basis upon which to evaluate our ability to achieve our business objective of completing our initial business combination. We have no plans, arrangements or understandings with any prospective target business concerning a business combination and may be unable to complete our initial business combination. If we fail to complete our initial business combination, we will never generate any operating revenues.
Past performance by our management team and their affiliates may not be indicative of future performance of an investment in us.
Information regarding performance by, or businesses associated with, our management team or businesses associated with them is presented for informational purposes only. Past performance by our management team, including with respect to each of dMY I, dMY II, dMY III, dMY IV and dMY VI, is not a guarantee either (i) of success with respect to any business combination we may consummate or (ii) that we will be able to locate a suitable candidate for our initial business combination. You should not rely on the historical record of the performance of our management team or businesses associated with them, including dMY I, dMY II, dMY III, dMY IV and dMY VI, as indicative of our future performance of an investment in us or the returns we will, or is likely to, generate going forward.
Cyber incidents or attacks directed at us could result in information theft, data corruption, operational disruption and/or financial loss.
We depend on digital technologies, including information systems, infrastructure and cloud applications and services, including those of third parties with which we may deal. Sophisticated and deliberate attacks on, or security breaches in, our systems or infrastructure, or the systems or infrastructure of third parties or the cloud, could lead to corruption or misappropriation of our assets, proprietary information and sensitive or confidential data. As an early stage company without significant investments in data security protection, we may not be sufficiently protected against such occurrences. We may not have sufficient resources to adequately protect against, or to investigate and remediate any vulnerability to, cyber incidents. It is possible that any of these occurrences, or a combination of them, could have adverse consequences on our business and lead to financial loss.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements available to emerging growth companies or smaller reporting companies, this could make our securities less attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company” within the meaning of the Securities Act, as modified by the JOBS Act, and we may take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor internal controls attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. As a result, our shareholders may not have access to certain information they may deem important. We could be an emerging growth company for up to five years, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including if the market value of our Class A common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any June 30 before that time, in which case we would no longer be an emerging growth company as of the following December 31. We cannot predict whether investors will find our securities less attractive because we will rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our securities less attractive as a result of our reliance on these exemptions, the trading prices of our securities may be lower than they otherwise would be, there may be a less active trading market for our securities and the trading prices of our securities may be more volatile.
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Further, Section 102(b)(1) of the JOBS Act exempts emerging growth companies from being required to comply with new or revised financial accounting standards until private companies (that is, those that have not had a Securities Act registration statement declared effective or do not have a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act) are required to comply with the new or revised financial accounting standards. The JOBS Act provides that a company can elect to opt out of the extended transition period and comply with the requirements that apply to non-emerging growth companies but any such an election to opt out is irrevocable. We have elected not to opt out of such extended transition period which means that when a standard is issued or revised and it has different application dates for public or private companies, we, as an emerging growth company, can adopt the new or revised standard at the time private companies adopt the new or revised standard. This may make comparison of our financial statements with another public company which is neither an emerging growth company nor an emerging growth company which has opted out of using the extended transition period difficult or impossible because of the potential differences in accounting standards used.
Additionally, we are a “smaller reporting company” as defined in Item 10(f)(1) of Regulation S-K. Smaller reporting companies may take advantage of certain reduced disclosure obligations, including, among other things, providing only two years of audited financial statements. Our status as a smaller reporting company is determined annually. We will continue to qualify as a smaller reporting company through the following fiscal year as long as (i) the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates (measured as of the end of the second quarter of the then current fiscal year) does not exceed $250 million or (ii) our annual revenues for the most recently completed fiscal year do not exceed $100 million and the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates (measured as of the end of the second quarter of the then current fiscal year) does not exceed $700 million. If we exceed these thresholds, we will cease to be a smaller reporting company as of the first day of the following fiscal year.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS.
None.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES.
We currently utilize office space at 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 from our sponsor and the members of our management team. We consider our current office space adequate for our current operations.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
There is no material litigation, arbitration or governmental proceeding currently pending against us or any members of our management team in their capacity as such.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES.
Market Information
Our units, Class A common stock and warrants are traded on NYSE American under the symbols “DMYY.U,” “DMYY” and “DMYY.WS,” respectively.
Holders
As of March 30, 2022, there was one holder of record of our units, one holder of record of our Class A common stock, one holder of record of our Class B common stock, one holder of record of our public warrants and one holder of record of our private placement warrants.
Dividends
We have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock to date and do not intend to pay cash dividends prior to the completion of our initial business combination. The payment of cash dividends in the future will be dependent upon our revenues and earnings, if any, capital requirements and general financial condition subsequent to completion of our initial business combination. The payment of any cash dividends subsequent to our initial business combination will be within the discretion of our board of directors at such time. If we incur any indebtedness in connection with our initial business combination, our ability to declare dividends may be limited by restrictive covenants we may agree to in connection therewith.
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Securities Authorized for Issuance Under Equity Compensation Plans
None.
ITEM 6. [Reserved]
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS.
The following discussion and analysis of the Company’s financial condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes related thereto which are included in “Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data” of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Certain information contained in the discussion and analysis set forth below includes forward-looking statements. Our actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including those set forth under “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. These forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions about us that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “continue,” or the negative of such terms or other similar expressions. Factors that might cause or contribute to such a discrepancy include, but are not limited to, those described in our other SEC filings.
Overview
Our company, dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc., is a blank check company incorporated in Massachusetts. We were 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 (the “Business Combination”). We are an emerging growth company and, as such, we are subject to all of the risks associated with emerging growth companies.
As of December 31, 2022, we had not commenced any operations. All activity for the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 relates to our formation and the initial public offering (the “Initial Public Offering”) as described below. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial Business Combination, at the earliest. We will generate non-operating income from the proceeds derived from the Initial Public Offering.
Our sponsor is dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Sponsor”). The registration statement for our Initial Public Offering was declared effective on September 29, 2022. On October 4, 2022, we consummated its Initial Public Offering of 6,000,000 units, at $10.00 per unit, generating gross proceeds of $60.0 million, and incurring offering costs of approximately $3.7 million, of which $2.1 million and approximately $26,000 was for deferred underwriting commissions and offering costs allocated to derivate warrant liabilities, respectively. On October 7, 2022, the underwriter exercised its over-allotment option in part, and on October 11, 2022, the underwriter purchased 319,000 additional units (the “over-allotment units”), generating gross proceeds of approximately $3.2 million (the “Partial Over-Allotment”). We incurred additional offering costs of approximately $156,000 in connection with the Partial Over-Allotment (of which approximately $112,000 was for deferred underwriting fees).
Simultaneously with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, we consummated the private placement (“Private Placement”) of 2,840,000 warrants (the “Initial private placement warrants”), at a price of $1.00 per Initial private placement warrant to our Sponsor, generating proceeds of approximately $2.8 million. On October 11, 2022, simultaneously with the issuance and sale of the over-allotment units, we consummated the sale of an additional 44,660 private placement warrants at $1.00 per private placement warrant (the “Additional private placement warrants”, and together with the Initial private placement warrants, the “private placement warrants”), generating additional gross proceeds of approximately $45,000.
In addition, concurrently with the closing of the Initial Public Offering, our sponsor extended an overfunding loan to the Company in the amount of $900,000 at no interest (the “Initial Overfunding Loan”), to deposit in a Trust Account (as defined below). On October 11, 2022, simultaneously with the sale of the over-allotment units, our sponsor extended a further overfunding loan to the Company in an aggregate amount of $47,850 (together with the Initial Overfunding Loan, the “Overfunding Loans”), to deposit to the Trust Account.
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Upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering, the Partial Over-Allotment, the Private Placement and the Overfunding Loans, approximately $64.1 million ($10.15 per unit) of the net proceeds of the sale of the units and the private placement warrants and the proceeds from the Overfunding Loans were placed in a trust account (“Trust Account”) with Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company acting as trustee and will be invested in United States government treasury bills with a maturity of 185 days or less or in money market funds investing solely in U.S. Treasuries and meeting certain conditions under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), or the Investment Company Act, as determined by the Company, until the earlier of: (i) the completion of a Business Combination and (ii) the distribution of the Trust Account.
Our management has broad discretion with respect to the specific application of the net proceeds of the Initial Public Offering and the sale of private placement warrants, although substantially all of the net proceeds are intended to be applied generally toward consummating a Business Combination. There is no assurance that we will be able to complete a Business Combination successfully. We must complete one or more initial Business Combinations having an aggregate fair market value of at least 80% of the net assets held in the Trust Account (net of amounts disbursed to management for working capital purposes and excluding the deferred underwriting commissions and taxes payable on the interest earned on the Trust Account) at the time of the agreement to enter into the initial Business Combination. However, we will only complete a Business Combination if the post-transaction company owns or acquires 50% or more of the voting securities of the target or otherwise acquires a controlling interest in the target sufficient for it not to be required to register as an investment company under the Investment Company Act.
We provide the holders of our Public Shares (the “Public Shareholders”) with the opportunity to redeem all or a portion of their Public Shares upon the completion of a Business Combination either (i) in connection with a shareholders’ meeting called to approve the Business Combination or (ii) by means of a tender offer. The decision as to whether we will seek shareholder approval of a Business Combination or conduct a tender offer will be made by us, solely in its discretion. The Public Shareholders will be entitled to redeem their Public Shares for a pro rata portion of the amount then held in the Trust Account (initially at $10.15 per Public Share). The per-share amount to be distributed to Public Shareholders who redeem their Public Shares will not be reduced by the deferred underwriting commissions we will pay to the underwriter.
We have 15 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering to consummate an initial Business Combination. If we anticipate that we may not be able to consummate the initial Business Combination within 15 months from the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, we may, by resolution of its board of directors if requested by our Sponsor, extend the period of time we will have to consummate an initial Business Combination up to two times by an additional three-month period each time (for a total of up to 21 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering; provided, however, that the second three-month period extension may only occur if the execution of a definitive agreement in connection with an initial Business Combination has been announced prior to such extension), subject to our Sponsor or its affiliates or designees depositing additional funds into the Trust Account in an amount of $0.10 per share of Class A common stock, or $631,900 for each extension. Any such payments would be made in the form of non-interest bearing extension loans (the “Extension Loans”). The Public Shareholders will not be entitled to vote on or redeem their shares in connection with any such extension.
If we are unable to complete a Business Combination within 15 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, or January 4, 2024 (or up to 21 months from the closing of the Initial Public Offering, or July 4, 2024, if we extend the period of time to consummate a Business Combination) (the “Combination Period”), 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 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 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 Shareholders’ rights as shareholders (including the right to receive further liquidating distributions, if any), and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the remaining shareholders and the board of directors, liquidate and dissolve, subject, in each case, to our obligations under Massachusetts law to provide for claims of creditors and the requirements of other applicable law.
On November 18, 2022, we announced that the holders of the units sold in the Initial Public Offering may elect to separately trade the shares of Class A common stock and Public Warrants commencing on November 21, 2022 Any units not separated will continue to trade on the NYSE American under the symbol “DMYY.U”, and the Class A Common Stock and Warrants will separately trade on the NYSE American under the symbols “DMYY” and “DMYY.WS,” respectively. No fractional Warrants will be issued upon separation of the units and only whole Warrants will trade.
Going Concern Consideration
As of December 31, 2022, we had approximately $239,000 in cash and working capital of approximately $118,000 (including tax obligations of approximately $242,000 that may be paid using investment income earned in Trust Account).
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Prior to the consummation of the Initial Public Offering, our liquidity needs were satisfied through the payment of $25,000 from our sponsor to purchase Founder Shares and a loan under the Note in the amount of approximately $242,000. Subsequent to the closing of the Initial Public Offering and the Partial Over-Allotment on October 4, 2022 and October 11, 2022, our liquidity needs have been satisfied through the net proceeds from the consummation of the Initial Public Offering and the Private Placement held outside of the Trust Account. We fully repaid the Note balance on October 4, 2022.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with a 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 funds as needed under Working Capital Loans. The Working Capital Loans would either be repaid upon consummation of a Business Combination or, at the lender’s discretion, up to $1.5 million of such Working Capital Loans may be convertible into warrants of the post Business Combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant. As of December 31, 2022, we had no borrowings under the Working Capital Loans.
Based upon the analysis above, our management has determined that we have sufficient borrowing capacity and our Sponsor has financial wherewithal to meet our anticipated obligations through the earlier of the consummation of a Business Combination or through the liquidation date. In connection with our management’s assessment of going concern considerations in accordance with FASB’s Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2014-15, “Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern,” our management has determined that the mandatory liquidation, should a Business Combination not occur, and potential subsequent dissolution raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern for a period of time within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. There is no assurance that our plans to consummate the initial Business Combination will be successful or successful within the Combination Period (by January 4, 2024). The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Risks and Uncertainties
Our management continues to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry and has concluded that while it is reasonably possible that the virus could have a negative effect on the Company’s financial position, results of its operations and/or search for a target company, the specific impact is not readily determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
In February 2022, the Russian Federation and Belarus commenced a military action with the country of Ukraine. As a result of this action, various nations, including the United States, have instituted economic sanctions against the Russian Federation and Belarus. Further, the impact of this action and related sanctions on the world economy are not determinable as of the date of these financial statements. The specific impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows is also not determinable as of the date of these financial statements.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (the “IR Act”) was signed into federal law. The IR Act provides for, among other things, a new U.S. federal 1% excise tax on certain repurchases of stock by publicly traded U.S. domestic corporations and certain U.S. domestic subsidiaries of publicly traded foreign corporations occurring on or after January 1, 2023. The excise tax is imposed on the repurchasing corporation itself, not its shareholders from which shares are repurchased. The amount of the excise tax is generally 1% of the fair market value of the shares repurchased at the time of the repurchase. However, for purposes of calculating the excise tax, repurchasing corporations are permitted to net the fair market value of certain new stock issuances against the fair market value of stock repurchases during the same taxable year. In addition, certain exceptions apply to the excise tax. The U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “Treasury”) has been given authority to provide regulations and other guidance to carry out and prevent the abuse or avoidance of the excise tax. Any share redemption or other share repurchase that occurs after December 31, 2022, in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise, may be subject to the excise tax. Whether and to what extent the Company would be subject to the excise tax in connection with a Business Combination, extension vote or otherwise will depend on a number of factors, including (i) the fair market value of the redemptions and repurchases in connection with the Business Combination, extension or otherwise, (ii) the structure of a Business Combination, (iii) the nature and amount of any private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing or other equity issuances in connection with a Business Combination (or otherwise issued not in connection with a Business Combination but issued within the same taxable year of a Business Combination) and (iv) the content of regulations and other guidance from the Treasury. In addition, because the excise tax would be payable by the Company and not by the redeeming holder, the mechanics of any required payment of the excise tax have not been determined. The foregoing could cause a reduction in the cash available on hand to complete a Business Combination and in the Company’s ability to complete a Business Combination.
On December 27, 2022, the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) issued a Notice 2023-2 (“Notice”), which provided interim guidance regarding the application of the corporate stock repurchase excise tax until the issuance of proposed regulations. The Notice excluded the distributions complete liquidation of a corporation from the base of the excise tax. The Notice also excludes from the scope of the excise tax any distribution made during the taxable year in which a corporation fully liquidates and dissolves, even if a distribution precedes the formal decision to liquidate.
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Results of Operations
Our entire activity from inception through to December 31, 2022 related to our formation and the preparation for our Initial Public Offering, and since the closing of our Initial Public Offering, the search for a prospective initial Business Combination. We will not generate any operating revenues until after the completion of our initial Business Combination. We generate non-operating income in the form of investment income from the Trust Account. We will continue to incur increased expenses as a result of being a public company (for legal, financial reporting, accounting and auditing compliance), as well as for due diligence expenses. Additionally, we recognize non-cash gains and losses within other income (expense) related to changes in recurring fair value measurement of our derivative liabilities at each reporting period.
For the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022, we had net loss of approximately $2.4 million, which consisted of approximately $933,000 of general and administrative expenses, approximately $156,000 of corporate tax expense, approximately $86,000 in income tax expense, approximately $1.8 million of the change in fair value of the derivative warrant liabilities and approximately $27,000 of offering costs associated with derivative warrant liabilities, partially offset by approximately $566,000 of interest income from operating account and investments held in Trust Account.
Contractual Obligations
Administrative Services Agreement
On October 4, 2022, we entered into an agreement pursuant to which it agreed to pay our Sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, administrative and support services. Upon completion of a Business Combination or its liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees. We recorded $30,000 in connection with such fees during the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 in the accompanying statement of operations. We prepaid such fees in full and as of December 31, 2022, we had an unused balance of $50,000 in prepaid expenses recorded in the accompanying balance sheet.
Our Sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable Business Combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our Sponsor, executive officers or directors, or our or their affiliates.
Registration and Shareholder Rights
The holders of Founder Shares, private placement warrants and warrants that may be issued upon conversion of Working Capital Loans (and any shares of common stock issuable upon the exercise of the private placement warrants or warrants issued upon conversion of the Working Capital Loans and upon conversion of the Founder Shares), will be entitled to registration rights pursuant to a registration and shareholder rights agreement signed upon the consummation of the Initial Public Offering. These holders will be entitled to certain demand and “piggyback” registration rights. We will bear the expenses incurred in connection with the filing of any such registration statements.
Underwriting Agreement
The underwriter was entitled to an underwriting discount of $0.14 per unit, or approximately $0.8 million in the aggregate, paid upon the closing of the Initial Public Offering. An additional fee of $0.35 per unit, or $2.1 million in the aggregate will be payable to the underwriter for deferred underwriting commissions. The deferred fee will become payable to the underwriter from the amounts held in the Trust Account solely in the event that we complete a Business Combination, subject to the terms of the underwriting agreement.
The underwriter was entitled to an additional fee of approximately $45,000, which was paid upon closing of the Partial Over-Allotment, and approximately $112,000 in deferred underwriting commissions in connection with the consummation of the Partial Over-Allotment.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of financial statements and related disclosures in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“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 financial statements, and the reported amounts of income and expenses during the period reported. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. We have not identified any critical accounting estimates.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations
As of December 31, 2022, we did not have any off-balance sheet arrangements as defined in Item 303(a)(4)(ii) of Regulation S-K and did not have any commitments or contractual obligations.
JOBS Act
On April 5, 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” under the JOBS Act and are allowed to comply with new or revised accounting pronouncements based on the effective date for private (not publicly traded) companies. We elected 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.
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 CEO’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.
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ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
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.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA.
This information appears following Item 15 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE.
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management, including our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As of December 31, 2022, as required by Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our principal executive officer and principal financial and accounting officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures. Based upon their evaluation, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were effective.
Management’s Report on Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting
This Annual Report on Form 10-K 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
There was no change in our internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION.
None.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS.
None.
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PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
Directors and Executive Officers
Our officers and directors are as follows:
Name |
Age* |
Position | ||
Niccolo de Masi | 42 | Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||
Harry L. You | 63 | Chairman and Director | ||
Darla Anderson | 63 | Director | ||
Francesca Luthi | 47 | Director | ||
Constance Weaver | 70 | Director | ||
Charles Wert | 78 | Director |
Niccolo de Masi has been our Chief Executive Officer (until March 15, 2023, with the title of Co-Chief Executive Officer) and a Director since March 3, 2022. Mr. de Masi is also the chief executive officer and director of dMY VI and director of Planet Labs, Inc. (“Planet Labs”), of Rush Street Interactive, of IonQ, Inc. and of Genius Sports Limited. Mr. de Masi is also the non-executive chairman of June UK Topco Jersey Limited, of which Jagex Limited is a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary. Mr. de Masi was a member of the board of directors of Glu Mobile, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLUU) (“Glu”), from January 2010 to April 2021, and served as chairman from December 2014 to April 2021, as interim chairman from July 2014 to December 2014 and as president and chief executive officer from January 2010 to November 2016. Mr. de Masi was the chief innovation officer at Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: REZI) from February 2019 to March 2020, a member of its board of directors from October 2018 until January 2020, and was president of products and solutions from February 2019 until January 2020. Mr. de Masi served as the president of Essential from November 2016 to October 2018. Mr. de Masi served on the board of directors of Xura and its audit committee from November 2015 until August 2016. From 2008 to 2009, Mr. de Masi led Hands-On Mobile as its chief executive officer. From 2004 to 2007, Mr. de Masi was the chief executive officer of Monstermob. Mr. de Masi serves on the Leadership Council of the UCLA Grand Challenges. Mr. de Masi received his B.A. and MSci. degrees in physics from Cambridge University. Mr. de Masi’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors include his extensive leadership experience in the mobile app space, his track record in our target industry and his network of contacts in the technology sector.
Harry L. You has been our Chairman and a Director since March 3, 2022. From March 3, 2022 until his resignation on March 15, 2023, Mr. You also served as our Co-Chief Executive Officer. Mr. You is Chairman of the Audit Committees at IonQ (since October 2021) and Coupang Inc. (since March 2021). He has also been on the Audit Committee of Broadcom since January 2019 as well as Chairman of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of Broadcom. Mr. You served as the Executive Vice President of EMC Corporation (formerly NYSE: EMC) (“EMC”) in the Office of the Chairman from 2008 to 2016. In September 2016, Mr. You founded GTY Technology Holdings, Inc. (“GTY”) (Nasdaq: GTYH), in which Mr. You served as its Co-Founder, President, Chief Financial Officer and Director until February 2019 when GTY consummated its initial business combination He then served as GTY’s President from February 2019 to May 2019, as its Chief Financial Officer from February 2019 through August 2019, and served as its Vice Chairman from May 2019 until GTY’s sale in July 2022. Mr. You served as a Director of Korn/Ferry International from 2004 to October 2016 and as Chairman of the Audit Committee of Evercore Wealth Management from 2005 to 2007. Mr. You has been a trustee of the U.S. Olympic Committee Foundation since August 2016. Mr. You was Chief Executive Officer of BearingPoint (formerly KPMG Consulting) from 2005 to 2007. He also served as BearingPoint’s interim Chief Financial Officer from 2005 to 2006. From 2004 to 2005, Mr. You served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL) (“Oracle”) and was also a member of the Board of Directors of Oracle Japan. From 2001 to 2004, Mr. You served as Chief Financial Officer of Accenture, being voted #1 CFO by Institutional Investor. Mr. You previously spent fourteen years on Wall Street, including serving as a Managing Director in the Investment Banking Division of Morgan Stanley, where he headed the Computer and Business Services Group. Mr. You holds an M.A. in Economics from Yale University and a B.A. in Economics from Harvard College. Mr. You’s qualifications to serve on our Board of Directors include his extensive and varied deal experience throughout his career, including his experience structuring Dell Technologies Inc.’s $67 billion acquisition of EMC as EMC’s Executive Vice President, his network of contacts in the technology sector, and his prior special purpose acquisition company experience with GTY and five other special purpose acquisition companies (dMY I, dMY II, dMY III, dMY IV, and dMY VI).
Darla K. Anderson has served on our board of directors since the completion of the initial public offering. Ms. Anderson is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning feature film producer. From 1993 to March 2018, Ms. Anderson was a producer at Pixar Animation Studios, where she produced films such as “Coco,” “Toy Story 3,” “Cars,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Monsters, Inc.” Following her tenure at Pixar, Ms. Anderson joined Netflix as a producer. Ms. Anderson was elected to the Producers Council Board of the Producers Guild of America in July 2008. Prior to joining Pixar, Ms. Anderson worked with Angel Studios as the executive producer of their commercial division. Ms. Anderson served as a member of the board of directors of Glu (Nasdaq: GLUU) from March 2019 to April 2021 and is currently a director of dMY VI. Ms. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Science from San Diego State University. Ms. Anderson’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors include her substantial leadership experience in the entertainment industry.
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Francesca Luthi has served on our board of directors since the completion of the initial public offering. Ms. Luthi currently serves as the executive vice president and chief administrative officer at Assurant, Inc. since June 2020. After joining Assurant in 2012, Ms. Luthi was the senior vice president of investor relations, marketing and communications from 2014 until 2015, and the chief communications and marketing officer from 2016 to 2020. Prior to joining Assurant, Ms. Luthi served as the senior vice president of corporate communication and investor relations at Accretive Health. Before this, Ms. Luthi held senior-level investor relations and communication roles at BearingPoint and Accenture. Ms. Luthi also helped establish the investor relations department at Omnicom Group after serving as a financial analyst in the Investment Banking Division at Morgan Stanley. Ms. Luthi is currently a director of dMY VI. Ms. Luthi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service. Ms. Luthi’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors include her financial and business strategy expertise.
Constance (Connie) K. Weaver has served on our board of directors since the completion of the initial public offering. Ms. Weaver serves as Chief Marketing Officer and member of the operating committee for Equitable Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EQH), since July 2020. Prior to joining Equitable, Ms. Weaver served as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing & Communications Officer at TIAA from 2010 to 2017, where she oversaw the transformation of the company’s marketing strategy, digital experience, and brand. Previously, she was Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at The Hartford from 2008 to 2010, and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of AT&T. She has also led award- winning organizations in investor relations and marketing as an executive at BearingPoint (2006-2008), AT&T (1996-2006), Microsoft (1995-1996), MCI (1990-1995) and McGraw-Hill (1980-1990). Ms. Weaver has diverse board and advisory experience, having served on the boards of several corporate and non-profit entities. She currently serves on the boards of Make-A-Wish America, National Council on Aging, National Endowment for Financial Education, and Connecticut Public Media, among others, and formerly as a director of Waddell & Reed, Citizens Inc. (CIA) (2018-2021), Westchester Group Management Holding Company (formerly Silverado Premium Properties – 2011-2015) and Primark Corp. (1994-2000). Ms. Weaver holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Textile Science and Marketing from the University of Maryland and has completed the executive financial management programs at Stanford University and Wharton School of Business, the executive marketing management program at Columbia University, and the global strategic planning program at IMEDE (Switzerland).
Charles E. Wert has served on our board of directors since the completion of the initial public offering. Mr. Wert has served as a director and chairman of the audit committee of GTY (Nasdaq: GTYH) since completion of its initial public offering in 2016. From 2014 to 2016, Mr. Wert served as the vice chairman and as a director at Evercore Trust Company, N.A., or Evercore, which he formed and organized and was previously the president and chief executive officer from 2009 to 2014. Prior to joining Evercore, Mr. Wert served as an executive vice president and senior trust officer of U.S. Trust Company N.A. for over 20 years. Mr. Wert also founded United Mercantile Bank and Trust Company and served as its president and senior trust officer from 1982 until 1987. Mr. Wert is the principal of Fiduciary Resolutions, where he has been a fiduciary expert since June 2016, providing expert witness services and analysis as well as reviewing corporate governance and other processes use by fiduciaries. Mr. Wert holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance from California State University at Los Angeles. Mr. Wert’s qualifications to serve on our board of directors include his track record and leadership experience at GTY, Evercore, U.S. Trust Company N.A. and United Mercantile Bank and Trust Company.
Number and Terms of Office of Officers and Directors
Our board of directors consists of six members and is divided into three classes with only one class of directors being elected in each year, and with each class (except for those directors appointed prior to our first annual meeting of shareholders) serving a three-year term. In accordance with the NYSE American corporate governance requirements, we are not required to hold an annual meeting until one year after our first fiscal year end following our listing on the NYSE American. The term of office of the first class of directors, consisting of Ms. Anderson and Ms. Luthi, will expire at our first annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the second class of directors, consisting of Ms. Weaver and Mr. Wert, will expire at the second annual meeting of shareholders. The term of office of the third class of directors, consisting of Mr. You and Mr. de Masi, will expire at the third annual meeting of shareholders.
Our officers are appointed by the board of directors and serve at the discretion of the board of directors, rather than for specific terms of office. Our board of directors is authorized to appoint officers as it deems appropriate pursuant to our amended and restated articles of organization.
Committees of the Board of Directors
Our board of directors have three standing committees: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating and corporate governance committee. Subject to phase-in rules and a limited exception, the rules of the NYSE American and Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act require that the audit committee and compensation committee of a listed company each be comprised of at least two members, all of whom must be independent directors.
Audit Committee
We have established an audit committee of the board of directors. Ms. Luthi, Ms. Weaver and Mr. Wert serve as members of our audit committee, and Ms. Luthi chairs the audit committee. All members of our audit committee are independent of and unaffiliated with our sponsor and our underwriter.
Each member of the audit committee is financially literate and our board of directors has determined that Ms. Luthi qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in applicable SEC rules and has accounting or related financial management expertise.
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We have adopted an audit committee charter, which details the principal functions of the audit committee, including:
• | assisting board oversight of (1) the integrity of our financial statements, (2) our compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, (3) our independent registered public accounting firm’s qualifications and independence, and (4) the performance of our internal audit function and independent registered public accounting firm; the appointment, compensation, retention, replacement, and oversight of the work of the independent auditors and any other independent registered public accounting firm engaged by us; |
• | pre-approving all audit and non-audit services to be provided by the independent auditors or any other registered public accounting firm engaged by us, and establishing pre-approval policies and procedures; reviewing and discussing with the independent registered public accounting firm all relationships the auditors have with us in order to evaluate their continued independence; |
• | setting clear policies for audit partner rotation in compliance with applicable laws and regulations; obtaining and reviewing a report, at least annually, from the independent registered public accounting firm describing (1) the independent registered public accounting firm’s internal quality-control procedures and (2) any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality-control review, or peer review, of the audit firm, or by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities, within the preceding five years respecting one or more independent audits carried out by the firm and any steps taken to deal with such issues; |
• | meeting to review and discuss our annual audited financial statements and quarterly financial statements with management and the independent auditor, including reviewing our specific disclosures under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” reviewing and approving any related party transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K promulgated by the SEC prior to us entering into such transaction; and |
• | reviewing with management, the independent, and our legal advisors, as appropriate, any legal, regulatory or compliance matters, including any correspondence with regulators or government agencies and any employee complaints or published reports that raise material issues regarding our financial statements or accounting policies and any significant changes in accounting standards or rules promulgated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. |
Compensation Committee
We have established a compensation committee of the board of directors. Ms. Anderson, Ms. Luthi and Mr. Wert serve as members of our compensation committee. Mr. Wert chairs the compensation committee.
We have adopted a compensation committee charter, which details the principal functions of the compensation committee, including:
• | reviewing and approving on an annual basis the corporate goals and objectives relevant to our Chief Executive Officer’s compensation (if any) evaluating our Chief Executive Officer’s performance in light of such goals and objectives and determining and approving the remuneration (if any) of our Chief Executive Officer based on such evaluation; |
• | reviewing and making recommendations to our board of directors with respect to the compensation, and any incentive compensation and equity based plans that are subject to board approval of all of our other officers; |
• | reviewing our executive compensation policies and plans; |
• | implementing and administering our incentive compensation equity-based remuneration plans; |
• | assisting management in complying with our proxy statement and annual report disclosure requirements; |
• | approving all special perquisites, special cash payments and other special compensation and benefit arrangements for our officers and employees; |
• | producing a report on executive compensation to be included in our annual proxy statement; and |
• | reviewing, evaluating and recommending changes, if appropriate, to the remuneration for directors. |
Notwithstanding the foregoing, as indicated above, other than the payment to our sponsor of $10,000 per month, for up to 21 months, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support and reimbursement of expenses, no compensation of any kind, including finders, consulting or other similar fees, will be paid to any of our existing shareholders, officers, directors or any of their respective affiliates, prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate the consummation of an initial business combination. Accordingly, it is likely that prior to the consummation of an initial business combination, the compensation committee will only be responsible for the review and recommendation of any compensation arrangements to be entered into in connection with such initial business combination.
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Our compensation committee charter also provides that the compensation committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of a compensation consultant, independent legal counsel or other adviser and will be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of the work of any such adviser. However, before engaging or receiving advice from a compensation consultant, external legal counsel or any other adviser, the compensation committee will consider the independence of each such adviser, including the factors required by the NYSE American and the SEC.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
We have established a nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors. The initial members of our nominating and corporate governance are Ms. Weaver, Ms. Luthi and Mr. Wert. Ms. Weaver serves as chair of the nominating and corporate governance committee.
We have adopted a nominating and corporate governance committee charter that complies with the rules of the NYSE American and that details the purpose and responsibilities of the nominating and corporate governance committee, including:
• | screening and reviewing individuals qualified to serve as directors, consistent with criteria approved by the board, and recommending to the board of directors candidates for nomination for election at the annual meeting of shareholders or to fill vacancies on the board of directors; |
• | developing and recommending to the board of directors and overseeing implementation of our corporate governance guidelines; |
• | coordinating and overseeing the annual self-evaluation of the board of directors, its committees, individual directors and management in the governance of the company; and |
• | reviewing on a regular basis our overall corporate governance and recommending improvements as and when necessary. |
Our nominating and corporate governance committee charter also provides that the nominating and corporate governance committee may, in its sole discretion, retain or obtain the advice of, and terminate, any search firm to be used to identify director candidates, and is directly responsible for approving the search firm’s fees and other retention terms.
We have not formally established any specific, minimum qualifications that must be met or skills that are necessary for directors to possess. In general, in identifying and evaluating nominees for director, the board of directors considers educational background, diversity of professional experience, knowledge of our business, integrity, professional reputation, independence, wisdom, and the ability to represent the best interests of our shareholders. Prior to our initial business combination, holders of our public shares will not have the right to recommend director candidates for nomination to our board of directors.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics applicable to our directors, officers and employees. We have filed a copy of our form of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our audit committee and compensation committee charters as exhibits to the registration statement that was filed in connection with our initial public offering. You will be able to review this document by accessing our public filings at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and the charters of the committees will be provided without charge upon request from us.
Conflicts of Interest
In general, officers and directors of a corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are liable for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its shareholders. A conflict of interest is a transaction in which the director has a material direct or indirect interest and could be a breach of the director’s duty of loyalty unless:
• | the material facts of the transaction and the director’s interest is disclosed or known to the board of directors, and the board of directors or a committee of the board approves the transaction; |
• | the material facts of the transaction and the director’s interest are disclosed or known to the shareholders entitled to vote and they approve the transaction; or |
• | the transaction is fair to the corporation. |
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Each of our officers and directors presently has, and any of them in the future may have additional, fiduciary or contractual obligations to another entity pursuant to which such officer or director is or will be required to present a business combination opportunity to such entity, including dMY VI, which are sponsored by affiliates of our sponsor. Accordingly, if any of our officers or directors becomes aware of a business combination opportunity which is suitable for an entity to which he or she has then-current fiduciary or contractual obligations (including dMY VI), he or she will honor his or her fiduciary or contractual obligations to present such business combination opportunity to such entity. Our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that we renounce our interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any director or officer unless such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the company and such opportunity is one we are legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for us to pursue, and to the extent the director or officer is permitted to refer that opportunity to us without violating another legal obligation. We do not believe, however, that the fiduciary duties or contractual obligations of our officers or directors will materially affect our ability to complete our initial business combination.
Below is a table summarizing the entities to which our executive officers and directors currently have fiduciary duties or contractual obligations:
Individual |
Entity |
Entity’s Business |
Affiliation | |||
Niccolo de Masi | IonQ, Inc. | Quantum computing | Director | |||
Planet Labs, Inc. | Earth observation and analysis company | Director | ||||
dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI | Special purpose acquisition company | Chief Executive Officer and Director | ||||
Rush Street Interactive, Inc. | Online casino and sports wagering company | Director | ||||
Genius Sports Limited | Sports data and technology company | Director | ||||
June UK Topco Jersey Limited | Online gaming company | Non-Executive Chairman | ||||
Harry L. You | IonQ, Inc. | Quantum Computing | Director | |||
dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI | Special purpose acquisition company | Chairman | ||||
Rush Street Interactive, Inc. | Online casino and sports wagering | Director | ||||
GTY Technology Holdings, Inc. | Software as a service company | Vice Chairman | ||||
Broadcom Inc. | Semiconductor manufacturing company | Director Member of the Executive Committee and Chairman of the Compensation Committee | ||||
Genius Sports Limited | Sports data and technology company | Director | ||||
Coupang | E-commerce company | Director | ||||
Dara Anderson | dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI | Special purpose acquisition company | Director | |||
Francesca Luthi | Assurant | Insurance company | Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer | |||
dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI | Special purpose acquisition company | Director | ||||
Constance Weaver | Equitable Holdings, Inc. | Financial services and insurance company | Chief Marketing Officer | |||
Charles Wert | GTY Technology Holdings, Inc. | Software as a service company | Director and Chairman |
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Potential investors should also be aware of the following other potential conflicts of interest:
• | Our executive officers and directors are not required to, and will not, commit their full time to our affairs, which may result in a conflict of interest in allocating their time between our operations and our search for a business combination and their other businesses. We do not intend to have any full-time employees prior to the completion of our initial business combination. Each of our executive officers is engaged in several other business endeavors for which he may be entitled to substantial compensation, and our executive officers are not obligated to contribute any specific number of hours per week to our affairs. |
• | Our initial shareholders purchased founder shares and have purchased private placement warrants in a transaction that closed simultaneously with the closing of the initial public offering. Our initial shareholders have entered into agreements with us, pursuant to which they have agreed to waive their redemption rights with respect to their founder shares and any public shares they hold in connection with the completion of our initial business combination. The other members of our management team have entered into agreements similar to the one entered into by our initial shareholders with respect to any public shares acquired by them in or after our initial public offering. Additionally, our initial shareholders have agreed to waive their rights to liquidating distributions from the trust account with respect to their founder shares if we fail to complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame or during any Extension Period. If we do not complete our initial business combination within the prescribed time frame, the private placement warrants will expire worthless. Furthermore, our initial shareholders have agreed not to transfer, assign or sell any of their founder shares until the earlier to occur of: (i) one year after the completion of our initial business combination and (ii) the date following the completion of our initial business combination on which we complete a liquidation, merger, capital stock exchange or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their common stock for cash, securities or other property. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the closing price of our Class A common stock equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock capitalizations, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after our initial business combination, the founder shares will be released from the lockup. Subject to certain limited exceptions, the private placement warrants will not be transferable until 30 days following the completion of our initial business combination. Because each of our executive officers and director nominees will own common stock or warrants directly or indirectly, they may have a conflict of interest in determining whether a particular target business is an appropriate business with which to effectuate our initial business combination. |
• | Our officers and directors may have a conflict of interest with respect to evaluating a particular business combination if the retention or resignation of any such officers and directors was included by a target business as a condition to any agreement with respect to our initial business combination. |
We are not prohibited from pursuing an initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, officers or directors or completing the business combination through a joint venture or other form of shared ownership with our sponsor, officers or directors. In the event we seek to complete our initial business combination with a business combination target that is affiliated with our sponsor, executive officers or directors, we, or a committee of independent directors, would obtain an opinion from an independent investment banking which is a member of FINRA or a valuation or appraisal firm, that such initial business combination is fair to our company from a financial point of view. We are not required to obtain such an opinion in any other context. Furthermore, in no event will our sponsor or any of our existing officers or directors, or any of their respective affiliates, be paid by the company any finder’s fee, consulting fee or other compensation prior to, or for any services they render in order to effectuate, the completion of our initial business combination. Further, commencing on the date our securities are first listed on the NYSE American, we have been paying our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team.
We cannot assure you that any of the above mentioned conflicts will be resolved in our favor.
In the event that we submit our initial business combination to our public shareholders for a vote, our initial shareholders have agreed to vote their founder shares, and they and the other members of our management team have agreed to vote any founder shares they hold and any shares purchased during or after our initial public offering in favor of our initial business combination.
Limitation on Liability and Indemnification of Officers and Directors
Our amended and restated articles of organization provides that our officers and directors will be indemnified by us to the fullest extent authorized by Massachusetts law, as it now exists or may in the future be amended. In addition, our amended and restated articles of organization will provide that our directors will not be personally liable for monetary damages to us or our shareholders for breaches of their fiduciary duty as directors, except that this does not eliminate or limit their liability for breach of their fiduciary duty of loyalty to us or our shareholders, for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, under the MBCA, or for any transaction from which the they derive an improper personal benefit.
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We have entered into agreements with our officers and directors to provide contractual indemnification in addition to the indemnification provided for in our amended and restated articles of organization. Our amended and restated articles of organization also permit us to secure insurance on behalf of any officer, director or employee for any liability arising out of his or her actions, to the fullest extent permitted by the MBCA and applicable law. We have purchased a policy of directors’ and officers’ liability insurance that insures our officers and directors against the cost of defense, settlement or payment of a judgment in some circumstances and insures us against our obligations to indemnify our officers and directors. Except with respect to any public shares they may have acquired in our initial public offering or thereafter (in the event we do not consummate an initial business combination), our officers and directors have agreed to waive (and any other persons who may become an officer or director prior to the initial business combination will also be required to waive) any right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies in the trust account, and not to seek recourse against the trust account for any reason whatsoever, including with respect to such indemnification.
These provisions may discourage shareholders from bringing a lawsuit against our directors for breach of their fiduciary duty. These provisions also may have the effect of reducing the likelihood of derivative litigation against officers and directors, even though such an action, if successful, might otherwise benefit us and our shareholders. Furthermore, a shareholder’s investment may be adversely affected to the extent we pay the costs of settlement and damage awards against officers and directors pursuant to these indemnification provisions.
We believe that these provisions, the directors’ and officers’ liability insurance and the indemnity agreements are necessary to attract and retain talented and experienced officers and directors.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION.
None of our executive officers or directors have received any cash compensation for services rendered to us. Commencing on the date that our securities are first listed on the NYSE American through the earlier of consummation of our initial business combination and our liquidation, we will pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. In addition, our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, executive officers or directors, or our or their affiliates. Any such payments prior to an initial business combination will be made from funds held outside the trust account.
Other than quarterly audit committee review of such reimbursements, we do not expect to have any additional controls in place governing our reimbursement payments to our directors and executive officers for their out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with our activities on our behalf in connection with identifying and consummating an initial business combination. Other than these payments and reimbursements, no compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, prior to completion of our initial business combination.
After the completion of our initial business combination, directors or members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting or management fees from the combined company. All of these fees will be fully disclosed to shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation materials or tender offer materials furnished to our shareholders in connection with a proposed business combination. We have not established any limit on the amount of such fees that may be paid by the combined company to our directors or members of management. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of the proposed business combination, because the directors of the post-combination business will be responsible for determining executive officer and director compensation. Any compensation to be paid to our executive officers will be determined, or recommended to the board of directors for determination, either by a compensation committee constituted solely by independent directors or by a majority of the independent directors on our board of directors.
We do not intend to take any action to ensure that members of our management team maintain their positions with us after the consummation of our initial business combination, although it is possible that some or all of our executive officers and directors may negotiate employment or consulting arrangements to remain with us after our initial business combination. The existence or terms of any such employment or consulting arrangements to retain their positions with us may influence our management’s motivation in identifying or selecting a target business but we do not believe that the ability of our management to remain with us after the consummation of our initial business combination will be a determining factor in our decision to proceed with any potential business combination. We are not party to any agreements with our executive officers and directors that provide for benefits upon termination of employment.
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation
None of our executive officers currently serves, and in the past year has not served, as a member of the compensation committee of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving on our board of directors.
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ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS.
The following table sets forth information regarding the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of March 30, 2023 by:
• | each person known by us to be the beneficial owner of more than 5% of our outstanding shares of common stock; |
• | each of our executive officers and directors; and |
• | all our executive officers and directors as a group. |
Unless otherwise indicated, we believe that all persons named in the table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all of our common stock beneficially owned by them. The following table does not reflect record or beneficial ownership of the private placement warrants as these warrants are not exercisable within 60 days of the date of this Form 10-K.
On March 16, 2022, our sponsor purchased an aggregate 2,875,000 founder shares for a total price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On September 8, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us 718,750 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 2,156,250 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.012. On September 29, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us an additional 431,250 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 1,725,000 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.015. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of our initial public offering of 6,319,000 units following the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over- allotment option on October 11, 2022, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after our initial public offering. The underwriter also waived the remainder of its over-allotment option. Accordingly, our sponsor forfeited an additional 145,250 Founder Shares on October 11, 2022, resulting in our sponsor holding 1,579,750 founder shares. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. Mr. You, the manager of our sponsor, has voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held by our sponsor. Our sponsor intends to transfer 25,000 founder shares to each of Darla Anderson, Francesca Luthi, Constance Weaver, and Charles Wert, our director nominees, upon the completion of our initial business combination, resulting in our sponsor holding at that time 1,479,750 founder shares.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner(1) |
Number of Shares Beneficially Owned(2) |
Approximate Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock |
||||||||||
Before Offering | After Offering | |||||||||||
dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC (our sponsor)(3) |
2,011,000 | 100 | % | 18.65 | % | |||||||
Harry L. You(3) |
1,579,750 | 100 | % | 20 | % | |||||||
Niccolo de Masi(3) |
— | — | — | |||||||||
Darla Anderson |
— | — | — | |||||||||
Francesca Luthi |
— | — | — | |||||||||
Constance Weaver |
— | — | — | |||||||||
Charles Wert |
— | — | — | |||||||||
All executive officers, directors and director nominees as a group (six (6) individuals) |
1,579,750 | 100 | % | 20 | % |
(1) | Unless otherwise noted, the business address of each of the following is 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144. |
(2) | Interests shown consist solely of founder shares, classified as Class B common stock. Such shares will automatically convert into Class A common stock concurrently with or immediately following the consummation of our initial business combination on a one-for-one basis, subject to adjustment, as described in the section entitled “Description of Securities.” |
(3) | dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC is the record holder of the shares reported herein. Each of our officers and directors are among the members of dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC and Mr. You is the manager of dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC. Mr. You has voting and investment discretion with respect to the common stock held of record by dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC. Each of our officers and directors other than Mr. You disclaims any beneficial ownership of any shares held by dMY Squared Sponsor, LLC. |
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ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE.
On March 16, 2022, our sponsor purchased an aggregate 2,875,000 founder shares for a total price of $25,000, or approximately $0.009 per share. On September 8, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us 718,750 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 2,156,250 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.012. On September 29, 2022, our sponsor surrendered to us an additional 431,250 founder shares for no consideration, resulting in our sponsor owning 1,725,000 founder shares and increasing the approximate price paid per founder share to $0.015. The number of founder shares outstanding was determined based on the expectation that the total size of our initial public offering of 6,319,000 units following the underwriter’s partial exercise of its over- allotment option on October 11, 2022, and therefore that such founder shares would represent 20% of the outstanding shares after our initial public offering. The underwriter also waived the remainder of its over-allotment option. Accordingly, our sponsor forfeited an additional 145,250 Founder Shares on October 11, 2022, resulting in our sponsor holding 1,579,750 founder shares. Prior to the initial investment in the company of $25,000 by our sponsor, the company had no assets, tangible or intangible. The purchase price of the founder shares was determined by dividing the amount of cash contributed to the company by the number of founder shares issued. Our sponsor intends to transfer 25,000 founder shares to each of Darla Anderson, Francesca Luthi, Constance Weaver, and Charles Wert, our director nominees, upon the completion of our initial business combination, resulting in our sponsor holding at that time 1,479,750 founder shares.
Our sponsor has purchased an aggregate of 2,884,660 private placement warrants (including the 44,660 additional warrants issued upon the underwriter’ exercise of the over-allotment option), at a price of $1.00 per warrant, or $2,884,660 in the aggregate, in a private placement that closed simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering. Each private placement warrant entitles the holder to purchase one share of Class A common stock at $11.50 per share. The private placement warrants (including the Class A common stock issuable upon exercise of the private placement warrants) may not, subject to certain limited exceptions, be transferred, assigned or sold until 30 days after the completion of our initial business combination.
In addition, substantially concurrently with the closing of our initial public offering, our sponsor extended an overfunding loan to the Company in an aggregate amount of $900,000, equal to $0.15 per unit, generating proceeds to the Company of $900,000. On October 11, 2022, simultaneously with the sale of the over-allotment units, our sponsor extended a further overfunding loan to the Company in an aggregate amount of $47,850, equal to $0.15 per over-allotment unit (the “additional overfunding loan”), generating proceeds to the Company of $47,850. As a result, the Company entered into a Promissory Note, dated October 11, 2022, issued to our sponsor, a form of which was previously filed as exhibit to the Registration Statement. The overfunding loans will be repaid upon the closing of our initial business combination or converted into shares of Class A common stock at a conversion price of $10.00 per shares of Class A common stock (or any combination thereof) at our sponsor’s discretion, provided that any such conversion may not occur until after the 60th day following the effective date of the registration statement in connection with our initial public offering. The overfunding loans have been extended in order to ensure that the amount in the trust account is $10.15 per public share. If we do not complete an initial business combination, we will not repay the overfunding loans from amounts held in the trust account, and its proceeds will be distributed to our public shareholders; however, we may repay the overfunding loans if there are funds available outside the trust account to do so.
We currently utilize office space at 1180 North Town Center Drive, Suite 100, Las Vegas, Nevada 89144 from our sponsor. Subsequent to the closing of our initial public offering, we will pay our sponsor $10,000 per month for office space, secretarial and administrative services provided to members of our management team. Upon completion of our initial business combination or our liquidation, we will cease paying these monthly fees.
No compensation of any kind, including finder’s and consulting fees, will be paid by the company to our sponsor, executive officers and directors, or any of their respective affiliates, for services rendered prior to or in connection with the completion of an initial business combination. However, these individuals will be reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with activities on our behalf such as identifying potential target businesses and performing due diligence on suitable business combinations. Our audit committee will review on a quarterly basis all payments that were made to our sponsor, officers, directors or our or their affiliates.
In addition, in order to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial business, our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor or certain of our officers and directors may, but are not obligated to, loan us funds as may be required on a non-interest basis. If we complete an initial business combination, we would repay such loaned amounts. In the event that the initial business combination does not close, we may use a portion of the working capital held outside the trust account to repay such loaned amounts but no proceeds from our trust account would be used for such repayment. Up to $1,500,000 of such working capital loans may be convertible into warrants of the post-business combination entity at a price of $1.00 per warrant at the option of the lender. The warrants would be identical to the private placement warrants. Except as set forth above, the terms of such loans, if any, have not been determined and no written agreements exist with respect to such loans. Prior to the completion of our initial business combination, we do not expect to seek loans from parties other than our sponsor or an affiliate of our sponsor as we do not believe third parties will be willing to loan such funds and provide a waiver against any and all rights to seek access to funds in our trust account.
Any of the foregoing payments to our sponsor, repayments of loans from our sponsor or repayments of working capital loans prior to our initial business combination will be made using funds held outside the trust account.
After our initial business combination, members of our management team who remain with us may be paid consulting, management or other fees from the combined company with any and all amounts being fully disclosed to our shareholders, to the extent then known, in the proxy solicitation or tender offer materials, as applicable, furnished to our shareholders. It is unlikely the amount of such compensation will be known at the time of distribution of such tender offer materials or at the time of a shareholder meeting held to consider our initial business combination, as applicable, as it will be up to the directors of the post-combination business to determine executive and director compensation.
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Registration Rights Agreement
The holders of the (i) founder shares, which were issued in a private placement prior to the closing of our initial public offering, (ii) private placement warrants, which were issued in a private placement simultaneously with the closing of our initial public offering and the shares of Class A common stock underlying such private placement warrants, (iii) private placement warrants that may be issued upon conversion of working capital loans and extension loans, and (iv) the shares of Class A commons stock issuable upon conversion of the overfunding loans will have registration rights to require us to register a sale of any of our securities held by them prior to the consummation of our initial business combination pursuant to a registration rights agreement to be signed prior to or on the effective date of our initial public offering. Pursuant to the registration rights agreement and assuming the underwriter exercise their over-allotment option in full and $1,500,000 of working capital loans are converted into private placement warrants, we will be obligated to register up to 8,257,400 shares of Class A common stock and 5,729,800 warrants. The number of shares of Class A common stock includes (i) 1,579,750 shares of Class A common stock to be issued upon conversion of the founder shares, (ii) 947,850 shares of Class A common stock to be issued upon conversion of the overfunding loans, (iii) 2,966,000 shares of Class A common stock underlying the private placement warrants, (iv) 1,500,000 shares of Class A common stock underlying the private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans and (v) 1,263,800 shares of Class A common stock underlying the warrants issuable upon conversion of extension loans. The number of warrants includes (i) 2,966,000 private placement warrants, (ii) 1,500,000 private placement warrants issued upon conversion of working capital loans and (iii) 1,263,800 warrants issuable upon conversion of extension loans. The holders of these securities are entitled to make up to three demands, excluding short form demands, that we register such securities. In addition, the holders have certain “piggy-back” registration rights with respect to registration statements filed subsequent to our completion of our initial business combination.
Policy of Approval of Related Party Transactions
The audit committee of our board of directors will adopt a policy setting forth the policies and procedures for its review and approval or ratification of “related party transactions.” A “related party transaction” is any consummated or proposed transaction or series of transactions: (i) in which the company was or is to be a participant; (ii) the amount of which exceeds (or is reasonably expected to exceed) the lesser of $120,000 or 1% of the average of the company’s total assets at year-end for the prior two completed fiscal years in the aggregate over the duration of the transaction (without regard to profit or loss); and (iii) in which a “related party” had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest. “Related parties” under this policy will include: (i) our directors, nominees for director or executive officers; (ii) any record or beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities; (iii) any immediate family member of any of the foregoing if the foregoing person is a natural person; and (iv) any other person who maybe a “related person” pursuant to Item 404 of Regulation S-K under the Exchange Act. Pursuant to the policy, the audit committee will consider (i) the relevant facts and circumstances of each related party transaction, including if the transaction is on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arm’s-length dealings with an unrelated third party, (ii) the extent of the related party’s interest in the transaction, (iii) whether the transaction contravenes our code of ethics or other policies, (iv) whether the audit committee believes the relationship underlying the transaction to be in the best interests of the company and its shareholders and (v) the effect that the transaction may have on a director’s status as an independent member of the board and on his or her eligibility to serve on the board’s committees. Management will present to the audit committee each proposed related party transaction, including all relevant facts and circumstances relating thereto. Under the policy, we may consummate related party transactions only if our audit committee approves or ratifies the transaction in accordance with the guidelines set forth in the policy. The policy will not permit any director or executive officer to participate in the discussion of, or decision concerning, a related person transaction in which he or she is the related party.
Director Independence
The rules of the NYSE American require that a majority of our board of directors be independent within one year of our initial public offering. An “independent director” is defined generally as a person that, in the opinion of the company’s board of directors, has no material relationship with the listed company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that has a relationship with the company). We have four “independent directors” as defined in the NYSE American rules and applicable SEC rules. Our board of directors has determined that each of Ms. Anderson, Ms. Weaver, Ms. Luthi and Mr. Wert is an independent director under applicable NYSE American and SEC rules. Our independent directors have regularly scheduled meetings at which only independent directors are present.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES.
The firm of WithumSmith+Brown, PC (“Withum”) served as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022. The following is a summary of fees paid to Withum for services rendered:
Audit Fees. Audit fees consist of fees billed for professional services rendered for the audit of our period-end financial statements, reviews of our quarterly financial statements and services that are normally provided by our independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory and regulatory filings. The aggregate fees by Withum for audit fees, inclusive of required filings with the SEC for the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022, and of services rendered in connection with our initial public offering, review of the financial information included in our Form 10-Q for the respective period and the audit of our December 31, 2022 financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, totaled $137,800.
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Audit-Related Fees. Audit-related fees consist of fees for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to performance of the audit or review of our year-end financial statements and are not reported under “Audit Fees.” These services include attest services that are not required by statute or regulation and consultation concerning financial accounting and reporting standards. We did not pay Withum any audit-related fees during the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022.
Tax Fees. Tax fees consist of fees billed for professional services relating to tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice. We did not pay Withum any audit-related fees during the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022.
All Other Fees. All other fees consist of fees billed for all other services. We did not pay Withum any audit-related fees during the period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022.
Pre-Approval Policy
Our audit committee was formed upon the consummation of our initial public offering. As a result, the audit committee did not pre-approve all of the foregoing services, although any services rendered prior to the formation of our audit committee were approved by our board of directors. Since the formation of our audit committee, and on a going-forward basis, the audit committee has and will pre-approve all auditing services and permitted
non-audit services to be performed for us by our auditors, including the fees and terms thereof (subject to the de minimis exceptions for non-audit services described in the Exchange Act which are approved by the audit committee prior to the completion of the audit).
PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K:
1. | Financial Statements. Reference is made to the Index to the Financial Statements of the Company included in Item 8 of Part II above. |
2. | All other schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or not required, or because the required information is included in the Financial Statements or notes thereto. |
3. | We hereby file as part of this Report the exhibits listed in the attached Exhibit Index. Exhibits which are incorporated herein by reference can be inspected and copied at the public reference facilities maintained by the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Copies of such material can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section of the SEC, 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549, at prescribed rates or on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. |
ITEM 16. FORM 10-K SUMMARY
None.
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Financial Statements |
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F-2 |
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F-3 |
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F-4 |
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F-5 |
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F-6 |
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F-7 |
Assets: |
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Current assets: |
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Cash |
$ | 238,539 | ||
Prepaid expenses |
565,472 | |||
Total current assets |
804,011 | |||
Investments held in Trust Account |
64,703,943 | |||
Total Assets |
$ |
65,507,954 |
||
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit: |
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Current liabilities: |
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Accounts payable |
$ | 170,837 | ||
Accrued expenses |
273,619 | |||
Corporate tax payable |
155,655 | |||
Income tax payable |
86,214 | |||
Total current liabilities |
686,325 | |||
Overfunding loans |
947,850 | |||
Derivative warrant liabilities |
2,478,110 | |||
Deferred underwriting commissions |
2,211,650 | |||
Total Liabilities |
6,323,935 | |||
Commitments and Contingencies |
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Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 35,000,000 shares authorized; 6,319,000 shares subject to possible redemption at approximately $10.19 per share |
64,362,074 | |||
Shareholders’ Deficit: |
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Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value; 1,000,000 shares authorized; none issued or outstanding |
— | |||
Class A common stock, $0.0001 par value; 35,000,000 shares authorized; no non-redeemable shares issued or outstanding |
— | |||
Class B common stock, $0.0001 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; 1,579,750 shares issued and outstanding |
158 | |||
Additional paid-in capital |
— | |||
Accumulated deficit |
(5,178,213 | ) | ||
Total shareholders’ deficit |
(5,178,055 | ) | ||
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Deficit |
$ |
65,507,954 |
||
General and administrative expenses |
$ | 932,709 | ||
Corporate tax expenses |
155,655 | |||
|
|
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Loss from operations |
(1,088,364 | ) | ||
|
|
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Other income (expenses): |
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Interest income on operating account |
106 | |||
Interest income from investments held in Trust Account |
566,093 | |||
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities |
(1,752,810 | ) | ||
Offering costs associated with derivative warrant liabilities |
(27,080 | ) | ||
|
|
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Total other expenses |
(1,213,691 | ) | ||
|
|
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Net loss before income taxes |
(2,302,055 | ) | ||
Provision for income taxes |
86,214 | |||
|
|
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Net loss |
$ |
(2,388,269 |
) | |
|
|
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Weighted average shares outstanding of Class A common stock, basic and diluted |
1,924,942 | |||
|
|
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Basic and diluted net loss per share, Class A common stock |
$ | (0.69 | ) | |
|
|
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Weighted average shares outstanding of Class B common stock, basic and diluted |
1,522,473 | |||
|
|
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Basic and diluted net loss per share, Class B common stock |
$ | (0.69 | ) | |
|
|
Class B Common Stock |
Additional Paid- In Capital |
Accumulated Deficit |
Total Shareholders’ Deficit |
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Shares |
Amount |
|||||||||||||||||||
Balance - February 15, 2022 (inception) |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
$ |
— |
|||||||||||
Issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor |
1,725,000 | 173 | 24,827 | — | 25,000 | |||||||||||||||
Excess of cash received over fair value of private placement warrants |
— | — | 2,538,500 | — | 2,538,500 | |||||||||||||||
Accretion for Class A common stock to redemption amount |
— | — | (2,563,342 | ) | (2,789,944 | ) | (5,353,286 | ) | ||||||||||||
Forfeiture of Class B common stock |
(145,250 | ) | (15 | ) | 15 | — | — | |||||||||||||
Net loss |
— | — | — | (2,388,269 | ) | (2,388,269 | ) | |||||||||||||
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Balance - December 31, 2022 |
1,579,750 |
$ |
158 |
$ |
— |
$ |
(5,178,213 |
) |
$ |
(5,178,055 |
) | |||||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cash Flows from Operating Activities: |
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Net loss |
$ | (2,388,269 | ) | |
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: |
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Interest income from investments held in Trust Account |
(566,093 | ) | ||
Change in fair value of derivative warrant liabilities |
1,752,810 | |||
Offering costs associated with derivative warrant liabilities |
27,080 | |||
General and administrative expenses paid by related party under promissory note |
41,000 | |||
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |
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Prepaid expenses |
(565,472 | ) | ||
Accounts payable |
115,837 | |||
Accrued expenses |
273,619 | |||
Corporate tax payable |
155,655 | |||
Income tax payable |
86,214 | |||
|
|
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Net cash used in operating activities |
(1,067,619 | ) | ||
|
|
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Cash Flows from Investing Activities |
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Cash deposited in Trust Account |
(64,137,850 | ) | ||
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|
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Net cash used in investing activities |
(64,137,850 | ) | ||
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|
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Cash Flows from Financing Activities: |
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Proceeds from issuance of Class B common stock to Sponsor |
25,000 | |||
Proceeds from note payable to related party |
50,000 | |||
Repayment of note payable to related party |
(149,570 | ) | ||
Proceeds received from Overfunding Loans |
947,850 | |||
Proceeds received from initial public offering, gross |
63,190,000 | |||
Proceeds received from private placement |
2,884,660 | |||
Offering costs paid |
(1,503,932 | ) | ||
|
|
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Net cash provided by financing activities |
65,444,008 | |||
|
|
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Net increase in cash |
238,539 | |||
Cash - beginning of the period |
— | |||
|
|
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Cash - end of the period |
$ |
238,539 |
||
|
|
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Supplemental disclosure of noncash activities: |
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Offering costs included in accounts payable |
$ | 55,000 | ||
Offering costs paid by related party under promissory note |
$ | 58,570 | ||
Deferred underwriting commissions |
$ | 2,211,650 |
• | Level 1, defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical instruments in active markets; |
• | Level 2, defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable such as quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and |
• | Level 3, defined as unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions, such as valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. |
Gross proceeds |
$ | 63,190,000 | ||
Less: |
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Proceeds allocated to Public Warrants |
(379,140 | ) | ||
Class A shares issuance costs |
(3,802,072 | ) | ||
Plus: |
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Accretion of carrying value to redemption value |
5,353,286 | |||
Class A common stock subject to possible redemption - December 31, 2022 |
$ |
64,362,074 |
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For the Period from February 15, 2022 (inception) through December 31, 2022 |
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Class A |
Class B |
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Basic and diluted net loss per common share: |
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Numerator: |
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Allocation of net loss |
$ | (1,333,544) | $ | (1,054,725) | ||||
Denominator: |
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Basic and diluted weighted average common shares outstanding |
1,924,942 | 1,522,473 | ||||||
Basic and diluted net loss per common share |
$ | (0.69 | ) | $ | (0.69) | |||
• | in whole and not in part; |
• | at a price of $0.01 per warrant; |
• | upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption, referred to as the 30-day redemption period; and |
• | if, and only if, the closing price of the Class A common stock equals or exceeds $18.00 per share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within a 30-trading day period ending on the third trading day prior to the date on which the Company sends the notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
• | in whole and not in part; |
• | at $0.10 per warrant upon a minimum of 30 days’ prior written notice of redemption provided that holders will be able to exercise their warrants on a cashless basis prior to redemption and receive that number of shares determined by reference to an agreed table based on the redemption date and the “fair market value” of Class A common stock; and |
• | if, and only if, the closing price of Class A common stock equals or exceeds $10.00 per Public Share (as adjusted) for any 20 trading days within the 30-trading day period ending three trading days before the Company sends notice of redemption to the warrant holders. |
Description |
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) |
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) |
Significant Other Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) |
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Assets: |
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Investments held in Trust Account - U.S. Treasury Securities (1) |
$ | 64,703,943 | $ | — | $ | — | ||||||
Liabilities: |
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$ | 1,295,400 | $ | — | $ | — | |||||||
Derivative warrant liabilities - Private Warrants |
$ | — | $ | — | $ |
1,182,710 |
|
(1) |
Includes $1,663 of cash balance held within the Trust Account as of December 31, 2022. |
At initial issuance |
As of December 31, 2022 |
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Exercise price |
$ | 11.50 | $ | 11.50 | ||||
Stock price |
$ | 9.94 | $ | 10.05 | ||||
Volatility |
4.8 | % | 4.9 | % | ||||
Risk-free rate |
3.7 | % | 3.90 | % | ||||
Dividend yield |
0.0 | % | 0.0 | % |
Balance as of February 15, 2022 (inception) - Level 3 |
$ | — | ||
Issuance of Public Warrants and private placement warrants |
725,300 | |||
Transfer of Public Warrants to Level 1 |
(379,140 | ) | ||
836,550 | ||||
Balance as of December 31, 2022 - Level 3 |
$ |
1,182,710 |
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December 31, 2022 |
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Current |
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Federal |
$ | 86,214 | ||
State |
— | |||
Deferred |
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Federal |
(195,869 | ) | ||
State |
— | |||
Valuation allowance |
195,869 | |||
Income tax provision |
$ | 86,214 | ||
December 31, 2022 |
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Deferred tax assets: |
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Start-up/Organization costs |
$ | 195,869 | ||
Net operating loss carryforwards |
— | |||
Total deferred tax assets |
195,869 | |||
Valuation allowance |
(195,869 | ) | ||
Deferred tax asset, net of allowance |
$ | — | ||
December 31, 2022 |
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Statutory federal income tax rate |
21.0% | |||
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities |
(16.0)% | |||
Financing costs - derivative warrant liabilities |
(0.3)% | |||
Change in valuation allowance |
(8.5)% | |||
Income tax expense |
(3.8)% | |||
Table of Contents
* | Filed herewith. |
** | Furnished herewith. |
3 | Note to DFIN –.Link filing and fill in incorporation by reference. |
Table of Contents
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) 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.
Date: March 30, 2023 | DMY SQUARED TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC. | |||||
By: | /s/ Niccolo de Masi | |||||
Name: Niccolo de Masi | ||||||
Title: Chief Executive Officer and Director |
Signature | Capacity | Date | ||
/s/ Niccolo de Masi Niccolo de Masi |
Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
March 30, 2023 | ||
/s/ Harry L. You Harry L. You |
Chairman and Director | March 30, 2023 | ||
/s/ Darla Anderson Darla Anderson |
Director | March 30, 2023 | ||
/s/ Constance Weaver Constance Weaver |
Director | March 30, 2023 | ||
/s/ Charles Wert Charles Wert |
Director | March 30, 2023 | ||
/s/ Francesca Luthi Francesca Luthi |
Director | March 30, 2023 |